Broccoli, Pea and Spinach Gnocchi Bake

An easy veggie dish that came straight out my veg bag and the freezer.

Broccoli, Pea and Spinach Gnocchi Bake
(Serves 4)

800g gnocchi
1 head broccoli, cut into florets and stalk chopped
100g frozen peas
2 large handfuls spinach
3 garlic cloves, crushed
bunch mint, chopped
300g crème fraîche
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease the inside of a 2-litre ovenproof dish.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the gnocchi, broccoli and peas. Bring the water back to the boil and simmer for 3 mins, until the gnocchi are bobbing on the surface. Drain straightaway.

Return the gnocchi and peas to the saucepan and stir through the spinach, crushed garlic and mint. Add the crème fraîche. Mix until all the ingredients are evenly distributed and then season well with salt and pepper.

Transfer the contents of the pan to the greased dish, level the surface, scatter with parmesan and cook, covered, in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins, until the gnocchi have puffed a little. Serve straight from the oven.

Broccoli and Smoked Mackerel Gratin

This was a delicious bake, use homemade or store bought bechamel sauce.

Broccoli and Smoked Mackerel Gratin (from The Guardian)
(Serves 4)

200g broccoli
375g smoked mackerel
2 large tomatoes, quartered
500ml bechamel sauce
4 handfuls fresh breadcrumbs
4 tbsp grated parmesan

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and leave to cook for 3-4 mins until bright and still a little crisp. Drain and cool under cold running water, then set aside. Set the oven at 180C.

Remove the skin from the smoked mackerel and break the flesh into large pieces, removing any bones as you go. Put the smoked mackerel, drained broccoli and tomatoes into a shallow ovenproof dish or baking tin.

Pour over the béchamel sauce, scatter with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 45 mins or so, until crisp and bubbling.

Spring Greens Coconut Curry

This is one of the most flavourful curries I have eaten in a long time. It is packed full of fresh veg and tastes amazing. I served it over a bowl of rice.

Spring Greens Coconut Curry (from Cranks)
(Serves 4)

1 head broccoli, cut into small-ish florets
4 new potatoes thickly sliced
8 asparagus spears, woody ends snapped off, and stems cut into 5cm pieces
150g frozen peas
3 tbsp oil
1 onion, sliced
2 cm root ginger, peeled and grated
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 large chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
handful baby spinach, roughly chopped
400ml tin coconut milk
handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
juice 1 lime

Put the potatoes into a large saucepan, bring to the boil, add the broccoli and cook for 6 mins. Add the asparagus and peas and cook for a further 2 mins. Drain and return to the pan, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 2 mins. Add the tomatoes, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and salt and cook for 5 mins. Add the coconut milk, and simmer for a further 5 mins. Add the vegetables and cook for 2 mins.

Stir through the spinach and half of the coriander, then remove from the heat and squeeze in the lime juice. Serve.

Paleo Chicken and Broccoli Divan

I bought some cashew nuts a while ago to make Hugh's Beef and Cashew Curry and as I don't rally like eating cashew nuts as a snack I was waiting for an opportunity to use the rest of the packet up. The internet came up with this.

I can now with all certainty say that I am unlikely to follow a paleo diet in the near future. I'm not all that fond of the gritty texture that comes with ground up nuts however creamy they are meant to become. Really, it was fine, perfectly edible if not all that exciting. I served it with pasta and carrots.

Paleo Chicken and Broccoli Divan
(Serves 4)

150g raw cashew nuts
1 tbsp oil

8 chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 heat broccoli cut into florets, stem chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
2 tsp curry powder
½ tsp ground coriander
250ml chicken stock
40g ground flaxseed

Put the cashew nuts into a bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak overnight.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5-6 mins until starting to turn golden. Then add the broccoli and a splash of water but don't stir. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium low. Leave for 3-4 mins.

Meanwhile make the sauce. Add the soaked cashews, onion, garlic, curry and coriander powders, salt and pepper to the food processor. Pulse several times to break down the nuts. Leave the food processor running and add the chicken stock leaving it to blitz until the sauce is as creamy as you can get it, this may take a few minutes.

Pour the curry cashew sauce over the broccoli and chicken and toss gently to combine. Continue simmering about 5 mins or until the sauce has thickened slightly.

Just before serving, sprinkle over the ground flaxseed.

Broccoli Casserole

This was the side dish I made to take to Thanksgiving but it would be just as lovely as a vegetarian meal in it's own right with a bit of green salad.

I was originally going to make a Paula Deen recipe which used a jar of mayonnaise and a tin of cream of mushroom soup, but given that my "thing" is to make food from scratch, it didn't sit quite right. So I started researching broccoli casserole recipes from scratch and there are a fair few out there. I finally settled on this one.

Broccoli Casserole (from Kristine's Kitchen)

(Serves 8)

1kg broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces 

5 tbsp butter, divided

100g finely chopped mushrooms

4 tbsp flour

250ml milk

125ml single cream

salt and pepper

125g Greek yogurt

1 large onion, chopped

150g cheddar cheese, grated

115g breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease an ovenproof dish.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 4 mins. Drain, run under the cold tap and drain again well. Place broccoli in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 4 mins, stirring occasionally. Transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the broccoli.

In the same saucepan, melt 4 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth; cook, whisking constantly for 30 secs. Whisk in the milk and cream. Bring to a low simmer and continue to whisk until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt.

Pour the sauce over the broccoli and mushrooms. Add the onion, 100g of the cheddar, and 50g of the breadcrumbs. Stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared ovenproof dish.

Sprinkle the rest of the breadcrumbs and cheddar over the casserole.

Bake for 45 mins, until the filling is hot and bubbly. Check after 30 mins and cover with foil if topping is browning too quickly.

Creamy Smoked Mackerel Pasta Salad

Smoked Mackerel is a kind of a no-no on WeightWatchers in my head, although no food is a no-no really on WeightWatchers, you just have to account for it. Anyway, since I last tried to lose weight things in my life have changed. I discovered that I was insufficient in vitamin D as I suspect are most of the population of the UK and the doctor suggested that I ate oily fish twice a week, which I have been doing for a long while now. Other forms of oily fish are much lower in points but I have tinned and smoked mackerel in the house already and it's going to need eating at some point, so why not start now.

Creamy Smoked Mackerel Pasta Salad (adapted from WW Seasonally Sensational)
(Serves 4)
(14 WW ProPoints per serving)

240g dried pasta
100g tenderstem broccoli, cut into 3 pieces
325g smoked mackerel
4 tbsp 0% fat yoghurt
25g parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions, add the broccoli for the last 3-4 mins. Drain and run under the cold tap. Leave to drain.

Toss the pasta and broccoli with the smoked mackerel, yoghurt and parsley and pack into a lunch box.

Ham and Sweetcorn Pasta Lunchbox

This was a really tasty salad, I'm definitely getting used to the curds in cottage cheese and they're not bothering me so much anymore! It's a WeightWatchers recipe but it definitely doesn't feel like it.

Ham and Sweetcorn Pasta Lunchbox
(Serves 4)
(6 WW ProPoints per serving)

150g dried pasta shapes
150g small broccoli florets
150g frozen sweetcorn
150g low fat cottage cheese
110g smoked ham, diced
60g salad leaves
salt and pepper

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions.

Add the broccoli and sweetcorn to the pasta about 3-4 mins before then end of the pasta cooking time. Drain and rinse under the cold tap.

Return to the pan. Toss the pasta and veg together with the cottage cheese and ham, season. Divide between four lunchboxes and top with the salad leaves but wait to mix them in until just before eating.

Pesto Ricotta Pasta Salad

This is a really simple pasta salad recipe that I made with some leftover ricotta and the stuff that I always have in my fridge. I was disappointed that the flavour of ricotta was not stronger but otherwise this is a tasty pasta salad.

Pesto Ricotta Pasta Salad
(Serves 1)

60g dried pasta shaped
4 stalks tenderstem broccoli
1 tbsp ricotta
1 tsp pesto
5 black olives, halved
2 sundried tomatoes, sliced


Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions, adding the broccoli for the last 3-4 mins. Drain, run under the cold tap and drain again well. Leave to dry.

Mix the ricotta and pesto in a bowl and add the pasta, broccoli, olives and tomatoes. Mix well to combine. Pack into a lunchbox or serve.

Golden Scallops with Sun-Blush Mash and Greens

This recipe has been on my radar for quite a while and when I got some scallops half price in Waitrose I knew I had to try it. I don;t have a food processor big enough so I just chopped the sun-dried tomatoes by hand and grated the cheese and mixed them in. I also changed the greens using what I had in the fridge. It was ok although I think I over cooked the scallops, I liked the combination with the bacon.

Golden Scallops with Sun-Blush Mash and Greens (adapted from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals)
(Serves 4)

Sun-blush mash
800g potatoes
40g sundried tomatoes in oil
1 splash milk (optional)

Veg
200g tenderstem broccoli
200g green beans
200g sugar snap peas
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon

Scallops
4 rashers smoked streaky bacon
12 large scallops
oil
1/2 lemon

Slice the potatoes 1cm thick, put into a casserole pan then cover with boiling water and the lid.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and ad the broccoli, asparagus and peas, cook for 3 mins. Drain and toss with the extra virgin olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. Put into a serving bowl.

Crumble the cheese into a food processor, add the sundried tomatoes, half a tbsp of their oil and blitz well. Finely slice the bacon. Pat the scallops dry with kitchen towl, then score on one side in deep crisscross and season with salt and pepper. Put 1 tbsp oil into a frying pan, add the scallops score side down. Cook until lightly golden on boths ides, then add the bacon.

Drain the potatoes, tip into the processor and pulse up, loosen with a splash of milk is needed. Season and spoon onto a plate. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the scallops, shake and toss the pan then serve on top of the mash with the veg on the side.

Turkey and Broccoli Rice Bake

This is a lovely cheesy leftovers dish and perfect after thanksgiving or at any time as it could be made with leftover roast chicken. I love rice bakes and this was no exception really tasty and comforting on these long winter nights!

Turkey and Broccoli Rice Bake (from The English Kitchen)
(Serves 4-6)

250g long grain rice, cooked

3 mugs cooked turkey, chopped

2 mugs cooked chopped broccoli

1 tin condensed cream of chicken soup

2 dessert spoons of mayonnaise

2 stalks of celery, trimmed and chopped

1/2 medium onion, peeled and chopped

225g strong cheddar cheese, grated

salt and pepper

handful crushed round buttery crackers

Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter a large shallow baking dish. Set aside.

Stir together the rice, turkey, broccoli, soup, mayonnaise, onion and celery in a bowl. Add half of the cheese and stir again. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with some foil.

Bake for 30 to 35 mins, until the rice is cooked and the casserole is bubbling. Remove from the oven, top with the remaining cheese and crushed crackers. Bake for a further about 10 mins until the cheese is nicely melted on top and it is lightly browned. Serve hot.  

Freekeh and Prawn Salad

I'm having a go with those new grains again, one of them is freekeh, it has an interesting texture a bit like bulgar wheat but is a bit nuttier and chewier. This is a simple salad using up ingredients from the fridge.

Freekeh and Prawn Salad (from Appetite Magazine)

(Serves 2)

100g freekeh

1 tbsp oil

1/2 onion, chopped

130ml veg stock

200g tenderstem broccoli

150g cooked king prawns

handful fresh parsley, chopped

1 lemon

Soak the freekeh in cold water for 5 mins, drain, rinse under the cold tap and allow to drain well. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion and saute over a medium heat for about 5 mins until softened.

Add the freekeh and veg stock and simmer gently for 20-30 mins. Add the broccoli, cover and cook for a few mins. Turn the heat off and allow everything to steam under the lid for another five mins. Leave to cool.

Stir in the prawns, parsley and a good squeeze of lemon juice, season to taste and serve with a spoonful of natural yoghurt or some toasted pine nuts.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals: Chicken Salad

This was a really yummy chicken salad, I loved all the textures and the dish was just really tasty.

Chicken Salad

(from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals)

(Serves 4)

1 head broccoli

4 small skinless chicken breasts
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
oil
300g bulgur wheat
2 preserved lemons
1 bunch radishes
2 spring onions
1/2 bunch fresh mint
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
4  tbsp fat-free natural yoghurt
2 tsp harissa
1 lemon

Fill the medium pan with boiling salted water. Trim the end off the broccoli stalk, then cut up the broccoli head and add to the pan, cover and boil for 4 minutes. On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with salt, pepper and the ground coriander, then fold the paper over and bash and flatten to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin. Put into the frying pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil, turning after 3 or 4 mins, until golden and cooked through.

With tongs, remove and drain the broccoli (leaving the pan of water on the heat), then place on the griddle until nicely charred. Add 1 mug of bulgur wheat and the preserved lemons to the broccoli water and cover, stirring occasionally. Halve or crush the radishes, trim and finely slice the spring onions and the top leafy half of the mint, then toss it all in a bowl with the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar, and season to taste.

Drain the bulgur wheat and tip into a large serving bowl, then mash and mix in the preserved lemons and arrange the broccoli on top. Toss the sunflower seeds in the chicken pan, then slice the chicken and add to the salad, scattering over the seeds and snipping over the cress. Serve dolloped with the yoghurt and drizzles of harissa, with lemon wedges on the side.

Jamie's 15 Minute Meals: Sea Bass and Crispy Pancetta with Sweet Potato Mash and Asian Greens

This was massively tasty and it didn't take much more than 30 mins. I used bacon rather than pancetta but the saltiness with the fish was perfect. Just the whole thing worked really well and the flavours really complimented each other.

Sea Bass and Crispy Pancetta with Sweet Potato Mash and Asian Greens

(From Jamie's 30 Minute Meals)

(Serves 4)

For the mash

700g sweet potatoes

2 limes

small bunch fresh coriander

2 tbsp mango chutney

splash soy sauce

For the greens

1 red chilli

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 lime

splash sesame oil

100g green beans

1 head broccoli

For the sea bass

8 thin slices of pancetta

4 sea bass fillets

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 lemon

MASH: Wash the sweet potatoes, trim off any gnarly bits, then stab them a few times with a knife. Put in a large microwave-safe bowl, halve one of the limes and add to the bowl, then cover with a double layer of clingfilm and microwave on full power for 12 minutes, or until cooked through
. 

GREENS: De-seed and finely chop the chilli, adding half to a large serving bowl and setting the rest aside. Crush the unpeeled clove of garlic into the bowl and add 2tbsp of soy sauce and 4-6tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and add a splash of sesame oil. Mix, taste and tweak with the soy sauce if needed. 
 

Trim the asparagus stalks. Quarter the head of the broccoli lengthways from the head to the base of the stalk. 
 

SEA BASS: Put the pancetta into the frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Keep an eye on it, turning when crispy.
 

(There's a bit for the drink in here but I didn't make that!)
 

SEA BASS: By now the pancetta should be golden so remove it to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan. Add the fish to the pan, skin side down. Shake the pan and use a spatula to press the fillets flat for a few seconds. 
 

Pound 1tsp of fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar and scatter over the fish from a height with a pinch of salt and pepper. Finely grate over the zest of 1 lemon, then cut the lemon into quarters and set aside. 
 

MASH: Finely chop the coriander on a large wooden chopping board, setting a few leaves aside for the garnish. Add the mango chutney, a good splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, the juice from ½ a lime and the reserved chopped chilli. Chop and mix everything together on the board.
 

GREENS: Fill the large saucepan with boiling water and add a large pinch of salt. Add the broccoli and asparagus, making sure they are completely submerged. Put the lid on and turn the heat to high
. 

SEA BASS: Check the fish - once the skin is golden and crispy, turn the heat down to low - but have confidence to let the skin become good and crispy before reducing the heat. 

 

MASH: Carefully tip the sweet potatoes on top of the mango chutney mixture and use a knife or masher to chop and mash everything together, including the skins. Season to taste, adding more fresh lime juice if needed.

SEA BASS: Take the pan of fish off the heat and flip the fillets over so they gently finish cooking on the flesh side. Return the pancetta to the pan to warm through, then serve the fish and pancetta on top of the board of mash. Pop the lemon wedges on the side for squeezing and sprinkle over the reserved coriander. Take to the table.

GREENS: Drain the broccoli and asparagus in a colander, then tip into the serving bowl with the dressing, quickly toss and take to the table. 

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I don't often use my slow cooker, but every now and again I find a recipe that I really want to make and so I dig it out of the back of the cupboard. This was one of those recipes. It was fairly tasty, I think if I was going to make it again, I'd add some curry powder but it was a lovely filling soup.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (adapted from From Scratch to Plate)
(Serves 6)

1l chicken stock
500ml water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 cup onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 400g cans coconut milk
200g wild and basmati rice
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 carrots, diced
1 head of broccoli, broken into florets
2 tbsp cornflour
4 tbsp cold water
salt

In the slow cooker, mix together everything except the cornflour and cold water, and whisk together well. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Combine cornstarch and cold water, add to the soup. Keep the lid off and cook and additional 10-15 mins on high, stirring occasionally. Add salt if needed. Serve.

Prawn and Broccoli Curry with Quinoa

A couple of days later I tried quinoa again in a kind of curry, and again I enjoyed it! I think the key for me is to mix it in rather than have it as a side dish.

Prawn and Broccoli Curry with Quinoa
(Serves 4)

 

2 small heads broccoli, cut into florets

250g quinoa
1 tbsp oil
350g raw prawns
2 tsp medium curry powder
½ tsp salt
1 can coconut milk

 

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the quinoa according to package instructions adding the broccoli florets for the last 3-4 mins. Drain and set aside.

 

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the prawns and cook for 2-3 mins. Add the curry powder and salt to the pan and continue to cook until the prawns are almost done.

 

Add the quinoa, broccoli, and coconut milk to the frying pan. Heat while stirring for 3-4 mins until the mixture is hot and the prawns are completely cooked.

Chicken, Sweetcorn and Broccoli Lasagne

This was a very easy and tasty lasagne, full of lovely fresh veg. It was really easy to throw together on a Sunday night after a busy day of dashing around.

Chicken, Sweetcorn and Broccoli Lasagne (from Foodie Quine)
(Serves 4-6)

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
325g tin sweetcorn, drained
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
6 lasagne sheets
1.7l milk
85g margerine
85g plain flour
salt and pepper
nutmeg
1 tsp English mustard powder
100g mozzarella cheese, grated 

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the broccoli for 5 mins.

To make the white sauce; add the milk, margarine and flour to a saucepan and whisk constantly over a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Add the nutmeg, mustard powder and season to taste.
 
Add the chicken, sweetcorn and broccoli into the white sauce. Layer the lasagne sheets and chicken mixture in an ovenproof dish and top with mozzarella.

Bake for 30 mins or until bubbling and golden brown.

Miso Brown Rice and Broccoli Salad with Fiery Prawns

Again another easy salad to take to work. I actually used a pre-cooked packet of prawns instead of following the recipe below, but you coud leave the prawns to cool and then put them on top and then pack into a lunchbox.

Miso Brown Rice and Broccoli Salad with Fiery Prawns
(from Good Food Magazine March 2014)
(Serves 3)

100g brown basmati rice

140g frozen peas

140g tenderstem/purple sprouting broccoli

1 tbsp white or brown miso paste

½ tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp rice vinegar

½ tbsp clear honey

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 red chilli, thinly sliced

200g raw shelled prawns

2 stems wild garlic, finely sliced

handful coriander, roughly chopped

Cook the rice according to packet instructions, adding the peas and broccoli for the last 3 mins of cooking. Drain and run under the cold tap, drain well.

In a small bowl, mix the miso, ginger, vinegar, honey, sesame oil and seasoning.

 

Heat the vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the garlic and half the chilli and cook gently for a couple of mins, taking care not to burn. Throw in the prawns, lots of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Turn up the heat and cook for a few mins until the prawns are cooked through.

 

Put the rice, peas, broccoli, spring onions and coriander into a large bowl and toss through the miso dressing. Divide between three bowls and spoon the spicy prawns on top, scattering over the remaining chilli. Serve.

Salmon and Broccoli Rice Bake

This was really really tasty. I love any kind of casserole and I'm really getting into my rice bakes. It was really easy to make and although the cream of mushroom soup makes it kind of trailer trash I guess, it would be really easy to feed a crowd.

I also had a hilarious time trying to get the tin open. I only have a "magic" tin opener that opens tins at the side, but the rim on this tin was too wide so it was barely cutting into the tin. I ended up having to ask my neighbour if I could borrow her tin opener and arrived on her doorstep clutching my partially opened tin of salmon! Thankfully she had a normal tin opener and we successfully opened it!

Salmon and Broccoli Rice Bake (method adapted from The English Kitchen)
(Serves 4)

200g rice
1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets
2 small tins of boneless skinless salmon, flaked
1 tin of condensed mushroom soup, undiluted
1 small bottle of Caesar salad dressing

2 handfuls of  Ritz crackers, crushed

100g cheddar, grated

Preheat the oven to 200C.  Grease a 1l casserole dish.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the rice according to packet instructions, adding the broccoli for the last 3 mins, drain.

Put the rice, broccoli, salmon, mushroom soup and Caesar salad dressing into a large bowl and mix well until combined. Tip out into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheddar over the top and then sprinkle over the crushed crackers.

Bake for 25-30 mins, until the casserole is bubbling and the top is golden brown. Serve.

Roast in the Hole

This was something a little bit different and a very easy way to pack loads of veg into toad in the hole! The original recipe uses chicken thighs and that would be just as delicious. You could also play around with the veg you want to use. Most veg tastes really good roasted so the world is your oyster. Lovely served with lashings of gravy or brown sauce.

Roast in the Hole (adapted from Belleau Kitchen)
(Serves 4)

8 sausages
2 large carrot, sliced
3-4 parsnips, sliced
1 onion, chunkily sliced
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
calorie controlled cooking spray
2 eggs
100g plain flour
6fl oz milk
4fl oz water
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 180C

Put all the veg into a roasting tin, season well  and add the herbs, then spray over the cooking spray, toss a few times until the veg is coated. Lay the sausages on top.

Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20 mins or until the veg are soft, then remove the foil and roast for a further 15 mins until the sausages are browned.

Meanwhile, make the Yorkshire pudding batter. In a large bowl beat the eggs into the flour, then add the milk and water, season and beat well. Pour this over the veg and sausages and place back in the oven for another 20-30 mins until the batter has risen and turned golden brown. Serve.

Mega Veg Steam Fry

I used this recipe as a bit of a fridge clearing exercise and used up all those little bits of veg lying around at the bottom of my fridge. I have to say it was delicious, especially as the whole dish totalled 0PP! Youy can stick with the veg in the recipe or follow me and use whatever you have.

 

Mega Veg Steam Fry (from Cooking the WeightWatchers Way)
(Serves 2)
(0 WW ProPoints per serving)

Cooking spray

1 carrot

1 red or yellow pepper

4 spring onions

200g baby corn

100g sugar snap or mangetout

1/2 small cabbage

zest 1 small orange

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder

Heat a large frying pan and spray with cooking spray. Add all the veg apart from the cabbage and, stir fry for 3-4 mins

Add the cabbage and a splash of water to the wok and stir fry for 2-3 mins more.

Add the orange zest, soy sauce and Chinese five spice, stir everything together and serve.