1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp each paprika and dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic granules

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper#

4 x 110g salmon fillets

Salt and pepper

1 red onion, finely sliced

2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 tsp each paprika and dried oregano

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tbsp tomato purée

1 vegetable stock cube made up with 400ml boiling water

100ml light single cream (I use Elmlea)

30g Parmesan cheese, grated

4 balls of frozen spinach

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped

Pinch chilli flakes (optional)

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and black pepper

200g basmati rice

200g green beans, trimmed

1. Put all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Add the salmon to the same bowl, coating in the marinade. Then either: Pop in the oven on 200°C (fan) for 15 minutes or Pop in an air fryer on 180°C for 12 minutes.
2. If you are having rice, put it on to cook now.
3. While the salmon and rice are cooking, you can get on with the sauce. Take a large pan, spray with low-calorie cooking spray, and then add the red onion. Season with salt and pepper and fry for 5–6 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
4. Now add the peppers and garlic and fry for another couple of minutes.
5. Add 2 teaspoons each of paprika and oregano along with the cayenne pepper and tomato purée. Fry for another minute and then add 200ml of stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Keep adding the stock as the sauce starts to reduce and thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Once the stock has started to reduce and thicken, add the cream, Parmesan and spinach. Simmer until the spinach has wilted into the sauce.
7. Finally, add a squeeze of lemon juice, the basil and a pinch of chilli flakes, if you like it with a little heat. Simmer on a low heat until everything is ready.
8. Cook your green beans just before the sauce is ready and, at the same time, add the salmon to the sauce.
9. Serve your rice and green beans with your lovely, creamy paprika salmon

The post Creamy Paprika Salmon first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

You can get gochujang paste in most supermarkets these days but if you can’t get a hold of any it is also readily available on Amazon (there is a link to it in my amazon shop if anyone is struggling to find it). The soy bean paste is another amazon bought ingredient (again listed in my amazon shop) but if you don’t fancy buying that just leave it out and replace with the same quantity of additional gochujang.

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

WW Serves 4 =  9 points + 1 point from non starchy veggies 

Per serving – 572 calories 25.3g fat 54.5g carbs 31.5g protein

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade

• 1 tbsp each dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey
• 1 tsp each sesame oil, gochujang paste, soy bean paste (optional), garlic puree, ginger puree
• ½ tsp Korean red pepper flakes (Gochugaru) or crushed chillies
• Juice of ½ lime

For the rest of the dish

• 4 x salmon fillets, raw and cut into large chunks
• 200g basmati rice, dry
• 2 heads of pack choi, sliced
• 1 small pack of green beans, top and tailed and cut in half
• 2 x peppers, deseeded and sliced
• 1 red chilli, sliced (and deseeded if you don’t like things too hot)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 large avocado, mashed
• Juice of ½ lime
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• Sprinkle of black sesame seeds
• Drizzle of sriracha and light mayo

METHOD

1. Begin by combining all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the raw salmon chunks, mix and pop to one side until you are ready to cook.
2. Pop the rice into a pan, cover with boiling water (the water should be around 1cm above the surface of the rice) and add 1 tsp salt. Stir, pop on a high heat, bring to the boil and then immediately reduce to half heat and add the lid. From this point don’t touch the rice at all. You want the water to simmer away and then the heat from the pan will steam and dry out the rice so you have nice fluffy grains. Keep the rice on the heat for 11-13 minutes (until all the water is gone) and then turn off the heat. Leave the lid in place so it continues to steam while you are cooking everything else. Just before serving, remove the lid and fluff up the grains with a fork.
3. Whilst the rice is steaming you can make the other elements. Lift the salmon out of the marinade and pop into a large frying pan (don’t tip the whole contents of the bowl into the frying pan as the excess marinade will make the salmon too wet and you won’t get a nice crispy skin – keep the remaining marinade in the bowl for use later), spray with 1 kal and cook skin side down for a few minutes, then toss everything up and keep cooking until the salmon is cooked through and the marinade is nice and sticky (around 6 minutes in total).
4. In another frying pan, boil the green beans for 2 minutes to soften a little, drain and then add back to the frying pan with 1 tsp sesame oil, peppers, pak choi and chilli and garlic. Add 2 tsp light soy and the reserved salmon marinade and stir fry for a few minutes until the peppers and pak choi start to soften.
5. Mash the avocado with a little salt, pepper, chilli flakes and the juice of ½ lime.
6. Now you are ready to serve. Add rice to your bowls, then the salmon, veggies and avo. Top with a sprinkle of spring onions and sesame seeds and finish with a drizzle of sriricha and light mayo.
7. Enjoy!

Print

Korean Sticky Salmon

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION WW Serves 4 = 9 points + 1 point from non starchy veggies Per serving – 572 calories, 25.3g fat, 54.5g carbs, 31.5g protein

Course Main Course

Servings 4

Ingredients

• For the marinade
• 1 tbsp each dark soy sauce light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey
• 1 tsp each sesame oil gochujang paste, soy bean paste (optional), garlic puree, ginger puree
• ½ tsp Korean red pepper flakes Gochugaru or crushed chillies
• Juice of ½ lime
• For the rest of the dish
• 4 x salmon fillets raw and cut into large chunks
• 200 g basmati rice dry
• 2 heads of pack choi sliced
• 1 small pack of green beans top and tailed and cut in half
• 2 x peppers deseeded and sliced
• 1 red chilli sliced (and deseeded if you don’t like things too hot)
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 large avocado mashed
• Juice of ½ lime
• 3 spring onions sliced
• Sprinkle of black sesame seeds
• Drizzle of sriracha and light mayo

Instructions

• Begin by combining all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the raw salmon chunks, mix and pop to one side until you are ready to cook.
• Pop the rice into a pan, cover with boiling water (the water should be around 1cm above the surface of the rice) and add 1 tsp salt. Stir, pop on a high heat, bring to the boil and then immediately reduce to half heat and add the lid. From this point don’t touch the rice at all. You want the water to simmer away and then the heat from the pan will steam and dry out the rice so you have nice fluffy grains. Keep the rice on the heat for 11-13 minutes (until all the water is gone) and then turn off the heat. Leave the lid in place so it continues to steam while you are cooking everything else. Just before serving, remove the lid and fluff up the grains with a fork.
• Whilst the rice is steaming you can make the other elements. Lift the salmon out of the marinade and pop into a large frying pan (don’t tip the whole contents of the bowl into the frying pan as the excess marinade will make the salmon too wet and you won’t get a nice crispy skin – keep the remaining marinade in the bowl for use later), spray with 1 kal and cook skin side down for a few minutes, then toss everything up and keep cooking until the salmon is cooked through and the marinade is nice and sticky (around 6 minutes in total).
• In another frying pan, boil the green beans for 2 minutes to soften a little, drain and then add back to the frying pan with 1 tsp sesame oil, peppers, pak choi and chilli and garlic. Add 2 tsp light soy and the reserved salmon marinade and stir fry for a few minutes until the peppers and pak choi start to soften.
• Mash the avocado with a little salt, pepper, chilli flakes and the juice of ½ lime.
• Now you are ready to serve. Add rice to your bowls, then the salmon, veggies and avo. Top with a sprinkle of spring onions and sesame seeds and finish with a drizzle of sriricha and light mayo.
• Enjoy!

The post Korean Sticky Salmon first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

One of best things about cooking prawns is it takes minutes, perfect for a quick and easy dinner. I like to make this recipe on food shop day as, save for a little chopping and whizzing, its on the table in less than 15 minutes and there are plenty leftovers to use for lunches afterwards.

For this recipe you will need 3 large prawns per taco (or four or five smaller prawns) so keep that in mind when you go shopping.

The black bean salsa and avocado cream recipes make more than just 2 portions so you will have left overs to use in lunches. I’ll either have them with more prawns or with shredded roast chicken breast in a salad (use the avocado cream as the dressing).

The key to these tacos is the corn tortilla. I’ve tried them with normal wheat tortillas and they are lovely but the corn tortillas take them to the next level. I love the Old El Paso Street Market White Corn Tortillas as they are 2sp (or 53 cals) each or 3sp for 2 which is enough for me.

You can add anything you fancy to these tacos, a little feta also sets them off nicely – just be sure to add the extra points.

SMART POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 2 = 5sp per serving on BLUE and PURPLE and 6sp per serving on GREEN (based on each person having 2 tacos)

Breakdowns –

• BLUE and PURPLE – Prawns – 1sp, Salsa – 0sp, Cream – 1, Tortillas 3sp for 2
• GREEN – Prawns – 1, Salsa – 1sp, Cream – 1sp, Tortillas 3sp for 2

Per serving – 278 calories, Fat 5.7g, Carbs 38.2g, Protein 17.1g

INGREDIENTS

For the prawns (serves 2)

12 large king prawns (frozen or fresh, if frozen make sure they are thoroughly defrosted before cooking)

2 tsp cajun spice

1 lime (zest only)

For the black bean salsa (serves 8)

1 small tin of black beans (around 285g), drained

1 small tin of sweet corn (285g), drained

1 small red onion, peeled and very finely diced

3 tomatoes, cut into 1cm chunks

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped

1 lime (juice only – use lime from above)

½ tsp salt

For the avocado cream (serves 8)

1 small avocado (around 100g flesh)

3 tbsp light soured cream

8 jalapeno slices plus 2 tbsp of the brine from the jar

To serve (serves 2)

4 x mini tortillas – I love the Old El Paso Street Market White Corn Tortillas (see above)

Iceberg lettuce, shredded

Pickled red cabbage

METHOD

1. In a small bowl add the prawns, sprinkle over the cajun seasoning and grate over the zest of 1 lime. Stir and then pop to one side to marinade whilst you prep the accompaniments (give them at least 5 minutes to sit).
2. Next put the ingredients for the avocado cream in a food processor, whizz til smooth and pop into a bowl.
3. Next chop the vegetables for the salsa (red onion, spring onion, tomatoes and coriander). Pop the chopped vegetables into a large bowl with the black beans and sweetcorn. Add the lime juice and salt. Stir and pop the bowl to one side.
4. Now you are ready to cook. Take a large frying pan, spray with 1kal and then add the prawns in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper and cook on 1 side for 2 minutes. Then spray again with 1kal, flip and fry for another 2 minutes on the other side until cooked through.
5. Take the prawns off the heat and pop into a bowl.
6. Get everything ready on the table or bench, I like to set out a little production line so we can make our own tacos. Pop the lettuce in one bowl and the pickled red cabbage in another.
7. Warm the tortillas (in the oven or microwave).
8. Assemble – I like to add a little avocado cream to the base, top with lettuce and red cabbage, then the salsa, then the prawns and then a little more avocado cream.
9. Enjoy!
   

   Print

   Cajun Prawn Tacos

   Serves 2

   WW - per serving 5sp on BLUE and PURPLE and 6sp per serving on GREEN (based on each person having 2 tacos)

   Breakdowns

   BLUE and PURPLE – Prawns – 1sp, Salsa – 0sp, Cream – 1, Tortillas 3sp for 2

   GREEN – Prawns – 1, Salsa – 1sp, Cream – 1sp, Tortillas 3sp for 2

   Calories - per serving - 278 cals, 5.7g fat , 38.2g carbs, 17.1g protein

   Ingredients

   • For the prawns
   • 12 large king prawns frozen or fresh, if frozen make sure they are thoroughly defrosted before cooking
   • 2 tsp cajun spice
   • 1 lime zest only
   • For the black bean salsa
   • 1 small tin of black beans 285g, drained
   • 1 small tin of sweet corn 285g, drained
   • 1 small red onion peeled and very finely diced
   • 3 large tomatoes cut into 1cm chunks
   • 2 spring onions finely sliced
   • Handful of fresh coriander finely chopped
   • 1 lime juice only – use lime from above
   • ½ tsp salt
   • For the avocado cream
   • 1 small avocado around 100g flesh
   • 3 tbsp light soured cream
   • 8 jalapeno slices, plus 2 tbsp of the brine from the jar
   • To serve
   • 4 x mini tortillas – I love the Old El Paso Street Market White Corn Tortillas see above
   • Iceberg lettuce shredded
   • Pickled red cabbage

   Instructions

   • In a small bowl add the prawns, sprinkle over the cajun seasoning and grate over the zest of 1 lime. Stir and then pop to one side to marinade whilst you prep the accompaniments (give them at least 5 minutes to sit).
   • Next put the ingredients for the avocado cream in a food processor, whizz til smooth and pop into a bowl.
   • Next chop the vegetables for the salsa (red onion, spring onion, tomatoes and coriander). Pop the chopped vegetables into a large bowl with the black beans and sweetcorn. Add the lime juice and salt. Stir and pop the bowl to one side.
   • Now you are ready to cook. Take a large frying pan, spray with 1kal and then add the prawns in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper and cook on 1 side for 2 minutes. Then spray again with 1kal, flip and fry for another 2 minutes on the other side until cooked through.
   • Take the prawns off the heat and pop into a bowl.
   • Get everything ready on the table or bench, I like to set out a little production line so we can make our own tacos. Pop the lettuce in one bowl and the pickled red cabbage in another.
   • Warm the tortillas (in the oven or microwave).
   • Assemble – I like to add a little avocado cream to the base, top with lettuce and red cabbage, then the salsa, then the prawns and then a little more avocado cream.
   • Enjoy!

The post Cajun Prawn Tacos 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.

More traditional Goan curry’s often used dried Kashmiri chillies however, since they are mostly used to add the reddish colour to the dish, I’ve tried to use more readily available spices in place of them. If you would like to use the more traditional recipe, replace the paprika, cayenne pepper and chilli powder with 8 red Kashmiri chillies and grind with the whole spices right at the start.

The recipe below makes 4 good potions of curry and it has the most delicious spicy, sour flavour. It’s a little bit different to your regular curry flavour (and for once doesn’t have any fresh coriander in it)! I served my portion with 60g (dry weight) basmati rice so the meal was 11sp in total on BLUE.

Goan Prawn Curry

Serves 4 = 5sp per serving on BLUE and PURPLE, 6sp per serving on GREEN

Ingredients

For the spice mix

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp each cumin seeds and black peppercorns

3 tsp paprika

1 tsp each chilli powder, cayenne pepper and turmeric

½ tsp salt

For the curry

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

Thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated (or 1 tbsp Lazy ginger)

1 red pepper, deseeded and finely sliced

4 large tomatoes diced

Chicken stock cube (made up with 400ml boiling water)

2 tsp tamarind paste

½ tsp sugar

400g tin of light coconut milk

400g king prawns, raw (I use frozen king prawns, make sure they are totally thawed)

Large pinch of curry leaves

To serve

Basmati rice

Method

Begin by making your spice mix. Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and black peppercorns to a pestle and mortar (or a spice grinder) and bash until you have a smooth powder. Add the paprika, chilli powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric and salt and combine.

Next take a large saucepan, spray with 1kal and add the onion. Fry for 5-6 minutes until it starts to soften (add a little water if the pan gets dry). Then add the garlic and ginger and fry for another minute. Next add the spice mix to the pan, stir and add a small splash of water so it doesn’t burn, then add the tomatoes, tamarind, sugar and stock, stir and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes have started to break down. Pop the rice on at this point if you are having it. Remove the sauce from the heat and blend the contents of the pan until smooth. Add the sauce back to the pan along with the coconut milk and red pepper, stir and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes. Finally add the raw king prawn and curry leaves s to the sauce and simmer until the prawns are cooked through (this should only take a couple of minutes).

Serve with basmati rice (remember to add the extra points).

Enjoy!

The post Goan Prawn Curry first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Whenever I use king prawns I always buy them raw and frozen and they are cheapest this way. Just make sure they are thoroughly defrosted before you start cooking. This is actually a fairly straightforward risotto to make as you essentially make a ‘base’ risotto and then add all your other bits and pieces to it near the end.

If you aren’t a fan of prawns, there are many other meats that would also be lovely with this dish…chicken, pork, the world’s your oyster!

Cajun Prawn and Coriander Risotto

Serves 4 = 10sp on Blue, 10sp on Purple, 11sp on Green

Ingredients

1/2 tbsp oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

240g Arborio rice

125ml glass of white wine

1 x chicken stock cube (made up with 750ml boiling water)

1 tbsp Cajun spice

100g spinach, roughly shredded

Small bunch coriander

100g light cream cheese

2 lemons

2 tbsp fresh grated parmesan

1 tsp light butter

Pinch of crushed chillies (optional if you like it spicy)

For the prawns

400g raw king prawns

1 tsp Cajun spice

To finish

4 tsp lightest soured cream

Method

Take a large non stick pan spray with 1 kal and fry the onion in the oil until soft and golden (6-7 minutes). Then add the garlic and fry for a few minutes more. Add the Arborio rice and toast for a minute then add the wine, simmering until reduced by half.

Next add the Cajun spice with 250ml of the chicken stock, stir and begin to simmer, letting the rice absorb the stock. Keep adding the stock as it absorbs until you have used it all (this will take around 25 minutes).

Whilst the risotto is simmering you can make the green element of the dish. Add the spinach and coriander (stalks and all) to a food processor with a small splash of water. Begin to blend for 30 seconds and then add the cream cheese. Continue to blend until you have more of a paste consistency and then add the juice of 1 lemon. Give a final pulse to combine the lemon juice.

Add the green paste to the risotto pan, season with salt and pepper and simmer for another five minutes until the rice is cooked to your liking.

Whilst the risotto is having its final simmer, pop your prawns into a large frying pan, sprinkle with 1 tsp Cajun spice, salt and pepper, spray with 1 kal and fry for 2-3 minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked through.

Once most of the liquid in the risotto has absorbed, remove the risotto from the heat and add the parmesan and butter (and crushed chillies if you are having them). Stir through and taste, adding the juice of half a lemon to the risotto if you think it needs it (I like a nice lemony touch at the end) as well as any extra salt and pepper to season.

Serve in a bowl topped with a tsp of light soured cream and the Cajun prawns.

Enjoy!

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This recipe works perfectly as an evening meal hot or, if left to cool and refrigerated, as a weekday lunch. It was also be the perfect addition to any BBQ or buffet table.

If you aren’t a fan of mackerel you could make this recipe using chicken.  Cook the chicken any way you prefer or if using the method below, season with salt and pepper and then pop under the grill for 5-7 minutes, flip and grill for 5-7 minutes on the other side until cooked through. You can then either chop the chicken into pieces or shred. Whichever you fancy!

You can get gochujang in most large supermarkets these days. I usually get mine in Sainsbury’s (who also sell it in their convenience stores) or from Amazon. It’s cheaper in store (a large pot is only £2.50 and lasts ages!)

Korean Mackerel and Potato Salad

Serves 2 = 5sp per serving (Flex)

Ingredients

400g new potatoes, halved

½ tsp gochujang chilli paste

2 tbsp lighter than light mayo

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 small garlic clove, peeled and grated

2 mackerel fillets, skin on, raw

Sprinkle of crushed chillies

Handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered

¼ cucumber, peeled into strips

2 spring onions, sliced into small rounds

Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Small bag of salad leaves, roughly torn

Drizzle of Sriracha (if you like spice!)

Method

Pop the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and add 1 tsp table salt. Boil for 15-18 minutes (or until soft – check by poking with a knife).

Meanwhile, pop the grill on to a medium high heat. Take a small baking tray, cover with tin foil and lay the mackerel fillets on the foil, skin side down. Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Spray with 1kal and then pop under the grill for 5-6 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Remove from the grill and pop to one side.

Whilst the potatoes and fish are cooking, make your dressing. In a large bowl mix the gochujang chilli paste, mayo, white wine vinegar and garlic. Mix and pop to one side.

Prepare all of the other vegetables.

Once the fish has cooled a little, flake the flesh away from the skin being careful to remove any bones.

Drain the potatoes and add to the dressing. Toss the potatoes in the dressing and then add the tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, coriander, salad leaves and mackerel. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss in so everything is coated well in the dressing. Drizzle over a little sriracha if you like it spicy.

Pop into two bowls and enjoy!

The post Korean Mackerel and Potato Salad – 5sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

This recipe is one I have been thinking about making for a while. Having picked up two large mackerel fillets for just 80p recently, I though the time was about right to get making this one.

If you don’t have a pestle and mortar you can leave the coriander and mustard seeds whole, or if you don’t have these, simply omit.

Mackerel Kedgeree – 6sp

Serves 2 = 6sp per serving (Flex)

Ingredients

1 tsp each coriander and mustard seeds

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

100g long grain rice, dry

250g mackerel fillets, skin on, raw

1 vegetable stock cube

½ tsp salt and hot chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric

2 tbsp curry powder

60g frozen garden peas

1 tsp lurpack lighter

1 lemon

Small bunch of coriander, stalks removed and leaves roughly chopped

Crushed chillies (to taste)

Method

To begin, place the mackerel, skin side down, into a wide sauce pan with 500ml of boiling water. Simmer for 5 minutes until cooked through. Remove the mackerel from the pan and pop onto a plate (don’t drain the water, you will use this as the base for your stock!)

Next take a large frying pan or wok. Add the coriander and mustard seeds and fry for a minute or two until you can smell their aroma. Remove from the pan, pop into a pestle and mortar and grind into a powder.

In the same frying pan, spray with 1kal and then add the onion and fry for 6-8 minutes until the onion starts to soften (add a little water if the pan gets too dry). Add the garlic, fry for another minute and then add the chilli powder, salt, turmeric and curry powder to the pan. Add the rice, stir fry for a minute and then add the water that you cooked the fish in. Add the stock cube, crumbled.

Bring to a simmer, stir and then cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 15 minutes.

Whilst the rice is simmering you can soft boil your eggs (boil for 6-7 minutes so the whites set and yolks are still a little runny). Remove from the heat and rinse under cold water. Peel, quarter and set aside.

After the rice has been cooking for 15 minutes add the peas to the pan, replace the lid and cook for another 5 minutes (or until the rice is cooked to your liking).

Flake the mackerel on a plate, removing the skin and any small bones and pop the flesh to one side.

Once the rice is cooked, add the mackerel, butter and coriander leaves to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir to combine and pop the lid on to rest for a minute or two. Finally add the juice of ½ a lemon, stir and split between two bowls.  Top with 1 egg per person and serve with a ¼ slice of lemon each. Finish with a sprinkle of crushed chillies if you fancy.

Enjoy!

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This recipe is the perfect January recipe to get you kick started for the new year. It has the lovely comforting warmness that any winter dish needs, but the crab, chorizo and chilli combo bring a lovely fresh and vibrant flavour to the dish. Using orzo instead of risotto brings the cooking time right down so it can be made much more quickly if you are in a rush. If you can’t get a hold of fresh crab meat, tinned crab meat will work just as well. Most supermarkets have samphire these days and for such an easy ingredient to cook, it brings a lovely fresh crunch to the dish. If you can’t get a hold of any samphire I would add a handle of frozen garden peas to the dish ten minutes before it’s finished so that it keeps a nice green burst.

Crab, Chorizo and Chilli Orzo with Samphire

Serves 2 = 11sp each

Ingredients

1 x white onion, peeled and finely diced

2 x garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

1 x red chilli, finely chopped (and deseeded if you don’t like it too hot)

40g chorizo, peeled and sliced into half moons

1 tbsp tomato puree

125ml white wine

120g orzo, dried

½ litre vegetable stock (made with 1 vegetable stock cube)

125g cooked white crab meat

Large handful of parsley, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Small pack of samphire

1 tsp lurpack lightest

Method

1. Take a large saucepan and pop onto a medium heat. Spray with 1kal and add the onions. Fry for 4-5 minutes until the onions start to soften (add a little water if the pan gets dry).

2. Add the garlic, chilli and chorizo and fry for another minute until the oil from the chorizo starts to release. Then add the tomato puree, fry for another minute and then add the wine.

3. Simmer the wine for a few minutes until the wine reduces and then add the orzo, stirring in.

4. Add half the stock so that it covers the orzo turning down to simmer.

5. Keep adding the stock until the orzo is cooked (it usually takes 12-15 minutes). Once the orzo is cooked and the stock is absorbed, add the crab meat and season to taste. Toss the crab meat through the orzo until it is warm.

6. Add the parsley and juice of 1 lemon and then take off the heat. Leave to rest for a minute while you cook the samphire.

7. Boil the samphire in another pan for 2-3 minutes. Drain and pop back into the same pan with the butter. Let the butter melt with the heat of the pan and toss through the samphire.

8. Serve the orzo in a bowl topped with the samphire.

9. Enjoy!

The post Crab, Chorizo and Chilli Orzo with Samphire – 11sp 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.