Ingredients

Serves 4 = 6sp per portion (Flex)

300g lean lamb steak, cubed into 2cm pieces

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 peppers, deseeded and sliced

1 tbsp ras-el-hanout (or Shwartz Moroccan Spice Mix)

2 tsp ground coriander

Sprinkle of crushed chillies

1 butternut squash, peeled and diced

100g soft dried apricots, halved

400g can chopped tomatoes

240g chickepeas, drained

500ml lamb (or beef) stock (made with 1 stock cube)

Zest  of 1 lemon

Small bunch coriander, chopped

To serve (add the extra points as required)

Couscous

Natural yogurt with a swirl of harissa

Method

Pre heat the oven to 180C.

Heat 1kal in a flameproof casserole dish, add the lamb, season and brown on all sides. Scoop the lamb out the pan and pop to one side. Then in the same pan, spray again with 1kal add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened (add a small splash of water to stock the onions sticking). Then add the garlic, pepper and spices and cook for a few more minutes, adding a splash of water to stop the spices catching and burning.

Add the lamb as well as the squash, apricots and chickpeas to the casserole, pour over the tomatoes and stock, season well and bring to the boil.

Pop the lid on and transfer to the casserole dish to the oven. After 1 hour, stir the tagine and return to the oven, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes.

Sprinkle over the lemon zest and coriander.

Serve with couscous (I used a pack of Ainsley Harriot and added a little lemon juice) and top with a swirl of yogurt and harissa. Finish with a few sprigs of coriander.

Enjoy!

The post Lamb, Butternut Squash and Apricot Tagine – 6sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

My friend made a gorgeous curry for me one night while I was at uni (feels like a lifetime ago now!!) and when I later asked for the recipe,she couldn’t find it! The only thing she could remember were the spices that were in it. It was so nice that I fiddled about for a while and came up with my own version of the recipe and it was even better!!

The OH loves it as its both spicy and saucy and I love it even more because it’s so low in points. You can use either raw chicken breast breasts or do what I did last night and roast a chicken and use the cooked breast meat (I then keep the remaining chicken for using in salads and lunches through the week). If you are using leftovers just add the chicken to the sauce when you put the rice on to cook.

I’ve also made this curry a few times with lamb (remember to adjust the points) and I leave it to simmer on low for a couple of hours, pop some chopped spinach in 5 minutes before serving and its also GORGEOUS!

I serve the curry with 60g of rice per person and add a little chicken stock water and my new discovery, ¼ tsp Schwartz Pilau Seasoning whilst the rice is cooking (0pp) for extra flavour!! This makes the meal 9sp in total.

Ingredients
Serves 4 = 3sp each
(if making for two I would half the amount of meat to 200g but make the sauce for 4 so you get the lovely flavours of all the spices. This would make the curry 4sp in total).

400g chicken breast, raw and cubed (or 230g cooked breast meat)
2 onions, one finely chopped and one sliced
4cm ginger, sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 red chillis, chopped (and deseeded if you don’t like things too spicy)
½ tsp turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder
2 ½ tsp curry powder
125ml water
4 tsp plain flour
400-500ml chicken or vegetable stock (made with 1 stock cube)
2 peppers, deseeded and sliced
Box of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Large handful of spinach, finely chopped (optional)
Fresh coriander, finely chopped (optional)
100ml low fat natural yoghurt

Serving Suggestions – be sure to add the points

240g rice (made with a little chicken stock and pilau seasoning)

Method
Fry your diced onions in 1kal and a little water for around 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for another minute and then continue to cook mixture until onions are nice and soft (but not brown). Add the turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, chilli powder and curry powder, sprinkle with water and cook for another five minutes. Add half the flour and cooking for another minute. Pop the mixture and water into a blender and blitz until smooth.

In the same frying pan, season and fry your chicken until cooked through and then remove from the pan. Then fry the sliced onions for five minutes and then add the peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes and cook for another few minutes. Add the rest of the flour, fry for a minute and then pour the sauce mixture back into pan over the veg and simmer for five minutes. Then add half the stock and continue to simmer adding the stock as and when needed (I used all of it) for around 10 minutes. The mixture should thicken up as it summers so use the stock to achieve the consistency of sauce you prefer.

At this point pop your rice on. I added a little of the chicken stock and my new discovery, Shwartz Pilau seasoning, into the rice water for a bit of extra flavour. Once the rice is bubbling again, tip your cooked chicken into the curry sauce and stir in. Five minutes before your rice is cooked throw the spinach, fresh coriander and yoghurt into the sauce and simmer for a final few minutes.
Serve the rice, topped with the curry sauce and finish with a dollop of natural yoghurt and a fresh coriander.

Enjoy!

The post Gorgeous Chinese Chicken Curry – Only 3sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Makes 8 burgers = 4sp each

400g lean lamb mince (16% fat)

1 red onion, very finely diced

2 tsp harissa paste

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

200g half fat feta cheese

Serving Suggestions – be sure to add the extra points

Warburton’s thins (3sp each)

Bag of salad (I used rock, spinach and watercress) dressed with balsamic vinegar

Butternut Squash or Sweet Potato Wedges (I usually do a mixture and season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika before cooking for around 45 minutes in the oven)

Harissa yoghurt (just pop some fat free yoghurt in a bowl, add a half tsp of harissa, stir and its ready!)

Method

Pop your mince and chopped onion in a large bowl and combine well making sure the onions are evenly distributed through the mince. Add your salt, pepper, harissa and small squeeze of lemon and then get your hands back in there and give a good mix.

Divide the mixture evenly into 8 patties, pop them onto an oven tray lined with tin foil and pop in the fridge while you prepare everything else. This will give the harissa a chance to really absorb into the mince (I only put them in the fridge for around 10 minutes).

Prepare your wedges if you are having them and pop in the oven on 180c for 30 minutes. Then take your burgers out the fridge, spray with 1kal and pop in the oven for 20 minutes with the wedges. Once cooked begin to assemble your burger.

Toast your thin for a minute or so if you fancy and then pop one half of your thin on the bottom and top with some dressed salad leaves. Then pop on the burger and top with 25g of feta. Add a little more salad and a splash of harissa yoghurt if you are having it and then add the top of your thin. Pop a cocktail stick through to serve to keep it all together. Serve with your wedges and a good handful of dressed salad. Pop some yoghurt on the side for dipping.

Enjoy!

The post Harissa Lamb Burgers with Feta – just 4sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.