RICOTTA PANCAKES

Makes 12 pancakes - 3pp each

INGREDIENTS

375g reduced fat ricotta cheese (10pp)

190ml skim milk (2pp)

1 tbsp stevia powder (0pp)

4 eggs, separated (7pp)

180g plain flour (17pp)

Pinch of salt (0pp)

1tsp baking powder (0pp)

1 tsp vanilla extract (0pp)

Zest of one orange (0pp)

Oil for cooking (1pp)

METHOD

Place ricotta, stevia, milk and egg yolks in a mixing bowl and mix to combine.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.

Add to the ricotta mixture along with vanilla extract and zest and mix until just combined.

Place egg whites in a clean dry bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.

Fold egg whites through batter.

Lightly grease a large non-stick frying pan and drop a 1/4 cup of batter per pancake into the pan. 

Cook over a low to medium heat for 2 minutes, or until pancakes have golden undersides.

Turn pancakes and cook on the other side until golden and cooked through.

I served mine with stewed apple and sugar free maple flavoured syrup.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Total 64 propoints
Serves 6 (11pp per serve)

INGREDIENTS
500g chicken thighs, sliced (15pp)
75g shortcut bacon, diced (5pp)
500g button mushrooms, sliced (0pp)
1 brown onion, finely diced (0pp)
20g minced garlic (0pp)
20g butter (4pp)
300g arborio rice (27pp)
1/2 cup dry white wine (3pp)
5 cups of hot salt reduced chicken stock (2pp)
40g parmesan cheese (5pp)
150g frozen green peas (3pp)

METHOD
Heat a large non stick frypan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and bacon and fry off for 1 minute. Add chicken and cook for a further 2 minutes then add mushrooms.  It may seem a lot but they will reduce down.  Cook down until liquid  from mushrooms is reduced to nil then add in garlic and stir through.

Meanwhile melt butter in another large nonstick pot over medium-high heat. Add rice and stir to coat.  Then add 2 cups of hot stock.  Give a gentle stir and let reduce down. Then add wine. Give another gentle stir then reduce down. Gradually add the rest of the stock (stirring occasionally) until rice is al dente and almost all the stock is gone.  Stir in parmesan cheese, chicken and mushroom mixture and frozen peas. Turn off stove. Cover with lid for a few minutes for peas to cook.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.