Homemade Guacamole

You really cannot serve Mexican especially Spicy Chicken Nachos without Homemade Guacamole.  It's that perfect accompaniment that pleases the tastebuds along side all the warm wonderful spices that Mexican food is laced with.

 

One of the major positives about this dish is that it's such an easy side dish to make, taking only minutes and the flavour is just an explosion in your mouth compared to shop brought prepackaged dip.

 

Homemade Guacamole

 

Serves: 8

ProPoints per serve: 2

 

2 ripe avocado

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

150 grams cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 red bullet chilli (seeds removed if desired) finely chopped

juice of 1 fresh lime

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Cut avocados in half, remove stone and peel.  Dice each half and place in a large bowl.  Mash gently until chunky.

 

Add onions, cherry tomatoes, coriander, chilli and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix until well combined.

Refrigerate until required.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Banana Bread Supreme

Banana bread is a really treat especially as it is often made using lots of butter or oil but this Banana Bread Supreme contains no dairy at all and is not only very easy to makes it's delish. 

Only a handful of ingredients sees this mixed together within minutes.  The riper the bananas the more intense the flavour.... so I tend to let my bananas sit on the bench until the skin is black and the bananas very soft.

Served hot or cold you will be amazed by this Banana Bread.

Banana Bread Supreme

(recipe sourced from Best Recipes)

 

Serves: 12

ProPoints per serve: 2

 

3 ripe medium bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1/4 cup caster sugar

1 egg

1 cup self-raising flour

1 pinch salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar

Heat oven to 180C and grease and line the base of a loaf tin.

Mash bananas in a medium sized bowl, then add golden syrup.

Add caster sugar and mix well.

Add egg, sifted flour and salt and lightly mix until just combined.

Pour mixture into loaf tin and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

 

 

 

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Tomato and Chilli Jam

I really enjoy Chilli Jam, especially served with a nice juicy steak!!  As I mentioned we have been having some really enjoyable steak recently so I thought I would try my hand at making my own chilli jam.

 

Variations of this relish are numerous, some actually resembling jelly and others being more relish like.  I love The Gourmet Sauce Company's Chilli Jam which is relish like and would buy jars of it every time I went to Tasmania with work.

 

I came across this recipe on Taste.com and it looked basic enough to experiment with.  To my surprise it was nice. Slightly sweet but a nice consistency however I woulf prefer more of a chilli kick so next time I am thinking that I would add one small bullet chilli also.

 



 

Tomato and Chilli Jam

(recipe sourced from Taste.com)

 

Serves: 4

ProPoints per Serve: 2

 

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

3 long red chillies, finely chopped

400 gram can chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons caster sugar

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoons fish sauce

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and chilli. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until onion has softened.

Add tomato, sugar, vinegar and fish sauce. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low.

Simmer for 15 minutes or until mixture has thickened.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Bacon and Corn Polenta Muffins

Something quick to make and oh so very very tasty.  These will fit the bill for a lunchbox treat if you can manage to stop others from eating them when they come straight out of the oven.

The combination of the bacon and corn, always a wonderful combination on their own, partnered with cheese and polenta makes a satisfying flavour hit that are delicious whether they are served hot or cold.

Only 2ppts each but very morish - I could eat quite a few.  Freezable so you can control how many you have for lunch :)

Bacon and Corn Polenta Muffins

(recipe adapted from WW The Complete Meal)

Serves: 24

ProPoints per Serve: 2

cooking spray

1/2 cup (80 grams) yellow polenta

2/3 cups (160 mls) skim milk

80 grams Weight Watchers Bacon, finely chopped

4 green shallots, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups (220 grams) self raising flour

2 x 125 gram cans corn kernels, rinsed, drained

2 x 125 gram cans creamed corn

1/2 cup (60 grams) extra light grated tasty cheese

100 grams Weight Watchers Canola Spread, melted

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Line two 12 hole mini muffin tins with paper cases.  Spray with cooking spray if needed.

Combine polenta and milk in a bowl.  Set aside for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile lightly spray a small non stick frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  Cook bacon, stirring, for 2 minutes.  Add shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until bacon is crisp.  Remove pan from heat.  Cool for 5 minutes.

Sift flour into a large bowl. Add corn kernels, creamed corn, cheese and bacon mixture and stir until combined.  Add spread, egg and polenta mixture and mix until combined.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into each paper case.   Bake for 15 - 18 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.  Cool muffins in tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.  Serve warm or cold.

Note: for a mini muffin this mixture can make 48 muffins by using small paper cases and 1 tablespoon of mixture per case - the ProPoints value per muffin would then be 1 ppts each.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Herbed Potato Slices

A quick side dish that goes well with most meals.  The flavours are robust but not overpowering and the potato slices make a nice change from baked potatoes or mash.

Herbed Potato Slices

Serves: 4

ProPoints per serve: 2

500 grams peeled potatoes, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

1 garlic clove, crushed

salt

freshly ground black pepper

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

In a large snap lock bag or bow combine potatoes, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.  Toss well ensuring that the potatoes are coated in all the other ingredients.

Line a baking tray with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Place potatoes in a single layer on tray.  Spray top side of the potatoes with cooking spray also.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through and golden, turning once.

Serve immediately.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Little Passionfruit Cakes

I know it's once again been a long time!!  Since my last post I have managed to clock up over 3000kms with work travel not to mention surviving weekends that have been jam packed with commitments!!  Sorry...   :(

Little Passionfruit Cakes... looked delish as soon as I turned to the page in the cookbook. I knew that my family would love these no end.

Very easy to make these little cupcakes turned out light and moist and definitely full of flavour. While there is apple puree in the recipe it wasn't a distinct taste - but you could definitely tasted the passionfruit.

Great for lunchboxes if you have any left!!

Little Passionfruit Cakes

(recipe sourced from WW Just Say Yum Cookbook)

Serves: 24

ProPoints per serve: 2 

75 grams reduced fat spread

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract

1 medium egg

1 1/3 cup self-raising flour, sifted

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup apple puree

1/4 cup fresh passionfruit pulp

1 tablespoon icing sugar

Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced.

Line two 12-hole (2 tablespoon/40ml capacity) mini muf f in tins with paper cases.

Using electric beaters, beat spread, caster sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until combined. Fold in flour and buttermilk, alternately, until combined. Fold in apple puree and passionfruit pulp.

Spoon mixture into paper cases. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

Stand cakes in tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

TIP: Despite its name, buttermilk is quite low in fat. If unavailable you can use skim milk mixed with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Satay Pork Parcels

Along with the Mexican Chicken Sausage Rolls Alex and I made Satay Pork Parcels.

These were nice, not unsimiliar to a samosa but a different flavour.  The satay sauce combined with the pork mince and lots of vegetables went down a treat.

Using the filo pastry made them light and delicate, a nice lunchtime treat and these would be perfect as an entree or even finger food.

Satay Pork Parcels

Serves: 28

ProPoints per serve: 2

500 grams pork mince

4 spring onions, finely sliced

1 zucchini, grated

2 carrots, grated

1 red capsicum, finely diced

1/2 cup satay sauce

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

14 sheets Antoniou fresh filo pastry

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Combine pork, spring onions, zucchini, carrots, capsicum, satay sauce, soy sacue and sesame oil in a large bowl.  Mix well to combine.

Taking one sheet of pastry at a time, place first sheet on pastry board or work bench and spray with cooking spray.  Top with a second sheet.  Cut equally into 4 rectangles.  Place a spoonful of mixture in the closest corner of each sheet to you.  Working with one pastry at a time fold over mixture in a triangle shape down the length of the pastry until all folded.  Continue with remaining pastry and mixture.

Place on a baking tray and spray with cooking spray.  Cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through, turning once during cooking.

(click here for a printable version of the recipe)

Mexican Chicken Sausage Rolls

Alex and I decided to do some baking today so we set out to make some sausage rolls.  Instead of using traditional sausage mince I had some chicken mince wish is definitely lower in fat. 

This was a quick and easy recipe that we made up as we went along and the results were quick surprising.  Not overly spicy considering the use of mexican chilli powder but enough to leave an enjoyable tingle in your mouth afterwards.

Mexican Chicken Sausage Rolls

Makes: 28

ProPoints per serve: 2

4 sheets Pampas reduced-fat puff pastry

500 grams lean chicken mince

375 gram jar mild tomato bassed salsa

2 teaspoons mexican chilli powder

1 zucchinni, grated

2 carrots, grated

1 tablespoon dried oregano

salt

pepper

1/4 cup plain flour

1 egg, lightly beaten

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Allow sheets of pastry to defrost at room temperature.   Cut each sheet in half.

Mix together chicken mince, salsa, zucchini, carrot and oregano.  Season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle a pastry board or bench with a little flour.  Take 1/8th of chicken mixture and roll into a sausage shape the same length as the pastry. 

Place sausage onto pastry along one edge, brush the opposite edge with egg and roll up to enclose ensuring seam is at the bottom.  Repeat with remaining pastry.  Cut each sausage roll into 4 pieces.

Coat a baking tray with paper and cooking spray.  Place sausage rolls on tray and brush with remaining egg.

Cook for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

1 Minute Berry Ice Cream

I saw this recipe on Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals and just knew it would go down a treat with the kids!

Frozen berries make it an instant frozen dessert but it can be frozen also to firm it up. The hint of mint from the fresh mint leaves gave it a pleasant aftertaste also.

I loved this recipe as there is no cream - just low fat natural yoghurt complimented with some honey to provide sweetness. A very easy and low ProPoint dessert that anyone can make.

And as Jamie said in the episode I was watching you can literally put anything you want into it - just use a little imagination. Watch out - I will be experimenting with this one.

1 Minute Berry Ice Cream
(recipe sourced from Jamie Oliver 30 Minute Meals)

Serves: 8
ProPoints per serve: 2

500 grams frozen berries
500 grams low fat natural yoghurt
4 tablespoons honey
fresh mint leaves

Place berries, yoghurt, honey and mint leaves. Blend until smooth.

Place in a sealed container and freeze if not using immediately.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)