Thursday 11 July 2013

Pan Fried Marinated Steak Salad

 
Yep, steak and salad in the same sentence, but really it is pretty healthy, veggie packed and fairly light on the old Pro Points.

Pan Fried Marinated Steak Salad
Serves 2  Approx 14 Pro Points per serving

Marinade
400g thin sliced sirloin/frying steaks
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Mix all the marinade ingredients together and lay the steaks in it for a couple of hours. 
Then take a scorching hot griddle pan and fry for a couple of mins each side, put to one side to rest.

Salad
300g potatoes, part boiled and then sliced 
1 bunch of asparagus, each spear cut into 3 pieces.
1 onion, thinly sliced 
2 tsp oil
S&P

In a non stick frying pan heat the oil.  Add the sliced potato and onions and fry until golden, add the asparagus, seasoning and continue cooking for a could of mins, you still want the asparagus to retain some bite.

Dressing
2 tbsp 0% fat Greek yoghurt
1 tsp finely chopped red chilli
Zest and 1 tsp juice of lime
Pepper and a dash of sugar

Mix all together

To serve
Put some watercress on you plate, top with the potatoes and asparagus. Slice the beef into strips, lay on top then dollop the yogurt dressing on.

This really was a very delicious little salad the marinated beef was packed with flavour and juicy.




Wednesday 10 July 2013

Lebanese Spiced Spatchcock Chicken

 
To make the most of the glorious weather we have been having recently, but without having to drag out the BBQ I took a leaf out of my parents menu and decided on spatcthcocking a chicken.

I cooks so much easier, quicker and more even than roasting a whole bird.  We had a small FR bird, approx. 1kg or just under.  Turned it face down then using poultry shears, cut out the back bone.  Flip him over again and press down until you hear the bones crack and he is flattened.

Lebanese Spiced Spatchcock Chicken

1 Chicken, spatchcocked
1-2 tbsp. Lebanese Spice rub, my new favourite, but there are loads of different types available.
1 lemon halved length ways
a drizzle of oil
S&P

Rub the spices all over the chicken and place him on a trivet in a roasting tin, with the lemon halves underneath.  Drizzle with a little oil and a grind of S&P.  Place into a hot oven 200oc for 45 mins. (based on our small bird).

I served the chicken on a bed of cous cous that I made up with more Lebanese spices in the water and mixed it with some chopped parsley and the seeds of half a pomegranate along with a simple Caprese salad and some finely sliced onion pickled in red wine vinegar.

The bird was tender and juicy, I took the cooked lemons and squeezed them over the chicken, they added a lovely sweet and sour flavour. 

We ate outside in the sun with a couple of white wine spritzers.  Utter heaven.

Yet More Turkey Meatballs

 
I swear I am addicted to making different variations of the little balls, they really are the most versatile and easy of dishes to prepare.

Here are a couple more options that I tried out recently.


Honey Chipotle Turkey Meatballs.
Makes approx. 16 4cm dia balls, serves two greedy
Approx WW Pro points per serving 10


This is a recipe I found on the Martha Stewart website HERE. A few tweaks of my own thrown in.

500g turkey mince
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsp. runny honey
1 tbsp. Tesco's Chipotle sauce
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 tsp oil

Pre heat oven to 200oc.  Mix together the turkey, onion, garlic, S&P.  Then form into the 16 balls.
Place these on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 mins turning them halfway.

Mix the honey, chipotle and vinegar in a bowl.  In a non-stick frying pan add the oil and gently heat, add the cooked meatballs and the honey chipotle mixture, swirl them around the pan until the sauce reduces and the meatball turn more golden brown.

I served on a bed of orzo and green beans and a mixed salad with the sauce drizzled over the top. Juicy, sweet and spicy. Yum.

 

Lebanese Spiced Turkey Meatballs with Yogurt Dressing
Makes Approx 16 meatballs.  Serves 2
Approx WW Pro Points per serving 10

500g turkey mince
1 tbsp Lebanese dry marinade spiced, I pick up some from Tesco, but really you can add any spiced you want.
1 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp soy sauce
salt & pepper

Mix all the above ingredients together and form into 16 balls.  as before place on a baking tray in the oven at 200oc for 20 mins.

2 tbsp. 0% fat Greek Yogurt
1 tbsp. the green tail ends off a bunch of spring onions, finely sliced
2 tsp finely chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
Zest of one lime.

Mix the above together in a bowl.

I serves the meatballs and dressing over some griddled courgette and aubergine slices.  To cook them I sprayed with one cal spray, sprinkled with mixed herbs and S&P then placed on a ferocious hot griddle pan for a couple mins each side.