Poached Eggs with Romesco Sauce, Parma Ham, Wilted Spinach 

Serves 2 = 4sp per serving (flex)

Ingredients

1 portion of my Romesco sauce (click here for the recipe if you are making from scratch) or see below

4 large eggs

1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 large handful of fresh spinach

3 slices of parma ham, shredded

2 tsp light lurpack

Method

Warm the Romesco for around 1 minute in the microwave (add a little water if it has thickened when cooled too much).

Then add the spinach to a bowl, add a splash of water and cover with cling film. Pop in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until the spinach starts to wilt. Add the butter, let it melt and then toss through the spinach.

Bring a pan of water to a simmer and add the white wine vinegar. Crack one egg into a cup, swirl the water and then add one egg at a time. Poach for 3 minutes until the white is set and the yolk is still nice and runny.

To serve, pop the spinach on the plate, top with the eggs, parma ham and drizzle over the Romesco Sauce. Finish with a twist of salt and black pepper.

Enjoy!

Romesco Sauce

For the sauce (note – the sauce makes 4 portions at 3sp per portion, you only need two portions for this recipe, make the whole batch and it can be used for several days after).

300g roasted peppers (from a jar)

2 large tomatoes, cores removed and roughly chopped

1 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

20g panko breadcrumbs

20g ground almonds

1 tsp smoked paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

100-150ml cold water

1 tsp salt

Ground black pepper

Method

Pop all the ingredients for the sauce (except the water) in a blender and wizz to a smooth paste. Add the water as you are going until you get a nice thick but loose consistency. Pop into a pan and warm up and then keep on a low heat while you prepare everything else.

The post Poached Eggs with Romesco Sauce, Parma Ham, Wilted Spinach – 4sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Knowing the base of this sauce is smoky peppers and paprika, I thought a nice meaty white fish would work with it a treat and boy was the result a success! The sauce itself has an amazing flavour, it will leave you wanting to literally lick your plate. The greens and the fish go so well with the dish, it feels nice and indulgent for only 5sp. If you aren’t a fan of fish you could also make this dish with chicken. Just make sure you adjust the cooking times so the chicken cooks right through.

The recipe for the Romesco sauce makes 4 portions and you only need 2 portions for the recipe below. Make the whole batch and reserve 2 portions for another meal. This can be added to lots of different dishes including a breakfast I will be posting soon (see the picture for a sneak peak – Poached eggs, wilted spinach, parma ham and Romesco sauce!!)

If you don’t want to use the rest of the Romesco in the next few days, you can also freeze it for up to 3 months. You can either freeze all as one or, freeze in an ice cube mould and once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. The cubes will defrost in around 20 minutes or the larger quantity a few hours (in the fridge or microwave).

Foil Baked Cod with Romesco Sauce and Greens

Serves 2 = 5sp per serving (flex)

Ingredients

For the sauce (note – the sauce makes 4 portions at 3sp per portion, you only need two portions for this recipe, make the whole batch and it can be used for several days after).

300g roasted peppers (from a jar)

2 large tomatoes, cores removed and roughly chopped

1 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

20g panko breadcrumbs

20g ground almonds

1 tsp smoked paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

100-150ml cold water

1 tsp salt

Ground black pepper

For the fish

2 cod fillets

Juice of 1 lemon

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 tbsp of fresh or dried thyme

Other

Pack of green beans, trimmed

Pack of cavolo nero (or greens)

1 lemon

10g fresh parmesan

1 tsp light lurpack

2 slices of parma ham

Method

Pre heat the oven to 200c.

Pop all the ingredients for the sauce (except the water) in a blender and wizz to a smooth paste. Add the water as you are going until you get a nice thick but loose consistency. Pop into a pan and warm up and then keep on a low heat while you prepare everything else.

Take a large piece of tin foil and pop on a baking tray. Add the cod to the centre.

Add the garlic and thyme to the pestle and mortar and crush then add the lemon juice and mix. Pour this mixture over the fish, season with salt and pepper and then fold the foil over into a parcel. Pop in the oven for 10-12 minutes (until the fish is cooked through).

Meanwhile, add the greens to a pan of salted boiling water. Boil for 7-8 minutes until the vegetables are tender and then drain. Add  1 tsp light butter, the juice of half a lemon and 10g parmesan to the greens and toss everything together.

Heat a frying pan to high, add the parma ham and fry for a few minutes until it goes crispy. Remove from the pan and dab away any excess oil.

To serve, add a quarter of the sauce to a plate, top with the greens, then the fish. Top with a slice of parma ham and serve with a slice of lemon.

Enjoy!

The post Foil Baked Cod with Romesco Sauce and Greens – 5sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

In this recipe I used frozen uncooked king prawns (from Sainsbury’s) which you can cook from frozen. They were just as tasty as fresh but a lot cheaper!

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 2 – per serving = 9 points or 474 cals, 9.8g fat, 58.4g carbs, 40.3g protein

Ingredients 

165g chicken breast, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
35g chorizo, peeled and thinly sliced
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp each paprika and smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, ground turmeric and dried thyme
1/2 tbsp tomato puree
100g Arborio rice
1/2 chicken stock cube made up with 500ml boiling water
Small pinch of saffron
A few drops of Tabasco or a pinch of chilli flakes (optional if you like it a little hotter)
80g peas, frozen
100g uncooked king prawns, fresh or frozen
1 lemon
10g fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Take a large frying pan, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and pop over a medium heat.
2. Add the chicken and onion, season and fry for 5–7 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, adding a splash of water if the pan gets a little dry.
3. Next add the garlic, pepper, chorizo and tomatoes and fry for another 2 minutes until the chorizo starts releasing its oil. Add the dried herbs and spices and fry for a minute and then add the tomato purée, frying for another minute.
4. Add the arborio rice, combine with the vegetables and spices and fry for a minute to toast the edges of the rice.
5. Add half the chicken stock to the pan with the saffron, stir, and begin to simmer over a medium heat. As the stock is absorbed, continue to add more to the rice. I ended up using all of the stock but, depending on the heat of your hob, you may need a little more or a little less.
6. After 15 minutes, add the Tabasco or chilli flakes (if having) and the peas and the prawns. Cook for a further 5–7 minutes until the prawns are completely cooked through and then add the juice of half the lemon and half the parsley.
7. Remove from the heat, cover with tin foil (or a pan lid) and leave to rest for 5 minutes. This will allow all the flavours to mingle nicely together and any excess liquid to absorb into the rice.
8. Serve in two bowls, finishing with a slice of lemon each. Top with a little more fresh parsley.

The post One Pot Paella first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

The result was outstanding, easily the nicest risotto I have tasted (and better than the one I paid £9 for on Saturday night!). The key to this recipe is to find some high meat content, good quality flavoured sausages. Your local butcher is often a good place to start but failing all else, Sainsbury’s have a great selection.

Ingredients

Serves 4 = 14sp per person

4 Spanish sausages, skins removed (check your butchers for the best quality sausages, but if all else fails, Sainsbury’s have a pack of 6 Chorizo Style Sausages which are perfect for this recipe, the points include the nutritional info for these sausages)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, very finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

160g Arborio rice

100ml white wine

1 litre hot vegetable or chicken stock (made with 1 stock cube)

1 tsp paprika

110g frozen peas

80g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1 tsp light butter

Pack of Asparagus Tips

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Pre heat the oven to 220c.
Spray a large heavy based frying pan with 1kal and place on a high heat. When hot, add the sausage meat and fry, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces.

Continue to fry until the sausages are a nice golden brown, then transfer to a plate.
In the same pan, heat 1/2 tbsp of oil and once hot, cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, then add the rice and fry for 3 minutes on a medium heat, allowing the rice to toast into the hot oil. I don’t usually use much oil in my cooking however in risotto I think it’s essential to ensure you get the right texture for the rice. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon. Pour the wine over the rice and continue to cook for a further minute to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
Add a couple of ladles of stock and the paprika and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook and stir until all the stock is absorbed. Keep an eye on the pan as you need to keep stirring with a wooden spoon to make sure nothing sticks. Pour in the rest of the stock a little at a time, cooking until each addition is absorbed.
You will know the rice is cooked when all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked but still has a slight bite. This takes around 20 minutes (and be careful, you may not need all the stock).

When the rice is cooked, add the peas and simmer for a few minutes until the peas are cooked through.
While the peas are cooking, toss the asparagus in the other 1/2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss through 10g of the asparagus. Pop onto a baking tray sprayed with 1kal in a single layer and pop into the oven for 10-12 minutes (add a couple of extra minutes if your asparagus is very thick).

Once cooked, remove from the asparagus oven and squeeze over the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Chop up the majority of the asparagus, reserving a few tips per person to garnish and mix the rest through the risotto then add three quarters of the sausage to the risotto mix.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, Parmesan and the juice of the other 1/2 of the lemon. Season to taste.
Serve the risotto in nice big bowls and top with the rest of the sausage and asparagus. Finish with a final twist of freshly ground black pepper.
Enjoy!

The post Spanish Sausage and Asparagus Risotto first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Serves 4 =8sp per serving (Flex)

2 x 165g chicken breast, raw, diced

45g chorizo, thinly sliced

1 onion, diced

1 red and 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning

2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp salt

240g long grain rice

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

450ml chicken stock (made with 1 chicken stock cube)

2 tablespoons of half fat sour cream

Method

Pop the chicken in a large frying pan, spray with 1kal, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-8 minutes until cooked through and golden. Remove from the pan and pop in a bowl to the side.

Tip the onion into the frying pan, spray with 1kal and add a dash of water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until nice and soft. Then add the peppers, garlic, chorizo and 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning (I also popped in a tiny sprinkle of dried chillies!) and cook for another five minutes.

Finally, stir the chicken back in and add the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, the other tablespoon of Cajun and the smoked paprika and give a good stir.

Cover with tin foil and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is cooked through. Keep stirring the pan throughout so the rice doesn’t stick and add a little more water if needed. You want the finished dish to be nice and moist but not ‘saucy’, almost like a risotto.

Serve piled in a bowl and pop a little dollop (1/2 a tablespoon) of half fat sour cream on top. I topped mine with a few chopped jalapenos too!! Yum!

Enjoy!

The post Chicken and Chorizo Jambalaya – 8sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Serves 4 = 3sp (Flex) per serving

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced

1 stick of celery, finely diced

3 peppers, deseeded and diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

1/2 tsp thyme

2 or 3 bay leaves

60g chorizo, diced

1 tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp crushed chillies

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 x tin of chopped tomatoes

1 x chicken stock cube

1 x 400g tin of chickpeas in water, drained

400g bag of spinach, washed

1 lemon

4 tbsp half fat sour cream (1 per person)

Handful of fresh basil, chopped

Method

Pop your onions in a large frying pan, spray with low cal cooking spray and fry for 5 minutes until onions start to soften. Next add your carrot, celery and pepper and cook for another few minutes. Add a splash of water to stop everything sticking and season with salt and pepper. Next add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves and chorizo and fry for another minute or two.  Next add the smoked paprika, cinnamon and crushed chillies, stir in and then add the red wine vinegar. Leave to simmer for a minute and then add the chopped tomatoes and crumble in the stock cube with a tin (using the tomato tin) of boiling water. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes to let all the flavours infuse and the sauce reduce a little (if you are having potatoes, pasta etc with your stew, pop them on at this point).

After ten minutes, remove the bay leaves, add your chickpeas and warm through for a few minutes. Then add your bag of spinach, a squeeze of lemon and stir, letting the spinach wilt a little.

Serve in a nice big bowl, topped with a tsp of sour cream, a slice of lemon and a little basil leave for decoration.

Enjoy!

The post Chorizo, Chickpea and Spinach Stew – 3sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.