Thursday 24 March 2011

Spinach pasta

Serves 4, syn free on EE & green

400g pasta
1 tub quark
1 pack of spinach (fresh or frozen)
3 crushed garlic cloves
1 tsp of nutmeg (optional)

1.Boil pasta to packet intructions.
2.Meanwhile fry the garlic in fry light, add the spinach and stir occasionally until spinach is heated through, add the nutmeg
3.Take off the heat and stir in quark to make a creamy sauce, stir into the cooked pasta and serve

Butter chicken

Serves 4, syn free on extra easy and original. Requires over night marinating!!

1 tbsp fennel seeds,
4 tbsp madras curry powder,
4 garlic cloves
1 inch piece root ginger, grated or 1t sp of ground ginger
2tbsp white wine vinegar,
4fl oz/113ml passatta
142g fat free natural yoghurt
2lb skinless chicken cut into bite sized pieces
Fry light
1 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
4 cardamom pods
142ml chicken stock
400g tinned chopped, tomatoes
Fat free natural yoghurt and fresh coriander to serve.

1.Dry fry the fennel seeds and curry powder in a non stick pan for 1-2 mins.
2. Put the spices into a food processor with garlic,ginger, vinegar passata and yoghurt. Blend until smooth. 3.Transfer to a large glass bowl and add the chicken pieces. Mix well, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
4.When ready to cook spray a large non stick wok or frying pan with fry light and fry the onion with cardamom pods and cinnamon stick/ground cinnamon for 6-8 minutes, until the onions are soft.
5. Add the chicken mixture and cook stirring frequently for 10 minutes, season well.
6. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 40-45 minutes stirring occasionally.
7. Serve topped with natural yoghurt,chopped coriander and alongside boiled rice

Monday 21 March 2011

Blancmange

Serves 4, 0.5 syns per portion on all plans

1 packet of Hartley's sugar free strawberry jelly, made with 1 pint water [2 syns]
1 tub of Quark
1 tbsp of sweetener
250g of fromage frais

1. Make up the jelly with 1 pint of boiling water
2. Mix the quark, fromage frais & sweetener together
3. Add the jelly mixture
4. Whisk together gently until the lumps disappear
5. Set in the fridge for at least 5 hours, sometimes takes longer, overnight is best.

Sunday 20 March 2011

Carbonara

Syn free on EE & green (6 syns if not using 1/2 tube of primula light as healthy extra a)

serves 4

2 x 150g tubes of primula light
400g of spaghetti
3 eggs, lightly beaten
8 rashers of bacon, cut into smaller pieces
salt & pepper
handlful fresh chives, cut up

1. cook the spaghetti to packet instructions

2. Dry fry the bacon for 2-3 minutes, set aside till later

3. Season the eggs with salt & pepper then whisk with the primula light cheese, add 1/2 of the chives

4. Add the egg mixture to the pan of bacon and stir gently over a low heat until the egg starts to cook

5. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the bacon and serve

6. Sprinkle over chives as garnish


Tuesday 8 March 2011

Chicken & chorizo hot pot

Serves 2, 5.5 syns each (big portions so would serve 4 easily)

100g of chorizo, cut into slices [11 syns]
2 chicken breasts, diced
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
200 ml of chicken stock
1 red pepper diced
1 onion diced
6 slices of bacon sliced
1 tsp of paprika
fry light
salt & pepper

1. Fry the chicken & chorizo in fry light with salt & pepper until chicken browns
2. Add the bacon for 1 minute.
3. Add the onion & pepper and fry for 2-3 minutes
4. Add the paprika, tomatoes and stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce reduces and the chicken is fully cooked

Monday 7 March 2011

Cheese & onion pasty filling

Serves 2 as a snack - 0.5 syns per portion

1 sliced onion
4 eggs
1 packet of cheese & broccoli pasta n sauce [0.5 syn]
1 & 3/4 pt of boiling water
1 tub quark
1 100g packet of cheddar & onion smash [0.5 syn]

1. In a bowl mix the smash and pasta n sauce with the water

2. In a seperate bowl mix the quark, onion and eggs & a sprinkle of salt & pepper

3. Pour into an oven proof bowl and bake for 40 mins at 180c

Sunday 6 March 2011

Low syn pancakes

Makes: 8 pancakes
Syns per pancake: 1½ Syns
Ingredients:
57g plain flour
2 medium eggs
142g/5oz fat free fromage frais
145ml/¼pt skimmed milk
Fry Light

Method:
Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the eggs and fat free fromage frais and whisk until smooth. Pour in the milk and whisk again to form a batter. Stand for 30 minutes, then cook one at a time in a non-stick pan lightly sprayed with Fry Light.

Saturday 5 March 2011

Macaroni Cheese

Serves 4, syn free or 6 syns per person if cheese isn’t used as health extra a.

350g macaroni
6spring onions, thinly sliced
3cloves garlic, chopped
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
168 g low fat cheese (42g is healthy extra a person or 6 syns)
2 eggs
500g pot fat free natural yoghurt
Teaspoon mustard powder

1.Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Meanwhile fry the garlic, spring onions and cherry tomatoes in fry light, add a little water and cook until the water has been absorbed.
2. Mix the cooked drained pasta with the tomatoes,garlic and spring onions and pour into an oven proof dish.
3. Mix the eggs, yoghurt, mustard powder, salt,pepper, and grated cheese (save some cheese to sprinkle on top) and pour the cheese sauce over the pasta, sprinkle the remaining cheese over and bake at 150 for 15 minutes (or until the top is golden brown)

Friday 4 March 2011

Chicken burgers

5 syns , serves 2

2 chicken breasts
1 clove garlic
salt & pepper
1 tsp of mixed herbs
28g of golden breadcrumbs (5 syns)
1 beaten egg
fry light


1. Blended the chicken breasts with the garlic, salt & pepper & herbs

2. Shape the blended chicken mixture into 4 smaller flat burgers

3. Dip in the egg and then coat in breadcrumbs

4. Spray a baking tray with fry light, place the burgers on and then lightly spray with fry light

5. Oven bake on 180c for 35 minutes