Exquisitely Spiced Roasted Butternut Squash & Cumin Soup


The evenings are getting dark, the leaves are turning beautiful bronze , russet & golden shades & autumn has definitely made its presence known. I have a beautiful warming autumnal soup for you to try to warm up the colder days, gorgeous roasted butternut squash. Butternut Squash is notoriously difficult to peel & guess what, you don’t even have to peel it for this recipe – excellent news! This is simple & filling & fantastically low at 0 smartpoints for the whole recipe. This will make a good batch of 5 to 6 servings & can be frozen if you wish.  Continue reading

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!

Delightful Spicy Turkey Meatball Marinara Sandwich on a Brioche Bun with Swiss Cheese & Butternut Squash Fries

   

This is just 10pp or 6pp on F&H. Turkey mince is a lot lower in propoints than regular 5% fat beef mince & is lighter in flavour so it lends itself well to a more delicate seasoning. I fancied a change from pasta & meatballs and these brioche burger buns & rolls are my new obsession at just 4pp each, why eat something you don’t like just to shave a point off? Go for the nice 4pp roll is what I say! This is still only 10 propoints anyway as it uses the light turkey mince. The swiss cheese adds a delicate creamy element & I’ve served it with crisp sweet butternut squash fries too. I really hope you enjoy this as much as I did!   For the Meatballs: 

500g Turkey Mince 

2 Slices of F&H approved Wholemeal Bread diced small (I used Brennans bgood)

A Dash of Skimmed Milk

1 Clove Garlic Crushed 

2 Shallots Finely Diced 

1 Tsp Dried Parsley

1/2 Tsp Dried Red Chilli Flakes 

1 Small Handul Chopped Fresh Basil

Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper 

For the Butternut Squash Fries:

1 Butternut Squash Peeled

Sprayoil 

For the Marinara Sauce:

2 Shallots Finely Diced 

500g Passata

1 Clove Garlic Crushed

1 Tbsp Tomatoe Purée 

1/2 Tsp Sweetener 

1 Tsp Dried Parsley 

1/2 Tsp Dried Oregano 

To Serve:

1 Slice Swiss Cheese 

1 Aldi Brioche Hotdog Roll

A Sprig of Fresh Basil  Preheat your oven to 200c. Cut your peeled Butternut Squash into chip shapes & spray well with oil. Place in the hot oven for 15 minutes, remove for 15 minutes & return to the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile pour a dash of skimmed milk into a small bowl & add the bread cubes & coat well allow to soak in the milk for a few minutes this keeps the meatballs moist during cooking as turkey has a tendency to dry out while cooking this will ensure it makes nice & juicy meatballs. After a few minutes squeeze out any excess milk with your hands & crumble the bread pieces into a large bowl with the remaining meatball ingredients. Mix well with a light hand taking care not to squash & condense the meat too much or your meatballs will be dense instead of light yummy morsels. Shape into 16 meatballs and place on a baking tray or in an ovenproof tin sprayed with sprayoil. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. To make the Marinara Sauce, fry the shallots over a medium heat in a saucepan sprayed with sprayoil for about 3 minutes add in the crushed garlic & cook for a further 30 seconds. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients & simmer over a medium heat until needed. Heat your brioche bun if desired & add the slice of swiss cheese, add the meatballs to ghe sauce & serve 4 meatballs per person in the brioche roll topped with a sprig of fresh basil & the butternut squash fries on tbe side. Dig in & 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.

Delicious Juicy Steak Sandwich on Ciabatta with Peppery Rocket, Roasted Red Pepper & Coriander Relish & Hearty Horseradish Sauce served with Thyme Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes

I love Jamie Oliver, I really do! Another fabulous recipe adapted from 30 minute meals & magically made low fat by me. Once you cut all fat off your meat & omit the gallons of olive oil in the original recipe, you’re good to go! Here’s the Skinny;

  • Butternut Squash
  • Sirloin Steak (fat removed)
  • Ciabatta Roll
  • Roasted Red Peppers in Brine
  • Fresh Coriander
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Horseradish Sauce
  • Rocket Leaves
  • Sprayoil

Prepare your Butternut Squash by peeling & chopping into equal sized cubes. Spray with Sprayoil & Sprinkle with Salt, Pepper & Fresh Thyme & roast in a preheated oven at 200c until starting to brown. Meanwhile organise your steak. Always bring your steaks to room temp before cooking. Sprinkle with Black Pepper & Fresh Thyme (I never put Salt on raw steak before cooking I feel it draws out the moisture too much) Griddle on a very hot pan to your liking (2/3 mins each side med rare 4/5 mins each side medium) in the meantime prepare your Ciabatta as per packet instructions (mine needed 5 mins in the oven) & finely chop 2 Jarred Roasted Red Peppers in Brine with Fresh Coriander. To Serve spread a tsp of Horseradish Sauce (this stuff is extremely hot! No more than a tsp unless you’re a heat ninja!) over the cut Ciabatta, Lay some Peppery Rocket on top. Slice your Steak & after resting for several minutes (cover with foil to keep warm) place onto the Rocket. Layer the Roasted Red Pepper & Coriander on top & serve with the Butternut Squash Cubes. Enjoy! 6pps for the Ciabatta on Filling & Healthy & you need to point the Steak too if on Propoints