WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 2 – per serving = 8 points or 399 cals, 17.8g fat, 36.8g carbs, 24.2g protein

INGREDIENTS

For the filling

• 150g roasted chicken, shredded/chopped into bite sized chunks
• 2 tbsp extra light mayo
• 1/2 medium avocado, mashed
• Three cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp each paprika and garlic powder
• Sprinkle of chilli flakes (if you like a kick)
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

To build
2 x protein bagel thins
Handful of salad leaves
2 tsp balsamic glaze

METHOD

1. Pop all the filling ingredients into a bowl and give a good mix so everything combines together.
2. Toast a bagel thin
3. Load half the mixture onto the thin
4. Top with salad leaves and a squirt of balsamic glaze
5. Enjoy!

As always, if you like my recipes. Don’t forget my cookbook ‘Slimming Kitchen Secrets’ is available now!

The post Loaded Chicken Avocado Bagels first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 1 – per serving = 8 points or 430 cals, 10.3g fat, 71.9g carbs, 17g protein

INGREDIENTS
40g rolled oats
7g salted caramel protein powder
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 dates (medjool), destoned and finely chopped
50ml skimmed milk
1 tsp vanilla extra
8g milk chocolate chips
1 tsp maple syrup

METHOD
1. Pre heat the oven to 180c.
2. Soak the chopped dates in a little boiling water (5 minutes should do it – I usually cover them while I’m pre heating the oven). Add to a blender with all the other ingredients and blitz.
3. Spray a single serve baking dish with low calorie cooking spray. Pour in the batter and mix through the chocolate chips.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a knife comes out clean when poked into the dish.
5. Serve with a drizzle of sugar free caramel sauce, peanut butter or maple syrup (1sp).

Enjoy!

And don’t forget, my cookbook ‘Slimming Kitchen Secrets’ is available now!

The post Salted Caramel Baked Oats first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Makes 4 small cookies or two large cookies

Serves 2 – per serving = 5 points or 295 cals, 12.1g fat, 41.2g carbs, 7.4g protein

INGREDIENTS

• 70g porridge oats
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 2 tbsp skimmed milk
• 1 tbsp each light butter and peanut butter, melted and mixed together (in microwave or on hob)
• 1 tsp each cinnamon and baking powder
• 1 tbsp milk chocolate chips

METHOD

1. Pre heat the oven to 180c (fan).
2. Into a large mixing bowl, add the porridge oats, mashed banana, milk, melted butter and peanut butter, cinnamon, baking powder and chocolate chips. Mix until well combined.
3. Line a baking tray with some baking paper and then split the mixture into either two or four, depending on how many cookies you are making. Form into round discs (1cm thick if making two or 5mm thick if making four).
4. Pop in the oven for 14–17 minutes until firm. The cookies will still be a bit soft when they come out of the oven, so leave to cool for 10–15 minutes and they will firm up a little.

The post Breakfast Cookies first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Harissa Prawn Orzo

Serves 4 = 7sp per serving on BLUE and PURPLE, 8sp on GREEN

Ingredients

1 onion, peeled and finely diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 courgette, washed, woody ends cut off and grated

240g orzo, dry

½ tsp salt

1 vegetable stock cube, made up with 500ml boiling water

80g frozen peas

3 spring onions, finely sliced

3 tsp harissa paste

30g parmesan, finely grated

Handful of fresh mint and coriander, roughly chopped

Pinch of crushed chillies (if you like it spicy)

1 lemon, zest and juice

360g raw jumbo king prawns (I buy the frozen ones in Aldi, make sure they are defrosted before use)

Method

Spray a large frying pan (or wok) with 1kal and add the onion. Fry on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the onion starts to soften (add a little water if the pan starts to get dry). Add the garlic and courgette and fry for another minute or two.  Add the orzo, stir through and then add the vegetable stock and salt. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10-12 minutes until the orzo is cooked through and the water has evaporated. Add the peas and spring onions to the pan a few minutes before the orzo is cooked (reserve a few spring onions to dress the dish at the end). If the water dries up completely before the orzo is cooked, add a little more water. If the pan is still watery when the orzo is al dente, bring the heat to high to simmer off the liquid quickly (be careful to keep stirring every now and then so the orzo doesn’t stick to the pan).

Once the orzo is cooked and is no longer watery, turn off the heat and stir through the harissa, parmesan, mint and coriander (and the chillies if you are having them). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Leave to rest while you cook the prawns.

In a separate frying pan, spray with 1kal, add the prawns, season with salt and pepper and the lemon zest. Fry for a few minutes until pink and cooked through (this won’t take long at all). Remove from the heat.

Finally add the juice of ½ the lemon to the orzo. Stir and then portion up. Top with the prawns, reserved spring onions and serve with a small slice of lemon per person.

Enjoy!

The post Harissa Prawn Orzo first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

If you are going to make the Kiev try and make sure you use nice big chicken breasts. This way when you make the pocket to add the butter, it won’t cut all the way through to the other side. Try and make the garlic butter in advance as the dish really benefits from it being firm (it will ooze out less during cooking). You can make a big batch of the butter and freeze ahead if you like, that way you’ve always got some ready in the freezer (it can also be used to make easy garlic bread)!

You can serve your Kiev with whatever you fancy. I find them quite filling, so I usually serve with a nice green salad, peas and corn on the cob.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 6 points or 356 cals, 12.4g fat, 14.7g carbs, 45.7g protein

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

Pinch of sea salt

Small handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

50g light butter

1/2 tbsp dried oregano

1 lemon

4 x 150g chicken breasts

40g plain flour

1 tsp paprika

2 eggs

40g panko breadcrumbs

10g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Begin by making the garlic butter. Put the garlic, sea salt and parsley in a pestle and mortar and grind until combined. Add the butter, oregano and juice of the lemon and mash everything together.
3. Take a small piece of cling film, add the butter to the centre in a sausage shape and use the cling film to roll it into a longer sausage shape. Wrap and place in the fridge until firm. You can make this in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you are in a rush, you can also whack it straight in the freezer.
4. Now take a chicken breast and, using a sharp knife, make a deep cut in the thickest part of the breast to create a ‘pocket’, being careful not to cut all the way through the breast. Repeat with the other three breasts.
5. Next, set up your ingredients ready to bread the chicken. Take three large bowls. In one, put the flour, season with salt and pepper and add half the paprika. In the second, crack and whisk the eggs. In the third, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt and pepper, the other half of the paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
6. Next, remove the butter from the fridge/freezer and slice into 5mm rounds (you should end up with three discs per breast). Add the discs into the pocket of the chicken and close the chicken tightly round the butter.
7. Then, taking each breast in turn, dredge in the flour, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs, coating well. Add to a foil-covered baking tray. Pop the chicken back in the fridge for half an hour if you have time (this is to allow everything to firm up – I’ve made this without rechilling and popped straight in the oven and it’s been totally fine).
8. Spray each Kiev with low-calorie cooking spray and then bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

The post Chicken Kiev first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 6 – per serving = 6 points or 534 cals, 22.9g fat, 30.2g carbs, 47.5g protein

Ingredients

800g extra lean diced beef steak

1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

80g chorizo, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tsp each of paprika and dried oregano

125ml red wine

2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

1 beef stock cube made up with 500ml boiling water

2 bay leaves

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and pepper

For the potato top

600g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cubed

50ml skimmed milk

1 tbsp light butter

½ beef stock cube, crumbled

80g gruyere cheese, finely grated

Method

1. Take a large ovenproof pan with a lid. Spray with low-calorie cooking spray, add the beef (you may need to do this in batches), season with salt and pepper and fry until sealed. Remove the beef from the pan.
2. Spray the same pan again with low-calorie cooking spray, add the onion and chorizo and fry for 5–6 minutes until the onion starts to soften and the chorizo oils release. Add a little water to the pan if it starts to get dry.
3. Add the peppers, mushrooms, garlic and chilli flakes and fry for another minute. Add the paprika and oregano, fry for a minute, then pour in the red wine. Simmer for a few minutes until the wine starts to reduce and then add the tomatoes, stock and bay leaves.
4. Add the beef back to the pan, season, stir and bring to the boil, then pop on a lid and reduce to a simmer. At this point, you can either simmer the stew on the hob on low for 2 hours, stirring regularly, or pop in the oven at 180°C for 2 hours. Either way, remove the lid for the last 15 minutes of cooking to thicken the stew up a little.
5. While the stew is simmering, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water for 15 minutes until they are soft. Drain the potatoes and add to a large bowl, then mash (or preferably rice) the potato until smooth.
6. Warm the milk with the butter and add to the potato. Mix until the mash is nice and smooth. Don’t overmix as you don’t want the mash to go gluey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Once cooked, pour the stew into a large baking dish and let cool (for around half an hour if you have time) – this will stop the mash sinking into the beef. Next, add the mash to the top of the stew (or pipe on if you are feeling fancy).
8. Crumble over the half beef stock cube, sprinkle over the Gruyère and then pop back in the oven (on 180°C fan) for 30 minutes, so the top of the mash goes nice and crispy.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before you serve.

The post Cheesy Potato Topped Beef and Chorizo Stew first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

If you are vegetarian you can leave the bacon out entirely, just make sure you check the seasoning as the bacon adds a nice salty flavour that you will have to adjust for without it. You will want to use a vegetarian alternative to Parmesan too.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 11 points or 397 cals, 8.0g fat, 56.0g carbs, 24.6g protein

Ingredients

300g broccoli, chopped into florets

1 tbsp pine nuts

60g fresh basil leaves (2 small packs), roughly chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated

½ tbsp olive oil

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

For the rest of the dish

280g dried pasta (whichever shape you fancy)

8 bacon medallions, raw and diced into 2cm squares

200g cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tsp chilli flakes (or less if you don’t like it as spicy)

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Add the broccoli to a pan of salted boiling water. Blanch for 3–4 minutes and then scoop out with a slotted spoon, leaving the water boiling in the pan, and put to one side.
2. Add the pasta to the same water and cook until al dente.
3. While the pasta is cooking, pop the broccoli into a food processor with the pine nuts, basil, 1 clove of garlic, the Parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon water. Blitz until smooth, adding a little more water until you get your desired texture.
4. Season with salt and pepper and add the juice of half the lemon. Blitz again, taste and adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
5. Next take a frying pan, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and add the bacon. Fry for 4–5 minutes until it starts to crisp up, then add the tomatoes and remaining garlic and fry for another 2–3 minutes.
6. Drain the pasta, reserving a little bit of the pasta water, and add it to the pan with the bacon and tomatoes. Stir in the pesto and combine everything together, adding a little of the pasta water to loosen if necessary. Sprinkle with chilli flakes and squeeze in the juice of the other half of the lemon. Taste and add more salt and pepper if required, then serve

The post Broccoli Pesto and Bacon Pasta first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Best of all, it’s extremely quick and easy to prepare. I serve the dish with green beans per person however if you wanted to add a flat bread or even some roasties (remember to add the extra points), you could.

If you aren’t a huge fan of lamb, this dish would work equally as well with lean rump steak.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 2 – per serving = 6 points or 322 cals, 15.5g fat, 18.6g carbs, 25.3g protein

Ingredients

200g green beans, trimmed

1/2 red onion, finely sliced

125g cooked puy lentils (I use Merchant Gourmet)

10g each fresh mint and fresh parsley

2 large handfuls of rocket

2 x 70g lean lamb steaks, fat removed

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and black pepper

For the dressing

1 tbsp tahini

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely minced

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

½ tbsp olive oil

1 tsp chilli sauce (I use Sriracha)

Method

1. Start by making the dressing. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon zest, olive oil and chilli sauce to a small bowl. Mix with a splash of warm water until you have a loose ‘dressing’ consistency. Pop the dressing to one side.
2. Next, blanch the green beans in salted water for 3–4 minutes. Drain and then place into a hot frying pan with the red onion. Spray both with low-calorie cooking spray and fry for 3–4 minutes until the beans start to char and take on some colour. Put the green beans and red onion into a large bowl.
3. Warm the cooked puy lentils through in the microwave according to the packet instructions (I warmed mine for 45 seconds) and then add to the bowl with the green beans and onion.
4. Next, add the mint, parsley and rocket to the bowl.
5. Pour in the dressing, season with salt and pepper and then toss everything together so the dressing coats the contents of the bowl nicely.
6. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice (I used the juice of half the lemon) and then pop the bowl to one side while you cook the lamb.
7. Spray a hot frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray, season the lamb steaks with salt and pepper and then add to the pan. Fry for 2–3 minutes on one side, turn and fry for another 2–3 minutes on the other side for medium rare. If you like the lamb more well done, add 1–2 minutes per side.
8. Pop the green beans/lentil mix into the centre of two plates and top each with a lamb steak. Serve with a slice of lemon.

The post Lamb Steaks with Tahini Spiced Lentils first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

This is a lovely creamy pie filling recipe which feels really indulgent. I served the pie with  garden peas and that was enough for me however if you have a very hungry partner, you could always serve with some mash too!

I usually roast a whole chicken and use the shredded breast meat in the pie as I think it absorbs the sauce nicely. If you prefer to use raw chicken breast, use the same quantity of chicken, diced and seal in the saucepan for 6-7 minutes before you add the onion.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving 9 points or 344 cals, 6.7g fat, 29.0g carbs, 34.2g protein

Ingredients

1 white onion, finely chopped

3 leeks, woody end removed and sliced into rounds

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp plain flour

125 ml white wine

1 chicken stock cube made up with 300ml boiling water

350g cooked chicken breast, shredded

1 tsp each wholegrain and Dijon mustard

2 tbsp light crème fraiche

1 tbsp light butter

3 sheets filo pastry, cut into squares (each sheet cuts into about 12 squares)

1 200g frozen peas

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan).
2. Take a large saucepan, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and pop on a medium heat.
3. Fry the onion and leek for 5–6 minutes until the onion starts to soften, adding a little water if the pan gets a bit dry. Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for another few minutes.
4. Add the plain flour and stir through the veggies. Fry for a minute, then pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add the stock and the cooked chicken and stir through. Simmer for a few minutes and then reduce the heat.
5. Add the mustards and crème fraîche, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir so everything is nicely combined. Take the pan off the heat.
6. Spray a pie dish with low-calorie cooking spray and pour the filling into the dish. Leave to cool for a little bit if you can (at least 30 minutes).
7. Melt the butter in a small bowl. Top the pie with a single layer of pastry squares and brush on a layer of melted butter.
8. Add a second layer of pastry, brush lightly with the melted butter, and continue until all the butter is used. Make sure the pastry covers the edges of the pie dish, so the filling doesn’t leak out.
9. Pop the pie in the oven for 25 minutes. Cook the peas for the last few minutes that the pie is cooking. Serve both in nice deep bowls.

The post Creamy Chicken Pie first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

This really is a simple recipe to make and can literally be ready in the time it takes to grill the burgers. I had the bowl on its own but if you are really hungry, you could always serve with some butternut squash chips.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 2 – per serving = 10 points or 470 cals, 12.7g fat, 17.4g carbs, 69.7g protein

Ingredients

For the burgers

4 x lean beef burgers

Pinch of smoked paprika

4 x smoked bacon medallions, (fat removed)

160g salad leaves

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/4 small red onion, finely sliced

2 tablespoons jalapeños

2 tablespoons sliced gherkins, plus extra for the top

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

40g light mature cheddar, thinly sliced

For the burger sauce

2 tbsp extra light mayo

1 tbsp reduced sugar and salt ketchup

1/2 tbsp American mustard

1 tsp white wine vinegar (or vinegar out of the gherkin jar)

1/4 tsp each garlic granules, onion powder and smoked paprika

Pinch cayenne pepper

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Method

1. Season the burgers with a little salt, black pepper and smoked paprika.
2. Preheat the oven or grill and cook the burgers according to the packet instructions. Put the bacon on the same tray and cook with the burgers until cooked to your liking (I like mine well done and almost crispy).
3. Pop the salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, jalapeños and sliced gherkins into a large bowl. Dress with the white wine vinegar, toss everything together, and split the salad between two bowls.
4. Mix all the burger sauce ingredients together.
5. Once the burgers are cooked through, add 10g of cheese to the top of each burger and pop back into the oven until the cheese has melted a little.
6. Remove the burgers from the oven. Put one burger on top of each bowl of salad, then top with the bacon and a little burger sauce. Repeat and continue stacking with the second burger and bacon slice, and then top with a final dollop of burger sauce. Finish with a gherkin on top for maximum fakeaway effect.

The post Burger in a Bowl first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.