Sumptuous Smoky Sloppy Joes

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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

Guiltless Smokey Steak Burger with a Velvety Soft Fried Egg & Peppery Rocket on a Wholemeal Burger Bun

The stuff Saturday Night dinner dreams are made of. Indulge in a gorgeous juicy burger made with healthy lean steak mince & a silky egg full of protein with some healthy wholemeal carbs to encase it all in, just superb.10 Smartpoints for this glorious burger how good is that! (5sp on No Count) I hope you’re having a Fabulous Saturday Night  Continue reading

Supermac’s and Papa John’s Menu Smartpoints 

Now I think Curry Chips with Cheese is purely an Irish thing but I could be very mistaken & sure where else would you get such a culinary delight but only in our very own home grown Supermacs! Here are all the Smartpoints for some yummy treats if you’re visiting and considering chicken & protein are our new best friends on plan some of the Smartpoints are very reasonable indeed. I like to be armed with the information so if I’m caught off guard or I’m planning a treat at least I can make an informed decision on what the best options are for me. I hope you find it useful too x Continue reading

Burger King Menu

I have a Whopper of a post for you & just in time for the weekend too! It’s only the King of Burgers, Burger King in lovely propoint form! Whether you pop in for Brekkie first thing, Lunch whilst out shopping or Dinner after the cinema I have you covered! Knowing the points values can help you make an informed decision on what’s right for you. A quick note to say all of these points were worked out using the nutritional information from the actual Burger King Official Website in the last few days so they are current & correct to the best of my knowledge. The information is available on their site if you wish to double check anything yourself. I hope you enjoy! 💕🍔🍟    

Juicy Double Bacon Cheese Burger on a Brioche Bun with Spicy Taco Sauce & Roasted Rosemary Butternut Squash Fries accompanied by Creamy Homemade Crème Fraiche Coleslaw

  
All of this can be yours for just 11 propoints (6pp F&H) who said Healthy Eating can’t be fun! 

For the Burgers:

500g Lean Steak Mince (5% Fat)

1 Onion Very Finely Diced

½ Tsp Mustard Powder

A Couple of Splashes of Worcestershire Sauce

¼ Tsp Spicy Smoked Paprika

1 Tsp Dried Parsley

½ Tsp Dried Oregano

½ Tsp Garlic Granules  

For the Taco Sauce:

4 Tbsps Lighter than Light Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup

A Pinch of Spicy Smoked Paprika

A Splash of Tabasco

To Serve:

1 Aldi Brioche Burger Bun

A Couple of Leaves of Baby Gem Lettuce

Red Onion Sliced into Rounds

Sliced Tomato

8 Bacon Medallions

4 Reduced Fat Cheese Slices

For the Butternut Squash Fries:

2 Large Butternut Squash Peeled & Diced into Chip Shapes

A Handful of Fresh Rosemary Leaves Chopped  

For the Coleslaw:

Grated Carrot (1 medium)

Grated White Cabbage (about ¼ or so)

49g Half Fat Crème Fraiche

Salt & Black Pepper  

Grate the Carrot & White Cabbage in a food processer using the grating attachment. Place in a bowl with the crème fraiche & season with salt & black pepper. Cover with cling film & refrigerate until needed. Mix all the Taco Sauce ingredients well in a bowl until fully combined, cover with cling film & refrigerate until needed. Meanwhile combine all the burger ingredients together well in a bowl, try not to compact the meat too much with your hands, lightly mix it to avoid dense burgers. Divide the mixture into 8 meatballs & flatten them down to form 8 thin burger patties (these are thinner than my usual burgers but you get 2 so it’s essentially the same amount of meat in the end). Some of the diced onion might not make it into the patties & get left in the bowl this is fine the onion is for flavour & also to bulk the burgers out so don’t worry too much about leftovers as long as all the meat is used. These can be made in advance & covered & refrigerated until needed if necessary. Preheat your oven to 200c. Blot the Butternut Squash Fries with Kitchen roll to remove any additional moisture & Place them in a single layer on a baking tray lined with baking paper & sprayed with oil. Spray the chips with oil & season with salt & black pepper & scatter with the chopped Rosemary Leaves. Bake for 15 minutes, take out of the oven for 15 minutes & place back into the preheated oven for a further 15 to 20 minutes. Fry the red onion rounds & bacon in a hot pan sprayed with oil for approximately 5 or 6 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the pan & keep warm. Fry the Burgers in the hot pan sprayed with oil for approximately 3 minutes each side or until fully cooked through & browning. Assemble the 4 burgers by laying the lettuce, tomato & red onion on your bun, lay a burger on top & a cheese slice & bacon medallion on top of each burger. Repeat this layer topping with the taco sauce instead of a second cheese slice. Top with the bun lids & serve with the butternut squash fries & the coleslaw & Enjoy!

McDonalds Menu

Ba da ba ba ba I’m Lovin’ it. Have I got a treat for you! The Complete McDonalds Menu in Propoints format. No way! I’m way too good to ye! Here’s a handy visual guide I compiled especially for you to take with you on the go so you can make the best decisions while eating in everyone’s favourite fast food joint. Oops now I’m really craving a burger!        

Big Mac in a Bowl

  
Boom! Big Mac in a Bowl! Love Maccy D’s? Feel like you’re missing out on the big mac taste while on plan? At a whopping 13pp without fries a Big Mac quickly eats into your daily propoints values while you quickly eat into a big mac! but this Slimming World recipe has been doing the rounds for donkeys yonks & is a very tasty alternative at only 4pp & free on F&H! You can add a slice of nuclear processed reduced fat cheese á la Maccy D’s for an extra point on both plans. I have to admit I found the original recipe a little bland & added some dried parsley & a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce to the mince to taste. Serves 4 and it’s 1 syn if following slimming world. Here it is in all its glory:

Sprayoil 

400g lean 5% steak mince

1 onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic crushed (2 if desired)

Couple of splashes of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp dried parsley 

Salt & freshly ground black pepper 

1/2 iceberg lettuce roughly shredded

8 gherkins sliced

1 small red onion diced

2 tomatoes roughly chopped 

For the SW Super Sauce:

3 level tbsp ligher than light mayo

5 tbsp fat free fromage frais

1 level tbsp American style mustard 

2 tbsp tomato purée 

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp onion granules

1/4 tsp sweet smoked paprika 

(4 slices low fat cheese slices if desired)

Spray a large, heavy-based non-stick frying pan with Frylight and place over a high heat. Add the beef, onion and garlic and stir-fry for 6-7 minutes or until the beef is cooked through and the onions have softened. Season well.

Meanwhile, put all the SW super sauce ingredients in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of water and whisk until well combined.

Mix together the lettuce, gherkins, onions and tomatoes and divide between four wide bowls. Spoon the beef mixture on top, drizzle over the SW super sauce (add cheese if using) and serve hot enjoy! 

Smokey BBQ Cheese & Bacon Burger with Spicy Mayo & Caramelised Balsamic Onions Served on a Lightly Toasted Brioche Bun with Pickles & Homemade Fries

  Phew! Get your mouth around that! The name & the burger! There are days when I seem to use my points quickly & they’re nearly all gone by lunch, then there are other days when I’ve barely used any points come dinnertime, well today was one of those days and I haven’t really felt like eating that much the last few days after being in pain with my back but following a visit to the chiropractor earlier today I’m feeling a good bit better & I’m making up for it with Dinner. This makes 4 Burgers & it’s 14pp including the fries. I hope you enjoy!   For the Caramelised Balsamic Onions:

3 Onions Sliced

A Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

Start making the onions first thing as they take a while to cook, the longer the better. Place the sliced onions in a pan sprayed with sprayoil over a very low heat & cook slowly for at least 25 to 30 minutes stirring occasionally until the onion has gone very soft & is browning. Add in a splash of Balsamic Vinegar for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.  For the Homemade Fries:

600g (150g per person) potatoes cut into chips.

Sprayoil

Place the chipped Potatoes on a plate & microwave for 3 minutes. Spray well with sprayoil & place in a preheated oven at 200c for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned & cooked through.  For the Smokey BBQ Burgers:

450g Steak Mince (5% Fat)

1 Red Onion Finely Diced 

1/8th of a tsp of Mustard

1 tsp Dried Oregano 

1 tsp BBQ Seasoning 

A Sprinkle of Garlic Granules

A Sprinkle of Smoked Paprika 

A Splash of Worcestershire Sauce

Small Handful of Fresh Parsley 

Salt & Pepper

Mix all the Ingredients well but lightly in a large bowl & shape them, lightly pressing the mixture into 4 equal size burger patties. Cook on a preheated griddle pan sprayed with sprayoil for approximately 8 to 10 minutes a side until fully cooked through. 

For the Spicy Mayonnaise:

3 Tbsp lighter than light mayo

1 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup 

1/4 of a tsp of Smoked Paprika 

Mix well in a small bowl until smooth & refrigerate until needed.

To Serve:

4 Brioche Burger Buns 

4 Light Cheese Slices

8 Fat Free Bacon Medallions Fried

Pickles Sliced

Place the Brioche Buns in the Oven for a minute or so with a cheese slice on each lid. Place pickles on the bun base, layer burger on top with bacon, caramelised onions, spicy mayo & top with the cheesy bun lid. Secure with a bamboo skewer to hold it in place. Serve with the hot Homemade Fries with Salt & Vinegar & Enjoy!  

Indian Spiced Chicken Burger with Peashoot Salad, Mango Chutney & Sweet Butternut Squash Fries


 Tasty different take on a Chicken Burger Last Night. I used to make this with Pork Mince when I wasn’t on plan so I decided to lighten it up with Chicken. Now it’s near impossible to get Chicken Mince anywhere near where I live but it would be very worthwhile getting you’re lovely friendly Butcher to mince the Chicken for you, it would leave it lighter. I was standing in the middle of Aldis so just picked up a pack of their fillets & threw them in the food processor, granted they were slightly denser than intended but still gorgeous all the same so go with the Chicken mince if you can get your hands on it. Regarding the Curry Paste, it’s the Paste you want not a Sauce, Paste is used as a base for Sauce and is much more condensed, concentrated & flavoursome.

For the Burgers:

690g Chicken Fillet 
2 Slices Calorie Controlled Wholemeal Bread
30g Tikka Masala Curry Paste (I use Pataks)
2 tsps Ground Coriander 
1 tsp Ground Cumin 
1/2 tsp Tumeric
1/2 tsp Salt
Handful of Fresh Coriander 
For the Fries:
1 Small Butternut Squash 
Frylight
To Serve:
Slimbo Burger Buns
20g Mango Chutney 
Red Onion Sliced Finely 
Plum Tomato Sliced Finely 
Peashoot Salad 
Peel your Butternut squash (I know they’re a bugger to peel! 😂) and chop into chip shapes. Spray well with sprayoil and bake in a preheated oven at 220c for approx 35mins or until browning & cooked through. Meanwhile Blitz your bread into breadcrumbs in your food processor & set aside. Lightly blitz the Chicken Fillets until they are smooth, combine in a bowl with the breadcrumbs and the rest of the Burger ingredients & mix well but lightly with your hands. You might want to wear latex gloves it’s a bit messy! Shape into 4 equal sized burgers. Fry in a hot pan sprayed with sprayoil for around 10 mins each side or until fully cooked through (you might want to roll them around on their sides a bit when cooked to seal the edges) Be sure they’re well cooked by cutting into one slightly and checking the middle. Serve on the Bun with the Peashoot salad, Red Onion, Plum Tomatoe & Mango Chutney alongside your Butternut squash Fries & Enjoy! Serves 4 at 9 propoints a serving or just 3pp on F&H.

Melting Velvety Mozzarella Centred Italian Style Chunky Burgers with Steakcut Chips & Side Salad


  

These Burgers Ooze Sumptious Velvety Mozzarella when opened with Fabulous Steaming Hot Chips & a Fresh Crispy Rocket Salad on the side, lipsmackingly good! Perfect for the BBQ! Makes 4 Servings at approx 2pp on F&H & approx 10pps if counting.

For the Burgers:

1 pack extra Lean Steak Mince 

½ a White Onion Diced Finely 

1 tsp Sundried Tomato Pesto 

Handful of fresh Basil torn 

Salt & Fresh Black Pepper 

Splash of Balsamic Vinegar 

80g Fresh Mozzarella Reduced Fat 

  

Place mince in a bowl & add the pesto, fresh basil, salt & pepper, onion & balsamic vinegar. Mix gently but well. Form into 4 round balls. Split each ball in half & flatten into round patties. Place 20g of the fresh Mozzarella into each burger & seal the 2 patties together well encasing the mozzarella in the centre to form a burger. Make 3 more Burgers in the same fashion. Preheat a Griddle pan & fry the burgers for approx 8 minutes each side or until browned & cooked through. 

For the Steakcut Chips:

150g Raw Potato per person cut into chunky chip shapes.

Place on a plate & microwave for 3 minutes. Spray well with oil & place in a single layer into a preheated oven at 220c. Turn the heat down to 200c & cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until chips are brown & cooked through. Serve with Rocket & Cherry Tomatoes & you can add a Sandwich Thin for an 3 extra pro points or free on F&H as a bun for the burger if you wish. Enjoy!