Delicious meals with minimum ingredients.

[chocko1]

SPICED SQUASH AND SWEET POTATO MASH - Serves 4

Syn Free

350g peeled BNS, cut into 2cm chunks
350g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
1 tsp. smoked paprika
Pinch of chilli powder
3 tbsp. skimmed milk - taken from your allowance

Put the vegetables into a steamer (or boil) and cook until tender - approx. 15 mins.
Transfer to a warmed bowl, add the spices and milk and mash until smooth, adding a little more milk, if necessary.
Season with ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Great with grilled chicken or pork, sprinkled with jerk seasoning.

Recipe from the Healthy Food Guide.

 

[chocko1]

CAULIFLOWER MASH - Serves 4

Syn Free, if using the Parmesan as part HEX's

1 medium head cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 tsp. ground coriander
Pinch of cayenne or chilli powder, plus extra to garnish
30g Parmesan, grated

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/Gas 7.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the chopped cauliflower over it.
Spray with Frylight, sprinkle with the spices and toss. Re-spray.
Cover very loosely with foil and roast for 25-30 minutes or until golden and softened.
Blend the cauliflower until almost smooth.
Add the Parmesan, reserving 1 tbsp. and blend well again. Add a splash of hot water to thin the mash, if necessary.
Season with ground black pepper and serve, garnished with the reserved Parmesan and extra cayenne or chilli powder.

Another recipe based on one from the Healthy Food Guide magazine.

 

[chocko1]

BEAN, GARLIC AND ROSEMARY MASH - Serves 4

1.5 Syns per serving

2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 small sprigs of rosemary, leaves only, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
1 tbsp. chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish
4tbsp. skimmed milk, taken from the allowances
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil - 6 Syns

Put all the ingredients into a medium, non-stick pan, set over a medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and mash with a potato masher until smooth.
Season with ground black pepper and serve, garnished with the extra herbs.

Great with steak, grilled lamb of chicken.

Another from the Healthy Food Guide.

Ok, ok, I'll stop posting mash recipes now!

 

[chocko1]

SALMON BURGERS WITH A CREAM AND LIME BASIL SAUCE - Serves 2

Syn Free

2 salmon fillets
3 cloves of garlic
1 lemongrass stalk
4 shallots
A thumb-sized piece of ginger
2 small green chillies
Juice of 2 limes
4 tbsp. 0% Greek yoghurt
4 tbsp. fresh basil

Put the skinless salmon, two of the garlic cloves, lemongrass, shallots, ginger, chillies (deseeded, if preferred) and lime juice from one of the limes, into a food processor and blend until ground down.
Take out of the processor and form into two burger patties.
Spray a non-stick pan with Frylight and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, put the Greek yoghurt, the last clove of garlic, the juice from the other lime and the basil, into the food processor (clean after using it for the salmon) and blend to make a sauce.

Serve with the sauce and lots of salad leaves for a light lunch.

This recipe is from Happy Healthy Happy.

 

[chocko1]

SAUSAGE AND RED PEPPER CHILLI - Serves 4

Syn Free

8 SW sausages - or reduced-fat, Synned
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. dried mixed herbs - could use thyme, rosemary, sage, basil
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Remove the sausages from their skins and make about 24 meatballs with the meat.
Place a non-stick pan on a medium heat and cook the sausage balls for about 5 minutes, until starting to brown on all sides.
Add the red pepper, onion and chilli to the pan, along with the dried mixed herbs and cook, stirring intermittently for another 5 minutes, or until the veg starts to soften. Leaving the lid on helps.
Add the cumin and coriander and stir through, then add the tomatoes and kidney beans.
Mix to combine, put the lid on and cook gently for 10 minutes or until the sauce has slightly reduced.
Season with salt and black pepper.

Good served with rice, pasta or crushed new potatoes, mixed with Philadelphia Light with Garlic and Herb - 25g = 2 Syns.

This recipe is by Abbe Townsend.

 

[cloudy6]

Quickie to say I made your chicken pizza pasta bake last night and my hubby loves you

Happy Birthday lovely lady and let someone else cater for you today xxx

 

[sookie]

Happy birthday. Have a fab day xxx

 

[chocko1]

Thanks, Sian! Good to see you back, too. Hope you're enjoying your break away. xx

 

[chocko1]

Quickie to say I made your chicken pizza pasta bake last night and my hubby loves you

Happy Birthday lovely lady and let someone else cater for you today xxx

Lol! That made me giggle, Linda! So glad he enjoyed it and thanks for your birthday wishes! Definitely no cooking for me today! xx

 

[dudette2001uk]

Happy Birthday hun! xx

 

[lilili]

Whoop happy birthday Kathy! Great weather for it xx

 

[green eyed monster]

Oooooooh hippo bathday Kathy!!!! :flowers::birthday::banana dancer:arty0016:arty0036:

 

[Texty_F]

Happy birthday lovely!! I hope it's a good one xx

 

[chocko1]

Aww, thanks, everyone!! What lovely birthday wishes! I've had a perfect day, out in the sunshine, with my daughter. Thankyou so much, for all your good wishes! xxx

 

[chocko1]

Some photos from our lovely afternoon tea. Syn Free, of course!!!!!

Not very good with technology, as you know so the photos are a bit rammed together!! My daughter was despairing of trying to explain to me how to upload the photos! Think she'll be glad when she's back in Aberdeen!!

 

[chocko1]

VEGETABLE MACARONI CHEESE - Serves 4

Approx. 2 Syns per serving, if using the milk and cheese as part HEX's

160g dried macaroni
2 level tbsp. corn-flour - 7 Syns
500ml skimmed milk
80g reduced-fat extra mature Cheddar, grated
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 onion, finely chopped
300g frozen broccoli florets
250g asparagus, finely chopped

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
Cook the pasta according to pack instructions.
Meanwhile, place the broccoli in a microwavable bowl, with 3 tbsp. water, cover with cling film, pierce the top and cook for approx. 4 minutes or until tender. Set aside, un-drained.
Place the red pepper, onion and asparagus in a microwavable bowl, with 2 tbsp. of water, cover with cling film, pierce the top and cook on high power for 3 minutes, or until tender. Set aside, un-drained.
Return the broccoli to the microwave and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Drain all the vegetables and chop the broccoli slightly smaller, if you like and, again, set to one side.
Warm the milk in a pan. Mix the corn-flour to a thickish paste, with a little cold water and gradually add to the milk, stirring all the time. Bring to a gentle simmer, still stirring and season with a good pinch of salt and some black pepper. The sauce may appear a bit thin at this point but it thickens up as you add everything into it.
Gently stir in the vegetables and 65g of the grated cheese.
Drain the cooked pasta well and stir that in too.
Spoon it all into a baking dish, scatter with the remaining cheese and cook in the oven until the cheese has melted and is turning golden.

A recipe based on one by Abbe Townsend.

350ml of skimmed milk = 1 x HEX
40g reduced-fat Cheddar = 1 x HEX

So you could use the milk from 2 people's HEX's and the cheese from the other 2 diners HEX's.

 

[Nanny Doreen]

Lovely picture of you Kathy. I love your hair. I must get somebody to help me put a picture up. I have a lovely one in a wedding outfit from last year. I have no idea how to do it. Well done for having a go.

 

[green eyed monster]

awwww lovely pic kathy and those cakies do look syn free!

ooh i made your cheese scone recipe into cheese straws,

 

[chocko1]

Oooh, well done, Kay. They look delicious! Can't remember if I said somewhere but, in scone form, they make a gorgeous cobbler topping for on top of savoury dishes but, making cheese straws is a brilliant idea! Thanks for the picture too, Kay!

I'm off to Shropshire for the weekend, in about an hour so probably won't be posting until maybe Monday so, have a good weekend. xx

 

[chocko1]

Lovely picture of you Kathy. I love your hair. I must get somebody to help me put a picture up. I have a lovely one in a wedding outfit from last year. I have no idea how to do it. Well done for having a go.

Made me laugh about the hair, Doreen. I've just booked into the hairdressers for next Thursday, as it needs a good cut! I could have gone this morning, prior to our Shropshire trip but, with Amy being down from Aberdeen and with her being a penniless student again, I let her have my appointment (unconditional love and all that!!) and told her I didn't mind going to Shropshire looking like a sheep!!

That'd be good if you could post your picture up, Doreen - then we can see the famous lady, at last!! Amy will be back in Aberdeen when we return on Sunday so that's my short-lived time of posting photographs 'cos I won't have a clue when she's not around!! That's why I'm especially grateful when anyone (like Kay) posts one on this thread when they've made on of the recipes.

Enjoy your weekend, Doreen and I hope you're feeling better than you were yesterday. xx