Slow Cooked Burgers

Syn Free slow cooked beef burgers with healthy slimming world chips and a nice fresh salad

Prep time: 15  min

Cook time: 7 hours

Total time: 7 hours   15 min

Number of Servings: 8 servings

Green Curry Chicken Drumsticks

Green curry chicken drumsticks

Serves: 4
Cook time: Ready in under 35 minutes, plus marinating
Total time: 30-60 Minutes
Syns per serving: FREE

Give the ultimate picnic food a Thai twist by serving up these spicy-coated chicken legs at your next barbecue or picnic. As long as you remove all the skin, this luscious finger food is totally Free!

Ingredients

8 large, skinless chicken drumsticks
150g fat free natural yogurt
1 tbsp mild curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
5 tbsp finely chopped coriander
5 tbsp finely chopped mint
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

With a sharp knife, make a few cuts in the flesh of each drumstick.

Place the remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend until fairly smooth. Transfer to a wide ceramic bowl and season to taste.

Add the drumsticks to the marinade, rubbing the mixture well into the meat. If you have time, cover and chill for 1-2 hours or overnight if time permits.

Remove the drumsticks from the marinade, shaking off the excess. Cook them on the barbecue for 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through.

Alternatively, roast in a preheated oven at 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4 for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Or cook under a preheated hot grill for 15-20 minutes, turning often.

Serve warm or cold.

Tip: Marinades really help tenderise meat and keep it moist while cooking as well as adding flavour. Here are some great ideas for Free and low Syn marinades:

1) lemon or lime juice
2) hoi sin or soy sauce
3) honey
4) fat free natural yogurt
5) ground and whole spices, fresh root ginger and chillies
6) fresh and dried herbs

Slimming World - Chilli Loaded Potato Skins

Serves 4

Ready in 1 hour 10 minutes
Freezer Friendly


Syns - Free on Extra Easy


Ingredients


4 x small baking potatoes, unpeeled
low calorie cooking spray
1 tbsp each of finely chopped rosemary and dried chilli flakes
finely sliced spring onion and red chilli and sweet smoked paprika, to garnish
salad leaves, to serve


For the Chilli


198g/7oz extra lean minced beef
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 large red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp red wine vinegar
200g canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed


Method


1. Preheat the oven to 200c/Gas 6. Prick each potato all over and spray with a little low calorie cooking spray. Place them directly onto the oven shelf and bake for 40-45 minutes until they feel slightly soft when squeezed.


2. Meanwhile make the chilli by heating a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the minced beef and stir-fry for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic, cumin, tomatoes and red chilli and season well. Cook for 20 minutes to reduce the sauce or until it thickens, stirring from time to time to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat, stir in the vinegar and kidney beans. Set aside and keep warm.


3. When cooked, cut each potato in half lengthways. Scoop out the flesh (keeping it for another use such as mash) and leave a layer of potato at least 5mm/1/4in thick on the skin. Spray again with the low calorie cooking spray and arrange in a single layer, skin-side down, on a wire rack set in a roasting tin.


4. Season generously with sea salt and sprinkle over the rosemary and chilli flakes. Return to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, turning half way through, until crisp and golden brown.


5. Remove from the oven and place on a platter, cut sides up. Spoon the chilli into the potato skins, sprinkle over and sliced spring onions, red chilli and sweet smoked paprika and serve immediately with salad leaves.

Slimming World - Summer Prawn Salad

Serves 4

Ready in about 15 minutes

Syns - Green Free

Ingreidents

800g/1lb 12 oz cooked tiger prawns
1 large cucumber
350g/12oz cherry tomatoes
6 spring onions
25g/1oz wild rocket leaves

For the dressing

100g/4oz very low-fat natural yogurt
100g/4oz very low-far natural fromage frais
8 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp artificial sweetener
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Place the prawns in a large mixing bowl. Peel the cucumber and then halve lengthways. Using a small spoon, deseed both the halves and discard. Cut the cumber into thin slices and place with the prawns.

2. Halve the cherry tomatoes and thinly slice the spring onions and add to the salad bowl with the rocket leaves. Toss to mix well.

3. Make the dressing by mixing together the yogurt and fromage frais until smooth. Add the dill, sweetener and lemon juice. Season and stir to mix well.

4. To serve, divide the salad between four chilled plates and spoon over the dill and yogurt dressing.

Slimming World - Vegetable Quiche

Serves 1

Ready in about 50 minutes

Syns per serving: Green FREE, Original FREE, Extra Easy FREE

Ingredients

Peppers, diced
onions, chopped
courgettes, diced
baby sweetcorn, sliced
mushrooms, chopped
tomatoes, sliced
3 eggs
150g fat free natural cottage cheese

Method

1. Prepare whatever Superfree veggies take your fancy… we’ve used peppers, onions, courgettes, baby sweetcorn, asparagus, mushrooms and tomatoes. You can dry-fry them until soft or leave them raw for extra crunch. 

2. Mix together the 3 eggs, 150g fat-free natural cottage cheese and some chopped parsley. 

3. Lay the chopped vegetables out in an oven-proof flan dish then pour the cottage cheese mix over. 

4. Pop in the oven at 190ºC/375ºF/Gas 5 for around 30 minutes, or until the quiche is set and golden brown. 

American Style Roast Beef Hash

Ingredients

• Low calorie oil spray (less than one calorie per spray)
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 340g boiled potatoes diced
• 340g cooked lean leftover beef, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Spray a deep frying pan with low calorie oil spray and fry the onion gently for 8-10 minutes, until soft and golden brown.
2. Add the garlic and diced potatoes and continue frying for about 10 minutes, until they are crisp and golden.
3. Stir in the diced beef and season generously with salt and pepper. Continue frying and stirring occasionally until the hash is heated through.
4. Meanwhile, poach 4 eggs in a pan of barely simmering water, until the white are cooked and firm. Remove carefully with a slotted spoon.
5. Serve the hash sprinkled with chopped parsley with a poached egg on top of each serving.

Bacon Burger with a BBQ Style Relish

Ingredients

• 1 bunch spring onions
• 400g extra lean minced beef less than 5% fat
• 2 tsp freshly chopped parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped chives
• Green salad leaves
• 4 x 60g wholemeal rolls

To make to relish:

• Low calorie cooking spray
• 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tsp mild chilli powder
• 225g passata
• 3 tbsp sweetener
• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Finely slice the spring onions, place in a bowl with the beef, parsley and seasoning. Combine with your hands and shape into 4 burgers about 10cm in diameter. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Make the relish. Deseed and chop the pepper, chop the tomatoes, mix with the barbecue seasoning and chives, cover and chill.
3. Place the burgers under a medium/hot grill for 6-7 minutes on each side until cooked through. Add the bacon for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Layer the salad leaves, bacon, burger and relish in the rolls and serve immediately.
4. To make the relish:
   
   Spray a pan with the low calorie cooking spray and sauté the onion and chilli powder over a high heat for 5 minutes until softened.
   
   Stir in the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Check the seasoning before serving hot or cold.

SYN FREE

Baked Bean and Cottage Cheese Cakes

Ingredients

• 340g potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 1 x 200g can baked beans in tomato sauce
• 2 level tbsp fat-free natural cottage cheese
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 spring onions (or 1 Spanish onion), finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1 level tbsp plain flour
• Low calorie oil spray (less than one calorie per spray)

Method

1. Boil the potatoes in a large pan of lightly salted water for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain well and mash them while they are still warm.
2. Add the baked beans, cottage cheese, parsley and egg yolks. Mix well together and then add the spring onions (or Spanish onion) and seasoning to taste. The mixture shouldn’t be too wet.
3. Using your hands, mould the potato mixture into 8 patties, which are approximately 7.5 cm diameter, and dust very lightly with flour.
4. Lightly spray a frying pan with a little low calorie oil spray. Heat and then cook the patties for 3–4 minutes each side. Serve them immediately with some fresh green vegetables or a crisp salad.

1 SYN per serving

Baked Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients

• Low calorie oil spray (less than one calorie per spray)
• 8 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 6 tbsp drained and finely chopped bottled roasted red peppers
• 200g can sweetcorn kernels, drained
• 200g fresh or frozen peas
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 4 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 250g cooked macaroni
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4. Spray a medium-sized ovenproof flan or pie dish with low calorie oil spray.
2. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Season well and transfer to the dish.
3. Place in the oven and bake for 25-40 minutes or until the eggs have set and the frittata is golden brown.
4. Remove from the oven and stand for 15-20 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with a crisp green salad.

SYN FREE

Tuna and Bean Salad

Ingredients

• 400g canned butter beans, drained
• 225g canned tuna in brine, drained
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced in rings
• 3 tbsps chopped parsley
• Salt and ground black pepper
• A few crisp salad leaves

For the Dressing:

• 2 tbsps fat-free French style dressing
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 ripe tomato, skinned, deseeded and chopped

Method

1. Put the butter beans in a large bowl. Cut the drained tuna into chunks and mix into the beans with the red onion and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Mix all the dressing ingredients and pour over the tuna and beans. Toss gently together until everything is glistening with the dressing.
3. Arrange the salad leaves on 4 serving plates and pile the bean and tuna salad on top. Sprinkle with more parsley, if wished.

SYN FREE

Curried Meatballs (Kofta Curry)

Ingredients

• 700g extra-lean minced beef less than 5% fat
• 2 tsp peeled and finely grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 tsp crushed fennel seeds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mild or medium chilli powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 2 tbsp medium curry powder
• 500ml carton passata
• ¼ tsp artificial sweetener

To Serve

• Fat-free natural yogurt
• Chilli powder
• Mint leaves

Method

1. Place the minced beef in a mixing bowl along with the ginger, garlic, fennel, cinnamon and chilli powder. Season and, using your hands, mix thoroughly until well combined. From the mixture into small, walnut-sized balls and set aside.
2. Place the tumeric, curry powder, passata and sweetener in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, season well and carefully place the meatballs in the sauce. Cover and cook gently for 15-20 minutes, turning the meatballs occasionally, until they are cooked through.
3. Remove from the heat and serve drizzled with fat-free natural yogurt, sprinkled with a pinch of chilli powder and garnished with fresh mint leaves.

SYN FREE

Bubble and Squeak 'Burgers'

Ingredients

• 900g floury potatoes
• 200g cabbage
• 6 spring onions
• 1 egg yolk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Low calorie oil spray (less than one calorie per spray)
• 4 tomatoes
• 4 eggs
• 2 x 400g cans baked beans

Method

1. Peel and roughly chop the potatoes and boil until tender. Meanwhile, shred the cabbage and finely slice the spring onions. Drain and mash the potatoes and mix with the cabbage. Allow to cool before adding the spring onions and egg yolk. Stir to mix, season and chill until needed.
2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 7. Divide the potato mixture into eight portions and shape each one into a patty. Place on a baking tray sprayed with low calorie oil spray and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until slightly browned.
3. Meanwhile, halve the tomatoes and fry along with the eggs in low calorie oil spray. Heat the baked beans in a pan. Serve the bubble and squeak cakes with the tomatoes, eggs and beans

SYN FREE

Bubble and Squeak with Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 500g butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 450g potatoes, peeled and diced
• 200g savoy cabbage, shredded
• A bunch of spring onions, trimmed and sliced
• Low calorie oil spray (less than one calorie per spray)

Method

1. In a large pan, cook the butternut squash in boiling water for 15 minutes, then add the potatoes the pan for 5 minutes, and then add the cabbage, cook for another 10 minutes, and drain
2. Place the cooked butternut squash, potatoes and cabbage in a bowl with the spring onions and mash well. Using your hands shape the mixture into cakes or use moulds.
3. Heat a non-stick frying pan sprayed with low calorie oil spray, and cook for 10 minutes on a medium heat on both sides. Remove from the pan and serve immediately.

Tip: As an alternative, cook the cakes in the oven instead of frying, or grill to crisp them. You could also cook as one large ‘cake’ in a non-stick baking tin and serve cut into wedges.

SYN FREE

Squid (Calamari) Salad

Ingredients

• 600g small squid
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsps finely chopped parsley
• 1 small bunch chives, snipped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

Method

1. Prepare the squid by washing them under cold running water and patting dry with kitchen paper. Holding the head in one hand and the body in the other, pull them apart. Cut off the tentacles and throw away the head. Remove and discard the transparent bone inside the body sac and pull off the pinkish-mauve membrane. Cut the body sac into thin rings, and seperate the tentacles.
2. Drop the rings and tentacles into a pan of boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Remove and drain.
3. Put the squid in a serving bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add the parsley, chives and olive oil. Mix together gently and leave to cool, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. While the squid is cooling, grill the red and yellow peppers under a preheated grill, turning occasionally, until charred. Peel off the skins and remove the seeds and cores. Cut the flesh into strips.
5. Mix the grilled pepper strips into the squid salad with the crushed garlic. Serve at room temperature as a summer starter.

SYN FREE

Carrot and Coriander Soup

Ingredients

• 8-10 medium sized carrots, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• 1tsp ground coriander
• 85g/3oz yellow or orange split peas
• 85g/3oz pearl barley
• 1.1 litre/2pt stock made with Vecon
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• freshly chopped parsley or torn coriander leaves, to garnish

Method

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan with the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1-1½ hours, checking regularly and adding more water if necessary. When the carrots are soft transfer the soup into a blender and puree. Return to the pan and heat through.
2. Serve sprinkled with salt and pepper and garnished with parsley or coriander leaves if desired. This soup will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, place in a saucepan and stir until throughly heated but do not boil.

Cauliflower Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 small cauliflower
• 1 egg, beaten
• 200g fat-free natural yogurt
• 1 tbsp dried onions
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• 30g reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
• Pinch of mustard powder
• 60ml skimmed milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Parboil the cauliflower in a pan of boiling water for approximately 5 minutes.
2. Drain and transfer to a casserole dish. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour over the cauliflower. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until crisp and golden.

SYNS per serving: 2.5

Chicken, Spinach and Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 4x 115g skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp grated lime zest
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp finely grated garlic
• 3 tbsp mild curry powder
• ½ red onion
• 200g cherry tomatoes
• 110g baby leaf spinach
• 440g boiled wholemeal pasta shapes
• 2 x 150g pots fat free natural yogurt
• 2 tbsp Vanilla Müllerlight Yogurt
• 6 tbsp finely chopped mint
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Low calorie oil spray (less than one calorie per spray)

Method

1. Cut the chicken into thin strips and place in a bowl with the lime zest and juice, ground ginger, garlic and curry powder. Toss to mix. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour (overnight if possible).
2. Thinly slice the onion and halve the tomatoes, place in a bowl with the spinach and cooked pasta and mix.
3. Make the dressing: place the natural yogurt, vanilla yogurt, mint, coriander and soy sauce in a food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Heat a non-stick griddle pan sprayed with low calorie oil spray. Add the chicken to the pan (in batches if necessary) and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning once, until cooked through.
5. Divide the salad between four serving plates, top with the chicken strips and drizzle over the dressing.

Tip: This recipe is not suitable for home freezing.

SYN FREE

Welsh Rarebit

Ingredients

• 2 slices wholemeal bread (400g loaf)
• 1 tomato
• 2 spring onions
• 4 mushrooms
• ¼ red and ¼ yellow pepper
• 45g mozzarella cheese

Method

1. Lightly toast the wholemeal bread on both sides.
2. Meanwhile, roughly chop the tomato, spring onions, mushrooms and red and yellow peppers. Grate the mozzarella cheese.
3. Top both slices of toast with the vegetables and scatter the cheese over. Place under a medium grill until the cheese bubbles and the vegetables are tender.

Gazpacho (Cold Tomato Soup)

Ingredients

• 450g ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• ½ cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 large green pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1-2 tbsps white wine vinegar
• 275ml water
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Ice cubes, to serve

For the garnish:

• Chopped tomatoes, diced
• Cucumber
• Red, yellow and green peppers, diced
• Red onion, finely chopped
• Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1. Mix the tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, spring onions and garlic together. Stir in the white wine vinegar, then transfer in batches to a blender or food processor.
2. Blend thoroughly, then pour into a large bowl and stir in the water. Season to taste with salt and pepper and chill in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.
3. To serve the gazpacho, ladle it into bowls and add a few ice cubes. Serve with the vegetables garnishes in little bowls and let people help themselves.

SYN FREE

Eggs, Chips and Beans

Ingredients

• 900g medium-sized Maris Piper potatoes

• Low calorie oil spray (less than one calorie per spray)

• Eggs

• Baked beans

• Sea salt

• Malt vinegar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 240°C/220°C Fan/Gas 9. Peel the potatoes and remove any blemishes or ‘eyes’. Slice lengthways into chips approximately 1cm thick.

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the chips and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and leave aside for 10 minutes to dry.

1. Return the chips to the dry saucepan, cover with a lid and shake to ‘rough up’ the edges of the chips. Spray a metal baking tray with low calorie oil spray. Transfer the chips to the tray, spray lightly with low calorie cooking spray and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides.

1. Meanwhile, lightly spray a frying pan with low calorie oil spray. Break your eggs into the pan and heat until the white is solid. Flip over if you like your eggs well done, or leave sunny side up for a runny yolk. Pour the baked beans into a sauce pan and gently heat until warmed through.

1. Drain the chips on kitchen paper and serve on a plate with the eggs and baked beans. Sprinkle with salt and vinegar – enjoy!

SYN FREE