Gammon and Roasted Vegetable Pasta

I was going through the fridge trying to decide what to have for dinner, I was having a fussy day, but remembered i really enjoyed the roasted vegetables i made the other day, then i noticed some leftover pasta and a gammon steak, so i decided to put it all together. I'm so glad i did as it was yummy!!!!

This dish is syn free and full of super free.

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

Ingredients

1 onion chopped

1 pepper sliced

1 tbsp capers

2 tomatoes halved

1 gammon steak fat removed and diced

8 mushrooms sliced

2 cups cooked pasta

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

Method

In a tray sprayed with frylight place the tomatoes, and scatter the onions and pepper around them, then sprinkle over the capers, season and roast for about 20 minutes.

In a pan sprayed with frylight, fry the gammon until cooked through, then remove. Then fry the mushrooms until golden.

Warm the pasta in a covered microwave bowl for 2 minutes. 

When the vegetables are cooked add to the pan, with the gammon and pasta, crush the tomatoes and then stir together until all the pasta is coated, then serve.

One Pot Pizza Pasta

What can i say about this dish, apart from, forget Pizza this is so much better!!!
You can make this syn free or add as many syns as you like, this one has chorizo in it so the whole dish is 6.5 syns on extra easy but it served 3 very big portions.
You basically add any topping you would normally have a pizza. I used chorizo as i didn't have any pepperoni, and I'm so glad i did as it added so much flavour....

Ingredients

100g chorizo sausage casing removed and crumbled  6.5 syns
1 pepper diced
8oz mushrooms chopped
1 red onion diced
1 tin tomatoes chopped
500ml passata
1 garlic clove grated
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
8oz dried pasta
handful of basil leaves
90g light mozzarella per serving Healthy A please check make as they vary


Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the chorizo until golden, remove from pan, add onions to the pan and fry for 2 minutes, add the pepper and mushrooms and fry for 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and passata, garlic and seasoning's, add 400 ml water and the pasta, stir together, return the chorizo to the pan then cover and cook until the pasta is cooked, stirring occasionally so the mixture doesn't stick to the pan. Serve up your portions, then dice the mozzarella and tear the basil leaves and stir into your individual dishes.

Lemon Chicken and Orzo Soup

This soup is really easy to make and tastes amazing! It is light and refreshing but very filling.
full of super free and is syn free on extra easy.
Great on a cold evening or if you are feeling ill.

Ingredients

1 pound of chicken thighs with the skin and all the fat removed cut into inch chunks.
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 onion diced
2 carrots peeled and diced
8oz cremini mushrooms sliced
1 tsp celery salt
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 bay leaves
1¼ litres chicken stock
1 cup orzo
1 sprig rosemary
juice of 1 lemon

Method

In a large pot sprayed with frylight, brown the chicken and remove.
Add the onions and fry until golden, add the carrots and mushrooms and fry until tender, stir in the garlic, celery salt, thyme, chilli flakes and bay leaves, fry for 1 minute then add the stock and chicken, bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. Add the orzo and rosemary and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the orzo is cooked. Stir in the lemon juice and serve.

One Pot Pasta

I found this dish when i was looking for something quick and easy to make as i wasn't feeling well.
I was a bit sceptical about just throwing everything in one pot and cooking it, but it worked and it was delicious!!!
I adapted it so it is syn free on extra easy and as the oil has been left out the starch from the pasta does make it a bit stodgy, but it still tastes great!!
You can put anything you like in this dish, i made mine on an Italian theme.
This dish is syn free on extra easy and serves about 4 people.

Ingredients

500g of any pasta you like.
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes halved
1 small onion sliced
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tbsps capers
2 cloves of garlic sliced
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp chilli flakes
4.5 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
big handful basil leaves.

Method

As the title says, put everything in a large pan, apart from a few leaves which you save for garnish.
Bring the water to a boil, then boil for about 8 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the water has been absorbed. Stir the dish from time to time to stop it sticking on the bottom.
Serve straight away, garnished with the rest of the basil leaves.

Orange and Balsamic Orzo Salad

This is a gorgeous salad, it's light, refreshing and zingy! Sweetness from the honey, a twang from the balsamic vinegar and a combination of both from the oranges which brings both flavours together. Full of lovely super free and as colourful as a rainbow.

This salad goes beautifully with Orange and Ginger Tilapia

The whole dish is 2.5 syns on extra easy and it served 3 as a main dish or 5 as a side.

Ingredients

2 cups of cooked orzo or any other small pasta
8 cherry tomatoes quartered
3 inches of cucumber peeled deseeded and sliced
4 spring onions finely sliced
segments of 1 large orange
handful of chopped coriander leaves
50ml freshly squeezed orange juice 1 syn
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard 0.5 syn
1 tsp honey 1 syn
salt and pepper to taste


Method

Mix together the first 6 ingredients.
whisk together the remaining ingredients, then pour over the pasta and mix together, let it sit for 30 minutes then serve.
I served this with Orange and Ginger Tilapia

Spicy Pork Pasta

This dish is great hot or cold. I had some leftover Spicy African Pork Tenderloin and decided to make a pasta dish out of it, as per usual i cooked far too much pasta, so ended up with two meals one hot and one cold for the next day, and it was so good, i didn't mind having it again!

Syn free on extra easy.

Ingredients

Leftover pork
As much cooked dried pasta as you like
1 tsp of the leftover marinade from the pork dish
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
dash of water
½ bag of rocket leaves


Method

Mix together the marinade, balsamic vinegar and water, stir it into the cooked pasta. Finely slice the pork and mix into the pasta, stir through the rocket leaves and serve, it's that simple!

Spicy Tilapia Pasta

Another seafood and chorizo recipe you say!! I'm afraid it is, but i'm addicted to chorizo at the moment, i know it has syns, but the flavours and spices and smokiness is so worth it, it just makes the dish come to life!!! In the winter months i'm all about comfort food and this is on the list!

6.5 syns for the whole dish on extra easy, which in our house made 3 servings, but were greedy!!

Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets

100g cooking chorizo sliced 6.5 syns

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 red chilli finely chopped

1 tin tomatoes

250ml fish or vegetable stock

1 tsp paprika

salt and pepper

handful coriander leaves

cooked pasta of choice

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, cook the chorizo until it is golden, add the garlic and chilli, cook for 1 minute then add the paprika, tomatoes and fish stock, season and simmer for 5 minutes. Lay the tilapia in the sauce and cook for 8 minutes, add the pasta and coriander leaves to the dish stir into the sauce, gently breaking up the fish into large chunks and then serve.

Seafood All'arrabbiata

I had been to the gym and came home ravenous and craving carbs, so instead of using loads of syns on bread i decided to take the time and cook some pasta. I decided on seafood which seems to be the norm with me and pasta, i wanted a kick so i add some chilli, then decided i would make my version of an all'arrabbiata. I will say for a dish that i just made up and knocked together it was really very good!!!

Syn free on extra easy.

Serves 2

Ingredients

Pasta of your choice

1 tin tomatoes

2-3 large mushrooms chopped

1 tbsp capers

1 red pepper chopped

1 garlic clove finely chopped

1- 2 red chillies finely chopped

1 tin of tuna in brine or spring water drained

8oz cooked shrimp

large handful rocket leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Cook the pasta as per packet instructions.

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the mushrooms until golden. Add the red pepper, chilli, and garlic, fry for 1 minute, add the tomatoes, capers and tuna, bring to a boil then simmer gently for 10 minutes, season to taste, add the shrimp, simmer for 2 minutes, take of the heat and stir in the rocket and serve.

Slow Cooked Squid and Shrimp with Fennel

I love seafood and i love pasta, so put together this is a match made in heaven!!

I have to say this is one of the best recipes i have done so far. really tasty, with a touch of anise flavour and a kick from the chilli. Cooking the squid for a long time makes it so tender. 

You can have it syn free on extra easy by leaving out the olives but for 1 syn for 8 olives, it's worth throwing them in!!

I served mine with linguine, but you could have this with anything you like, even a large chunk of bread would be good, but don't forget to syn it!!!

Ingredients

1 lb squid cleaned and cut into rings

20 shrimp raw

1 fennel bulb thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

16 olives stoned (2 syns)

2 tins tomatoes

1 tbsp capers

1 tsp chilli flakes

handful fresh tarragon and basil

300 ml fish stock

pinch of sweetener

salt and pepper

Method

Spray a large pan with frylight and fry the fennel till golden and soft, add the garlic and fry for another minute, add the stock and bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and stir in the tomatoes, capers, chilli flakes, sweetener and olives, then add the squid, season to taste, and simmer for at least an hour, keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't dry out, if it starts to get a bit to thick add some water.

When the squid is tender add the shrimp and cook for 5 more minutes then tear in the herbs and serve with side of choice.

Lasagne

We love lasagne in our house, but because of the fattening, high syned cheese sauce we have been giving it a miss, well not anymore!!

I have created a very tasty cheese sauce which is syn free on extra easy as long as you use it as your healthy extra A.

It is not a runny sauce as the eggs set it, to stop it from splitting, so make sure you make a lot.

So as long as you use the cheese as your Healthy extra A, the dish is syn free!

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 batch of bolognese sauce

1 box dried lasagne sheets

1 tub quark

1 large tub fat free natural yogurt

2 eggs

¼ tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper to season

60g parmesan cheese grated

160g low fat cheddar cheese

Method

Whisk together the quark, yogurt, eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper and grated parmesan till smooth.

Layer the bolognese sauce with the lasagne sheets and cheese sauce, start with bolognese, then lasagne, then a layer of cheese sauce followed by more lasagne then more meat sauce, then more lasagne, then more meat sauce, more lasagne, then top off with the cheese sauce and sprinkle over the cheddar, bake in the oven for 50 minutes, if the top starts to get to brown cover with foil.

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.

Chilli Crab Linguine

This is a lovely light and refreshing dish, the sweetness of the crab with the bite of the chilli and tang of the lemon juice complement each other perfectly!

Syn free on extra easy


Serves 4

Ingredients

1 packet of dried linguine
1 red chilli
1 garlic clove
finely grated zest of a lemon
2 tbsp capers
200 ml fish stock
2 tbsp lemon juice
small handful basil leaves torn
2 tins of white crab meat ( i use ½ tub which i get from Costco)

Method

Cook the pasta as per packet instructions.
Chop the chilli and garlic in a blender or finely chop.
Heat the stock, chopped chilli and garlic with the lemon zest in a large frying pan until it boils then simmer over a low heat, add the capers and lemon juice and gently stir in the crab meat and basil. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and gentle mix together.
Season to taste and serve.

Seafood Casserole

This is a delicious light casserole, with lots of seafood, it has a slight aniseed taste which compliments the seafood and fish.
This dish also tastes good cold.

It is syn free on extra easy.


Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large onion roughly chopped
1 red pepper deseeded and chopped
8 oz mushrooms sliced
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 red chilli finely chopped
2 cans tomatoes
2 star anise
¼ tsp sweetener
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp capers
400 ml fish stock
1 tsp celery salt
Freshly ground pepper
200g orzo pasta
24 large shrimp
500g baby squid prepared and ringed
500g salmon cubed
Handful basil roughly torn


Method

Heat a large casserole dish with frylight and fry the onions and star anise till soft, then add the mushrooms, peppers, garlic and chilli, fry for 3-4 minutes,
Add the celery salt, pepper and oregano, cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the stock and tomatoes and sweetener and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the pasta and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
Stir in the shrimp, squid, salmon and capers, simmer till cooked through.
Sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Tuna Pasta Bake

What can i say!! 

This is one of my all time favourite comfort food meals, to be honest it didn't take much alteration to make it syn free on extra easy.
Only free if the cheese is your healthy A.


Serves 4/6 depending how hungry you are!

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

300g dried pasta cooked until it's slightly underdone.
2 tins of tuna in spring water or brine
8 oz mushrooms chopped
2 red peppers diced, jar or fresh
2 red chillies deseeded and chopped
2 tbsp capers
1 large onion chopped
1 tin of tomatoes
1 tub passata
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp celery salt
Fresh ground pepper
120g grated full fat cheddar or 160g grated reduced fat cheddar

Method

Spray a large pan with frylight and fry the onions till soft, add the mushrooms and fry for 2/3 minutes, then add the peppers, chillies, capers, oregano, celery salt and pepper, stir together and cook for 1/2 minutes, add the tuna, tomatoes and passata simmer for 5 minutes stir occasionally. Stir in the cooked pasta pour into a large oven proof dish, and sprinkle over the cheese, bake in the oven for 25 minutes.