IVE MOVED!

Hi guys just a quick post to let you know i have moved sites but will still continue uploading recipes and videos! up at

www.greedy-me.co.uk

Would love for you to check it out

Satay (chicken,pork, beef of lamb)

 

This is low syn, super easy and you can use it on almost any meat and even white fish or just use as a dipping sauce!

1small red onion

5cloves garlic

1tbsp each of ground coriander and cumin

1 tsp each of tumeric and Tesco Thai massaman curry paste

1tsp black pepper

100ml alp to coconut milk replacement (1syn ATM)

2tbsp soy sauce

1tsp low fat low sugar peanut butter(syns will vary depending on which brand you use so double check)

I like making my marinade with a pestle and mortar as you get more flavour! 

Alternatively chuck everything BUT the peanut butter into the food processor and whizz it up.

Then pour into a sandwich bag with your meat (will do about 700g of meat easily) leave overnight in the fridge in a bowl in case of leakages! 

If you are using fish don't marinate just cook up the sauce and cook the fish separately!

You can use a griddle, grill or BBQ or even your oven but make sure to squeeze off the excess marinade and pour it all into a saucepan with the peanut butter and cook, constantly stirring until the sauce thickens. That's it! 

Thai massaman curry

 

Rich, creamy, vegetarian option or meaty and luscious, this curry has so many options so don't feel the need to stick to the recipe! If making the curry vegetarian friendly just remove the meat and bulk the curry with fresh mushrooms, more aubergine or even quorn!

Serves 4-6 

600g of chicken, beef or lamb,

2large onions roughly chopped,

1green pepper roughly chopped,

3 tbsp Thai massaman paste (Tesco own is 0.5 syn each)

300ml original blue diamond coconut milk (1syn per 100ml)

200ml of water

1small aubergine roughly chopped

200g green beans cut into 1inch pieces

Sear your meat in a frying pan,

 

Meanwhile in a saucepan spray low calorie spray  and stir fry the curry paste for 1minute then add half the coconut milk and stir for 5minutes until most of the milk is absorbed. 

Add the rest of the liquid and the meat, meanwhile in the pan you seared the meat in, get the pan hot and char the onions and peppers then add to the curry letting it simmer for 20 minutes. 

Add the green beans and cook for another 10 minutes before serving. 

Mongolian beef

 

1 steak thinly sliced 

1/2 white onion thinly sliced

3 spring onions cut in half and in 2'' pieces

4shitake mushroom thinly sliced 

1tsp each grated ginger and garlic

3tbsp light soy sauce

1tsp sugar (or sweetener - 1 syn)

(Steamed broccoli and rice or noodles to serve) 

Heat a non stick pan for 5minutes, spray with low cal spray, add the vegetables and garlic and ginger, stir fry for 5minutes and move to a plate. 

Heat the pan for a further 2minutes, add the steak and stir fry for 2minutes.

Add the vegetables and the soy sauce and sugar, stir fry until the sauce thickens then serve with coriander and chilli sprinkled over the top.

Creamy chicken and bacon pasta

 

Serves 2 (rather large portions!!!)

200g dry pasta

6 medium chestnut mushrooms

2rashers extra lean bacon1large leek

2 egg yolks

2splashes of milk (1syns)

5tbsp fresh grated Parmesan (5syns in total) 

Salt pepper and fresh parsley

Chop the leek and mushrooms thinly.

Chop the bacon and chicken into bite size pieces.

Get a frying pan hot and dry the bacon until crispy then add the chicken till half cooked.

Add the pasta to boiling water now as this will take the time the rest of the sauce takes to cook.

Add the leeks and mushrooms to the chicken add salt and pepper.(cook for 5-7 minutes)

Meanwhile mix the egg yolks with the milk and parsley.

Drain the pasta and add to the chicken mixture.

Stir through, turn off the heat, add the sauce mix stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and sticks to the pasta (this means the egg is cooked) 

Serve immediately! 

Paella

 

You will need: 1 red onion, 1 large red pepper, 1 large grated garlic clove, 1 lemon (zested then in wedges), 1tsp smoked paprika, 1 chicken breast (in bite size chunks), 2handfuls mixed seafood, 200g risotto or paella rice, 500ml fish stock or chicken stock, 1/2 cup of peas, 1 large tomato  in small chunks and a rough chopped handful of parsley. 

Chop the onion and pepper into small chunks while a pan is heating.

Spray the pan with low cal spray and add the chicken, cook until browned around the edges but only half cooked then add the peppers onions and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Once softened (usually takes 10minutes) add the paprika and garlic and stir for a couple of minutes.

Add the rice and stock, cover in foil and bake for 30 minutes at 180oC.

Check if you need to add more liquid, then add parsley a generous squeeze of lemon juice, top with the seafood and put in the oven uncovered for 10 more minutes.

When serving top with a handful of rocket and a lemon wedge.

Serve 2-4 people. 

Food trends: Fruit pops

So the most popular food trend at the moment seems to be either those crazy milkshakes that have everything but the kitchen sink in, or these lushious fruit pops. Normally they are made with coconut water but thats not syn free so i usually use diet lemonade and sometimes even add mint and a splash of balsamic vinegar like a pimms ice lolly.


All you have to do is choose your favourite fruits and put them into an ice lolly mold or even cheap plastic cups.
put in your stick and pour over your chosen liquid then freeze for at least 4 hours..
i can't really even call this one a recipe!
its healthy, quick, easy and even the kiddies love them!

Nando's chicken and spicy rice!

..Nandos is my guilty pleasure and if i can make it for lower syn i will!! I use the nandos lemon and herb marinate it is 1/2 a syn per tbsp and if you leave it over night on your chocken or pork it really permeates the meat!!

6 chicken thighs
6tbsp lemon and herb (or your choice) of nandos marinade sauce (just double check the syns! - will be half a syn per chicken thigh)

for the rice:
2 cups basmati rice,
4 cups of water,
1 chicken stock cube,
small white onion finely diced
1 small red pepper finely diced
1 small green pepper finely diced
1tsp cumin and paprika and 1/2 tsp garlic granules
as many jalapeños you can manage! (i usually use the ones in brine and chop them till they are a puree and can only manage 4 or 5! slices!)

Stab the chicken thighs all over with a sharp knife and put into a sandwich bag with the marinate, do up the bag, massage and put i the fridge overnight.

Get your grill going and put the chicken thighs on, remember not to waste any of the marinade!

meanwhile in a large pot, fry off the onion, peppers, herbs and spices (including the jalapenos ) until theystart to soften.

add the stock, water and rice, add a generous pinch of salt and pepper and cook until the water is almost absorbed, turn off the hob and cover the rice, leave for 10 minutes, fluff the rice up with a fork, cover again and leave for 10 minutes and fluff the rice with a fork again before leaving with the lid on for another 10 minutes.

Grilled steak kebabs

There is something primative about grilled meat. so what could be better than a grilled steak, potato and mushroom kebab that you can lay on a bed of crisp salad and drizzle over your favourite salad vinaigrette.

500g very lean steak ( all visible fat removed and cut into bite size pieces)
500g salad/baby potaotes (preboiled until only just fork tender)
200g baby mushrooms
salt, pepper
1tbsp freshly chopped thyme and rosemary or about tsp dry thyme.
1 tsp olive oil (2syns)

Put the steak into a sandwich bag with salt, pepper, herbs and olive oil, do the bag up and massage the seasoning into the meat and leave for at least 20 minutes. (this would be a good time to be boiling your potatoes then cooling them, this would also be a good time to soak your wooden skewers to stop them from burning)

Alternate the steak, mushrooms and potatoes on the skewers until the ingredients are used up.

Grill on the BBQ or griddle pan for about 2 minutes a side or cooked until the meat is to your liking.

Serve over salad or with coleslaw, grilled tomatoes and mushy peas like a mixed grill style dinner. yum!

BBQ SP Beans

Comforting and good for an SP day, if i'm doing extra easy day i usually do some of the SW iceland sausages like a sausage and bean bake and god is it good and makes a lot.

1 large white onion
2 large carrots
2 sticks of celery
1 red and green pepper.
4 smoked bacon medallions
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tins cannelini beans
2 tins haricot beans
1 tin of red kidney beans
2 tins of tomatoes
1 jar of passata
2 cloves of garlic
generous pinch of salt and pepper.

roughly chop the veggies then process until finely chopped.

Dice the bacon into small pieces and fry off in fry light in a big pot until turning crisp.

Add the garlic and the vegetables and cook down until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Add the remaining ingredients (fill the jar of passatta halfway with water and rinse it out adding it to the pot).

Let cook for about an hour or until thick and umptuous.

Amazing beef stroganoff

Quick, easy, delicious, mid week, weekend, dinner party.. anytime! (4-6 people)

400g Lean beef rump steak (all visible fat removed)
300g mushrooms (preferably mini mushrooms like small button or small chestnut mushrooms)
1 large red onion finely chopped
1tbsp dijon mustard (double check your syns my mustard i use is 1/2 a syn)
1 heaped tbsp tomato puree
3tbsp weight watchers west country thick cream (3 syns - 1 syn per tbsp)
handful of roughly chopped parsely.
200ml beef stock.
salt and pepper.

slice the steak as thin as possible.

Sear all the meat in a pan then move aside to rest then brown the mushrooms on a high heat till browned, add to the same plate as the steak.

Fry off the onion and add in the stock, mustard and tomato puree and stir in until dissolved.

Return the steak and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the cream and parsely.

serve with rice, potatoes or pasta or on its own with veggies. yummy!

smoked salmon linguine

simple, quick, easy, tasty.. what more could you want?

serves 4 or is good the next day for lunch

200g smoked salmon, roughly chopped into bite size pieces.
300g spaghetti or linguine.
250g cherry tomatoes halved.
2 generous handfuls of rocket.
Juice of half a lemon.
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and in bite size pieces.
2 tbsp (i used tesco its 2 syns per tbsp) reduced fat red pesto (also works with green pesto)

Start by cooking the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet says. About halfway through cooking add the asparagus (reserve about 1/4 tea cup of the water)

mix the lemon juice, pesto and water together with a generous pinch of black pepper.

drain the pasta, add back to the pot you boiled it in, pour over the pesto and add the salmon coating the pasta, add in the cherry tomatoes too.

Serve and top with the rocket.

Chicken parmigiana

good for leftovers or to freeze after cooked, you could have this with pasta or potatoes and veggies or even just have a side of salad with it.

8 chicken breasts
1 large red onion (finely diced)
3 cloves of garlic
2 tins of tomatoes
8 tbsp of parmesan (1syn per person as 1 syn per tablespoon)
1 tsp dried basil
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley.
salt and pepper

preheat the oven to 180oC

Season the chicken breasts generously on both sides.

sear both sides of the chicken breasts.

Meanwhile fry off the onion and garlic until softened.

Add in the basil and tinned tomatoes and cook down for 10-20 minutes.

lay the chicken breasts in a tray and spread the tomato mixture evenly between the chicken breasts and sprinkle each chicken breast with 1 tbsp of parmesan.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Sprinkle over the parsley before serving.

hunters chicken

okay so hunters chicken isn't going to be syn free but its sure going to be delicious!

1 chicken breast per person (you could always use a turkey breast steak instead)
1tbsp BBQ sauce per person (usually around 1 syn depending what brand you use)
1 bacon medallion per person
25g low fat grated cheddar per person (4 syns or you could always use your HEA)

heat your oven to 180oC

season your chicken breast generously with salt and pepper then wrap the bacon medallion around the breast (or place on top)

bake for 15 minutes then coat the chicken breast/bacon in the tbsp of BBQ sauce

cook for a further 5 minutes.

Top with the cheese and leave till melted.

Coleslaw

This goes with everything in our house.. from grilled meats, burgers, chicken, pork to fish or as a side salad. you can top it with what you want but we usually dress it with the dressing that i will add to the bottom of the slaw recipe. its also lovely with light salad cream.

1 red onion
2 large carrots
half a small white cabbage

we use a mandolin as we have always had it in our family but you could use a food processor or if you are good with a knife do it that way.

peel then grate the carrot into a bowl.

peel and cut the onion in half and slice as thin as you can.

cut the half of cabbage in half then shred it.

combine together and that is the basic slaw.

for the dressing we use white or rice vinegar and tesco extra virgin olive oil spray we use 20 sprays (2 syns) we coat the slaw in the oil then add the vinegar.

the slaw will last 3-4 days in the fridge if you DONT add a dressing. ( you could always individually dress the slaw on the plate)

yorkshire puddings!!!

yorkshire puddings are my weakness.. i don't know why but they always have been, here is my slimming world recipe.

50g plain flour (8syns)
150ml unsweetened almond milk ( i use alpro which is hald  syn per 100ml atm so 1.25 syns may as well say 2)
2 eggs

get a muffin tin very hot in the oven

meanwhile blend the mixture or hand whisk or use an emersion blender to blend the heck out of the mix till fully combined and creamy.

spray the pan with fry light and divide the mixture into the 12 hole tray

*TOP TIP: make the mixture in a jug so you can just pour it in!*

Bake at 200 for 15-20 minutes (just keep an eye on them) depending on how many you make divide the total syn mixture by that much e.g whole mix = 10 syns so if you make 10 it would be 1 syn each

spinach and 'ricotta' lasagne

This is my take on spinach and ricotta, the most important step is trying to get moisture out of quark, if you have cheesecloth use that or when salted leave in the bowl and pour away as much excess moisture as possible!

you will need a lasagne dish (use whatever you have, a bowl or rectangular dish or anything you have)
lasagne sheets (dried)
2 pots of quark
2small red onion finely diced
1 large clove of garlic or 2 medium
salt and pepper
a bag of frozen spinach (thawed out, squeezed from excess water and roughly chopped)
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
2 sticks of celery
2 carrots
2 egg yolks or 1 egg
4tbsp grated parmesan (4 syns)

starting with the quark, add 1.5 pots to a bowl and stir in a generous pinch of salt, if you can leave the bowl at an angle for at least an hour or even over night.

meanwhile you could either finely dice the vegetables or use a food processor.
process one onion with half the garlic to make a puree. add to a pan and cook until most of the moisture is gone, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and add the spinach, again cooking till there is no moisture, move to the side and cool completely.

process your other onion, the other bit of garlic, celery and carrot until finely minced and fry off in a pan with fry light until they soften, add in the tomatoes (here you could add in some dried basil and some fresh parsley) cook down and season to taste.

pour off the excess moisture from the quark and stir in the spinach and onion mixture.

starting with a layer of tomato sauce layer it into your dish then a layer of lasagne sheet then the spinach mixture, layering until you have no spinach or tomato mixture left.
leave a blank layer of lasagne sheets on top of the dish.

mix together the remaining quark with the egg, 3 tblsp of water the parmesan and a pinch of black pepper and evenly layer over the top of your lasagne.

cover with foil and put in your oven at 180oC for 40 minutes, remove the foil and cook for a further 20 minutes.

chicken shawarma kebab

This is an extremely tasty, tender chicken dish with a morish char on the outside, there are various ways to cook and serve this dish.

8 large, skinless, boneless chicken thighs. (i just removed all of the extra fat/sinue!)
1tbsp paprika, cumin, garlic granules (or 1 grated clove), ground coriander, dried oregano.
a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
1 tsp baking powder
juice of 1 lemon.
mix the dry ingredients with the lemon, then coat the chicken with the mixture.
Leave to rest for 20 minutes to let the baking powder work its magic.
I just grilled my chicken turning every so often but you could bake or pan fry the chicken too! I am definitely trying this on the BBQ in the summer!

For the white dressing: 200ml 0% fat greek yogurt, squeeze of lemon, finely diced fresh mint and parsley, sprinkle of garlic granules and a pinch of salt and pepper all mixed together!

You could serve as i did with rice and a pile of salad underneath the chicken or you could use your healthy extra b (depending on what wraps and pittas are available) layer some of the sauce, fresh leaves and then add in the chicken.

chinese sticky chicken

I adapted the slimming world sticky chicken recipe a while ago and i love it this way.. if you cant get chinese vinegar use a mix of 1tbsp of balsamic and 2 tbsp white rice vinegar.

serves 4 at 2 syns per serving
you will need
700g chicken of any kind you like
3 tbsp honey
3tbsp chinese black vinegar
3tbsp soy sauce
pinch of black and white pepper
1 tsp grated garlic and ginger
1 tsp tomato puree.

mix all together in a sandwhich bag and pour into a hot frying pan cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is sticky and thick.

sichaun prawns

This dish is good as part of a chinese meal or to serve as a starter.

200g raw, peeled tiger prawns
1/2 tsp sichaun pepper
generous pinch salt
1tsp 5 spice powder

for the sauce: 4 tbsp soy sauce, 1tsp sugar (1syn), 1 spring onion, finely chopped. (all mixed together)

toss the prawns in the 5 spice powder,sichaun pepper and salt.
Get a pan on a high heat.
add the prawns and stir fry.
when they are nearly cooked through add the sauce and toss until it thickens.
Serve hot or warm.
they are nice in lettuce leaf cups.