CREAMY SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Serves 4 - 6

Total of 42 propoints

INGREDIENTS

2 carrots, finely diced (0pp)

1 celery stick,finely diced (0pp)

1 onion, finely diced (0pp)

600g peeled potatoes, chopped in chunks (9pp)

2 cloves of garlic, minced (0pp)

2 corn cobs, kernels removed (8pp)

200g green prawn meat (4pp

6 large mussels (1pp)

200g calamari rings (4pp)

200g firm white fish (4pp)

4 cups fish stock (1pp)

200ml of light thickened cream (11pp)

2 tbsp chives, finely chopped (0pp)

2 tbsp parsley, chopped (0pp)

Salt and pepper to season

METHOD

In a large pot over medium heat add carrots, celery and onion.  Sauté until onions start to become translucent. 

Add garlic and potatoes and cook for a further minute.   

Add stock, bring to the boil.  

Put lid on pot, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.   

Process with a stick blender until smooth.  

Add corn and cook for 10 minutes or until cooked. 

Add seafood and cook for 3-5 minutes until cooked through.  

Stir in cream, chives and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

THE BEST BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

Adapted from Jamie Oliver's Save with Jamie Recipe

Serves 8

27 propoints

INGREDIENTS

2 cloves of garlic (0pp)

50g reduced fat margarine (7pp)

50g plain flour (5pp)

500ml skim milk (4pp)

500g fresh or frozen broccoli (0pp)

75g reduced fat cheddar cheese 

1 kg fresh or frozen cauliflower (0pp)

2 slices of stale bread (4pp)

2 sprigs of fresh thyme (0pp)

25g flaked almonds (4pp)

1/2 tbsp olive oil (3pp)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  

Peel and finely slice the garlic and put it into a medium pan on a medium heat with the margarine. When the margarine has melted, stir in the flour for a minute to make a paste, then gradually add the milk, whisking as you go, until lovely and smooth. 

Add the broccoli (cut up first, if using fresh) and simmer for around 20 minutes, or until the broccoli is cooked through and starts to break down, then mash or blitz with a stick blender (adding an extra splash of milk to loosen, if using fresh broccoli). 

Grate in half the Cheddar and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the cauliflower in an appropriately sized baking dish (cut into florets first, if using fresh), pour over the broccoli white sauce and grate over the remaining Cheddar. 

Blitz the bread into breadcrumbs in a food processor, then pulse in the thyme leaves, almonds and oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, then scatter evenly over the cauliflower cheese. 

Bake for 1 hour, or until golden and cooked through.

Read more at http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/the-best-cauliflower-broccoli-cheese/#ztHEkzQP87r1TWzT.99

LASAGNE

Serves 9 - 10 propoints per serve

INGREDIENTS

500g beef mince (21pp)

1 onion, finely diced (0pp)

2 tsp minced garlic (0pp)

300g mushrooms (0pp)

2 zucchini (0pp)

2 carrots (0pp)

2 tbsp tomato paste (1pp)

1 cup salt reduced beef stock (1pp)

1/2 cup red wine (3pp)

420g can condensed tomato soup (3pp)

1 tbsp of mixed herbs (0pp)

500g lasagne sheets (28pp) - I used Latina 8 sheet pack

White Sauce

50g reduced fat margarine (7pp)

50g plain flour (5pp)

2 cups skim milk (4pp)

200g reduced fat tasty cheese (18pp)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

If you have a food processor either process or grate your mushrooms, carrots and zucchini to save time.   If cutting by hand, dice small.

In a large non stick fry pan over medium high heat cook beef until browned.  Set aside. 

Add onion to pan and cook for few minutes until translucent.  Add garlic and cook for a further minute.  Add carrots, zucchini and mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes until liquid that comes out of from the vegetables reduces.  Add back mince along with tomato paste, stock, red wine and tomato soup and mixed herbs.  Stir to combine.  Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  (At this point I make the white sauce).

White sauce: In a small saucepan over low heat melt margarine. Add flour and whisk together.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Gradually add milk in small amounts until you have a smooth sauce.  Add in 50g cheese and stir until melted.

In a large rectangular casserole dish add about a 1/4 of the meat sauce, then a layer with lasagne sheets, then a 1/4 of the white sauce. Repeating until lasagne sheets are gone and top with last 1/4 of white sauce.   Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.  Cover dish with baking paper and foil and bake in oven for 45 minutes.  Remove paper and foil and bake for further 15 minutes or until top begins to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

SATAY CHICKEN & VEGETABLE STIRFRY

Serves 4 larger servings  - 9 propoints
Serves 6 smaller servings - 6 propoints

INGREDIENTS
600g chicken breast, thinly sliced (15pp)
1 large onion, sliced (0pp)
1 heaped tsp minced garlic (0pp)
2 tsp sambal oelek (0pp)
2 tsp curry powder (0pp)
2 carrots, peeled and julienned (0pp)
1 capsicum (red or green), thinly sliced (0pp)
Handful of snow peas (0pp)
130g (Kraft) light crunchy peanut butter (17pp)
200ml lite coconut milk (4pp)
1/2 tbsp cornflour (1pp)
1-2 tsp fish sauce (0pp)
Canola spray (0pp)

METHOD
Heat a large nonstick frypan or wok over high heat. Lightly spray with oil.  Add chicken, onion, garlic, sambal oelek and curry powder and cook until chicken is just cooked on outside.
Add carrots and capsicum and cook for a further minute.
In a jug stir together coconut milk and cornflour.
Add milk mixture to pan along with peanut butter.  Stir until peanut butter has melted down then add snow peas.
Season dish with fish sauce - 1 to 2 tsp (to taste).
Serve with rice.

SLOW COOKER PEA AND HAM SOUP

Serves 8 

Total 43pp - 5pp per serve

INGREDIENTS

1 small brown onion, finely chopped (0pp)

2 carrots, diced (0pp)

2 garlic cloves, crushed (0pp)

2 sticks celery, diced (0pp)

400g potatoes, peeled, diced (6pp)

1 ham hock - (350g of edible ham - 20pp)

1 cup (210g) green split peas, washed, rinsed (16pp)

3 tsp (15g) salt-reduced chicken stock powder (1pp)

1 dried bay leaf (0pp)

METHOD

Heat a large non stick frying pan over medium-high heat.  Cook onion, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add garlic, celery, carrot and potatoes and continue to cook for a further 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl of slow cooker.

Add ham hock, peas, stock, bay leaf and 1.75 litres (7 cups) of cold water. Season with pepper. Cover with lid. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Remove hock from soup. Remove and discard rind and bone. Shred ham. Return ham to soup and cook on low for 1 more hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Serves 6 - 5 smartpoints per serve

33 smartpoints in total

150g cherry tomatoes, quartered (0sp)

1 large carrot, grated (0sp)

1 red capsicum, diced small (0sp)

1 red onion, thinly sliced (0sp)

1 tsp minced garlic (0sp)

1 tsp cumin (0sp)

1/4 tsp cinnamon (0sp)

1/4 tsp turmeric (0sp)

50g currants (8sp)

1 cup hot chicken stock (1sp)

1 cup couscous (18sp)

30g toasted almonds (5sp)

1 tbsp lemon juice (0sp)

Olive oil spray (1sp)

Handful of chopped fresh parsley or coriander (optional) 

In a large nonstick frypan fry onion with a light spray of olive oil until onions are almost soft.   Add capsicum, carrot and currants and cook for a further 2 minutes.   Stir in garlic and spices and cook for a further 1 minute.  Add couscous and stir through then add hot chicken stock and stir through. Cover with lid and take off heat.  Let stand for 5 minutes.    Stir in cherry tomatoes, almonds, lemon juice and parsley (if using) and season with salt and pepper to taste.

I love to serve this dish with roast pumpkin pieces and grilled lamb (as pictured above). I usually add the parsley/coriander but on this occasion forgot to buy it.

HEUVOS RANCHEROS

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
45 smartpoints - 11 smartpoints per serve

1/2 red onion, diced  (0sp)
1 chorizo (130g), quartered and diced (20sp)
4 ripe tomatoes, diced (0sp)
420g can five bean mix, drained and rinsed (8sp)
2 tsp minced garlic (0sp)
2 tsp sambal oelek (0sp)
1 tsp sweet paprika (0sp)
1/2 tbsp brown sugar (1sp)
1/2 cup chicken stock (0sp)
4 eggs (7sp)
80g light cheese, grated (9sp)

METHOD
In a non stick frypan over medium high heat fry off onion and chorizo, about 3-5 minutes.
Stir in garlic, sambal oelek and paprika and cook for 1 more minute.
Add tomatoes and beans and cook until tomatoes start to break down (3-5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Stir in stock and brown sugar and cook for another 2 minutes.
Make 4 pockets in the bean mix and crack eggs into them.
Cover pan and cook until eggs have almost set.  Sprinkle grated cheese over top and put lid back on. Cook until cheese has melted and eggs are set.
Serve with warmed tortilla bread.