When we moved back to Newcastle, I had a rather large Sugo shaped hole in my heart and so I decided it was about time I tried to come up with my own version of the dish. The result below is the closest I could get to it tasting as good as the masters in Manchester. It’s a little higher in points for a pasta dish, but I promise you, its worth every single one of them. The recipe makes a huge batch of pasta sauce and so you can freeze plenty for another day. It’s a great dish to make family or friends as it feels so luxurious but it really doesn’t take much effort at all.

The pasta shape used in Sugo for this is usually Orecchiette and so when I can get my hands on it (usually in the Aldi special buys aisle) I always stock up. It’s the perfect shape to neatly cup the sauce and meat and is a lovely texture too. If you can find orecchiette, feel free to use the pasta of your choice.

You can get nduja in most supermarkets these days but if you are struggling have a look in your local Italian deli. This lovely spicy spreadable pork sausage takes this dish to a whole new level!

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 8 = 9 points per serving for the sauce – add extra points for your serving of pasta – I usually serve 60g dried per person for a total of 15 points.

Per serving = 246 cals, Fat 4.6g, Carbs 11.5g, Protein 14.1g 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g beef shin, raw
• 400g pork shoulder, raw
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
• 2 sticks of celery, finely diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 50g njuda sausage (you can get this in most deli style shops now)
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 250ml red wine
• 500ml beef stock (made of 1 stock cube)
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes (Mutti are the best but any will do)
• 2 bay leaves
• Spring of fresh thyme and rosemary
• 1 tsp oregano
• 50g parmesan, grated

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150c (fan assisted).

Season the beef and pork with salt and pepper then take a large sauce pan, spray with 1kal and on a medium/high heat add the beef shin to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan, pop to one side and then do the same with the pork shoulder. Remove from the pan.

Spray the same pan with 1kal again and add the carrot, onion and celery. Fry on a medium heat until everything begins to soften (6-8 minutes). Add the garlic and anchovies and fry for another minute.

Add the nduja to the pan, fry for a minute or two until the oils start releasing and it starts to breakup and then add the tomato puree. Stir, fry for a minute and then add the red wine to the pan. Reduce the wine for a few minutes and then add the beef stock, tomatoes, bay, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Add the beef and pork back to the pan (chop into a few large chunks if you are struggling to get the meat to fit), make sure the sauce covers the meat and season well. Bring to the boil and then take off the heat, add the lid and then pop in the oven for 3-3.5 hours.

Once the cooking time is up the meat should be falling apart. You can either shred the meat in the sauce or take it out the pan and shred it on a plate. Either way, once shredded, put the pan back on the heat (with the meat and sauce) and reduce the sauce if it is still too thin until it thickens up. Adding the meat will help with this anyway.

Finally add the parmesan, stir and then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with pasta of your choice.

Enjoy!

Print

House Sugo at Home

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 8 = 9pp per serving for the sauce – add extra points for your serving of pasta – I usually serve 60g dried per person for a total of 15 points.

Per serving = 246 cals, 4.6g fat, 11.5g carbs, 14.1g protein

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 400 g beef shin raw
• 400 g pork shoulder raw
• 2 carrots peeled and finely diced
• 1 onion peeled and finely diced
• 2 sticks of celery finely diced
• 6 cloves of garlic peeled and finely minced
• 2 anchovy fillets finely chopped
• 50 g njuda sausage you can get this in most deli style shops now
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 250 ml red wine
• 500 ml beef stock made of 1 stock cube
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes Mutti are the best but any will do
• 2 bay leaves
• Spring of fresh thyme and rosemary
• 1 tsp oregano
• 50 g parmesan grated

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 150c (fan assisted).
• Season the beef and pork with salt and pepper then take a large sauce pan, spray with 1kal and on a medium/high heat add the beef shin to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan, pop to one side and then do the same with the pork shoulder. Remove from the pan.
• Spray the same pan with 1kal again and add the carrot, onion and celery. Fry on a medium heat until everything begins to soften (6-8 minutes). Add the garlic and anchovies and fry for another minute.
• Add the nduja to the pan, fry for a minute or two until the oils start releasing and it starts to breakup and then add the tomato puree. Stir, fry for a minute and then add the red wine to the pan. Reduce the wine for a few minutes and then add the beef stock, tomatoes, bay, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Add the beef and pork back to the pan (chop into a few large chunks if you are struggling to get the meat to fit), make sure the sauce covers the meat and season well. Bring to the boil and then take off the heat, add the lid and then pop in the oven for 3-3.5 hours.
• Once the cooking time is up the meat should be falling apart. You can either shred the meat in the sauce or take it out the pan and shred it on a plate. Either way, once shredded, put the pan back on the heat (with the meat and sauce) and reduce the sauce if it is still too thin until it thickens up. Adding the meat will help with this anyway.
• Finally add the parmesan, stir and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with pasta of your choice.
• Enjoy!

The post House Sugo at Home first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

The hubbie and I do love a quick and easy spaghetti bolognese and we are always looking at ways to change it up and make it more exciting. That’s why, after trying and loving my new spice paste, I thought it might be a nice addition to this dish and I have to say, not only is it a nice addition, I’m not sure we will make a bolognese without it again! The addition of a few new ingredients really does take the bolognese to a whole new level and funnily enough, after it has simmered, it doesn’t actually taste too strongly of the paste. Instead the result is the most delicious meaty/beefy and yet tangy dish which tastes so incredibly indulgent, all for a bargain of 4 points per potion.

I’ve made this a few times and served it with either 60g of normal spaghetti or butternut squash noodles or even 60g of whole grain rice (remember to add the points for the rice or pasta). All have been delicious. I urge you to give this one a go very soon!!

You can buy Korean chilli paste from most supermarkets or you can buy it online (on Amazon). It has the most amazing flavour;  a little savoury, a little sweet but nice and spicy.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 6 – per serving = 4 points or 383 cals, 5.9g fat, 56.7g carbs, 28.4g protein

Ingredients

500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

500g lean beef mince (5% fat)

2 onions, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 peppers, deseeded and finely diced

1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional – leave out if you don’t like it too spicy)

3 tbsp gochujang chilli paste

1 tbsp tomato puree

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 beef stock cube made up with 500ml boiling water

1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

150g spinach, roughly chopped

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and black pepper

To serve (add the extra points/calories)

60g dried spaghetti per person

Method

1. Brown the mushrooms in a large pan in a single layer (no oil needed). Don’t season or shake the pan as this will release water from the mushrooms and they will go gooey. If you leave the mushrooms untouched, they brown and take on a lovely nutty flavour. Do this in batches, then remove from the pan and pop to one side.
2. Spray the same pan with low-calorie cooking spray and then add the mince and onion, season, and brown for 7–8 minutes until the mince is cooked through. Add the garlic, peppers and chilli and fry for another few minutes before adding the chilli paste and tomato purée.
3. Stir, simmer for a minute, and then add the soy and beef stock with the mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. While the sauce is reducing, pop the pasta on and cook according to the packet instructions.
5. Once the sauce has reduced and the mixture is not as wet, add the Parmesan and spinach, stir, and simmer until the spinach has wilted. Season to taste.
6. Serve the sauce with the pasta and sprinkle with a final flourish of Parmesan.

The post Korean Spaghetti Bolognese first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Remember to adjust the level of chilli to your taste here. We like things hot so we added fresh chilli at the end but without the fresh chilli it has a lovely underlying warm heat.

This curry is a real treat and for only 2 sp per portion, people will never believe this is a diet friendly meal. I served this with 60g basmati rice (6sp) and a large dollop of fat free yoghurt (0sp) so the meal was a grand total of 8sp. An absolute bargain points wise. Careful to add the points for your chosen amount of rice!

If you are in a rush you don’t necessarily need to remove the beef and then the veg from the pan as you go. If you have time though it really is worth it as the beef ends up melting in the mouth!

Fiery Beef Madras

Sauce Serves 4 = 2sp per portion (Flex)

Ingredients

For the curry paste 

½ tsp each cumin and coriander seeds

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tsp each garam masala and curry powder

1 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric

Juice of ¼ lemon

For the curry

400g Lean stewing beef, diced

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 peppers, deseeded and finely sliced

1 pack of mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 beef stock cube

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tsp garam masala

1 fresh red or green chilli, finely chopped (optional if you like it fiery hot!)

Handful of fresh coriander

4 x tablespoons of low fat Greek yoghurt (to serve)

Method

Heat a large saucepan to a medium heat and pop in the cumin and coriander for around 30 seconds until they start to toast and pop and you can smell the lovely aromas. Remove from the pan and pop in a pestle and mortar and grind to a fine powder. Add the garlic and ginger and mash to a pulp and then add the rest of the paste ingredients with one tbsp. water and combine into a paste. Pop to one side.

Spray the same large saucepan with 1kal and then add the beef, seasoning to taste, and fry for a few minutes until the outside is sealed. Remove the beef from the pan and pop into a bowl to one side. Add the onions and fry for a few minutes and then add the peppers and mushrooms. Fry for a few minutes until the pepper starts to soften. Remove the veg from the pan into another bowl.

Spray the pan with 1kal again and add the curry paste to the pan with enough water to loosen it a little. Fry for a minute or two and then add the beef back to the pan, coating well in the paste. Add the veg back to the pan with the tomato puree and fry for another minutes and then add the stock cube and tin of tomatoes. Fill the empty tin with boiling water and add to the pan and stir to combine everything.

Turn the heat down to low and then cover and simmer for 1 hour (if you would like to cook the curry for less time, turn the heat up a little).  Take the cover off for the last 15 minutes to thicken the sauce. If the sauce won’t thicken, mix 1 tsp corn flour into a little cold water making a paste and pop into the curry. This will thicken it nicely.

Finish by stirring through a further tsp of garam masala, fresh chilli and fresh coriander. Season to taste. Remove from the heat and serve with some fluffy white rice and a dollop of fat free natural yoghurt, topped with a little fresh coriander.

Enjoy!

The post Fiery Beef Madras – 2sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Serves 2 = 12sp each (or serves 4 = 6sp each)

400g Beef, diced (I used stewing steak)

1 large onion, finely chopped

Pack of button mushrooms, halved

1 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 tsp french mustard

1 tbsp paprika

Salt and pepper

125ml red wine

125ml beef stock (made with 1/2 beef stock cube)

50ml water

1 tbsp half fat sour cream

400g new potatoes, halved

Pack of Green Beans, trimmed

Method

Pre heat the oven to 150c. Season your beef, spray a frying pan with one kal and add beef. Cook until just browned on both sides. Remove beef from pan and pop in casserole dish.

In frying pan add onion and mushrooms and sautee in one kal until lightly browned. Stir flour into onion mixture and once combined add tomato puree, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper, wine, stock and boiling water and bring to boil. Pour over meat in casserole dish and give a good stir.

Cover and pop in the over for between and hour and a half and an hour and forty five minutes. Stir half way through to make sure nothing sticks.

While your casserole is cooking, par boil your unpeeled new potatoes for around 8 minutes then pop in a roasting tray, spray with one kal and season with salt and pepper. Throw in a few unpeeled, crushed garlic cloves and pop in the oven with your casserole for 1 hour.

Ten minutes before everything is cooked, pop your trimmed green beans on to boil.

Once casserole is cooked, stir through your sour cream and serve all together on a nice big plate!

Enjoy!

The post Paprika Beef Casserole – 12sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Serves 4 = 6sp each (previously 10pp) each including taco shells

1 x red onion, finely chopped

1 x carrot, peeled and diced

2 x peppers, deseeded and diced

4 x garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

400g extra lean beef mince

2 x tsp fajita seasoning (I used Discovery)

1 x tsp cumin and smoked paprika

½ tsp chilli powder (or less if you don’t like it too spicy)

Salt and Pepper

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 x stock cube (which ever you fancy, I used vegetable)

200ml passata

Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Box of 8 Taco Shells – 2 per person

Serving Suggestions – Remember to add the extra propoints

Salsa/Guacamole/Sour Cream

Sliced Red Onion/jalapeños

Lime

Fresh Coriander

Spicy Refried Beans (2sp for half a small tin, although they looked vile, they actually taste quite nice)

Uncle Ben’s Spicy Mexican Rice (5sp for half a packet)

Method

Pop the onion in a large frying pan and begin to fry in low cal cooking spray for a few minutes. Add the peppers and carrot and fry for another few minutes. Add the garlic and fry for another minute more.

Add the mince and begin to brown. After a few minutes add all of the spices, reserving 1 tsp fajita seasoning. Once the mince is browned add the tomato puree with a little splash of water and cook until the tomato puree is nicely combined into the mince. Next crumble your stock cube into around 200ml boiling water. Once dissolved, pour 100ml of the vegetable stock into the pan along with 200ml of the passata. Add the remaining fajita seasoning and season well. Add this point you could add some kidney beans or butter beans but remember to add the points! Simmer on high for 10-15 minutes so that the sauce starts to reduce nicely. I add the remaining 100ml of stock as I’m going to make sure there is enough sauce for four, but so that it’s not too watery.

Just before the sauce is ready, throw in the coriander, reserving a little for serving, give a good stir.

Pop the taco shells in the oven for 3-4 minutes to warm through.

Assemble all your ingredients on a nice big table and dig in!

Enjoy!

The post Mince Beef Taco’s – 6sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Serving Suggestions

I serve with 0 point salsa, a dollop of guacamole, a tbsp of half fat sour cream and a very small portion of rice (40g) and that was enough for me. My hubbie had it with both rice and a wrap and made himself what can only be described as’ the nicest burrito he has ever tasted’. You could also have it with taco shells  and a nice green salad. Just be sure to adjust the points/calories depending on what you add.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 8 – per serving

without accompaniments = 8 points or 238 cals, 6.7g fat, 15.4g carbs, 26.8g protein

with accompaniments = 10 points or 315 cals, 13.4g fat, 18.7g carbs, 27.9g protein

Ingredients

2 onions, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 red chillies, finely chopped

2 red/yellow peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped

30g fresh coriander, stalks removed and separated, everything chopped

2 tsp each smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander and chilli powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp each cayenne pepper and chilli flakes

2 fresh bay leaves

2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato puree

1 beef stock cube, crumbled

800g beef brisket, raw

400g tin of cannellini or kidney beans in water

2 limes, quartered

Low calorie cooking spray

Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan).
2. Spray a large ovenproof pan with low-calorie cooking spray. Add the onion, garlic, chilli, peppers and coriander stalks and fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Add all the spices and the bay leaves and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly and adding a splash or two of water to stop it sticking, if needed.
4. Next, add the tomatoes and two tins’ worth of water, the tomato purée and crumbled stock cube and bring to the boil.
5. Add the meat to the pan, cover with the liquid and then a lid (or foil if you don’t have a lid), and then transfer to the oven to cook for 4 hours, stirring halfway and adding a good splash of water to loosen, if needed.
6. Thirty minutes before the end of cooking, remove the pan from the oven. Take two forks and shred the meat apart in the pan.
7. Drain the cannellini beans and stir through the chilli, adding a little more water if the chilli looks a bit dry, and pop back into the oven for the final half hour.
8. To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients with some seasoning in a large bowl and voilà!
9. To make the guacamole, tip all the ingredients into a large bowl, add some seasoning and use a fork to roughly mash everything together. If not serving straight away, sit the avocado stones in the guacamole (this helps to stop it going brown), cover with cling film and chill until needed.
10. Remove the chilli from the oven, season if needed, and then stir through the coriander leaves. Serve with a slice of lime and the salsa and guacamole, if making.

For the salsa – makes 8 portions (0 points per serving)

1 pepper, deseeded finely diced

3 spring onions, finely chopped

400g tomatoes, mashed

1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

30g fresh coriander leaves, chopped

2 tsp white wine vinegar

Juice of half a lime

For the guacamole – makes 8 portions ( 2 points per serving)

1 large ripe tomato, chopped to a pulp

2 ripe avocados (300g flesh)

Juice 1 large lime

15g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks chopped, plus a few leaves, roughly chopped, to serve

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1 chilli, red or green, deseeded and finely chopped

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