American Blueberry and Orange Cheesecake

American Blueberry and Orange Cheesecake for just 8.5 syns a serving

For a Saturday afternoon treat, serve a slice of this baked cheesecake that’s bursting with blueberries and zesty orange. This fab, fruity dessert is sure to leave a sweet taste on everyone’s lips – and a smile in their hearts!

Prep time: 20  min (plus chilling)

Cook time: 55 min

Total time: 1 hours   15 min

Number of Servings: 8 servings

Chinese Beef Noodles - Syn Free Slow Cooker Method

Chinese Beef Noodles Slow Cooker Recipe - Syn Free

Prep time: 20  min

Cook time: 9 hours

Total time: 9 hours   20 min

Number of Servings: 4 servings

Campfire Stew - Syn Free Slow Cooker Method

Slimming World Campfire Stew - Syn Free

Prep time: 40  min

Cook time: 10 hours

Total time: 10 hours   40 min

Number of Servings: 4 servings

Slimming World Syn Free Diet Coke Chicken (Slow Cooker)

Syn Free Diet Coke Chicken - Slow Cooker Method

Prep time: 30  min

Cook time: 8 hours

Total time: 8 hours   30 min

Number of Servings: 4 servings

Chicken Katsu Curry

Chicken katsu curry

Prep. time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30-60 Minutes
Syns per serving: FREE
Serves: 4

Add 6 Syns if not using Wholemeal bread as a Healthy Extra on Extra Easy.

Ingredients

For the chicken

4 skinless chicken breasts
240g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the curry sauce

1 large onion, chopped
1 courgette, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp sweetener
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 litre chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fat free fromage frais
Low calorie cooking spray

Method

Spray a large heavy-based saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 3 minutes or until the onion is softened.

Add the carrots and courgette and lightly fry for a further 4-5 minutes. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilli powder and sweetener and evenly coat the vegetables.

Add the stock, soy sauce and bay leaf and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas 6. Season the breadcrumbs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place each chicken breast in some clingfilm and flatten with a rolling pin or meat tenderiser.

Remove the clingfilm and dip the chicken in the egg, then coat with breadcrumbs and place on a baking tray sprayed with low-calorie cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

For the sauce remove the bay leaf and pour the contents of the saucepan into a blender. Blitz until it becomes a thick, smooth sauce and stir in the fromage frais.

To serve, slice the chicken breast into pieces, spoon over the curry sauce and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Thai Yellow Vegetable Curry

Thai yellow vegetable curry 

Suitable for vegetarians
Serves: 4
Total time: Less than 30 Minutes
Syns per serving: 1

This home-made curry paste is a taste sensation and it really gives vegetables the VIP treatment.

Ingredients

200g baby sweetcorn1 aubergine, cubed
2 courgettes, cubed
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
Fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish
1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced, to garnish
For the yellow curry paste

1-2 green chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 shallots, roughly chopped
2cm piece of root ginger, peeled and grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp turmeric
¼ tsp sweetener
4 kaffir lime leaves, stems discarded
100ml light coconut milk
200ml boiling vegetable stock
1 lemon grass stalk, outer leaves removed, roughly chopped

Method

First put all the curry paste ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan over a medium heat and gently bring to the boil.

Add the sweetcorn, aubergine, courgettes and red pepper to the curry paste and bring back to the boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables are cooked.

Garnish with the coriander sprigs and sliced chilli and serve hot, with boiled Thai fragrant or jasmine rice.

Tip: You can leave out the coconut milk to make this curry Free on all choices. Add an extra 100ml of stock instead.

Baileys Mocha Syllabub

Baileys Mocha Syllabub

These boozy syllabubs are not that naughty... and very nice!

Baileys Mocha Syllabub
Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2-3 hours chilling time
Total time: Over 60 Minutes
Syns per serving: 4

Ingredients

1 tsp instant coffee
200g quark
2 pots Toffee Mullerlight yogurt
4 tbsp Baileys liqueur
2-3 drops vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp artificial sweetener
15g cooking chocolate
Cocoa powder, to dust

Method

Dissolve the coffee in 1 tbsp water. Whisk together the coffee, quark, Mullerlight, Baileys, vanilla extract and sweetener.

Spoon the syllabub mixture into 4 dessert glasses. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate. Take a spoonful of chocolate and drizzle thinly over a piece of baking parchment in four separate decorative patterns. Allow to cool and chill in the fridge until set.

Remove the syllabubs and chocolate swirls from the fridge. Decorate the syllabubs with the swirls.
 Dust over the cocoa powder and serve.

Baileys chocolate mousse pots

Baileys chocolate mousse pots

The last word in guilt-free indulgence! The chocolate mousse is so creamy and you can really taste the Baileys - a fabulous finale!

Serves: 4
Cook time: Ready in about 25 minutes, plus 2 hours freezing time
Total time: Over 60 Minutes
Syns per serving: 5

Ingredients

50g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
3 eggs, separated*
4 tbsp sweetener
2 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
200g fat-free natural fromage frais, plus extra to serve
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Dr Oetker Giant Chocolate Stars

Method

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (or in the microwave on a low heat for 30 seconds.) Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little.

Whisk the egg yolks, 2 tbsp sweetener and the Baileys Irish Cream in a large bowl until smooth. Pour in the melted dark chocolate and whisk to combine well.

In a large, clean glass bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric hand whisk on a medium speed until they stand up in stiff peaks when the blades are lifted, then fold into the chocolate mixture using a metal spoon.

Put the fromage frais, remaining sweetener and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the base of 4 dessert glasses, then top with the chocolate. Cover and freeze for 2 hours, or until just set.

To serve, top each mousse with a dollop of fromage frais and a chocolate star.

Tip: *Pregnant women, the elderly and babies should not eat raw or partially cooked eggs.

Slimming World - Grilled Ginger and Soy Salmon with Oriental Vegetable Noodles

Serves 4

Ready in 30 minutes

Syns per Serving - ½ Syn on Extra Easy

Ingredients 

4 large skinless salmon fillets

6 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp finely grated ginger

2 level tsp clear honey

freshly ground black pepper

For the vegetable noodles

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tsp finely chopped ginger

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

8 spring onions, cut into 2cm lengths

85ml/3fl oz vegetable stock

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

198g/7oz baby sweetcorn, cut diagonally into 2cm pieces

198g/7oz pak choi, roughly chopped

255g/ 9oz bean sprouts

255g/9oz dried thin rice noodles

Method

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish in a single layer. Mix together the soy sauce, ginger and honey, and pour over the fish and toss to coat well. Season well with black pepper.

2. Place the salmon on a grill rack and cook under the grill for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through.

3. While the salmon is cooking make the vegetable noodles. Heat a large, non-stick wok or frying pan over a high heat, add the garlic, ginger, red chilli, spring onions, stock and soy sauce, and stir fry gently for 4-5 minutes.

4. Turn the heat to high and add the baby sweetcorn, pak choi and bean sprouts. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.

4. Prepare the noodles according to packet instructions, drain well and add to the vegetable mixture in the frying pan. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes over a high heat or until piping hot.

6. Remove from the heat and divide between four warmed plates, Top each serving with a salmon fillet and serve immediately. 

Half Syn Cake - Slimming World

Half Syn Cake

Slimming World 'half syn cake' which is great for sharing or eating all on your own, as the whole cake is just half a syn!

Syns per cake: 0.5!

Ingredients:

1 tub of quark
4 eggs, seperate whites and yolks
5 tablespoons of sweetener - Splenda great for cooking (this wasnt adjusted by me for my sweet tooth)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla exptract
fruit of your choice to decorate

Method

1. Whisk egg whites till stiff
2. In another bowl mix yolks , vanilla baking powder half of the quark and 4 tablespoons of sweetener
3. Add half of egg white mixture and whisk some more. Fold in the rest of the egg white
4. Pour mixture into a lined tin.Bake in a preheated oven gas mark 4 for 20-25 mins or until cooked (approx 180degrees)
5 Mix the other half of quark with remaining sweetener an use to spread on cake when it is cooled. Top with loads of fresh fruit

Bailey's Chocolate Cheesecake just 4 syns

Baileys chocolate cheesecake

Serves: 10
Cook time: Ready in 45 minutes plus cooling and chilling
Total time: 30-60 Minutes

Syns per serving: 4

It’s hard to say no to a slice of cheesecake at the best of times. Add the flavour of the ever-popular Christmas tipple and it’s almost impossible!

Ingredients

Low calorie cooking spray
10 ginger biscuits
3 egg whites*
4 tsp powdered gelatine
450g quark
500g fat free natural fromage frais, plus 4 tbsp, sweetened to taste, to serve
4 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
3-4 tbsp sweetener
25g chocolate curls, to decorate (or use grated milk chocolate)

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas 5.

Spray a 20cm spring clip cake tin with low calorie cooking spray and line with baking parchment.

Put the biscuits in a polythene bag and crush with a rolling pin.

In a bowl, lightly beat 1 egg white, add the biscuit crumbs and mix well. Press evenly over the base of the cake tin and bake for 15 minutes or until firm and golden. Leave to cool.

Dissolve the gelatine in 4 tablespoons of boiling water.

Mix the quark with the fromage frais, liqueur and sweetener. Whisk the remaining egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into the quark mixture along with the gelatine. Pour on to the biscuit base, smooth the top and chill for 3 hours or until set.

Release the cheesecake from the tin and pile the extra fromage frais into the middle. Crumble over the chocolate curls to decorate and slice to serve.

Tip: *Pregnant women, the elderly and babies are advised not to eat raw or partially cooked eggs.

Autumn Trifles

Autumn trifles


Suitable for vegetarians
Serves: 6
Cook time: about 50 mins plus 2 hours chilling time
Total time: Over 60 Minutes

Syns per serving: 3½

Trifle isn't just for Christmas as this autumn fruit-filled delight proves! Tuck in and enjoy - you're Food Optimising!

Ingredients

1 sachet sugar-free orange jelly crystals
400g canned pear slices, in natural juice
3 sponge fingers, roughly broken
200g fresh blackberries
8 level tbsp ready-made, low-fat custard
1 tsp ground ginger
4 tbsp fat-free natural fromage frais
½ tsp artificial sweetener
1 piece of stem ginger, drained and cut into small cubes
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
2 level tsp cocoa powder, to dust

Method

Make up the jelly with 425ml boiling water. Set aside to cool for 20 - 30 minutes.

Drain the pears and put 1 tbsp of juice into each of 6 dessert glasses. Divide the sponge fingers between the glasses, gently toss to coat in juice and leave to soak for 1 minute.

Mix the canned pear slices and blackberries together and divide between the glasses. Pour over the cooled jelly and chill in the fridge for 2 hours, or until set.

Combine the custard and ground ginger and spoon over the set jelly mixture. Mix the fromage frais and sweetener together and spoon over.

Decorate each trifle with slices of fresh pear and stem ginger cubes and sprinkle over ½ tsp of cocoa powder.