Beetroot & Apple Salad

Hello

안녕하세요 

(Annyeonghaseyo)

こんにちは 

(Konnichiwa)

你好

(Ni Hao)

It's time for another cooking post, but this time there isn't any cooking involved. I came across this recipe on the Pinch of Nom website, which many people on Slimming World as well as Weight Watchers use, this recipe is originally using Spiralized fruit and veg but I don't having anything that can spiralize food, so I stuck to good old chopping. If you do want to follow the original recipe I will add the link at the end.

Ingredients:
1 apple, chopped
1 fresh beetroot, chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 handful mixed salad leaves
1 stick celery, roughly chopped
2 spring onions, roughly chopped
1 piece cucumber, cut into chunks
1 handful cherry tomatoes, cut in half

First up mix the balsamic vinegar and lemon juice together in a bowl, jug or glass and set aside for later.

Next, peel and chop up the apple, as well as the beetroot, spring onions, cucumber, celery stick and cherry tomatoes.

Next, either on a plate, bowl or lunch box, place the salad leaves.

Next, place the apple and beetroot on top of the salad leaves.

Next, place in your cucumber, celery, spring onions and cherry tomatoes.

Lastly, it's time to drizzle on the balsamic dressing and enjoy.

I wasn't a big fan of the beetroot as I prefer beetroot to be pickled but altogether the flavours were really nice and really worked together. I thought this was a perfect recipe for a meal on a hot day and even for work when you're working a full day, when you're breaks are limited. I really thought this was a really refreshing salad and would happily make it again, but maybe this time I'd change the beetroot from fresh to pickled.

If you would like to follow the original recipe then head over to Syn Free Spiralized Apple and Beetroot.

See you soon!

안녕
(Annyeong)
さようなら
(Sayonara)
再见
(ZaiJian)
Bye

Syn-Free BLT Pasta Salad

Hello

안녕하세요 

(Annyeonghaseyo)

こんにちは 

(Konnichiwa)

你好

(Ni Hao)

For the past couple of weeks we've had a little bit of a heatwave here in the UK, and the heat had left me wanting some sort of salad, so I headed over to the Pinch of Nom website so see if I could find a recipe that took my fancy to recreate.

Ingredients:

500 g cooked pasta

200 g cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 lettuce

6 bacon medallions

120 g quark

70 g natural fat free yogurt

1/4-1/2 tsp Schwartz season all

1 clove garlic, crushed

frylight

First thing first is get your pasta cooked, I used Fusilli, to cook your pasta follow the instructions on the packaging.

Next cut the fat from your bacon medallions and cut them into decent sized pieces and then cook them in a pan with some frylight and the crushed garlic clove. The set to one side.

In a large bowl mix together the quark, yogurt and season all and then add some black pepper .

Next I cut my tomatoes.

Next add the pasta, tomatoes and bacon to the quark mix and mix well.

The final step is to stir in the lettuce and the serve and enjoy.

I really enjoyed this dish, it was really tasty and refreshing in the hot weather. If you notice I forgot to add one of the ingredients which was obviously the lettuce, which I think would have added more colour to the dish. Skye wasn't a fan but I liked it and would happily make a smaller version for myself to enjoy.

If you would like to recreate the dish you can easily follow my post or head over to the Pinch of Nob website and check out the Syn Free BLT Pasta Salad page.

See you soon!

안녕

(Annyeong)

さようなら

(Sayonara)

再见

(ZaiJian)

Bye

Syn-Free Chilli

Hello

안녕하세요 

(Annyeonghaseyo)

こんにちは 

(Konnichiwa)

你好

(Ni Hao)

I remember the first time I tried to make Chilli and if I remember correctly I ended up burning it but that was quite some years back, when my cooking repertoire consisted of chicken korma, spaghetti bolognaise and pasta bake. I've decided to try looking at, cooking ad trying more Syn-Free and low syn Slimming World recipes, as well as slow cooker recipes, so I can cook food in batches and put it in the freezer. This was one of the recipes I decided to make and freeze. I will be adding the recipe I followed at the end as I'm at a loss at the actual temperature I cooked it on or for how long, I really should note this stuff down.

Shall we get cooking?

Ingredients:

500 g 5% fat minced beef

1 onion, diced

2 bell peppers, deseeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1-2 tsp chilli powder

1-2 fresh chillies, deseeded and diced

4 mushrooms, sliced

1 courgette, diced

3 carrots, diced

2 tins chopped tomatoes

2 beef stock cubes

200 ml boiling water

2 tsp Italian mixed herbs

2 tbsp tomato puree

1 tin kidney beans

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Frylight

In a large frying pan, spray some frylight and saute the onion, carrots, garlic, chilli and peppers, until they start to soften and brown.

When softened  and browned add the mince and cook until it turns brown.

Next add in the chilli powder, Worcestershire sauce, Italian herbs and stir. Cook for a further minute or so.

Next add the tomato puree and tinned tomatoes and stir well.

Now pour in the chicken stock and the remaining vegetables and stir.

Put the lid on your pan and drop the heat to low and simmer for 1-3 hours.

after 1-3 hours add the tinned kidney beans and cook for another hour.

Now you're ready to serve, I served mine up with rice, it's also nice with some bread and butter.

I really enjoyed this recipe and I was rather proud that I didn't burn it. I plated myself some up once it was cooked and then once the rest had cooled down I placed the rest in 3 plastic containers and placed them in the freezer. I will definitely make this recipe again and why I never put this in the slow cooker like the recipe says I'll never know.

If you you would like to follow the original recipe then head over to Syn Free Slow Cooker Chilli | Slimming World.

See you soon!

안녕

(Annyeong)

さようなら

(Sayonara)

再见

(ZaiJian)

Bye