BANANA CHOC CHIP MUFFINS

Great to make with over-ripe bananas and freeze well for school lunchbox snacks.  

Makes 24 

Ingredients

3 cups self-raising flour 

3/4 cup caster sugar or stevia 

3 medium ripe bananas 

3/4 cup skim milk

2 eggs

125g light margarine, melted

200g chocolate chips (dark, milk, white or mixture)

Method 

Preheat oven to 180C.

Add flour and sugar into large bowl. Stir in chocolate chips.

In a different bowl, mash banana, stir in eggs and milk. 

Add banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine.  

Stir in melted butter into mixture until all combined.

Drop heaped tablespoonfuls of mixture into greased muffin pans.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

Turn from pan onto wire rack to cool.

Note: 4pp each if using stevia, 5pp each using caster sugar.

MOUSSAKA

This recipe is one of our family favourites. It is based on a recipe I found on bestrecipes.com.au but I have modified it by adding extra vegetables into the mince to make it healthier and more filling.  

Serves 9

Total 41 propoints
5 propoints per serve

Ingredients

2 eggplant medium (0pp)
Olive oil spray (1pp)

2 onion medium, peeled & sliced (0pp)

2 carrot, diced (0pp)

1 zucchini, diced (0pp)

250g button mushrooms, diced (0pp)

2 tsp minced garlic (0pp)

500 gms lean beef mince (or lamb mince) (18pp)

2 tbs tomato paste (1pp)

2/3 cup salt reduced liquid beef stock (0pp)

1/3 cup red wine (1pp)

300 gms potato peeled cooked (2-3 medium) (5pp)

2 tomatoes (0pp)

Sauce

30 gms margarine (4pp)

30 gms plain flour (3pp)

30 gms light cheddar cheese, grated (3pp)

1 1/2 cups milk (3pp)

2 egg (3pp)

Method

Thinly slice the eggplant and spread on a plate. Sprinkle eggplant with salt and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse and dry.

In a good non stick frypan, Fry the eggplant until lightly brown on both sides and set aside. (Use a little oil spray if needed).

In a large non stick frypan, cook the onion, garlic, carrots, zucchini and mushrooms until soft. Set aside.

Add the mince to the same frypan and cook until browned. Add back in vegetables and stir in the tomato paste, stock and wine. Bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the cooked potatoes and tomatoes.

Line the bottom of a large oven proof dish with half the eggplant. Pour over half the meat mixture and top with sliced tomatoes.

Add the rest of the eggplant, meat and layer with the potatoes.

For the Sauce: 

Melt the margarine, stir in the flour and gradually blend in the milk. Bring the sauce to the boil, stirring constantly. Beat in the egg yolks and cheese.

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and fold into the sauce.

Spread the sauce over the moussaka and bake in a moderate oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

MEATBALLS IN CURRIED SAUCE

Serves 4

Total 34 propoints

9 propoints per serve

For meatballs:

500g premium beef mince (21pp)

1 slice bread, processed into breadcrumbs (2pp)

1 egg (2pp)

1 onion (0pp)

1 zucchini (0pp)

1 carrot (0pp)

2 tsp minced garlic (1pp)

Salt and pepper to season

For sauce:

1 onion, chopped (0pp)

1/2 tbsp curry powder (0pp)

2 tsp salt reduced beef stock powder (1pp)

2 tbsp tomato paste (1pp)

2 tbsp brown sugar (3pp)

2 tbsp mango chutney (2pp)

3 cups of water

1 tbsp cornflour (1pp)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. In a food processor, process onion, carrot and zucchini.  Combine all meatball ingredients and roll into small balls.  I get between 30-35 usually.  Place on an oven rack over a oven tray (so any oil drains) and bake in oven for 30 minutes.

In a large non stick frypan fry onions until translucent. Use a little canola spray if necessary.  Sprinkle in curry powder and cook for further minute. Add all other ingredients except for cornflour. Add meatballs and simmer on low for 10 minutes.  Make a paste with cornflour and a little bit of water and then stir through sauce to thicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

ITALIAN MEATBALLS WITH PARMESAN MASH

500g extra lean beef mince 

1 egg lightly beaten 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion

1 zucchini

1 carrot

breadcrumbs made from 2 slices of stale white bread

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

3/4 cup passata

400g can diced tomatoes 

2 tsp balsamic vinegar 

1 tsp brown sugar 

400g potatoes, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces 

300g cauliflower, chopped 

1/2 cup (125ml) skim milk 

1/4 cup (20g) grated parmesan cheese 

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Process onion, zucchini and carrot in food processor.

Combine the mince, egg, garlic, zucchini, breadcrumbs and mixed herbs in a large bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls. 

 

Cook meatballs in a preheated 190C oven for 20-25 mins turning after 10 mins. 

In a large pan, add the passata, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat, add meatballs and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir through parsley, season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the potato and cauliflower in a large saucepan of boiling water for 8 - 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return to saucepan. Add the milk and mash until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the parmesan.

Serve the meatballs with the parmesan mash. Serve with a 0 Propoints value side of steamed vegetables.

MONGOLIAN BEEF STIRFRY

Total 28 smartpoints 

Serves 4 - 7 smartpoints per serve

450g beef, trimmed, thinly sliced (9sp)

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (0sp)

1 tbsp minced garlic (0sp)

1 tbsp sambal oelek (0sp)

2 carrots, sliced (0sp)

1 large onion, thinly sliced (0sp)

1 red capsicum, sliced (0sp)

130g snow peas (0sp)

1/2 cup salt reduced soy sauce (1sp)

75g brown sugar (17sp)

1/2 cup water (0sp)

1 tbsp cornflour (1sp)

In a bowl sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over beef, mix through garlic and sambal and set aside for 20 minutes.

In a bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar and water.  In another small bowl combine cornflour and about 1/4 cup of sauce mix to make a runny paste.

Heat a large non stick wok, (add a little spray of oil if necessary). Once wok/pan is very hot stir-fry beef for 1-2 mins until lightly brown, constantly stirring. Remove beef and set aside. Add vegetables and stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Add back beef along with sauce and cook until sauce is hot then add cornflour mix and cook until sauce has thickened.  Serve with 1/2 cup basmati (3sp) or long grain rice (4sp).

APPLE & CINNAMON OVERNIGHT OATS

6 propoints per serve 

1/3 cup rolled oats (3pp) 

100g vanilla yoghurt (I use a diet variety - 1pp)

1/3 cup skim milk (1pp) 

5g  honey (0pp)

1/4 tsp cinnamon or mixed spice (0pp) 

1/2 red apple, diced (0pp) 

10g chia seeds (1pp) - optional

Put all ingredients together in container and stir together.  Put in fridge overnight.  

I served mine with some of my favourite crunchy Muesli on top.

The variations to this are endless.   Replace cinnamon and apple with your favourite berries and banana or peaches and mango...just a couple of ideas.

HOMEMADE COLESLAW

3 smartpoints serving 6

4 smartpoints serving 4

1/4 cabbage, shredded (0sp)

1/2 red onion, finely diced (0sp)

1 red apple, finely diced (0sp)

125g Extra Light Sour cream (I use Weightwatchers brand) (8sp)

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (0sp)

25g raw sugar (6sp) 

20g Parmesan cheese, finely grated (3sp)

Mix all ingredients together.

My Weightwatchers Story - August 2014 issue (Weightwatchers Australia)

Here is my article below along with the featured YouTube clip:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=BRDMOtGrgH0

PUMPKIN & SPINACH CANNELLONI

Serves 6 - 8

Total 77SP / 64PP

10SP / 8PP per serve (8 serves)

13SP / 11PP per serve (6 serves)

1kg raw peeled pumpkin, diced into 2cm cubes - I use Jap/Kent type (0sp)

1 onion, finely diced (0sp)

1 tsp minced garlic (0sp)

375g light ricotta cheese (8sp)

150g light feta cheese (11sp)

250g frozen spinach (0sp)

Salt and pepper (0sp)

700g jar passata (14sp)

1/2 cup water (0sp)

150g light mozzarella cheese (14sp)

375g fresh lasagne sheets (30sp)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Bake pumpkin on baking paper lined tray for 30 minutes. Keep oven on.

Cook spinach in microwave to packet directions.  Once cooked, drain liquid from spinach.

In a non stick frypan, fry onions until translucent.  Add minced garlic and cook for a further minute.  

In a large mixing bowl combine feta and ricotta cheeses, onion mixture, spinach and mix together.  Stir in cooked pumpkin gently so that it doesn't break down too much.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large rectangular casserole dish pour half the jar of passata sauce to cover base of dish.  Add 1/2 cup of water to passata jar, put lid back on and shake jar to mix.

Fill lasagne sheets with pumpkin filling and roll into cannelloni tubes and place in casserole dish.  Note: to make lasagne sheets more easier to roll, heat the packet of lasagne in microwave for 1 min 30 seconds, then let rest for 1 minute before opening.  This should stop them from splitting.

Pour over remaining passata and top with mozzarella cheese. Cover with baking paper and aluminium foil.

Bake in oven for 40 minutes.  Take off baking paper and foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or until mozzarella is lightly browned.

Serve with salad.

CREAMY BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

Serves 6 (approximately 300ml serving size)

4 propoints per serve 

22 propoints in total

500g broccoli florets (0pp)

1 onion, diced (0pp)

50g reduced fat margarine spread (3pp)

50g plain flour (5pp)

2 cups skim milk (4pp)

2 cups salt reduced chicken stock (1pp)

1 carrot, finely grated or processed (0pp)

125g light cheddar cheese - I use Bega Extra Light and Tasty (9pp)

Canola spray (0pp)

1. Steam broccoli until cooked, set aside.

2. Over medium heat lightly spray with oil a large sauce pan. 

3. Add onion and cook until translucent.

4. Add margarine, once melted stir in flour and cook for a minute or so, stirring constantly.

5. Stirring constantly, add milk 1/2 cup at a time until combined and then stir in the chicken stock.

6. Add broccoli and carrot to pot and cook for 3-4 minutes.

7. Stir in cheese until all melted.

8. With a stick blender or processor pulse soup a few times to you get your desired texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

THAI BEEF SALAD

Serves 4

9 smartpoints per serve

1 small bunch coriander (0sp)

1.5cm piece ginger, finely grated (0sp)

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced (0sp)

2 long red chillies, seeded, thinly sliced on the diagonal (0sp)

1 lemon, zested, juiced (0sp)

1 tablespoon fish sauce (0sp)

25g brown sugar (6sp)

400g beef steak, I used rump (9sp)

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (0sp)

1 Lebanese cucumber, halved, seeded, thinly sliced (0sp)

1 carrot, thinly sliced (0sp)

1 handful of bean sprouts (0sp)

1/2 red capsicum, thinly sliced (0sp)

1 cup mint leaves (0sp)

62.5g serve of vermicelli noodles (6sp)

60g chopped unsalted peanuts (14sp)

To make nam jim, trim roots from coriander and rinse well. Pick leaves and reserve. Process coriander roots, ginger, garlic, one chilli, lemon zest and juice, fish sauce and brown sugar in a food processor until well combined and finely chopped.

Place noodles in bowl and pour over boiling water and let soak for 10 minutes.  Drain and rinse.  Cut noodles roughly a couple of times with scissors.

Preheat nonstick frypan to medium/hot. Season steak with a little salt and a little olive oil spray.  Fry steak for 3 minutes either side then set aside to rest. Once cooled, thinly slice.

In a large bowl place onion, carrots, cucumber, capsicum, reserved coriander leaves, mint, remaining chilli and bean sprouts.  Add beef, noodles and  nam jim and toss to combine. Scatter peanuts on top.