Whilst it’s an ideal veggie dish, it’s also lovely served with some roasted chicken thighs on the side (which I roasted in a lemony, garlicky, herby marinade) or you can add 200g of lean beef mince to the sauce (fry this off first before you start frying the garlic for the sauce) if you want to bulk it out further. Just remember to tweak the points/calories to suit. Best of all, this dish is quick and easy to prepare and requires minimal chopping!

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 5 points or 182 cals, 11.6g protein, 7.8g fat, 28g carbs

INGREDIENTS

2 large aubergines, halved

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp each oregano and garlic powder

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

Pinch of chilli flakes

400g tin of chopped tomatoes (Mutti are my fav)

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp each white sugar and balsamic vinegar

200g reduced fat feta

Handful of fresh basil, shredded

METHOD

1. Pre heat the oven to 180c.
2. Take each aubergine half and using a sharp knife, lightly score a ‘criss cross’ pattern into the surface. Pop face up in a baking tray and brush with olive. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over 1 tsp oregano and garlic powder. Pop into the oven, uncovered for 45 minutes until the aubergine is soft and juicy.
3. Meanwhile take a small pan, spray with 1kal, heat to medium and gently fry the garlic for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, half a can of water, a further teaspoon of oregano, a pinch of chilli flakes as well as the sugar and balsamic vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper and simmer on a medium heat for 20-25 minutes until the sauce is reduced and has started to thicken. Remove from the heat.
4. Once the aubergine is cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven and pour over the reduced tomato sauce. Crumble over the feta and then pop back in the oven for 15 minutes to melt.
5. Remove from the oven and finish with a good sprinkle of fresh basil.

Enjoy!

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

The post Feta Baked Aubergine first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Serves 4 = 13sp per serving (Flex)

For the koftas

400g lean lamb mince (16% fat)

2 tsp ground cumin and ground coriander

¼ tsp chilli powder and ground cinnamon

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

Zest of one lemon

Large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

6 metal skewers (or 6 wooden skewers, soaked in water)

For the tabbouleh

75g bulgur wheat, simmered in water for 15 minutes, drained and left to stand for 10 minutes in the pan

4 spring onions, sliced (or ½ red onion, finely diced)

3 large tomatoes, roughly diced

½ cucumber, finely diced

½ bunch of fresh parsley and mint, finely chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Pomegranate seeds (optional)

Mint Yogurt

½ cucumber, grated and water squeezed out

2/3 bunch of mint, finely chopped

Juice of half lemon

200ml fat free natural yogurt

Serve with

4 x pitta breads

Method

Pop the bulgur wheat into a pan of boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes. Once cooked, drain and leave to stand for 10 minutes.

Pre heat the grill on a high heat.

Whilst the bulgur wheat is cooking you can get on with making the koftas. Pop all the ingredients together, season well and, in either a bowl or food processor, combine well together. Split into 12 evenly sized balls and roll with your hands into sausage shapes. Thread two koftas onto each skewers. Spray a baking tray with 1kal and pop the kofta skewers on top.

Pop under the grill for around 12-15 minutes, turning regularly until nicely browned and cooked through. Slide off the skewers.

Whilst the koftas are cooking, pop all the ingredients for the tabbouleh in a large bowl and mix well.

Mix together all the ingredients for the yoghurt.

Toast the pittas and once nicely warmed through, split in half and split open. Spread a little of the mint yogurt inside the pitta, add some salad leaves and a kofta (top with a little chilli if you fancy). Serve on with the tabbouleh, mint yogurt and some extra salad leaves.

Enjoy!

The post Lamb Kofta Kebabs with Tabbouleh and Greek Yogurt – 13sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Serves 4 = 12sp (previously 12pp) each

400g lean lamb steak, chopped into small chunks

1 large onion, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 peppers, deseeded and sliced

1 cinnamon stick and bay leaf (O)

¼ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp cinnamon, cumin, ground coriander

2 tsp oregano

125ml (small) glass of red wine (O)

½ tbsp tomato puree (O)

1 chicken stock cube

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

200g orzo

Large handful of spinach (optional, I just add for additional bulk), shredded (O)

1 lemon

100g light feta cheese, crumbled

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius. Take a large oven proof pan and pop on the hob.  Pop in the lamb, season well and fry in 1kal until browned on the outside. Then add the onions, peppers and garlic, fry until the onions soften a little and then add all the spices. Fry for another minute or two and then add the red wine. Simmer until the wine reduces a little and then stir in the tomato puree. Next add the stock cube with 600ml boiling water and the chopped tomatoes. Give a good stir, pop a lid on the pan and put in the oven for 1 hour. Give it a stir half way through the hour.

After an hour add the orzo, stir in and pop back in the oven for another 20 minutes (again stirring halfway through). After 20 minutes, the dish should still be nice and wet but not too loose. Take out the oven and add the spinach (the heat will wilt the spinach nicely) and then add the juice of half a lemon. Give a good stir and then plate up. Top with the feta cheese (or if you are making a salad pop the feta on that) and enjoy!!

The post Greek Lamb with Orzo and Feta – 12sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Serves 4 = 11sp (previously 11pp) each

For the meatballs

450g extra lean turkey mince

2 spring onion, very finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Pinch of crushed chillies

1 tsp oregano

Finely grated zest of one lemon

For the sauce

2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 pepper, thinly sliced

1 clove of garlic, chopped

Pinch of caster sugar

Pinch of crushed chillies (and a dash of Tabasco if you like it spicy)

2 tsp oregano

400g box of passata

100g light feta cheese, finely crumbled

80g light mozzarella cheese

1 spring onion, sliced

200g pasta of your choice (I used tagliatelle)

Method

Pre heat your oven to 180c.

Into a large bowl add your spring onions, garlic, crushed chillies, oregano (1 tsp) lemon and turkey mince. Season well with salt and pepper and get your hands in there to give everything a good mix.

Once nicely combined, take tablespoon sized lumps and roll into some nice meatball shapes. Using this much mince gives you 16 meatballs.

Spray a large frying pan with low cal cooking spray and cook the meatballs for around 5 minutes until they start to nicely brown (if you have a small frying pan you might need to do this in two batches). Once all the meatballs are cooked, remove from the pan and pop to one side on a plate.

To the same frying pan add some more low cal spray and a drop of water and fry your onions and peppers until the onions are nice and soft. Then add your garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Then add your passata, pinch of sugar, pinch of crushed chillies, 2 tsp oregano and a good seasoning of salt and pepper, add the meatballs (and a small splash of water if you prefer yours saucy, we like it thick) and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

At this point pop your kettle on and weigh out your pasta ready for cooking. If you are having linguine/tagliatelle like we did then pop this on to cook for 12 minutes.

Whilst the pasta is cooking, pop your feta on top of your meatballs, season with black pepper and then top with your mozzarella. Pop in the oven for 10 minutes (or until your pasta is ready and the cheese is nice and melty).

Serve the lovely meatballs on top of your pasta, add some salad leaves and dress with a slice of lemon for squeezing. The lemon really adds a nice flavour so try and include it if you can.

Enjoy!

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