Pastitsio

This dish is what they call a Greek Lasagne, you usually use lamb mince, but as i couldn't find any extra lean lamb mince i used extra lean beef mince, it was just as tasty. I love the warmth you get from the cinnamon and nutmeg.

The whole dish is syn free on extra easy.

These ingredients make enough ragu for a large Pastitsio and some left over ragu which you can use for a topping for a baked spud, or just mix it into pasta with some rocket leaves, you could even make a Sloppy Joe sandwich out of it!

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

1 kg extra lean lamb or beef mince
1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
500g mushrooms chopped
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp dried oregano
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp all spice
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tins tomatoes
1 litre lamb stock

500g macaroni cooked as per packet instructions, and cooled

1 500ml tube fat free yogurt
1 250ml tube quark
2 eggs beaten
½ tsp nutmeg

Method

In a large pot brown the lamb or beef mince then remove.
Fry the onion until soft then add the mushrooms, fry until golden, stir in the garlic and all the herbs and spices cook for 1 minute, return the mince, stir in the tomato puree and tinned tomatoes, then add the stock, bring to a boil, then simmer on a low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Mix together the yogurt, quark, eggs and nutmeg, and season.

Mix a couple of large spoonfuls of the quark mixture with the pasta.

In a large baking dish, layer the meat on the bottom, top with the pasta, then pour over the white sauce. Bake in the oven for 30/35 minutes.

Greek Venison Shank

This meal is great for a Sunday roast and it's totally syn free on extra easy. The meat is so lean, but so tender and juicy. The sauce has so much flavour and warmth.

Served with syn free roast potatoes and lots of vegetables it make a fantastically comforting meal.

If you can't get hold of venison shanks, then lamb shanks will be a great substitute.

Ingredients

1 large venison shank or 2 lamb shanks

1 large onion diced

1 tin tomatoes

4 garlic cloves finely chopped

200ml beef stock

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp greek seasoning

juice of ½ lemon

salt and pepper

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight brown the shanks and then put them in the slow cooker.

Fry the onions until soft add the garlic, herbs and spices fry for 1 minute, then stir in the stock, tomatoes and lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the shanks and set the slow cooker to cook for 8 hours on low.

When the shanks are cooked remove from the cooker, and cover to keep warm.

Pour the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil then simmer down until it has slightly thickened.

You can now serve the sauce with the meat, but i like to push the sauce through a sieve so it is smooth, then i reheat it and serve it as a synfree gravy.

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.

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.

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.

Greek Lamb Hotpot

I really felt like making a Moussaka, but didn't want to use lots of syns on the sauce that goes with it, so i made a lamb ragu and layered it with potatoes and sprinkled with feta cheese, you can use aubergine too for the layers.
The feta cheese cuts through the richness of the lamb, without all the fat and syns.
 Its a cross between a Moussaka and Hotpot.

3.5 syns per portion on extra easy as long as you use the Feta as your healthy A, if not add 6 syns.


Serves 6

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 large onion chopped
2 carrots finely diced
1 punnet cremini/chestnut mushrooms
1 kg less 16% fat minced lamb
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tin chopped tomatoes
500ml passata
1 tbsp tomato puree
500ml lamb or chicken stock
1 lb potatoes thinly sliced
Butter frylight
45g feta cheese per portion

Method

In a large pan sprayed with sunflower frylight brown the mince lamb then remove and set aside.
Fry the onions until they are soft and golden, add the garlic, carrots and mushrooms, fry for 3 minutes.
Return the lamb to the pan, add all the herbs and spices, stir together then add the tomatoes, passata, puree and stock, season with salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil then simmer for 2 hours stirring occasionally.
When the ragu is cooked, layer the ragu and potatoes in an oven proof dish, with ragu on the bottom and potatoes as the top layer, spray the top layer of potatoes with the butter frylight and bake for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. If the top starts to get too brown cover with kitchen foil.
Serve up and sprinkle with the feta cheese.

Delicious served with a Greek Salad

Baked Shrimp in Tomato Feta Sauce

This dish can be served as a main course, starter or as a small plate Tapas dish.
The base sauce also makes a great topping for Patatas Bravas, which is why i serves the sauteed potatoes with it.

Syne free on extra easy as long as the cheese is used as your healthy A.

45 g Feta cheese is the healthy A


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

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 medium onions finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 red chillies finely chopped
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
A small handful of thai basil leaves roughly chopped or basic basil leaves if you prefer, i like the slight aniseed taste you get.
2 tsp dried oregano
2 lb large raw shrimp
salt and pepper
A pinch of sweetener
180g Feta cheese ( free if using as you healthy A, 6 syns on extra easy if not)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onions till soft, add the chilli and garlic and fry for 30 seconds more.
Add the tomatoes and 1 tomato tin filled with water, sprinkle in the dried oregano, stir together then simmer for 30 minutes over a low heat till the sauce has thickened.
Add the shrimp, thai basil and feta, and salt and pepper to taste then transfer to an oven dish and bake for 10 - 15 minutes until the shrimp are cooked.
Serve with Sauteed Potatoes, rice or pasta.

I also served mine with a Greek Salad and little gem leaves.

For the Base sauce, follow the instructions through to the sauce thickening, this sauce can be used for so many things, like a pasta sauce, as mentioned the Patatas Bravas and Ratatouille.