Salt And Pepper Chicken

So I know i've posted this recipe before but I thought it needed posting again as it's been so popular and I've had a lot of people asking for it...

 
To make this BEAUTIFUL dish...

Ingredients
Chicken breasts, cut into chunks I use 2 as theres only 2 of us so adjust if needed
Plain flour (25g is 4 syns)
Salt & Pepper
Garlic granules
One egg, whisked
Fry Light
A pepper
An onion
Soy sauce
White wine vinegar
Sweetener

Method

Preheat oven to approx 180 degrees.
Combine 25g of flour in a bowl (25g is 4 syns you can use more but please adjust syn value accordingly), with a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper, along with a teaspoon of garlic granules.
In another bowl, whisk your egg and add a splash of soy sauce to season.
Pop your chicken chunks in the egg and then in the flour mix.
Once this is all done, arrange on a nonstick baking tray, sprayed with some Fry Light first.
Then spray the chicken with Fry Light - this will help it to brown.
Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, and turn over, and then give it another spray of Fry Light and then give it another 10 minutes, or until golden.
When the chicken is on the second round of cooking, in a non-stick pan, gently soften your peppers and onion.
I'd add a splash of soy sauce for extra flavour.
Once everything is soft add your cooked chicken from the oven.
Mix together two teaspoons of sweetener with two tablespoons of white wine vinegar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add this to the pan and stir on a gentle heat.
This will be quite dry, as Salt & Pepper chicken is, but that vinegar/sugar mixture really makes the dish.
Taste and add some further salt and pepper if it needs it.

The only syns are for the flour - I used 25g so 4 syns and 2 of us had it so was only 2 syns each!

Syn Free Hash Browns

INGREDIENTS
800g of raw potato
1 tsp of fine sea salt
½ tsp of onion powder 
Fry light

METHOD
Preheat oven to 230c
Peel potatoes
Place in a saucepan, cover with water
Parboil Potatoes for 5 mins, bring to boil, then turn off heat and leave for 5 mins.
Remove and Run under cold water
Grate the potatoes in a bowl
Place in a clean kitchen towel and pat to remove any excess moisture.
Place back in the bowl, add salt and onion powder and mix to combine
Now I use the silicone moulds used for mini quiches etc but you could just use a baking tray if preferred
Shape the hash browns, flattening down as you do.
I made 12 out of this 
Spray over the top with spray oil.
Place in the oven and bake At 180 for approx 25 mins, remove carefully flip over, spray again and place back in the oven for another 25 mins or until golden and crispy.

Orange Mousse - 0.5 Syns Each

Apologies for the gap in posting but I've had rough few weeks with unexpected gains and not really made anything new as such. But i'm back! and I have a few new things to post...

Starting with these little Orange Mousses! These work out at 0.5 syns per pot and the flavour can easily be changed. (the recipe I used was for strawberry but silly me didn't realise I had no strawberry jelly crystals!)

Ingredients
1 sugar free Hartleys jelly crystals sachet (1.5 syns)
250g fat free Natural Yoghurt
1 Muller Light

Method
Make up the crystals with 60ml of hot water and stir.
Once mixed add the Natural Yoghurt and the Muller Light and stir thoroughly.
Pour into your pots and pop in the fridge to set

It's that easy!

Obviously I used an Orange Muller because I used orange jelly, but these could easily be changed to suit what you have in!

Spice N Tice Rubs

So after speaking to a few slimming worlders I decided to finally take the plunge and order some of the Spice N Tice rubs to see what all the fuss was about! Most of them are 0.5 syns per tsp and some are even free! Here's my first experience using them... I used the two rubs that are SYN FREE, coated some of the chicken in one and then the rest of the chicken in the other flavour. So simple to do yet so so nice! I'm thoroughly impressed with the intensity of the flavour considering I only let them sit for approx 30 mins before cooking! I would highly recommend these to anyone, they sometimes do discounts and giveaways over on their instragram so make sure you check them out :)

Slimming World Katsu Curry

SYN FREE IF USING YOUR BREADCRUMBS AS YOUR HEALTHY EXTRA

This recipe serves 4 so please adjust accordingly :)

Ingredients for the chicken
4 skinless chicken breasts
240g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
Salt and black pepper

For the curry sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 courgette, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp sweetener
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 litre chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fat free fromage frais
Low calorie cooking spray

Method
Add the onion, garlic and ginger to saucepan on medium heat and cook for 3 minutes or until the onion is softened.
Add the carrots and courgette and fry for 4-5 minutes.
Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilli powder and sweetener and stir.
Add the stock, soy sauce and bay leaf and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 mins.

While the sauce is cooking, preheat your oven to 180°C
Season the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper.
Place each chicken breast in some clingfilm and flatten with a rolling pin or meat tenderiser.
Remove the clingfilm and dip the chicken in the egg, then coat with breadcrumbs and place on a baking tray sprayed with low-calorie cooking spray.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

For the sauce remove the bay leaf and pour the contents of the saucepan into a blender.
Blitz until it becomes a thick, smooth sauce and stir in the fromage frais.
To serve, slice the chicken breast into pieces, spoon over the curry sauce and serve with rice.

This was absolutely beautiful, I'd highly recommend it to anyone. It's completely syn free if using the breadcrumbs as your B choice which is what I did.

Easy Chicken Curry

So amazing and such an easy recipe that you can play with to suit your taste buds!

Ingredients

Low calorie cooking spray
3 garlic cloves
2 large onions
½ green pepper and ½ red pepper, deseeded and chopped in chunks
4 skinless chicken breasts
400g tin chopped tomatoes
225ml chicken stock
2 heaped tsp of curry spice (mild, medium or hot - your choice)
Fat free natural yogurt

Method

Place the chicken on a plate, season well and set aside.
Spray a frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat.
Add the onion, mushrooms and peppers and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes or until starting to lightly brown.
Stir in the garlic, curry powder and stir-fry over a high heat for 1-2 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes until sealed, then add the tomatoes and stock.
Bring to the boil, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer gently for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the frying pan from the heat, adjust the seasoning to taste and swirl in some fat free natural yogurt.

Slow Cooker Spag Bolognese

The beauty of having a slow cooker... I managed to make this last night and I just need to reheat it later in time for tea, as I knew today was a busy day so wouldn't really have time to cook. The joys of being prepared...

Slow Cooker Lasagne

So I finally took the plunge and tried this Slow Cooker recipe for Lasagne that can be found here on the Two Chubby Cubs website

I tried a little bit last night and it tastes amazing, I'm excited for tea later. I made it for 4 large portions and it is your A choice (for the Mozzarella) and 1 syn for the extra cheese I sprinkled on top, but if you miss this off then it is just your A choice.
I definitely need to try some more of their recipes because each one I have tried so far I've absolutely loved!

SW Quiche

So I tried making little quiches at the start of my journey and I hated them. I couldn't stand the eggyness or the texture so they all went in the bin... almost 2 years down the line and I know my tastes have changed so I thought i'd make them again using the flavoured cottage cheeses you can now get.

Ingredients
1 small tub of fat free cottage cheese (with sweet chilli & grilled pepper)
6 eggs
Ham (sliced up)
Onions (sliced)
Mushrooms (sliced)
Chopped tomatoes

Method
Fry off mushrooms and onions and place in moulds
Combine eggs with cottage cheese and season
Add ham to moulds
Pour over egg/cheese mix
Add tomatoes to top if wanted
Cook on 180 for 40 mins
As easy as that!>

Campfire Stew

So i've been doing Slimming World for nearly 2 years now and I still hadn't made the famous Campfire Stew... well now I can tick it off my list! It's a really great, easy slow cooker meal and I would highly recommend it!

Ingredients
1 small gammon or pork joint
1 chopped onion
2 chopped peppers (or I just used some frozen ones)
3 crushed garlic cloves
1 tbsp paprika
2 tins of baked beans
6 tbsp tomato puree
1 chopped red chilli (or tsp or chilli powder)

Method
Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours, separate the gammon with forks before serving

All syn free and really filling! Could easily be served on its own or with chips/rice/jacket etc

Salted Caramel Loaf Cake

I have previously posted this recipe but thought it worth re posting as I tried it again but this time doubled up the flour to make it more cake like.

Ingredients:

100g self raising flour
4 eggs
Salted caramel flavouring
1 tbsp Sweetener

 

Method
Separate eggs
Combine the egg yolks, sweetener, salted caramel and flour
Whisk the egg whites into firm peaks
Fold in the egg whites
Cook for approx 25 mins or until golden brown
Enjoy

The whole cake is 16 syns so if you slice it into 8 each slice would be two syns etc. Please adjust syn amount to suit your slices.

Obviously it will never be as amazing as a full fat million syns a slice cake but I think it's a good substitute!

 

Chocolate Orange Baked Oats

So in my attempt to try new things... here's my Chocolate Orange Baked Oats.

 

Ingredients

40g Oats

Chocolate Orange muller light

1 Egg

Sprinkle of sweetener

Tsp of orange essence

Choc Shot orange spice 

Method

Combine all ingredients apart from the Choc Shot 

Pour into mould

Cook for 15 mins on approx 180

Take out and then syringe choc Shot into centre (or make a hole in the middle and pour in)

Cook in the oven for approx 45 mins on 150 approx

I find cooking it for longer at a lower temp makes it more cake like and doesn't go soggy.
Enjoy hot or cold

 

This recipe is 1 syn if you use the Oats as your b choice (the syn is for the choc Shot) or 7 syns if not using Oats as b choice

Lunch Ideas

I find the best things to take to work for lunch tend to be soups, I don't do salad and I get bored of pasta n sauces as well as mug shots and what not. Batch cooking and bringing last nights leftovers is also a good option but I rarely have leftovers :)

As you'll have seen from a recent post I tried the Pea & Ham soup and had that for lunch again yesterday but I've frozen the rest before I get sick of it like I do if I eat the same thing all week...

I whipped up a spicy tomato soup last night so I could have a 'speedy lunch' today. I love that I've picked up the basics of Slimming World and have the confidence to adapt them and make my own recipes up now.

For this I simply used:
Chopped tomatoes
Several pickled onions
Mini tin of baked beans
(like the speedy tomato soup uses)
Chicken stock cubes (as I didn't have any veg ones left)
Jalapeños
Tsp of Lazy Garlic
Tsp of Lazy Chilli

Just brought it all to the boil and let simmer for about 20 mins then used my hand blender to blend it all.
So Simple and it gave the usual tomatoey soup a lovely kick. All of it is syn free and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've got enough for a second portion too which is always handy!

I find potato and leek and those sort of soups really bland and boring but if anyone has any recipes that have a kick to them I'd love to know about them!?

Slimming World Nacho Feast

So i've been doing Slimming World since March 2015 and I have only just got round to trying this recipe...I did make a few changes such as carrot chips instead of wedges and I had to substitute some spices as I thought I had them all then got home and realised I didn't... BUT! Here is the original recipe for anyone wanting to try it... I would highly recommend!

Ingredients

2 baking potatoes, cut into wedges
Low-calorie cooking spray
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
250g lean beef mince (5% fat or less)
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
230g can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp fajita seasoning
1 tsp paprika
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
150g tube Primula Light Cheese
Fresh green Jalapeno chillies, finely chopped (optional)

Method

Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas 6.
Put the wedges on a non-stick baking tray, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and season.
Bake for 25 minutes, then turn, spray again and bake for a further 25 minutes until golden.
Meanwhile, spray a frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium-high heat.
Add the mince and stir-fry for 10 minutes, then add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until softened.
Add the pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the canned tomatoes.
Sprinkle in the cumin, fajita seasoning, paprika and a few twists of black pepper.
Cook for 10-15 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the fresh tomatoes.
Remove from the heat.
Preheat your grill to high.
Tip the wedges into an ovenproof dish, spoon over the mince and squeeze over the Primula Light Cheese.
Sprinkle with the chillies, if using, and grill for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown.
Divide between 2 plates and serve.

This recipe would be syn free if you are using your A CHOICE for the primula light otherwise you would need to syn this so please amend accordingly :)

Snacking for under 10 syns!

So i've been looking at different ways to use my syns that satisfy my sweet tooth. Here's some really useful infographics that Slimming World have provided to show you don't have to go without!

Need to get back into it properly and i'm really struggling at the moment as I feel like i'm getting bored so hopefully mixing things up will help.

Alcohol Syns

I'm not a massive drinker anyway but here's some handy tips on saving syns!

Something Different For Tea

Tandoori Chicken made by mixing Syn free Greek yogurt with tandoori powder and the juice of 1 lime. All Syn free. 

Then roasted tomatoes and peppers, hex a cheese and some pickled onions. 

Random combo but lovely all the same 

Subway Salads

Subway salads have my approval. I've finally got round to trying one. I went for the chicken tikka one (doubled my meat) and didn't have sauce and it was completely syn free. I'm not a salad person so it was nice to be able to pick exactly what I liked instead of a load of salad that I wouldn't eat. 

Hunters Chicken

I found a recipe for Hunters Chicken and decided to give it a go...

Original Post is here: http://www.shecookssheeats.co.uk/best-ever-hunters-chicken/

For the sauce
1 red onion or 3 shallots
Half a teaspoon of chilli powder (or more, if you like it hot)
400ml of passata
4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
A good shake of Lea and Perrins
4 tablespoons of artificial sweetener

For the chicken
4 chicken breasts
8 slices of back bacon
120g mature reduced-fat cheddar
Veg and chips, to serve

To make the sauce
1.Peel and finely chop the onion/shallots. Put in a frying pan, sprinkle over the chilli powder and fry until soft
2.Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Keep the sauce on a medium and stir it occasionally whilst you prepare the chicken

To make the chicken
1.Pre-heat the oven to about 210C. Take four ovenproof dishes that are just large enough to serve your chicken in. Spray with Fry Light
2.Slit the chicken breasts down the middle, taking care not to go through the bottom or sides. You want to end up with a pocket. Place the chicken breasts in the ovenproof dishes
3.Pour the sauce over the chicken breasts, making sure it goes into the middle of the breast. Lay the bacon over the top of the chicken
4.Bake the chicken for 20 minutes. Sprinkle over the cheese, then bake for 10 minutes more 

As there was only me having it I modified the recipe so it was suitable for 1 person rather than 4, and this is what it looked like! 

(Please note: the cheese was my healthy A choice, so I used 40g of low fat cheddar and I made the chips with fry light so the recipe was actually syn free, but if you weren't using your healthy A for the cheese it would be 6 syns per person)

Planning Ahead

So after me talking about our little competition in group for next week... see previous post.

I realised I needed a plan to get me that 4lb loss (minimum, I'd happily have more!) So I came into work this morning and got my food diaries out. Had a quick look at previous weeks when I've done a diary and got a good loss and will be planning my days to the best of my ability when I'm on my lunch later. Dug out some old books to get some new recipes to try!

I hadn't prepped any breakfast this morning so just brought two hifi bars to work to have with my water and my morning brew!

Lunch will be one of the SW Meals - Chicken & Chorizo Paella. And here's a picture to prove it!

I haven't decided what tea will be yet as I'm not sure how much time I will have as we might be off out. SO it will either be another SW Meal just to keep me on plan OR I'll knock something up and I WON'T be going to a takeaway!

Knowing theres a bit of healthy competition, and a prize from our consultant has really spurred me on to make sure I get that loss next week!

I had a 5lb loss a few weeks ago so I know it can be done. I'm over a year into my journey and to get a loss like that so far in is so refreshing. I'm used to a lb or so a week so it shows it obviously works if you put the prep time in and make wise decisions.

Feeling GOOD!