Sunday 3 July 2011

Melt in the middle burgers

Serves 2, syn free on Red & EE  (add 6 syns if not using cheese as healthy extra)

500g extra lean mince
56g sliced full fat cheese
salt & pepper
2 tbsp of worcestor sauce (optional)

1. Mix the lean mince, salt & pepper and worcestor sauce together.

2. Split into 4 equal pieces and shape into burgers.

3. Put 28g of cheese onto 2 burgers, the place the other 2 burgers on top.

4. Press well around the edges to make sure the burgers are sealed so the cheese does not run out.

5. Spray a tray with fry light and put the burgers in the oven for 30 minutes.

Friday 1 July 2011

Banoffe pie

Serves 8, 4.5 syns each on all plans

10 reduced fat digestives, finely crushed
3 medium egg whites
2 x 12g sachets of gelatin
75ml of boiling water
250g quark
3 pots of toffee Mullerlight
4 tbsp of sweetener
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2 bananas, sliced
Cinammon (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 190c (gas mark 5) and line a round cake tin with parchment paper

2. Place the crushed biscuits into a bowl. Lightly beat one of the egg whites until frothy and add to the biscuits.  Stir well then add to the cake tin and press evenly along the bottom.

3. Bake for 15 minutes the allow to cool.

4. Dissolve the gelatin into the boiling water.

5. Whisk the quark, yoghurt, sweetener and vanilla extract until smooth.

6. Whisk the remaining 2 egg whites until stiff, then gently fold into the quark mixture along with the dissolved gelatin.

7. Spoon this mixture into the quark tin over the top of the biscuit base and smooth along the top with a knife of palette knife, chill for 4-5 hours or until set.

8. Once set remove from the fridge and place the slice bananas over the top (do not return to fridge once bananas are on top or they will go brown). Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

Carrot cake

Serves 8 - 2.5 syns each on all plans

100g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder/bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs lightly beaten
150ml skimmed milk
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground ginger
3 large carrots peeled and grated
7 tbsp sweetener
2 tsp of grated orange zest

For the toppping
200g quark
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp sweetener (less if you like it less sweet)

1. Preheat the oven to 180c (gas mark 4) and line a non stick loaf tin with parchment paper

2. Place the flour, bicarbonate soda, eggs, milk, spices, carrots, sweetener and orange zest in  a bowl. Mix well then spoon into the loaf tin.

3. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and allow to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, make the topping. Whisk the quark, sweetener and vanilla together then leave in the fridge until needed.

5. Once cool, add the topping