KASHMIRI LAMB KORMA

Serves 6

10pp per serve

3 brown onions, coarsely chopped (0pp)
1 tsp ground turmeric (0pp)
5 green cardamom pods (0pp)
1 cinnamon stick (0pp) 
10 black peppercorns (0pp)
6 whole cloves (0pp)
1 tsp cumin seeds (0pp) 
2 garlic cloves, crushed (0pp)
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger (0pp)
2 tsp coriander seeds (0pp)
1/2 tsp chilli powder (0pp)
1 tbsp smoked paprika (0pp)
3 tomatoes, chopped (0pp)
1 kg lamb shoulder, cut into 3cm pieces (58pp)
2 cups water (0pp)
1 cup no fat natural yoghurt (4pp)
Salt and pepper (0pp)

With a mortar and pestle grind up all the spices, set aside.
Heat a large non stick saucepan/casserole pan on a medium to high heat. Brown off lamb pieces and remove from pan. 

Add the onion to pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring every now and then until golden. 

Add all the spices, garlic and ginger and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until aromatic. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. 

Return the lamb to the pan, stir it through and pour in the water and yoghurt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Lamb should be tender and sauce thickened slightly.  If the sauce has not thickened enough remove lid and cook for further 15 minutes of medium heat.  

Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Total 62pp

CHICKEN, CHORIZO, PRAWN AND MUSSEL PAELLA

Total 60pp

Serve 6 = 10pp

Serve 4 = 15pp

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves (0pp)

1 onion (0pp)

1 carrot (0pp)

15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley (0pp)

130 g chorizo (16pp)

300g skinless, boneless trimmed chicken thighs (9pp)

1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika (0pp)

1 red capsicum (0pp)

1 tablespoon tomato paste (0pp)

3 tsp chicken stock powder (1pp)

300 g paella rice (28pp)

100 g frozen peas (1pp)

200 g green peeled prawns (4pp)

6 mussels, cleaned and debearded (1pp)

1 lemon (0pp)

Method

Peel and finely slice the garlic, peel and dice the onion and carrot. Finely chop the parsley stalks, then roughly chop the chorizo and chicken thighs. 

With a lidded shallow casserole or paella pan on a medium heat, add the garlic, onion, carrot, parsley stalks, chorizo, chicken and paprika, and fry for around 5 minutes, stirring regularly. 

Deseed and dice the pepper, then add to the pan for a further 5 minutes.

Stir through the tomato paste and stock powder, then add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes so it starts to suck up all that lovely flavour. 

Pour in 750ml of boiling water and add a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Pop the lid on and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly from the outside in and from the inside out, and adding a splash of water if needed. 

Stir in the peas, prawns and mussels replace the lid, and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, or until prawns are cooked through and mussels have opened.  

Season to perfection, then chop the parsley leaves, scatter them over the paella, and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Adapted from Save with Jamie.

Original recipe link: www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/rice-recipes/chicken-chorizo-paella/#00QjUamA1VXMBeDC.97

GREEK YOGHURT PANCAKES

GREEK YOGHURT PANCAKES

Makes 6 pancakes

Ingredients

100g plain flour (9pp)

225g no fat Greek yoghurt (3pp)

1 tbs natvia (0pp)

1 tsp baking soda (0pp)

1/2 tsp salt (0pp)

2 eggs (3pp)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (0pp)

Method

In a mixing bowl add flour, yoghurt, natvia, baking soda and salt.  Stir gently together until combined. 

In a separate bowl, mix together egg and vanilla.  

Add egg mixture to flour mixture and mix together until just combined.  Note, this won't be a smooth batter like your normal pancakes, it is more thick/lumpy like a buttermilk pancake batter.

Using 1/4 measuring cup, drop batter onto a medium hot non stick frypan. Use a little canola spray if necessary. Cook until the edges begin to look dry and bubbles start to form on top (1-2mins) and then flip with spatula and cook for a further 1 minute.  

Serve with your favourite topping.

Optional: once I added the pancake mix to frypan I added a few blueberries to the pancake. I topped my pancakes with stewed apple, cinnamon and 1 tbsp of sugar free maple flavoured syrup (0pp).

SPICY PUMPKIN SOUP & GARLIC CROUTONS

SPICY PUMPKIN SOUP 

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

2 x 3 second spray Olive Oil (1pp)

1 onion chopped (0pp)

1 garlic clove crushed (0pp)

1/2 tsp ground coriander (0pp)

1/2 tsp ground cumin (0pp)

1/2 tsp chilli powder (0pp)

1 kg pumpkin chopped (0pp)

1L chicken stock liquid (2pp)

90mls light thickened cream (5pp) - I use Philadelphia Extra Light Cream for Cooking (3pp)

Salt and pepper to taste (0pp)

Method

Spray oil in saucepan and cook onion over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic, coriander, cumin and chilli and cook for 1 minute longer.

Add pumpkin and stock to pan, bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

With a stick blender, process until smooth (Can use a food processor if you don't have a stick blender). Stir in cream, season to taste with salt and pepper and cook over a medium heat until heated through.

GARLIC CROUTONS

Ingredients 

180g baguette (14pp)

50g butter (11pp)

1 tsp minced garlic (0pp)

Method

Preheat oven to 200C. 

Cut baguette in small cubes.

In a non stick frypan melt butter over medium heat.   Once melted add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Toss bread through butter mixture.

Spread bread pieces on a baking paper lined tray and bake in oven for about 10 minutes or until crispy.  

Note: this makes about 250g of cooked croutons.  Every 10g = 1pp

Weight Watchers - Jennie Miles lost 33kg on Weight Watchers

BUTTER CHICKEN AND PUMPKIN DAHL

BUTTER CHICKEN

Serves 6 (11sp/10pp) - 8 (8sp/8pp)

Total 65 smartpoints / 62 propoints 

Ingredients

2cm piece of ginger, roughly chopped (0sp)

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (0sp)

80g blanched almonds (14sp)

2/3 cup plain greek natural yoghurt - I use no-fat yoghurt (4sp)

1/2 tsp chilli powder (0sp)

1/4 tsp ground cloves (0sp)

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (0sp)

1 tsp garam masala (0sp)

4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed (0sp)

400g tin chopped tomatoes (0sp)

1 1/4 tsp salt (0sp)

8 medium skinless, boneless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed (21sp)

50g butter (18sp)

1 large onion, thinly sliced (0sp)

6 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves (0sp)

4 tbsp light thickened cream (8sp)

Method

In a food processor blend ginger, garlic and almonds.  Add yoghurt, chilli powder, cloves, cinnamon, garam masala, cardamom pods, tomato and salt to mixture and blend until combined.

In a large bowl add chicken and mixture, stir to coat chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 180C (350F).  Heat butter in large frypan. (I use a ovenproof frypan so I can go straight from stove to oven).   Add the onion and fry until softened and lightly browned.  Add the chicken mixture and fry for 2 minutes. Add the fresh coriander and cream and stir through. (If you don't have a ovenproof frypan transfer to baking dish now).

Bake for 1 hour giving a stir about 1/2 hour into cooking.   If it is browning too quickly cover with foil. 

Notes

This recipe is adapted from The Food of India; a journey for food lovers. I have reduced the amount of butter (from 5 tbsp) for my own health. 

RED LENTIL AND PUMPKIN DAHL

Serves 6 (3 smartpoints per serve)

Total 17 smartpoints 

Ingredients

1 cup split red lentils (13sp)

10g butter (4sp)

1 onion, finely chopped (0sp)

2 cloves garlic, crushed (0sp)

1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds (0sp)

2 tsp ground coriander (0sp)

1 tsp ground cumin (0sp)

1 tsp turmeric (0sp)

1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (0sp)

1/2 tsp chicken stock powder (0sp)

2 cups pumpkin chopped into large (about 4cm) pieces (0sp)

Hot water

Method

Soak lentils in water for a few hours if possible. Rinse lentils until water is almost clear.

Mix spices together in a small bowl.

Melt butter and slow fry onion & garlic until translucent. 

Add mustard seeds and cook until they 'pop'. 

Add spice mixture and stir until they are aromatic.

Add drained lentils and coat with onion and spice mixture.

Add hot water to cover lentils.

Add pumpkin and top up water level to just cover lentils and almost covering pumpkin.

Cook over low heat until pumpkin is soft - about 30 minutes.

Season with salt to taste.

Notes

Cook with lid on if you want runny dahl otherwise cook with lid off for thick dahl. 

I prefer to cook this in a 26cm non stick frypan so that lentils don't stick.

I like to serve this topped with coriander on basmati rice with mango chutney and/or raita/yoghurt on the side.