Kung Pao Chicken

Looks like I'm back on the Asian dishes again. This is one of my husbands favourite Chinese Dishes.
So i decided to adapt the usual one for Slimming World and it turned out quite well.
It's not the usual sticky sweet dish you get from a takeaway but it still has loads of flavour, Personally i don't like the sticky sweet one, but this one was really good!!!
This dish isn't syn free mainly because of the nuts, but they are optional.
This dish serves 2 to 4 people and is 6.5 syns on extra easy without the nuts for the whole pan. If you add the nuts add 7.5 syns.

Ingredients


1 tbsp light soy sauce
1.5 tsp corn flour  1.5 syns
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine  1 syn
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast diced

1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, or balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp hoisin sauce  2 syns
1 tsp sesame oil  2 syns
½ tsp sweetener
2 garlic cloves grated
1 inch ginger grated
½ tsp sichuan peppercorns
8 ten dried chillies
8oz oriental mushrooms
8oz tenderstem broccoli
1 onion diced


25g cashew nuts optional

Rice or noodles to serve

Method

In a bowl mix together the first 3 ingredients and add the chicken let it marinade for at least 10 minutes.

In another bowl mix together the next 7 ingredients set aside.
In a hot wok sprayed with frylight stir fry the dried chillies and peppercorns for 1 minute, add the chicken and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, remove from the wok. Spray the wok with more frylight and fry the onions for 2 minutes, add the tenderstem and mushrooms, fry for 2 more minutes, then add the chicken and chillies back to the pan, pour in the sauce and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, then stir in the cashew nuts if using, serve with the rice or noodles.

Fruity Rice Pudding

I expect you all know the recipe for the syn free rice pudding, but i thought i would post my version. I must admit i was very sceptical about a rice pudding made with cream soda and no milk or cream, but i have to admit it is very good!

I much prefer it cold with lots of fruit in it.

Although it is syn free on extra easy, please be careful because if you eat too much of it, it may affect your weight loss. If you find you aren't losing while having this delicious dessert it could be down to eating too much!

Ingredients

2 litres low calories or no added sugar cream soda

400g pudding rice

1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract

I used ½ tube of Muller light vanilla yoghurt per serving

Selection of fruit to serve

Method

Pour the cream soda and rice into the slow cooker, split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds add the seeds and pod to the slow cooker, i set my slow cooker to 4 hours as that was my shortest high setting.

Stir every now and then.

I divided mine into 8 portions and each time i had one i stirred in ½ tube of yoghurt and a selection of fruit.

Best served cold.

Butternut Squash and Coriander Fried Rice

I made up this rice to go with my No Butter Chicken Curry, and it complimented it wonderfully.
The sweetness of the butternut squash went so well with the spicy sauce.
It is so easy to make also, and again syn free on extra easy!!
This rice dish would go well with any curry, Cajun Salmon, or any cut of meat with a spicy rub.

Preheat oven 200c, 400f, gas mark 5

Ingredients

½ butternut squash diced into 1cm cubes
2 cups cooked rice
handful of chopped coriander leaves
butter frylight
salt and pepper

Method

Lay the butternut squash cubes in a single layer on a baking tray sprayed with frylight, spray and season them. Bake in the oven for 15/20 minutes, then toss them and spray again, bake for another 15/20 minutes until the are golden, set aside.

In a large frying pan or wok, sprayed with butter frylight, toss in the cooked rice, butternut squash and coriander, season and gently toss until warmed through, then serve.

No Butter Chicken Curry

Butter Chicken on Slimming World, who'd have thought, ok so technically there isn't any butter in it, but it melted like butter and was so flavoursome!!

This has got to be one of the most tastiest currys i have had. You can make it as spicy as you want, by adjusting the chilli flakes. Get this it is SYN FREE!! yes i said syn free on extra easy.......

The batch i made served 4

Ingredients

4 chicken breast diced

2 red onions chopped

2 inches of grated ginger 

1 tsp sweetener

2 tsps cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric

2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp tomato puree

500 ml chicken stock

salt and pepper

handful chopped coriander leaves

½ cup fat free yogurt optional, i didn't use it.

Method

In a large pan sprayed with frylight, fry the onions until soft and golden, to stop them burning before they are soft, every 5 minutes, i put a dash of water in with them and cover the pot for 2 minutes, this helps them become soft like butter, you will need to fry them for about 30 minutes.

Add the ginger and the next 7 ingredients stir into a paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the chicken, stir to coat the chicken and cook for 3 minutes, stir in the stock and season, bring to a boil then simmer over a low heat for 1 hour.

If using the yogurt, remove from the heat and stir it in then serve. I served mine with Butternut Squash and Coriander Fried Rice, and sprinkled it with the coriander leaves.

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.

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.

Gumbo

When we lived in the States, i always enjoyed the Southern Food, so when i came across a recipe for Gumbo i decided to adapt it and make it Slimming World friendly.

I love the smoky heat from the chorizo, that is what makes this dish, so there was no way i was going to leave it out, so again this isn't a syn free dish but so worth the syns it has as it is so tasty!!

The whole pot is 6.5 syns on extra easy, i made 3 portions out of it so it was roughly 2 syns, do bear in mind i'm greedy so you could probably make more portions!

Ingredients

100g chorizo sausage the raw kind (6.5 syns)

2 chicken breasts chopped

8 oz cremini mushrooms chopped

2 sticks of celery, or 1 tsp celery salt

1 large onion finely chopped

1 large red pepper diced

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp cajun seasoning

½ tsp cayenne pepper

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato puree

1 tin chopped tomatoes

500ml hot chicken stock

20 raw shrimp

handful of coriander leaves

Method

In a hot pan sprayed with frylight fry the chorizo till golden then remove from pan, add the chicken and brown, then remove from the pan.

Fry the onions in the fat from the chorizo till soft and golden, add the mushrooms, pepper and celery or celery salt and fry till mushrooms are golden, add the bay leaves, cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato puree and tin of tomatoes and cook for 1 minute then add the stock and chicken and chorizo back to the pan, bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the shrimp to the pan with the coriander leaves for the last 2 minutes of cooking.

I served mine with rice.

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.

Chinese Lemon Chicken

A fake away to be proud of! This dish is light and refreshing with a kick and a lot less syns than from a Chinese Restaurant, and taste so much better too!

The whole dish is only 5 syns on extra easy.

Ingredients

1 level tbsp potato flour (3 syns)
2 large skinless and boneless chicken breasts sliced
1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine (1 syn)
1 red pepper diced
1 yellow pepper diced
8 oz oriental mushrooms
1 cup edamame beans
1 onion chopped
juice of 1 lemon
200ml chicken stock
1 tsp sweetener
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 garlic clove grated
1 red chilli finely chopped
1 inch ginger grated
1 tbsp chilli sauce (1 syn)


Method

Mix the sliced chicken with the potato flour and season.
To make the sauce mix together the lemon juice, chicken stock, sweetener, soy sauce, garlic, chilli, ginger and chilli sauce.
In a hot wok sprayed with frylight stir fry the chicken until it turns opaque then pour over the rice wine and stir fry until liquid has gone, add the onion, peppers and mushrooms and stir fry for 1 minute. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil then simmer until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
Serve with egg fried rice.

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.

Salsa Chicken with the Works

Craving nachos, Tex Mex or something spicy then this is the dish for you!
This dish takes a long time to cook but is so easy to prepare. Just stick it in your slow cooker in the morning and your meal is ready when you get home from work or play!

Depending on what salsa you use in this dish, makes a difference on the syns per portion.


Serves 6

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 oz mushrooms sliced
2 red peppers diced
1 cup of salsa, shop bought or homemade
1 tins of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp fajita seasoning
8 spring onions chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp chilli flakes
1 cup basmati rice

Method

Lay the chicken breasts on the bottom of the slow cooker and sprinkle with the fajita seasoning, layer the rest of the ingredients on top of the chicken, pour over ½ cup water, stir it all together and set the slow cooker to 8 hours, an hour before the cooking ends stir in the rice.

I served the Salsa Chicken with coriander leaves, 30g grated cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, and instead of sour cream i made a coriander and lime fat free creme fraiche. Instead of having nachos i used crisp little gem leaves.

Sticky Lemon and Garlic Pork

This is a gorgeous Asian dish, full of crunchy vegetables and tender pork.

Syn free on extra easy.


Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large pork tenderloin sliced thinly
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 lemon juiced
4 garlic cloves
3 cm fresh ginger
1 red chilli
1 large onion roughly chopped
1 carrot shaved with a peeler or cut into matchsticks
½ bag of bean sprouts
1 tin of bamboo shoots
1 red pepper thinly sliced
1 punnet of oriental mushrooms
small handful coriander leaves
Rice or noodles to serve.

Method

In a blender blitz the garlic, ginger and chilli. Mix with the soy sauces, and lemon juice. Marinade the pork for up to an hour.
In a wok sprayed with frylight, stir fry the pork till browned then add all the vegetables and rest of the marinade, stir fry for 5 to 6 minutes till pork cooked through and vegetables are to your liking. serve garnished with the coriander leaves.

Seafood Kedgeree

This has got to be one of my favourite dishes of all time, and when i realised i could make one syn free and it tasted just as good, if not better than before, i was over the moon!!
Again you can make it as spicy as you like, and add whatever fish and seafood you like.


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

Serve 4

Ingredients

2 eggs beaten
1 inch of ginger peeled and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 chillies roughly chopped (deseeded optional)
1 onion roughly chopped
2 tsp curry powder
1 dsp ground cumin
1 dsp ground coriander
1 lemon juiced
Handful of coriander leaves
3 cups cooked rice
8 oz salmon fillet
8 oz smoked haddock fillet
Tin of white crab meat (optional)
20 large raw or cooked shrimp
1 tbsp light soy sauce
Tabasco sauce to serve

Method

Spray a sheet pan with frylight and lay the fish on it, then spray the fish, season and roast it for 10 minutes. Flake and set aside.

In a blender whiz together the ginger, garlic, chillies, onion, cumin, coriander, curry powder and a dash of water till its smooth.

Spray a wok or large frying pan with frylight and cook the eggs by pouring the egg in the pan and swirling it around so it is like a thin pancake, toss it and cook the other side for 10 seconds. Roughly chop it up and set aside.

Spray the wok again and when its hot add the curry paste, cook it out for 2 minutes, then add the cooked rice and gently mix together.
Add the flaked fish, shrimp and crab meat, with the lemon juice, coriander, egg and soy sauce, Gently mix again, being careful not to break the fish up to much. Season to taste.
When the prawns are cooked through or everything is to temperature, serve.

Chicken Vindaloo

A Chicken Vindaloo, doesn't have to always be blow your head off hot, you can control how much heat you like, by the amount of chilli you add.

This recipe is syn free on extra easy.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 Onions thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves crushed
1 inch piece of ginger finely chopped
½ pint chicken stock
2 tsp turmeric
2 tomatoes skinned and deseeded

Vindaloo Paste

2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp chilli flakes (about madras strength, adjust to taste)
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sweetener

Method

To make the paste put all the whole and dry spices into a spice grinder and grind to a powder, mix with the rest of the paste ingredients.

Cut the chicken into chunks and rub the paste into it, marinade for at least an hour.

Spray a large pan with frylight and fry the onions till soft and golden, add the garlic and ginger, fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the stock and boil for 10 minutes, stir in the turmeric and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken, tomatoes and ¼ pint water, bring to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the sauce has thickened.

Serve with boiled rice or on a baked potato, with a lovely bowl of salad.