It's all about soup!

This is the time of year where I start eating a little less salad for lunch and I increase my intake of soup.  Unfortunately it's a bit more time consuming to make then knocking up a quick salad but at least you can make on mass and freeze or save for tomorrow.   If I am really pushed for time I have to admit that a WeightWatchers Tomato soup from Heinz is actually quite acceptable!

Soup Cooking

Of course nothing can beat homemade soups and my favourite has to be a broccoli and Stilton (more cheese, there's a surprise).  I've yet to make a broccoli and Stilton soup diet friendly although I think I am setting myself this challenge as I type...

Leek & Potato and Five Vegetable Soup have been on the menu these last 2 weeks so I thought I would share my recipes for these delightful, filling soups coming in at a very agreeable 2 ProPoints per decent sized bowl!

Leek & Potato Soup

For the Leek & Potato Soup:

• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 leeks, trimmed, washed and chopped
• 1 potato weighing 300g, peeled and finely diced
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 150ml skimmed milk
• Approx 1200ml vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• Seasoning

For the Five Veg Soup:

• Half onion, finely chopped
• 1 leek, washed and chopped
• Approx 350g swede, peeled and finely chopped

  

  Five Veg Soup

• 2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• Approx 200g potato, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Approx 2l vegetable stock
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Seasoning
• 2 small bay leaves or 1 large
• 150ml skimmed milk

The method for both these soups is pretty much the same. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions and leeks until soft.  Add the vegetables.  In the 5 veg soup, add the swede first, followed by the carrots as these take longer to cook.

Basically chuck all the vegetables into the pan and cover with the stock.  Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer.  Season with plenty of black pepper.  Simmer for a good 30 minutes until all the vegetables are soft. 

Remove the bay leaves, add the milk and blitz.  I prefer to use a stick type blender as it saves a bit on washing up!  Taste and add more salt & pepper if need be.

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving: 2

Lamb Koftas & Giant Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

I've got a thing about lamb at the moment.  My slow roast shoulder of lamb last week (it's not on this blog as not exactly WeightWatcher friendly!) was divine and we really enjoyed moussaka last week.  I'm always reluctant to have red meat as a mid-week supper as it does use up valuable ProPoints, but there is only so many times a week you can eat chicken!!

I was originally going to serve the lamb koftas with a tabouleh style dish but the weather changed so dramatically as the afternoon went on I wanted something more warming....then of course the sun came out again!  But never mind, couscous with roasted vegetables it was!

For the lamb koftas:

• 200g lean lamb mince
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp harissa paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 salt
• Sprinkling of cayenne pepper (optional)
• Half a small red onion, finely diced
• Handful fresh parsely, finely chopped
• Handful fresh mint, finely chopped

For the Couscous:

• 1 small aubergine, diced
• 1 yellow or orange pepper, diced
• 1 courgette, diced
• 8 or so cherry tomatoes
• A few mushrooms roughly chopped
• Half a red onion cut into wedges
• 120g giant wholewheat couscous
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• Seasoning
• 1 tsp olive oil

What to do:
Mix all the ingredients for the koftas together in a bowl.  With slightly damp hands shape around 4 wooden skewers.  I am a bit sad and weigh everything so I weighed the mix and divided it equally into 4 portions each weighing 74g!  (I told you I was sad!). If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in cold water for 20 mins or so beforehand.  Refridgerate the skewers until required.

Chop your veggies up into bite sized pieces and place in a large roasting tray.  Use whatever veggies you like but I think this selection went really well with the lamb and couscous.  Season with salt & pepper and sprinkle over some dried rosemary.  Spray thoroughly using no more than 1 tsp olive oil.  Roast in a hot oven (200 fan) for a good 30 - 35 minutes turning every 10 minutes.

Heat a griddle pan until very hot.  Spray one side of the koftas with olive oil and place in hot pan.  Allow to sear and brown and the turn ensuring all sides are browned.  They should cook in about 10 minutes. 

Cook the couscous a saucepan following packet instructions.  I like to boil it in vegetable stock as it gives the couscous more flavour.  Drain well and mix into the roasting tray with the vegetables coating nicely in the juices that have been omitted in cooking.


WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving: 12

Chicken Jambalaya

I was in a quandry over what to cook for dinner yesterday.  Usually it's a quick and easy pasta dish on Thursdays due to football / zumba but we both fancied something using rice and I'd already taken some chicken out of the freezer... So after researching a bit on the web I decided on a jambalaya style dish for the flavour and I like the idea of cooking using a one-pot method too.  I had most ingredients at home but really needed a pepper so off to Waitrose I popped.  £11.76 later (how does that happen??!) I bought some lovely sweet red Romano peppers and some cooking chorizo to add to my dish, amongst alot of other crap.

Chorizo is not what one would usually think of eating when dieting but it is all about portion control and chorizo gives you a whole lotta flavour for a very small amount.  I have to admit I did play around alot with the portion sizes to ensure that I got the right balance of vegetables, carbs & protein, that the meal was 12 ProPoints or under, and of course it was tasty!!  We both really enjoyed the outcome and it was a great meal for re-heating later as hubby ate his at 5pm before football and I had mine at 8.15pm after Zumba!

You'll need for 2:

• Half a medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 -2 garlic cloves, crushed or grated
• 1 red pepper
• 35g chorizo, halved, then sliced thinly
• Half a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning (more if you like it hotter)
• Seasoning
• 140g dried basmatti rice
• Approx 350ml chicken stock (you will need double the volume of rice)
• 2 tbsp frozen peas
• Half a punnet of chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 260g chicken breast cut into chunks

What to do:
Spray a good non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil (use about half a tsp). On not too high heat saute the onion till soft.  Add in the garlic and the chorizo.  The chorizo will omit some oil so don't worry if it looks too dry to begin with.  The chorizo will also flavour and colour the onions beautifully.

Next add the peppers and saute for a couple of minutes.  Turn up the heat and add the chicken to brown.  Add the mushrooms and continue to saute.  Sprinkle over the Cajun seasoning and add the rice.  Stir quickly to avoid the rice sticking until it is all nicely coated.  Next add your tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Then add nearly all the stock and turn down to simmer.  Stir well and cover turning down to a low heat so it is just simmering.

Do give it a stir every few minutes to ensure the rice is not sticking and add a little more stock if need be.  After 10 minutes add the frozen peas.  All in all the cooking time should take approximately 20 minutes but you will know when the rice has cooked through and absorbed the stock.  Taste and season as required.

I've got to say I REALLY enjoyed this meal.  It was sooo tasty (in fact I did scoff a few mouthfuls at 5pm!) and it's a great meal mid-week if you want something to prepare in advance.  I am sure it would freeze pretty well too, if any is left that is!

WeightWatchers ProPoints per serving: 12

Sesame Prawn Stir Fry

Today I really am starting to be good.  I indulged a little too much (again) this weekend but am determined to lose 2lb this week.  It doesn't help when we have an open bottle of wine from Sunday that just has to be finished off on Monday... fortunately hubby and I did the bottle of Red yesterday with his slow cooked veal ragu (v yum indeed) so there is no excuse tonight and no cheeky little glass of wine with our meal. 

I think the thought of a stir fry makes you feel healthy.  Seeing all those colourful vegetables gives you instant gratification that you are putting something good into your body.  I decided to couple my stir fry vegetables with prawns this evening as they are very low in fat and cook quickly.  I'm using a bag of frozen raw tiger king prawns from the supermarket which defrost during the day.  I've also discovered the convenience of supermarket packs of stir fry veg.  The pack I used (from Tesco) had lovely julienne carrots, tenderstem brocolli and pak choy.  Dinner tonight was literally thrown together in under 10 minutes!

You'll need for 2:

• 250g raw tiger prawns
• Half a punnet of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1 supermarket pack of stir fry mixed vegetables
• 120g dried egg noodles or other wheat based noodles (such as Udon)
• 2 tsp sesame oil or groundnut oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp root ginger, finely chopped or grated
• Pinch of chilli flakes or a fresh red chilli depending on how hot you like it
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 1 tbsp dark soy
• 1 tbsp light soy
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted in a hot dry frying pan

What to do:

Place the noodles in a pan with boiling water and cook according to the pack instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.

In a wok or frying pan heat the oil. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir.  Next add the vegetables and stir fry on a high heat.  Add the prawns, the dark soy, honey and rice wine stirring until the prawns have turned pink and are cooked through.  Throw in the drained cooked egg noodles and toss together.  Finish with by topping with the sesame seeds and serve into bowls.

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving: 12

Fish n Chips

Friday night is traditionally a fish night.  Every local town has it's favourite chippie and it's always a good sign when you see queues out the door on a Friday at 6pm.  There is nothing more delicious than a lovely piece of cod or haddock battered served with luscious big fat chips, salt & vinegar and peas.  I'm salavating at the thought!  However we know it is just not possible to eat like this all the time and maintain or lose weight.  This is my alternative for a healthier fish and chips which does not compromise on taste!

You'll need for 2:

• 2 x 130g fillet of white fish
• 4 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
• 1 lemon
• Seasoning
• 1-2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 medium egg
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 500g potato, peeled and cut into wedges
• 160g frozen peas
• Handful of finely chopped fresh parsely.

What to do:
You can prepare the fish earlier in the day to save you time later on.  Get 3 plates / shallow bowls out.  In one beat an egg.  In the next place your flour and season it.  In the third place your breadcrumbs.  Season the breadcrumbs and add the zest of the lemon and the finely chopped parsely.  Give the breadcrumbs a good mix.

Dry the fish using a sheet or two of kitchen towel.  Dip into the flour first, shaking off any excess, next the egg, and lastly the breadcrumbs.  Ensure that every part of the fish is covered.  Place on a clean plate and repeat with the other fish fillet.

In a roasting tin spray the potato wedges with olive oil spray or low cal cooking spray and season.  Place in a hot oven (200 fan) for 30 - 40 mins turning occasionally.

In a frying pan heat the sunflower oil.  Place the fish fillet and allow to colour nicely.  Don't touch it for at least 2-3 minutes and it should be golden brown.  Turn it over and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side.  Depending on the thickness of your fish it will take 5-10 minutes.  If it is quite a thick piece say perhaps a loin fillet it will take longer and you can always pop it in the oven for a couple of minutes if you unsure if it is cooked through or not.

Boil the peas for a couple of minutes according to the pack instructions.

Serve with lemon wedges and tartare sauce.

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving:  14

Carbonara

Having recently returned from Sicily I felt I simply had to post a pasta dish.  I have a problem with eating pasta when being strict on WeightWatchers in that you don't get much for your ProPoints so admittedly this is a bit of an indulgent supper and one which you may choose to save for the weekend.

Authentic carbonara is not made with cream.  Fact.  The creaminess is obtained by using a mix of eggs and some of the pasta cooking liquor and of course some good parmesan.  (You are already freaking out at the sound of eggs, pasta and parmesan in a WW friendly dish aren't you?!)  I promise that this is worth the extra couple of ProPoints and you really will enjoy this one...

You'll need for 2:

• 180g spaghetti or linguine
• 4 reduced fat bacon medallions or rashers with all fat removed, chopped
• Good sized handful of chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, bashed
• 2 medium eggs

What to do:
In a big saucepan cook the pasta according to the packet instructions in plenty of salted water.

Heat the olive oil in a big frying pan and add the garlic clove and saute for a few minutes.  Add the bacon and fry until cooked and brown.  You could substitute the bacon for a mix of wild mushrooms for a vegetarian version.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs with some black pepper.  Add the chopped parsley and half of the parmesan cheese.  Mix well (you could also add a glug of white wine to this for an even naughtier but nicer taste!)

Once the pasta is cooked drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking liquor.  Keep the frying pan on the hob but with the heat turned off.  Add the pasta to the frying pan with the bacon and garlic along with a couple of ladles of the cooking liquor until the pasta is nicely coated.  Remove the garlic at this point if you prefer.  Then add the egg mixture stirring continuously to coat. 

Pile into pasta bowls and finish with a sprinkling of the remaining parmesan cheese.  Yummy!

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving: 15

Turkey Fajitas

It's been a few weeks and I'm sorry for no recent post.  What with a wonderful Sicilian holiday I've been indulging somewhat and have also enjoyed a post-holiday binge.  I've eaten and drunken what I have liked and it's been fab!  But my body is crying out for me to start Eating Healthy But Tasty (not to mention I really need to shift that extra half a stone I've gained). 

I've worked out that I literally spend roughly half the year dieting and the rest of the time saying I'll start next week.  So all in all I don't think I have done too badly in terms of weight loss.  Over 4 years I have lost a total of 3 and half stone (well 3 stone if I take into consideration my current post-holiday weight).  During this time I have had another child so I think a small pat on the back is worthy.  Anyway enough deliberating about dieting and eating healthy.  I feel I have a food-hangover and just need to find the will power inside me to stick to it for a good few weeks. 

Lot's of new recipes coming over the next few weeks as I am bored of eating the same thing and I am well up for a bit of experimentation in the kitchen.  Turkey Fajitas is a favourite though and after gorging lots of pasta, garlic and tomatoes in Siciliy it is nice to come back and enjoy a different cuisine.

You'll need for 2:

• 265g lean turkey steaks or escalopes, sliced across the grain into strips
• 2 peppers (I like to use a mix of red / orange / yellow)
• 1 red onion
• Half a punnett of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 8 or so cherry tomatoes, halved or a couple of regular ones chopped
• 4 WeightWatchers Tortilla Wraps
• 50g reduced fat Guacamole
• 2 tbsp fresh salsa
• 2 tbsp 0% fat Greek Yoghurt
• 40g grated cheddar, half
• 1 tsp Cajun mix (more if you like it hot!)
• 1 tsp olive oil

Place the turkey strips in a bowl and sprinkle with half the Cajun spice and 1 tsp olive oil. Mix well and leave to marinade for whatever time you have.  A couple of hours is good.

I like to prepare all my vegetables in advance making this a dish that can be thrown together in a matter of minutes.  Slice the vegetables and store in a plastic container in the fridge until required. 

When ready to cook, heat a griddle pan until it's really hot.  Spray your vegetables on the chopping board in olive oil spray or low fat cooking spray and throw into your piping hot griddle pan.  Stir frequently and allow the peppers to char.  This is a fab way to cook peppers and onions and if you are doubling up on this recipe you may need to stiry fry the veggies in batches.  Once cooked nicely through and tender, add the tomatoes and 1/2 tsp Cajun spice to coat nicely.  Move to a warmed dish. 

Add the turkey and stir fry quickly until cooked through.  This should be ready very quickly in minutes.  Add to the vegetables and serve allowing hungry eaters to serve themselves.

Heat the wraps as required for 20 seconds each in the microwave and serve with the condiments: Grated half fat cheddar, 0% fat yoghurt, reduced fat Guacamole and fresh salsa. 

Have several napkins to hand!

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving: 12