African Sweet Potato Stew

My favourite meal, goes down well with veggies and non veggies. use fry light and it is 6 points without rice

http://www.deliaonline.com/community/yourrecipes/maincourses/african-sweet-potato-stew.html

Butternut coconut rice, black eyed beans and pineapple greens

Adapted from Appetite for reduction, Posted by Shoanib

Butternut Coconut Rice with black eyed beans    23pp per recipe
serves 3, 8pp per portion

• 90g brown basmati rice

• 1 cup (125ml) water
• pinch of salt
• 1 tin black eyed beans, drained and rinced

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 100ml coconut milk

• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped finely
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped finely
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1/8 tsp dried chilli flakes
• pinch salt
• small amount veg broth (~50ml, water would be fine too)
• 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Roast and peel squash (or peel then roast). Mash squash together with the coconut milk.
While the squash is roasting, cook the rice. Rinse the rice, pour the water on top, cover and bring to the boil. Simmer on a very low heat until all of the water is gone - about 30 mins for my rice.

In a large frying pan, saute the shallot in the oil for about 7 minutes, until it is starting to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, lime zest, chilli flakes and salt, give it a stir, then add the beans and cook on a medium heat for 2 more minutes.

Turn the heat down low. Add the squash to the pan and stir, then add the rice and mix together. Add lime juice and some veg broth to get the desired consistency. Serve!

Substitutions:
stock or rice milk instead of coconut milk, entire recipe 18pp.
no beans (but with coconut milk), entire recipe 15pp.
no beans or coconut milk, entire recipe 10pp. (but it's totally worth those extra points).

Pineapple greens
Serves 2, 1pp per portion

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 2 heads of spring greens, centre stalks removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
• 4 pineapple rings (1/2 cup), chopped finely
• pinch salt

Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute the garlic, ginger, and chilli flakes in the oil for about 2 minutes. Add the greens, pineapple, and salt, and use tongs to saute for about 10 more minutes. Use splashes of water if the pan seems dry. The collards should be tender and cooked down pretty well. Serve immediately.

greens would probably serve up to 4 people, but we wanted them all!

Broccoli Pasta bake

Posted by Shoanib
Serves 2 at 2-8PP per serving. Free on F+H if calorie controlled bread is used.
Super quick, easy, tasty! Loosly based on "Cheat's Cauliflower cheese" from River Cottage Veg.

2PP: Breadcrumbs only, no pasta   5PP: with pasta, 7PP: with cheese 8PP: with garlic margarine

Ingredients

medium head of broccoli, cut into florets (or cauliflower)
1 slice bread whizzed into breadcrumbs with a tsp of dried green herbs

80g dried Wholemeal pasta (optional)
40g cheese (optional)
tbsp marg mixed with some garlic (optional)
Cherry tomatoes (optional)

Instructions
Cook pasta if using.
Steam the broccoli with a pinch of salt for 6 minutes. Mix the pasta and broccoli togther [with garlic marg] and stick in a large ovenproof dish. (I use the lid of a casserole dish, or individual oval pie dish things)
[mix cheese with breadcrumbs]. Top with breadcrumbs and cherry tomatoes and grill for a couple of minutes until it smells toasty. Cover up any burnt bits with a splodge of pickle and serve.

Aubergine Madras

Posted by Helentjb1

Serves 1 at 4PP 

My standby for when I have overindulged. Very filling and low in points. 

Recipe from WW "How to Cook the Weightwatchers Way" (2005)

Ingredients

1 aubergine cut in half lengthways
1 teaspoon curry paste (I used more than this and Jalfrezi)
low fat cooking spray (I used 1/2 tsp olive oil)
1 small onion sliced thinly
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 tspn ground cumin
1/2 tspn ground coriander
1/2 tspn garam masala
100 ml veg stock
2 tablespoons low fat yogurt (I used Greek)
2 tablespoons chopped coriander

Method

Heat oven to Gas Mark 4/180 C/fan oven 160 C

Score the exposed flesh of the aubergine halves with a sharp knife in a deep criss cross fashion and then spread the curry paste over. Place them, cut side up, on a baking tray and bake for 20 mins until softened.

Meanwhile, spray a non-stick frying pan with the low fat cooking spray (or use oil) and stir fry the onion and garlic for 5 mins, adding a tablespoon of water, if necessary, to prevent them from sticking. Then add the spices and turn off the heat.

When the aubergines are cooked, transfer them to a board and chop them into cubes as marked by the score lines. Add them to the onion mixture, with the stock, and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly without a lid for about 10 mins or until the curry is nearly dry.

Take off the heat, stir in the yogurt and coriander, Season to taste and serve.

So filling you don't need rice :-)!!

West African Curry

Posted by Hillibee

Serves 4 at 4PP each (2.5 VP)

This is adapted from an old Slimming World recipe, but is so easy and tasty.  I use quorn in the recipe, but I've also made it with de-frosted, cubed tofu, or some large flat mushrooms chopped. It's even better the following day once the flavours have been allowed to develop further. The original recipe wasn't veggie and didn't use banana, but I found the fruit took some of the heat out of it without making it too mild.

Don't be put off by the long list of ingredients!

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablesp olive oil

1 level teasp chilli powder

1 level teasp curry powder

1 level teasp turmeric

1 level teasp ground cumin

1 heaped teasp garam masala

1 heaped teasp coriander

1 vegetable stock cube

1 level tablesp tomato puree

1 garlic clove, crushed

14 oz tin chopped tomatoes

300g pack quorn pieces

1 banana, sliced

In a bowl, mix together the spices, crumbled stock cube and tomato puree.

Using a heavy bottomed saucepan, fry the onion gently in the oil until soft, then add the garlic and cook gently for a further 2 mins.

Add the spice mixture and fry over a low heat for a couple of minutes stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, still stirring.

Turn down the heat, cover and simmer gently for 30 mins, adding water if necessary. Add the quorn pieces and cook for a further 20 mins. Add the banana* and cook for 10 mins.

If you serve it with rice, remember to add the extra points!

*I usually throw in some frozen spinach at this point if I have any in the freezer

Freezes well

Spicy Lentil and Chickpea Patties

Posted by Fourth Lizard

Serves 4 PP per serving 6 (without dressing).  You can make these very tasty patties with stuff you  have in your cupboard which works when you don't have too much in. (I always have jars of chilli, garlic, ginger etc. in the fridge and a range of  herbs in the freezer which keep for ages)

Ingredients:

5 medium spring onions

2 Cloves of garlic (crushed) 

1 tsp. of fresh ginger (grated) 

1 finely chopped chilli (de-seeded) 

1 level tsp. of ground cumin

2 tbsp. of fresh coriander (chopped)

400g can of Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

400g can of Green Lentils (drained and rinsed)

Instructions:

Fry onions, garlic, ginger, chilli and cumin in spray oil until softened (5 Min) then place in food processor. 

Wash and drain chickpeas/lentils and add to onion/garlic mix in food processor.  Add coriander.  Blitz until combined but not too smooth.  If a little dry add a some water or lemon juice to moisten.

Place in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Shape into 4 patties and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 min.  Serve with salad leaves. 

(I like to serve it with a dressing of 0% fat yoghurt with chopped mint)

Courgette Pancakes

Posted by Fourth Lizard

(Adapted from www.just hungry.com)

Makes 4 side serving size pancakes (3pp each) or two big ones (6pp each).  The beauty of this recipe is that the courgettes and gram flour are the basics, add whatever you fancy to taste.  Here is one of my combinations but really almost anything goes…… I love the taste of them and although the gram flour makes them quite pointy, it is an excellent source of protein and really filling.  They also taste great cold the next day.

Ingredients:

3 Medium Courgettes (add courgette flowers as optional extra)

Fresh Coriander, Cumin Seeds, Red Chilli Flakes, Garlic

Grated rind of a lemon and some juice

Approx. 130g of Gram Flour (depends on size of courgettes)

Instructions:

Grate the courgettes into a bowl

Add sliced coriander, cumin and chilli along with minced garlic

Add the gram flour and stir through.  This will be quite stiff to start with but after a while the juice from the courgettes will loosen the flour into an almost batter type consistency.  You can leave for 5 min and come back.  If you need to loosen it you can add water or lemon juice.

Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat having misted with cooking spray.  Put in the batter (in whatever shape you fancy) and cook for around 5 min then flip them over and cook them for another 5 min until golden brown.  You can cut down the middle to see if cooked inside and if the batter is still oozing a bit – keep going!

Afghan Carrot Hot Pot

I'm thinking that the next cookbook on my shopping list will have to be Sally Butcher's Veggiestan.  I've had a quick, well not so quick to be honest, look at it in a couple of book shops and have had a good old peruse of her blog

http://veggiestan.com/


PA Photo/Handout


On Saturday night I made the carrot hot pot from the link below and it was delicous, really filling and warming (perfect for a Bank Holiday weekend!) Not too spicy, I may even add an extra chilli next time and cheap and easy to make.

4 hefty helpings and made with 2 teaspoons of oil well worth 7 pp per serving


http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/features/food-drink/out-of-veggiestan-1.898777?referrerPath=features/food-drink


SMP1972

Roast beetroot, Goats Cheese and Lentil Salad

Posted by Fourth Lizard

Serves 4 – PP 6  per person (if using all the oil and l/f feta)

Ingredients:

450 g Beetroot (uncooked but works well with pre- cooked)

200 g Lentils (Puy Lentils uncooked but also works well with tinned)

600ml of veggie stock (if using uncooked lentils)

1 medium lemon, zest and juice

2 teaspoons of Olive Oil (optional)

100g Reduced fat feta

1 tablespoon of finely chopped chives ( also works with mint)

Freshly ground salt and pepper.

Instructions:

Roast beetroot for 30 mins in a pre-heated oven to Gas Mark 7/220C/425F until tender when pierced with a knife.

At the same time place lentils in stock and bring to boil, simmer for 25 mins until tender.

Place juice and zest of lemon in a large bowl.  Peel and chop the cooked beetroot and add to the bowl along with cooked lentils.  Add oil, goats cheese, chives and seasoning, toss gently and serve warm.

(If using the tinned lentils and precooked beetroot, just place in bowl with other ingredients, mix and you are good to go! Tastes nice cold as packed lunch)

Swedish Pea Soup

Posted by Hillibee

Serves 4 @ 7PP per serving

Thursday is traditionally pea soup and pancakes day in Sweden - I think it comes from the army and national service, but all the restaurants and canteens serve it on Thursdays.  The soup is accompanied by alcoholic punch (similar to Pimms) and is followed by pancakes served with either lingon or cloudberry jam and whipped cream.

250g dried yellow split peas

25g margarine

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, shredded or coarsely grated

2 vegetable stock cubes

800ml hot water

1 teasp marjoram

salt and pepper to taste

The night before, put the peas into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly.

Melt the margarine in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently until soft and lightly browned.

Add the carrots and mix well.

Dissolve the stock cubes in the boiling water and add to the pan along with the soaked peas and dried marjoram. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 1 - 1.5 hours until the peas are tender.

Add seasoning to taste.

Serve with a dollop of mild mustard (the squirty type people squirt on hot dogs) and a sprinkling of marjoram.

Freezes well.