Easy Banana Bread

This recipe only takes 5 minutes to prepare before baking.

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted light butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweetener
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
Fry Light (or other low calorie cooking oil spray)


Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.

3. Mix in the sugar, sweetener, egg, and vanilla.

4. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.

5. Add the flour last and mix.

6. Pour mixture into a 4x8 inch loaf pan that is sprayed with Fry Light.

7. Bake for 1 hour.

8. Cool on a rack.

9. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Enjoy!








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Reduced Sugar Mint Chocolate Truffles

A few weeks ago, we had a food tasting night in my Slimming World group and one of the ladies brought these truffles in for us to try. I was a bit sceptical about them because they were made with Quark, but I found, when trying them, that they were delicious and it felt really decadent to be allowing myself such a smooth and creamy mint chocolate truffle.

I have altered the recipe slightly, because I detected a very faint bitterness to the truffles when trying them, so I decided to add sweetener. The version brought for us to try was mint chocolate, but these could just as easily be made in any flavor, from simple chocolate to toffee chocolate or orange chocolate, depending on which flavor of Options sachet is used.

At the moment, I don't have a photo to add here. I would need to make them again to take a photo, and I am afraid the risk I run when I make these is that I would eat the whole batch! The next time I make these, I will add a photo to this post.

These are very easy to make and don't require any actual cooking other than a minute's use of the microwave, so even kids can make these! (I will be adding this recipe to Kids Creating Cakes: Cooking for Kids because it is something my kids will happily be making.)

Makes 20

Ingredients

50g Dark Chocolate
113g Quark
6 tbsp sweetener
2 sachets of mint chocolate Options (or mint chocolate Skinny Cow)
1 tsp Cocoa to dust (1/2 syn per tsp)

Directions

1. Melt chocolate in microwave for 1 minute

2. Beat Quark with sweetener until creamy. Add melted chocolate and mix well.

3. Add the Options sachets and mix well.

4. Make into 20 blobs using a teaspoon and put on greaseproof paper or wax paper.

5. Put into the fridge to harden for about two hours.

6. Remove from the fridge and shape into balls.

7. Roll in cocoa powder and set in the fridge overnight.

8. Serve and enjoy!

2 ½ syns for 2 on all plans









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Healthy Pancakes

Happy Pancake Day! Becausr today is Pancake Day, I thought it would be appropriate for me to add a healthy pancake recipe.

Makes 2 pancakes.

Ingredients

6 tbsp sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

Directions

1. Separate the egg yolk and the egg white into separate bowls.

2. Add 3 tbsp of sweetner to the egg white. Using an electric mixer, whip up the egg white until it makes stiff peaks.

3. Add the vanilla extract and the rest of the sweetener to the egg yolk and mix well.

4. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture.

5. Spray a pan with Fry Light and pour half of the mixture into the pan. After a minute, flip the "pancake" over.

6. Take it out a minute later and repeat the cooking process with the rest of the mixture.

Add your favorite topping and enjoy!

Syn free on all plans.




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Light Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins & Light Pumpkin Raisin Muffins

Light Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins





Ingredients

1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup sweetener
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (or pumpkin puree)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.

2. Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices.

3. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.


Light Pumpkin Raisin Muffins





Ingredients

1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup sweetener
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (or pumpkin puree)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.

2. Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices.

3. Add wet mixture and stir in raisins. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.


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Lightly Spiced Pumpkin Potato Soup

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin puree
600g potatoes, peeled and chopped
700ml chicken stock/broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
salt and pepper to taste
Fry Light/Pam
2 tbsp. light butter or margarine

Directions

1. Fry up the onion and garlic cloves in a pan sprayed with Fry Light for 5 minutes or until soft.

2. Make up 700ml chicken broth/stock. Boil the potatoes in the stock for 20 minutes.

3. Add the butter or margarine and stir it in until it's melted.

4.Add the cumin and salt and pepper to the potatoes.

5. Add the onion and garlic to the potatoes, and continue to simmer on low for 5 minutes.

6. Add the pumpkin puree to the potato mixture. Simmer for 5 more minutes.

7. Using a hand blender, blend everything together until it forms a thick, rich soup.

Enjoy!

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Chocolate Drizzle Angel Cake

This one is so simple to make!

Ingredients

1 box of Betty Crocker Angel Food Cake mix
1 box of Fat-free Sugar-free Jello Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
skim (fat-free) milk

Directions:
1. Make cake in a rectangle pan as directed.
2. Cut angel food cake into tiny squares.
3. Put three tiny squares of angel food cake into individual glass bowls.
4. Make chocolate pudding as directed on the box.
5. Pour chocolate pussing over the chunks of cake in the bowls.
6. Refirdgerate for 5 minutes.
7. Serve.

Serves 16.

3 syns each.

Pepper Potato Quiche

Serves 4.

Ingredients

600g baking potatoes
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 large onions
8 medium eggs
1 pot Very Low Fat Sweet Chilli & Red Pepper Cottage Cheese
42g Low Fat Grated Cheese
Fry Light
Seasoning (to taste: I used hot chilli powder, salt & pepper)

Method

1.Preheat oven to 220. Lightly spray a large glass baking dish with Fry Light (or other low calorie oil spray).

2. Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin wedges. Boil for 15 minutes. Drain. Spread over the bottom of the glass baking tray.

3. Whisk the eggs up in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed together. Add the pot of cottage cheese and mix well. Mix in the seasoning.

4. Chop the peppers and onions into small chunks and add to the egg mixture.

5. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes in the glass baking tray.

6. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the low-fat cheese lightly over the top. Then continue to bake for another 15 minutes or until the cheese on top starts to turn golden brown.

7. Remove from oven and serve.

Potato Wedge Nachos

I love nachos, but the Doritos or other corn chips/crisps used to make them are counted as syns on the Slimming World plan that I follow. This is my solution. By using potato wedges instead of Doritos, I save on syns and still get to eat nachos!

Alternatively, you can just use potato skins instead of wedges.



Ingredients

900g / 1 lb. potatoes
1 can fat-free refried beans (regular or spicy)
1 pack Quorn mince (in the US: a ground meat substitute)
1 packet of Taco seasoning
salsa (to taste)
168g / 6oz. reduced fat grated cheese
Fry Light / low calories cooking spray

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 225F/110C.
2.. Wash and dice the potatoes into thick wedges and par-boil them for 10 minutes. Spray a large baking tray with Fry Light or any low-calorie cooking spray. Drain the wedges and spread evenly across the baking tray.

3. Bake for 45 minutes or until wedges start to turn golden.

4. While the wedges are baking, put the Quorn mince into a frying pan sprayed with Fry Light. Add 1/4 cup of water and the packet of Taco seasoning. Mix. Cover and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Put the contents of the can of refried beans into a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.

6. Separate the wedges, when done baking, onto 4 plates. Top with the refried beans and then top with the taco mince.

7. Put 1/4 of the grated cheese on each plateful, and then top with desired amount of salsa.

Serves 4.

If making the salsa from scratch:
One syn per serving on Green or Extra Easy Days.



You can purchase the recipe card for this recipe here.

Healthy New York-style Meatloaf

This meatloaf was delicious and loved by everyone in the family when we tried it.



New York-style Meatloaf



Serves 4

Ingredients

500g/1lb 2oz extra lean minced beef
250g/9oz extra lean minced pork
1 red pepper, deseeded and very finely diced
8 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
4 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp English mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
110g/4oz fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper (I used Nature's Seasons.)
400g can cherry tomatoes, drained

To Serve:

chopped basil (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Place all the ingredients, except the cherry tomatoes in a large mixing bowl, seasoning well. Knead the mixture with your hands until well combined.

2. Line a medium-sized loaf tin with non-stick baking parchment and transfer the mixture to the tin. Bake in the oven for 1 ½ hours or until cooked through. The meat should shrink away the sides of the tin when cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes, then turn out on to a baking sheet. Place the cherry tomatoes on top and return to the oven for 12-15 minutes. Garnish with the basil, if using. Carve the loaf into thick slices and serve.

Syns per serving
Extra Easy: 5
Original: 5
Green: 17 1/2

Spanish Orange Cake

Spanish Orange Cake

Serves 12.

Ingredients

For the cake:
4 eggs, separated
50g/2 oz golden caster sugar
5 tbsp artificial sweetener
150g/5 oz self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp finely grated orange zest
juice of 2 oranges

For the syrup:
zest of 2 oranges, finely grated into long strips
juice of 2 oranges
1 tbsp arrowroot
4 tbsp Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

To serve:
fresh raspberries (Robert and I decided, upon tasting the cake, that the raspberries didn't actually add anything to the taste and the cake would be just fine without them, so they are completely optional.)
long strips of grated orange zest

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5. Line a 20cm/8in cake tin with non-stick baking parchment.

2. Place the egg yolks, caster sugar, sweetener, self-raising flour, baking powder and orange zest and juice in a bowl and whisk until thick and pale.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until softly peaked, then fold them into the egg yolk mixture. Spoon this mixture into the prepared cake tin and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cake is risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool.

4. Meanwhile, place all the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan with 90ml/3 fl oz of water and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. When it starts to thicken, remove it from the heat.

5. Drizzle the syrup over the cake and decorate with the raspberries (optional) and grated orange zest. Cut into wedges to serve.

Syns per serving:
Extra Easy: 4
Original: 4
Green: 4







The first time Robert made this recipe, he added the egg whites instead of the egg yolks to the first part and then added in the yolks, but decided it was too late to salvage the cake. I hate waste, so I whisked two more egg whites together until they created soft peaks and then added them to the faulty mixture and baked it anyway in some glass casserole dishes. The result was a really dense, orange cake that my children LOVED. I cut it into squares and the kids consumed the entire thing, despite it not having a topping, very quickly and asked for more. It was like a thick, sweet, orange bread dessert.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (2 to 2 ½ lbs.)
2 onions
2 garlic cloves
1 level tbsp. low-fat spread
1 ½ pints chicken stock or vegetable stock
Fry Light (or other low-calorie cooking spray)
a dash of dried parsley to garnish

Method

1. Chop up the butternut squash into chunks (about 1 inch thick) and cut the skin off it. Peel and dice the onions and peel and crush the garlic cloves.

2. Add the onions and garlic into a pan sprayed with Fry Light and sauté for 5 minutes until soft.

3. Add the stock, butternut squash and low-fat spread to the pan and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat down and simmer for 25 minutes. Then remove from the heat.

4 Using a hand blender, blend the mixture until smooth.

5. Sprinkle with dried parsley to garnish.

2 syns total
1/2 syn per serving on all plans

Cauliflower Pepper Quiche

Cauliflower Pepper Quiche

Serves 4

Ingredients
8 medium eggs
300g Asda Good For You Red Pepper & Sweet Chilli Cottage Cheese
2 onions
2 red onions
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 orange bell pepper (or 1/2 yellow bell pepper)
1 red chilli pepper
1 bag of frozen cauliflower (or one fresh cauliflower, chopped)
Fry Light (or other low-calorie oil spray)
seasoning
4 Laughing Cow Extra Light Cheese Triangles (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 225F.

2. Steam the cauliflower for 20 minutes.

3. While the cauliflower is steaming, chop the onions, bell peppers and chilli pepper into small chunks.

4. Mix the eggs, cottage cheese and seasoning together in a large bowl. (I use Nature's Seasoning, but you can choose your favorite seasoning, even just use salt and pepper.)

5. Mix the onions, bell peppers and chilli pepper with the egg and cottage cheese mixture. Add the cauliflower to the mixture and mix thoroughly.

6. Spray a large non-stick casserole dish with Fry Light (or other low-calorie oil spray) and pour in the egg mixture, spreading evenly over the dish's base. If using the cheese triangles, break them up into small pieces using your fingers and spread randomly across the top of the mixture in the casserole dish. Put the casserole dish into the oven.

8. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes. (Here, I baked it for 30 minutes and then put it in the fridge overnight for us to eat the following day. The next day, I baked it again at 225F for 20 minutes.)

Another option is to lay thinly sliced ham across the bottom of the casserole dish before pouring in the egg mixture.

Cheesy Garlic Breakfast Potatoes

This is really simple to make and can have many variations. You can substitute the bacon with imitation bacon. You can layer slices of tomato across the top before adding the sprinkle of grated cheese over it. You can also make it into tiny cakes (if you have to limit your potato portions because you're on an Original Day) and dry-fry them in Fry Light.



Serves 4

Ingredients
About 8 medium Potatoes (any kind that will mash well)
180g Light Cheese, grated
Garlic Granules
6 slices Extra Lean Bacon
4 Medium Eggs
Fry Light (or other low-cal cooking spray)

Method
1. Boil the potatoes.
2. While potatoes are boiling, whisk the eggs together.
3. Dry-fry the bacon. (Fry the bacon by using a bit of low-calorie cooking spray.)
4. Put the bacon into the chopper or food processor and chop into tiny bits.
5. Drain the potatoes and then mash them using the eggs.
6. Mix the cheese, leaving a small amount set aside for later, into the potato mixture.
7. Mix the bacon bits into the potato mixture.
8. Spread into a pan for baking.
9. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
10. Bake uncovered in the oven at 220 for 45 minutes or until the cheese on top starts to brown and go golden.

Slimming World Syns:
Free on Extra Easy (if eaten with the right amount of vegetables)
Free on Green if using the bacon as a Healthy Extra

Peppadew Pasta Pie

Serves 4

Ingedients
8 spring onions, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
6 tbsp bottled Peppadews (or substitute bottled roasted red peppers), drained and finely chopped
4 eggs, beaten
198g/7oz very low fat natural fromage frais
127g/4 ½ oz reduced fat Cheddar cheese, grated
255g/9 oz cooked macaroni
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.

2. In a bowl, mix the spring onions and garlic with all the remaining ingredients, season well and place in a medium-sized non-stick cake tin. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the eggs have set and the top is golden brown.

3. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15-20 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with a crisp green salad.

Syns per serving
4 ½ Syns on Green
8 Syns on Original

Coffee Mousse

Serves 4.

Ingredients
1 sachet gelatine
3 level tsp instant coffee granules
4 level tsp light brown sugar
227g/8oz very low fat natural fromage frais
½ tsp vanilla extract
10 tbsp artificial sweetener
2 egg whites

1. Sprinkle the gelatine into a bowl containing 6 tablespoons of very hot water. Stir well until dissolved, and then cool for ten minutes.

2. Meanwhile, dissolve the coffee and sugar in 3 tablespoons of hot water, then mix in the fromage frais and vanilla extract. Add sweetener, and mix in the gelatine.

3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the coffee mixture using a metal spoon. Spoon into 4 individual bowls and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

1 syn per serving

Chocolate Nest Buns

Serves 6.

Cream Filling
125g/4 1/2 oz quark
6 level tbsps artificial sweetener
1 sachet Options White Chocolate drink powder
2 drops vanilla essence

Buns
4 medium eggs
8 level tbsp artificial sweetener
2 level tbsp cocoa
2 sachets Skinny Cow Chocolate drink powder

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. To make the cream filling, whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl and chill in the refrigerator until required.

2. To make the buns, whisk the eggs and sweetener together until thick and creamy. Sieve in the cocoa and the Skinny Cow Chocolate powder and fold into the mixture using a metal spoon. Divide the mixture between 12 bun cake cases and bake on the top shelf of the oven until firm.

3. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cool, remove from the paper cases and sandwich two buns together with the cream filling.

2 syns per double bun

or optionally, make bite -sized ones at less than one syn each

Chocolate & Yogurt Gingerbread Squares

Ingredients
340g/12oz self-raising flour
170g/6oz caster sugar
113g/4oz low fat margarine
1 egg
1 x 200g pot Muller Light Vanilla Yogurt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
2 squares from baking chocolate, grated
Fry Light
1 level tsp icing sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Place the ingredients except the chocolate in a food processor and blend until smooth and well mixed. Stir in the candied chocolate shavings.

2. Grease a square baking tin with Fry Light and spoon the mixture into the tin, levelling the top. Cook in the oven for 40-45 minutes until risen and golden. Remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar and then cut into 12 slices and then halve each slice again.

Cheese-Topped Bangers & Mash Pie

Serves 4

Ingredients
Fry Light
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 Quorn sausages, roughly chopped (Quorn are substitute for meat or rather, vegetarian sausages)
397g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes
397g/14 oz can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
198g/7 oz frozen mixed vegetables
3 tbsp soy sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly chopped herbs, to garnish#

Topping
908g/2 lb potatoes (Desiree or King Edwards), peeled and roughly diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp very low fat natural fromage frais
1 egg, beaten
113g/4 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
pinch of grated nutmeg
4 tbsp dried parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4 and prepare the topping. Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water for 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain and mash with the fromage frais, beaten egg, cheese, nutmeg and dried parsley. Season well and set aside.

2. Spray a pan with Fry Light and cook the onion, garlic, sausages and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 20 minutes. Add the mixed beans, mixed vegetables and soy sauce, season and pour into an ovenproof dish. Carefully spread the potato mixture over the top.

3. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the topping is lightly browned. Serve and garnish with the freshly chopped herbs.

6 Syns per serving on Green
18 ½ Syns per serving on Original

Mississippi Mud Pie

Mississippi Mud Pie







Ready in 30 minutes plus chilling

Serves 10

Ingredients:
12 ginger nut biscuits/ginger snap cookies
56g/2 oz low fat margarine
4 eggs*
568ml/1pt skimmed milk
57g/2 oz cocoa
2 level tbsp cornflour
6 level tbsp caster sugar
2 x 11g sachets gelatine
2 tsp vanilla extract
fresh berries, to garnish
icing sugar/powdered sugar, to dust

1. Put the biscuits/cookies in a food processor and blend to form crumbs. Melt the margarine, add the biscuit/cookie crumbs and mix. Spoon into an 18cm/7 inch lined cake tin, press down and chill.
2. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks. Place most of the milk in a pan, whisk in the egg yolks and heat gently for 3-4 minutes until warm. Whisk the remaining milk with the cocoa powder and cornflour and add to the hot milk along with the sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously, until thick and smooth. Remove from the heat.
3. Dissolve the gelatine in 6 tablespoons of hot water, add to the milk with the vanilla extract, mix well and set aside to cool.
4. Using an electric whisk, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the cooled milk mixture with a metal spoon. Pour over the base and leave to set overnight in the fridge.
5. Serve cut into wedges, garnished with berries and dusted with icing/powdered sugar.

*Pregnant women, the elderly and babies should not eat raw eggs.

Slimming World Information:
6 ½ syns per serving on Green, Original & Extra Easy

Nutrition Facts

10 Servings

Amount Per Serving
Calories 193.9
Total Fat 3.8 g
Saturated Fat 1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.4 g
Cholesterol 19.7 mg
Sodium 624.0 mg
Potassium 125.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 33.7 g
Dietary Fiber 2.4 g
Sugars 26.8 g
Protein 4.5 g