Orange Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

I was sorting all the photos I have taken of food for this blog and came across these and realised i hadn't shared this gorgeous recipe with you. It's another Asian stir fry, but in my eyes you can't go wrong with a stir fry, especially Asian as they are always so packed with flavour!

This dish isn't syn free, but it is still better than a takeaway and tastes so much better!!

The whole pan would serve 2/4 people depending how hungry and greedy you are HA HA!!
The whole dish is 5.5 syns on extra easy, so you do the math........

Ingredients

100ml freshly squeezed orange juice  2.5 syns
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp oyster sauce  1 syn
1 tbsp orange zest
2 large garlic cloves grated
1 inch ginger peeled and grated
1 tsp honey  1 syn
2 large chicken breast cubed
1 tsp cornflour  1 syn
as much mixed vegetables as you like, i used tenderstem broccoli, and oriental mushrooms
1 onion chopped
1 red chilli sliced

noodles or rice to serve, cooked as per packet instructions.

Method

In a blender blitz together the first 8 ingredients, set aside.

In a bowl mix together the cubed chicken and the cornflour and season with salt and pepper.

In a hot wok sprayed with frylight, add the chicken and stir-fry until golden, add the onion, chilli and broccoli and stir fry for 2 more minutes, add the oriental mushrooms and fry for 1 more minute, pour in the sauce and stir fry for 5/6 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with the rice or noodles

Pico de Gallo (Salsa)

This is a fantastic salsa!! it is so versatile it goes with anything and is just as great by itself with some chips to dip for a treat!!
It is so easy to make and best of all syn free on extra easy.
I first made this dish to go with the Mexican Salmon Stack.

Ingredients

6 tomatoes deseeded

1 garlic clove chopped

juice of 1 lime

1 onion chopped

1 red and 1 green chilli deseeded and chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chilli powder

¼ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp salt

handful coriander finely chopped

Method

Couldn't be simpler, put everything but the coriander in a blender and blitz until it is all combined and coarsely chopped. Pour into a bowl and stir in the chopped coriander. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for the flavours to mingle.

Roasted Vegetable Tortilla

I first made this dish to take on a picnic, it went down so well unfortunately there was no left overs.

Now i make it for all occasions also i have it for lunch, dinner, brunch, and even breakfast, it even makes a great snack.

It tastes great hot or cold. It is jam packed full of superfree and you can use whatever veggies you like.

Best of all it is synfree on extra easy!!

This one was made in a 20cm frying pan and depending how hungry or greedy like myself you are will serve 6 to 8 people.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

1lb maris piper or any waxy potato diced

8oz cremini mushrooms quartered

1 red pepper diced

1 onion diced

1 small sweet potato diced

1 garlic clove minced

6 eggs whisked

1 tsp Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

Method

Whisk together the egg garlic and salt and pepper, set aside.

On a large baking tray sprayed with frylight spread out all the vegetables so they are in a single layer, spray with more frylight and sprinkle with the Italian seasoning. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden, tossing them half way through.

Transfer all the veggies to an oven proof frying pan or dish and pour over the egg mixture, bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the egg is set.

Delicious with a big salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing.

Spanish Hash

I love this dish, it is so versatile and goes with anything or just great by itself. Yet again another comforting dish!!
The cheese is optional, i used my healthy A or you can syn it. You can add anything you want to this, maybe some peppers, mushrooms or onions, as i said so versatile.
Best of all, all this flavour is syn free on extra easy!!

I also discovered that the tomato sauce, is great cold as a ketchup, my son loves ketchup, but this he couldn't get in his mouth quick enough, and the plus side is it's home-made so you know exactly what's in it and it's better for you.
Just keep it in the fridge.

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

This dish served 2 but were greedy.

Ingredients

1lb potatoes peeled if desired then cubed

4 eggs

60g goats cheese (optional)

Sauce Ingredients

1 onion chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped

1 red chilli chopped

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tin tomatoes

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

Method

Spray a baking tray with frylight then lay out the potatoes and season and spray again. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until golden, tossing and spraying half way through.

While the potatoes cook make the sauce.

In a blender blitz the onion, garlic and chilli. Fry in a pan sprayed with frylight for 2 minutes, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened to you liking. Then put it all back into the blender and blitz until smooth.

Pour into a seal-able container, you won't need all of it for this dish.

In a large oven proof pan, pour in the cooked potatoes, pour over as much sauce as you require, make 4 holes and crack in the eggs, add the cheese if using, then bake in the oven until the eggs are cooked to your liking, and serve. I served mine with Grilled chicken and a green salad.

Jalapeno and Coriander Rosti

I love potatoes and how versatile they are, but any potato that is fried is alway at the top of the list.

I love the kick from the spice and as coriander is my favourite herb it adds a delicious flavour.

The rostis go so well with chipotle yogurt and cajun salmon and a big salad!

They are syn free on extra easy.

Ingredients

1lb potatoes, i used maris piper

1 onion

1 tsp ground cumin

1 green chilli finely chopped

handful of coriander leaves chopped

1 egg beaten

salt and pepper

Method

Grate the potato and onion onto a clean tea towel, then squeeze out all the moisture, in a large bowl mix all the ingredients together.

In a large frying pan sprayed with frylight, flatten a spoonful of the mixture and fry for 3 minutes on each side until they are golden, transfer to a baking sheet, repeat until you have used up all the mixture. Spray with more frylight and bake for 15 minutes, until they are cooked through.

Salmon Fishcakes

I make up a menu for evening meals each week, i had my crab cakes on the menu thinking i had some crab in the fridge, but when i came to make them i was mistaken there was no crab, so i decided to create a salmon cake recipe, and i am so glad i did. They were delicious!!!

If you're not using the bread as your healthy extra B then it is 6 syns, the horseradish is 1 syn on extra easy, i made 6 patties.

Ingredients

8 oz salmon fillet, seasoned and roasted, and cooled
1 red onion finely chopped
1 red pepper finely chopped
1 tbsp capers
1 tsp worcester sauce
1 tsp italian seasoning
½ tsp celery salt
1 slice of wholemeal bread from a 800g loaf made into crumbs 6 syns
1 egg beaten
1 tbsp horseradish sauce
salt and pepper to season


Method

In a pan sprayed with frylight fry the onions and peppers until they are soft, then add the capers fry for 1 minute, add the worcester sauce, italian seasoning and celery salt fry for 2 minutes. let it cool.

In a large bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, onion mixture, horseradish, and salmon and season, then mix in the flaked salmon.

Make into patties and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Fry the patties to brown on each side, then transfer to a baking tray and finish off in the oven for 10 minutes.

Chicken Enchiladas

I was really craving enchiladas, but didn't want to waste all my syns on the tortillas, then i thought how about trying to make them with pasta, but instead of wrapping them i decided to make it in the style of a lasagne.

To say they were delicious is an understatement, they were amazing!!!

I served them with jalapenos, coriander leaves, grated low fat cheese and a chipotle yogurt sauce.

Serves 4, plus one portion of the chicken sauce left over, each serving is 2 syns as long as the cheese is used as your healthy A.

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

Ingredients

4 roasted chicken breasts shredded

150g chorizo sausage chopped  9.75 syns

8oz mushrooms chopped

1 onion chopped

2 red peppers chopped (i used jarred)

2 tins tomatoes

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp dried oregano

2 tsps cajun seasoning

½ tsp celery salt

1 tsp chilli powder

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 tbsp chipotle paste  ½ syn

dried lasagne sheets

80g low fat cheddar cheese

80g grated low fat cheese to serve

jalapenos to serve

coriander leaves to serve

½ tsp chipotle paste mixed with fat free natural yogurt to serve

Method

In a large pan brown the chorizo and remove. Fry the onions in the same pan for 2 minutes, then add the mushrooms and peppers and fry until golden. Add the cumin, oregano, cajun seasoning, celery salt, chilli powder, chipotle paste and garlic, cook for 1 minute, add the tomatoes and 200ml of water. Return the chorizo and add the chicken to the pan, simmer for 20 minutes.

Layer the sauce in a baking dish with the lasagne sheets, finishing with the sauce on top, cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes, uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 20 more minutes.

Serve with a green salad and the condiments.

Corned beef Hash

Another dish you thought you couldn't eat while being on Slimming World!! Comfort food at it's best!!

Unfortunately it is not syn free, but it is low in syns, as the only syns are in the corned beef.

The whole dish is 4 syns.

Preheat oven to 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

1lb potatoes peeled and diced

1 tin lean corned beef 200g

1 onion finely chopped

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp worcester sauce

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 fried eggs to serve.

Method

Lay the diced potatoes on a baking sheet sprayed with frylight and season and spray with more frylight, bake for 30 minutes, tossing and spraying again half way through.

In a frying pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onion until soft and golden, add the corned beef and fry till soft, add the tomato puree, worcester sauce, paprika and cayenne pepper, fry for 5 minutes, stirring often, add the potatoes to the pan and mix together, then serve with a fried egg on top.

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.

Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato

I found a recipe for Chipotle Chicken on Pinterest, and it looked good, I was always told you eat with your eyes. I decided to adapt it for Slimming World.

You have the spiciness and smokiness of the chipotle and the sweetness of the sweet potato with a tang from the cheese.

I also had some rice left over from last nights meal so decided to mix that in too, and it works very well.

The whole dish is 1 syn on extra easy, so if serving two it's only ½ syn per person.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes baked

2 chicken breasts roasted and shredded

2 tbsp chipotle paste 1 syn

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp lime juice

2 garlic cloves grated

salt and pepper

8oz mushrooms chopped

1 red pepper chopped

1 onion chopped

1 cup cooked rice

handful coriander leaves

80g reduced fat cheese

Method

Mix together the chipotle paste, chilli powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, lime juice and grated garlic, season with salt and pepper, set aside.

In a frying pan sprayed with frylight fry the onions till golden, add the mushrooms and fry till golden, then add the red peppers, fry for 2 minutes, stir in the chicken, rice, coriander and sauce, heat through for 2 minutes.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half, scoop out most of the middle, spray the inside of the skins with frylight and put back in the oven for 10 minutes. Save the middles for another meal.

Stuff the potato with the chicken mix then bake for 10 minutes, sprinkle with the cheese and put bake in the oven till the cheese has melted.

Serve with a green salad.

Syn Free Pate

I absolutely love pate, but never in a million years thought i could eat it on Slimming World. Thanks to Francesca Hayward for posting a recipe on a slimming group. I changed a few things and it came out delicious, considering there is no butter in the recipe it is rich, creamy and just like an ordinary pate.

It is completely syn free on extra easy too.....

Ingredients

500g mushrooms chopped

400g chicken livers chopped

1 garlic clove finely chopped

1 onion chopped

4 rashers bacon fat removed and chopped

1 tsp mixed herbs

2 tbsp of quark

salt and pepper

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the mushrooms till golden and set aside.

Re spray the pan and fry the onions till soft, add the garlic and mixed herbs and fry for 1 minute, then add the chicken livers and fry for 5 minutes, add the bacon and fry for 2 minutes. Let it cool down then blitz in a blender till smooth, mix in the quark and season to taste. Mix in the mushrooms and refrigerate. 

Thai Basil and Seafood Fried Rice

I adore Thai food and knowing i can make it virtually syn free on Slimming World is Fab!!!

This is a quick and easy recipe and so much better than a take away, not just for lack of syns but taste too!

Just 1 syn for the whole pot on extra easy, so if you really greedy, like me it will serve two, not so hungry maybe four...

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves

1 thai red chilli (more if you like it spicy)

1 lb squid cleaned and ringed

20 raw shrimp

½ red pepper thinly sliced

½ onion sliced

1 cup edamame beans

8oz oriental mushrooms

handful thai basil leaves

1 tbsp oyster sauce (1 syn)

1 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp light soy sauce

cooked rice for 2

Method

Blitz the garlic and chilli in a blender.

Mix together the oyster sauce and the soy sauces

In a wok sprayed with frylight, stir fry all the veggies for 1 minute, add the chilli and garlic, stir and add the shrimp and squid stir for 1 minute then add the sauce, stir in the rice and heat it all through, take off the heat and tear in the basil. 

Season with fish sauce if needed.

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!

Paprika Pork One Pot

This recipe is an adaptation of the Paprika Pork in the Slimming World Family Feast on a Budget recipe book.

I have added orzo to the recipe to make it a one pot dish. I also omitted the yogurt as i personally thought it was creamy enough without it.

Syn free on extra easy.

Ingredients

1 large onion cut into wedges

1 red pepper diced

1 pork tenderloin all fat removed and diced

8 oz cremini mushrooms

1 red chilli sliced

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tbsp paprika

500 ml chicken stock

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 cup orzo pasta

handful of roughly chopped coriander leaves

6 tbsp fat free yogurt (optional)

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight fry the onions till golden, add the pork and brown. Add the peppers and mushrooms and fry till golden, then add the chilli and garlic, fry for 1 minute. Stir in the paprika and red wine vinegar, then pour in the stock and season. 

Bring to a boil then add 1 cup of orzo pasta, stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

If using the yogurt, take the pan off the heat and stir it in. Sprinkle over the coriander and serve.

Cajun Salmon Hash

I had a piece of salmon that had to used up in the fridge and was craving comfort food, so looked to see what else i had laying around and came up with this recipe.

It is along the same lines of the Chicken Hash, but with a few different flavours.

It is syn free on extra easy.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

4 large potatoes peeled and diced

1 lb salmon fillet

8 oz cremini mushrooms thickly sliced

1 red pepper diced

1 cup jalapenos

1 onion diced

1 tbsp cajun seasoning, devided into 3

1 tbsp worcester sauce

salt and pepper to season

2 duck eggs

Method

Spray a baking sheet with frylight and lay out the diced potatoes spray the potatoes, sprinkle over ⅓ of the cajun seasoning and season, bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turning and spraying again half way through.

Spray an ovenproof dish with frylight, put the salmon in the dish and spray with frylight and sprinkle over ⅓ of the cajun seasoning and season, bake for 8 minutes.

Spray a large frying pan with frylight, fry the onions till they start to soften, add the mushrooms and pepper and fry till golden, sprinkle over the remaining cajun seasoning, worcester sauce and season, add the jalapenos and fry for 2 minutes, stir in the cooked potatoes and serve up, flake over the salmon and top with a fried egg.

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.

Jalapeno Coleslaw

I was planning my weekly menu and decided that jalapeno coleslaw would be good with a meal i was preparing, so i set about making a syn free one.


Ingredients

½ red cabbage
½ white cabbage
1 large carrot
1 large onion
1 cup pickled jalapeno slices
1 tube quark
4 tbsp fat free natural Greek yogurt
1 tbsp tomato puree
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Shred the cabbage, carrot and onion, mix together. Finely chop the jalapenos, mix together the quark, yogurt, and tomato puree, stir in the jalapenos and season to taste, mix into the vegetables.

Coronation Chicken

I've found lots of recipes for coronation chicken, but not a syn free one.
My adaptation isn't quite syn free but the closest i could get, without having to use a mullerlight yogurt.

It is thick and creamy, with a great kick, theres a crunch from the apple and it has so much flavour.

1.5 syns for the whole batch.


Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts seasoned and roasted for 20 minutes, then diced.
1 apple peeled and diced
1 onion diced
2 tbsp quark
6 tbsp fat free natural yogurt
1 tbsp mango chutney
1 tsp madras curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
handful chopped coriander

Method

Mix all the wet ingredients together with the curry powder, then add the chopped, chicken apple and onion. Stir in the coriander and season to taste.

This dish is great served in a sandwich, on a jacket potato, with pasta or rice.