Slice Of Slim: August 2014

Thursday, 28 August 2014 -

5PP IDEAS, Breakfast, FILLING AND HEALTHY, Light Meals, RECIPES (all), SIMPLE START, SIMPLE START- Breakfast, SIMPLE START- Vegetarian, SMASH AND GRAB (all), Snack Ideas, Vegetarian

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SMASH & GRAB : Scramblewaved Eggs

Scrambled eggs are easy to make-right?

Actually, I find that if I make them the traditional way in a pan, they can shrink down to nothing, go watery and get cold very quickly-so disappointing.

So, here's my failsafe way to create the hottest, fluffiest, most voluminious, creamy scrambled eggs ever! They're made in a mug in the microwave and I'll never make them any other way again...I've called them my

'Scramblewaved Eggs'!

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These work out to 5pp/approx.160kcal per portion but are also Filling&Healthy and SimpleStart friendly.

(N.B this is for the eggs ONLY-you will need to add propoints/kcal for any bread you use unless included in whichever method you are following).

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YOU WILL NEED :(Per Portion)

2 medium eggs

100ml skimmed/unsweetened soya milk

pinch of white pepper

a few chives

generous grind of black pepper

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You'll need an average-sized mug for this recipe.

Spray the inside of the mug generously with Frylight oil. This stops the egg from sticking and makes it much easier to clean afterwards.

Crack the eggs straight into the mug.

Add 100ml of skimmed or unsweetened soya milk.

Season with ground white pepper then whisk gently to mix thoroughly.

Pop the mug of egg mixture, uncovered, into the microwave on HIGH for one minute.

Stir gently with a fork.

Pop back, uncovered, into the microwave for one more minute on HIGH.

The egg will be thoroughly cooked.

Mix gently using a fork to break up the solidity.

Mix to your required texture.

I like large, uneven lumps, some people prefer a very fine texture.

Mix gently so that the air and lightness is retained.

Distribute evenly onto your chosen toast/crumpets etc.

Using scissors, snip chives over the surface of the scramblewaved eggs.

Add a grind of black pepper.

Enjoy the most piping hot, perfectly scrambled eggs ever!

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TIPS

If you halve this mixture, the portion is 3pp/approx.80kcal. You will need to reduce the cooking time by around half too-remember to do it in two 30 second bursts. It may need a little extra time.

This is delicious with 20g smoked salmon snipped into strips and laid on top of the finished eggs and chives.

This is an extra 1pp/approx 25kcal-it's not on the F&H or SS list, so you will need to propoint it.

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Eggyliscious

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PRINT RECIPE HERE

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Slice of Slim kitchen!

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Monday, 25 August 2014 -

1PP IDEAS, 2PP IDEAS, 4PP IDEAS, Light Meals, RECIPES (all), Side Dishes, Snack Ideas, Vegetarian

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RECIPE : Roasted Red Pepper, Chilli & Feta Dip

I first tried this dip at The Real Greek a few weeks ago. I loved its pungent flavours yet its simplicity too...so I've made my own Slice-of-Slimmified version for you.
This dish literally uses three ingredients; roasted red peppers, low fat feta and chilli flakes. That's it!

It works out to
4pp/approx.225kcal for the WHOLE amount.

2pp per portion/approx.112kcal per portion if serving 2
or
1pp/approx.56kcal per portion if serving 4

It makes a wonderful dip, spread or topping for jacket potatoes or my famous 'fake bakes'.

(Click HERE for the recipe)

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YOU WILL NEED : (Serves 4 as a dip or 2 as a topping for jacket potatoes)

2 red peppers
(I like these Ramiro peppers as they have a sweet flavour, but regular peppers will do)

100g reduced fat Greek salad cheese
(This is a feta style cheese)

a generous pinch of crushed, dried chilli flakes

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Wash the peppers, mist with Frylight oil and roast for 30 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas6 or until the peppers are very soft and the skin slightly blackened.
Allow to cool.

Once cool enough to handle, pull off the stalks. Make a cut and scrape out the white seeds.

You can remove the blackened skin, but I leave it on as it adds to the flavour.

Chop the peppers roughly then pop them into a bowl.

Crumble the feta-style cheese on top along with the chilli flakes to your personal taste.
(You could leave out the chilli if you don't like it).
Mash with a fork until combined.

You could use a food processor for a very smooth dip but I prefer this rustic artisan style as it has more texture.

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Serve with warmed flatbread or crackers, raw chopped vegetables or as a topping for a jacket potato or 'fake bake' as shown above.

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Dippyliscious!

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PRINT RECIPE HERE

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Wednesday, 20 August 2014 -

7PP IDEAS, CUPBOARD LOVE (all), Light Meals, Main Courses, Vegetarian

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CUPBOARD LOVE : Tesco Roasted Mushroom Cannelloni

I spotted this Tesco Healthy Living dish this week so I picked one up to try. I normally have a quick salad or wrap at lunchtime but I was feeling chilly today, so decided to give this a go after my brisk walk by the river.

As promised, these Beautifully Balanced dishes are low in salt and fat. They never go into the 'red' zone on their packaging.

This dish is also suitable for vegetarians.

Tesco have even worked out the propoints for WeightWatcher customers-hassle free!

This dish is only suitable for reheating in a microwave, so don't oven bake it.

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As soon as I pierced the lid I could smell the amazing aroma of the roasted mushrooms. After microwaving, the smell was fantastic!

I actually had to check that 7pp/284kcal was for the whole pack as it seemed amazing value for the portion size.

You could even serve this for 2 as a starter on a bed of wilted spinach.

There are two rolls of cannelloni, stuffed with generous amounts of large, juicy, roasted mushrooms, spinach and the perfect serving of creamy bêchamel sauce.

Of course, you can eat straight from the packaging but I always think that if you take 20 seconds to present a ready meal in a dish as you would a home-cooked meal, it makes it much more enjoyable. Eating then becomes more conscious and not simply a refuelling process.

I scattered generously with some coarsely-ground black pepper and a sprig of basil before tucking in-this just adds to the homemade feel.

The flavours were perfect-the roasted mushrooms had a deep, rich flavour and a meaty texture perfectly suited to this dish. The spinach still had a wonderful bite and the bêchamel was luscious and creamy.

This will be a regular occupant in my fridge and is now a Slice of Slim firm favourite!

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Oh yes-one more thing...the packaging comes with a well-fitting lid which means that you have a great little airtight box afterwards. You could use it as a container for packed lunches or storing items in the fridge.

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Click HERE to go straight to it and see some of my dishes being made in the
Slice of Slim kitchen!
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Sunday, 17 August 2014 -

2PP IDEAS, 4PP IDEAS, Desserts, FILLING AND HEALTHY, RECIPES (all), SIMPLE START, SIMPLE START- Desserts, SIMPLE START- Vegetarian, Vegetarian

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RECIPE : Egg Custard Fruit Tarts

I recently brought you a recipe for little savoury tartlets using chickpeas as the prime ingredient for my 'pastry'. This enabled these delicious morsels to be suitable for a Filling&Healthy or SimpleStart day.

(Click HERE for the recipe).

As is often the case when innovating in the kitchen, one inspiration quickly leads to another...so when I realised that I could easily turn the idea into sweet egg custard tarts containing beautiful berries, I was really excited!

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I have to say the result is stupendous...only 4pp/approx.200kcal per portion (half of the above tart) and also perfect for a F&H/SS day!

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YOU WILL NEED : (Serves 4)

Two small loose-bottomed flan dishes

(Mine are 5"/12.5cm across)

For the 'pastry';

120g (drained weight) tinned chickpeas
1 Warburtons brown sandwich thin
1 egg white
1 tablespoon artificial granular sweetener
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the filling;

40g fresh blueberries
60g fresh raspberries

2 egg yolks
2 medium eggs
80g Total 2%fat Greek yoghurt
(You can use the 0% fat variety but it will taste creamy and rich if you use 2%)
2 teaspoons artificial granular sweetener
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace

Optional

If you have some, you could add a few drops of custard flavouring

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To make the 'pastry';

Drain the chickpeas then rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove the gluggy residue.

Blot dry really well using kitchen paper. You need the chickpeas to be as dry as possible before blitzing.

Blitz the drained chickpeas as finely as possible in a food processor until a very dry, paste-like consistency.

Tip into a mixing bowl.

Tear the Warburtons sandwich thin then blitz into fine breadcrumbs. It's really important to do the breadcrumbs separately, otherwise they will absorb any liquid from the chickpeas and turns it into a glue-like paste.

(Trust me, I tried it!)

Tip the breadcrumbs into the mixing bowl with the chickpeas. Mix together thoroughly. Sweeten with artificial sweetener and cinnamon to your personal taste. I like mine to have a prominent cinnamon flavour to override the chickpeas.

Add the egg white to bind the dry ingredients together.

Mix together really well, you can even use your hands as if making regular pastry. It will feel slightly sticky, so cover and pop in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

This helps the breadcrumbs to absorb the egg white slightly and will help to dry out the mixture. It feels surprisingly like a pliable pastry/dough.

Divide the 'pastry' in half, shape into a flat disc, then gently use your fingers or thumb to press the mixture into an even, thin lining to the flan dish.

Repeat so that you have 2 cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas6 until golden and crisp.
Allow to cool slightly then run a sharp knife around the edge and loosen the shell before filling. This will make it easier to serve after filling.

You can freeze the 'pastry' shells at this stage if you wish, to use at a later date.

To make the filling;

Fill the 'pastry' cases with an even layer of your chosen fruits.

Mix together the egg yolk, egg, yoghurt, sweetener and vanilla/custard flavourings. I use a small hand whisk to make sure everything is smoothly blended but don't whisk too hard.

Distribute the egg mixture evenly between the 2 flan dishes to cover the fruit. It can come right to the top or sit slightly lower than the edge of the 'pastry'.
Sprinkle with ground nutmeg or mace.
Bake for 20 minutes at 20c/400F/Gas6 until the egg is firmly set.
Allow to cool before serving.

To serve, release the tarts from the loose-bottomed tins and pop onto a pretty plate. You can leave the tin base underneath if it's proving hard to handle!

Remember to cut in half as it's 4pp for half the tart.

Even a quarter of the tart for 2pp/approx.100kcal makes a satisfying little sweet treat with a cup of tea!

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Egg Custard Heaven!

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TIPS

You could use a Yorkshire pudding tin and make 4 individual tarts but I prefer the depth of the larger tins.

You could try them without the fruit as more traditional plain egg custard tarts. Don't forget the nutmeg/mace sprinkled on the top!

Don't attempt to make one large tart as the 'pastry' is too brittle and will be impossible to handle at this size.

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PRINT RECIPE HERE

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Have you seen my YouTube channel yet?
Click HERE to go straight to it and see some of my dishes being made in the
Slice of Slim kitchen!
Don't forget to subscribe then you will be automatically updated every time I make a new film.