Fisherman's Soup

If you love fish and seafood you with love this soup, light and refreshing, but warming on a cold winters night! Synfree on extra easy, and very filling, full of protein from the fish and there's superfree in there too.
You will notice in my method that i cook the squid for a long time, with squid it either has to be quickly seared or simmered for at least 30 minutes for it be tender.

This recipe makes 2 large bowls or 4 for starters.

Ingredients

1 onion finely diced
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 red pepper finely diced
1 large carrot finely diced
½ tsp chilli flakes or more if you like it hotter
1 tin tomatoes
750ml fish stock
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp celery salt
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper
2 tbsp capers
1 packet frozen prepared squid, i get mine from Asda, cut into rings, use the tenticules too.
2 tilapia fillets
20 large shrimp
Basil to serve


Method

In a large pot sprayed with frylight fry the onions until soft, add the carrot, pepper, garlic and chilli flakes, fry for 4 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and stock then add the herbs and spices.
Add the capers and squid, bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the shrimp and tilapia and simmer until they are cooked through then serve.

Spicy Beef and Red Pepper Soup with Giant Cous Cous

Soup!!! Think i may have to start a page for soups, there is nothing like a hot steaming bowl in this weather and when it's got a little kick it makes it all the better!!
To bulk this dish out i added some giant cous cous and it was fab! It didn't make it heavy but made it slightly more filling.
You could add rice or orzo to it also.
This dish is synfree on extra easy, so even better, you could use some of your syns for a nice chunk of bread to mop the bowl out!!

I managed to make 6 portions out of these ingredients.

Ingredients

1 kg minced beef 5% fat or less
1 onion finely diced
2 red peppers finely diced
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
1 tin tomatoes
500ml passata
500ml beef stock
500ml vegetable stock
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
one large handful of giant cous cous

Method

In a large pot sprayed with frylight brown the minced beef then remove. Add the onions to the pot and fry until soft, then add the peppers, chilli and garlic fry for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients apart from the cous cous, bring to a boil, return the mince to the pot, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the cous cous and cook for about 15 minutes until it is cooked.

I like to serve mine with some avocado and goats cheese, but remember to syn them if you do.

Butternut Squash, Mushroom and Gorgonzola Pilaf

This is a warming, earthy dish, full of herby woodland flavours. You have the woodiness of the mushrooms, sweetness from the squash and a creamy sharp bite from the cheese. It is all brought together by the wild and basmati rice.

The cheese is optional, if you do use it, it is 4.5 syns for 25g on extra easy, unfortunately you can't use it as your healthy extra A.

preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

½ a butternut squash, peeled and diced

1 large onion chopped

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 punnet of button mushrooms halved

1 cup basmati and wild rice rinsed

2 cups vegetable stock

15g dried wild mushrooms rehydrated and finely chopped

1 tsp finely chopped sage

1 tsp italian seasoning or mixed herbs

handful of chopped coriander leaves

50g gorgonzola optional

salt and pepper

Method

Lay the squash out of a tray sprayed with frylight, spray the squash and season, roast in the oven for 25/30 minutes.

In a large pan with a lid, fry the onions in frylight until soft, add the garlic fry for 1 minute then add the mushrooms and fry until golden, stir in the rice and toast for 1 minute. Stir in the stock and add the herbs, season and cover, simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked through and all the stock has dissolved.

Remove from the heat, stir in the coriander, squash and cheese, then serve.

Greek Lamb Meatballs

On a cold winters night, like we are getting at the moment there is nothing like a lovely warming dish of pasta and meatballs!

They are so easy to make and low in syns.

8 syns for the whole dish, mine served 3, but again it depends how hungry you are.....

Pre heat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Meatball Ingredients

400g 16% or less lean lamb mince 2 syns per 100g

1 onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp Greek seasoning or dried oregano

pinch of salt and pepper

Sauce Ingredients

1 onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove finely chopped

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp Greek seasoning or dried oregano

500ml vegetable stock

500ml passata 

1 tin tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

Method

To make the meatball, fry the onion in a pan sprayed with fry light until they are soft and golden add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes, set aside and let cool.

In a large bowl mix together the rest of the meatball ingredients and the cooled onions, try not to over handle the mixture as it will get tough. Roll the mixture in your hands to make balls the size of a golf ball, put in a baking tray sprayed with frylight. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes till golden, don't worry if they are not cooked through as they will cook through in the sauce.

While the meatballs are in the oven prepare the sauce.

In a large pan sprayed with frylight fry the onions until they are soft and golden, add the garlic and fry for 2 more minutes, add the tomatoes, passata, cinnamon, seasonings and stock and bring to a boil then simmer on a low heat for about 30 minutes until it has thickened and darkened in colour, season to taste, add the meatballs to the sauce and cook through for 10 minutes.

I serve mine with a big bowl of spaghetti.

Mushroom Melt

Pure comfort food!! Nutty gooey cheese, sweet caramelised onions and nutty woody mushrooms in a crisp coating. Goes perfectly with a hot steaming bowl of soup!!

Syn free on extra easy if you use your healthy A & B

Ingredients

1 large onion sliced
8oz mushrooms sliced
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 tsp mixed herbs
30g gruyere cheese grated
2 slices wholemeal bread 400g loaf

Method

In a large pan sprayed with butter frylight, over a medium heat fry the onions until they are soft and caramelised golden, should take about 30 minutes, if they start to get a bit too brown before they are soft, sprinkle with water. when cooked remove from pan and keep warm.
Spray the pan with more frylight and fry the mushroom until they are soft and golden, add the garlic and herbs and cook for 2 more minutes, return the onion to the pan and mix together.
In a bowl mix the cheese into the mushrooms, pile the mixture between the slices of bread fry each slice with butter frylight and cook between a panini press or in a frying pan, till golden on both sides.

Tomato and Fennel Soup

When you're feeling under the weather and need something comforting to eat but don't have the energy to spend a long time stood in the kitchen, then this soup is perfect!!

It is quick and easy to make and warm and comforting to eat, especially if it's served with a grilled cheese sandwich........

Syn free on extra easy (just the soup)

Ingredients

1 large onion sliced
1 large fennel bulb thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 litre passata
500ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onions and fennel till soft and golden.
Add the garlic and fry for 1 more minute, sprinkle in the herbs and pour over the passata and stock bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes until the soup has thickened slightly. Season to taste and then blend the soup with a hand blender or in a blender, return to the heat and warm through.

Slow Cooked Balsamic Chicken

For on a day when you don't have much time to cook and don't want to spend ages in the kitchen, this dish is perfect.

Ok so it's not the prettiest looking chicken, but it sure makes up for it with flavour! and it is so tender too...

Syn free on extra easy.

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts, or you could use thighs with all the skin and fat removed.

1 tsp garlic salt

2 tsps dried onions

1 tbsp dried mixed herbs

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 star anise

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp tabasco sauce (optional)

Method

Mix together the garlic salt, dried herbs, dried onion and rub into the chicken.

Lay the chicken into a frylight spray slow cooker and pour over the balsamic vinegar, add the star anise and season. 

Cook on high for 4 hours.

When cooked remove the chicken, pour the marinade into a saucepan add the tabasco if using and simmer down by half, use this as a sauce over the chicken.

I served the chicken with baked sweet potatoes and roasted thin asparagus.

The sweetness and creaminess of the potato cut through the tang of the sauce. Perfect combination!

Spaghetti Bolognese

This is a deliciously tasty bolognese sauce, which is completely syn free on extra easy, the parmesan is optional, and you can always use your healthy extra A for it.
The sauce is great for a lasagne, topping for a jacket potato, with syn free chips or wedges or as a base for a cottage pie.

Serves 6

Ingredients

500g extra lean beef mince 5% fat or less
1 large onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
8 oz mushrooms sliced
1 pepper pepper diced
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
500ml passata
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp worcester sauce
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp celery salt
500ml beef stock

1 packet of spaghetti cooked as packet instructions

Method

In a large pot sprayed with frylight, fry the mince until it is browned, remove from pan and set aside.
Respray the pot and fry the onions till golden, add the carrots, mushrooms and pepper and fry for 2/3 minutes, then add the garlic
. Return the meat to the pot, mix together and add all the tomato ingredients, stir in the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer on a low heat for 2-3 hours.
Serve with the spaghetti, sprinkle with parmesan.

Creamy Coriander and Mint Chicken Curry

This is a lovely creamy curry without any cream or fat!
You can make it as spicy as you like by adding more chillies.
This dish is syn free on extra easy.


Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz cremini mushrooms quartered
2 onions roughly chopped
3 cloves
3 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2 cm ginger roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 chillies roughly chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
salt and pepper
large handful of coriander including the stalks
handful of mint leaves
300ml chicken stock
juice of a lime
4 ripe tomatoes quartered and deseeded
coriander leaves to garnish

Method

Chop the chicken into 2 cm cubes.
In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onions with the cinnamon stick, cardamon pods and cloves. When golden add the mushrooms and fry till golden, then add the chicken and brown.

In a blender blitz together the ginger, garlic, chilli flakes, chillies, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, salt and pepper, fresh coriander and mint with ½ cup water to make a smooth paste.

Add to the pan and cook out for 2 minutes, add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes and the chicken is cooked through.
Add the lime juice, tomatoes and more salt and pepper if needed. Simmer for 5 more minutes then serve with rice and garnish with the coriander leaves and fat free natural yogurt.

Jerk Chicken with Portobello Mushrooms

This Caribbean dish is sweet, spicy and tangy, with a smooth cooling dip. It tastes great wrapped in a crispy, crunchy little gem leaf.

2 syns per serving on extra easy.


Serves 2
Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 large portobello mushrooms sliced
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
4 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp jerk seasoning
½ tsp sesame oil
1 red chilli
handful of coriander

Method

Cut each chicken breast into 8 pieces.
Put the rest of the ingredients except one tablespoon of the soy sauce, in a blender and blitz.
Marinade the chicken for at least 2 hours, overnight if possible.
Spray a pan with frylight and brown the chicken pieces on each side, put on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes to cook through.
Fry the mushrooms in frylight and 1 tbsp of soy sauce, then add the chicken back to the pan mix together and serve.
Sprinkle with coriander and serve with little gem leaves and mint yogurt sauce.

Recipe for mint yogurt sauce in the side dishes folder.

Bang Bang Chicken Noodle Salad

This is a lovely light and refreshing meal, full of Asian flavours.

9 syns for the whole dish on extra easy

Serves 8/10

Ingredients

1 small packet rice noodles

3 skinless chicken breasts roasted and shredded

½ cucumber shredded

2 carrots shredded

8 spring onions halved and finely sliced lengthways

8 radishes finely sliced

Half bag of bean sprouts

Handful each of coriander and mint leaves roughly chopped

2 cm ginger grated

1 garlic clove grated

200ml chicken stock

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp sweetener

2 tbsp reduced fat peanut butter

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 lime juiced

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Method

Put the ginger, garlic, chilli flakes, cinnamon stick and stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil, remove from the heat and let sit for 15 minutes.

Blend the peanut butter, sweetener, soy sauce, sesame oil and lime juice together till smooth, add the stock mixture, removing the cinnamon stick and blend again.

Mix together all the other ingredients then pour over the dressing mix together and let it stand for 20 minutes for the dressing to be absorbed and the flavours to mature, then serve.