Turkey Burger

This was quite nice.  I wanted to have a burger, but the last time I made them they were quite bland.  So looked online for some recipes and found a fajita seasoned burger.  They had a bit of a kick in them, but still not 100% there on the flavour - so next time I will just add more.

The seasoning recipe was for 500g turkey mince.  Basically add to the mince, mix, pound and then make into patties - then pan fry them - 3/4 minutes either side.

To make the seasoning:

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

salt and pepper (to season the top and bottom of burger before grilling)

Risotto

This is one of the things I make with my leftovers of roast chicken. It's so quick and simple to make.  I add some chicken stock to some risotto rice, add some shredded chicken, chopped onion, frozen peas, garlic, salt and plenty of black pepper.  Cook in the oven for about 20/25 minutes until the liquid has absorbed and the rice has softened and then at the end sprinkle with grated parmesan.  I love it :)

Measurements for 1 serving approx 75g rice and 250ml chicken stock.

Water

As well as it being better for you, I am trying to boost my weight loss by drinking more water.  Oh I really struggle drinking it.  So to try and enjoy drinking it a bit more I added a slice of lemon - very nice it was too.  Since I started drinking more water I haven't really had much else to drink except for a cup of tea.  Today I had a glass of diet coke and it really tasted horrid.  It left such an aftertaste - maybe all that water has cleansed my tastebuds!  If only it did that to crisps and chocolate too!

Poached Egg Yumminess

I am fair beginning to master this poached egg malarkey.  I'm not a big egg fan but have discovered that I quite like a poached egg.  Thanks to my pal Karen who introduced me to the most fab silicone egg poachers.  They are a doddle and  have it cooked to perfection now - 5 mins once the water has boiled and it's not too hard and not too soft - delicious :)

Tomato Salad

Mix chopped tomatoes, cucumber and red onion with some salt/pepper and a sprinkling of dried dill and mix through some dressing.

Dressing

1 teaspoon sweetener

3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

1/2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

Blackened Salmon

Think this is my new fav way to eat salmon. So tasty and has a kick!

Serves 4

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Mix all the herbs and spices together.  Spray 4 salmon fillets with frylight and sprinkle the spice mixture over (both sides - or just one side if your salmon has skin on one side).

Cook in tin foil in an oven for 20-25 minutes 

I served mine with some honey roasted veg - delicious :)

Slow Cooker Chicken

I make this at least once a week. The chicken just falls off the bone and there is very little left over and what is left over usually goes in a curry the next night.

Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for at least 5-6 hours.

Place 4 small balls of kitchen foil on the bottom of your slow cooker to stop the chicken sticking.  I rubbed a seasoning on my chicken ( 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp each of oregano, thyme, basil). Then placed chicken upside down in slow cooker and sprinkled remaining seasoning on top.

Sometimes I cook it with garlic butter and some herbs too.

Baked Oats

This was a nice change for a breakfast this morning. Baked oats served warm with fruit and sprinkled with cinnamon.

35g oats
50ml milk
1egg
1 tablespoon sweetener.

Mix and bake in oven for 20mins @ 200 degrees

Salmon Stirfry

I had some leftover salmon, so flaked it and stir fried it with garlic powder, ground ginger, medium curry powder, soy sauce and noodles....oh it was delish and had a right punch in it! Oh and it was syn free! :)

Chicken Curry (syn free)

Quick chicken curry made with last night's left over chicken!

Fried off some onion, garlic, chilli and added a carton of Asda chopped tomatoes with chilli and pepper, 150ml chicken stock, tablespoon of curry powder (I used mild and found that hot enough as the chopped tomatoes have kick in them, but depends on your taste).  Simmered away and then mixed though a couple of tablespoons of fat free fromage frais at the end - was really tasty!

Prawn Fried Rice

Just as per the CHICKEN FRIED RICE recipe...but add tiger prawns! I also added some chilli flakes for an extra kick. Delicious!

Red Lentil, chickpea & chilli soup

Another lovely soup and another recipe from my mum. It's a nice thick soup with a pit of a punch,

2tsp cumin seeds

large pinch chilli flakes

1 onion, chopped

140g red lentils

850ml veg stock

200g canned chickpeas (drained)

400g chopped tomatoes

fat free fromage frais or fat free natural yogurt

frylight

salt/pepper to season

Blitz the chickpeas in a food processor until it's like a rough puree

In a large saucepan, dryfry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan.

Spray pan with frylight and add onion and cook for 5 mins

Add stock, tomatoes and lentils and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have softened.

Add the chickpeas and heat through for 5 minutes.

Whizz the soup with a hand blender until it is soup and season with salt and pepper.  I add Shwartz black & red pepper for an extra kick.

Serve with a dollop of fat free fromage frais or natural yogurt.

Cock-a-leekie Soup (syn free)

Love soup at this time of the year. Especially love this one. My Mum's recipe.

Pint veg or chicken stock
Couple of handfuls of rice
1 chicken breast diced
1 leek sliced
1 carrot sliced
Salt/pepper

Add all ingredients to a pot, bring to the boil and then let simmer for 30 mins.

I like too add Swartz red & black pepper for an extra kick.

Enjoy x

Hash Brown

One great big massive hash brown...all for me! 

I ❤ potatoes and I ❤ Slimming World!

This takes 15 mins either side on medium-low setting on your hob - if you aint got 30 minutes to let it cook - don't make it.

Grate 1 large potato, squeeze out all the water and season well with salt/pepper - you could add a little grated onion if you like.  Then cook in a frying pan sprayed with frylight.  Spread it all out and flatten it all down and push in the edges to form it all together - and then leave it! 15 minutes - then after 15 minutes, spray the top with frylight again and then flip it over - then leave it for 15 minutes. Turns out nice and crispy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside.  

I had mine with some scrambled egg and beans - but there was no room to add it on the plate! :)

All syn free :)

Potato Rosti

I love all things potato and especially love hash browns.  Proper american hash browns not the frozen creations you get here.  These are basically based on hash browns but instead of cooked in the frying pan they are cooked in muffin cases instead.  The ingredients are just grated potato (squeezed in a cloth to get rid of the water) mixed with grated onion.  Zapped in the micro for 2 minutes then mixed with salt and pepper and added to some silicon muffin cases, sprayed with frylight and cooked in the oven for 20-25 minutes - and they taste lovely - oh and they are syn free:)

Lemon Mousse (Syn Free)

I'm not really a dessert person but this was rather nice!  Kids liked it too.

Serves 4

Juice and grated rind of 3 lemons (I did cheat as I didn't have real lemons and just used 6 tablespoons of lemon juice)

6 tablespoons sweetener

4 eggs

1 tub quark

In a heatproof bowl mix your lemon juice, rind and sweetener.  Beat in the eggs.  Boil a small pan of water and sit your bowl on top.  Heat and mix until it thickens (custard like consistency) - this took me about 30 minutes.  Then add quark tablespoon at a time and mix.  Divide between ramekins and chill.  Enjoy :)

Chicken Fajita Cous Cous

I made this with last night's fajita leftovers - but you could add anything you like to it.

It makes a quick and easy lunch!  I based this recipe on one from youtube by a great girl called swjunky - she has a great channel and lots of recipe ideas. Go check her out :)

Add your cous cous to a bowl and sprinkle in half oxo cube (I used chicken).  Add boiling water (just enough to cover it), mix through and cover for 5 mins.

Once all the water has been absorbed, fluff up your cous cous and mix in a bowl with chopped tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, crushed garlic or garlic powder, black pepper and some dried chilli flakes.

Voila :)

Prawn Curry

Super quick and super easy!  Totally syn free!  My kinda meal!

Serves 4

can of chopped tomatoes

4 cloves crushed garlic

2cm piece of ginger peeled and grated

2 tablespoons of curry powder (I used mild)

1/2 teaspoon of sweetener

500g prawns

Add all the ingredients except the prawns to pan and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add the prawns and warm through for 5 minutes.

Voila!

Salsa

I'm not sure if it's a good thing when I make this as it just makes me want to grab the crisps to eat with it - but my hubby loves it :)

I just make enough for one ramekin type dish as I'm not sure how long a big quantity would keep for - but this is just enough for crisps and dip for me and hubby when we settle down to watch something on a Saturday night :)

2 tomatoes

1/2 red onion

Jalapeno pepper - I buy the jar of pre-chopped jalapenos and I only use 2 pieces and that is hot enough for us - but if you like em spicy - add more.

Salt to taste

Lime juice to taste

Cumin to taste

Tiny amount of sweetener

Blitz the tomatoes, onions and jalapenos in a food processor, then empty into a bowl.  It does go a bit frothy which I don't mind, but if you don't like your salsa like that just remove the insides from your tomato before you add it to the food processor.  Add some salt, sweetener, lime juice and cumin to taste - I find that I don't need much of it at all - so use sparingly and taste as you go along.

Vegetable Noodles

This is a very slurpy meal so next time I'm just going to bung everything in the one pot and just make it a soup - and add grated carrot rather than sliced - mainly cause it's easier for me to grate than to try and slice them up!

Serves 4 (syn free)

250g dried noodles

750ml chicken stock

3 garlic cloves crushed

2cm piece ginger grated

4 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon chinese five-spice powder

1/4 teaspoon mild chilli powder

1 carrot cut thinly sliced

1/2 red pepper thinly sliced

2 spring onions finely chopped

handful bamboo shoots

1/2 onion sliced

Pour stock into pot and add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, five spice powder, chill powder - stir well and bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes.

Add all vegetables except spring onions and cook for 5-10 minutes.

Make noodles as per packet instructions and drain.  Divide into bowls then add stock & vegetables.

Then get stuck in!!

As I said it was a bit of a watery, slurpy meal - but next time I'm just going to bung everything in the one pot and just make it a soup!!