Cooking & Recipes

Slimmer’s Chili Beans and Tortillas

1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 red chili pepper, finely chopped
1 tin mixed beans in chili sauce
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp paprika
splash corn oil
salt and pepper to taste

Topping: sprinkle of low fat mozzarella cheese, grated
1 oz/28g tortilla crisps

Heat the oil in a pan and add onion and pepper – cook until golden, then add garlic, paprika and red chili. Stir in tinned beans and tomatoes and season to taste. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Top with crushed tortilla crisps* and sprinkling (not too much!) of mozzarella and pop under a hot grill for a couple of minutes. Serve with crispy salad

Mediterranean Pizza

Serves 4 – 295 cals per portion

You can use ready -made pizza bases and tomato sauce or try this delicious low cal recipe. * If you want to just make a quick single pizza try using a pita bread as a base.

Base
350g strong white plain flour
7g easy blend yeast sachet (use the ones that don’t need sugar added)
1 tbsp olive oil
225ml (8 fl oz) lukewarm water

Sieve the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Mix the yeast, olive oil and water together and add to the well.

Bring flour gradually into the liquid until you have a ball of dough. Place ball on clean floured work surface and knead until springy and smooth. Place in bowl and cover with cling film and put in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size.

Knock the air out of the dough and knead again for a few minutes. Roll out to rough circles about 0.5 cm thick and place on oiled tray. Preheat oven to 220C/425F/Gas mark 7.

Topping
1 tin 400g plum tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 cloves garlic, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
handful fresh basil, roughly torn
salt and pepper to taste
chopped vegetables of choice: peppers, mushrooms, onion, courgette, olives
50g half-fat mozzarella, grated

Heat a splash of olive oil to a pan and add garlic, add tomatoes, basil and seasoning. Cook for 20 minutes, mash until smooth.

Spread the tomato sauce on the pizza base and add plenty of chopped vegetables: peppers, mushrooms, onion, courgette, olives and sprinkle over the cheese. Cook for around 15 minutes until the base is cooked through and crispy. Serve with a dark green salad.

Banana Smoothie

Serves 1 – 180 cals

1 small banana
4oz/100g natural low-fat yogurt (bio if available)
4oz/100g strawberries (or raspberries)
4 ice cubes
Blend, garnish with a whole juicy strawberry and enjoy.

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Healthy Pancakes

Serves 4 – around 70 calories per pancake

1 egg
4oz/ 100g plain flour
1/2 pint /275 ml skimmed milk
a little sunflower oil to fry

Place flour in bowl and make a well in centre. Add egg to well and stir, gradually adding milk until smooth.

Heat frying pan and add 1-2 tablespoons of batter and cook, turning over half way.

Serve warm with 1 sliced banana and a spoonful of natural yogurt.

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Spicy Mushrooms and Tomatoes

Serves 4 – 160 calories per portion

2 English muffins, toasted
4 ripe vine tomatoes, chopped
8oz/200g mushrooms
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 tbsp tomato puree
fresh basil
a splash of olive oil

Heat a pan with oil. Add chopped tomatoes, mushrooms ,basil and chili powder. Cook until soft, then add tomato puree and spoon over 1/2 toasted muffin.

Light lemony Chicken

2 chicken breasts, raw and skinless
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juice and 1 tsp finely grated zest
tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

Open out the chicken breasts, by slicing down the side. Cover with a square of tinfoil and then use a rolling pin to flatten into an escalope.

Mix lemon juice, zest, crushed garlic, thyme and olive oil together. Brush the escalopes with the lemon herb mix, cover and leave for 20 mins in the fridge.

Heat frying or griddle pan until hot and sear the escalopes one at a time for 2 minutes on each side, or until all juices run clear. Serve.

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Fish Chowder

Serves 4 – 254 calories per serving

7 oz/200g raw prawns, shelled
7 oz/ 200g raw white fish (cod/haddock/coley), skinned and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp white wine
6 ripe vine tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
pinch saffron
tsp fresh dill, finely chopped
1 1/2 pints/850 ml fish stock
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp low-fat creme fraiche
1 tbsp olive oil

Heat oil in a pan and cook onion until soft. Add tomatoes, garlic and saffron and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add wine and stir, then add hot fish stock and bring up to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer with lid on for 30 minutes. Add the white fish and prawns and heat through until the fish is cooked. Add lemon juice and cook for another minute. Take off the heat and swirl in creme fraiche. Serve, adding the dill as garnish.

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Chinese beef broth

Serves 4

to serve
9oz/250g rice noodles
4oz/110g beansprouts
4 spring onions, chopped
4 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
1 tbsp fish sauce
juice of 1 lime

Preheat oven to 170c/ 325F/gas mark 3. Heat oil in pan and fry beef, onion, ginger, garlic, chilli and once browned add stock. Place in a casserole dish and cook in an oven for 2-3 hours until tender.

Season with lime juice and fish sauce. Cook noodles with hot water. Place cooked noodles in bowls with a handful of beansprouts, coriander and spring onion. Ladle the beef and veg onto the noodles and then fill up with stock. Serve.

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Easy Apple Oatie

serves 2

1 cooking apple, chopped ( adding a handful of blackberries makes a change)
juice of 1 lemon
5 tbsp rolled oats
2 tsp brown sugar

Toast the oats under a grill or in oven, until golden and crunchy. Add lemon juice to apple and cook on hob, stirring until soft. Add sugar to taste and place fruit in bowls. Sprinkle on toasted oats and serve.

serves 2

1 cooking apple, chopped ( adding a handful of blackberries makes a change)
juice of 1 lemon
5 tbsp rolled oats
2 tsp brown sugar

Toast the oats under a grill or in oven, until golden and crunchy. Add lemon juice to apple and cook on hob, stirring until soft. Add sugar to taste and place fruit in bowls. Sprinkle on toasted oats and serve.

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Beef Slimitoff

Serves 4

8 oz/225g rump steak, cut into strips
4oz/ 100g button mushrooms, halved
3 tomatoes,halved
1 large onion
1 tsp french mustard (use tomato puree if preferred)
1 tbsp plain flour
5oz/150g natural low-fat yoghurt
pinch dried mixed herbs
salt and pepper
olive oil

Heat oil in pan and add mushrooms, onion and tomatoes – cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in flour and mustard, then add steak. Fry until browned. Now add the yoghurt and herbs. Heat through gently (be careful as yoghurt can seperate), stirring well. Season and serve with boiled rice.

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