Dhal Masala Vadai

Vadai (also known as also known as wada or vade or vada or bara) is a south Indian savoury fritter type snack, which can be made from lentils (dhal), chick peas (channa), gram flour (besan) or potato (aloo). It is usually deep fried, but I decided to bake mine instead to make it fit in with the Slimming World regime.

I used leftover lentils and vegetables for this, but you can of course cook these especially for the vadai. I had green lentil mixed with onions, Chinese leaves and spring greens from Friday night's dinner; and also some leftover roasted vegetables from Saturday night which I added to the mix for extra superfree (red, green and yellow peppers, red and yellow onion and sweet potato). Add spices to taste – I used ground cumin (my favourite!), ground cinnamon, ground coriander, fresh and dried ginger, fresh garlic and red chilli flakes. Whizz it all up in a food processor, using the 'pulse' button to ensure it becomes paste-like but still retains some texture. 

 

Using wet hands so that the paste doesn't still to my fingers, I formed the mixture into little balls and placed them in muffin cups flattening them ever so slightly with my hands before spraying them with Fry Light and baking in the oven at 230°C for 20-25 minutes until nicely browned and crispy on the outside. 

 

In India, vadai is eaten as a snack (often for breakfast) or a side dish, never as a main course; and is found for sale all over the south at street food. I served mine with leftover coleslaw and potato salad from yesterday's picnic lunch; tomato salad made from chopped tomatoes (flesh only), onions, a red chilli and coriander with the juice of half a lemon and some salt and coarsely ground black pepper; mint raita (made from 0% fat plain yogurt, mint sauce and sweetener); and some rocket leaves to turn it into a complete meal. Garnished with red onion. 

 

Baking the vadai rather than deep frying them means that they do become a lot more crumbly when you cut into them, and it would be difficult to eat them as a street food snack with your hands (right hand only of course); but if you don't mind the texture, the flavour was superb. Even non-lentil-loving Husband enjoyed it so much he had second helpings. 

 

Vegetable Couscous with Spiced Yogurt

This is a great way of using up leftover vegetables – anything will do as long as it is chopped finely enough. 

 

½ cup giant couscous

½ red pepper, chopped

2 onions, chopped

½ savoy cabbage, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

½ courgette, chopped

1 tbsp bouillon powder

1 tub 0% fat free plain yogurt

1-2 tsp harissa paste

Cook the couscous according to the packet instructions, adding the onion, pepper, cabbage and celery. Just before the cooking time is up, add the courgette.

Swirl the harissa paste into the yogurt, and serve with the couscous.

Spicy Bean and Tomato Soup

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tun baked beans

2 tsps sweetener

1 tsp bouillon powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsps ground cumin

chilli powder to taste

Whizz the tinned tomatoes in a food processor or liquidiser until smooth. Heat in a pan with the beans, and add the spices. Stir and enjoy.

Lescó

This Hungarian version of ratatouille is often eaten by itself as a main meal, with or without bacon; but can of course also be used as a side dish. 

 

Serves 4

Syn Free on Extra Easy

2 green peppers, thinly sliced

2 onions, thinly sliced

200ml passata

salt and pepper

2 tsp paprika or chilli powder

Sauté the onion and peppers in Fry Light until soft. Add the passata, salt, pepper and paprika and stir well. Simmer for a few more minutes before serving.

Thracian Tomato Casserole

This is a typical recipe from the Thracian region of southern Bulgaria. It is eaten at harvest time during the hottest days of the year. 

 

Serves 4

Syn Free on Extra Easy*

* Providing you use the bread as your Healthy Extra B

3 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

1kn tomatoes

40g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs

salt and pepper

sweetener

2 tsp paprika

Place the parsley in the bottom of an oven dish. S;ice the tomatoes, discarding the end pieces. Lay the tomatoes in the dish, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle each layer with salt, pepper and a tiny amount of sweetener. Mix the breadcrumbs with the paprika, salt and pepper to taste and add over the top of the tomatoes. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 200°C. Can be served as a vegetarian main dish or as a side dish to meat.

Zeytinyağlı Pırasa

This is a Turkish side dish of leeks and carrots with rice, and is very easy to make as well as a good way of ensuring you get some superfree with your meal. 

 

Serves 4

Syn Free on Extra Easy

4 leeks, thickly sliced

1 big onion, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

¼ cup rice

juice of half a lemon

1 tsp sweetener

salt and pepper

Sauté the onion in Fry Light for a few minutes, then add the carrots and continue frying for 3-4 minutes longer. Add the leeks and stir for a couple more minutes. Add 2/3 cup of water, the sweetener, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then add the rice and lemon juice. Cover and cook on a low heat until the rice is cooked.

Potato Cakes with Baked Beans

The half a syn in this recipe comes from the fresh breadcrumbs – I made one small slice into crumbs and used maybe only 1/5 of it. You can of course omit the breadcrumbs to make it syn free. I added some leftover stir fry vegetables to try and get some superfree in – any cooked vegetables would work in this recipe I reckon.

Serves 4

½ syn on Extra Easy (see note above)

450g potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 large onion, chopped

3 tbsp fromage frais

2 egg yolks

1 egg, beaten

1 slice wholemeal bread from a 400g loaf

tin baked beans

leftover cooked vegetables

2-4 tbsp passata

Cook the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes until cooked through. Drain well and mash. Leave to cool a little. Meanwhile, sauté the onion in Fry Light until soft. Stir the onions into the mash with the fromage frais and a little water if necessary to get the consistency right. Mix in the egg yolks and season.

Shape into rounds, then flatten to make approximately 16 patties about 5-6 cm across. Place the patties on a greased baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs over the top (see note above) and bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes until nicely browned.

Heat the baked beans with the added vegetables. Add the passata and a little water to dilute the sauce and serve with the potato cakes. 

 

Chick Pea and Butternut Squash Falafels on Couscous Tabuleh

Searching the net for a falafel recipe, I came across one with carrots, so I thought I'd use up the half a butternut squash which was occupying the vegetable drawer in my fridge. The addition of the butternut squash made the falafels quite moist. 

 

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

1 tin chick peas

½ butternut squash, grated

1-2 tbsp fat free plain yogurt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp bouillon powder

½ tsp harissa paste

1 cup couscous

2 cups boiling water

juice and zest of 1 lemon

small handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

small handful mint leaves, finely chopped

2-3 shallots, finely chopped

In a food processor, blend the chick peas, squash, cumin, bouillon powder and harissa paste. Gradually add the yogurt (you may need more or less) until the right consistency is obtained. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Shape into little patties and bake for 20 minutes or so at 200°C, or until nicely browned.

Place the couscous in a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Leave for a few minutes for the water to be soaked up, then fluff up with a fork. Add the lemon juice and zest, mint, parsley and shallots, and stir well.

I served a plain fat free yogurt swirled with harissa paste as a side, along with some pickled garlic. 

 

Sambal Kol Kembang

This Indonesian spiced cauliflower dish can be served as an accompaniment to meat dishes, or as a vegetarian dish in its own right. I have amended it to suit the Slimming World plan by substituting coconut yogurt for the coconut cream and sweetener for the sugar. 

 

Serves 4

½ syn for the entire dish

1 cauliflower

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 fresh red chilli, seeded

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 tub Müllerlight coconut and vanilla yogurt

1 tsp sweetener

1 tsp tamarind powder

Trim the stalk from the cauliflower and break into tiny florets. Cook in plenty of salted water for a few minutes until tender. Grind the onion, garlic, chilli and turmeric together in a food processor to form a smooth paste. Stir in yogurt, sweetener, salt and tamarind powder. Add the cauliflower and gently heat in a saucepan without boiling. 

 

Polish Potato Cakes

Although not as widely used as cereals, potatoes feature often in Polish recipes. They were introduced during the reign of Jan Sobieski, in the 17^th century.

I substituted fromage frais for the soured cream in the original recipe, and omitted the butter and flour altogether for a low syn version. The half a syn in this recipe comes from the fresh breadcrumbs – I made one small slice into crumbs and used maybe only 1/5 of it. You can of course omit the breadcrumbs to make it syn free. 

 

Serves 4

½ syn on Extra Easy (see note above)

450g potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 large onion, chopped

3 tbsp fromage frais

2 egg yolks

1 egg, beaten

1 slice wholemeal bread from a 400g loaf

Cook the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes until cooked through. Drain well and mash. Leave to cool a little. Meanwhile, sauté the onion in Fry Light until soft. Stir the onions into the mash with the fromage frais and a little water if necessary to get the consistency right. Mix in the egg yolks and season.

Shape into rounds, then flatten to make approximately 16 patties about 5-6 cm across. Place the patties on a greased baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs over the top (see note above) and bake at 180°C for about 30 minutes until nicely browned. 

 

Chakchouka Algerienne

Chakchouka is a popular breakfast dish all over North Africa, and this is my adaptation of it. You can of course omit the harissa paste if you don't want it spicy. 

 

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

1 onion

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 tin tomatoes

1 tsp harissa paste

2 eggs

Sauté the onion and peppers in Fry Light until soft. Add the harissa paste and tinned tomatoes and continue simmering for a few more minutes until the mixture has thickened and some of the liquid has evaporated. Divide the mixture between two shallow oven proof dishes and make an indentation in the middle. Carefully crack an egg into each dish and bake in the oven at 220°C for 15-20 minutes or until the egg is cooked to your liking. 

 

Crunchy Sprout Scramble

Just as I was about to serve yesterday's leftover chicken Caesar salad for lunch today, I remembered that I will be using my Healthy Extra A later at dinner! As there was Parmesan cheese in the salad, I decided to quickly make something else while Husband could enjoy the salad.

Rummaging through the fridge, this is what I came up with:

handful cherry tomatoes, halved

handful of sprouting peas, beans and lentils

handful of rocket leaves

2 eggs

In a frying pan, sauté the tomatoes and rocket until just beginning to wilt. Add the sprouts and eggs and stir until the scramble has just set.

It was surprisingly good, very filling, syn free and of course also very healthy and good for you. 

 

Cauliflower Soup

My mum used to often make cauliflower soup when I was a kid, and I have always loved it. She would thicken it through the roux method of course, but trying to keep it syn free, this is not an option for me. My mum also used to buy a glass jar of baby food containing miniature meatballs which she would add to the soup. I have been known to chop up some chipolatas into it, a very good combination, but today I didn't have any so the soup was naked. 

 

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

½ large cauliflower

1 litre water

1 tbsp bouillon powder

2 egg yolks

Cut the cauliflower into florets, and boil in the water with bouillon powder added until very soft. Using a potato masher, squash the cauliflower until roughly mashed. Take off the heat and allow to cool ever so slightly. Give the egg yolks a little whisk with a fork and add to the soup while stirring continuously and vigorously. Serve immediately. 

 

Green Salad Filled Egg Roll

Thanks to my friend Reiko for the inspiration for this dish.

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

6 eggs

4 spring onions

80g spinach

1 green pepper, roasted and skinned, then sliced

2 tbsp lentil, pea and beans shoots

Watercress or other salad to serve

Whisk the eggs until slightly fluffy. Chop the spring onions and add to the eggs. Cook the eggs like you would a pancake, in two separate pans. When cooked, transfer to two plates, and fill with spinach, pepper and sprouting beans. Roll up like a pancake and serve with the watercress. 

 

Feta Cheese Pannacotta

When I first saw a recipe for a savoury cheese pannacotta, I really wasn't sure how I felt about that concept, but as I had some feta cheese (the original recipe used goat's cheese and was way more complicated), I thought I'd give it a go. I am all for new taste experiences. I am so glad I did, as it was delicious! The saltiness of the feta went really well with the lentils and vegetables. As soon as the pannacotta hits the hot lentils it starts to melt, so make sure you serve it immediately. You could also serve the whole dish cold as a salad. 

 

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy*

* Providing you use the cheese as your Healthy Extra A

100g feta cheese

1 tub fat free plain yogurt

1 sachet gelatine crystals

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil

1 cup puy lentils

1 onion, chopped

1 leek, sliced

100g spinach

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (the finely chopped variety)

1 tbsp bouillon powder

Melt the cheese in the microwave or on the stove. Mix the gelatine with 100ml boiling water and add the hot cheese. Stir thoroughly. Gradually mix in the yogurt until really smooth and add the herbs. Pour mixture into two individual moulds and leave in the fridge to set for at least two hours.

Meanwhile, sauté the onion and leek in Fry Light for a few minutes, then add the lentils, mixed vegetables and bouillon powder with 3 cups of water. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are cooked to your liking. Add the spinach and stir until it has wilted. Serve the lentil and vegetable mix topped with the inverted pannacotta. 

 

Potato Stack

Having got some new food presentation rings today, I was eager to try them out, so decided to create a tian, or layered, potato dish. 

 

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

2-3 potatoes, peeled

1 red pepper

100g (ca) spinach leaves

Cut the pepper in half lengthways. Using a cook's torch, char the skin all over and immediately place the pepper halves in a sealed plastic bag. Leave until cool, by which time the skin should scrape off easily under running water. To make a good fit, place the pepper on the work top (it should be fairly pliable now that it is skinless) and using the presentation ring as a cutter, create a piece the same size as the ring.

Cut the potato in very thin slices using a mandolin. Place the food presentation rings on an oven-proof baking sheet, and put a layer of potato slices in the bottom, then the pepper. Add a layer of spinach leaves, then top with a layer of potato slices. Spray the top with Fry Light and bake at 220°C for 20-30 minutes until browned on top and cooked through. Place a tian on each plate, then remove the rings.

Garlic Mushrooms

A nice little side dish, excellent served with a steak; or you could just have them on toast for a light lunch. 

 

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

150g mushrooms

1 bulb garlic

1-2 tsp bouillon powder

Cut the papery top off the garlic bulb, exposing the cloves inside. Spray with a little Fry Light and wrap in kitchen foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 200°C. With a blunt knife, remove the cloves, which should now be very soft. Place in a small bowl and mix well with a little water to make a smooth paste.

Sauté the mushrooms for a few minutes in Fry Light, then add the garlic purée, a little water and the bouillon powder. Continue cooking for a few minutes, then drain and serve.

Stuffed Onions

This is an unusual way of using up leftover rice and vegetables – I used onions, celery, green beans and green pepper. It would work equally well with leftover couscous. Hollowing out the onion is nowhere near as difficult as it sounds, with a little help from a curved serrated grapefruit knife and a long handled teaspoon.

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

2 cups cooked rice and vegetables

4 onions

4 tbsp passata

salt and pepper

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp chilli flakes

Cut the top and bottom off the onion and peel. Make sure the onion can stand comfortably without falling over. Start off using the grapefruit knife and cut out the centre core. Once you've got a reasonably sized hole, use the teaspoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving the outer three of four layers and a 1 cm layer at the bottom. Boil the onion skins for 5-7 minutes until they start to soften.

Mix the rice and vegetables with the passata, salt, pepper, paprika and chilli flakes. Stuff the onions and bake at 230°C for 10 minutes or so, keeping an eye on them to make sure they don't burn. Reheat any excess rice and vegetable mixture in the microwave or on the stove and place on two plates. Put the onions on top of the rice mix and serve. 

 

Vegetarian Curry

As we stayed out all afternoon today and didn't get back until after 19:30, it was just as well I had planned to serve up leftovers this evening. Adding a tin of mixed beans and some spices to the ratatouille, I turned it into a vegetable curry. However, I will set out how you would make it from scratch below. 

 

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

½ courgette, chopped

½ aubergine, chopped

1 tomato, cut into eight pieces

½ red pepper, chopped

½ onion, chopped

125ml passata

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp chilli flakes

a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed

tin of Indian mixed bean salad in water (Morrison's)

Sauté the onion in Fry Light for a few minutes, then add the courgette, aubergine and red pepper. Cook for a few more minutes. Add the tomato to the vegetables with the passata, mixed beans, bouillon powder, spices and thyme. Cook for 10 minutes or so, until the vegetables are done to your liking. Serve with rice.

Jacket Potato with Spicy Beans

It is sometimes a bit of a struggle to ensure that you have your one-third superfree with every meal. I love a jacket potato with beans, but how to get those Slimming World superfrees in? Easy! Onion, tomato and passata. Job done. And very nice it was too.

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy

2 large baking potatoes

1 tin baked beans

1 red onion

1 large tomato

200ml passata

1 tsp harissa paste

Bake the potato at 210°C for 90 minutes or until done to your liking. Finely chop the onion and sauté in Fry Light until soft. Add the beans, tomato, passata and harissa paste. Stir until heated through. Serve with the potato.