Sue’s Cook Book

This curry is different to others I make as it has a sweet and sour quality which is really delicious – you must try it! You need to plan ahead as there is 2-3 hours of marinating before you cook.

Serves 4

500g or 1lb skinless chicken breast cut into thick slices
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
3 teaspoons garam masala
2.5 cm or 1 inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic crushed
125g or 5oz ready to eat apricots halved
2 onion finely sliced
400g or 14oz can chopped tomatoes
3 teaspoons sugar
6 teaspoons white wine vinegar
salt

Place chicken in a large bowl and add chilli, garam masala, ginger and garlic and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours to marinate.

Place the apricots in a separate bowl, and pour 155ml or 15 fl oz water over and leave to soak for 2-3 hours.

Spray a large pan with oil and add the marinated chicken and fry over a high heat until cooked and browned all over. Remove from pan and set aside.

Spray the pan again with oil and add the onion – cooking for 5 mins until soft.

Add chicken back to the pan with the tomatoes and cook for 20 mins with a lid on the pan.

Drain apricots and add to the pan with sugar and vinegar. Season with salt. Cover the pan and simmer for another 15 mins.

Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Serve hot with basmati rice – delicious!

This tastes so creamy you would never guess it’s low fat – 340 kcals and 6.4g fat per serving. Great served with a salad on the side.

Serves 4

400ml or 14 fl oz hot veg stock
200 ml or 7 fl oz hot water
200ml or 7 fl oz white wine
2 teaspoons butter
4 shallots finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g or 8oz arborio or other risotto rice
300g or 12oz frozen raw tiger prawns*, defrosted
handful chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons half-fat creme fraiche
dash of lemon juice
parmesan shavings to serve

Heat the butter in a pan over a medium heat, then add the shallots and cook for 4 mins until soft.

Add the rice, salt and black pepper to the pan and stir well to coat the rice.

Mix the stock and water together and add just enough to cover the rice. Continue to cook stirring frequently until is almost all absorbed. Continue adding the water and stock in this way. Then add the wine and stir until absorbed.

Stir in the prawns and half the parsley and heat through.

Add the creme fraiche and lemon juice – have a quick taste to check the seasoning.

Divide between 4 plates and sprinke with parmesan shavings and the remaining parsley.

*if using cooked prawns – add them in the last 3 mins of cooking

This is a brilliant light starter if you are entertaining – it takes minutes to assemble and tastes divine. Oh and it’s low in fat and calories! 220 kcals and 9.3g per serving.

100g or 4oz canned green lentils, drained (you can use puy lentils simmered for 30 mins if you have the time or the inclination!)
4 spring onions finely sliced
1 red pepper diced
10 cherry tomatoes halved
200g or 8oz rocket
125g or 5oz goats cheese, crumbled *

for the dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablepoons runny honey
1 clove garlic crushed

* use feta for a cheaper alternative if you like

Place the lentils into a bowl and add the onion, pepper and tomatoes and mix well.

Divide the rocket between four plates and top with the lentil mixture. Drizzle the dressing over and sprinkle the goats cheese on top.

This is adapted from a BBC Good Food recipe from ’101 Low Fat Feasts’. It is such an easy dish – but so full of flavour! Low in fat and calories – 360 kcals and 4g fat per serving.

Serves 4

1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, coriander and ginger
500g or 1lb skinless chicken breast cut into strips
300 ml chicken stock
2 tablespoons tomato puree
200g mi-cuit plums or ready to eat prunes, stoned and halved
handful chopped fresh coriander

Spray a large pan with oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins until softened, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the spices and cook out for one minute before adding the chicken and cook for 5 mins until browned.

Add the stock and puree and season. Cook for 15-20 mins, adding the plums/prunes for the last 5 mins.

Serve with couscous and sprinkle with fresh coriander – delicious!

This is adapted from a recipe in a Rosemary Conley magazine years ago – her recipes are always excellent! This is a quick and easy low fat meal – I usually serve it with basmati rice and a salad on the side.

Serves 4

For the meatballs:
450g or 1lb lean minced pork
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground chilli
2 tablespoons mango chutney
salt & pepper

For the sauce:
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tablespoon fresh coriander

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (fan forced).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork with the other ingredients.

Form the mixture into golf ball sized pieces, roll until smooth and then place into an overproof dish.

Combine the sauce ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour over the meatballs and place in the oven for 35-40 mins.

The apricots in this recipe can be substituted with tinned peaches, cherries or pears if you prefer. It’s a lovely light pudding and guilt free – 142 kcals and 4.5g fat per serving.

Serves 6

1 x 411g tin apricot halves in fruit juice, drained
10g or 1/2 oz flaked almonds
3 medium eggs
40g or 1 1/2 oz caster sugar
50g or 2oz plain flour
pinch salt
425ml or 15 fl oz skimmed milk
10g or 1/2 oz dried skimmed milk powder
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
icing sugar for dusting

You will need a 20cm (8 in) square baking dish with a depth of 5cm (2 in), lightly greased.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan forced).

Drain the apricot halves and pat them dry with kitchen paper, then arrange them in the dish.

Using an electric hand whisk, whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale, frothy and doubled in volume – this should take about 2 mins.

Sift the flour and a pinch of salt over this mixture and continue to whisk until smooth.

Then add the milk, milk powder and almond extract and whisk together for another minute or so.

Pour the batter over the apricots and scatter with the almonds.

Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 mins – when done the batter should be golden brown, puffed up and firm to the touch.

Allow the pudding to cool for about 20 mins before serving as it tastes best when eaten warm not hot.

Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve with low fat creme fraiche, fromage frais or vanilla ice cream.

This is adapted from a recipe in ’101 Low Fat Feasts’ – an excellent BBC Good Food book. This is a great weeknight meal – made all in one pot and with ingredients that you’ll most likely have in the cupboard. Plus it’s in low fat and calories 6g fat and 345 kcals per serving. I usually serve it with a nice salad on the side. I like to use a large saute pan for this.

Serves 4

225g or 8oz basmati rice
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 onion finely chopped
2 rashers bacon chopped (I use kitchen scissors – much easier)
175g or 6oz mushrooms sliced
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
200g can tuna in brine/springwater drained
1/2 teaspoon or paprika or chilli
salt and pepper
handful chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Cook the rice as directed.

Meanwhile spray a large saute pan with oil and fry the onion, garlic and bacon for 5 mins (with a lid on if possible).

Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 mins.

Stir in the tuna, tomatoes, chilli/paprika and salt & pepper and let it simmer for 5 mins.

Add the drained rice to the tomato mixture adding the parsley if using.

Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Delicious, cheap and easy!

This is so easy to make there’s really no need to buy ready made – honest! Ideal served with low fat pitta chips and lamb kofta kebabs.

250ml or 1/2 pint low fat greek yogurt
1 clove garlic crushed
1/3 cucumber washed and grated on largest side of grater
salt

Put the yogurt into a bowl.

Add the crushed garlic.

Squeeze out all liquid from the grated cucumber and add the bowl.

Add the salt, mix together and have a taste – adjust seasoning if needed.

See I told you it was easy ;0)

This is adapted from an Ainsley Harriot recipe from his brilliant ‘Low Fat Meals in Minutes’ book. This salad is just so delicious and perfect as a light starter for a dinner party as it so easy to make and looks very impressive. Use parmesan if you can’t find pecorino.

Serves 4

12 button onions halved

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

25g or 1oz of pecorino or parmesan

100g or 4oz rocket leaves

salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees.

Place the onions in a shallow roasting tin and drizzle the oil over. Season and drizzle over half the balsamic vinegar.

Roast onions for 25-30 mins, stirring halfway through until softened and browned.

Drizzle over the remaining balsamic and leave to cool.

Divide the rocket between 4 plates, add the onions and shave pecorino over. Drizzle with the pan juices and serve. Yum!

This is adapted from a Rosemary Conley recipe from her wonderful ‘Low Fat Cookbook’. This is so filling and full of flavour you’d never think it was low fat! Great served with the Quick and Easy Flatbreads or basmati rice if you prefer.

SERVES 4

2 carrots chopped

1 large potato peeled and chopped

1/2 cauliflower cut into small florets

225g or 8oz courgettes chopped

75g or 3oz green breans cut in half across

1 rounded tablespoon Pataks curry paste – I like the tikka masala paste

1 veg stock cube

450 ml or 3/4 pint of water

150 ml or 1/4 pint passata (sieved tomatoes)

2 green chillies, seeded and finely chopped

400g or 14oz tinned chickpeas drained and rinsed

salt and pepper

Spray a large saucepan with oil and heat gently. Add the carrots, potato and cauliflower and let it cook gently with the lid on for a few minutes.

Add the courgettes, green beans and coriander and cook with the lid on for another 5 mins.

Add the stock cube, water, passata, red pepper. chillies, tikka paste, chickpeas, salt & pepper and simmer for 20-30 mins.

Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Serve with rice or flatbreads and some mango chutney – gorgeous and guilt free!