Sue’s Cook Book

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.

Thank you very much to my lovely 90 year old Nannie for this yummy recipe!

6oz or 150g sifted self raising flour
6oz or 150g caster sugar
4oz or 100g butter softened
2 medium eggs
grated rind of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons milk

For the icing:
4oz or 100g icing sugar
juice of half a lemon

You will need a 2lb loaf tin lined with baking paper and greased- or use a silicone loaf mould – no greasing or lining needed! No need to pre-heat the oven (see below).

Cream the butter and sugar together with a hand whisk until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, rind and milk and fold in the flour.

Put the cake in a cold oven and then turn to 150 degrees (fan forced) for 1 hour.

Let the cake cool in the tin for 5 mins and then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together.

Make holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer and pour the icing over whilst the cake is still warm.

Moist, tangy and delicious!

This is soooooooooo gorgeous! I just made it for my husband for his birthday and he was extremely happy! It is a Delia Smith recipe – love her!

2 oz (50 g) cocoa powder
7 fl oz (200 ml) Guinness
4 oz (110 g) very soft butter
10 oz (275 g) dark soft brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
6 oz (175 g) plain flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

For the icing:

4 oz (110 g) icing sugar, sifted
2 oz (50 g) very soft butter
2 tablespoons Guinness
4 oz (110 g) dark chocolate (50-55% cocoa solids)
1 oz (25 g) walnut pieces, finely chopped

To decorate:

8 walnut halves
cocoa powder, for dusting

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).

You will also need two 8 inch (20 cm) sponge tins, 1½ inches (4 cm) deep, lightly greased, and the bases lined with baking parchment, lightly greased. Or use silicone moulds to save on greasing and lining.

First of all, cream the butter and sugar together, beating thoroughly for 3 or 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. To make this easier you can use a hand whisk.

Now gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition.

Next, sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into another bowl.

Then weigh the cocoa and put it in a separate bowl, gradually stirring the Guinness into it.

Now carefully and lightly fold into the egg mixture small quantities of the sifted flour alternately with the cocoa-Guinness liquid.

Then, when both have been added, divide the cake mixture equally between the 2 tins and level it out.

Bake the sponges in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes. The cakes should be flat on top and feel springy and will have shrunk slightly from the side of the tin.

Leave them to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool further, very carefully stripping off the base papers (it’s quite sticky!)

To make the icing, beat the icing sugar and butter together until blended, then gradually add the Guinness, making sure it is thoroughly mixed in after each addition.

Now melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over hot water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Then, when it’s melted, remove the bowl from the water, and carefully fold the chocolate into the icing mixture.

Now remove a third of the icing to a separate bowl and stir in the chopped walnuts.

After all the icing has cooled to a spreadable consistency, sandwich the cake with the walnut icing.

Then spread the remaining two-thirds of the icing on top of the cake, using a palette knife.

Next, dust the walnut halves with cocoa powder and arrange on top of the cake.

NOW – Try not to scoff it all in one sitting ;0)

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)

I have adapted this from a Jamie Oliver recipe from his ‘At Home with Jamie’ book. These are great on the barbie served with flatbread/pitta bread, salad and chilli sauce or homemade tzatziki.

Serves 4

500g minced lamb
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 level tablespoon ground chilli
1 level tablespoon ground cumin
salt and pepper

Soak 8 wooden skewers in warm water for at least 30 mins.

Mix all ingredients together and then divide into 8 balls.

Roll out each ball into a sausage shape around a skewer until you have 8 kebabs.

Cook on the BBQ or on a health grill for 5-10 mins until cooked through.

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!

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 so delicious, economical and all cooks in one pot – brilliant! I use a large saute pan for this.

1kg pork belly ribs (also known as thick pork rashers)

1 onion diced

5cm piece fresh ginger grated

2 cloves garlic crushed

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1 large red pepper cut into large dice

1 bunch (2-3 heads) bok choy roughly choppped

Basmati rice to serve

Preheat oven to 160/140 fan forced.

Lightly spray a large flameproof casserole and preheat on high. Cook the ribs until well browned on all sides. Remove to a plate and drain the fat from the pan.

Cook onion, garlic, ginger until onion is soft. Return ribs to pan. Combine sauces, honey and 1/2 cup water and pour over ribs. Bring to the boil and then cover and place in the oven to bake for one hour.

Remove ribs from pan and keep warm. Skim any fat from the braising liquid. Add the pepper and let the sauce simmer for 5 mins to let the pepper soften.

Add the bok choy and turn up the heat so that it wilts.

Serve the ribs and sauce on a bed of rice in large bowls – just divine!