indian | Skinny Jeans and the Inbetweens

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!

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.