I like to serve with a protein bagel thin or some lovely toasted seeded sourdough. Both delish! The nutritional breakdown below is for the Chicken Waldorf itself so if you do add bread or a bagel, remember to add the extra calories or points.

Parsley or tarragon both work nicely in this but I could only get a hold of parsley this week!

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 3 points or 262 cals, 13.2g fat, 24.4g carbs, 20.6g protein

INGREDIENTS

• 200g roasted chicken breast, roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 2 small shallots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 pink apple, finely diced
• 100g grapes, halved or quartered
• 40g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 75g light mayo
• 125g fat free Greek yoghurt
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Handful of fresh tarragon or parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Pop all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
2. Give a good mix until everything is well combined and coated in dressing.
3. Toast the breaded good of your choice (if having)
4. Fill said breaded good (or add mixture atop a bed of lettuce).

Enjoy!

As always, if you like my recipes. Don’t forget my cookbook ‘Slimming Kitchen Secrets’ is available now!

#slimmingkitchensecrets #wwfood #wwrecipe #healthyrecipe #weightlossjourney #caloriecounting #healthyfood #healthyrecipes #chickenrecipes #easyrecipe

The post Chicken Waldorf Salad first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Whilst it’s an ideal veggie dish, it’s also lovely served with some roasted chicken thighs on the side (which I roasted in a lemony, garlicky, herby marinade) or you can add 200g of lean beef mince to the sauce (fry this off first before you start frying the garlic for the sauce) if you want to bulk it out further. Just remember to tweak the points/calories to suit. Best of all, this dish is quick and easy to prepare and requires minimal chopping!

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 5 points or 182 cals, 11.6g protein, 7.8g fat, 28g carbs

INGREDIENTS

2 large aubergines, halved

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp each oregano and garlic powder

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

Pinch of chilli flakes

400g tin of chopped tomatoes (Mutti are my fav)

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp each white sugar and balsamic vinegar

200g reduced fat feta

Handful of fresh basil, shredded

METHOD

1. Pre heat the oven to 180c.
2. Take each aubergine half and using a sharp knife, lightly score a ‘criss cross’ pattern into the surface. Pop face up in a baking tray and brush with olive. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over 1 tsp oregano and garlic powder. Pop into the oven, uncovered for 45 minutes until the aubergine is soft and juicy.
3. Meanwhile take a small pan, spray with 1kal, heat to medium and gently fry the garlic for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, half a can of water, a further teaspoon of oregano, a pinch of chilli flakes as well as the sugar and balsamic vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper and simmer on a medium heat for 20-25 minutes until the sauce is reduced and has started to thicken. Remove from the heat.
4. Once the aubergine is cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven and pour over the reduced tomato sauce. Crumble over the feta and then pop back in the oven for 15 minutes to melt.
5. Remove from the oven and finish with a good sprinkle of fresh basil.

Enjoy!

As always, if you like my recipes. Don’t forget my cookbook ‘Slimming Kitchen Secrets’ is available now!

The post Feta Baked Aubergine first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

As always, if you like my recipes. Don’t forget my cookbook ‘Slimming Kitchen Secrets’ is available now!

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 9 points or 490cals, 21.3g fat, 50.3g carbs, 32.6g protein

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp each paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, salt 

1/2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, chilli flakes and black pepper

500g sweet potato, cubed 

1 tsp olive oil

400g lean beef mince (5%)

240g low fat cottage cheese 

2 medium avocados, halved and sliced 

Handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped 

For the hot honey 

4 tbsp honey

1 tsp chilli flakes 

1 tsp white wine vinegar 

METHOD

1. Mix together the herbs, spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl. 
2. Pop the cubed sweet potato in a large bowl, add 1 tsp olive oil and half the spice mix. Toss and pop in the air fryer. Cook on 180c for 20-25 minutes (until browned and soft).
3. Five minutes before the potato is cooked, pop the mince in a large frying pan, add the other half of the spice mix and spray with 1kal. Fry for 5-7 minutes, until the mince is browned. 
4. While the mince is cooking, add the honey to a small sauce pan and warm over a medium heat. Add the chilli flakes and white wine vinegar. Keep on a very low heat to keep it runny til you are ready to serve. 
5. When ready to serve, take 4 bowls and to each add a 1/4 of the sweet potato, 1/4 of the mince, half an avocado (seasoned with salt and pepper) per bowl, 60g cottage cheese and a sprinkle of coriander.
6. Top each with a drizzle of the hot honey.

Enjoy!

The post Hot Honey Beef Protein Bowl first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

If you like your sauce a little more set, you can top the dish with a ball of light mozzarella (125g) and split the Parmesan in half, adding half to the sauce and half on top at the end before baking in the oven for 15 minutes. I like it both ways but for quickness, the stove top method is the winner for me! The nutritional information below doesn’t include the mozzarella. If you add it, the dish would be another 50 cals or 2 points per serving.

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 

Per serving = 14 points or 538 cals, 14.4g fat, 63g carbs, 40.3g protein 

INGREDIENTS

500g lean beef mince, raw

1 white onion, peeled and finely diced

3 x garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

1 tbsp mixed herbs

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder and chilli flakes (chilli flakes optional)

1 tbsp tomato purée

400g chopped tomatoes

1 x chicken stock cube (made up with 1 litre of boiling water)

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp white sugar and salt

12 lasagne sheets (280g dried), broken into inch sized pieces

50ml light single cream (I use Elmlea)

30g Parmesan

Handful fresh basil

METHOD

1. Bring a large pan to a medium heat, spray with 1kal and add the onion. Fry for 5-6 minutes until it starts to soften, adding a little water if the pan gets dry.
2. Next add the garlic, fry for a minute and then add the mince a nd fry for 5-6 minutes until browned. All the herbs and spices and the tomato purée and fry off for a minute or two then add the chopped tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and salt.
3. Stir and then add the broken lasagne pieces. Stir so they are covered with the sauce and then reduce the heat to a simmer, popping on a lid.
4. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the lasagne sheets are nice and soft. If the sauce starts to dry out a little, add a little splash of water to make sure there is enough liquid to cook the pasta.
5. Once the pasta is cooked, add the cream and the Parmesan.
6. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh basil.

Don’t forget you can find more delicious recipes like this one in my book ‘Slimming Kitchen Secrets’ – get your copy now!

The post Broken Lasagne first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Before you start making the sauce, decide which accompaniment you fancy. I’ve made this with several options but my favourites are roast potatoes, pan fried new potatoes (boil potatoes til soft, smash a little and then crisp up in a frying pan) or rice. I usually serve with green beans (boiled for a few minutes and then finished in a 1sp of light butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper) or asparagus. All make for a lovely dish that feels like a real indulgence. Just remember to add the extra points for whichever accompaniment you prefer (I usually have 6sps worth of potatoes or rice).

SMART POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – 3sp on BLUE and PUPLE, 5sp on GREEN for the chicken in tarragon sauce

Per serving – 330 calories, Fat 5.1g, Carbs 10.4g, Protein 64.8g

INGREDIENTS

4 x chicken breasts (around 200g raw weight per breast)

1 large leek, washed, woody end removed and sliced into thin rounds

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

300g chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 heaped tbsp of plain flour

125ml white wine

2 tsp Dijon mustard

500ml chicken stock (made of 1 chicken stock cube)

4 tbsp light crème fraiche

Few sprigs of fresh tarragon (one left whole and 2 chopped finely)

METHOD

Note – Before you start cooking this one, have a read of the short blurb above so you can choose your accompaniment and pop it on at the right time whilst cooking the sauce.

1. Season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. Take a large saucepan or frying pan, spray with 1kal and on a medium/high heat fry the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned. The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through at this point, you just want some colour on the meat. Remove the chicken from the pan and pop to one side.
2. In the same pan, spray again with 1kal and add the leek. Season with salt and black pepper and fry for 3-4 minutes until the leek starts to soften. Add a little water if the pan starts to get dry.
3. Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Finally add the plain flour, stir through and fry for another minute.
5. Next add the white wine, simmer for a few minutes until reduced by half and then add the chicken stock, the mustard and the whole sprig of tarragon. Add the chicken back to the pan. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer.
6. Simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid is reduced slightly and has started to thicken.
7. Reduce the heat to low/medium and then add the crème fraiche. Stir through until well combined, simmer for another few minutes and then remove from the heat.
8. Finally stir through the fresh tarragon. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if required.
9. Serve with the accompaniment of your choice.
10. Enjoy!

Print

Creamy Tarragon Chicken

WW - 3sp on BLUE and PUPLE, 5sp on GREEN for the chicken in tarragon sauce

Calories per serving – 330 calories, Fat 5.1g, Carbs 10.4g, Protein 64.8g

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 4 x chicken breasts around 200g raw weight per breast
• 1 large leek washed, woody end removed and sliced into thin rounds
• 3 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped
• 300 g chestnut mushrooms cleaned and sliced
• 1 heaped tbsp of plain flour
• 125 ml white wine
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 500 ml chicken stock made of 1 chicken stock cube
• 4 tbsp light crème fraiche
• Few sprigs of fresh tarragon one left whole and 2 chopped finely

Instructions

• Note - Before you start cooking this one, have a read of the short blurb above so you can choose your accompaniment and pop it on at the right time whilst cooking the sauce.
• Season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. Take a large saucepan or frying pan, spray with 1kal and on a medium/high heat fry the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned. The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through at this point, you just want some colour on the meat. Remove the chicken from the pan and pop to one side.
• In the same pan, spray again with 1kal and add the leek. Season with salt and black pepper and fry for 3-4 minutes until the leek starts to soften. Add a little water if the pan starts to get dry.
• Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes.
• Finally add the plain flour, stir through and fry for another minute.
• Next add the white wine, simmer for a few minutes until reduced by half and then add the chicken stock, the mustard and the whole sprig of tarragon. Add the chicken back to the pan. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer.
• Simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid is reduced slightly and has started to thicken.
• Reduce the heat to low/medium and then add the crème fraiche. Stir through until well combined, simmer for another few minutes and then remove from the heat.
• Finally stir through the fresh tarragon. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if required.
• Serve with the accompaniment of your choice.
• Enjoy!

The post Creamy Tarragon Chicken first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Variations

If you want to bulk this one out, you could always fry some finely chopped onion and sliced mushrooms once the bacon is crispy. No extra points but a bigger portion all round.

If you fancy mixing it up entirely you could replace the bacon with chorizo and once the oils have released, throw in some chopped spring onion. Up to 22g of chorizo will mean the dish is the same amount of smart points. Remember to peel the chorizo before you dice and cook so the oils can seep out and flavour everything  nicely.

Making for a small person?

Fancy making it for a baby too? Make the adults sauce base (egg yolk, parmesan and cream cheese) in one bowl and in a separate bowl make a mini version which omits the egg (ideally using full fat cream cheese and parmesan). Make the rest of the recipe as below, just remember not to add salt to anything (I would probably cook the pastas separately too so you can salt the adults pasta water). Once the pasta and peas are cooked, take a little of the bacon mixture from the main pan, pop it in a smaller pan and then separate the pasta and peas into the two different pans adding the relevant sauce. Season the adults with salt and pepper to taste (and crushed chillies if you like a kick like me)!

Smart Points and Nutritional Information

Serves 2 – Per Serving:

• 11sp on BLUE, 15sp on GREEN and 6sp on PURPLE (when made with wholewheat pasta)
• 322 Cals – 14.1g Fat – 27.4g Carbs 25.8g Protein

Ingredients

120g spaghetti, dried

30g garden peas, frozen

4 rashers of back bacon (smoked or unsmoked, fat removed and diced into 1cm chunks)

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

3 egg yolks

40g parmesan, grated

50g lightest cream cheese

Handful of basil/parsley, finely chopped

Method

Pop a large pan of boiling water on a high heat and add 1 tsp of salt.

Take a small bowl and add the egg yolks. Whisk and then add the parmesan and cream cheese.  Season with black pepper and then whisk again until you have a smooth mixture.

Next pop the pasta in the pan to cook and add the peas for the last 2-3 minutes.

Whilst the pasta and peas are cooking, spray a frying pan with 1kal and once hot, add the bacon. Fry the bacon for a few minutes and once it’s starting to crisp up, add the garlic (with a little splash of water if the pan is getting a little dry). Fry for another few minutes until the garlic softens and then reduce the heat to low.

Once the pasta is cooked, lift it out the water with tongs (rather than draining it) and pop it straight into the pan with the bacon. Use a slotted spoon to lift out any remaining peas and pop them into the bacon pan too. You want a little bit of the pasta water to splash in to the bacon pan to help the sauce stick to the pasta. Stir to combine and then switch off the heat. Next, pour the sauce mixture into the spaghetti/bacon pan with everything else and stir together with the pasta quickly so the sauce becomes nice and smooth (if it’s on the heat, the eggs could scramble so make sure its off!!) If the sauce is still a little thick, you can add an extra splash of the pasta water to loosen it up.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish with a sprinkle of basil/parsley and a little extra parmesan if you fancy.

Enjoy!

Print

Spaghetti Carbonara

Nutritional Information

Serves 2 - Per Serving

11sp on BLUE, 15sp on GREEN and 6sp on PURPLE (when made with wholewheat pasta)

Calories - 322

Fat - 14.1g

Carbs - 27.4g

Protein - 25.8g

Course Main Course, Pasta, Starter

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 322kcal

Ingredients

• 120 g spaghetti dried
• 30 g garden peas frozen
• 4 rashers of back bacon smoked or unsmoked, fat removed and diced into 1cm chunks
• 3 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped
• 3 egg yolks
• 40 g parmesan grated
• 50 g lightest cream cheese
• Handful of basil/parsley finely chopped

Instructions

• Pop a large pan of boiling water on a high heat and add 1 tsp of salt.
• Take a small bowl and add the egg yolks. Whisk and then add the parmesan and cream cheese. Season with black pepper and then whisk again until you have a smooth sauce..
• Next pop the pasta in the pan to cook and add the peas for the last 2-3 minutes of the pasta cooking time.
• Whilst the pasta and peas are cooking, spray a frying pan with 1kal and once hot, add the bacon. Fry the bacon for a few minutes and once it’s starting to crisp up, add the garlic (with a little splash of water if the pan is getting a little dry). Fry for another few minutes until the garlic softens and then reduce the heat to low.
• Once the pasta is cooked, lift it out the water with tongs (rather than draining it) and pop it straight into the pan with the bacon. Use a slotted spoon to lift out any remaining peas and pop them into the bacon pan too. You want a little bit of the pasta water to splash in to the bacon pan to help the sauce stick to the pasta. Stir to combine and then switch off the heat.
• Next, pour the sauce mixture into the spaghetti/bacon pan with everything else and stir together with the pasta quickly so the sauce becomes nice and smooth (if it's on the heat, the eggs could scramble so make sure its off!!) If the sauce is still a little thick, you can add an extra splash of the pasta water to loosen it up.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish with a sprinkle of basil/parsley and a little extra parmesan if you fancy.
• Enjoy!

The post Spaghetti Carbonara first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

You can also add chicken breast to the recipe below without adding any extra smartpoints but this changes the method of cooking the skewers. Instead of grilling them, as set out in the method below, pre heat your oven to 180c, spray with 1kal, season and cook on a baking tray for 30-35 minutes (until the chicken is cooked through).

Souvlaki Style Chorizo and Halloumi Kebabs

Serves 2 = 11sp per serving

Ingredients

50g chorizo, sliced into 8 rounds

100g light halloumi sliced into 8 chunks

2 peppers, deseeded and sliced into chunks

1 large red onion (or 2 small), peeled, top and bottom cut off and quartered

Handful of cherry tomatoes (optional)

Juice of 1 lemon

½ tsp each of paprika and oregano

1 tsp honey

Salt and pepper

250g new potatoes (should be around 6 new potatoes, 3 each)

Large lettuce (of your choice) to be used as ‘wraps’ – I’ve used romaine, iceberg and Chinese

Method

Pre heat the oven to 180c.

To begin, place 4 skewers in clean sink with cold water and soak for half an hour (this will prevent the skewers burning when you cook the kebabs).

Next prepare the new potatoes. Take each potato in turn, pop onto a wooden spoon and starting at one side cut across their width at small intervals to create the ‘hassleback’ effect. The spoon will stop you cutting all the way through the potato.  Pop onto a baking tray, spray with 1kal and sprinkle over a pinch of oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Pop into the oven for 40-50 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Whilst the potatoes are cooking you can assemble the kebabs. To each skewer add a piece of pepper, chorizo, red onion, halloumi, tomato (if using) and then repeat. Finish the skewer with a final piece of pepper and red onion.  You can either pop the skewers in the oven for 10-15 minutes (to cook with the potatoes) or pop under a hot grill for 10 minutes (turning regularly) until the halloumi starts to turn a lovely golden colour.

Mix the juice of 1 lemon with ½ tsp paprika and ½ tsp oregano, along with 1 tsp honey and salt and pepper.

Add two washed large lettuce leaves to each plate. Remove the skewers from the oven and pop onto your plates on top of the lettuce leaves (you should have two skewers per person). Drizzle over the honey lemon dressing.

Finally pop the potatoes onto the plate.

Enjoy!

The post Souvlaki Style Chorizo and Halloumi Kebabs – 11sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

The result was delicious, my hubbie said this was his favourite new dish I’ve created in a while as not only is it lovely and filling but it has the most delicious deep and warm flavour. If you don’t like things too spicy, you can always use a normal chilli instead of a scotch bonnet in the marinade.

The ingredients list might look lengthy here but most of it will be store cupboard essentials. It’s actually very quick to put together, even quicker if you marinade the chicken the night before.

Make the salsa is optional so feel free to leave it out if you are pushed for time but it really is a delicious addition to this dish, lifting the flavour and bringing an extra freshness to a warming and filling dish.

POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 4 – per serving = 7 points or 473 cals, 4.3g fat, 57.2g carbs, 54.2g protein

Ingredients

For the marinade

2 spring onions, roughly chopped

1 scotch bonnet (or if you don’t like it too hot a normal red chilli), roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 tbsp ground all spice

1 tsp each dried thyme, ground cinnamon and nutmeg

¼ tsp each cayenne pepper and white pepper

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

Juice of 1 lime

For the stew 

800g (4 x 200g) chicken breast, raw

1 tsp olive oil

6 spring onions, finely sliced

1 large white onion, peeled and finely sliced

2 peppers, deseeded and finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp tomato puree

Dash of Tabasco

2 bay leaves

1 chicken stock cube made with 500ml boiling water

½ tbsp honey

2 tsp cornflour

Juice of 1/2 lime

For the rice

200g long-grain rice

80g frozen peas

Method

1. For the marinade, pop all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until well combined.
2. Pop the whole chicken breasts into a large bowl, pour over the marinade, coat the chicken well, and then leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight if you are prepared enough).
3. Once marinated, take a large frying pan, add the olive oil and bring the pan to a high heat (if you are cooking in two batches, add half the oil with the first batch of chicken and half with the second).
4. Remove the chicken from the bowl with some tongs, reserving the rest of the marinade in the bowl, and then add the chicken to the pan. Brown on one side for 5 minutes and then turn over and brown for 5 minutes on the other side. You want to let the chicken char nicely as this gives the stew the lovely brown colour. You might need to do this in batches as it’s likely that all of the chicken won’t fit into the pan in one layer at once and if you overload the pan, the chicken won’t brown. Spray with low-calorie cooking spray as you fry the chicken to keep the pan lubricated.
5. Once the first batch is browned, remove from the pan and pop to one side on a plate and then repeat with the second batch until all the chicken is sealed (it doesn’t need to be cooked through at this point).
6. Next add the spring onion, onion, peppers and garlic to the now empty frying pan, season with salt and pepper, and then fry for 6–7 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Add the tomato purée, Tabasco and bay leaves, fry for another minute, and then add the chicken stock and honey.
7. Mix the cornflour with a few drops of cold water to make a paste, add to the sauce with the reserved marinade, stir, and then add the seared chicken breasts back to the pan, making sure that the sauce covers them.
8. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat to a simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce starts to reduce and thicken and you’ve got a nice brown sauce/gravy consistency.
9. Pop the rice on to cook while the stew is bubbling away. Five minutes before it’s cooked, add the frozen peas.
10. After 30 minutes and once the chicken is cooked through, check the stew for seasoning and add more if required. Remove from the heat and then add the lime juice. You can either serve the chicken breasts whole with the sauce or shred them into the sauce. Serve the stew on a bed of rice and peas.

If you fancy the salsa, simply combine the ingredients below:

For the salsa – 0s points per person

1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 mango, peeled and chopped into small cubes

¼ cucumber, chopped into small chunks

Handful of cherry tomatoes, diced

Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Juice of 1 lime

The post Jamaican Brown Chicken Stew first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Tuna is a great option for those that don’t like their fish too ‘fishy’ as both the texture and flavour is lovely and meaty. The herby gremolata which tops the tuna gives this dish a lively and fresh finish and the tomatoey cous cous is not only full of flavour but lovely and filling. A lovely summery yet satisfying dish for only 6sp.

The gremolata prepared as below can also be used as a finishing topper to liven up roasted veggies. It’s so simple to make and really lifts the flavour of anything it’s added too.

The recipe below serves 4. If you are only making this for two people I would still make enough cous cous for 4 as it’s the perfect thing to box up and add to a salad for a packed lunch the next day. The points would stay the same as the tuna is 0sp.

Tuna with Herby Gremolata and Giant Tomato Cous Cous

Serves 4 = 6sp each (Flex)

For the Cous Cous

1 red onion, peeled and finely diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 large roasted red peppers, finely chopped

1 tsp each paprika and oregano

½ tsp crushed chillies and cumin

200g chopped tomatoes

1 vegetable stock cube (made up with 400ml boiling water)

200g giant cous cous, dried

1 tbsp red pesto

1 tbsp parmesan, grated

1 lemon, quartered

For the Gremolata

Large handful of fresh parsley and basil (I used a 30g pack of each)

1 large garlic clove, peeled

2 tbsp capers, drained

1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or lemon juice)

1 tsp whole grain mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

For the tuna

4 x 150g tuna steaks, raw

½ tbsp olive oil

To serve

1 lemon, quartered

Method

Begin by making the cous cous. Take a large frying pan, spray with 1kal and add the onion. Fry for 5-7 minutes until it starts to soften (add a little water if the pan gets too dry). Then add the peppers and garlic and fry for another minute or two. Add the paprika, oregano, cumin and crushed chillis, fry for another minute and then add the chopped tomatoes and half the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cous cous, stir to combine and bring to the boil. Once boiled, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until the cous cous is cooked and the majority of the liquid has absorbed into it. Keep an eye on the cous cous as it is cooking and add more stock where required to keep it moist and cooking throughout.  Keep the cous cous warm on a low heat once cooked, whilst you finish everything else. Just before serving add the pesto, parmesan and lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Whilst the cous cous is simmering you can make the gremolata. Add all the ingredients to a food processor, pulse a few times and then pop into a bowl and into the fridge until required – it’s that easy. You want a roughly chopped texture rather than a smooth sauce.

For the tuna, brush both sides of each steak with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and then add to a hot non stick frying pan. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side (I like mine pink in the middle so I do one minute on each side, if you like it cooked through, give it 2-3 minutes on each side).

To serve, take a bowl, add the tomato cous cous to the base, pop on the tuna steak and then top with the herby gremolata. Serve with a ½ slice of lemon per person.

Enjoy!

The post Tuna with Herby Gremolata and Giant Tomato Cous Cous – 6sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

A Taquito is simply a rolled up, stuffed tortilla. Usually fried, these lovely creations are rolled tighter and so are thinner than an enchilada, and the top is not covered in sauce in the same way an enchilada would be.

When thinking about what to fill my Taquitos with, I thought I would get my other favourite find of the Mexico trip involved, Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce. I first tried this over there on chicken wings and many of you may have seen it used in my Buffalo Chicken Soup recipe. It really is the most delightful flavour. Spicy and tangy, it makes for a real taste sensation when added to chicken.

The filling I’ve created below is truly delicious. Tangy, a little cheesy and stuff with veggies, this is a dish that will keep you full for hours. I served mine with BNS chips (0sp) however I was so full from two Taquito’s that I probably wouldn’t bother with them next time (or I would have one Taquito with the chips).

I’ve used Sainsbury’s Be Good to Yourself Blue Cheese Dressing in this recipe (instead of the more points heavy crumbled Blue Cheese). If you can’t get a hold of it, or find a light equivalent somewhere else, just leave it out. The other flavours in the dish will more than make up for it.

Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

Makes 8 Taquitos – serves 4 (2 taquitos per person) – 12sp per serving (including salad and soured cream to finish)(Flex)

Ingredients

For the filling 

400g roast chicken, white breast meat, shredded

100g lightest cream cheese

4 tbsp Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce

2 tbsp Sainsbury’s Be Good to Yourself Blue Cheese Dressing (or other supermarket light equivalent)

Juice of 1/2 lime

100g sweetcorn (drained)

4 x spring onions, finely sliced

Half a bag of spinach, shredded

Large handful of fresh coriander, chopped

For the Taquito

8 x Weight Watchers Tortillas (these are 4sp each so if you can’t find these, any other 4sp equivalent will do, Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s are also 4sp).

For the salad – serves 4 = 0sp per person

¼ iceberg lettuce, shredded

Large handful of spinach, shredded

2 spring onions, sliced

1 tbsp sweetcorn

Juice of 1/2 lime

2 tbsp Sainsbury’s Be Good to Youself Blue Cheese Dressing (or other supermarket light equivalent)

To Serve

Drizzle of Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce

4 tbsp light soured cream (1sp per person)

1 x tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Method

Pre heat the oven to 180c.

Take a large bowl and add the cream cheese, buffalo sauce, blue cheese dressing and lime juice. Whisk together until smooth and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and fold everything together. Taste again and check/adjust the seasoning.

Take a large baking dish and spray with low cal cooking spray. Divide the mixture roughly into 8 in the bowl and then, one tortilla at a time, add the filling and roll longways so that they are nice and tight and relatively thin. Pop into the baking dish and repeat with the other 7 tortillas. Spray the top of the wraps with low cal cooking spray and then pop in the oven for 20-30 minutes (until the wraps have started to brown on top).

While the Taquitos are cooking you can also roast some butternut squash chips (pop these in 10-15 minutes before the Taquitos) if you fancy them.

I also served with a side salad which included iceberg lettuce, shredded spinach, a couple of chopped spring onions and a tablespoon of sweetcorn tossed in a tbsp. of the blue cheese dressing ( the same one used in the main recipe) and some lime juice.

Once cooked, remove the Taquito’s from the oven and finish with a drizzle of Buffalo Sauce, light soured cream and fresh coriander.

Serve with the salad and BNS if you are having them alongside a tbsp. lightest soured cream per person.

Enjoy!

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