Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges and Dip

02:03:00 Unknown 1 Comments

• Serves: 4
• Ready in: 30-60 Minutes
• Suitable for vegetarians
• Syns per serving:
  1½

INGREDIENTS

• 3 x 175g pink sweet potatoes, peeled
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cardamon seeds
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• Sea salt & ground black pepper
• Freshly chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

SPICY MANGO AND SALSA DIP

• 1 ripe mango, peeled, stoned & diced
• 4 ripe tomatoes, skinned & chopped
• 1 small red chilli, seeds removed & chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt & ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves

CORIANDER DIP

• 110g fat free natural yogurt
• 1 small red chilli, seeds removed & finely chopped
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves
• Pinch of salt

METHOD

1. Make each dip separately, by mixing the ingredients together and chilling until required.
2. To make the wedges place the sweet potatoes into a saucepan of salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until they are just tender. Drain and leave to cool and then cut into 5mm wedges.
3. Mix the oil and spices together and brush over the potato wedges. Preheat and grill. Place the wedges on a non-stick baking tray and grill for approximately 5 minutes on each side until they are crisp and golden. These wedges are also ideal for cooking over hot barbeque coals. Sprinkle the wedges with the seasoning and coriander and serve with the dips.

Jerk chicken skewers

12:55:00 Unknown 0 Comments

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large skinless and boneless chicken breasts.
• 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp jerk seasoning
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• Finely chopped fresh coriander and red chilli
• Lime wedges, to serve

METHOD

1. Cut each chicken breast into six pieces and place into a bowl.
2. Add the remaining ingredients (except the chopped coriander and red chilli) and toss to mix well. Cover and chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight if time permits.
3. When ready to cook, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and place on a grill rack in a single layer. Cook under a preheated medium grill for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through.
4. Push a skewer into each piece, sprinkle with the chopped coriander and red chilli and serve with lime wedges.

Chicken Soup

12:53:00 Unknown 0 Comments

INGREDIENTS

• 800g chicken thighs and drumsticks, skinned
• 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 3 carrots – 2 roughly chopped and 1 peeled and finely chopped
• 3 leeks – 2 roughly chopped and 1 finely sliced
• Small bunch of fresh parsley, stalks and leaves separated
• 1.2 litres boiling chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 75g dried pearl barley

METHOD

1. Put the chicken in a large pan and just cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over a high heat and skim off any scum from the top.
2. Add the celery, onions, roughly chopped carrots and leeks, parsley stalks and stock. Season with pepper, turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pearl barley according to the packet instructions.
4. Pick the meat off the chicken bones, roughly shred and keep warm.
5. Strain the soup through a fine sieve, discarding anything left in the sieve. Return the soup to the pan, add the finely chopped carrot and sliced leek and cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
6. Stir the shredded chicken and pearl barley into the soup, heat through and season to taste. Finely chop the parsley leaves and scatter over the soup to serve.

Yule Log

12:48:00 Unknown 0 Comments

INGREDIENTS

• 6 eggs, plus 2 yolks
• 85g caster sugar
• 60g self-raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder, plus 2 tsp to dust
• 6 sheets of leaf gelatine
• 150ml skimmed milk
• 3-4 tbsp sweetener, to taste
• 1 level tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp coffee essence
• 2 tsp icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas 5.
2. Put the six eggs and the sugar into a large mixing bowl and whisk until doubled in size.
3. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into the eggs and fold in.
4. Line a 40cm x 30cm Swiss roll tin with baking parchment, pour in the mixture and bake for around 10 minutes or until springy to the touch. Leave to cool slightly.
5. While the sponge is still warm, turn it out on to a sheet of baking
   parchment with a damp clean tea towel underneath and gently roll it up.
6. Put the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water for 10-12 minutes or until soft.
7. Put the milk into a saucepan over a medium heat and heat until hot but not boiling.
8. Meanwhile, put the extra egg yolks into a bowl with the sweetener, cornflour and 150ml of water. Stir well and tip this mixture into the hot milk then heat gently until thickened, stirring occasionally.
9. Squeeze the excess liquid out of the gelatine sheets and add the sheets to the milk along with the coffee essence. Stir well, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.
10. Unroll the sponge and spread the mixture over it evenly. Roll up carefully and leave to set in the freezer for 3-4 hours or overnight if possible. Transfer to the fridge about an hour or two before you want to eat it.
11. Dust with the extra cocoa powder and icing sugar and slice to serve.

Malteser ices

12:44:00 Unknown 0 Comments

INGREDIENTS

• 6 x 175g pots Muller Light Vanilla yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2-3 tbsp sweetener (optional)
• 2 x 37g bags Maltesers, lightly crushed
• 400g raspberries

METHOD

1. If you have an ice cream maker...
   
   
   Place the yogurt, vanilla essence and sweetener, if using, in an ice cream machine and churn according to the machine instructions until thickened and starting to firm up (this usually takes about 20-25 minutes). 
   
   
   Transfer the mixture to a shallow freezerproof container and stir in most of the crushed Maltesers. Cover and freeze for 2-3 hours or
   until firm enough to scoop.
   
   
   When you’re ready to eat, half-fill four chilled dessert glasses with raspberries. Add a scoop of the frozen yogurt, scatter over the remaining crushed Maltesers and serve ice cold.
2. if you don’t have an ice cream maker...
   
   
   You can still make this delicious dessert. Place the yogurt, vanilla essence and sweetener, if using, in a bowl and stir to mix well. 
   
   
   Place the mixture in a shallow freezerproof container, cover and freeze for 2-3 hours.
   
   
   Remove the mixture from the freezer, transfer to a food processor
   and blend until smooth. Fold in most of the Maltesers, return to the container, cover and freeze for 1-2 hours or until starting to set around the edges. Beat the mixture with a fork to break up the ice crystals and return to the freezer. Repeat this process every 30-40 minutes or until the mixture is fairly firm and just setting. Freeze for 3-4 hours or until firm enough to scoop.
   
   
   When you’re ready to eat, half-fill four chilled dessert glasses with raspberries. Add a scoop of the frozen yogurt, scatter over the remaining crushed Maltesers and serve ice cold.

Free ice cream

12:42:00 Unknown 0 Comments

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pots of vanilla Muller Light
• 500g fat free fromage frais
• Sweetener
• Vanilla essence

METHOD

1. Stir two pots of Muller light (or other free) yogurts and one 500g pot of fat free natural fromage frais together, sweeten to taste with sweetener and vanilla essence, then pop in a freezer-proof tub. Place in the freezer and lightly whip approximately every 30 minutes to stop ice crystals forming.
2. Your ice cream will be ready in a few hours. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop.

Banoffee pie

12:40:00 Unknown 0 Comments

INGREDIENTS

• 60g low fat spread
• 10 reduced fat digestive biscuits
• 2 x 12g sachets powdered gelatine
• 250g quark
• 3 x 175g pots Muller Light Toffee yogurt (or any Free toffee yogurt)
• 1 tbsp sweetener
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 egg whites*
• 2 bananas
• 2 level tsp cocoa powder, to decorate

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5 and line a 20cm springform tin with non-stick baking parchment.
2. Melt the spread in a pan over a low heat
3. Meanwhile, put the biscuits in a sealable food bag, bash into fine crumbs with a rolling pin and tip into a bowl. Pour in the melted spread, stir well and spoon the mixture into the prepared tin to cover the base, pressing down evenly. Bake for 12-15 minutes then set aside to cool.
4. While the base is in the oven, dissolve the gelatine in 5 tablespoons of boiling water.
5. Put the quark in a bowl and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the yogurt, sweetener, vanilla and gelatine liquid.
6. Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into the quark mixture.
7. Spoon the quark mixture over the biscuit base and smooth the surface with a palette knife. Chill for 4 hours or until set.
8. Release the pie from the tin and put the pie, still on its base if necessary, on a serving plate. Thinly slice the bananas and arrange neatly on top, then sprinkle with cocoa powder and slice to serve.

Roast chicken dinner with stuffing

12:38:00 Unknown 0 Comments

INGREDIENTS

• Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• Low calorie cooking spray
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 4 skinless chicken breasts, visible fat removed
• Carrots, peeled and cut into batons
• Tenderstem broccoli florets
• Mangetout
• Frozen peas
• 4 level tsp gravy granules

FOR THE STUFFING BALLS

• Small handful of finely chopped fresh herbs, such as sage or parsley
• 1 egg, beaten
• Finely grated zest of ½ unwaxed lemon
• 300g lean pork mince (5% fat or less)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6.
2. Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes, then drain and return to the pan, shaking it to roughen up the edges. Put the potatoes in a roasting tin, spray with low calorie cooking spray and toss to coat well. Roast for 40 minutes or until brown and crispy.
3. While the potatoes are boiling, make the stuffing balls by putting the herbs, egg, lemon zest and pork in a bowl. Season to taste, mix with your fingers to combine and divide into eight equal portions. Shape each one into a ball, spread them out in a roasting tin and roast for 35 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the mixed herbs over the chicken, spray with low calorie cooking spray and roast with the stuffing balls for the last 25 minutes of cooking.
5. Cook all the vegetables in boiling water for 6-8 minutes or until tender, or steam for even fresher tasting veg.
6. Make up the gravy according to the packet instructions.
7. Slice the chicken breasts thickly and put on to plates with the stuffing balls and vegetables. Pour over the gravy and serve hot.