If you like your sauce a little more set, you can top the dish with a ball of light mozzarella (125g) and split the Parmesan in half, adding half to the sauce and half on top at the end before baking in the oven for 15 minutes. I like it both ways but for quickness, the stove top method is the winner for me! The nutritional information below doesn’t include the mozzarella. If you add it, the dish would be another 50 cals or 2 points per serving.

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 

Per serving = 14 points or 538 cals, 14.4g fat, 63g carbs, 40.3g protein 

INGREDIENTS

500g lean beef mince, raw

1 white onion, peeled and finely diced

3 x garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

1 tbsp mixed herbs

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder and chilli flakes (chilli flakes optional)

1 tbsp tomato purée

400g chopped tomatoes

1 x chicken stock cube (made up with 1 litre of boiling water)

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp white sugar and salt

12 lasagne sheets (280g dried), broken into inch sized pieces

50ml light single cream (I use Elmlea)

30g Parmesan

Handful fresh basil

METHOD

1. Bring a large pan to a medium heat, spray with 1kal and add the onion. Fry for 5-6 minutes until it starts to soften, adding a little water if the pan gets dry.
2. Next add the garlic, fry for a minute and then add the mince a nd fry for 5-6 minutes until browned. All the herbs and spices and the tomato purée and fry off for a minute or two then add the chopped tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and salt.
3. Stir and then add the broken lasagne pieces. Stir so they are covered with the sauce and then reduce the heat to a simmer, popping on a lid.
4. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the lasagne sheets are nice and soft. If the sauce starts to dry out a little, add a little splash of water to make sure there is enough liquid to cook the pasta.
5. Once the pasta is cooked, add the cream and the Parmesan.
6. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh basil.

Don’t forget you can find more delicious recipes like this one in my book ‘Slimming Kitchen Secrets’ – get your copy now!

The post Broken Lasagne first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

You can bake the dish at the end if you fancy (make sure to add additional points if you use more cheese) however I’ve tested it both ways and my favourite is to stir the cheese through the pasta and let it go all stringy and melty. Divine.

I used Cape Herbs and Spices Texan Steak Seasoning in this recipe but you can use any steak seasoning you can get your hands on (Schwartz do one which is available in most supermarkets). Pickle relish is also widely available, just look near the chutneys!

If you are feeling really extra you can fry up a couple of slices of bacon near the end of cooking the pasta. Remove the fat, fry in 1kal til crispy and then chop to a fine crumb, then sprinkle across the finished dish when you are dressing it. If you use bacon this would make it one extra point per person.

 POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 6 – per serving = 9 points or 441 cals, 12.3g fat, 51.6g carbs, 29.4g protein

Ingredients

500g lean (5%) beef mince, raw

1 white onion,  finely diced

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

5 tsp steak seasoning

1 beef stock cube, crumbled

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp each onion powder and garlic powder

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

400g tin of tomatoes

1 tsp salt

360g pasta (shape of your choice), dry

2 tbsp each reduced sugar and salt ketchup, American yellow mustard and pickle relish

75g light Cheddar cheese, grated

3 spring onions, sliced into thin rounds

2 large gherkins, sliced into rounds

Low calorie cooking spray

Method

1. Take a large pan (with a lid if you have one), spray with low-calorie cooking spray and add the mince. Fry on a medium/high heat for around 5 minutes until the meat starts to brown and cook through.
2. Add the onion and garlic with 2 teaspoons of the steak seasoning, fry for another few minutes, and then crumble in the stock cube and add the tomato purée.
3. Stir-fry for a minute, and then add the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce.
4. Fry for a few seconds and then add the tomatoes, 1 litre of boiling water and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and add the pasta, stirring to make sure the stock covers it.
5. Bring to the boil, pop the lid on and reduce to a simmer for 10–12 minutes until the pasta is cooked through (the pasta should absorb most of the water so the dish doesn’t end up a runny consistency).
6. Remove the lid, add the remaining steak seasoning, ketchup, mustard and pickle relish, and simmer for another 5 minutes, letting the sauce thicken up.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then finally stir through the cheese, spring onions and gherkins. Simmer for another minute or so to let the cheese melt, then remove from the heat.
8. Plate up and sprinkle with bacon crumb if you are having it.

The post Cheeseburger Pasta first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Variations

If you want to bulk this one out, you could always fry some finely chopped onion and sliced mushrooms once the bacon is crispy. No extra points but a bigger portion all round.

If you fancy mixing it up entirely you could replace the bacon with chorizo and once the oils have released, throw in some chopped spring onion. Up to 22g of chorizo will mean the dish is the same amount of smart points. Remember to peel the chorizo before you dice and cook so the oils can seep out and flavour everything  nicely.

Making for a small person?

Fancy making it for a baby too? Make the adults sauce base (egg yolk, parmesan and cream cheese) in one bowl and in a separate bowl make a mini version which omits the egg (ideally using full fat cream cheese and parmesan). Make the rest of the recipe as below, just remember not to add salt to anything (I would probably cook the pastas separately too so you can salt the adults pasta water). Once the pasta and peas are cooked, take a little of the bacon mixture from the main pan, pop it in a smaller pan and then separate the pasta and peas into the two different pans adding the relevant sauce. Season the adults with salt and pepper to taste (and crushed chillies if you like a kick like me)!

Smart Points and Nutritional Information

Serves 2 – Per Serving:

• 11sp on BLUE, 15sp on GREEN and 6sp on PURPLE (when made with wholewheat pasta)
• 322 Cals – 14.1g Fat – 27.4g Carbs 25.8g Protein

Ingredients

120g spaghetti, dried

30g garden peas, frozen

4 rashers of back bacon (smoked or unsmoked, fat removed and diced into 1cm chunks)

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

3 egg yolks

40g parmesan, grated

50g lightest cream cheese

Handful of basil/parsley, finely chopped

Method

Pop a large pan of boiling water on a high heat and add 1 tsp of salt.

Take a small bowl and add the egg yolks. Whisk and then add the parmesan and cream cheese.  Season with black pepper and then whisk again until you have a smooth mixture.

Next pop the pasta in the pan to cook and add the peas for the last 2-3 minutes.

Whilst the pasta and peas are cooking, spray a frying pan with 1kal and once hot, add the bacon. Fry the bacon for a few minutes and once it’s starting to crisp up, add the garlic (with a little splash of water if the pan is getting a little dry). Fry for another few minutes until the garlic softens and then reduce the heat to low.

Once the pasta is cooked, lift it out the water with tongs (rather than draining it) and pop it straight into the pan with the bacon. Use a slotted spoon to lift out any remaining peas and pop them into the bacon pan too. You want a little bit of the pasta water to splash in to the bacon pan to help the sauce stick to the pasta. Stir to combine and then switch off the heat. Next, pour the sauce mixture into the spaghetti/bacon pan with everything else and stir together with the pasta quickly so the sauce becomes nice and smooth (if it’s on the heat, the eggs could scramble so make sure its off!!) If the sauce is still a little thick, you can add an extra splash of the pasta water to loosen it up.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish with a sprinkle of basil/parsley and a little extra parmesan if you fancy.

Enjoy!

Print

Spaghetti Carbonara

Nutritional Information

Serves 2 - Per Serving

11sp on BLUE, 15sp on GREEN and 6sp on PURPLE (when made with wholewheat pasta)

Calories - 322

Fat - 14.1g

Carbs - 27.4g

Protein - 25.8g

Course Main Course, Pasta, Starter

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 322kcal

Ingredients

• 120 g spaghetti dried
• 30 g garden peas frozen
• 4 rashers of back bacon smoked or unsmoked, fat removed and diced into 1cm chunks
• 3 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped
• 3 egg yolks
• 40 g parmesan grated
• 50 g lightest cream cheese
• Handful of basil/parsley finely chopped

Instructions

• Pop a large pan of boiling water on a high heat and add 1 tsp of salt.
• Take a small bowl and add the egg yolks. Whisk and then add the parmesan and cream cheese. Season with black pepper and then whisk again until you have a smooth sauce..
• Next pop the pasta in the pan to cook and add the peas for the last 2-3 minutes of the pasta cooking time.
• Whilst the pasta and peas are cooking, spray a frying pan with 1kal and once hot, add the bacon. Fry the bacon for a few minutes and once it’s starting to crisp up, add the garlic (with a little splash of water if the pan is getting a little dry). Fry for another few minutes until the garlic softens and then reduce the heat to low.
• Once the pasta is cooked, lift it out the water with tongs (rather than draining it) and pop it straight into the pan with the bacon. Use a slotted spoon to lift out any remaining peas and pop them into the bacon pan too. You want a little bit of the pasta water to splash in to the bacon pan to help the sauce stick to the pasta. Stir to combine and then switch off the heat.
• Next, pour the sauce mixture into the spaghetti/bacon pan with everything else and stir together with the pasta quickly so the sauce becomes nice and smooth (if it's on the heat, the eggs could scramble so make sure its off!!) If the sauce is still a little thick, you can add an extra splash of the pasta water to loosen it up.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish with a sprinkle of basil/parsley and a little extra parmesan if you fancy.
• Enjoy!

The post Spaghetti Carbonara 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.

The lovely folks there kindly sent me their chopped garlic, smoked garlic, chillies and ginger to try and at 0sp a serving, I knew they wouldn’t last long in my kitchen. I’ve since used all four jars completely and have found that they have become a bit of a staple in my cupboard. This recipe uses their chopped garlic and chopped red chillies. I love both of these as not only do they speed up the cooking process, but they also avoid getting the dreaded garlic smell on your fingers when chopping it!

This recipe is a vegetarian recipe which is packed with flavour and texture and requires minimal chopping and cooking. The pesto can also be made in advance and kept in the fridge overnight to make the whole cooking process even quicker – perfect for an easy mid-week dinner!

You can see the full selection of Very Lazy products over on their website http://www.verylazy.com/ and you can purchase their products in most major supermarkets. Watch this space for another recipe I’ve created using their Very Lazy ginger and smoked garlic!

Kale, Walnut and Basil Pesto Pasta

Serves 4 = 11sp/235 kcals per serving (Flex)

Ingredients

For the pesto

40g walnuts, halved and toasted

50g kale, stalks removed, roughly chopped

Half a small bunch of fresh basil, roughly chopped (reserve a little to dress)

20g vegetarian Italian style hard cheese (I used Sainsbury’s own)

½ tbsp. olive oil

½ tsp each Very Lazy garlic and Very Lazy chillies

For the rest of the dish

160g dried spaghetti

2 lemons

Pack of cherry tomatoes, halved

3 spring onions, finely sliced

6 tbsp lightest crème fraiche

100g baby spinach

Method

Put the walnuts in a dry frying pan and fry until toasted (this should just take a few minutes). Once cooled, add to a food processor and whizz until crumbs. Then add the rest of the pesto ingredients to the food processor and whizz everything together. Finally add the juice of 1 lemon and then add a few drops of cold water until you have a nice pesto texture. Pop the pesto to one side.

Pop the pasta on and cook according to the packet instructions.

In the same frying pan, spray with 1kal and the cherry tomatoes and spring onions, seasoning with salt and pepper. Fry for a minute until the tomatoes start to soften and then add the pesto to the pan and combine. Reduce to a lower heat and then add the crème fraiche. Stir to combine and then add a little cold water here and there to loosen the sauce.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain (retain a little of the pasta water). Add the pasta to the sauce along with the spinach and toss everything together. Simmer for another minute or two to let the spinach wilt.

Add the reserved basil and plate up. Serve each portion with a slice of lemon.

Enjoy!

Please note, this recipe forms part of a paid collaboration with Very Lazy however all views on the products are my own.

The post Very Lazy Kale, Walnut and Basil Pesto Pasta – 11sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

I set out plotting what I would put in my recipe and then started testing it and I have to say, we were both blown away with the results. Whilst a tomato based sauce, it got a different flavour to any of my other pasta sauces. The capers and vodka really add something special to the dish.

If you don’t fancy meatballs with this, feel free to replace with prawns or chicken. Just make sure you dice up the chicken and cook thoroughly in the sauce. If you are having prawns, add them to the sauce five minutes before the end of cooking. If you have the chicken or prawns, the sauce is 4sp per serving, 9sp if served with the pasta/

I’ve made this a couple of times now. The first time I served it with penne. The second time I swapped my pasta for butternut squash noodles and it was just as tasty and makes the dish only 7sp per serving.

Bloody Mary Meatballs

Serves 2 = 12sp per serving (Flex) or 7sp per serving with BNS noodles

Ingredients

1 small red onion, peeled and finely diced

2 sticks of celery, ends removed and finely diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Tabasco (or less if you don’t like things too spicy!!!)

1 tsp capers

½ chicken stock cube

50ml vodka

Handful of basil, shredded

1 tbsp parmesan, finely grated

1 lemon

6 lean beef meatballs (5% fat) – I got these in Aldi in a pack of 12 which I split in two and froze half

100g dried pasta (I used penne)

Method

Spray a large sauce pan with 1kal. Add the red onion and celery and fry on a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the onion starts to soften (add a little water to the pan if it gets a bit dry). Add the garlic and fry for another minute. Next add the chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, capers, chicken stock cube and vodka to the pan. Stir and then flambé the vodka (I use a candle lighter – this burns off the alcohol however it doesn’t always flame as we aren’t using much vodka here). Add 300ml boiling water to the pan along with the raw meatballs, cover the meatballs with the sauce and simmer for 15-20 minutes (until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened nicely).

Pop the pasta on to cook after the sauce has been simmering for 10 minutes. Once cooked, drain the pasta and add to the sauce with a drop of the pasta water. Add the basil, parmesan and juice of half the lemon. Combine everything and simmer for another few minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

The post Bloody Mary Meatballs – 12sp 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.

Squid and Chorizo Pasta 

Serves 2 = 10sp per person (Flex)

Ingredients

200g squid rings, raw (defrosted in the fridge if previously frozen)

1 x onion, finely sliced

2 x garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

35g chorizo, cubed

30g roasted red peppers, roughly chopped (or 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced)

Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tbsp tomato puree

1/2 tbsp chipotle paste

1 fish stock cube made up with 250ml of water

1 lemon

Handful of fresh parsley

120g dried pasta

Method

Mist a large frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and add the onions, garlic and chilli. Fry for a few minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the chorizo, tomatoes and peppers and fry for another few minutes until the chorizo releases its oil and it colours the onions. Add the tomato puree and chipotle paste and fry for another minute and then add the fish stock. Stir well and season.

At this point pop the pasta on to cook in some slightly salted boiling water.

Simmer the sauce while the pasta is cooking. It should reduce nicely (if it remains a little loose, mix 1/2 tsp cornflour with a few drops of cold water to make a paste and add to the sauce. This will thicken it up a little).

A few minutes before the pasta is ready add the squid to the pan and simmer until cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir through the juice of 1/2 a lemon and the parsley. Tip the drained pasta into the sauce, mix together so the pasta is well coated in the sauce and serve in two bowls. Top with a final sprig of parsley and serve with a 1/4 lemon per person.

Enjoy!

The post Squid and Chorizo Pasta – 10sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Chicken, Bacon and Leek Pasta

Serves 2 = 12sp/579 calories per person (Flex)

Ingredients

2 x 165 chicken breasts, raw and chopped into bitesize chunks

2 x slices of bacon (fat removed, smoked or unsmoked, whichever takes your fancy)

1 large leek, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

½ box of mushrooms, sliced

½ tbsp plain flour

125ml white wine

200ml chicken stock (or if not using wine 300ml of chicken stock) made up using ½ chicken stock cube

2 tsp green basil pesto (or wholegrain mustard if you prefer)

2 tbsp half fat crème fraiche

1 courgette, cut into strips using a wide peeler

Pinch of crushed chillies (optional)

Salt and pepper

120g of pasta of your choice, dried

Method

Spray a large frying pan with low calorie cooking spray, heat and then fry the chicken on a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the bacon and fry on a high heat until the bacon has started to crisp up and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the pan and pop to one side.

In the same pan, spray again with low calorie cooking spray and then fry off the leeks until they start to soften (add a little water if the pan gets dry). Then add the garlic and mushrooms and fry until the mushrooms start to soften. Stir in the flour and fry for another minute (this will help the sauce to thicken up).

Next add the wine, simmer until reduced by half and then add the stock.

At this point pop the pasta on.

Let the stock simmer and reduce a little so that it starts to thicken up. Add the pesto (and crushed chillies if you are having then) and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and bacon back to the pan with the courgette, stir and then finally add the crème fraiche, stir through and turn the heat down to low until the pasta has cooked.

Drain the pasta (adding a little of the pasta water to the sauce pan) and then tip in to the sauce. Give a good mix and then let it cook for another minute.

Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan and a good twist of black pepper.

Enjoy!

The post Chicken, Bacon and Leek Pasta – 12sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.