CHICKEN CACCIATORE

I saw this recipe on the Good Food website and as it was one of their more popular recipes last year I thought it would be worth a try and boy was I right it was delicious.  I did alter a couple of things and when I worked it out it was surprisingly low calorie at about 200kcal per portion.

• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• olive oil
• 2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes - I used 1 tin of cherry tomatoes and 1 tin of chopped
• 4 tbsp mascarpone - I used low fat cream cheese
• a handful basil
• 6 chicken breasts , skin on - I used 4 breasts with no skin on

1. Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Fry the onion and garlic in 3 tbsp oil (I used 1tbsp) until softened but not coloured. Add the tomatoes, season, then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thick and glossy. Take off the heat and stir in the mascarpone and half the basil, roughly torn.
2. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the chicken on both sides until golden. Transfer to a baking dish and pour over the sauce. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Scatter over the rest of the basil.

RECIPE CARDS

I got myself I lovely new box to keep all my recipes in so thought I would try and make them a bit more interesting. I am going to print them out on thin A5 card and then laminate them so that I can wipe them clean after I have thrown all the ingredients over them.

DOUGHNUT CUPCAKES

A little treat for a sweet tooth.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

200 g lurpak lighter, softened
200 g sugar
2 eggs
1 yolk
300 g self raising flour
100 ml semi-skimmed milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
12 tsps strawberry jam (I use low sugar)

Heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/ gas 4. Tip the softened butter, sugar, eggs, flour, milk and baking powder into a large bowl. Beat together just until you have a smooth soft batter.
Line a 12 hole muffin tray with cases. Fill the cases two-thirds full with the batter. Then make a small dip in the batter and spoon in 1tsp jam. Cover with another tbsp cake batter and repeat for the remaining cupcakes. Bake in the oven for 25 mins until risen and cooked through.
Brush some melted butter over each cake, then sprinkle with sugar and serve.

Points per cupcake : 5

Suitable for freezing but will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Recipe from Good Food Magazine

My Favourite Beef Stew

This is what I can smell cooking at the moment so I thought I would share it with you as it is just delicious.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 handful fresh sage leaves
800 g beef stew meat, cut into 5cm pieces
black pepper
1 tsp flour
2 parsnips, quartered
4 carrots, halved
1/2 butternut squash, roughly diced
500 g potatoes, baby
2 tbsps tomato puree
1/2 bottle red wine
1/2 pt vegetable stock
1 lemon, zest of finely grated
1 handful rosemary, leaves picked
1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 160c. Put a little oil and your knob of butter into a casserole pot. Add your onion and sage leaves and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Toss the meat in a little seasoned flour, then add it to the pan with all the vegetables, the tomato puree, wine and stock, and gently stir together. Season generously with black pepper.

Bring to the boil, place the lid on top, then cook in the oven until the meat is tender. Sometimes this takes 3 hours, sometimes 4 - depending on the cut of meat. Once it's cooked, you can turn the oven down to 110c and just hold it there until you are ready to eat.

Serve the stew in a bowl with some fresh bread. Mix the lemon zest, chopped rosemary and garlic together and sprinkle over the stew before eating.

Points per serving : 5.5

Freezing is not recommended due to the potatoes breaking down.

Today I used beef stock as I had no veg in and I couldn't be bothered to go and pick any sage from the garden so I left it out altogether.

Recipe from Jamie Oliver

BLACKBERRY & APPLE CAKE

Believe me this is totally delicious especially served with low fat custard.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

175g self raising white flour
2 tsps baking powder
75g polyunsaturated margarine (I use Lurpak Lighter)
50g ground almonds
75g caster sugar
2 eggs
6 tbsps apple juice
few drops of vanilla essence
1 cooking apple, chopped
100g blackberries
1 tbsp demerara sugar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 190c. Line a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper.

In a large bowl, beat together the flour, baking powder, margarine, ground almonds, caster sugar, eggs, apple juice and vanilla essence.

Fold in the apple and blackberries then spoon the mixture into the tin. Sprinkle the demerara sugar over then bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until golden and firm to the touch.

Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool - mine doesn't usually last long enough for this to happen.

Points per serving : 4
Not suitable for freezing.

LEEK & MUSHROOM GRATIN

This has got to be one of my favourite lunches. I have just had this but without the bread and cheese on top with a mixed leaf salad.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

low fat cooking spray
1 lg leek, thinly sliced
125 g mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 lg clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsps single cream
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp dried natural coloured breadcrumbs
black pepper

Instructions:

Heat a large saucepan and spray it with low fat cooking spray. Add the leek, mushrooms and garlic with 4 tbsps of water and cook until the mixture sizzles. Cover and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.

Add the soy sauce and seasoning, and then mix in the cream and the parsley.

Preheat the grill. Divide the leek and mushroom mixture between two dishes. Mix together the Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs and then scatter this over the leek and mushrooms.

Place the dishes under the preheated grill, until the tops are crisp and golden brown. Cool and slightly serve.

Points per serving : 2

Not Suitable for freezing

SAUCY CHICKEN & SPRING VEGETABLES

Had this for tea tonight and very nice it was too. I doubled it up so there was enough for the four of us and I took Kyles out before the Creme Fraiche (mine was low fat) was added.

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
200 g new potatoes, thinly sliced
500 ml chicken stock
200 g mixed spring veg (broccoli, peas, broad beans & sliced courgettes)
2 tbsps creme fraiche
1 handful tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

Instructions

Fry the chicken in the oil in a wide pan for 5 minutes on each side. Throw in the potatoes and stir to coat. Pour over the chicken stock, cover and simmer for 10 mins until the potatoes are almost cooked.

Remove the lid and turn the heat high. Boil the stock down until it just coats the bottom of the pan. Scatter the vegetables into the pan, cover again and cook the veg for about 3 mins.

Stir in the creme fraiche to make a creamy sauce, season with pepper and salt, if you want, then add the tarragon. Serve straight from the pan.

Points per serving : 7

Not Suitable for freezing

STIR-FRIED INDONESIAN PORK

We had this for tea tonight and it was really tasty. Just don't do what Pete did and miss read the recipe adding 1/2 tbsp chilli flakes instead of 1/2 tsp, even so it was still very nice.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

500 g lean pork, trimmed and cut into half a thumb size strips
2 tbsps sunflower oil
1 med carrot, cut into thin strips
6 spring onions, cut into 1cm lengths
soy sauce, few shakes of
sugar, few pinches of

FOR THE MARINADE
1 piece fresh ginger, finely grated. Egg sized
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 sm onion, grated
2 tsps coriander seeds, crushed
2 tbsps dark soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar
juice of 1/2 lime

Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together in a large bowl, add the meat and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours - ideally for 4 or 5 - but not much more or the meat with become too pickled. Lift the meat from the marinade and pat dry, this means it will sear and caramelise much better. Reserve the marinade left in the bowl.

Heat the oil in a wok until very hot. Throw in the meat and sizzle, turning frequently, for a few minutes until nicely browned.

Add the carrots and spring onions and the marinade and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add the soy sauce and sugar to help glaze the juices into a sauce. Serve at once, with plain boiled rice.

Points per serving without the rice : 4

Not Suitable for freezing

PORK & APRICOT BURGERS

These burgers are gorgeous and low in fat. If you haven't got a burger press then you have to get yourself one from Lakeland they work a treat. You'll never want bought burgers ever again.

Ingredients:

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500 g pork mince
4 spring onions, finely chopped
4 tbsps fresh mint, chopped
2 apricots, firm, roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten
4 burger buns
lettuce leaves

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Instructions:

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Mix together the pork mince, spring onions, 2 tbsps of mint and the apricots.

Season well and bind together with the beaten egg. Divide the mixture into eight, then shape each portion into burgers using a burger press if you have one. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.

Grill the burgers under a moderate heat or barbecue for 8-10 minutes on each side. Serve.

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Points per burger without the bun : 2.5

Suitable for freezing

ITALIAN STYLE PORK CHOPS

This is what we had for tea last night served with pasta. You may have noticed that salt is never listed down as an ingredient in any of my recipes. Due to Pete's conditions we stopped adding salt years ago, to start with everything tasted yacky but we have now got used to being saltless and prefer it that way.

Ingredients:

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4 pork loin chops, R-T-C

1tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp lemon rind, grated
1/4 tsp crushed dried chillies
1/4 pt vegetable stock
400 g tomatoes, canned
black pepper

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Instructions:

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Trim the excess fat from the chops. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Arrange the chops in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer them to a plate.

Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan along with the rosemary, lemon rind and crushed chillies. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.

Reduce the heat to low. Return chops to the pan. Add the stock and tomatoes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the chops are no longer pink in the centre and the sauce is slightly thickened.

Remove from the heat. Season. Serve.

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Points per serving = 3

Freezing recommended

COQ AU VIN

The smell coming from the kitchen at the moment is yummy as I have made a head start on tea ready for tonight and this is sitting on the hob bubbling away. I didn't have any thighs in so I have used breasts and the kids aren't keen on mushrooms so I have bunged some carrots in instead. Last time I substituted white wine for the red and it tasted really nice but this time I had some red sat there so have used that. I did my weekly weigh in yesterday and I have managed to loose another pound, it should have been more but I HAD to eat a delicious slice of apple pie on Sunday night.

Ingredients:

75 g Smoked Streaky Bacon, Cut into small pieces
450 g skinless boneless chicken thighs
225 g shallots
225 g baby button mushrooms
1/2 pt chicken stock
1/4 pt red wine
2 bay leaves
2 tbsps tomato puree
2 tbsps plain flour
2 tbsps fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions:

Heat a large casserole dish, then add the bacon. Dry-fry for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the fat runs and the bacon turns crispy.

Add the chicken thighs and whole shallots to the pan, then cook for 5 minutes until the chicken has sealed on all sides.

Add the mushrooms, stock, wine, bay leaves, tomato puree and seasoning. Stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer over a low heat for 1.5 hours.

Remove the lid sift the flour into the pan then cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens slightly.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Serves 4
WW points per serving: 7
Freezing recommended

WW points using 2 rashers of lean bacon & chicken breasts = 4.5pts

STICKY CINNAMON BUNS

I haven't really cooked much the last couple of days, not from a recipe anyway. We had fillet steak last night and tonight we are having Chicken Fajitas so recipes are not really needed. I thought I would share this one though as these are a really nice low fat, sweet treat.

Ingredients:

110 g self raising white flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tbsps polyunsaturated margarine (I use Lurpak lighter)
1 zest of lemon, finely grated
4 tbsps skimmed milk
15 g soft brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp golden syrup

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 210c.

Sieve the flour and all the baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add 1 tbsp of margarine and rub it into the flour using your fingertips. Stir in the lemon zest then gradually mix in the milk to form a soft dough.

Sprinkle some flour on a sheet of non-stick baking parchment, sprinkle some more on a rolling pin. Lightly knead the dough, just enough to make it smooth, then roll it out to a rectangle 18x14cm.

Spread the remaining margarine over the dough, leaving about 1cm clear along one long side.

Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together then sprinkle them over the margarine. Brush the clear section of the dough with a little water. Using the parchment as a support, roll up the dough from the covered long side to the clear side. Using a very sharp knife cut the dough into eight slices.

Lay a piece of non stick baking parchment on a baking sheet and arrange the slices, cut sides facing up, on the paper. Leave a space between each bun. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly golden brown.

While the buns are cooking, spoon the syrup into a small bowl then microwave on high for 3-4 seconds. Remove the buns from the oven and leave for 2-3 minutes until cool enough to handle. Brush some of the warm syrup over the top and sides of the buns. Serve warm.

WW points per bun = 1.5

Freezing is recommended

BRAISED PORK WITH PRUNES

I will be serving this tonight with pasta but it goes just as well with potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
600 g pork , cut into chunks
1 sm knob of butter
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp plain flour
2 lg glasses white wine
300 ml chicken stock
140 g prunes, about 12
1 handful fresh parsley, to serve

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a flame proof casserole pan and cook the pork, turning occasionally, until it is golden brown all over, about 10 mins. You need plenty of space in the pan, so cook in 2 batches if the meat starts to steam. Remove from the pan to a plate. Tip out any burnt bits, then add the butter and cook the onion for 3-5 mins until softened.

Stir in the flour, then return the pork and juices to the pan. Pour over the wine and enough stock to cover the meat. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 45 mins, stirring occasionally.

Tip in the prunes, top up with stock or water if the meat isn't covered and cook for 45 minutes more, uncovered, until really tender. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

WW points per serving = 5

Freezing is recommended

If you want to make this have a lower point value do what I do and use low fat spray instead of the olive oil, don't use the butter I just add a little water to help the onions soften. Use only one glass of wine and top up with extra stock. If you do all this it will take the point value down to 4pts per serving.

Any type of cooked pasta is 3 pts for a large portion and 2 pts for a medium portion. (Medium is the equivalent to 2 women's handfuls).

CARIBBEAN CHICKEN & RICE

This is my plan for tonight. This recipe leaves plenty of points left over for lunch and snacks. I never let myself go hungry as I then I just grab anything I can to eat. I plan my day with lots of snacks included. Did you know that if you get hunger pangs your metabolism slows down so to speed it up you should eat little and often.

Ingredients:

4 x 150g skinless chicken breasts
low fat cooking spray
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 tsps cornflour
4 pineapple rings in juice, canned
1 pt chicken stock
4 tsps tomato ketchup
4 tsps curry powder
black pepper
350 g cooked rice

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180c. Brown the chicken breasts in a large, non-stick frying pan then place them in a large, ovenproof dish.

Heat the spray in the non-stick pan you browned the chicken in then lightly fry the onion and pepper. Add them to the chicken.

Blend the cornflour with 4 tbsps pineapple juice. Pour the stock into the frying pan then add the pineapple rings, cornflour mixture, ketchup, curry powder and seasoning. Bring the mixture to the boil then pour it over the chicken.

Bake for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked.

Divide equally and serve with the rice.

WW points per serving: 5 (including rice)

Freezing not recommended

RICH BEAN MOUSAKKA

This is what we had for tea tonight - sort of. I added a pound of lean minced steak to the mixture so that the boys would like it more they will eat it the original way but being male they like their meat. I also substituted the half fat cheese for extra strong cheddar and just used half the amount it says - it tastes better this way.

Ingredients:

low fat cooking spray
1 lg aubergine, sliced
1 lg onion, chopped
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 red pepper, chopped
400 g chopped tomatoes
2 tbsps tomato puree
220 g red kidney beans, rinsed, drained and mashed gently
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsps red wine
4 tbsps cornflour
1 pt skimmed milk
110 g mature half fat cheddar cheese
1 egg
black pepper

Instructions:


Preheat the oven to 180c. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the aubergine slices on the sheet in one layer. Spray the tops of the aubergine with oil. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden. (I don't bother with the spray and they turn out fine)

Meanwhile, heat some spray in a saucepan then cook the onion, garlic and red pepper for 5 minutes, until softened. (This is where I browned some mince and added it to the mixture). Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, kidney beans, cinnamon, wine and seasoning. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes.

In a medium size saucepan, mix the cornflour with a little of the milk to make a paste. Beat in the remaining milk then cook over a moderate heat, stirring frequently, until thickened. Mix in half the cheese, season to taste then remove the pan from the heat. Allow the sauce to cool slightly then beat in the egg.

Arrange half of the baked aubergine slices in the base of a shallow, ovenproof dish. Spoon over half of the bean mixture then half of the white sauce. Repeat the layers, finishing with the white sauce. Scatter the remaining cheese over.

Bake for about 1 hour, until golden and bubbling.


WW Points per serving : 4.5 (without mince)

Freezing recommended for the bean mixture.

CREAMY MUSHROOM PORK

This is tonight's tea which is going to be served with mashed carrot and swede with a little bit of lurpack lighter in it and some broccoli (o points). As usual I am deviating from the recipe slightly and using Philadelphia extra light with herbs and not putting in the tarragon (it's a bit cheaper this way too). I'm also trying to make only a quarter of the sauce as no one else will eat it so we will see how that goes!

Ingredients:

low fat cooking spray
125 g Chestnut Mushrooms, Sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
300 ml vegetable stock
100 g low fat soft cheese
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
125 g pork loin steaks, x 4

Instructions:

Lightly coat a saucepan with low-fat cooking spray. When sizzling, add the mushrooms, then cook over a medium heat until the mushroom juices have evaporated, this should take about 7 minutes.

Add garlic and stock, then boil for 3 mins until reduced by about a third. Whisk in the soft cheese and tarragon. Remove from the heat.

Heat the grill to medium, then cook the pork loin steaks for 8-10 minutes turning once, until golden and cooked through. Warm the sauce, then serve spooned over the steaks.

WW points per portion = 3.5

Not suitable for Freezing

CHICKEN & VEGETABLE CURRY

This is what we are having for tea tonight, it's one of my favourites.

Ingredients:

350 g skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced
1 onion, chopped
225 g potatoes, diced (I have used Sweet Potato and Squash instead)
225 g carrots, sliced
1 aubergine, diced (I usually put a courgette in instead)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 green chillies, finely chopped (I don't usually put these in but that's only for the kids)
3 tbsps mild curry powder
50 g dried red lentils, rinsed
400 g chopped tomatoes, tinned
1/2 pt chicken stock
2 tbsps coriander, to serve

Instructions:

Heat a large non stick frying pan, spray it with low fat cooking spray, then add the chicken. Stir-fry over a high heat until it is evenly browned. Add the onion, potatoes, carrots, aubergine, garlic, chillies and curry powder to the pan. Stir well until everything is coated in curry powder. Cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, stock, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring from time to time.

Season, spoon into a warmed serving bowl and scatter with coriander to serve. We usually have it with rice* and a poppadom.

WW points per serving = 2.5
WW points per recipe = 10

Suitable for Freezing

* Rice - 1 medium portion of cooked white or brown rice is 3pts - which is about 2 women's handfuls of uncooked rice.

Roast Tomato Soup

This is the most delicious tomato soup ever.

Ingredients:

10 plum tomatoes, halved (I use normal salad tomatoes but they have to be ripe)
1 med onion, roughly diced
1 med carrot, roughly diced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 pt chicken stock
1 tbsp tomato puree
12 basil leaves

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180c.

Toss the tomatoes, onion, carrot, thyme, garlic, sugar and olive oil together in a large roasting tin. A little sugar added at this stage would help the flavour of out-of-season tomatoes but if your using ripe tomatoes I wouldn't bother. Season well and roast in the oven for 25 minutes until softened.

Transfer the mixture into a large saucepan. Add the chicken stock, tomato puree and half the basil leaves. Stir, crushing the tomatoes with the spoon to release their sweet juices.

Bring to the boil, cover and reduce to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Blend the soup in a liquidiser for a few minutes until smooth. Return the soup to the heat to warm through for a few minutes and check the seasoning.

WW per portion = 0.5pts
WW points per recipe = 1.5pts

Suitable for Freezing.