Tag Archives: tomato

Gorgeously Hearty and Healthy, Chunky Minestrone Soup

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The russet colours of autumnal leaves are in their full array, there is a distinct chilly bite to the air, warm fluffy fleece blankets and soft woollen socks are back in action and it’s most definitely soup season again. Is there anything more comforting on a cold autumn evening than a big steaming hot bowl of filling and delicious soup, nope there is nothing I know that can fill that heart-warming role to the same perfection. I have a beautiful chunky minestrone soup recipe for you that won’t even require any bread or other accompaniments as the addition of whole wheat pasta and cannellini beans make it a filling meal all in itself. Continue reading →

Tender Slow Cooked Beef Asado

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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 →

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

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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 →

Fabulously Chunky Pesto Meatballs in a Homemade Tomato & Basil Sauce with Spaghetti

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Skinny Jeans and the Inbetweens


Spaghetti & Meatballs the food of Champions! What’s better than leisurely twirling your fork round and round in mounds of golden spaghetti that is glossy with tomato sauce & a big chunky meatball to go alongside, Bliss! These Meatballs have real Italian flavour with the Sundried Tomato Pesto & Basil giving fabulous flavour & the Milk Soaked Bread keeps the Meatballs lovely and Juicy & Moist all accompanied by Succulent Juicy Plum Tomato Sauce & a lovely helping of Parmesan to top it all off, Yummy. This serves 4 people at 10 Smartpoints (1 Smartpoint on No Count or 11 propoints or 1 if you’re following the Filling & Healthy plan if you use Whole wheat spaghetti & bread from the filling & healthy list).  

For the Meatballs:

454g Lean 5% Fat Steak Mince

1 Slice of Calorie Controlled Wholemeal Bread

A Small splash of Skimmed Milk

½ an…

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Sweet Piccolo Tomato & Creamy Mozzarella Grilled Pitta Pizzas with Fresh Basil & Red Onion

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Culinary elaborations have their time and place but sometimes the simple quick and easy ideas are best. Pitta pizzas are so versatile you can basically put whatever you fancy on them peppers, mushrooms, ham, pineapple, chicken the list is quite endless. This was lunch today coming in at 7 propoints but you could easily make this for 5pp as I didn’t have any weight watchers pitta breads in the house and these are full fat white pitta breads from Aldi which are 5pp each (you can have this on filling and healthy for just two pro points for the cheese if you use the weight watchers pittas). I hope your Wednesday is wonderful!   
One pitta bread

A squeeze of Passata 

1 Tbsp of tomato purée 

A sprinkle of oregano

Salt and black pepper

Piccolo tomatoes halved

60g reduced fat mozzarella

Red onion sliced

Fresh basil leaves  

Toast the pitta bread in a toaster or under a hot grill and slice open lengthways into 2 halves, be careful of escaping steam. Mix together the passata, tomato purée & oregano and season with salt and pepper. Spread generously over each half of the pitta bread. Slice the tomatoes and red onion and lay on top. Dot the mozzarella across the pizzas and season with salt and pepper. Place under a hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Garnish with the fresh basil leaves, devour and enjoy!  

Juicy Plump Sun-Dried Tomato & Soft Buffalo Mozzarella Linguine with Sweet Fresh Basil & Cream Sauce

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Happy World Pasta Day! The perfect excuse to whip up one of my favourite pasta dishes, not that I ever need an excuse to have pasta, I absolutely adore the stuff and would eat it every day if I could get away with it! I love linguine it’s flatter than spaghetti and holds a creamy sauce much better. This gorgeous recipe features juicy plump sun-dried tomatoes and creamy mozzarella with basil and a real fresh cream sauce, yes cream, light cream but cream nonetheless! This is filling, comforting and remarkably healthy at just 10 propoints per serving (if you use wholewheat spaghetti instead you can have it for 5 propoints on filling and healthy). Here’s the skinny:  
184g (cooked weight) of linguine

50g sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

35g light mozzarella

1/2 a red onion diced

1 clove garlic

30ml light cream

Fresh basil leaves

A small sprinkle of chilli flakes

Salt and black pepper

  
Cook the pasta according to packet instructions in boiling salted water. Rinse the oil off the sun-dried tomatoes if desired and chop into small bite-size pieces. Spray a medium saucepan with oil and fry the onion for approximately five minutes until soft. Crush in the garlic clove and cook for further 30 seconds. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and heat through for one minute.   Add the cream and chilli flakes and season with salt and pepper. Loosen the creamy sauce with a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce mixing well. Tear in the fresh basil leaves and stir through the mozzarella torn into chunks and serve immediately. Enjoy!  

Silky Smooth Baked Tomato Egg Cup with Grilled Bacon and Toasted Wheat Muffin Soldiers

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I’m off work for the midterm hurray! So expect lots of lovely recipe ideas coming your way. Breakfast this morning was a silky smooth baked tomato egg cup with grilled bacon and toasted wheat muffin soldiers delicious! This little lot was only 6 pro points. I hope you’re having a fabulous Friday.   
One large tomato

One medium egg

Two bacon medallions

One wheat toasting muffin

Salt and pepper

Fresh chives  

Preheat your oven to 180c. Cut the top off the tomato and scoop out all the inside flesh and seeds. Place on a small baking tray you may need to cut a small bit off the bottom to make it stand upright. Carefully crack an egg into the tomato and season with salt and black pepper. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes depending on how soft you like your egg keep an eye on it to make sure it’s cooked to your liking. Grill your bacon medallions on each side for 4 to 5 minutes and toast the muffin. Cut the muffin into soldiers and serve with the tomato garnished with some chopped fresh chives and bacon enjoy!  

Fabulously Fluffy Sautéed Mushroom & Tomato Omelette with Fresh Spinach and Creamy Goats Cheese

Posted in Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch by

  
Omelettes are extraordinarily versatile. It is widely regarded they are acceptable to eat as any meal of the day breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you have a carton of eggs in the house you are always guaranteed a good meal, from just a plain omelette to cheese, ham, peppers, onions the list is endless as to what you can chuck into them to create a filling and healthy meal. I also find it quite pleasant that they vaguely resemble a pizza! I had goats cheese and spinach leftover from yesterday’s caramelised onion and goats cheese pizza recipe so that is what I used to create this yummy weekend brunch. Just 5 propoints (or 2 on filling and healthy). I hope you’re having a wonderful Sunday.   
1 egg

2 egg whites 

A dash of milk

Salt and pepper 

Mushrooms sliced

Half a red onion diced

1 large handful of fresh spinach

6 cherry tomatoes halved 

30g goats cheese

Fresh basil to garnish

  
Fry the onion and mushrooms in a pan you’ve sprayed with oil for approximately five minutes until cooked. Throw in the handful of spinach and cook for a further minute or two until wilted. Beat the egg and egg whites together with a dash of milk and season with salt and pepper. Pour into the frying pan over the mushroom spinach and onion and top with the tomato halves and crumble the goats cheese over the top.   

Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the hob then transfer under a hot grill to cook the top for a further 2 to 3 minutes until the goats cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve immediately garnished with the basil and enjoy!

  

Spicy Mexican Chicken & Tomato Soup

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Tired of the same old homemade vegetable soup? Kick it up a notch with this spicy Mexican number! With chunky vegetables & shredded chicken this is more like a stew than a soup, a really substantial meal in itself it won’t need bread or any other accompaniments to fill you up. I’ve been having an issue on plan lately as we sometimes do & mine happens to be lunch. I usually end up over at the deli getting a wrap or something. It’s becoming detrimental not only to my food tracking due to guesstimating points but also to my pocket as it’s flippin expensive. So I’ve made a vow this week to give up this bad habit & bring my own lunches to work. Getting myself & the baby ready & out the door in the mornings is challenge enough without throwing preparing lunch into the mix so I’m being prepared & whipping up this tasty number today that’ll see me right for a few days at least. This is totally free on the filling & healthy plan & will cost 2 propoints a serving otherwise. It yields about 4 very generous servings.  
2 Chicken Fillets

1 Large Spanish Onion Diced

2 Large Carrots Peeled & Diced

2 Stalks of Celery Peeled & Diced

1/2 a Red, Yellow & Orange Pepper Diced

2 Cloves of Crushed Garlic

1 Tsp Dried Oregano 

1 Tsp Red Chilli Flakes

1 Tsp Ground Cumin 

1 Tsp Ground Coriander 

Salt & Black Pepper 

500ml Chicken Stock

2 Tins Plum Tomatoes Chopped

A Handful of Fresh Coriander 

  
Preheat your oven to 200c & roast the chicken for 25 minutes or until fully cooked through. Leave aside to cool slightly. In a large preheated pot sprayed with oil add the onion & fry for about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, celery & peppers & cook stirring occasionally until softened approximately 10 minutes or so. Crush the garlic into the pan & cook for a further minute. Add the oregano, chilli flakes, cumin, ground coriander and season with salt and pepper. Stir well & add the tomatoes (chop them through with a sharp knife while still in the can first). Pour in the stock & bring the soup to the boil. Reduce the heat & simmer for 25 minutes with a lid on. Shred the chicken using 2 forks & add to the soup 10 minutes before the end of cooking time. Just before serving add the chopped fresh coriander. Serve & enjoy!  

Delectable Creamy Cheesy Sausage & Spinach Stuffed Chonchiglioni with Tomato Sauce

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I can’t say it, I can’t even try! Chonchiglioni or “shells” to you or me! These are little morsels of heaven, a little fiddly to stuff but worth the small effort that entails. These were supposed to be sausage, spinach & ricotta but my local store was fresh out of ricotta until Monday & considering I live in a small town & the nearest next store to buy ricotta is a 48km round trip I substituted quark instead. Feel free to use ricotta if such niceties are easily available to you (the points may change the quark was 1pp). Serves 4 at 8pp a portion nothing wrong with that! Here’s the skinny:
240g Dried Large Chonchiglioni (Pasta Shells)

6 Low Fat Sausages (1pp a piece my preference is Mallons low fat gluten free)

1/2 an Onion Finely Diced

1 Large Bag Fresh Baby Spinach

85g Quark

1 Clove Garlic Crushed

Fresh Basil Leaves

Salt & Black Pepper 

20g Grated Parmesan Cheese

500g Passata 

1 Tsp Dried Oregano  

Blanch the Conchiglioni (shells) for 7 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain, run under cold water & set aside. Fry the spinach for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted, drain & set aside. Fry your onion for 3 minutes until softened in sprayoil & remove the skin from the sausages & add to the pan. Break the sausages up into small pieces with a wooden spoon while frying for approximately 5 minutes until cooked. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic for 30 seconds. Place the sausage mix in a bowl. Squeeze any excess water out of the spinach & add to the bowl with the sausage, quark & fresh chopped basil leaves. Meanwhile heat the passata in a saucepan seasoning with the oregano, more basil & some salt & pepper. Pour half the tomato sauce into an ovenproof dish. Spoon 1/2 a teaspoon or so of the sausage & spinach mix into each shell & lay the pasta on top of the tomato sauce. Drizzle the remaining tomato sauce across the top & sprinkle with the parmesan & bake in a preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes until heated through & browning. Serve & Enjoy!