Tag Archives: beef

Fragrant Coconut Beef Curry

Posted in Uncategorized by

I was eavesdropping earlier in Aldi, you know the way you do, sometimes you can’t help overhear cos people are talking right beside you, anyways one says to the other “Oh you must make that coconut beef recipe” and in my head I went “Bing! That’s sounds (a.) freakin’ delicious and (b.) exactly what I want to eat tonight” A bit of quick thinking and a little google researching ensued around the aisles of Aldi and this is what was conceived from the aforementioned earwigging. A beautiful light fragrant coconut beef curry, delicious! Here’s how I made it:

800g Lean Steak Pieces

400ml Can Light Coconut Milk

1 Small Onion diced

2 Cloves Garlic Crushed

2cm piece of Fresh Ginger grated

2 Bay Leaves

Mix together in a bowl the following:

1 Tsp Tumeric

½ Tsp Chilli Powder

½ Tsp Ground Fenugreek

1 ½ Tsp Ground Coriander

1 Tsp Cumin

2 Tsps Paprika

2 Tbsps Medium Curry Powder

Pinch of salt

To Serve:

Basmati Rice

Fresh Chilli

Fresh Coriander

Fresh Lime

Serves 4 at 10SP for the Curry (Add points for the rice or whatever you serve it alongside)

Using some spray oil, fry the beef in batches until brown, remove and set aside. Fry the onion over a low heat until softened this will take about 5 minutes. Pop the grated ginger and crushed garlic in and fry for 30 seconds or so. Pour in your spice mix that you have in the bowl and continue to cook the dry spice mix with the onion over a medium heat while stirring, it will stick very slightly just keep moving it about. Pour in the Coconut Milk and add the bay leaves and re add the beef to the pan. Simmer over a medium heat for 40 minutes or so until the beef is tender. Sere with rice and top with fresh coriander, chillies and lime. How easy was that!

Indian Spiced Savoury Mince

Posted in Dinner, Uncategorized by

I’m always after new and different healthy ways to use mince and this works a treat. I was off unexpectedly today as my little Mimi is sick since last night so I’ve been on nursing duty all day, the poor little pet is feeling a good bit better and when Daddy got in from work I took a quick trip out to Aldi to pick up some ingredients to throw dinner together. This is beautifully aromatic while cooking filling your kitchen with beautiful exotic smells. Its gorgeous with rice but you could have it with wedges or jacket potato either. You know me, I like large portions and this serves 4 hungry people at 7 smartpoints a portion of mince, you could easily feed 6 to be honest

1000g lean beef mince
1 onion peeled & diced
2 stalks celery peeled & diced
2 medium carrots peeled & diced
100g Frozen Peas
Small piece of ginger peeled & grated
2 cloves of garlic peeled & crushed
2 tins plum tomatoes
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 Tbsp tomato puree
Fresh coriander leaves

Spice Blend:
2 Tbsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp turmeric
1 Tsp paprika
¼ Tsp chilli powder
Pinch of ground cloves
Salt & black pepper

In a non stick pan sprayed with some oil sautee the diced veg until softening (approx 8 mins). Add beef mince and cook until browned, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add grated ginger, spice blend and crushed garlic and fry for another minute to release the flavours. Add in the tinned chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Bring to the boil, lower the heat to medium and cook covered with a lid for 30 minutes stirring occasionally (add a little water if it goes too dry). Remove the lid, add the frozen peas and garam masala stir through and cook for another 10 minutes or so. Serve with rice or poatato and garnish with fresh chopped coriander. Enjoy!

Sumptuous Smoky Sloppy Joes

Posted in Dinner by

img_8733

Sumptuous Smoky Sloppy Joes, fun to say, fun to make, fun to eat.  I’m always on the hunt for new ways to use beef mince & this did not disappoint with a gorgeous smoky depth of flavour and crispy chunky homemade oven fries to accompany it for a huge satisfying but healthy meal. Continue reading →

Tender Slow Cooked Beef Asado

Posted in Dinner by


Asado, in simple terms, is a stew and there are many different versions depending on the country or region. This one is not a million miles away from a Filipino asado. The richness of flavour in this recipe comes from slow cooking the beef until it becomes really tender in a tomato sauce infused with star anise, ginger and bay leaves. This is extraordinarily simple to make but does require some time as it will take about 1 and ½ to 2 hours to complete. I’ve added potatoes to the dish but you could certainly leave them out and serve it over brown rice or with salad instead. It keeps well and serves 6 which makes it a perfect meal prep recipe if you’re prepping for the week. It is suitable to do in a slow cooker if desired but I find it more flavoursome if you prep it in a large pot over the hob instead, I don’t know why it’s just one of those things! This serves 6 people and the Macros per serving are 344Cals P33.7 C30.5 F9.5 or Smartpoints 7 and free on No Count Here’s the skinny: Continue reading →

Chinese Pepper Steak with Wholewheat Noodles

Posted in Dinner by


This is beautifully quick & easy to throw together, it literally takes minutes making it a great contender for a mid week dinner. I sometimes eat different meals from my family due to my fitness and protein consumption goals and I made this just for one, you can double it up if you need to serve more people. I used what I had available to me which is realistic for us all so if you’re steak is slightly larger, smaller or a different cut of meat just adjust your macros or Smartpoints accordingly. I always cut my meat against the grain before cooking it and it makes for a much more tender softer piece of meat, trust me it makes all the difference. To cut against the grain simply look for the grain (natural lines across your steak) and cut it in strips going in the opposite direction. Macros 589Cal P43 C66 F17 Smartpoints 13. Continue reading →

Glorious Spicy Lean Taco Fries

Posted in Dinner by


Glorious Spicy Lean Taco Fries, all the flavour of this takeaway favourite without any need to wait until cheat day to indulge in this healthy version. I’ve made this recipe before (it’s here on the blog somewhere but this is an updated improved version) and had made the fries myself with potato rather than sweet potato and you can most certainly make the fries yourself using plain potato or sweet potato but these strong root frozen sweet potato fries are so so handy and I can never get my home-made sweet potato fries that divinely crispy. This recipe serves four and the taco mince mixture freezes well once cooled if you’re doing meal prep, just use 130 g of the frozen fries per serving as required. This is quite spicy well for my taste anyway, if you want it less spicy just dial down the amount of the spices you put in, if you like it hot hot hot use hot chilli powder instead of mild. The macros on this per serving are 479Cal P40 C37 F17 Smartpoints 13 Continue reading →

Melting Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs with Tomato, Bacon & Sweet Basil Sauce

Posted in Dinner by

I absolutely adore meatballs I definitely don’t think it’s the first time I’ve mentioned this nugget of information. Pasta is one of my all-time favourite foods to eat. I rarely make meatballs the same way twice, I always adapt them and adjust the ingredients to come up with different flavour combinations and variations. These are stuffed with gorgeous reduced fat mozzarella that melts in the centre and oozes out when you cut into each juicy meatball. This recipe serves 4 people at 12 Smartpoints a serving or Macros per serving 492Cal P46 C49 F11 Continue reading →

Deliciously Spicy & Tender Szechaun Beef Served With Fluffy Wholegrain Basmati Rice

Posted in Dinner by


A gorgeous healthy Friday night dinner treat to rival your local take out with beautiful tender spicy beef, spicy sticky szechaun sauce & heaps of comforting steamy rice to accompany it. This is super quick & so easy to make it will be on your table feeding your family & friends in no time flat, guaranteeing happy bellies all around! This serves 4 people and comes in at 10 Smartpoints per serving (1 Smartpoint on the No Count Plan). Continue reading →

Heartwarming & Comforting Irish Beef Stew

Posted in Dinner by

  
The nights are getting darker earlier, the trees are putting on a spectacular autumnal display of fabulous golden and rusett colours and there is a definitely a cooler nip in the air. What is better to come home to than a beautiful, flavoursome, warm bowl of stew, it’s practically a hug in a bowl! If you’re Irish like me this might transport you back to memories of your school days when you would come home to the smell of gorgeous stew wafting through the house bubbling away ready to warm the cockles of your heart. This comes in at 9 propoints and serves 6 (it’s free on filling and healthy). Here’s the skinny:  
800g lean steak pieces

1kg bag baby potatoes halved

2 onions finely diced

4 carrots peeled and chopped

2 stalks of celery peeled and chopped

2 parsnips peeled and chopped

1 pint of beef stock

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon tomato purée 

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

Chopped fresh rosemary

Chopped fresh thyme 

Chopped fresh parsley 

Salt and black pepper

2 bay leaves

1 tin plum tomatoes

30g cornflour  

Pre-heat the oven to 160 Celsius. Heat a large pot and spray with spray oil. Gently fry the onions, carrots, celery and parsnips for approximately five minutes until they are softening, add in the crushed garlic for the last 30 seconds. Tip the meat halved baby potatoes and softened veg into a large Pyrex dish or casserole dish. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes (just slice through them whilst still in the tin with a sharp knife if they are whole plum tomatoes). Add all the herbs and season with salt and pepper add the tomato purée and pour over the beef stock. Fold everything gently together with a wooden spoon. Gently fold the bay leaves in half and tuck them into the top where they can be easily removed but are touching the stock to infuse their flavour. Cover with a lid. Some people cook stew for just an hour and a half but I find this needs nearer 2 hours. Check it regularly you will know when the potatoes and veg are cooked & soft it is done. To thicken the stew mix 30g cornflour with a tiny amount of water to make a smooth paste in a mug pour into the stew and gently stir it through return to the oven for the last 15 to 20 minutes and this should thicken your stew nicely, you might find leaving the lid off will help this process, keep a close eye so it doesn’t dry out. You can remove the bay leaves at that stage. If you find that the stew doesn’t need thickening reduce the points to 8 propoints per serving. I recommend you use this fresh over a few days as cooked potatoes do not freeze well. This will last 3 to 4 days covered in a refrigerator. I hope you enjoy!  

Easy Cheesy Healthy Bolognese Pasta Bake

Posted in Dinner by

  I’m quite adept at coming up with ideas to use up leftovers & I had leftover mince, cheese & thyme from last night’s dinner so this is what was made. I always have a few staples & tinned plum tomatoes always inhabit my larder so this was a very easy healthy & quite a filling choice. Pasta is always my go to comfort food, it’s extremely versatile & incredibly satisfying to the tummy. Bolognese is always so packed with flavour & tasty be it served with spaghetti & cheese or baked in the oven in this gorgeous pasta bake. This serves 4 hungry people at 10pp a portion (1pp on F&H). Dinner is sorted! Here’s the Skinny:   400g Lean 5% Fat Beef Steak Mince

1 Onion Finely Diced

2 Large Carrots Finely Diced

2 Sticks of Celery Finely Diced

1 Red Pepper Diced

1 Clove of Garlic Crushed

2 Tins of Plum Tomatoes

1 Tbsp Tomato Purée 

1 Tsp Dried Oregano

A Few Spigs Fresh Thyme Leaves 

A Handful of Fresh Basil 

Salt & Black Pepper 

240g Dried Pasta Shapes

30g Reduced Fat Grated Cheddar

30g Reduced Fat Grated Mozzarella  Start by making the Bolognese sauce, this is not difficult in the slightest but it does require time to simmer down & thicken into a glossy flavour filled sauce otherwise the sauce will be watery & not as flavoursome. Heat a large pot over a medium heat & spray with oil. Add the onion & fry for approximately 5 minutes until softening. Add in the carrots, pepper & celery & fry for a further 5 minutes. Add the mince & cook until browned through. Add the garlic & cook for a further minute. Add in the tomatoes chopping them with a sharp knife once in the pot. Add the purée, the rest of the herbs (except the basil) & salt & pepper. Cook over a medium low heat uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour stirring occasionally until the Bolognese is thick & glossy. Meanwhile prepare the pasta according to packet instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water.   Just before adding to the bake tear the basil leaves into the bolognese & stir through. Place the cooked pasta shapes & Bolognese in an ovenproof dish & top with the grated cheese. Place in a preheated oven at 180c for about 30 minutes. Serve & enjoy!