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!

Low Syn Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tbsp of Sweetener
3 Options Choc Orange Sachets (6 syns)
Method:
Preheat over to 185°C (fan)
Spray a little Frylight in a loaf tin and line with greaseproof paper
Separate the eggs and in one bowl, mix the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
In another bowl, mix the other ingredients together – the eggs yolks, sweetener, vanilla and cocoa. You may find the mixture a little stiff so it’s OK to add a little splash of water at this stage.
Fold in the egg whites, a little at a time.
Pour mixture into your tin.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Joe Wicks Beef & Mushroom Pie

So I got the latest Joe Wicks book for Christmas off my boyfriends brother and I finally got round to trying a recipe this week! I decided to make the Beef and Mushroom Pie based on the meat that I had in the freezer. I tweaked it slightly to make it more Slimming World Friendly and this came in at 3 syns per portion and that was for the pastry!

*PLEASE NOTE: I substituted some ingredients as listed below and I also halved the rest as I made it for 2 people rather than the 4 suggested servings*

Ingredients
2tbsp coconut oil - I used coconut frylight
1.25kg rump steak, chopped into large chunks - I used diced beef so cooked it longer
1tsp butter - didn't use
1 onion, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 carrot, diced
12 mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
1½tbsp tomato purée
1½tbsp Worcestershire sauce
500ml beef stock
1tbsp cornflour - didn't need
large handful of parsley, roughly chopped
4 sheets of filo pastry - I used 1 sheet between 2 making it 3 syns each
drizzle of olive oil - didn't use

Method
Preheat oven to 190°C, Gas mark 5.
Melt half of the coconut oil in a large pan or casserole dish over a high heat.
Add half the meat, brown it all over and remove to a plate.
Repeat with the remaining coconut oil and meat.
Dollop the butter in the pan and melt it over a medium to high heat.
When bubbling, fry the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for about 5 mins.
Drop in the herbs and fry for another minute.
Return the cooked meat to the pan and squeeze in the tomato purée.
Stir-fry for 1 min and then pour in the Worcestershire sauce and stock.
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Mix the cornflour with 1tbsp water and stir into the beef mixture until thickened.
Tip the lot into a baking dish and leave to cool for 10 mins.
Crumple the filo pastry sheets into loose balls and cover the top of the stew.
Drizzle the pastry with olive oil and bake for 20 mins, or until it is browned and crisp.

Chicken & Doner Kebab Fakeaway

So since Thursday night all I've thought about is tonight's tea. 

I used the BFree Pitta as my B choice and it was 3.5 syns for the Garlic Mayo but everything else was prepped using syn free methods!

 

Ingredients for Doner Meat:
1tsp dried oregano
1tsp dried herbs
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp onion powder
1/2tsp cayenne pepper
1tsp salt
1tsp black pepper
500g extra lean beef mince 

Method:
Combine all ingredients
Shape into a loaf and place on baking tray
cook in oven (180c) for 1 hour, turning over half way through
Remove from oven and wrap in foil, leave for 10 minutes to rest

To make the Tandoori Chicken:

Combine Natural Yoghurt with the juice of half a lime add some tandoori powder then marinate chicken and leave in the fridge for a few hours to marinate. 

Then place under grill until cooked - turning half way!

The carrot chips were just placed in the oven with a sprinkle of paprika whilst the doner meat was cooking I usually cook them for approx 40 mins. 

Absolutely stuffed and feeling great that I've only used 3.5 syns for all of that. It really felt like I was having a takeaway! 

Porky Lights & Comfort Food

So I finally got hold of these Porky Light sausages that everyone is raving about. I even bought 5 packs because of how many people have raved about them... so I was hoping they would be good!
I decided to make Sausage and Mash for tea on Friday night. The total for this entire meal was 1.5 syns (for the sausages at 0.5 syns each) and I'd have thought I was eating full fat, meaty sausages. They were fab! I added some milk from my A choice to my mash and I cooked off some mushrooms and onions with stock and hot water which in turn acted like a gravy. I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of them and will definitely be stocking up my freezer!

I then had some more on Saturday morning just to make sure I was sure I liked them obviously... I can't fault them at all I just wish they were a little cheaper. But i'm more than happy to pay £2.25 per 6 sausages if they taste like that!

I may have also then had two on Sunday morning with my cooked breakfast... Definitely a winner in this house!

Hartleys Jelly

One of my biggest downfalls is my sweet tooth so i'm constantly trying to find low syn things I can keep in my cupboard to turn to instead of chocolate! Hartleys kindly offered to send me some of their jellies to try and I couldn't resist! They are all 0.5 syns on SW and they're only 50p each in ASDA at the moment so they're perfect! You can have them on their own or even add spray cream and sprinkles etc and make mini trifles, so excited to give them all a try!

I went to stock up on some in ASDA and found they only had the below flavours left and the shelves were almost empty so it appears i'm not the only one loving these right now!

Thanks Hartleys!

Low Syn Treats

Another one of the Photo Challenge pictures for this month is titled 'Low Syn Treats' so I thought i'd pick my top 9.
I've picked ones you can make rather than buy and I will post a link to each recipe.

1. Chocolate Orange Squares - Each piece is 2.5 syns. I haven't made these for ages but I think I need to, just been looking through my camera roll and completely forgot about these little gems!

2. Coconut Macaroons - Admittedly these look more like Meringues but they are still yummy and I love making these, I make them a lot for tasters as they're a huge hit at only 1 syn each!

3. Cinnamon Swirls - Easily one of my favourites. 1 syn each and worth every bit of it!


4. Lemon Cake Pops - These are simply the Lemon Loaf Cake recipe make into cake pops, I find it a lot easier to snack on and you feel like you're eating more!

5. Half A Syn Cake - Admittedly if you're a newbie I think you'll be disappointed with this if you're expecting an incredible Victoria-esque sponge, but if you've been doing the plan a while and struggling with your sweet tooth I think it's definitely a good substitute!

6. Low Syn Chocolate Cake - Similar to the above, they certainly don't put Mary Berry to shame but they're a means to an end and at 10 syns for the WHOLE cake, you can hardly complain!

7. Ombré Jelly Slice - 3 syns for this entire thing. I love it, especially in summer. You can add 1.5 syns for another layer if you like, it's easy enough to experiment with and the flavours can easily be changed!

8. Salted Caramel Loaf Cake - I amended the Lemon Loaf cake recipe and made it into a Salted Caramel one so really I could have posted them together but oh well here goes!

9. Last but not least, the Fake Jelly Sweets - These are 1.5 syns for the whole lot! I ended up portioning them up into 3 so I could sit watching TV and know I was only using half a syn munching on these!

I definitely want to try some new ones, there's probably a heap more that I could have included but I thought i'd just share some old and some new ones that I've found really useful in keeping me on plan!

Half A Syn Sausage Rolls!

I am far too excited to devour a plate full of these at Taster tonight, and the best thing...
THEY'RE HALF A SYN EACH!!!

They are beautiful and will definitely be made again, in massive batches so I can live off them over the Christmas period and not feel guilty!

They are from the new Festive Feasts book that is available in groups this week, I got mine free with the Countdown Offer last month at group. I can't wait to try some other recipes from this book especially if they are as good as these!!

Low Syn Chocolate & Sweets

I know a lot of people struggle with low syn treats, even more so near halloween when they're EVERYWHERE so I thought i'd post this. I bought these 2 bags today from ASDA to stock up my syn drawer and worked out all the syns. I could have my own little feast and still be within my syns! Hope these help!

No Appetite

I think the worse thing about Winter is the fact 9 times out of 10 I end up with a cold, and when I get a cold my appetite decides to bugger off. So here's my attempt at still trying to be on plan whilst suffering with a cold! I made a syn free Onion Bhaji loaf (same recipe as the balls but just in a loaf tin) and then made up some mayflower curry sauce to go with it. Counting 4 syns for the sauce even though I didn't have the full portion. Easy way to stay on plan and hopefully the spice will help make the cold go away!

Low Syn Curry Loaf

Chickpea dahl loaf
1 packet of bachelors curry flavour rice
1 tin of chickpea dahl (I used sainsburys which is 5.5 syns because I couldn't find any others but aldi does a lower syn version)
3 eggs.

• Preheat the oven to 200 c.
• Make up the rice following the instructions on the pack.
• When the rice is done, mix in the three eggs and the tin of chick pea dahl.
• Spoon into a baking dish
• Cook for around 30 minutes or until the loaf is firm.

Total syns is 5.5 so cut into 6 makes it less than 1 syn a slice!

Low Syn Trifle Inspired Desserts

My sweet tooth is my downfall so I've decided to start making different desserts that are super low in syns. 

This is just jelly, banana and custard muller, raspberries, blueberries and part of a digestive grated on top. 

It works out at just under 1 syn and it's so lovely! 😍😍😍

Here's attempt number 2:

Jelly, banana and custard muller, clementines & passion fruit yoghurt. The only syns in this are the jelly which is actually 0.375 syns so counting half for ease :)

Key Lime Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 x sugar free lime jelly crystals - 1.5 syns

8 x digestive biscuits - 3.5 syns each (28 syns) 

350ml fat free vanilla yoghurt - syn free

250ml quark - syn free

2 limes - syn free

3 tbsp sweetener - syn free

2 tsp powdered gelatine

Method

Break up digestive biscuits into crumbs and heat over a low heat until they damp then fill the bottom of your tin using a flat surface of a spoon etc to press into the corners and make sure it is level. 

Put in fridge whilst continuing with the rest. 

Make up lime jelly as per the instruction and leave to cool. 

Grate the zest of 1 lime and put to the side, juice both limes and also leave to the side. 

Once jelly has cooled (but not set) add the yogurt, quark, gelatine, sweetener and lime juice then mix until smooth. 

Pour over biscuit base (I hadn't set mine well enough so bits actually set in the jelly part too). Sprinkle some of the zest on top then put in fridge to set (overnight if possible) then sprinkle more zest for decoration if you like.

The whole thing is 29.5 syns so I was classing it as 3 per portion based on it serving 10 people.

Please make sure you check syns on what you're using, my syn value above is based on the syn values listed in the ingredients, different brands may vary.

Enjoy! 

All I ask if that if you use any of my recipes on your own blog/social media, please can you link back & give credit to mine. Many thanks!

Carrot Cakes

So in my attempt to be as on plan as possible when I can, I made a batch of the carrot cakes I posted a few weeks ago. Definately a favourite of mine and it's great that this dessert was just 3 syns

Each cake is 1.5 syns, the syns are just from the flour used. There's probably a way to lower the syns but I'm not going to argue with 1.5 syns for a lovely little cake!

Schwartz Curry Sachets

Sometimes it's good to have a low syn sachet you can use and not have to rely on making your own curries etc. 

This was super easy to do in the slow cooker which is perfect when you don't have much time. 

5.5 syns for the sachet, packet full of speed veg and chicken. Serves 4 so just under 1.5 syns per portion :)

Lemon Sorbet

My latest addiction. Lemon Sorbet. Or basically a lemon cheesecake muller chucked in the freezer. Didn't fancy a proper breakfast this morning so thought I'd have a sorbet and blueberries. Lovely and refreshing. Might try the strawberry cheesecake muller when I pick some more up. Would highly recommend.

Chocolate Orange Squares

Apologies for the lack of posting, I batch cooked a few things last weekend so I haven't really had any new recipes to post about. SO! Here's an oldie that I love, and I definitely need to make again soon...

4 eggs, separated
50g caster sugar
5 tbsp artificial sweetener
150g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp finely grated orange zest
Juice of 2 oranges
120g Kraft chocolate Philadelphia
Tin of mandarin oranges (drained of syrup)


Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas 5. Line a cake tin with non-stick baking parchment, approximately 24cm x 17cm.

Place the egg yolks, caster sugar, sweetener, self raising flour, baking powder, orange zest and juice in a bowl and whisk until thick and pale.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until softly peaked then fold them into the egg yolk mixture.

Spoon this mixture into the prepared cake tin and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cake has risen and is firm to touch. Leave to cool.

Warm the chocolate Philadelphia in the microwave for a few seconds, then turn the cake upside down, remove the baking parchment and spread the chocolate Philadelphia over the top.

Cut into 24 pieces and place a mandarin orange segment on the top of each square.


Taken from the Slimming World website.

One Square is 2.5 syns!

Jelly Sweets

I make this recipe every so often, usually when I'm craving sweet things!

49 jelly sweets made for 1.5 syns. Would quite happily use 2 sachets and make it 3 syns per batch as they would set a lot firmer.

1 sachet of jelly crystals - 1.5 syns (I use the hartleys ones and these are blackcurrant)
Make it up with the hot water as it says on the packet, let it cool and then stir a muller light (or any other syn free yoghurt) through the mix and then pour into your moulds to set. As simple as that. I chose the vanilla yoghurt with the chocolate bits to keep it relatively simple in flavours but you could use any.

Spiced Carrot Muffins

These are called Passion Cake Muffins on the website not sure why seeing as there's no passion fruit etc in them! They're basically mini spiced carrot muffins and I'm amazed they're only 1.5 syns each!!

Ingredients

• 3 medium eggs
• 6 tbsp granulated artificial sweetener
• 75g self-raising wholemeal flour
• 2 tsp ground mixed spice
• 175g grated carrot
• 110g quark skimmed milk soft cheese
• 1 tbsp granulated artificial sweetener
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

If preferred, replace the mixed spice with ground ginger or cinnamon for a different flavour.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Line eight deep muffin tins with paper cases. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and 6tbsp artificial sweetener until pale, thick and frothy - the mixture should be thick enough to hold a trail from the beaters.
2. Sieve in the flour and mixed spice, adding any husks that remain behind in the sieve. Add the carrot and, using a metal spoon, gently fold the ingredients together using a figure-of-eight action, taking care not to beat the mixture.
3. Spoon into the muffin cases to fill them and bake for 20 minutes until firm and lightly golden. Set aside to cool in the tin.
4. Meanwhile, make the frosting: beat together the quark, vanilla essence and 1 tbsp sweetener and chill in the fridge until required.
5. To serve, spread some of the frosting over each muffin to decorate.

Next time I make these ill up the flour to 100g and make them two syns each I think! 

**EDIT** I made them again and used 100g flour which would make the recipe 16 syns. I then made smaller cakes (18) which would make them 0.88889 syns (rounded up to 1 for ease) and they looked like this...

Weigh Day

So weigh day wasn't kind to me last night I gained 3.5lbs and it was completely unjustified.

But if I keep that in my mind it will effect this week and I don't want that. So enough said on that matter. Line drawn and back on it today.

Breakfast was an Arla Protein Yoghurt for 1 syn, with strawberries and a crumbled up Alpen Light Bar for half my b choice. Also had a mint tea.

Pesto Pasta n Sauce for lunch (syn free) and undecided on my tea yet but going to be on plan as much as possible. Also aiming to drink my 8 glasses of water a day and try and mix up my A & B choices so I'm not having the same everyday.