GREEK STUFFED EGGPLANTS

5 smartpoints per stuffed eggplant

INGREDIENTS

3 eggplants 

Olive oil spray 

1 onion, chopped 

2 tsp minced garlic 

1 tsp cinnamon

300g minced lamb 

1 cup cooked basmati rice 

225g tomato passata 

½ cup beef stock 

1 tsp dried oregano 

chopped parsley (about 2 large tbsp plus a little extra for decoration)

salt and pepper 

100g reduced fat smooth feta cheese

No fat Plain Greek yoghurt and pomegranate seeds - optional 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, then cut around the edge of each half then cut again deeply in a criss-cross pattern inside the border, being careful not to cut through the skin at the bottom. Scoop out the flesh and put aside.

In a large frypan, fry off the onion with a spray of olive oil for a few minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cinnamon and cook for another 30 seconds, then add the scooped-out eggplant and cook for 5 minutes or so until that is soft as well.

Add the mince meat to the pan and break up and stir for about another 5 minutes. Add in the passata, stock, oregano, parsley and rice, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Put the eggplant halves on a baking tray and fill each with the meat mixture. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 50 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle with crumbled feta. Spray over a little olive oil and cook for a further 15 to 20 minutes, or until the eggplants are soft enough.

To serve, sprinkle over a little parsley and a dollop of yoghurt then sprinkle over pomegranate seeds (optional).

 

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.

SALMON AND SWEET POTATO PATTIES

Serves 4 - 8 smartpoints
Total 32 smartpoints

415g can of salmon, drained (11sp)
400g sweet potato, steamed and roughly mashed (11sp)
3 spring onions, finely chopped (0sp)
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce - I use Ayam Light Sweet Chilli Sauce (0sp)
Salt and pepper (0sp)
25g plain flour (2sp)
1 egg, beaten (2sp)
50g panko breadcrumbs (5sp)
Olive oil spray (1sp)

Mix together salmon, sweet potato, spring onions and sweet chilli sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Roll into 8 balls.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200c.
Roll each ball lightly in flour, then dip in egg then coat with crumbs.
Place on baking paper lined tray, spray patties with oil and bake for 20 minutes.  I turn after 10 minutes and spray other side with oil.
Serve with salad.

Notes: I steam my sweet potato by cooking it (in large chunks) in a ziplock sandwich bag in the microwave with 1 tbsp of water for 6 minutes (until cooked).  I keep the skin on and just scrub/clean it before cooking.

SATAY CHICKEN SKEWERS

Serves 6 - Total 29 Smartpoints (5 Smartpoints per serve -WWYourWay)

INGREDIENTS 

1kg chicken breast, cubed (0sp)

1tsp turmeric (0sp)

1 1/2 tsp honey (2sp)

1 tbsp peanut oil (6sp)

2 cloves garlic, crushed (0sp)

1 1/2 tbsp salt reduced soy sauce (0sp)

250ml can Ayam Satay Sauce (19sp)

1/4 cup reduced fat coconut milk (2sp)

2 red capsicums, cut in pieces (0sp)

1 large brown onion, cut in pieces (0sp)

1 can of pineapple chunks, drained (0sp)

18 wooden skewers

METHOD

In bowl mix turmeric, honey, oil, garlic and soy sauce.  Stir through diced chicken and cover.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to marinate.

Thread chicken, capsicum, pineapple and onion onto skewers.  I usually get three to four pieces of chicken to each skewer.

Cook skewers on a BBQ or grill over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Place skewers on a plate once cooked.

In a small saucepan combine satay sauce and coconut milk. Heat through until hot. Pour sauce over cooked chicken skewers and serve.

I like to serve this dish with basmati rice with diced shallots mixed through. (3 smart points for 1/2 cup of cooked basmati rice).

MASSAMAN BEEF CURRY

Serves 4 (15sp) - 6 (10sp)
59 smartpoints in total

INGREDIENTS
500g trimmed diced beef (chuck or gravy) (15sp)
2 cups of salt reduced beef stock (1sp)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped in chunks (0sp)
400g potato, skin on chopped in chunks (8sp)
250g sweet potato, peeled and chopped in chunks (8sp)
250g pumpkin, peeled and chopped in chunks (0sp)
100g massaman paste (5sp)
400ml light coconut milk (16sp)
2 kaffir lime leaves (0sp)
2 tbsp brown sugar (6sp)
1/2 tbsp fish sauce (0sp)
1/2 cup salt reduced beef stock (0sp)

METHOD
Preheat oven to 160C.
In a oven proof pot fry off beef until browned.  Add 2 cups of beef stock, close lid and bake in oven.
After 1 hour, heat a nonstick pot and add curry paste and fry off for 1 minute.  Add coconut milk, lime leaves and vegetables.  Cover with lid and over medium heat cook for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes add in beef from the oven (including any stock from pot remaining).  Also add brown sugar, fish sauce and 1/2 cup of beef stock and cook for further 5 minutes. Serve with rice.
Note: if too sweet add more fish sauce, if not sweet enough add more brown sugar.

TANDOORI SALMON WITH FRAGRANT CORIANDER RICE & SALAD

INGREDIENTS

TANDOORI SALMON (9sp per serve)

4 x 175g skinless salmon fillets (36sp)

1 tbsp tandoori paste (1sp)

1/4 cup low fat natural greek yoghurt (1sp)

FRAGRANT CORIANDER RICE 

This makes more than 4 servings.   I had 1/2 a cup of cooked rice which I would assume is about 4 smartpoints.

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (6sp)

1 small brown onion, finely diced (0sp)

2 cloves garlic, minced (0sp)

3 whole cloves, bruised (0sp)

3 cardamon pods, bruised (0sp)

Zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon (0sp)

1 1/2 cups (300g) basmati rice (33sp)

2 1/4 cups (560ml) water (0sp)

2 tbsps fresh chopped coriander (0sp)

SALAD (0 sp per serve)

1/4 red onion, finely diced (0sp)

1 cucumber, seeded and diced small (0sp)

3 Roma tomatoes, diced (0sp)

Salt and pepper, to season

METHOD

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. 

In a bowl mix tandoori paste and yoghurt.  Coat salmon fillets in mixture and place on a baking paper lined oven tray.

In a large non stick frypan heat oil.  Add onion, garlic, spices and lemon zest.  Fry until onion becomes translucent.  Add rice to pan and stir through onion mixture then add water and a sprinkle of salt.  Bring rice to the boil, reduce heat to low, put lid on, and simmer for 12 minutes. 

At this point I put the salmon in the oven.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked to your liking.

Whilst salmon and rice are cooking prepare salad.  Mix onion, cucumber and tomato in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Once rice is cooked, stir through coriander and lemon juice. 

Serve rice, salmon and salad on plate.  I add a dollop of yoghurt on my plate also.