Pasta primavera

I was in tesco yesterday and i saw some asparagus and it reminded me of my favourite ever pasta dish.. Pasta primavera! Full of fresh veggies and basil (or in our case low fat green pesto, i find the tesco own brand is the best!) This dish is great with fish or chicken or just on its own with a side salad! AND Low in syn coming in at 4 syns for the whole lot and it will serve 4-6 people (and its a hit with the kiddies or to freeze!!)

you will need
500g pasta of your choice
half a head of broccoli cut into small florets
1 pack of asparagus (trimmed and cut into bitesize pieces)
200g trimmed and chopped green beans
200g frozen peas
1 leek finely sliced
2 tbsp reduced fat green pesto (3 syns)
2 tbsp quark
1tbsp grated parmesan cheese (1 syn, this stuff is my pride and joy in the kitchen)
salt and pepper to taste
First, cook your pasta, look at the packet instructions and cook for 2 minutes less than it says on the pack. (this is crucial)
While the pasta is cooking add in the broccoli to the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking mix together the quark, pesto, parmesan, a pinch of salt and pepper and some of the cooking water. This is crucial for making the pasta creamy. Save some cooking water trust me!
2 minutes before the end of cooking time add the asparagus and peas to the boiling pasta.
Drain the pasta (again remember to save some cooking water!!!!)
while the pasta is draining, in the pan you boiled your pasta in, lightly fry the leeks. When they become soft and translucent add the sauce, stir, cooking for 30 seconds, add some more pasta water then the pasta, stir, thoroughly coating the pasta and the job is done!

YUM YUM YUM :') i love this dish i hope you do too!

Chicken casserole

The best chicken casserole/stew is done by using roasted bone in meat, unfortunately if you roast skinless chicken it becomes dry. So we have an alternative! Packed full of speed veggies this meal would be suitable for SP day, you could always have with singing swede mash, if you aren't having an SP day you could always chuck in a couple of tins of potatoes or something! you can also use any P beans you want i just prefer haricot :)

4-6 people
4 rashers extra lean smoked bacon (visible fat removed and cut into small pieces)
6-8 skinless (bone in if you can get it) chicken thighs
4 large carrots (into slices/chunks)
4 large celery sticks (sliced)
2 large leeks (washed, trimmed and sliced)
2 large red onions (peeled and medium diced)
1 large courgette (medium dice)
1 small swede (peeled and diced)
2 tins of haricot beans
salt and pepper to taste (at the end)
chicken bovil 2 tsp in 500ml of hot water
if you have it, 1tsp each of fresh rosemary and thyme, or 1 tsp mixed dried herbs.

Fry off the bacon until it is crispy. (add it to your slow cooker)
Sear the chicken thighs in the same pan (and then into your slow cooker with the swede and carrot)
Fry off the celery, onion, courgette and leeks in batches giving them a little colour.
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, cover and cook for at least 4 hours on high or 6-8 on low.
If you do not have the time to add the extra flavour by frying off first, you can always just add everything to the slow cooker.
Enjoy :)

Indian salad/curry topping

yum yum yum
So, that indian salad with tomatoes, onions and aromatic coriander? its very very easy to make at home.
Its delicious to top off salads, or ontop of curries for another dimension, i went through a phase when i first started slimmingworld where the only salad i would eat was this indian salad wrapped in lettuce leaves!!

Another good thing you can adjust it to how you like it!! If you don't like lots of coriander reduce it or remove it completely! you only have limes and not lemons? use them!

1 large red onion, as finely diced as you can get it!
2 large tomatoes finely diced (with all its juiced)
1/4 cucumber finely diced
As much coriander as you want (for this amount i usually go for a handful finely chopped)
juice of half a lemon

Chuck it all in a bowl, toss it together and you are done!!

If you want to remove some of the onion taste soak the onion in a bowl of water with a splash of lemon juice in for 30 minutes, drain them add to your salad!

I hope you guys love this recipe as much as i do. :) (delicious with poppadom, the size you get in the shops are 2.5 each the indian takeaway are 4 each, and for 25 g of mini poppadoms are 6 syns as of 2/12/2015)

Garlic greens

This recipe is versatile as really it goes with most greens, just use whatever you have to hand.

I use frozen green beans because why not! (just defrost half a bag)
1 large onion (chopped into bitesized pieces)
1 small red and green pepper (into bit size pieces)
3 large garlic cloves finely chopped or 3 tsp of garlic paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1tsp sesame oil (2 syns)

get a pan nice and hot
add the onion and green pepper, toss regularly till slightly charred and onion is just turning translucent.
add your garlic, green beans and sesame oil.
Toss the pan or stur the garlic and beans witht he rest of the ingredients until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the soy sauce and toss. cook for a further 2 minutes.

Done :D delicious garlicky green beans, like i said use what you have to hand whether it be brocolli, spring greens or cabbage!

I would love some feedback so leave a comment below!

Pad see ew (stir fried noodles thai)

So without a doubt one of my favourite thai dishes (because its so easy and tasty) is pad see ew (which is literally translated as fried noodle soy sauce!)
(makes delicious leftovers to bang into the microwave at work!)

If you cannot find these thick rice noodles (you can buy them online at asian grocery stores) just substitute for  tagliatele noodles but cook AL DENTE if the packet says cook for 7-9 minutes, cook for 6 minutes.. how long you cook your noodles for is CRUCIAL for this dish to be delicious!
(no specific serving size, serves one large or 2 small really and is easy to double)
200g thick rice noodles OR 200g of tagliatelle pasta. (cooked to packet instructions just remember to leave off about 3-4 minutes)
3 boneless skinless chicken thigh cut into thin strips (or you can use quorn substitute! maybe 2-3 handfuls?)
1 large white onion sliced into semi circles about 1-2 cm thick
Now here is where i cheat, traditionally the thai use a vegetable called kai-lan, luckily it is very similar to spring greens! use 4-5 leaves of spring greens (take the hard part out of the middle and slice the middle thinly and the leaves into chunks). alternatively you can add fresh green beans and bok choi if you can get it.
2tbsp soy sauce
1tsp oyster sauce (mix all 3 together)
2tbsp water
2 minced or crushed garlic cloves
about 1/2 tsp of fresh cracked black pepper.
Get a pan nice and hot using coconut fry light (adds a beautiful fragrance, if not any frylight of choice)
add the chicken and let it sit for 30 seconds then flip it over and add the hard parts of the greens, let it cook for 30 seconds.
Add the onion and garlic, give the pan a toss and let it sit on the heat for a minute (the key to this dish is a little charring)
Toss and add the leaves of the greens, put the noodles ontop and let it sit for another 30 seconds.
Make sure you mix the ingredients through the noodles really well then add the sauce and coat the noodles.
Let it sit in the pan for 2 minutes until you hear crackling, stir it again or flip it over and let the other side char for 2-3 minutes.
remove from the heat, serve and sprinkle with black pepper and some of my delicious garlic greens which will be my next recipe!!

i hope you give the recipe a try, if making for a whole family only put the black pepper on the adults dishes so it is then still suitable for children. (my sister likes hers with sweet chilli sauce as the sweetness helps to counteract the saltiness of the soy)

:)

Vietnamese beef stew (my version)

Not long ago i became unhealthily obsessed with asian, vietnamese and thai food!
I came across this aromatic soothing beef stew, full of the herbs and spices needed to cure a cold!
Perfect for a cold evening!
It really is a slow cooked dish so if you dont have a slow cooker use a dutch oven!

4-6 people
1kg stewing steak.
4tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp fish sauce (yes i know it smells but trust me!)
3 lrge garlic cloves grated
1tsp grated ginger
1 tin of tomatoes
2 tbsp romato puree
200ml beef stock
1 bay leaf
6 carrots peeled and in bitesize pieces
3 spring onions in chunks.
2 star anise and 1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp 5 spice
generous amount of black pepper
2 large white onions (in bitesized chunks)
2 large green pepper (in bitesized chunks)
1tsp sesame oil (2syns)

Marinate the beef with the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce and 5 spice over night. or 2 days in advance!
put all of the ingredients (just not the green pepper or onion and sesame oil) in the slow cooker.
Let it cook until you are ready to eat (i serve with rice)
Before you cook the rice, get a frying pan EXTREMELY hot and chuck in the onions and peppers let it sit for 20 seconds, flip it, let it sit again for another 20 seconds. Repeat and add to the stew with the sesame oil and stir through.
Serve whilst hot, sprinkle with spring onions (optional but adds another dimension)

Jambalaya

This recipe is brilliant for leftovers or if you just want to make a delicious dish!
serves 4-6
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (in bite sized cube or use leftover roast chicken!)
4 heck chorizo style sausages (currently 2.5 syns each so 2.5 if serving 4 but 1.5 if serving 6, skin removed)
3 sticks of celery and 2 carrots (finely diced or grated)
1 large white onion (diced finely)
1 large green pepper (slightly larger dice)
1 large red pepper (same as green pepper)
4 large tomatoes (cut in half and grate into the stock, its the easy way to remove the skin!)
3 cloves garlic
1tbsp paprika (not smoked)
450ml chicken stock
250g long grain rice (basmati works well)
1 bay leaf
1tsp dried thyme and oregano
sprinkle of chilli flakes (optional)
(6 large prawns to serve ontop are optional)

okay it sounds like a lot of ingredients but its a very very easy recipe.
Fry the sausage braking it up while it cooks. when it is cooked add in the chicken. cook until the chicken is 3/4 of the way done. add all the vegetables and garlic. stir until the onion becomes translucent. add in the rest of the ingredients. stir thoroughly, sprinkle in some salt and pepper, cover, cook on low for 15 minutes, remove the lid give it a stir. cover and let cook for a further 10 minutes on low.
Done :D

enjoy.. i know it sounds like a lot but this recipe is pretty basic 4 tomatoes, 450ml of stock, garlic, paprika 250g rice.. then you can add anything else you want! any veg that is starting to go over (fry that first though to give it a head start)
and the best thing... its a one pot meal! yaaaahhh!

Enjoy!