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

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 9 points or 490cals, 21.3g fat, 50.3g carbs, 32.6g protein

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp each paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt 

1/2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, chilli flakes and black pepper

500g sweet potato, cubed 

1 tsp olive oil

400g lean beef mince (5%)

240g low fat cottage cheese 

2 medium avocados, halved and sliced 

Handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped 

For the hot honey 

4 tbsp honey

1 tsp chilli flakes 

1 tsp white wine vinegar 

METHOD

1. Mix together the herbs, spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl. 
2. Pop the cubed sweet potato in a large bowl, add 1 tsp olive oil and half the spice mix. Toss and pop in the air fryer. Cook on 180c for 20-25 minutes (until browned and soft).
3. Five minutes before the potato is cooked, pop the mince in a large frying pan, add the other half of the spice mix and spray with 1kal. Fry for 5-7 minutes, until the mince is browned. 
4. While the mince is cooking, add the honey to a small sauce pan and warm over a medium heat. Add the chilli flakes and white wine vinegar. Keep on a very low heat to keep it runny til you are ready to serve. 
5. When ready to serve, take 4 bowls and to each add a 1/4 of the sweet potato, 1/4 of the mince, half an avocado (seasoned with salt and pepper) per bowl, 60g cottage cheese and a sprinkle of coriander.
6. Top each with a drizzle of the hot honey.

Enjoy!

The post Hot Honey Beef Protein Bowl first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 10 points or 456 cals 6.8g fat, 61.6g carbs, 40.2g protein

INGREDIENTS

240g basmati rice

2 tsp sesame oil

500g chicken breast, raw, cut into bit sized chunks

1 tsp each of curry powder and Chinese 5 spice

2 tbsp each dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and oyster sauce

½ tsp sugar

Pinch white pepper

2 eggs

1 onion, peeled and finely diced

4 spring onions, sliced

1 pepper, deseeded and diced

80g frozen peas

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and white pepper

METHOD

1. Pop the rice on to cook.
2. Pour 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil into a large pan or wok, heat and then add the chicken. Season with salt and a little white pepper and cook for 5–6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
3. While the chicken is cooking, put the curry powder, 5-spice, soy sauces, oyster sauce, sugar, a little white pepper and 3–4 tablespoons of water in a bowl. Stir to combine.
4. Next, break the eggs into a cup, whisk up and then put in a smaller pan with a little low-calorie cooking spray. Scramble for a minute or two (you want the eggs so they are just cooked) and then remove from the heat, setting to one side.
5. Add the remaining sesame oil to the wok (the same pan in which you cooked the chicken) and add the onion, the white parts of the spring onion, the pepper, peas and garlic. Fry for 5–6 minutes until the onion starts to soften and then you can begin adding everything back to the pan.
6. First add the cooked and fluffed rice, then toss through the vegetables, making sure the rice is nicely broken up. When the rice is piping hot and mixed into the veggies, pour the sauce into the pan, stirring until it evenly coats the rice.
7. Next, add the chicken back to the pan, fry for another minute, and then add the eggs and remaining green parts of the spring onions to the pan. Toss everything together, taste and season with more soy and white pepper if needed.

The post Chicken Fried Rice first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

When we moved back to Newcastle, I had a rather large Sugo shaped hole in my heart and so I decided it was about time I tried to come up with my own version of the dish. The result below is the closest I could get to it tasting as good as the masters in Manchester. It’s a little higher in points for a pasta dish, but I promise you, its worth every single one of them. The recipe makes a huge batch of pasta sauce and so you can freeze plenty for another day. It’s a great dish to make family or friends as it feels so luxurious but it really doesn’t take much effort at all.

The pasta shape used in Sugo for this is usually Orecchiette and so when I can get my hands on it (usually in the Aldi special buys aisle) I always stock up. It’s the perfect shape to neatly cup the sauce and meat and is a lovely texture too. If you can find orecchiette, feel free to use the pasta of your choice.

You can get nduja in most supermarkets these days but if you are struggling have a look in your local Italian deli. This lovely spicy spreadable pork sausage takes this dish to a whole new level!

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 8 = 9 points per serving for the sauce – add extra points for your serving of pasta – I usually serve 60g dried per person for a total of 15 points.

Per serving = 246 cals, Fat 4.6g, Carbs 11.5g, Protein 14.1g 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g beef shin, raw
• 400g pork shoulder, raw
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
• 2 sticks of celery, finely diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 50g njuda sausage (you can get this in most deli style shops now)
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 250ml red wine
• 500ml beef stock (made of 1 stock cube)
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes (Mutti are the best but any will do)
• 2 bay leaves
• Spring of fresh thyme and rosemary
• 1 tsp oregano
• 50g parmesan, grated

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150c (fan assisted).

Season the beef and pork with salt and pepper then take a large sauce pan, spray with 1kal and on a medium/high heat add the beef shin to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan, pop to one side and then do the same with the pork shoulder. Remove from the pan.

Spray the same pan with 1kal again and add the carrot, onion and celery. Fry on a medium heat until everything begins to soften (6-8 minutes). Add the garlic and anchovies and fry for another minute.

Add the nduja to the pan, fry for a minute or two until the oils start releasing and it starts to breakup and then add the tomato puree. Stir, fry for a minute and then add the red wine to the pan. Reduce the wine for a few minutes and then add the beef stock, tomatoes, bay, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Add the beef and pork back to the pan (chop into a few large chunks if you are struggling to get the meat to fit), make sure the sauce covers the meat and season well. Bring to the boil and then take off the heat, add the lid and then pop in the oven for 3-3.5 hours.

Once the cooking time is up the meat should be falling apart. You can either shred the meat in the sauce or take it out the pan and shred it on a plate. Either way, once shredded, put the pan back on the heat (with the meat and sauce) and reduce the sauce if it is still too thin until it thickens up. Adding the meat will help with this anyway.

Finally add the parmesan, stir and then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with pasta of your choice.

Enjoy!

Print

House Sugo at Home

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 8 = 9pp per serving for the sauce – add extra points for your serving of pasta – I usually serve 60g dried per person for a total of 15 points.

Per serving = 246 cals, 4.6g fat, 11.5g carbs, 14.1g protein

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 400 g beef shin raw
• 400 g pork shoulder raw
• 2 carrots peeled and finely diced
• 1 onion peeled and finely diced
• 2 sticks of celery finely diced
• 6 cloves of garlic peeled and finely minced
• 2 anchovy fillets finely chopped
• 50 g njuda sausage you can get this in most deli style shops now
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 250 ml red wine
• 500 ml beef stock made of 1 stock cube
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes Mutti are the best but any will do
• 2 bay leaves
• Spring of fresh thyme and rosemary
• 1 tsp oregano
• 50 g parmesan grated

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 150c (fan assisted).
• Season the beef and pork with salt and pepper then take a large sauce pan, spray with 1kal and on a medium/high heat add the beef shin to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan, pop to one side and then do the same with the pork shoulder. Remove from the pan.
• Spray the same pan with 1kal again and add the carrot, onion and celery. Fry on a medium heat until everything begins to soften (6-8 minutes). Add the garlic and anchovies and fry for another minute.
• Add the nduja to the pan, fry for a minute or two until the oils start releasing and it starts to breakup and then add the tomato puree. Stir, fry for a minute and then add the red wine to the pan. Reduce the wine for a few minutes and then add the beef stock, tomatoes, bay, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Add the beef and pork back to the pan (chop into a few large chunks if you are struggling to get the meat to fit), make sure the sauce covers the meat and season well. Bring to the boil and then take off the heat, add the lid and then pop in the oven for 3-3.5 hours.
• Once the cooking time is up the meat should be falling apart. You can either shred the meat in the sauce or take it out the pan and shred it on a plate. Either way, once shredded, put the pan back on the heat (with the meat and sauce) and reduce the sauce if it is still too thin until it thickens up. Adding the meat will help with this anyway.
• Finally add the parmesan, stir and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with pasta of your choice.
• Enjoy!

The post House Sugo at Home first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 1 – per serving = 3 points or 355 cals, 11.4g fat, 57.9g carbs, 19.0g protein (or with toppings 416 cals, 13.4g fat, 62.7g carbs, 25.1g protein)

INGREDIENTS

30g raspberries, fresh or frozen

¼ tablespoon chia seeds

50g porridge oats

1 medium egg, beaten

50ml skimmed milk

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan).
2. Put the raspberries in a small pan with a dash of water. Turn the heat to high and simmer the raspberries until they start to soften and break down. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon when they get soft enough.
3. Add the chia seeds, simmer for another minute, and then remove from the heat and pop to one side to cool. The chia seeds will thicken the raspberry mush into a jam-like consistency.
4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix the oats, egg, milk, baking powder, sweetener, vanilla extract and peanut butter powder.
5. Take a small baking dish, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and add half the oat mixture. Top with half the raspberry jam, swirl through the oats, and then add the rest of the oats and the jam. Swirl again and then pop in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until cooked through.
6. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little. The texture should be set on top but still a little soft and squidgy inside (not quite as dry as a cake). Serve with a dollop of fat-free yoghurt, peanut butter and fresh raspberries

The post Peanut Butter and Jam Baked Oats first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 7 points or 419 cals, 21g fat, 23.2g carbs, 34.5g protein

Ingredients

1 red onion, finely diced

1 pepper, deseeded and finely diced

2 large tomatoes, diced into 1cm chunks

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 red chilli (if you like spice), finely chopped

200g basmati rice

1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled

3 tsp pilau seasoning

100g frozen peas

2 tsp light butter

1 1/2 tsp ground tumeric

10g fresh coriander, finely chopped

1 lemon

4 x 120g salmon fillets

Low calorie cooking spray

For the spiced mint yoghurt

15g each fresh coriander and fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

3 green chillies (deseeded if you don’t like things too hot), roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

½ tsp sugar

Juice of ½ lemon

200ml fat free Greek yoghurt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan).
2. To make the mint yoghurt, blitz all the ingredients together and spoon into a bowl. Cover and pop in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
3. To make the pilau, add the onion and pepper to a frying pan and spray with low-calorie cooking spray. Fry for 5–6 minutes until the onion is soft, adding a splash of water if the pan gets dry, and then add the tomatoes, garlic and chilli and fry for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
4. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, pop your rice on to cook, adding the crumbled stock cube and a teaspoon of the pilau seasoning to the rice pan. When the rice has 3 minutes left, add the peas to the pan.
5. Once cooked, add the rice and peas to the frying pan with the vegetables. Pop the frying pan back on a medium/high heat.
6. Make a well in the middle of the rice, add 1 teaspoon of butter, let it melt, then add 1 teaspoon of the turmeric and 1 teaspoon pilau seasoning. Once the spices have combined into the butter, stir-fry the rice so the butter melts nicely through all the rice.
7. Remove the rice from the heat, toss through the fresh coriander and add the juice of half the lemon. Pop on a lid and leave to rest while you cook the salmon.
8. For the salmon, spray a frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and then add the salmon, skin side down. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon pilau seasoning and fry for 3–4 minutes until the skin is crispy. Turn the salmon over and fry for 3–4 minutes on the other side until the salmon is cooked through.
9. Add the remaining butter to the pan with the remaining ½ teaspoon of turmeric. Once the butter and turmeric have melted together, coat the salmon, fry for a further minute, and then turn off the heat.1
10. Serve in big bowls with the rice on the bottom, salmon on top, a good slosh of spiced mint yoghurt and a wedge of lemon each.

The post Salmon Peas Pilau first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

The veggies I’ve included below make for a lovely dish however if you have any other veggies, feel free to experiment. I’ve also flavoured the dish with one of my favourite combos, paprika and fennel but if you prefer other spices, feel free to mix things up!

I’ve made a little video to go along with this recipe, I hope you find it useful!

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 12 points or 396 cals, 5.5g fat, 59.6g carbs, 23.1g protein

Ingredients

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped

1 chilli, roughly chopped

1 carrot, peeled and roughly diced

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

4 x reduced fat pork sausages, sausage meat removed from skin and skin discarded

2 tsp fennel seeds

2 tsp paprika

240g pasta, dried

1 tbsp tomato puree

125ml white wine (optional)

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 chicken stock cube, crumbled

15g Parmesan cheese, grated plus extra for sprinkling

Sprinkle of chilli flakes (to taste)

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Blend the vegetables and garlic until you have a relatively smooth paste. Add the sausage meat to the blender and pulse until the sausage is combined with the vegetables.
2. Spray a large, non-stick saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray and add the contents of the blender, beginning to fry over a medium heat.
3. Grind the fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar until they are a fine powder, then add the paprika and ground fennel to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and a splash of water if the pan gets a little dry.
4. Pop the pasta on to cook.
5. Add the tomato purée to the sauce with the wine, if you are having it. Stir to combine and simmer for a few minutes (to reduce the wine if you have added it).
6. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan. Crumble the chicken stock cube into the tomato tin, fill with boiling water and stir to dissolve, then add to the pan.
7. Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes until it starts to reduce and thicken and then add the grated Parmesan and chilli flakes. Season to taste.
8. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce, stirring to combine. Serve with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan.

The post Speedy Sausage Pasta first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

The first time I tested this recipe I used a ciabatta and it wasn’t my favourite. Since then I’ve tested a few other bread alternatives and my favourites are a good old thin (for 3sp) or an Aldi Brioche Bun (5sp). Use which ever bread/bun you fancy or can get your hands on but be careful to check the points before it goes on your plate. The 9sp included in the recipe title includes use of a Warburton’s thin.

I pop the dressed lettuce into the bun however you could serve this on the side and add some other salad ingredients (such as tomato, cucumber, pepper etc) to bulk it out.

The sauce has a little kick to it but its not too spicy. If you don’t like heat, just omit the crushed chillies.

Meatball Marinara Sub

Serves 4 = 9sp per serving (for the meatballs, salad and cheese – the only points you need to add onto this is for the bread of your choice – I prefer a thin for 3sp which makes the total 9sp)

Ingredients

For the meatballs – 3sp per portion

1 x 300g pack of Quorn Swedish Style Meatballs, frozen (if you prefer to use meat, substitute with up to 140g beef meatballs per person for the same points or turkey meatballs for 0sp)

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

½ tsp each dried oregano, basil and crushed chillies

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

To accompany

1 red onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced

40g reduced fat mature cheddar, grated (1sp per 10g serving)

Buns of your choice (add the extra SP’s)

For the salad – dressing is 2sp per serving

½ medium avocado (around 75g flesh), stone removed and flesh removed from skin

1 tbsp light crème fraiche

15g parmesan

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Crunchy lettuce leaf of your choice (I use romaine or iceberg), washed and roughly shredded

Method

Spray a large saucepan with 1kal, add the onion and fry on a medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the onions have started to soften (add a little water if the pan gets dry). Add the garlic and fry for another couple of minutes. Next add the tomatoes, oregano, basil, crushed chillies, sugar and salt and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add a lid and bubble for 10 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and blend until smooth. Add the meatballs along with 300ml of water, stir and pop the lid back on. Simmer the meatballs in the sauce for 18-20 minutes (until they are piping hot and thoroughly cooked through).

Whilst the meatballs are simmering make the salad dressing. Pop all of the ingredients except the lettuce in a blender and blitz until smooth. Add a little water to loosen the dressing to your desired consistency. Toss the dressing through the lettuce and pop into the fridge until you are ready to plate up.

To assemble, take your bun of choice, pop a little of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the bun and top with meatballs. Add a little more sauce, cheese, a few slices of red onion and a spoonful of the crunchy lettuce.

Enjoy!

The post Meatball Marinara Sub – 9sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

This recipe came about one Saturday night when I wanted to make a quick and easy dinner with the ingredients I had in the fridge/store cupboard. I threw them all into a plastic bag, headed to my sisters and freestyled to see what I could come up with. The result was the delicious pasta dish which we both thoroughly enjoyed (I could have quite happily licked the bowl!).

If you wanted to be a bit more fancy, you could replace the light cream cheese with mascarpone but this would make the dish 13sp per serving, or you could use half and half which would make the dish 11sp per serving. If you want to speed things up a little, you could cook the salmon in the oven whilst you get on with the sauce, however the way I’ve done it below means you get to fry the breadcrumbs in the lovely salmon juices so they soak up all the flavour.

The best thing about this dish is that it uses just 2 salmon fillets which stretch out beautifully to four filling meals. Whether you are cooking for your hungry family, or you want left overs for lunch for you and your other half, this recipe is the perfect one to try out.

Creamy Salmon Pasta with Herby Breadcrumbs

Serves 4 = 9sp per serving (Flex)

Ingredients

2 x salmon fillets, raw and seasoned with salt and pepper

220g tagliatelle, dried

For the breadcrumbs

30g panko breadcrumbs

10g parmesan, finely grated

Zest of 1 lemon

Small handful of parsley, finely chopped

For the pasta sauce

1 white onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced

3 roasted red peppers, halved and finely sliced

1 tsp garlic, finely chopped

3 tsp sun dried tomato pesto

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

½ tsp crushed chillies (if you like a kick)

½ tsp cayenne pepper

100g light cream cheese

20g parmesan, finely grated

Large handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

Juice of ½ a lemon

Method

Pop a large frying pan onto a medium heat, spray with 1kal and then add the seasoned salmon, skin side down. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the skin starts to crisp and then turn over. Continue to fry the salmon until it is cooked nearly all the way through. Remove the salmon from the pan and pop onto a plate to one side.

In the same pan that you cooked the salmon, add the breadcrumbs, parmesan, lemon zest, parsley and season with salt and pepper (don’t wash the pan out – you want all the nice juices from the salmon to soak into the breadcrumbs). Mix everything together and then fry on a medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the breadcrumbs are a nice golden colour. Pop the breadcrumbs into a bowl to one side.

Finally, in the same (now empty) frying pan, spray again with 1kal and add the onion. Fry for a few minutes (add a splash of water if the onions start to stick) and then add the peppers and garlic. Fry for another minute and then add the pesto, chopped tomatoes, crush chillies and cayenne pepper. Remove the skin from the rested salmon and then, using the back of a fork, squish the salmon so it flakes nicely. Add the salmon to the sauce and stir through.

Pop the tagliatelle on to cook at this point.

Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes and then add the cream cheese and parmesan. Simmer for another 5 minutes (make sure the heat is not too high or the cream cheese might curdle), stirring regularly. Finally add the parsley and the juice of ½ a lemon. Stir and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Finally, using plastic tongs, lift the taglitelle out of the pasta water and add straight to the sauce pan. Stir the pasta into the sauce so it is well coated and add a splash of pasta water if the sauce needs to be loosened a little. Add half of the breadcrumbs to the sauce pan, stir and add the other half of the lemon juice.

Pop into bowls and top with the remaining breadcrumbs.

Enjoy!

The post Creamy Salmon Pasta with Herby Breadcrumbs – 9sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

I decided to make a nice homemade pesto to go with this and included peas to both up the flavour and lower the points (you don’t need to use as much cheese to get a lovely depth of flavour). The pesto recipe as listed below is enough to serve 4 people. If you are only making this for two (like me) you can just pop half of the pesto in a sealed pot in the fridge to be used at a later date.

Salmon and Pea Pesto Pasta

Serves 2 = 9sp per person (Flex)

Ingredients

For the pesto- the pesto recipe below is enough to serve 4. Pop half in the fridge to be used at a later date. The pesto itself is 2sp per person.

100g peas, frozen (and thawed) or fresh

28g pack of basil

Juice of 1 lemon

20g toasted pine nuts (or normal pine nuts, toasted in a frying pan)

20g parmesan, grated

2 garlic cloves, peeled

100ml water

For the pasta (serves 2 = 7sp per person)

4 tbsp low fat crème fraiche (I used Tesco’s Healthy Living)

Handful of tender stem broccoli

Handful of spinach, shredded

2 x wild Alaskan salmon fillets (110g each)

Salt, Pepper and Crushed Chillies (to taste)

1 lemon, quartered

120g pasta of your choice, dried (I used fusilli)

Method

Put the pasta on to boill and pre heat the grill. When the pasta has 5 minutes left, add the broccoli and then, once cooked, drain everything and return to the same pan.

Meanwhile, pop all the pesto ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth. This will make enough pesto for 4 servings so pop half in a pot and keep it in the fridge for another meal. Keep the other half to one side.

Add the remaining pesto to the cooked pasta and broccoli along with the crème fraiche. Pop on a low heat to warm the crème fraiche through (this should just take a few minutes). Season to taste.

Pop the salmon on a baking tray, squeeze over a little lemon, season with salt and pepper and add a few crushed chillies. Pop under a hot grill for 6 minutes until cooked through (or to your liking).

Finally add a handful of shredded spinach to the pasta pan. Once wilted, taste for seasoning, add a few crushed chillies and a final squeeze of lemon and serve in a pasta bowl with the salmon on top.

You could shred the salmon and mix through the pasta but I like it left whole.

Enjoy!

The post Salmon and Pea Pesto Pasta -9sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

This is a classic Sicilian dish traditionally made using grated ricotta salata however being in Manchester rather than Italy, I have found it rather hold to get rid of any. As a result, I’ve experimented changing the cheese for a few others including mozzarella, goat’s cheese and ricotta. If you are looking for a stronger, creamier flavour, go for the goats cheese however if you fancy the melty stringy pasta bake style cheesiness, go for the mozzarella. The smart points remain the same provided you use the amounts as stated below.

‘Pasta alla Norma’ 

Serves 2 = 9sp per person (Flex)

Ingredients

2 small aubergines, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 red onion, finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Bunch of fresh basil, stalks and leaves separated

400g tin of tomatoes

1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp crushed chillies

Pinch of sugar

100g dried pasta (I used penne)

Large handful of spinach, roughly chopped

100g light mozzarella ball, diced (or 40g goat’s cheese, roughly diced or 85g ricotta cheese added in small chunks)

Method 

Take a large frying pan, spray with 1kal and fry the aubergine on a high heat for 5-10 minutes until lightly browned on the outside (you may need to do this in batches).

Add the onion, garlic and basil stalks and continue to fry for another 5 minutes. Add a touch of water if the pan gets too dry (not too much as the aubergines might soak it up and go waterey).

Add the chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, oregano and crushed chillies alongside a small pinch of sugar. Season to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes while you cook the pasta.

Once cooked, drain the pasta and add to the sauce alongside a little of the chopped fresh basil leaves, spinach and the mozzarella (or cheese of your choice). Toss together and let the heat melt the cheese a little.

Top with a final sprig of basil.

Enjoy!

The post Aubergine, Tomato and Mozzarella Pasta – ‘Pasta alla Norma’ – 9sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.