Cannelini Bean Mash

I made this as a more filling version of mashed potato! As I am not a big bean fan I used pesto, but you could mix anything in! You could also mix half beans with potato, butternut squash, carrots or anything really!

 

 

Ingredients:

1 tin of cannelini beans

2 tsp pesto

 

Instructions:

1. Drain and rinse the cannelini beans.
2. Blend the brans using a stick blender or mash with a fork.
3. Heat up the mash in a saucepan and mix in the pesto.

Serves 2 with 7 Propoints per serving (PP calculated using the recipe builder on weight watchers.co.uk)

 

 

Butternut Squash Risotto

I love this recipe. It take a little while to make, and involves some stirring so needs a bit of patience, but the end result is super satisfying! It's nice and creamy and VERY filling. The recipe make a massive portion (as you can see from the photo) so you could halve it and have it with salad, or with a grilled chicken breast, whatever takes your fancy really! The boy likes his with bread, hence the photo has a ciabatta roll! I really hope you enjoy it as much as me!

Ingredients:

1 tsp Olive Oil

1 Chopped Shallot

1 Chopped and Deseeded Butternut Squash

750ml Vegetable Stock (I use a Knorr Stock Pot dissolved in hot water)

120g Arborio Rice

2tsp Sage

Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper

2tbsp Parmesan Cheese

 

Instructions

1. Cook the butternut squash in salted boiling water until tender and then mash.
2. Sauté the shallots and garlic in olive oil in a frying pan.
3. Add the butternut squash and rice, then mix.
4. Add the stock bit by bit until all is absorbed.
5. Add sage and seasoning.
6. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Serves 2 with 8 Propoints per serving ( PP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experimenting!!

Sorry I have been a bit quiet! I recently got an I pad and I have been working out how to set up blogger on it as it wouldn't let me post photos. I will be back soon with some more recipes :)

 

MOTIVATION!

The first weekend in May is my best friends daughters christening and I am going to be her Godmother!! I saw this dress and REALLY wanted it, but they only had it in a medium. Unfortunately it is a little tight (Ok VERY tight!) So this will be the motivation for me to lose as much weight as possible in the next 7 weeks! Wish me luck!!

Butternut Squash Chips

I have a new found love for butternut squash recently! These chips are amazing, especially for 0 Propoints. I got the idea from the weightwatchers.co.uk community message boards and adapted it slightly by adding polenta to make my chips extra crunchy! Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:
1 Butternut Squash, deseeded and cut into chips
1 tbsp Polenta
Salt and Pepper

Instructions
1.Cut the butternut squash into wedges
2. Mix polenta with salt and pepper.
3. Mix the polenta with the butternut squash until it has a good coating.
4. Place on a baking sheet and spray with oil.
5. Cook for 45 minutes at 200/gas 6 or until crispy.

 

Serves 2 with 0 Propoints per serving (PP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

Note: It might look like you have LOADS of chips before you start baking, but they do shrink considerably!

 

 

 

 

Quick Carbonara(ish)

I love spaghetti carbonara. It is a real guilty pleasure, however being gluten free (and the boy is veggie) means I very rarely have it anymore. This is my lightened up version which uses gluten free pasta, turkey and bacon but if you wanted to make it veggie (and less points!) you could use quorn bacon and mushrooms instead.

Ingredients:
Spray oil
1 Garlic Clove
2 Rashers of Chopped Bacon
40g Cooked Turkey Breast
70g Pasta (I use Doves Farm brown rice pasta)
50g Light Soft Cheese
Salt and Pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta in salted water.
2. Fry the pasta in spray oil, add the garlic and turkey.
3. Add the soft cheese until melted and seasons.
4. Throw in the pasta, mix and serve!

Serves 1 with 13 Propoints per serving (PP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

 

 

 

 

Swede and Carrot topped Sheperdess Pie

I love this recipe! It is quick and easy to make and really warming on cold nights! Plus it's a low Propoints dinner that is super filling, and putting cheese on top tricks you into thinking it's unhealthy pub grub shepherds pie!!

Ingredients:

1 tsp Olive Oil

1 Chopped Onion

140g Chopped Mushrooms

1 Grated Carrot

150g Quorn Mince

200g Chopped Tomato

1 tbsp Tomato Puree

1 Vegetable Stock Cube (Dissolved in 100ml water)

Salt and Pepper

250g Mashed Carrot and Swede (I cheat and use Aunt Bessie's!)
50g Low Fat Grated Cheddar

Instructions:
1. Heat the olive oil and fry the onion, mushrooms and carrots.
2. Add the quorn mince and tomatoes.
3. Add the stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Season and put in the bottom of an oven proof dish.
5. Top with the mashed carrot/swede and grated cheese.
6. Bake for 20 minutes at 180/Gas 4 until the cheese is crispy.
7. Serve and eat! Nomms!

 

Serves 2 with 8 Propoints per serving (PP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

 

 

Taco Tuesday!

I am currently obsessed with mexican food so every Tuesday in our house has been named 'Taco Tuesday' and we have some form of Mexican food! Today I was feeling a bit sorry for myself and made this massive Mexican feast for dinner! The boy loved it and I hope you will too!

Taco Ingredients:

2 Corn Tortillas

100g Quorn mince

200g Chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp Taco seasoning
2 tbsp Guacamole (reduced fat)
1 tbsp Sour Cream
2 tbsp Grated Cheese
Shredded Lettuce

 

Instructions:

1. Dry fry the quorn mince.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and taco seasoning.
3. Warm the corn tortillas and put all the ingredients inside!

Serves 2 with 9 Propoints per serving.

Mexican Home Fries Ingredients:
500g Baby Potatoes
2 tbsp Tex Mex Seasoning
Spray oil

 

Instructions:

1. Wash the baby potatoes and chop in half.
2. Par boil the potatoes in boiling salted water for around 5 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes and mix with the seasoning, make sure to rough them up a bit for crispy edges!
4. Place on a baking sheet and spray with oil and bake for 20 minutes at 200 oC.

Serves 2 with 5 Propoints per serving.

I also cheated and served my mexican feast with Uncle Ben's Mexican Rice which you can microwave and serves 2 with 5 Propoints per serving.

 

So in total this feast serves 2 with 19 Propoints per serving (PP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

 

 

 

Full English Frittata

I originally saw this recipe in an issue of BBC Good Food Magazine and thought it looked really yummy! I adapted it slightly to suit my (and the boys) dietary requirements and tada! Super low Propoints and filling breakfast, lunch or dinner!

 

Ingredients:
1 tsp Olive oil
2 Low fat sausages (I used Quorn)
3 Rashers of bacon (I used Quorn)
140g Mushrooms
6 Egg whites
2 Eggs
140g Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
Salt and Pepper

Instructions:
1. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
2. Chop the sausage, bacon and mushrooms and fry in the olive oil.
3. Spread the fried ingredients in the baking tray.
4. Whisk together all the eggs with seasoning and pour into baking tray.
5. Dot the cherry tomatoes on the surface.
6. Bake for 20 minutes at 180/Gas 4

 

Serves 4 with 3 Propoints per serving (PP calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.co.uk)

 

 

 

Farewell Meal at Sky Apple

I know this is not a recipe, but i felt the need to share the amazing meal I had at Sky Apple in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Sky Apple is a vegetarian cafe/restaurant which also serves some amazing gluten free options (perfect for me and the boy!!) we went with our friend Sam shortly before we left Newcastle to move to London. Here is what I ate!!

Mushroom bubble and squeak starter

Smoky calzone (gluten free!)

Chocolate nachos

Banana Bread

Serves 8 with 3 pp per slice.

Ingredients:
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Powder
100g Plain Flour (I use Doves Farm gluten free)
60g Caster Sugar
60g Butter/Margerine (I use I cant believe its not butter light)
2 Bananas

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 or 180 degrees.
2. Grease a loaf tin.
3. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
5. Mash the banana and add to mixture.
6. Sieve the flour, cinnamon and baking powder.
7. Fold the flour into the mixture until all is incorperated.
8. Pour the mix into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes.
9. Cool on a wire rack and EAT!!