As soon as I tasted it, I knew that I had been missing out! After this little revelation, I set out to use it in more dishes where I could, and in place of meat if possible, and that’s where this dish was born. You can serve this stew on its own or, if you want to bulk it out further, I also like to serve it with ready-made couscous, which just needs boiling water added to it. Remember to add the extra calories if you add to the dish.

Tip – If you’d like to make this recipe veggie, replace the normal feta with vegetarian feta cheese.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 4 points or 147 cals, 7.4g fat, 14.6g carbs, 6.0g protein

INGREDIENTS

2 large aubergines (around 400g), cut into large chunks

1 red onion, peeled and sliced

2 peppers, deseeded and sliced

1 courgette, diced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp each of tomato puree and red wine vinegar

2 tbsp harissa paste

½ tbsp honey

1 vegetable stock cube made up with 400ml water

60g feta, crumbled (if vegetarian, use vegetarian feta)

10g each fresh mint and fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 lemon

Low calorie cooking spray

METHOD

1. Take a large saucepan, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and fry the aubergine in batches for 2–3 minutes per batch until it is nicely browned on all sides. Remove the aubergine from the pan and pop to one side on a plate.
2. Next, add the onion, peppers, courgette and cumin to the pan and spray with the low-calorie cooking spray. Fry for 3–4 minutes until the onion is soft and then add the aubergine back into the pan.
3. In a jug, mix together the tomato purée, red wine vinegar, harissa paste, honey and vegetable stock. Stir until well combined and then pour into the pan over the veggies.
4. Add a lid and simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and then simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes (this will reduce the stock down further so the dish is not watery). The lovely flavoured stock should start absorbing nicely into the veggies.
5. Remove from the heat and add half the feta, mint and parsley. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and stir.
6. To serve, dish up and then finish with a sprinkle of the reserved feta, mint, parsley and lemon juice

The post Moroccan Aubergine Stew first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 6 – per serving = 6 points or 534 cals, 22.9g fat, 30.2g carbs, 47.5g protein

Ingredients

800g extra lean diced beef steak

1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

80g chorizo, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tsp each of paprika and dried oregano

125ml red wine

2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

1 beef stock cube made up with 500ml boiling water

2 bay leaves

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and pepper

For the potato top

600g Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cubed

50ml skimmed milk

1 tbsp light butter

½ beef stock cube, crumbled

80g gruyere cheese, finely grated

Method

1. Take a large ovenproof pan with a lid. Spray with low-calorie cooking spray, add the beef (you may need to do this in batches), season with salt and pepper and fry until sealed. Remove the beef from the pan.
2. Spray the same pan again with low-calorie cooking spray, add the onion and chorizo and fry for 5–6 minutes until the onion starts to soften and the chorizo oils release. Add a little water to the pan if it starts to get dry.
3. Add the peppers, mushrooms, garlic and chilli flakes and fry for another minute. Add the paprika and oregano, fry for a minute, then pour in the red wine. Simmer for a few minutes until the wine starts to reduce and then add the tomatoes, stock and bay leaves.
4. Add the beef back to the pan, season, stir and bring to the boil, then pop on a lid and reduce to a simmer. At this point, you can either simmer the stew on the hob on low for 2 hours, stirring regularly, or pop in the oven at 180°C for 2 hours. Either way, remove the lid for the last 15 minutes of cooking to thicken the stew up a little.
5. While the stew is simmering, boil the potatoes in lightly salted water for 15 minutes until they are soft. Drain the potatoes and add to a large bowl, then mash (or preferably rice) the potato until smooth.
6. Warm the milk with the butter and add to the potato. Mix until the mash is nice and smooth. Don’t overmix as you don’t want the mash to go gluey. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Once cooked, pour the stew into a large baking dish and let cool (for around half an hour if you have time) – this will stop the mash sinking into the beef. Next, add the mash to the top of the stew (or pipe on if you are feeling fancy).
8. Crumble over the half beef stock cube, sprinkle over the Gruyère and then pop back in the oven (on 180°C fan) for 30 minutes, so the top of the mash goes nice and crispy.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes before you serve.

The post Cheesy Potato Topped Beef and Chorizo Stew first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

The slow cooker is one of my favourite kitchen accessories and something I know a lot of my followers regularly rely on to rustle up gorgeous meals with minimum preparation.

Being able to pop dinner in the slow cooker in the morning helps me to feel uber organised and ready for the day ahead and for me, there is nothing better than being greeted by the delicious smell of dinner bubbling away when I come home from work in an evening.

Building a few staple slow cooker recipes into your weekly meal plan will allow you to plan ahead, reduce the preparation time of any meal and ultimately keep on track. For me, having a slow cooker meal ready in the evening means that I get back that little bit of extra time to take myself off to the gym or go to a class, without having to eat too late in the evening. It also means that I know exactly how many points I will be using for my evening meal early that morning, so I can plan the rest of the day’s food and points easily around it.

Very Lazy

Being an avid fan and user of the Very Lazy Garlic and Ginger products, when the lovely folks there approached me to try out their new range of Slow Cooking Paste Pots, I jumped at the chance. The pots come in four flavours; Chicken and Chorizo Stew, Aromatic Thai Chicken Curry, Harissa Lamb Tagine and Sausage and Lentil Casserole – all very much my kind of vibe! The packaging is great as it lets you know exactly what you need to pop onto your shopping list and provides a simple method to create the meal. Each pot also includes a recipe for a vegetarian alternative and, since the pots are vegan and veggie friendly, they can be tweaked to suit your own dietary requirements.

Best of all, the pots are low in points which means they fit into the WW plan very nicely! I’ve included the Smart Points for each of the pots below (as calculated using the barcode scanner in the WW app). The total number of points for each dish would need to be calculated once each of the extra ingredients has been accounted for when making up the recipe.

Smart Points per Paste Pot:

• Chicken and Chorizo Stew – 2sp
• Aromatic Thai Chicken Curry – 3sp
• Harissa Lamb Tagine – 3sp
• Sausage and Lentil Casserole – 4sp

Chicken and Chorizo Stew

Chicken and chorizo is one of my all time favourite meal combo’s and so I knew I would have to give the stew a whirl first. The result was delicious – creamy, smoky and bursting with flavour. Best of all, it took virtually no preparation to rustle up this delicious dinner.

I’ve included the full recipe that I made for you here, as well as the overall points value for the dish. I’ve tweaked the recipe here and there to make it as WW friendly as possible whilst keeping the same delicious flavour. The main tweaks I’ve made are to replace the chicken thigh with chicken breast (since chicken breast is 0sp), use reduced fat soured cream instead of crème fraiche (even reduced fat crème fraiche is double the points of reduced fat soured cream) and I’ve upped the veg content to bulk out the dish a little more. I’ve also added coriander and a sprinkle of crushed chillies at the end to add freshness and up the flavour without adding extra points. If you want to bulk out the dish further, you could add 400g of raw new potatoes (halved) at the same time as the onions and pepper. This would make the dish 7sp per serving. I served with green beans for some extra 0sp colour and crunch.

The pots are currently available exclusively in Tesco and each pack (priced at £2 per pack) comes with 3 paste pots inside.

Chicken and Chorizo Stew

Serves 4 – 5sp per serving (Flex)

Ingredients

1 x Very Lazy Chicken and Chorizo Paste Pot

400g chicken breast (4 whole breasts)

75g chorizo sausage, skinned and sliced

1 x onion, finely diced

2 x peppers, deseeded and sliced

1 x 400g tin of butter beans, drained

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1/4 tsp sugar

Juice of 1 lime

75g reduced soured cream

Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Sprinkle of crushed chillies

Method

1. Place the chicken, chorizo, onion, pepper, butter beans, tomatoes, sugar and paste into your slow cooker along with 200ml of water and mix together.
2. Place the lid on the cooker, turn to low and cook for 8-10 hours.
3. Remove the lid, add the lime juice and stir.
4. Add the soured cream, season, stir and serve into four bowls (I added one chicken breast to each bowl and topped with the rest of the stew).
5. Top with a sprinkling of fresh coriander and crushed chillies.

Enjoy!

This post has been produced in brand partnership with Very Lazy. Whilst it is a sponsored post, this in no way affects my opinion of the products or the content of my review; all views expressed are my own.

The post Very Lazy Slow Cooker Paste Pots – Chicken and Chorizo Stew – 5sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

At only 4sp per portion, this recipe takes advantage of some of the new fabulous zero SP foods (black beans and kidney beans) as well as a few of the old 0sp favourites (my favourite, butternut squash) to give it a lovely earthy, savoury flavour, with a hit of smoky chorizo to pack it with flavour and interest.

It’s a recipe that can be made in an evening for dinner or equally split between a few Tupperware dishes and kept for packed lunches in the week.

Brazilian Chorizo and Black Bean Stew

Serves 4 = 4sp per serving (flex)

Ingredients

60g chorizo, chopped into thin half moon shapes

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 peppers (I used red and yellow), deseeded and diced

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

1 red chilli, finely chopped

1 tsp each smoked paprika and cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

½ small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and chopped into 1cm cubes (around 400g)

1 chicken stock cube made up with 400ml boiling water

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 x 400g tin of black beans, drained

1 x 400g tin of kidney beans, drained

Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

4tsp lightest soured cream

Method

Take a large frying pan, spray with 1kal and put on a medium heat. Add the chorizo and onion and fry for a few minutes until the oils in the chorizo start to release and the onions start to soften. Add a little water to stop the onions sticking if required.

Next add the pepper, garlic and chilli and fry for another 3-4 minutes then add the smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander and butternut squash cubes. Fry for another minute and then add the chicken stock and chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes (or until the BNS is soft enough to eat but not mushy). Add a little more water if the sauce gets too thick.

Add the drained black beans and kidney beans and simmer for a final 5 minutes.

Serve topped with a handful of fresh coriander and a tsp of sour cream per person.

Enjoy!

The post Brazilian Chorizo and Black Bean Stew – 4sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Hannah Bakers Skinny Kitchen Takeover

Hi my name is Hannah and tonight Laura has asked me to share with you all my tips for staying both fit and healthy. I am a keen Crossfitter so my food has to be full of both good carbs and good protein in order to give me the energy I need in the gym. For anyone who doesn’t know, Crossfit is a mixture of weightlifting, conditioning and gymnastics designed to make you fit, fast and powerful and I love it. If you are looking for a new way to exercise and lose some weight give it a google. There will definitely be a box (Crossfit Gym) close to you and daunting as it may seem they are often extremely supportive and inclusive places to be.

Picture Credit: Hannah Baker

I maintain my weight through tracking my food intake through Myfitness Pal. This ensures that I’m getting the correct amount of carbs, proteins and fats to fuel my training for that day. I train most evenings and therefore preparation is key. Meals like my stew below are great as I know I have something healthy and nutritious to come home to after a hard session in the box.

Batch cooking is also a key way in which I keep myself fuelled with healthy and nutritious food. I prepare all of my food for the week on a Sunday and knowing I have made all my meals ensures that I’m not tempted to grab food on the go (usually not so good for you!)

Picture Credit: Hannah Baker

The recipe I haveincluded below is my new favourite, perfect for making on a lazy Sunday afternoon as it can bubble away whilst I lie on the sofa watching Netflix. It’s great as it can be easily frozen and reheated quickly throughout the week.

It makes four servings in total which I put into Tupperware and eat throughout the week. To re heat simply pop in the microwave for 2 minutes, stir and pop it back in for a further 2 minutes. Whilst you’re doing this boil a kettle and make some couscous (I have 50g dry) and add some fresh salad leaves to a plate. If you fancy, finish with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a little more fresh coriander.

Picture Credit: Hannah Baker

Moroccan Beef Stew

Ingredients

Serves 4 = 4sp /586 calories per person (Flex)

For the spice rub

½ tbsp sea salt

1tbsp ras el hanout (or Shwartz Moroccan spice mix)

1/2 tbsp of ground cumin

1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tsp ground ginger

For the stew

600g stewing beef, diced

1 tbsp plain flour

1 onion, sliced

2 peppers, deseeded and sliced

1 small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1 x 240g tin of chick peas

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

800ml of veg stock (made with 1 stock cube)

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks

To accompany (be sure to add the extra points/calories)

200g cous cous (I used the kind you find in a packet that you simply pour boiling water over and leave)

4 tbsp fat free Greek Yoghurt

Method

Mix all of the spice mix ingredients in a bowl and rub into the meat. Ideally leave to marinade over night to absorb the flavour.

Take a large pan and add ½ tbsp olive oil, heat and then once hot, add the beef and fry for around 5 minutes until the meat is nicely sealed. Add the flour, mix through so it coats the meat and fry for another minute.

Next add the onion, peppers and coriander and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Next add the chickpeas, tinned tomatoes and 400ml of stock and leave to simmer with the lid on for 1 ½ hours. Check occasionally and stir to make sure the meat isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add the remainder of the stock and the butternut squash and cook for a further 1 ½  hours. Once the time is up check the consistency of the stew. If it’s too runny for your liking simmer with the lid off unit some of the liquid has bubbled off.

Serve with cous cous, fresh salad leaves and a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

The post Skinny Kitchen Takeover – Hannah’s Crossfitting, Batch Cooking and Moroccan Beef Stew (4sp) first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

The longer you have to simmer the sauce for, the more the flavour develops but it’s equally as delicious if you just go for the 20 minute simmer.

Ingredients

Serves 2 = 9sp per serving including rice (Flex)

1 white onion, finely sliced
1 pepper, deseeded and chopped into large chunks
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 chilli, finely chopped (optional if you like it hot!!)
1 tbsp Schwartz Jerk Seasoning
2 x 165g skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp runny honey
400g can of chopped tomatoes
1 Chicken stock cube
¼ tsp smoked paprika
1 lime, quartered
120g long grain rice
50g frozen peas
Small bunch coriander chopped
Sour cream to serve (optional)

Method

Fry your white onion and peppers in 1kal and a little water until they start to soften (around 5 minutes) then add garlic chilli and continue to fry another minute. Add chicken breast pieces and jerk seasoning, stir into your veg mix and cook for a few minutes until chicken is sealed (white on the outside). Add your honey, stir and then add the tin of chopped tomatoes. Pop the chicken stock cube in the tomato tin and fill with boiling water. Stir and then add half the tin to your stew. Add the other half of the tin to the pan you are going to cook your rice in. Then to the stew pan add the paprika, the juice of ¼ of the lime (and a little zest if you fancy) and again give a good stir. Season well with salt and black pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes (or until the chicken is cooked through). The stew should thicken nicely. About half way through the chicken simmering, pop your rice on to cook. Then a few minutes before the rice is ready, throw the peas into the same pan and squeeze in a little fresh lime juice.

Once everything is cooked serve your stew with a little slice of lime and a little sour cream if you fancy (remember to add the extra points).

Enjoy!

The post Jerk Chicken Stew with Rice and Peas – 9sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.