Soad Bread - 3 ProPoints per Slice (16 Slices)

This is high in ProPoints per slice, but it's also got no perservatives, you know how much salt and sugar is in it and very tasty and filling.

Ingredients

375g Wholemeal Flour (Self Raising) (1 tbspoon reserved for dusting)
1 heaped tspoon of Baking Powder 
1 Tbspoon of Caster Sugar
1/2 tspoon of salt
1 Egg
285ml Buttermilk (you can make buttermilk by using skimmed milk and a tbspoon of vinegar mixed together and left to stand for about 5 minutes)

Method

1. Heat the oven at 180 degrees.
2. Sieve the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and salt into a large bowl.
3. Make a well in the middle and add the egg and buttermilk. 
4. Mix together with a fork until it forms a dough.
5. Gently knead the dough and shape into a loaf.
6. Cook in the oven for approx 20 mins.  You will know the bread is ready when you tap the base and it sounds hollow.
7. Leave to cool on a wire rack

Homemade Veggie Soup - 1 ProPoint

This is a delicious veggie soup that is super filling and tasty. It is one ProPoint, but definitely worth it!

Ingredients

1 150g Potato, peeled and diced
4 Carrots, peeled and diced
4 Celery Sticks, diced
1 Leek, diced
1 Large Onion
1 Vegetable Stock Cube (or chicken stock if you prefer)
1 Litre Water
1 Tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Utensils
1 Large heavy bottomed lidded pot
Blender

Method

1. Heat the oil in the pan on a low - medium heat.
2. Add the onion, leek and celery to the oil and cook, covered, on a low heat until the onions are translucent but not coloured.
3. Add the carrots, potatoes and stock, cover and bring to a gentle boil until the veg is cooked (you should be able to crush the veg to the side of the pot).
4. Blitz in the blender until smooth.
5. Pass the soup through a sieve. (This is optional. It's a little bit time consuming but worth doing as it gives the soup a lovely silky texture). If you choose not to do this and the soup is too thick add some more water to reach the consistency you like.
6. Adjust the seasoning to your liking.

Spicy Chicken Noodle Salad - 8 ProPoints Serves 1

Ingredients

1 Chicken Breast (165g)
1 tbsp Soy Sauce Light
1 tsp Chili and Garlic Oil (olive / rapeseed)
1/4 Yellow Pepper, diced
1/4 Red Pepper, diced
1 Head Pak Choi, leaves shredded
Handful baby spinach, shredded
1/2 Red chili (optional)
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 nest of fine egg noodles

For Marinade
1 tbsp Soy Sauce Light
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Pepper

Method:

1. Mix the marinade together and rub over the chicken and leave for approximately 20 mins
2. Cook the noodles as per the instructions on the packet.  When ready, drain and run under cold water to cool. Set aside.
3. Grill chicken and slice when ready. Leave to cool.
4. Mix the Soy Sauce, Chili Oil and Lemon Juice together to use as a dressing.
5. Once the chicken and noodles have cooled, place in a bowl with the leaves, peppers and chili and pour over the dressing, tossing so that everything is coated and serve immediately.

If using this for lunch in work, prepare everything and keep the leaves separate to the chicken, noodles, peppers and chili until ready to serve.  Do not pour the dressing until read to serve.

Weight Watchers Bolagnase - Serves 2 - 9 ProPoints

This is a delicious version of the Weight Watchers Bolagnase receipe.

245g Extra Lean Mince Meat
1 Medium onion, diced
1 Carrot, washed and grated
1 Garlic clove, crushed / grated
400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 tbspoon of Tomato Puree
1/2 pint of chicken stock
1 tsp Basil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Chili powder
Salt & Pepper
80g of Pasta cooked as per packet instructions (I use Penne but Spaghetti or any other pasta would work)
Ladle of cooking water from the pasta

Method:

1. Heat a non-stick pot on a medium heat and begin browning the mince, approximately 3 mins.
2. Add the onions, garlic, carrot chili powder and simmer covered for approximately 10 mins, stirring often. If you find that it's sticking just add a little bit of water to the pot.
3. Add the tomato puree, tomatoes, basil, oregano and chicken stock to the mix and continue to simmer gently.
4. Season with salt and pepper, adjust the seasoning as required.
5. Add a ladle of the startchy water from the pasta to loosen and give it a glossy shine.
6. Add the cooked pasta to the dish

Prawns with Cous Cous and Mango and Chili Salsa - 5 ProPoints

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Salsa;
1/2 mango
1 red chilli de-seeded
Juice 1/2 Lime
1 Spring onion

Cous Cous;
30g
Boiling water

Prawns:
8 king prawns peeled and defrosted
1 tsp Chili rapseed oil
15g light soy sauce
1 clove garlic peeled and grated
Juice 1/2 lime

Method;
1. Mix the rapseed oil, soya sauce, garlic and lime juice and marinate the prawns

2. While the prawns are marinating, cover the Cous Cous with boiling water and allow to soak

3. Put all the salsa ingredients into a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.

4. Cook the prawns on a high heat in the marinade until pink 3-4 mins

5. Mix the Cous Cous and salsa together and serve with prawns on top. Can be eaten hot or cold

Tuna Steak with Cous Cous and a Mango and Chilli salsa - 8 ProPoints

Serves 1

Ingredients:

Salsa;
1/2 mango
1 red chilli de-seeded
Juice 1/2 Lime
1 Spring onion

Cous Cous;
30g
Boiling water

Tuna;
140g Tuna steak
Juice 1/2 lime
15g Soy sauce light

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients for the salsa into a food processor and blitz until fine

2. Cover the Cous Cous with boiling water and leave covered to soak up the water

3. Heat a non stick frying pan on high. Cook the tuna steak for 2-4 mins on either side depending on how rare you like it

4. Mix the Cous Cous and salsa together and serve the tuna on top

Parma Ham & Melon Salad - 5 ProPoints (Serves 2 as a side or 1 as a Meal)

Ingredients:

Half a Honeydue Melon

2 Slices Parma ham

1 tsp basil (dried)

4 tsp Olive Oil

Juice 1/2 Lemon

Salt

Pepper

1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

Method:

1. Scoop the seeds out of the middle of the melon and then use the spoon to gouge out lumps of the melon and place on a plate.
2. Arrange the slices of parma ham around the melon
3. Spoon over the balsamic vinegar
4. Mix the basil, oil, lemon, salt and pepper into a dressing and pour over the melon and panchetta.

Egg Fried Rice - 7 ProPoints per serving (Serves 2)

Ingredients
80g Basmati Rice
1 Egg
4 sprays low cal oil
1/2 chili chopped and de-seeded
1/2 red pepper finely diced
2 spring onions Finely sliced
1 inch ginger grated
1 clove garlic grated

Method:

1. Cook the rice according to the packet instructions
2. In a frying pan / wok heat the oil and stir fry the veggies for about 3 mins and remove
3. Add the egg to the pan and scramble till really dry then add the cooked rice and combine
4. Add the veggies and stir fry for another 2 mins
5. Serve as a side dish

Add 8 King Prawns per person for 1 additional ProPoint for a main course

Jamie Olivers Jerk Chicken - 14 ProPoints (Serves 4)

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

4 spring onions

small bunch fresh thyme

3 fresh bay leaves

ground cloves

ground nutmeg

ground allspice

3 tbs rum

2 tbs cider/red wine vinegar
1 tbs runny honey

1 Scotch bonnet chilli (or 2 red chillies)

4 cloves garlic

Utensils:
Food Processor
Pestel and mortar
Griddle Pan / Non Stick Frying Pan
Oven proof dish

Method

1.  Turn your oven to 220C. Oil a griddle pan, or a normal pan if you haven't got a griddle, and get it roasting hot. Butterfly the chicken breast cutting it from the fattest part so that it is still held together at the skinniest part. This helps it cook quicker.
2. Put the chicken skin-side down in the hot pan and then leave it alone for about 5-6 minutes. Don't poke it about because you want the skin to go crispy and a bit charred and you've got a better chance of that happening (this goes for steak, too) if you just let it get on with it.
3. Chop up the spring onions a bit and put in a foodprocessor with all the other sauce ingredients.
4. Pour your whizzed jerk sauce into an oven dish. Then remove the chicken from the pan and place skin-side up in the pool of sauce. Drizzle over, if you like, an extra tablespoon of honey, more salt and pepper and sprigs of thyme and rosemary if you want it to look nice. Jamie's advice, which I always now follow (because it's love, after all) is that you should smush oil over herbs before scattering them on top of a dish like this so that they cook rather than frazz.
5. Cook on a high shelf for 15 minutes.

This is taken from Jamie Oliver's 30 minute meals and must be adapted according to your oven etc. Make sure that the chicken is cooked the whole way through before serving!

for an extra  7 ProPoints I serve this with home made egg fried rice

  

Orange and Fennell Salad - Snack Girl's Reciepe (0 ProPoints)

Another delicious snack from Snackgirl (http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/orange-fennel-salad-recipe-healthy-snack/) 

 

(serves 8)
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar or white vinegar
5 navel oranges
2 pounds fennel bulbs
salt (to taste)
1. Slice the fennel. Trim the ends, quarter lengthwise, core, and thinly slice. Chop 1/4 cup of the green fronds for looks.
2. Slice the oranges. Using a cutting board that captures juices, slice off both ends of each orange. Cut away the peel and the white pith so you are left with the ORANGE of the orange. Halve orange from top to bottom; thinly slice crosswise.
3. Place oranges and fennel in bowl with juices that accumulated on cutting board. Store until ready to serve. At serving time, mix in vinegar and salt to taste.
89 calories, 0.4 g fat, 21.8 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g protein, 6.3 g fiber, 0 PointsPlus

Grapefruit... Snackgirls thoughts

I love grapefruit. I love the bitterness and the tang. But, I HATE the nightmare of getting it ready to eat. I always remember a friend of mine asking me what I was eating at the kitchen table one morning. I told him it was a grapefruit, would he like some there was another half there. He simply replied 'no way, it looks like way too much work'...

Anyway, have a look at her tips and a read of some of her articles!

http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/grapefruit-sweeter/?e=SVze5xdn

Cous Cous and Crab salad with Mango and Chili Salsa - 6 ProPoints (Serves 1)

Ingredients:

30g CousCous

120g Crab (tinned)

For the Salsa (makes 4 servings)

125g Mango

1/2 Red Onion

1/2 Red Chili (or more if you like it hot)

Utensils

Food processor 

Method:

1. Put the couscous in a dish and cover with 50ml of water, place a lid on top of the dish and allow the couscous to soak up the moisture
2. Drain the crab and rinse
3. Meanwhile, in the food processor combine the mango, chili and red onion and blitz till finely chopped. Transfer to a container and keep in the fridge.
4. Once the water is absorbed in the couscous, mix the crab and a portion of the salsa together and serve.

Rice cakes, Philadelphia Cheese light and tomatoes - 2 ProPoints (serves 1)

Ingredients:

3 plain rice cakes

30 Philadelphia Light Cheese

8 - 9 cherry tomatoes

Method:

Slice the tomoato and season if you prefer

Spread the cheese over the rice cakes

Arrange the tomatoes

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookie - 3 ProPoints per Cookie

I have taken this recipe from a wonderful bloger called Snack Girl.. Dying to try it out, they look delicious! Would really recommend paying her a visit! She's some great ideas and articles http://www.snack-girl.com/

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Makes 20 cookies
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 F. If you have an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and egg. If you don't, just soften butter in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds (make sure it doesn't melt) and beat with a fork.
Add the dry ingredients, stir in by hand and then stir in the chips. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before eating.
For one cookie - 111 calories, 6.5 g fat, 13.2 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g protein, 0.7 g fiber, 83 mg sodium, 3 PointsPlus

 

Goats Cheese and Parma Ham Pitta Bread - Serves One (8 PropPoints)

Ingredients:
1 Pitta Bread (I used a wholewheat one that was not the WW brand so it was 4 ProPoints)
30g Goats Cheese (rind removed)
1 tomato sliced
1 handfuls of spinach leaves
1 apple sliced
2 Slices parma ham diced
Tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Method:
Heat the Pitta Bread in a toaster or microwave and cut in half
Put the filling in a bowl and toss in the balsamic vinegar
Fill the Pitta Bread

Smokey Chicken, Spinach and potato salad - Serves 1 (7 ProPoints)



Ingredients:

1 Chicken Breast

1 tsp Paprika

125g potato peeled and cut into chunks

1 tsp Light Mayo

1/2 red onion finely sliced

Salt

Pepper

4 Sprays Low Cal Oil

Utensils

Small Pot

Non-stick frying pan

Method:

1. Place the potato in a pot of boiling water and season with salt and pepper
2. Put the chicken breast in cling film and flatten with the end of a rolling pin until about 5mm thick
3. Season one side of the chicken breast with 1/2 tsp of Paprika and salt and pepper and coat with 2 sprays of low cal oil
4. Heat a nonstick frying pan till hot and place the chicken, seasoned side down
5. Season the other side as per step 3 and cook for approximately 5-7 mins or until cooked through. Take off the heat and allow to cool
6. When the potatoes are cooked drain and allow to cool. Once cooled mash and add in the red onion and mayo
7. Assemble the spinach leaves, potato salad and chicken on a plate and enjoy (you may want to dress the leaves with a little balsamic vinegar for flavour)

Creamy chicken pies serves 2 (11 ProPoints)

This is a really delicious pie from the Weight Watchers Simply Satisfying book which I have adapted slightly

Ingredients:
400g (14oz) potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
300g (10 ½ oz) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
250ml (9 fl oz) hot chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Utensils:
Single gratin / pie dishes
Food processor for finely dicing the carrots
Medium sized pan
Grill preheated to medium

Method

1. Boil the potatoes and mash with a little seasoning
2. While the potatoes are cooking, place the chicken, carrot, stock and bay leaf in a medium sized pan. Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes
3. Mix the cornflour with 1 tablespoon of water, then stir to a paste. Stir the cornflour paste into the chicken mixture and let the mixture bubble for a minute or so until hot. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley. Preheat the grill to medium.
4. Spoon the mixture into the pie dishes and top with the mash. Place under the grill for 3 - 5 mins until the mash is golden