Apologies and a Chickpea Cake!!

So sorry that I have disappeared for so long! Everything is changing in my life! I am about to start a new job, half way through buying a house but having a nightmare with sorting out our mortgage and to top it off my Aunty and Uncle were staying with us for the entire Olympics! It's all been a bit crazy and my usual cooking has kind of fallen to the side, I am sorry!
But I am back with a recipe that pops up on the weight watchers boards every now and again. Chocolate Chickpea Cake! Now this is gluten free and veggie friendly, I topped it with 90g of chocolate Philadelphia as it was a bit dry without it but you could serve it with ice cream, custard, frozen yogurt or whatever you want. Just remember to adjust the propoints accordingly!
 

 
Ingredients:
1 can (around 200g when drained) of Chickpeas
3 Eggs
3 Tbsp Splenda or 0pp Sweetner
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
25g Cocoa Powder (I use Green & Blacks)
 
Instructions:

1. Stick all the ingredients in the food processor and blitz!
2. Turn the cake mix into a non stick cake tin, I use a 10 inch round tin but you can use whatever you want!
3. Bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees, or until a cocktail stick comes out clean.
4. I like to leave too cool and top with Cadbury Philadelphia before serving. Yummy!!

Serves 8 with a propoints value of 2 per serving* (propoints calculated using recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)
*If topped with 90g Cadbury Philadelphia then it is 3pp per serving.
 

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Mozzarella Dippers

It's no secret that I love cheese, and the discovery of deep fried cheese may have had a lot to do with my weight gain! The takeaway at the end of my street does a portion of 8 mozzarella sticks for less than £3 (which in London is a bargain!!) I was really craving some the other day, but I was good and instead of going to the takeaway I walked straight past it and into the shop and purchased a ball of light mozzarella!! I headed home and made my own baked mozzarella dippers and I have to say they were damn tasty!!
 

 
Ingredients:
1 Ball of Light Mozzarella
1 Egg
2 tbsp Flour
3 tbsp Breadcrumbs (I use Hale & Hearty gluten free)
1 tsp Italian Herbs
Pinch of Salt and Pepper.
Spray Oil
 
Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Slice the mozzarella.
3. Whisk the egg in a bowl, put the flour in another bowl and breadcrumbs with italian herbs and seasoning in another.
4. Spray a baking sheet with oil.
5. Dip each slice of mozzarella in the flour, then the egg and then breadcrumbs. Place on the baking sheet.
6. Spray all the dippers with a little oil.
7. Place in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes. Not too long or the mozzarella leaks out everywhere!
8. Serve with a tablespoon of marinara sauce (I cheated and used light pasta sauce as it was all I had!)

Serves 2 with a propoints value of 8 per serving (propoints calculated using recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

 

Baked Aubergine Rolls

This is actually a weight watchers recipe that I LOVE!! I make it all the time. I posted a photo of it on my instagram and a few people including my friends Ami and Julia asked for the recipe, so this post is for them and anyone else who fancies making it!!
 

 
Ingredients
2 Aubergines
3 Cloves Garlic
400g Chopped Tomatoes
2 tbsp Basil
1 Chopped Onion
 
2 Courgettes
150g Ricotta
1 tbsp Parsley
2 tbsp Basil
1 Egg
Salt and Pepper
3 tbsp Parmesan (I use ready grated)
 

 
Instructions

1. Trim the ends from the Aubergines and slice lengthways. Place on a baking sheet and spray with oil. Bake for 10 minutes at 200 degrees.
2. Fry 2 cloves of chopped garlic in spray oil, add the Tomatoes and 2 tbsp of basil and simmer for 10 minutes to make the sauce.
3. Chop the onion and grate the courgettes.
4. Sauté the onion and remaining garlic in spray oil in another pan. Add the grated courgette and cook for a few minutes.
5. In a bowl combine the ricotta, egg, parsley, basil and seasoning.
6. Add the cooled courgette mixture to the ricotta.
7. Place 1 tbsp of ricotta and courgette mixture on a slice of aubergine and roll up. Then place the roll in an oven proof dish, as shown in the photo above. Repeat with all the aubergine slices.
8. Top the rolls with the tomato sauce and Parmesan.
9. Bake for 10 minutes at 200 degrees.

Serves 2 with 8 Propoints per serving (as calculated by weightwatchers.co.uk)
 
 

Creamy Sundried Tomato Pasta

I love pasta, especially with creamy sauces. Unfortunately for me my waistline doesnt appreciate them so much! So I have been on the hunt for creamy pasta sauces I can make at home that taste good, but don't cost me all my weekly propoints! This recipe is adapted from an American one I found on the Very Best Baking site, I found it very creamy and satisfying and perfect for a week night meal!
 

 
Ingredients
120g Pasta (I use Doves farm rice pasta)
25g Chopped Sundried Tomatos
140ml Light Evaporated Milk
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
50g Grated Half Fat Mozarella
 
Instructions

1. Cook the pasa in salted boiling water.
2. Chop the Sundried Tomatos and combine with the evaporated milk in a saucepan on a medium heat.
3. Add the basil, garlic and seasoning. Simmer.
4. Add the Mozarella and stir until melted into the sauce.
5. Add the cooked pasta and stir into the sauce until all covered. Serve!!

Serves 2 with 9 Propoints per serving (Points calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

 

Easy Cheesy Mexican Rice

As you might have noticed, I love Mexican food (and cheese!) So any recipe that combines the 2 is always good in my book! This only takes 5 minutes and it's ready, a bonus in my book when I am feeling super lazy or have been working long shifts!
 

 
Ingredients:
1 pouch of Tilda Microwave Brown Basmati Rice (or any other microwaveable rice)
175g of Defrosted Quorn Pieces
4 tbsp Salsa
3 tbsp Low Fat Sour Cream
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Pepper
60g Half Fat Grated Mozarella
 
Instructions:

1. Defrost the quorn.
2. Microwave the rice.
3. Combine salsa, sour cream, seasoning and cheese in a pan and heat gently until cheese is melted into the sauce.
4. Add the quorn and rice and heat through. Serve!

Serves 2 with 10 Propoints per serving (PP values calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

 

Baked Risotto

This was a recipe I originally saw in Good Food Magazine and as I love risotto I instantly wanted to make it. So I lightened up the recipe slightly and I now have eventually got around to trying it! I am so glad that I did, I love risotto it is so filling and because this is baked it's super easy to make!!
 

 
Ingredients:
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Chopped Onion
150g Arborio Rice
3 Cups Vegetable Stock (I use a knorr stock pot dissolved in water)
1/2 tsp Parsley
5 Cherry Tomatoes
6 Asparagus Spears
1 tbsp Grated Parmesan.
 
Instructions:

1. Fry the onion in olive oil until browned.
2. Add the rice To the onion and place the mixture in an oven proof dish.
3. Cover with 2 cups of vegetable stock and cover the dish with foil. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 oC.
4. Take out of the oven and add the parsley, season and stir.
5. Chop the cherry tomatoes in half and dot around the risotto.
6. Put the asparagus spears on top and add the remaining cup of stock. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
7. Top with Parmesan and serve!

Serves 2 with 9 ProPoints per serving (PP values calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

 

Pasta with Quorn, Cherry Tomatoes, Ricotta and Pesto

I love this quick and easy dish, it contains 2 of my favourite ingredients - Cheese and pasta!! Its a dish that a cook when I have very little time and patience at the end of a busy day!! The recipe is for one serving but you can double up to make 2 or whatever! I used quorn because the boy is veggie, but you could put chicken, turkey, ham or anything in it!! Enjoy.
 

 
Ingredients:
60g Pasta (I use doves farm)
Spray Oil
100g Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced in half
3 tbsp Ricotta Cheese
1 tsp Green Pesto
60g Quorn Roast Style Sliced Fillets

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water.
2. Fry the sliced tomato in a little spray oil until soft.
3. Add the quorn, ricotta and pesto and stir.
4. Stir in the pasta until coated in the sauce and serve!

Serves 1 with 11 Propoints per serving (PP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)