Sue’s Cook Book

This is adapted from Ainsley Harriott’s ‘All New Meals in Minutes’ which has some excellent low fat recipes in it. This flatbread is a perfect partner for my veg and chickpea curry….oooh it’s making my mouth water just thinking about it!

Makes 4 breads

4 tablespoons low fat natural yogurt

1 egg lightly beaten

225g or 8oz self raising flour (plus extra for dusting)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

1 large red chilli very finely chopped (optional)

Heat a large non-stick frying pan.

Mix 4 tablespoons of the yogurt with enough warm water to make 120ml (4fl oz) then stir in the beaten egg.

Put the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the yogurt mixture, the coriander and chilli. Mix into a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 30 secs until smooth. Divide into 4 portions and roll each into an oval shape about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick.

Spray the heated frying pan with oil and cook the flatbreads for 4-5 mins each side until cooked through and lightly golden.

These freeze really well so it would be a great idea to make double the quantity and freeze the ones you don’t need.

This is a very substantial meal with a nice salad on the side and serves 6 generously.  Believe it or not is it is also low in fat and calories!  12g fat and 340 cals per serve. Amazing! You may need to make this in two dishes..depending on how big your dishes are.

600g pumpkin peeled and chopped into chunks

1/2 onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove crushed

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

pinch of chilli powder

250ml passata (sieved tomatoes)

1/2 tsp sugar

1 veg stock cube or 1 tsp stock powder

1 tablespoon tomato puree

250g frozen spinach, thawed and excess liquid removed

375g fresh low fat ricotta

pinch ground nutmeg

200g instant dried cannelloni tubes

100g grated mozzarella

Place the pumpkin in a saucepan and cover with cold water.  Bring it to the boil and then simmer for 10-15 mins or until tender. Drain and then mash.  Put in a large bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Spray a pan with oil and add the onion and garlic. Put on the lid and let the onion and garlic soften on a low heat for 5 mins. 

Then add the tinned tomatoes, chilli, sugar, stock cube/powder, passata and tomato puree and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Let is simmer for 5 mins and then taste it and adjust seasoning if needed.

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

Add the spinach and ricotta to the mashed pumkin and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper – mix well.

Spread the bottom of your dish(es) with a few ladlefuls of the tomato sauce.

Now fill the cannelloni tubes with the pumpkin mixture.  This is a little bit messy!  The easiest way I find is to use a knife to push it down or you can using an icing syringe.  Lay the tubes side by side in the dish in a single layer.

Once you have filled all the tubes (it should be the whole box), cover with the remaining tomato sauce.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake in the oven for 40 mins until golden.

* I haven’t tried this yet but I think that it would work really well with lasagne sheets instead of cannelloni tubes and would save a lot of time :0)

These are so delicious, taste really authentic and are low in fat!  They do take a while a while to prepare (about an hour) but they are so worth it!  Thanks Claire for another wonderful recipe.

 Should make between 40 and 60 dumplings – depending on size

 Case:

Approx 5 cups plain flour

Water to mix

Place flour in a bowl and gradually add water until a dough is formed. Knead until smooth.

Roll into a long sausage about 2 cm thick.

Cut into rounds about 1 cm thick.  Roll each into a circle about the size of a mug rim.  Place in a single layer on a piece of non-stick baking paper and repeat until all dough is used. Now make the filling.

Filling:

500g minced pork

4 to 5 finely chopped spring onions

2 to 4 very finely chopped celery (almost minced)

1 clove crushed garlic

1 teaspoon minced/finely grated fresh ginger

1 beaten egg

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon plain flour

Mix all ingredients together.  Place one rounded teaspoon in each case and seal well – pinching the edges on both sides.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and place dumplings in the boiling water – cook for 10 minutes. When cooked, remove with a slotted spoon onto warmed plates.

Serve with soy sauce and chilli sauce for dipping.

Fantastic!

This is so yummy, easy and versatile!  Great eaten hot with a salad/vegetables and jacket potato or cold with a salad for lunch.  Try varying the ingredients – tinned salmon or tuna and sweetcorn work really well too.

Serves 6

Pre-heat the oven to 180 and grease a oven dish.

4 rashers bacon trimmed of fat and cut into strips with kitchen scissors (much easier than trying to use a knife!)

100g /4 oz mushrooms sliced

2 cups cooked rice

2 eggs beaten

1 tin of 97% fat free evaporated milk

2 teaspoons mixed herbs

salt and freshly ground pepper

A good handful of grated cheese (low fat if being healthy!)

Heat up a non-stick frying pan and add the bacon and mushrooms – cook for a few minutes until bacon is cooked and mushrooms softened.

Place all ingredients except cheese into a bowl and mix until combined.

Pour into the greased dish and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake for 40 mins and then slice into 6 portions.  Delicious!

Makes 20-22

2 egg whites -if you find it tricky to separate eggs, try using an egg yolker

2/3 cup caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

3/4 cup dessicated coconut

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup dried berries – I used dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 130 fan assisted and line 2 baking trays with baking paper

Place egg whites and pinch salt in a bowl and using an electric mixer, beat to soft peaks, gradually add sugar and then add vanilla essence, beating constantly until mixture holds soft glossy peaks. Add coconut and cranberries.

Place rounded dessertspoons of mixture on tray about 5 cms apart. Bake for 20-25mins or until light brown.

Cool on tray until firm before removing to a wire rack.

Cool completely. Store airtight for up to 3 weeks – although I really don’t think they will last that long – far too scrummy!

This is a great meal as it is quick, filling, low fat, uses only one pan and uses up leftover meat from a roast – perfect for a Monday night when making dinner is such an effort (or is it only me?!).  You’ll need a large stock pot.

Serves 2-4 depending on appetite

Meat choices – leftover chicken/beef/lamb or half pack of chicken mince shaped into small balls OR tofu can be used if vegetarian

1.5 litres of veg stock  

dash of fish sauce

dash of soy sauce

2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

2 garlic cloves crushed

2 cm ginger finely grated

whatever veggies you like – I normally use:

finely sliced red and green pepper (julienne) handful of each

finely sliced carrot (julienne) handful of each

1 finely sliced courgette (julienne)

good handful of mushrooms finely sliced

rice noodles – allow 50g (2oz) per person

1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with a little water

Make veg stock with boiling water and pour into pan and bring to the boil. 

Add the fish, soy and sweet chilli sauce and then add the veggies and stir. 

Then add your chosen meat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. 

Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions.

Have a taste of the soup – season and add more fish/soy/chilli sauce if desired. Add the cornflour mixture and stir until soup thickens a little

Place cooked noodles into the bottom of each noodle bowl.

Add the soup to the bowls and enjoy!

This a a great way to make salmon more interesting and to make a little salmon go further (it’s very expensive here in Australia!) It’s also quick and easy and full of flavour. Ideally you will need a large saute pan with a lid.

Serves 4

2 salmon steaks sliced in half lengthways

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 red chilli finely sliced

2 cm piece of ginger finely grated 

 a good handful of finely sliced carrot (julienne)

1/2 red pepper finely sliced (julienne)

1/2 yellow pepper finely sliced (julienne)

a good handful of mange tout (snow peas) trimmed and sliced in half diagonally

1 tablespoon curry paste 

1 can reduced fat coconut milk

1 handful of fresh coriander roughly chopped

Lightly spray pan with oil and then add all vegetables and stir.  Let the vegetables cook for a few minutes and then add the curry paste and the coconut milk. 

Give it a good stir and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Allow the sauce to bubble and then place the salmon steaks on top of the sauce and put lid on.  The salmon will only take about 5 minutes to cook.

When the salmon has turned pale add the coriander and stir. 

Taste again and add more curry paste/salt and pepper if needed.

Serve on a bed of basmati rice with a wedge of lime – heavenly!

I have discovered these in the shops in the past month or so and thought – ‘what a fab idea!’ and decided to make them myself to make them even lower in fat and much cheaper too!

Serves as many as you like – adapt as needed 

Allow 1 wholemeal pitta per person

Spray oil

Flavourings:

1 tablespoon dukkha – ground up in a pestel and mortar

or

1 tablespoon cajun spice

or

1 tablespoon mixed herbs

Switch the oven onto 200 degrees (no need to pre-heat). 

Cut the pitta bread into bite size pieces and place onto a baking tray spreading them out evenly.

Spray very lightly with oil then sprinkle with your chosen flavouring and season with salt and pepper.

Cook for about 10-15 mins and then check on them – you want them to be lightly browned and dried out – it’s a good idea to turn the oven off and leave them in the oven for a further 10 mins. 

When done, tip them into a bowl and serve with a homemade dip such a guacamole, tzatziki or tomato salsa – fantastic and guilt-free!

450g or 1lb dried mixed fruit

350 ml hot black tea

100g or 4oz glace cherries quartered

75g or 2 1/2oz sugar

380g or 14oz self-raising flour, sifted

1 large egg

Soak the dried fruit overnight in the tea. 

The next day, pre-heat oven to 160/140 for fan assisted. Line and lightly grease a 2lb loaf tin -or use a 2lb silicone mould – no greasing or lining needed!

Mix all ingredients together and place into tin.  Bake for 2 hours and turn out of tin when cooled.

I know I’ve said it before but this cake is so easy to make and it’s a great idea to make two at the same time as you can have one to eat and one to freeze for another time – it cooks great in a round 20cm tin too.

I love this recipe! It’s dead easy to make and I seem to make it rather a lot because my bananas always go over ripe which is perfect for this recipe!

5 ripe bananas mashed (approx 475g)

2 beaten eggs

6oz or 150g brown sugar

4 oz or 100g sultanas

8oz or 200g self-raising flour

Pre-heat oven to 180 or 160 fan assisted.  Line and lightly grease a 2lb loaf tin or use a silicone mould – no greasing or lining needed!

In a large bowl, mash bananas and add eggs, sugar and sultanas, then mix in sifted flour.

Pour mixture into loaf tin and bake 1 hour 15 minutes.

Leave loaf to cool in tin and then turn out.

This cake is again so easy and so moist you’ll never guess it’s low fat!