Creamy bacon and mushroom spaghetti carbonara ( Slimming World friendly )

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.co.uk/



This recipe is super quick and delicious, You only need a few ingredients to make this but just need to remember one important point ... keep a cup of pasta water!

Sounds odd I know but it is what makes the sauce so creamy and smooth. I now keep a empty cup in the colander so I remember before I drain the pasta to keep a cup of the pasta water.

This takes only a few minutes but gives you a creamy luscious sauce with no syns :)


INGREDIENTS

• 1 pack (200g) smoked bacon medallions (cut into strips)
• 100g mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 tub quark
• 2 large eggs
• 1 pack dried spaghetti
• low calorie spray oil
• salt and pepper

Method

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water as instructions on pack and while this is cooking take a  frying pan sprayed with oil and fry the bacon and mushrooms together until cooked through.

Place the quark and eggs into a large jug and whisk together thoroughly (takes a little time but it does become smooth after a few minutes). Add 1 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp salt and whisk again.

Once cooked , Drain the spaghetti in a colander  ( PLEASE  remember to keep back a cup of the water the pasta was cooked in). Place the drained spaghetti back in the saucepan and add everything else in, The egg mixture, the cupful of pasta water and the bacon and mushrooms and mix everything together really well for a few minutes.

Serves 4 and is syn free :)

Creamy pepper sauce

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.co.uk/




I LOVE pepper sauce with steak but its usually made with double cream and so definitely a no no but this recipe which I've made for years is really quick and easy and tastes delicious (if I say so myself!)

It's really good with chicken too and the best bit is you can control how peppery you like it. I start with half a teaspoon but you can always add more the same with the garlic you can use more or leave it out completely its the best part of home cooking is making it how you like it.


Creamy pepper sauce


250ml beef stock (from a cube is ok)
35g light philadelphia or low fat cream cheese  (plain or with garlic and herbs)
1 shallot or small onion (finely chopped)
low calorie spray oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper,
1 clove garlic (crushed - leave out if you don't want it too garlicky)

Method




Take a small frying pan and spray with the spray oil, Add the chopped shallot or onion and fry over a low heat until it's softened.

Add the stock and garlic and pepper (if used) and bring to the boil then turn the heat down so its just simmering then slowly stir in the philadelphia and keep stirring until melted into the sauce.

Taste to see if need salt then season ,stir and let it simmer gently until thickened.




Serve immediately


Serves 2 generously at 1.5 syns per person.

Moroccan Chicken (Slimming World friendly)

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.co.uk/



This is a super easy tasty dinner, It's a great one to make after work as it's so quick to make. I served it with rice but it would be good with cous cous too. Harissa paste is easily available in most supermarkets usually by the herbs and spices. I only used one tablespoon as I like it spicy but not too spicy but add more if you like it hotter also I used chicken thighs as I prefer them for flavour but feel free to use chicken breasts if you prefer.


Moroccan Chicken

• 8 chicken thighs (cut into chunks all fat and skin removed)
• 1 large onion (sliced)
• 2 peppers (sliced)
• 250ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp harissa paste
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 can chickpeas (drained)



• low calorie spray oil

Spray a large frying pan or wok with spray oil and add the chicken. Cook for a few minutes over medium/high heat until starting to brown then add the peppers and onions and keep cooking for another few minutes until the onion starts to soften.

Add the harissa paste and stir well then add the chicken stock, tomatoes and tomato puree. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Add the chickpeas and cook for a few more minutes until heated through.


Serves 4 at 1/2 syn per portion

The singing swede !!

 

 

Credit: http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.co.uk

When I heard of people cooking a swede this way it sounded so bizarre I didnt think it would work but hey for 80p for a swede if it didnt work not got much to lose.

The simple answer is it works and works very well, The nickname 'the singing swede' apparently comes from the noise it makes in the microwave when cooking the swede its sort of whistles...very weird I know...and this is the easiest most basic thing I have ever posted I dont think it could even be called a recipe! You dont need to prick the swede or even wash it as you discard the skin.

Singing Swede



1 swede

Place swede in microwave for 15 minutes turning it over halfway through.

THAT'S IT!!

When cooked cut off the top and scrape out all the cooked swede and its done. (see picture for details)

I love that this is a super easy way to cook a vegetable no peeling, chopping, mashing its all done and I love plain swede with loads of black pepper as a side dish so enjoy and I know this is a bit of a daft post but was so pleased it worked thought worth sharing with everyone.

EDIT:  For my US friends a swede is known over with you as a rutabaga I believe xx

Nigellas Chicken Cosima

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.co.uk
This is another recipe taken from Nigella Lawsons new book 'Simply Nigella' I have adjusted it slightly to make it Slimming World friendly.

It's a really easy, quick and tasty dinner all in one pot and although there are some spices in this it's not spicy hot at all if you aren't keen on anything like that. I served it over some couscous to make it an even heartier meal.

You will need an ovenproof dish with a lid that you can use on the hob as well but if you only have an ovenproof dish you can start it in a large saucepan and then transfer it to the ovenproof dish for finishing in the oven.


It's called Chicken Cosima as it's named after her daughter who she invented the recipe for on the occasion of her daughters 21st birthday which I think is lovely.



Chicken Cosima

• 6 chicken thighs (trimmed of fat and cut into chunks)
• 500g sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped into bite size chunks)
• 2 cans chickpeas (drained)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 1/2 bag fresh baby spinach (washed)
• 1 pint hot chicken stock (from a cube or stockpot is fine)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• low calorie spray oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Spray a large ovenproof dish or saucepan (see note above) with some spray oil and place on a medium heat. Add the chopped onion, sprinkle with the salt and fry gently until soft but not browned.

Add the chicken thighs and fry for a few more minutes and then add the cumin, coriander, paprika and turmeric. Stir well and add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas and the hot stock and bring to a boil.

Put on the lid and place in a medium oven for 25 minutes. (If you started it in a saucepan this is where you transfer it to a ovenproof dish)

Remove from the oven, Take off the lid and put in the spinach, stir well and put the lid back on and leave to stand for five minutes then add the pepper and stir gently.

I served this over some couscous as its got a lot of tasty broth with it.
Syn free on extra easy.

Nigellas spicy Korean beef bowl

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.co.uk/ 
I know I'm a bit obsessed with Nigella Lawson new book 'Simply Nigella' and I'm making loads of the recipes but Slimming World friendly so look out in future weeks, This recipe was not only really easy to make but it was really tasty too my family really enjoyed it.

The chili sauce used is Sriracha and I found it in the ethnic foods aisle in ASDA but saw they had it yesterday in Marks & Spencer and its fabulous because its so tasty with chili and garlic you don't need to add any other spices or seasonings apart from the soy sauce which means you don't need to add any salt. The original recipe asks for short grain brown rice to be used but couldn't find any so used long grain brown rice and it was fine.

The measurements are in cups and I picked up measuring cups really cheaply in the supermarket but you can use a mug as a measure if you prefer.



Nigellas spicy Korean beef bowl


500g minced beef (less than 5% fat)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1  1/4 cups brown rice
1/4 cup (4 tbsps) sriracha sauce
1/4 cup (4 tbsps) soy sauce
1 bag beansprouts


Place the beef, rice, sriracha sauce, soy sauce and tomatoes in a slow cooker and rinse out the can with cold water and add that too. Mix everything together really well and then cook on low for 4 hours.

Put the beansprouts in a large bowl and pour a kettle of boiling water over them and leave for 1 minute then drain and add to the slow cooker and mix everything together very well, Put the lid back on and leave for 5 minutes then serve.


Serve 4 at 1/2 syn per portion


NOTE:  I made it in the slow cooker but Nigella says you can make it in a oven in a heavy based cast iron dish with a lid on and cook on Gas 4/180/350 for 2 - 2/12 hours and add the beansprouts the same way at the end.

Nigellas chicken shawarma

Credit :http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.co.uk/
 

This is another recipe I adapted from Nigella Lawson new book "Simply Nigella" and its absolutely  delicious. It's a really easy recipe just throw a few spices with the meat into a bag, leave to marinade all day or overnight and then oven cook. It's spicy but not 'blow your head off' spicy just nice heat but reduce the chili if you don't want it too hot the other spices just add flavour not heat.

 I know it seems like a lot of spices but if you make any of my recipes I do use a lot of spices and once you have paid for them you only use a tsp or so of most of them so they aren't that expensive most are less than a pound for a jar.

I served it with wholemeal pitta bread, lettuce, tomatoes, red onion and a garlic yogurt sauce. My family really enjoyed it and I think it's going to be a regular dinner from now on. I have made it a few times now and often put everything in to marinade in the morning before work and then its ready to cook when I get in which makes it a quick, tasty after work dinner too.


Nigellas Chicken Shawarma


12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (trimmed of fat)
2 lemons
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 bay leaves
2 tsps paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp dried chili flakes (less if you don't like it too spicy)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
2 tsp sea salt





Get a large plastic freezer bag and place the chicken thighs in it. Grate the zest of the lemons into the bag and then squeeze the lemons and put the juice in the bag. Now add all the other ingredients and mix and squish everything really well till you can see through the bag all the chicken is coated with the marinade.

Place the bag in a dish in the fridge and leave to marinade all day or overnight.

Heat the oven to Gas 7/ 220/ 425 and take the chicken out of the fridge, Tip it all into a large roasting tin (I line with foil to save messy washing up) and make sure they are spread out lying flat.

Roast for 30 minutes and just check the chicken is cooked through and golden brown.

Serve in wholemeal pitta bread ( counts as a healthy extra) with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, red onion and the garlic yogurt sauce.


Garlic Yogurt sauce

1/2 large tub fat free greek yogurt
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt

Mix everything together and taste in case needs more salt.





Serves 4-6 people and is Syn free on extra easy

Slimming world Nigellas Pasta alla Bruno

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.co.uk/ 
 
Now it's a new year I have gone back to my obsession with Nigella Lawsons new book 'Simply Nigella' and adapting some of her recipes to make them Slimming World friendly. This dish is named after her son Bruno if you were wondering why it's called Pasta alla Bruno and was so easy to make it's definitely going on my quick after work dinner list. It is made is under 15 minutes total!

I used penne pasta for this but you could use any small shaped pasta really. The original recipe called for the cherry tomatoes to be quartered and although Nigella I love you I really didn't have time for that so they are halved.


Nigellas Pasta alla Bruno




200g dry pasta (like penne)
6-8 smoked bacon medallions (cut into strips)
1 punnet cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes (more if you like it hot)
low calorie spray oil
salt and pepper


Cook the pasta in lots of salted boiling water according to the instructions and while its cooking start the sauce as it all cooks quite quickly.

Spray a large pan with some of the spray oil and fry the strips of bacon until cooked though then add the garlic, chili flakes and the tomatoes stir well and put the lid on for a few minutes stirring lightly now and then.



When the pasta is almost cooked but still firm take the pasta out of the water with a slotted spoon and put into the bacon and tomatoes taking a little of the pasta water each time this is what helps to make the light sauce.

When all the pasta is in the pan with the bacon and tomatoes  stir well, turn off the heat and put the lid on and leave for five minutes.

Season well with pepper and salt if you need it (might not because of the bacon) .
Serves 2  generously and is Syn free on extra easy

Classic BLT sandwich

A tasty classic that’s great for lunchboxes! Tuck into this hearty Slimming World style sarnie...

ingredients

• 6 tbsp fat-free natural fromage frais
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp granulated artificial sweetener
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 slices wholemeal bread from a small 400g loaf
• Iceberg lettuce, shredded
• Tomatoes, sliced
• 2 rashers of grilled lean bacon with all visible fat removed

method

1. To make the mayonnaise, mix together the fromage frais, white wine vinegar and artificial sweetener. Blend the mustard powder with the water and stir into the dressing. Season with the salt and pepper.



2. Lay out the bread and assemble the sandwich by firstly spreading on the mayonnaise. Add as much as you want – any leftover mayonnaise can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to five days.
3. Layer the lettuce, tomato and bacon onto one slice of the bread then top with the other slice. Serve on its own as a lunchbox filler or alongside a huge crispy salad.

Tip: If you fancy it, add cooked chicken and sliced red onion to make it into a mega sandwich.

Credit : http://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/

Quick, Easy & Cheap, Slimming World Egg & Bacon Sandwich Filling -

Preparing food well in advance not only saves me tons of time but also stop me thinking things such as “what can I eat” “what should I have for lunch/dinner” etc etc. Without these questions not does it stop me opting for the quick and easy junk food options, but it also saves me from failing, failing my over all goal which is to eat healthy.


Today I’m going to show you how I bulk prep egg & bacon sandwich filling, part of my guide to slimming world sandwiches. Not only is it quick, easy, unbelievably cheap, it’s also very low in syns.

Here we go!

Ingredients

• 10 Eggs
• 2 Packs of Cheap Bacon (smoked/unsmoked)
• 7 Heaped Tbsp Light Mayo
• Salt & Pepper to Season

Place all the eggs into a pan of water and bring to the boil, approximately 10 – 15 minutes.
While the eggs are on the boil trim all visible fat off the bacon, this part that takes the longest, but once it’s done we’re home dry!

Once you’ve removed all the fat, fry the bacon in a pan with a few squirts of frylight to prevent it sticking.

Did you see how much fat I cut off the bacon…393 grams!
Drain off any excess fat that comes out of the bacon, we don’t want this!

Put the bacon to one side and allow to cool. While your waiting for the bacon, remove the eggs from the heat, drain and run under cold water. When the bacon’s cooled, shred it to any size that you desire. Now your eggs are cold, shell and grate them using a cheese grater.

Mix the eggs and bacon together in a large bowl with 7 heaped tablespoons of light mayonnaise (less if preferred) and mix throughly, season to taste.

That’s it! All done

Tweaking the recipe, something different every day

Once I had the base for my weeks sandwiches it was just a case of tweaking each one day any way I felt. The mixture is fine in the fridge for the week and saves me so much time; I don’t have to cook anything, there’s no real preparation need once it’s made; it’s simply the case of adding the filling and some salad to bread, and that’s it. The best part of all, no more boring sandwiches like the flat wafer thin ham sandwiches I used to live on; could it get any worse?
Here are the variations I had for the week using this one filling.
Monday – Filling on its own
Tuesday – Filling with finely diced red onion & sweetcorn
Wednesday – Filling with lettuce & Red onion
Thursday – Filling with watercress & Red onion
Friday – Filling with lettuce, cucumber, tomato and red onion

As you can see I had something different every day of the week while using the same filling. I’ve got to say these big bulky fillings beat the dull and boring ham sandwiches I used to have; not only do they taste 10x better but they are also 10x more filling.
You’ve probably noticed that I’m not the biggest lover of tomato/cucumber and my salad selection is limited. This is only me, you can pack your sandwich with whatever you want, your imagination is the limit.
Credit : http://www.fatboysdiet.com

Amazingly Cheap, Slimming World Chicken & Bacon Sandwich Filling

I’m loving these prepared sandwich fillings, especially the latest one I’ve just finished; roast chicken & bacon.
This filling is super simple to make, tastes amazing, and stupidly cheap, so let’s jump right in shall we!
Ingredients

• 1 large chicken
• 3 pack cheap bacon
• 9 heaped tbsp light mayo
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method

First things first, you need to pop the chicken in the oven and get that cooking, you should remove all the skin before cooking to avoid adding fat meat, and the temptation of eating it. I personally leave it on and discard it at the end; I think it keeps the chicken nice and moist, and I can’t be arsed removing it raw!

Cook the chicken until the juices run clear (no blood). If you’re unsure how to cook a chicken, 
While the chicken’s cooking you can remove all the fat from the bacon, and then roughly cut into smaller pieces, nothing fancy just easier to cook.




Fry the bacon in a pan with a few squirts of fry light, draining any fat that may come out the bacon as it cooks. Cook all the bacon and then put aside in a bowl ready for later.
When the chicken’s cooked, place on a plate or cooling rack and allow to cool (enough to handle).

Remove as much chicken from the bones as possible, discarding any fatty bits, AND the skin. Don’t eat it…I know it’s tempting.



Now you’ve got the chicken, you now need to shred it into smaller pieces. As you can see from mine below I’ve got small bits and large chunks, it’s no big deal how you do it just remember the smaller the bits the further the mixture will go.
If you want to shred your bacon bits any more, now’s the time, if not mix the chicken and bacon bits together in a large bowl.

Add 9 heaped tablespoons of light mayonnaise, and mix thoroughly.
Season with salt a pepper, be careful with the amount of salt you put in as bacon is usually quite salty to start with.

Credit :  http://www.fatboysdiet.com/

Tortilla Restaurants (Slimming world friendly)

  

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.com

I was lucky enough to be invited to the opening of a new Cardiff restaurant the other week, The restaurant is called 'Tortilla' and I have to say it was amazing.

I know Slimming World does not endorse any restaurants but I was lucky enough to have a long chat with the chef Bruno Piers and from what he told me a lot of the ingredients they use would be very 'Slimming World friendly'.

Although they do the usual burritos and tacos which we all know are high in syns they also do this other dish called a 'Naked Burrito' and this is a lot of the yummy fillings that go into burritos but are served in a bowl so you don't get the high syn tortilla wrap. You have a choice you can eat in or have a takeaway and the friendly staff really help to give the place a great atmosphere.

When I spoke to Bruno he explained they use only fresh ingredients and in fact don't even have freezers on the premises. He was very open and honest and said they use a very little oil to stick the spices onto the grilled chicken option and a very little oil in the rice before they cook it.



To assemble your Naked Burrito you stand in front of a counter and choose your fillings so it's very easy to make sure you have lots of the speed foods like the salad and free foods like the beans to fill you up.

Mine was started with rice, then some grilled chicken then lots of lettuce and fresh salsa and a mixture of fresh coriander and onion. I also had a few lime wedges to squeeze on top and have to say it was absolutely delicious. Tasted really fresh but was also filling due to the beans and rice it was spicy but not too hot. They serve hot sauces if you like things spicier!!

To be on the safe side I counted the dish as 6 syns for a tbsp of oil but don't think it was anywhere near that much there was no oily or greasy taste to the food.

I was so thrilled to think there was somewhere I could go for food when on a shopping day out with my family or with the girls and no one had to think I was having 'diet' food or we coudn't eat somewhere as there was nothing I could have which has happened countless times in most chain restaurants.



Tortilla has many branches throughout the UK and I will definitely be back again. Have a look at the website to see what they make everything looks so good :)

http://tortilla.co.uk/

Hoisin prawns (Slimming World friendly)

  

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.com

 

This recipe came about when I had a few leftover peppers and luckily got some reduced raw king prawns in ASDA , Well they say necessity is the mother of invention....

I love Chinese food and I think hoisin sauce goes really well with seafood, I buy my Chinese sauces either online or at Chinese supermarkets but most supermarkets sell it now but don't buy ones labelled as 'stir fry' sauces they are highish in syns you want to get ones just labelled 'hoisin sauce',

Hoisin is quite strong so I add some light soy to make it a lighter sauce. I think you could make this with cooked chicken maybe or some already cooked prawns but if you use them add them right near the end so they don't overcook.

I served this with some egg noodles which are syn free but remember to use dried not fresh as the fresh ones some have syns.




Hoisin prawns


150g raw king prawns
2 red or yellow peppers (sliced)
1 large onion (sliced)
100g mushrooms (sliced)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
spray oil




Spray a large wok or large frying pan with the spray oil and over a medium heat stir fry the onions, mushrooms and peppers until just starting to soften.

Add the raw prawns and stir fry them until they turn pink, Add the hoisin sauce and soy sauce and mix well. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until everything is hot (Add a splash or so of water if the sauce seems too thick).

Serves two at 2 syns each.

Sweet chilli salmon kebabs ( Slimming world friendly)

  

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.com

 

This recipe is super quick and easy it makes salmon go a lot further and it's change from just a plain salmon fillet. It cooks in around 20 minutes so it's a great one to cook after work looks fab on the plate you would need perhaps a nice side salad for extra speed food or maybe some stir fried vegetables. If you don't like salmon you could use any firm fleshed fish cod especially would be nice.

I served two kebabs per person so makes it a nice filling dinner. Its a bit hard to be exact on how much vegetables you need as it depends on the size of your skewer! I served with some noodles  simply cooked then tossed in some soy sauce but you could serve with rice if you prefer.



Sweet chili salmon kebabs  (serves 2)


2  large salmon fillets (1 per person)
1 red pepper (cut into pieces)
button mushrooms (cut in half)
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
spray oil




Heat your oven to Gas 6/400/200 then cut each salmon fillet into 6 even pieces , Thread the skewers starting with a mushroom half , then pepper , then salmon and continue finish with a mushroom half this helps to hold it all together.

Line a baking tray with some baking paper or foil (to save the washing up) and lay each kebab on the foil. When all done spray lightly with the spray oil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the fish is cooked and the vegetables are soft.

Remove from the oven, brush with the sweet chili sauce and serve.



1.5 syns per person

Nigellas spicy Korean beef bowl (Slimming World friendly)

 

 

 Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.com/

I know I'm a bit obsessed with Nigella Lawson new book 'Simply Nigella' and I'm making loads of the recipes but Slimming World friendly so look out in future weeks, This recipe was not only really easy to make but it was really tasty too my family really enjoyed it.


The chili sauce used is Sriracha and I found it in the ethnic foods aisle in ASDA but saw they had it yesterday in Marks & Spencer and its fabulous because its so tasty with chili and garlic you don't need to add any other spices or seasonings apart from the soy sauce which means you don't need to add any salt. The original recipe asks for short grain brown rice to be used but couldn't find any so used long grain brown rice and it was fine.



The measurements are in cups and I picked up measuring cups really cheaply in the supermarket but you can use a mug as a measure if you prefer.



Nigellas spicy Korean beef bowl


500g minced beef (less than 5% fat)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1  1/4 cups brown rice
1/4 cup (4 tbsps) sriracha sauce
1/4 cup (4 tbsps) soy sauce
1 bag beansprouts


Place the beef, rice, sriracha sauce, soy sauce and tomatoes in a slow cooker and rinse out the can with cold water and add that too. Mix everything together really well and then cook on low for 4 hours.

Put the beansprouts in a large bowl and pour a kettle of boiling water over them and leave for 1 minute then drain and add to the slow cooker and mix everything together very well, Put the lid back on and leave for 5 minutes then serve.


Serve 4 at 1/2 syn per portion


NOTE:  I made it in the slow cooker but Nigella says you can make it in a oven in a heavy based cast iron dish with a lid on and cook on Gas 4/180/350 for 2 - 2/12 hours and add the beansprouts the same way at the end.

Chili beef noodles (slimming world friendly)

 

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.com

  I love this dish, its really quick and easy to prepare. I have started buying frozen ginger and garlic paste which cuts down on prep time even more. I used sambal olek chili paste but you could use any chili paste or a fresh red chili chopped if you prefer.

Chili beef noodles



250g extra lean beef mince
250g dried egg noodles
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp chili paste (2 tsp if you like it hot or use a chopped fresh red chili if you prefer)
1 red pepper (sliced)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger (or use frozen paste but NOT the jarred kind that stuff is horrible)
1 medium red onion (chopped)
1/2 pint beef stock
spray oil


Place noodles in a pan of salted boiling water and boil until just soft (about 3 minutes then drain and set aside)

Spray wok or large pan with spray oil and add minced beef and red onion and stir fry until mince is brown and onion is soft.

Then add ginger, garlic and red pepper and stir fry for a few more minutes. Add stock and soy sauces and bring to boil then simmer for a few minutes.

Add the noodles and stir carefully and cook for a few more minutes until almost all sauce is absorbed.

(syn free on extra easy) 

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Thick vegetable and green lentil soup (slimming world friendly)

 

 Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.com

  Well, it's September so I am starting to think about soups and stews and hearty meals and will be starting to use the slow cooker more as Autumn goes on.   This soup is almost a stew really thick and hearty with tons of flavour. The lentils make it really filling so it is a meal in itself. You can add any veg you like really I often use leeks too just didn't happen to have any today also if you want it to go further you can add some canned chickpeas or beans at the end . A great way to use up odds and ends of veg left in the fridge as the rest of the ingredients are just store cupboard bits and pieces. Its syn free on slimming world .



I posted this for my friend Denise in the US who asked me if I had any vegetarian recipes that weren't curries : )

Thick vegetable and green lentil soup

4-5 carrots (peeled and diced)
2 onions (chopped)
3 sticks celery (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (crushed) 
1 mug of green lentils
1 tsp chili paste (or a fresh red chili chopped if you prefer)
2 pints vegetable stock
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tin chopped tomatoes
spray oil
salt and pepper 



  Spray a large pan with the spray oil and add the carrots, onions, celery, sprinkle with salt and fry over a low heat until vegetables are softened. Add the chili , garlic, oregano and lentils and stir for a few more minutes. (Its smells amazing at this point really herbal and rich)

  Add the stock and tomatoes and bring to the boil then turn heat down and simmer until the soup has reduced and thickened. Takes about 30-45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Enjoy!!

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Quick keema curry (suitable for slimming world)

 

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.com

This curry is so quick to make you can have dinner on the table in 20 minutes as long as it takes to cook the rice to go with it. Its a recipe I have had for a while but again tweaked it a bit to how I like it. Thats the great thing with recipes I see them more as a guideline I usually follow them correctly the first time I make something then when I make it again I sometimes make notes on the recipe like 'more garlic' or 'bit less chili' so you can make meals  to your own taste.

Its not an authentic recipe I used minced beef instead of the minced pork that was in the original recipe as thats just what I had in the freezer. The addition of fresh tomatoes really make a big difference to the flavour too. I use sambal olek chili paste as it adds just the right amount of heat for me but my husband keeps his bottle of jamaican hot pepper sauce handy as he likes it hotter! You can easily add heat after its made but its harder to cool things down once too much spice is in there.



Quick keema curry

1lb extra lean minced beef
2 onions (sliced)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp chili paste (or a chopped fresh chili)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 tsp grated fresh ginger  (or use the frozen garlic and ginger paste)
1/2 punnet fresh cherry tomatoes (halved)
spray oil


Spray wok or large frying pan with oil and fry the onions sprinkled with the salt for a few minutes until soft but not browned .

Add the turmeric, chili, minced beef, garlic and ginger and stir fry for a few minutes until meat is browned and cooked through.

Add the tomatoes and then cover and cook on a low heat for 5-10 minutes. Season to taste.

Syn free on slimming world

Enjoy!

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Beef and broccoli in black bean sauce (slimming world friendly)

 

Credit : http://vicki-kitchen.blogspot.com

 

  Another fab one from 'Gok cooks chinese' with just a little tweak or two it is suitable for slimming world. Tastes really good and quick too just need to get a few basic storecupboard bits in for the sauce. I managed to get some salted fermented black beans from a chinese supermarket in my local city and they were suprisingly cheap and a big tub of them will last for ages. I picked up the shaoshing rice wine and soy sauce there too as you can get huge bottles of them for practically the same price that you can buy little bottles in supermarkets. I also now use the frozen garlic and ginger paste I got in my local supermarket again much quicker to use and tastes just as good.




Beef and broccoli in black bean sauce

1 head of broccoli (broken into small florets)
2cm piece of fresh ginger (grated)
2 cloves garlic (crushed) .....(or use the frozen garlic and ginger paste if you can get it)
2 spring onions (chopped)
1 tbsp fermented black beans (soaked for 5 minutes in warm water then drained)
250g thin beef steaks (trimmed of fat and cut into strips)
1 fresh chili or 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
1 tbsp shaoshing rice wine (or 1 tbsp dry sherry)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
spray oil

Place the broccoli in salted boiling water just for 3 minutes and then drain well.

Spray wok with oil add the ginger, garlic and spring onions and stir fry for 10 seconds, Add the black beans and stir fry for another 30 seconds keep everything moving so nothing scorches.

Add the strips of steak and chili and stir fry for about 3 minutes until strips are brown, Add the broccoli, shaoshing rice wine, soy sauce and 2 tbsp water . Mix everything well  , Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Syn free and I served it over egg fried rice (recipe to follow later)

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