Cod and Chips

By special request from Husband, I made 'fish'n'chips' tonight, the Slimming World way. He was very pleased with the result. I added some mange tout to the peas, in order to increase my intake of superfree.

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy*

* Providing you use the bread as your Healthy Extra B

2 cod loins

2 slices wholemeal bread from a 400g loaf

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp thyme

½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp celery salt

¼ tsp ground white pepper

3-4 potatoes, depending on size

peas and grilled tomatoes to serve

In a food processor, reduce the bread to fine crumbs. Spread out on a non-greased baking sheet and place in the oven on a fairly high heat. Bake for a few minutes – you need to keep a close eye on it as it can easily burn – then shuffle it all about a bit and bake for a few more minutes until crunchy and golden, but not completely brown. Mix with the thyme, garlic powder, celery salt and pepper. Dip the cod loins in the beaten egg and coat in the breadcrumbs.

Peel and cut the potatoes into chips. Blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, drain well and shake the colander well to rough them up a bit. Husband loves doing this bit for me.

Place the chips on a baking sheet, and bake at 220°C for 20-30 minutes. For the last 10 minutes before of the cooking time, put the cod in the oven too. Serve with peas, grilled tomatoes or vegetables of your choice.

Pea and Feta Salad

I made this salad to take on our picnic today, and Husband really enjoyed it. I served it with really thick cut Brunswick ham. I found the feta cheese went very well with the ham. I added in the mixed salad leaves from the original recipe, as the dish was lacking in superfree food. 

 

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy*

* Providing you use the cheese as your Healthy Extra A

Serves 4

300g frozen peas

4 slices bacon, all visible fat removed, grilled and chopped

100g feta cheese, cubed

1 small red onion, finely sliced

80g mixed salad leaves (watercress, spinach and rocket)

Cook the peas in salted water for a few minutes, then drain and rinse under running cold water. Mix all the ingredients together and serve with a dressing of your choice.

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. 

 

Fish Fingers with Wasabi Pea Purée

Ever since seeing an advert last week, Husband has had a craving for fish fingers. I refuse to 'pay' the syn value for shop bought fish fingers, so I promised him I would make my own. Me being me, I couldn't just serve the usual fish fingers, peas and mash – I wanted to put my own original stamp on the recipe. Rather than just plain mushy peas, I added a few extra vegetables to ensure I got my one-third superfree, and to liven the pea purée up a little, I added wasabi paste. Husband loved it! 

 

Serves 2

Syn Free on Extra Easy*

* Providing you use the bread as your Healthy Extra B

2-3 frozen cod fillets

2 slices wholemeal bread from a 400g loaf

1 tsp dried dill

1 tsp celery powder

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

2 cups frozen peas

1 cup green beans, chopped

100g spinach

1 onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

6-8 mint leaves

1-2 tsp wasabi paste

1 carrot

1 courgette

4 tomatoes

Remove the fish fillets from the freezer – leave to thaw slightly for 30 minutes or so, then cut into fingers while still partially frozen.

Tear the bread slices in pieces and place in a food processor. Pule a few times until fine breadcrumbs. Add the dill, celery powder, garlic powder, pepper and salt, and mix well. Spread out on a large baking sheet and place in the oven for 5 minutes on 200°C until crisp and browned.

Dip the fish fingers in the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Bake at 210°C for around ten minutes or so until cooked through, depending on the thickness of the fish.

For the pea purée, boil the peas with the onion, celery, beans, spinach and mint leaves for around ten minutes. Briefly liquidise for a few seconds, and add wasabi paste to taste. 

 

Peel the carrot. Using a cheese slicer or vegetable peeler, thinly slice the carrots and courgette lengthways. Take one slice of each and roll up together, securing with a cocktail stick. Steam for 7-10 minutes. Carefully remove the stick before serving. 

Halve the tomatoes and grill.

Place a large spoonful of pea purée on each plate and top with the fish fingers. Place the vegetable rolls and tomatoes around the edges and serve.