Chicken Vegetable and Pasta Soup

With winter approaching I always get the hankering to make soup, especially a nice chunky soup that I can mop up with fresh crusty bread.

This Chicken Vegetable and Pasta Soup is something that my mother cooked all the time during my childhood and I still love it today although I am not convinced my version is as good as my Mam's was!!

The addition of the pasta makes it extra filling and like all good dishes it is jam packed full of vegetables. Funnily not much is added to this recipe by way of herbs or spices, the flavours of all the vegetables and the poaching of the chicken makes it just superb and is just so simple. And another bonus is that it is freezable making it perfect for work lunches.

Chicken Vegetable and Pasta Soup

Serves: 12

ProPoints per serve: 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 brown onion, diced

2 stalks of celery, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

600 grams chicken breast fillet, all visible fat removed and cut in half

4 litres of chicken stock (made with stock powder)

freshly ground black pepper

4 carrots, sliced

1 red capsicum, diced

1 green capsicum, diced

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

250 grams pasta spirals

2 medium zucchini, diced

110 gram tin corn kernels, drained

1/2 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons cornflour

2 tablespoons water

Heat oil is a large saucepan over medium heat and add onion, celery and garlic. Cook until onion is tender. Add chicken pieces and stock. Season with pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from stock and allow to cool.

Add the carrots, capsicum, parsley flakes and pasta spirals. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

Meanwhile shred the cooled chicken into chunks. Return to the soup along with the capsicums, corn and peas.

In a small bowl mix together cornflour and water and stir through soup until thickened slightly.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Pesto Prawn and Spinach Pizza

Back from another week of travelling and having to work Saturday morning (something I haven't done in a long time) I really needed something easy for dinner not to mention tasty. Living out of motel rooms was nice for the first month or so but I can tell you I am over it. Most are nice and have restaurants so I either don't have far to travel for dinner or I can get room service but I am sick of the vague descriptions on some menus or getting meals that don't resemble the description of the dish.

Anyhow as you may know by now we love having home made pizzas as it gives us all a chance to be experimental with flavours. This is one that I put together last night and surprisingly it was very yummy. This Pesto Prawn and Spinach Pizza had a very clean flavour.

From the first mouthful you tasted the bold basil pesto and then the delicateness of the prawns, amongst the fresh flavours of the spinach and tomato. I used minimal cheese as I thought it wouldn't need it and it didn't! Even Noel thought it was delicious.

Pesto Prawn and Spinach Pizza

Serves: 2

ProPoints per serve: 9

250 grams peeled raw king prawns

cooking spray

1 large Lebanese Pita Bread (100 grams)

2 tablespoons Basil Pesto

60 grams reduced fat grated tasty cheese

100 grams baby spinach

1/4 onion, sliced

1/2 red capsicum, sliced

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Devein prawns, rinse and pat dry with paper towel.

Spray a pizza tray with cooking spray. Place Lebanese Pita Bread on tray.

Spread pita bread with pesto evenly. Sprinkle with half of the cheese.

Top with spinach leaves, onion and capsicum. Place prawns and tomato halves on pizza and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cook in oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until prawns are cooked through.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Beef Ribs with Stout and Caramelised Onion

We are really enjoying Beef Ribs at the moment especially as they are quite cheap in the butchers. They have so much meat on them and are full of flavour. I buy the ribs as individual peices not as racks as they seem to be more tender when they are cooked.

I tried an old style recipe with this batch - slow cooking cooking them with stout. Although the ingredients weren't overly fancy the aroma that filled the house was such a homely smell, reminding me of when I was a child coming home to the aromas of my parents cooking for which I would excitedly and patiently waited (sometimes impatiently) to be put on the table at dinner time.

The stout wasn't overpowering but noticable and this combine with the sweetness of the caramelised onion made for a delicate sweet and sour experience followed with a hit of fresh thyme, a powerful yet delightful herb to add to meat dishes.

Beef Ribs with Stout and Caramelised Onion

(recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Slow Cooker Cookbook)

Serves: 8

ProPoints per serve: 12

2 kgs beef ribs with bone, visible fat trimmed

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 large brown onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup water 4 medium carrots, sliced thickly

1 x 400 gram can diced tomatoes

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 cup beef stock (made with stock powder)

1 cup stout

Place ribs in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and place in slow cooker basin.

Heat oil in a large frying pan and add onion. Cook onion, stirring until soft. Add sugar, vinegar and the water, cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until onion caramelises. Transfer onion mixture to the slow cooker basin.

Add the carrot, undrained tomatoes, thyme, mustard, stock and stout to the ribs and stir through. Cook covered on low for 8 hours. Sprinkle with additional thyme leaves when serving.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Turkish Minced Lamb Casserole

Last night I wanted to cook something with Oliver's favourite vegetable - eggplant (aubergine). He loves it and I must admit I enjoy it's somewhat nutty flavour and texture also. With Alexandria still away at camp it was the perfect opportunity as it is definitely not one of her favourite vegetables.

This dish was a little time consuming in preparation but saying that it was definitely worth the effort. The combination of the lamb, cinnamon, allspice and sultanas was savoury and sweet - very inticing and this with the layers of vegetables gave the dish a Middle Eastern flavour.

Turkish Minced Lamb Casserole

(recipe adapted from Weight Watchers Australia)

Serves: 6

ProPoints per serve: 9

50 grams pine nuts 500 grams lamb mince

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

50 grams sultanas

300mls beef stock (made with stock powder)

cooking spray

2 small eggplants, thinly sliced

4 small zucchini, ends trimmed and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon cornflour combined with 2 tablespoons water

200 grams low fat plain yoghurt

250 grams low fat ricotta cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.

Heat a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Add pinenuts and cook for 1 minute, shaking the pan until browned. Remove from heat and cool.

Dry fry mince in frying pan for 4 - 5 minutes, or until browned, breaking up the lumps. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add sultanas, cinnamon, allspice and stock. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile spray another non stick pan with oil and cook eggplant and zucchini seperately for 4 - 5 minutes, or until softened. Add blended cornflour to mince mixture and cook, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and stir through the pinenuts.

Spoon half the mince mixture into a deep oven proof dish. Layer eggplant on top. Spoon over remaining mince mixture. Arrange zucchini and tomoatoes on top in an overlapping layer.

Place yoghurt, ricotta and egg in a food processor and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over zucchini and tomatoes, spreading evenly to cover. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until set and golden.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Creamy Mushroom and Mustard Sauce

It's no secret we eat quite a lot of steak especially chargrilled on the weber but the issue we face is always indulging in our favourite sauces, Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce and Creamy Peppercorn Sauce, all the time. So much so it has got to the point that last night we actually wanted something totally different.

I fancied mushrooms while Noel said he wouldn't mind something with mustard. The two ingredients could easily be put together and no doubt would taste nice. A quick scour of the cookbooks didn't produce a recipe so off I went on my own little tangent and dare I say the outcome was very nice.

A tangy creamy mushroom sauce with a hint of brandy and garlic..... mmmmm and yes it complimented our perfectly cooked steaks well.

Creamy Mushroom and Mustard Sauce

Serves: 6
ProPoints per serve: 3

cooking spray
200 grams button mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/3 cup brandy
2 tablespoons seeded mustard
1 cup water
2 teaspoons beef stock
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons light thickened cream
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons water extra

Spray a frying pan with cooking spray and add mushrooms and garlic. Cook over a medium heat until mushrooms are tender and slightly browning.

Add brandy and mustard, cook stirring for 1 minute.

Combine water and beef stock together, mix well. Add to pan, stirring for a further 2 minutes bringing to the boil.

Reduce heat to low, add cream and stir to combine. Mix together the cornflour and additional water together to make a paste. Stir through sauce until well combine and sauce slightly thickens.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Portuguese Grilled Chicken

I know many of you visit us and are probably wondering what is happening with A Dash Of Flavour. We have been very very busy so once again I apologize for the lack of updates on this blog - please be assured we are not abandoning A Dash Of Flavour as this is a passion of ours we just need to work out how to become more time savvy.

Takeaway!! A downfall when one is time poor is the option of getting takeaway. Thankfully we enjoy food too much to resort to McDonalds or KFC, etc but when it comes to the choice of chinese, indian there is some temptation for at least they are "better" options than mass produced fast food. But another favourite of ours is Nandos - mainly just the chicken not the sides. So the chance to recreate this at home arrived this weekend and I must say this may be our answer to avoiding one temptation of take away.

We love cooking half chickens on the weber especially marinated and over the coals. They have such a flavour - the taste of the chargrill and then this marinade, which I must say kept the chicken moist and it was full of fresh flavour from the lemon juice and the fresh coriander.

Last night we used small chickens cut in half but I am sure this recipe would work well with chicken peices or even fillets. Propoints wise this is a high value dinner due to the skin being on the whole chicken which you could remove to reduce points.

Overall a delicious easy dish full of flavour and much cheaper than Nandos.

Portuguese Grilled Chicken

Serves: 4
ProPoints per serve: 14

2 small chickens, cut in half
8 cloves garlic, crushed
juice of 2 lemons
1/3 cup Jack Daniels Whiskey
2 bay leaves
1 - 2 tablespoon paprika (depending on taste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Clean chicken halves and pat dry. Place in a large snap lock bag or deep casserole dish.

In a jug combine remaining ingredients and mix well.

Cover the chicken with marinade ensuring all chicken in coated. Seal bag or cover dish with plastic wrap. Allow to marinade for 1 hour or overnight if time permits.

Light weber or heat bbq grill. Cook for 5 - 8 minutes each side ensuring that chicken is cooked through.


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Asian Braised Beef Ribs

I have to say I can never resist beef ribs especially if they are marinated and slow cooked so that they literally just fall off the bone. I purchased some beef ribs recently as they always look so good in the butchers – the nice thick piece of meat on a chunky bone and even more appealing is that from Springvale (where I buy a lot of meat) there is hardly any fat on all cuts of meat.

Asian Braised Beef Ribs

Serves: 8
ProPoints per Serve: 8

2 kilograms beef ribs
1 onion, diced
4 carrots, roughly chopped
¼ cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 teaspoon crushed ginger
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
2 star anise
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons beef stock
1 cup water

Place beef ribs in a large saucepan of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming water surface when required. Drain well.

Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius.

Place ribs in a large casserole dish along with the onions and the carrots.

Mix together all the other ingredients in a large jug. Add to casserole dish.

Cover casserole dish with lid or foil. Place in oven and cooked for 3 hours, turning ribs over once.

Remove lid or foil, increase oven heat to 180 degrees Celsius and cook for a further 30 minutes or until ribs start to brown and crisp, turning ribs once.

Serve with steamed rice if desired and some of the juice. Remember to add extra ProPoints for the rice.




(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Rosemary and Mustard Kangaroo Fillets

This post has been a long time coming - once again due to my work load and the fact that for some reason we are just soooo busy! Anyhow - enjoy!!

Despite the fact that Kangaroo is a national emblem on our Coat of Arms and an Australian icon it’s a meat that we enjoy eating. It is quite gamey to taste but it is very lean so therefore a better meat to eat.

The key with cooking Kangaroo is that it needs to be cooked medium rare – medium but no more otherwise it will go tough. We tend to cook ours either over the coals in the Weber or on the BBQ.

This time I marinated the roo fillets overnight and they had a beautiful flavour. The rosemary and the mustard really complimented the natural flavour of the meat without overpowering it.

Rosemary and Mustard Kangaroo Fillets

Serves: 4
ProPoints per serve: 7

1 kilogram lean kangaroo fillets
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons seeded mustard
2 tablespoons redcurrant jelly
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the fillets in a large snap lock bag or a large dish.

Mix together all remaining ingredients in a jug and mix well. Pour over the fillets. Seal bag or cover dish and refrigerate for 2 hours, overnight if time permits.

Preheat grill or weber.

Remove fillets from marinade, reserving if desired. Cook fillets for 3 – 4 minutes each side. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Bring reserved marinade to boil in a small pan and allow to reduce by half. Serve with kangaroo, if desired.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Savoury Beef Mince with Pasta

Dinner was minced beef last night... but as per usual I was looking for something easy but more importantly full of flavour. I was having a look at Pam's blog, For The Love of Cooking, and saw her recipe for Italian Goulash which not only looked magnificent but reminded me of a staple dish my mam used to cook when I was growing up - Savoury Mince.

I remember as a child having this for dinner when my dad was away at work, usually it was served on buttered toast or just as it was in a big bowl and had a taste I vaguely remember today. The sad thing is I have never cooked it for my kids. I added pasta to my version so it was filling and served it with a crusty french stick.

Now here is the twist I have no idea how my mam made her version nor can I say it tasted the same but I will say watching my kids facing devour this one dish dinner did take me back to my childhood... in fact they have already requested it again TONIGHT. Thankfully we did have leftovers which I was planning to freeze in small portions and take for my lunch.. well that was my plan!

Savoury Beef Mince with Pasta

Serves: 6

Points per serve: 9

cooking spray
750 grams lean beef mince
1 onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 red capsicum, diced
1 large zucchini, grated
2 cups of water
2 teaspoons beef stock powder
800 grams diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chilli powder or to taste
2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt
freshly ground black pepper
250 grams pasta of your choice
125 gram can corn kernals, drained
1/2 cup frozen green peas

Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and add mince, onions and garlic. Cook over a high heat for 5 - 8 minutes or until beef is browned, breaking up beef lumps as you stir.

Add capsicum and zucchini, mix well and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.

Combine water and stock powder. Add to pan along with tomatoes, parsley, oregano, chilli powder, Worchestershire, barbecue and soy sauces. Stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to medium low allowing to simmer for 1 hour or until sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to boil and cook pasta according to packet directions. Drain and set aside.

Once mince mixture has cooked for at least an hour and thickened, add corn and peas. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes or until peas are cooked.

Add pasta and stir to combine.

Serve with crusty bread and parmesan cheese, if desired, allowing extra points for both.


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Spicy Ham and Pineapple Quesadilla

A quick enjoyable lunch was on the cards today. Something full of flavour and different to a sandwich or a salad.

I remembered I had a packet of tortillas in the cupboard and had several ingredients that could be used to make up the fillings for a Quesadilla - one of my favourite treats.

Saying this my filling combination wasn't exactly Mexican but it was really nice.

Spicy Ham and Pineapple Quesadilla
Serves: 4
ProPoints per serve: 6
cooking spray
4 96% fat free tortillas
80 grams ham
80 grams crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 medium avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/2 medium red onion, finely sliced
1/4 bunch coriander, roughly diced
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, or to taste
80 grams reduced fat tasty cheese

Spray a frying pan with cooking spray and place on tortilla in the pan.

Top with half of the ham, pineapple, avocado, tomato coriander, chilli flakes and cheese.

Place second tortilla on top.

Place over a medium heat allowing to heat through for 3 - 4 minutes. Reduce heat if too hight.

Place a dinner plate over the quesadilla and flip over. Return quesadilla to pan to cook other side for a further 3 - 4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cut each quesadilla into four pieces and serve immediately.

Note: You could easily cook this in a large sandwich press and it wouldn't be as fiddly!


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Raspberry and Coconut Cup Cakes

These muffins came from a recipe for an actual cake but needing something for lunchbox treats I decided to split between cup cake cases. I have cooked this cake before and it went down a treat so I knew these cup cakes wouldn't fail either.

The flavours are magnificent - enjoyed by all kids in our household including the big kids. The coconut isn't overpowering and the fresh berry taste is just sweet enough.

An interesting twist with using frozen berries is that by tossing the frozen berries in cornflour actually prevents them from 'bleeding' too much juice into the mixture and making the cakes soggy.

I have to tell you that they don't last very long in our place.

Raspberry and Coconut Muffins(recipe adapted from Weight Watchers Cook Tasty Cookbook)
Serves: 24
ProPoints per serve: 3
1 3/4 cups self raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
100 grams reduced fat butter or spread, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200 grams frozen raspberries
2 teaspoon cornflour

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Line two muffin trays with 24 cases.

Combine the flour, sugar and coconut in a medium bowl.

Stir in the melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla.

Place the berries in another medium bowl. Add the cornflour and toss to coat the berries.

Spoon on spoonfull of mixture into each case. Sprinkly with half the berries. Top with remaining cake mixture and the remaining berries.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Veal Involtini with Rustic Vegetable Sauce

We had veal schnitzels in the freezer that needed using. I am a fan of the veal schnitzel but others in the house aren't. Therefore I had to find something different to do with them - something that was tasty.

I was looking around Taste.com and saw recipes for Involtini. Using some of the recipes for inspiration I set about creating my own version and with some success I must add.

Veal wrapped around a spinach, tomato and cheese stuffing served with a rustic style vegetable sauce is definitely a comfort dish.

Veal Involtini with Rustic Vegetable Sauce

Serves: 4
ProPoints per serve: 9

cooking spray
1 onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet paprkia
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (or to taste)
2 x 410 grams diced tomatoes

1 cup water

3 medium zucchini, diced
salt
freshly ground black pepper
8 veal schnitzels (800 grams)
150 grams baby spinach leaves
50 grams sun dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped
120 grams low fat grated mozarella cheese

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and onions, cooking for 5 - 8 minutes or until slightly softened.

Add oregano, paprika and chilli powder, if using, stir well to cover vegetable mixture.

Stir through the diced tomatoes and water until combined. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add zucchini, season with salt and pepper and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Meanwhile lay all veal schnitzels flat. At the wider end of each schnitzel layer baby spinach leaves, sun dried tomatoes and cheese. Wrap tightly and secure each roll up with tooth pick.

Heat a second frying pan and spray with cooking spray. Over a high add veal involtini and cook until browned and sealed.

Place on a foil lined oven tray and cook for a further 10 - 15 minutes. Veal should be cooked through but still tender.

Place Rustic Vegetable Sauce in a serving dish and top with Veal Involtini.


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Mexican Beef Pizza

Homemade pizza, as you may know by know, are a favourite meal in our house. Not only are they easy to make but at times taste so much better than a brought pizza not to mention they are a lot healthier depending on the toppings. Speaking of which when we have homemade pizza it's a family affair with each of us choosing our own toppings.

Tonight I choose to create a Mexican Pizza but instead of using ham or salami I decided to use minced beef that was seasoned prior to putting on the pizza itself. It was very enjoyable and the flavours of the vegetables and seasoned meat was really good.

Mexican Beef Pizza
Serves: 2
ProPoints per serve: 11
cooking spray
150 grams premium beef mince
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground chilli
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 Lebanese Bread (100g each)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
80 grams reduced fat grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 brown onion, sliced
1/2 green capsicum, sliced
100 grams button mushrooms sliced
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
6 black olives, sliced
dried chilli flakes to tastePreheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Spray a frying pan with cooking spray and over medium heat cook mince, cumin, coriander, chilli and garlic until browned and mixed through. Remove from heat.

Spray a pizza tray with cooking spray and place Lebanese bread on tray.

Spread the tomato paste over the Lebanese bread.

Sprinkle half the cheese over the base.

Top with onion, capsicum, mushrooms, tomatoes and olives.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese and chilli flakes, if using.

Cook in oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and golden.


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Another successful quick dinner last night that was enjoyed by all.

We really enjoyed the sweetness of the honey combined with the savoury of the mustard. There is something about honey mixed with mustard - they just go so well together. This really flavoursome marinade becomes a delicious light sauce to serve with the dish.

Now I just need to master my new camera and it's multitude of settings/buttons etc to get better photos...... lol!! I am working on it.

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Serves: 4
ProPoints per serve: 6

500 grams pork chops
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed ginger
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Place pork in a snap lock bag or casserole dish.

Mix together the oil, mustard, honey, soy, garlic, ginger and thyme leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour mixture of pork chops and allow to marinate for 30 minutes, or longer if time permits.

Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray and heat over a high heat. Remove pork from marinade while reserving marinade. Cook pork chops for 2 - 3 minutes on each side, or to your liking, remove from heat and set aside.

Pour the remaining marinade into the frying pan. Over a medium heat bring to the boil while stirring, cook until slightly thickened. Return chops to the pan along with any juices to reheat for 2 minutes, turning to coat with sauce.


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Avocado and Tomato Salsa

This is a tasty side dish and goes well with nearly everything not just Mexican food.

One of the most easiest salsas to make - in fact it takes a matter of minutes making it not on easy but quick not to mention very full of flavour with the coriander and lime.

The trick I find though is to ensure your avocado is ripe but not over soft. If it is too soft it will mush making the salsa not look the best.

Avocado and Tomato Salsa

Serves: 4
ProPoints per serve: 2

2 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 medium avocado, peeled and stone removed, diced
1 medium red onion, finely diced
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl gently combine all ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate until required.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Lemongrass and Chilli Scallops with Lap Cheong

Last night the menu planner said Beef Fajitas with Salsa but what the menu planner didn’t know was that both of our kids would go for sleepovers at their friends’ leaving just Noel and I at home. Knowing that anything Mexican is a favourite of the kids we put the Fajitas on hold until tonight.

Instead, Noel and I decided to have scallops. Not just scallops but a spicy, flavoursome stir fry Noel created packed with vegetables and to add a different twist some Lap Cheong (chinese sausage).

To describe this meal that Noel cooked – DELISH!! It was magnificent and that’s coming from me - not a huge lover of scallops!

Lemongrass and Chilli Scallops with Lap Cheong
Serves: 2
ProPoints per serve: 10
500 grams scallops, roe removed, rinsed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 Lap Cheong (chinese sausage) 30 grams
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
2 red bullet chillies, sliced
100 grams button mushrooms, sliced
½ red capsicum, thinly sliced
½ green capsicum, thinly sliced
3 spring onions, cut into 2 cm pieces
3 tablespoons lemongrass paste
2 tablespoons water
½ bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Pat scallops dry on paper towel.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a wok or large frying pan. Stir fry scallops until almost cooked, remove to a plate and set aside.

Heat remaining oil in work and Lap Cheong, carrot, garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 1 – 2 minutes. Add chillies and stir fry for a further 1 minute. Add mushrooms, capsicum, spring onions, lemongrass paste and water. Stir fry for 3 – 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender and paste mixed through. Return scallops to the wok and cook for 1 minute to reheat. Remove from heat.

Add coriander and toss to combine. Serve immediately.


(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Ham and Zucchini Carbonara

Back into the swing of menu planning this week as I am back on my weight loss journey now that the silly season is officially over with the end being marked by my birthday on Saturday and the fact that I am also armed with a new cookbook, Weight Watchers Cook Simple, I decided we had to try this pasta dish which looked delish just looking at the picture.

My kids both adore pasta carbonara so I was interested to see how they would like the change of ingredients with using ham and zucchini as the base flavours. I have to say that like with normal Carbonara this recipe was very easy to make and very quick to cook, with the whole dish on the table in under 30 minutes.

I didn't find it neither as cheesy or as eggy as a normal carbonara but saying this the dish itself did have a really nice flavour and I really enjoyed the hint of nutmeg. The serving sizes are large and very filling. Overall it is a weeknight winner in our house.

Ham and Zucchini Carbonara
(recipe sourced from WW Cook Simple)

Serves: 4
ProPoints per serve: 10

250 grams spaghetti
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
150 grams sliced lean leg ham, fat trimmed, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 tablespoon cold water
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 egg
25 grams finely grated parmesan cheese

salt

freshly ground black pepper
pinch of nutmeg

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet instructions, or until just tender. Drain and return to the pan.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large non stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softenend. Add garlic and zucchini and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until zucchini is just tender. Add ham and stir to combine.

Combine cornflour and water in a small bowl. Whisk milk, egg and parmesan in a medium jug. Add egg mixture and cornflour mixture to pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 - 3 minutes or sauce slightly thickens.

Add zucchini mixture to pasta. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Toss to combine. Serve.


As I mentioned I recently had a birthday - infact it was my 40th birthday and I only wanted one thing as a gift and that was a Canon Digital Camera. I set up a donation envelope system with my invitations and once my party was over I counted the money to find that I had enough money to buy the camera of my dreams - only problem was that the camera of my dreams was sold out so I had to settle for the next model up.... damn shame that.

Needless to say that I am now the very happy owner of a Canon EOS 60D complete with twin lenses!!


Now I am praying that photos of my food dishes will look much better now than using my small point and shoot that I have owned for years. I am pretty sure they will - please let me know what you think.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Hokkien Mee with Beef

You have probably all gathered by now that we really enjoy stir fry style meals. I guess I love the fact that they can be made crammed with vegetables and the sauce can be any flavour you are fancying. Not to mention that most stir fries are quick to cook once you have all the ingredients prepared and ready.

I was fancying a noodle dish and I am quite partial to the Hokkien Mee you can purchase in Noodle Bars here. Although I tend to get the chefs to spice it up and add more vegetables… but that’s me.

Here is my take on Hokkien Mee which I have made using beef strips that I marinated for a short while and I also used Wokka Fresh Noodles instead of dried noodles. I have to say that my whole family liked my version of this classic noodle dish.

Hokkein Mee with Beef

Serves: 6
ProPoints per serve: 11

700 grams lean beef strips
1 tablespoon brandy
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon crushed chilli or chilli paste
½ teaspoon sesame oil
cooking spray
880 grams Wokka Thin Hokkien Fresh Noodles
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
¼ cup water
½ red capsicum, sliced
½ green capsicum, sliced
100 grams button mushrooms, sliced
½ cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup white wine
1 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon mango chutney
200 grams snow peas, trimmed and halved

Place brandy, soy sauce, chilli and sesame oil in a medium bowl and mix well. Add beef strips, stir to combine and allow to stand for 30 minutes or longer if time permits.

Meanwhile prepare noodles as per directions on packet.

Spray a large wok with cooking spray and heat over high heat. In batches add beef strips and marinade and toss quickly until beef is just sealed. Remove from heat. Repeat with remaining beef strips.

Respray wok and add onion, carrot and water, stirfry for 3 – 4 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Add capsicums and mushrooms and stir fry for a further 3 – 4 minutes.

Mix together hoisin sauce, white wine, sweet chilli sauce, curry powder and mango chutney is a small jug. Mix well.

Drain noodles and add to the wok. Add combined sauces and stir to combine well. Return beef to the wok along with the snow peas. Stir through to heat through. Serve immediately.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Spiced Beans with Eggs

Today I really wanted something totally different for breakfast and considering the time was approaching brunch, I knew I needed to eat something that would satisfy me for both breakfast and lunch. I did however fancy eggs but wasn't excited by egg and bacon, nor by poached or scrambled eggs although I did entertain the idea of an omelette for a minute or so.

I remembered a recipe that I had read somewhere, although I don't recall precisely where. The more I thought about it I knew that I had read many versions of this recipe it had just never appealed to me to cook it previously. It was eggs that were poached in a tomato bean style casserole base - a one pot wonder. Thinking more about this dish I decided to recreate it based on not only what I remembered but what flavours I fancied.

The result was very enjoyable and must admit filling. We all enjoyed this different style of dish even mam. The tomato bean style casserole I filled with vegetables had a hint of spice and actually complimented the softly poaced eggs.

A fine way to start the day, in my books anyway.

Spiced Beans with Eggs
Serves: 6
ProPoints per serve: 7
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
1/2 red capsicum, finely diced
1/2 green capsicum, finely diced
100 grams button mushrooms, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
440 gram tin diced tomatoes in juice
440 gram tin baked beans
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs
6 slice wholegrain/multigrain bread
1 spring onion, green section only, finely sliced

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and capsicum, cook stirring for 3 - 4 minutes or until softened slightly. Add mushrooms and cook for a further 2 minutes. Mix through the paprika and garlic.

Add the tinned tomatoes and baked beans and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Add oregano and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Using a large spoon make a well in the bean mixture and crack in one egg. Continue with remaining eggs. Cover and cook for 4 - 6 minutes or until eggs are cooked to your liking.

Meanwhile toast the bread.

When eggs are cooked, remove from heat and sprinkle with spring onion. Serve immediately with toast.


(click here for printable version of recipe)

Chicken, Sweet Potato and Spinach Lasagne

Firstly Happy New Year to you all - I hope yours was enjoyable, safe and celebrated just the way you planned. For us it was a quiet night at home with our family and my mam who is staying with us at the moment. Food was abundant as was the alcohol but it was a good night had by all!

Now we are facing a brand new year - one that will be filled with hope, dreams and aspirations. My year ahead already is filled with many challenges and planned good times. My major challenge is (and always has been) my weight and the battle that I have been facing. This year I have decided that enough is enough - no more pussy footing around the issue and no more sabotaging myself with bad food. I can cook and I can cook well but I need to focus more on healthy and good foods to fuel not only my body but my families. So with this in mind the recipes I post this year will be following along those lines and more importantly help me win the weight war!

Although the house is full of leftovers I decided to get straight back onto the ProPoints plan. I was very slack over the Christmas and New Year period but already warned the house that today I was getting back on my weight loss journey and back on the healthy eating programme. Tonight's dinner is our first healthy choice meal of the year and it was really enjoyable.

I grew up thinking lasagne was always made from minced beef, tomatoes and pasta sheets that was smothered in a thick bechemel sauce and lashings of cheese. I am loving that lasagne can really be made from any filling as long as you put it into layers of pasta - this Chicken, Sweet Potato and Spinach Lasagne was different, very tasteful and quite easy to make.

This is definitely a really different take on lasagne and as I am cooking for a crowd this time of year this dish is a crowd-pleaser not to mention very filling.

Chicken, Sweet Potato and Spinach Lasagne

(recipe adapted from WW Programme Cookbook 2011)

Serves: 10

ProPoints per serve: 10

900 grams orange sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 small brown onions, finely chopped

2 small red capsicum, cut into 2 cm pieces

4 garlic cloves, crushed

500 grams lean chicken mince

1000 grams Five Brothers Garlic and Wine Pasta Sauce

2 1/2 cups skim milk

2 tablespoons cornflour

400 grams baby spinach leaves

8 x Latina Fresh Lasagne sheets

50 grams finely grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Boil, steam or microwave sweet potato until just tender. Drain

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Cook onion, red capsicum and garlic, stirring, for 3 - 4 minutes or until softened.

Add chicken mince and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Add pasta sauce and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from heat and stir in sweet potato.

Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup milk and cornflour in a small jug.

Place remaining milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk in the cornflour mixture. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat.

Lightly spray a large lasagne dish with cooking spray. Place 2 lasagne sheets over base. Top with a 1/3 of the chicken mixture and a 1/3 of the baby spinach. Repeat layering, finishing with lasagne sheets on the top.

Top with milk mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and tender.

Serve with point free salad.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)