General Chat

Do you think I ought to put up a separate thread asking for diet recipes? My jokey verse thread hasn't produced any results yet:)) Chrissie x

What sort of diet recipes are you after???? I've got weight watchers books here with loads of good ones in!!!

Quick to prepare and VERY VERY easy ones please and no ingredients that are hard to track down. We particular;y like pasta and fish:)) Would be very grateful. Hubby is wanting to lose weight too so he won't be hard to convert:)) Just bought him 4 new pairs of trews because last years didn't fit and we can't keep doing that every year:)) He's keeping his others as he lives in hope:)) Chrissie xx

leave it with me Chrissie and I'll dig some out for you!!!

SPICY MACARONI CHEESE AND MUSHROOM CRUMBLE 5 points per serving 19 total points per recipe 280 calories per serving serves 4 225g (8oz) quick cook macaroni 125g (4 1/2 oz) button mushrooms, halved 295g can WW from heinz tomato soup pinch of cayenne 2 tomatoes, sliced 25g (1oz) fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs 50g (1 3/4 oz) shape mature cheddar cheese, grated salt and pepper 1. preheat oven to 6/200/400 2. cook macaroni in plenty of boiling salted water for 5 minutes or according to packet instructions. drain well. 3. mis in mushrooms and tomato soup and season with salt, pepper and cayenne. 4. transfer to ovenproof dish top with sliced tomatoes and again season. 5. mis the breadcrumbs with the cheese. sprinkle on top and bake for 20 minutes.

PASTA COCKTAIL 1 1/2 points per serving 9 points per recipe 105 calories per serving serves 6 75g dried pasta shapes 4 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise 2 tablespoons tomato sauce 2 tablespoons low fat plain yoghurt 2 teaspoons lemon juice dash of tabasco sauce 3 celery sticks, chopped 1 red or yellow pepper, de-seeded and chopped 4 inch piece of cucumber, chopped 1 red apple, cored and chopped few crisp lettuce leaves, shredded salt and pepper lemon wedges to garnish 1. cook pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes. darin well and rinse with cold water to cool. 2. in a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, tomato sauce, yoghurt, lemon juice and tabasco. 3. tip pasta into the sauce and add the celery, pepper, cucumber and apple. season lightly and mix together. 4. line six cocktail glasses or serving dishes with shredded lettuce, then fill with past mixture. garnish with lemon wedges and serve. vary the vegetables according to your personal tastes. radishes, tomatoes, cucumber and red onion make a tasty combination and are all point free additions.

Oh thanks very much Jilly:)) It's much appreciated.

TURKEY, PEPPER AND PASTA BAKE Serves 4 Prep and cooking time 1 hour 450g minced turkey 1 large onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, crusehd 1 large red or green pepper, de-seeded and chopped 1 tblspn veg oil 2 x 400g canned chopped tomatoes 200ml stock or water 170g pasta shells 1/2 teaspn dried oregano, marjoram or mixed herbs salt and pepper 50g half fat cheddar cheese, grated to serve 1. pre heat oven to gas 4/180c/350F. Heat a non stick frying pan until hot then dry fry the minced turkey, stirring well, for 7 - 8 minutes or until cooked and crumbly. 2. Add the onion, garlic, pepper and oil. Mix well, cover and cook for 5 minutes, until the veg has softened. 3. Stir in tomatoes, stock or water, pasta, herbs and seasoning. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. 4. Sppon the mixture into a casserole dish. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. 5. Uncover and serve hot, sprinkled with grated cheese.

CHEESY BAKED COD Serves 4 prep and cooking time 30 mins 4 x 125g cod fillets, skinned and boned 4 tomatoes, sliced pinch of dried mixed herbs 250g low fat plain fromage frais 4 spring onions, chopped 150 g half fat cheddar cheese, grated salt and pepper 1 pre heat oven to gas 4/180c/350f. Arrange fish fillets, side by side, in a shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange the tomato slices over the fish. Season well and sprinkle on the herbs. 2 mix together the fromage frais, spring onions and all but a tablspn of cheese. Season to taste. Sppon over the tomatoes and then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. 3 bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately

Thank you again. They are brilliant. I have printed them off and am making a list of ingredients needed. Maybe we should walk to the supermarket for them, the exercise will help too:))

PASTA WITH NO COOK SAUCE prep and cooking time 12 mins 180g spaghetti 200g cherry tomatoes, halved 1.2 bunch spring onions, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tblspn olive oil 1 tblspn fresh basil, chopped or 1 teaspn dried salt and pepper 1. cook spaghetti according to directions on packet 2. while the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine the tomato, onion, garlic, oil, basil and pepper to taste. 3 drain spaghetti and stir into sauce until well coated. serve immediately

TUNE NOODLE BAKE serves 4 prep and cooking time 25 mins 40g plain flour 500ml skimmed milk 2 x 200g can tuna in brine, drained 1 tblspn fresh or 2 tespn dried chives 600g cooked pasta spirals 2 tblspns dried breadcrumbs 1 tblspn grated parmesan cheese 1 pre heat oven to gas 6/200c/400f 2 place the flour in a saucepan and gradually whisk in the milk. Stir over a low heat until the mixture thickens. stir in the tuna and chives into sauce. 3 combine the tuna sauce and pasta and pour into a 20cm round casserole dish. Combine the breadcrumbs and permesan and sprinkle over the pasta. 4 bake for 15 minutes or until topping is golden

CHILLI SALMON CUTLETS serves 4 prep and cooking time 25 mins 4 medium salmon steaks 1 small onion, finely chopped 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped 1 tblspn red chillies, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tblspn malt vinegar 1 tblspn brown sugar 1 tblspn lemon juice 1 teaspn mixed dried herbs pepper 1 Preheat oven to gas 4/180c/350f. 2 Place fish in a single layer in a large baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients and spread over fish . 3 Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover, bake for further 10 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

you want anything other than fish or pasta???? lolol

LOL Jilly - anything considered:)) By the way, does the Tune Bake sing to me while I cook LMHO:))

I don't like anything hot - could I leave the Chilli out or would it spoil the recipe?

guess you could just leave the chilli out!! if you want teh tuna bake to sing to you then imagine me singing away whilst you are cooking it!!!! pmsl

MANDARIN STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST (this is my favourite!!!!) 3 points per serving 12 1/2 points per recipe 180 calories per serving serves 4 298g can manderin oranges in natural juice 4 skinless chicken breasts (weighing around 500g in total) 4 teaspoons Schwartz chicken seasoning low fat cooking spray 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley salt and pepper cocktail sticks and foil 1. preheat oven to gas 6/200/400. Line baking tray with foil...drain mandarins and keep the juice.. 2. beat the chicken breasts with a rolling pin to flatten them out.. 3. Season each side with 1/2 teaspoon of chicken seasoning... place each breast on a small square of cooking foil. 4. set aside a few mandarins for decoration. divide the rest into 4 portions... put mandarins on one half of each chicken breast and fold the other half of the breast over the top, making a turnover. Secure with cocktail sticks. 5. give each breast a couple of sprays of oil on each side and fold the foil over them. put on oven tray and cook for 25 minutes. 6. meanwhile make a paste with cornflour and a few teaspoons of cold water. put mandarin juice in measuring jug and add enough water to make up to 1/4 pint. heat juice in a pan with the paste, stirring all the time till it thickens. 7. when chicken is cooked and open up the foil so it can brown and return to oven for another 5 - 10 mins... 8. serve hot topped with mandarin sauce and a few mandarin slices and chopped parsley. canned peaches or pineapple can be used instead of mandarins...add 40 calories per serving of pineapple... My Note: the peaches variation is delicious...eat with rice or potatoes but remember to calculate the extra points for both!!

HONEYED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS 2 1/2 points per serving 9 1/2 points per recipe 180 calories per serving serves 4 4 medium chicken drumsticks, skinned 2 tablespoons runny honey 1 table spoon sesame oil 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons coarse grain mustard salt and pepper 1 preheat oven to 6/200/400. pierce drumsticks with skewer or fork to allow flavours to penetrate 2. mix together the honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, lemon juice and mustard. place chicken in lightly greased oven dish and spread mixture evenly over the chicken. season to taste 3. cook for 25-30 minutes till juices run clear... serve hot or cold

PORK CHOPS WITH CHEESE 4 1/2 points per serving 9 1/2 points per recipe 210 calories per serving serves 2 1 crushed garlic clove 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely ground 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary juice of 1 lemon 2 medium loin pork chops, fat removed 25g half fat cheddar cheese, grated 1/2 teaspoon english mustard salt 1. mix together garlic, salt, pepper. rosemary and lemon juice. rub mixture over both sides of chops. leave covered in fridge for 1 hour. 2. heat a griddle pan to very hot and grill each chop for 7 minutes each side. 3. mix cheese with mustard... spread over chops and grill till cheese is golden brown