Spinach Stuffed Chicken

It's been a long time since I posted, April went by in a flurry of activity.  It was my hubby's 40th Birthday which we were going to celebrate with a picnic for family and friends, but the weather was so bad it was in doors, not that we minded.  I made some lovely mini chicken and tarragon pies which went down a treat and I will blog about the next time I make them as they were very delicious.  Hubby's lovely sister made his birthday cake (boat shaped) and a wonderful almond & orange cake that I will have to get the recipe for and loads of shortbread. 

Hubby has been continuing his forays into the kitchen with various breads and savoury scones, I think he is really getting the bug for this baking mularky! We will have to put together a special post just for his accomplishments.

The Birthday was swiftly followed by my whisking him away to Cornwall to stay in Mevagissey for Easter week, we had a wonderful time lots of fresh fish and seafood, then the rest of April was strict dieting on weight watchers to lose the weight we put on during the holiday and bread eating.

So now at the start of May I feel refreshed enough to start trying new recipes.  This one came straight off the WW home page, I have modified slightly to suit the ingredients I had at home.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Spinach

Serves 2 Pro Points per serving 7

50g Spinach

2 Skinless chicken breasts about 200g each

Fresh Basil leaves

4 strips thin pancetta

2 bell peppers, red and yellow, chunky chopped

3 medium carrots, chunky chopped

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp oregano, dried
S&P

Put the spinach in a colander and pour over boiling water, then run cold water over the leaves so the wilt.  Squeeze the leaves dry.

Cut a pocket in to the chicken and pop in a couple of basil leaves and the spinach.  Take two strips of pancetta per breast and wrap around the chicken.

Place the peppers, sweet potato and carrots into a roasting pan, add the oil and oregano and mix together.  Place the chicken on top and season well.
Cover with foil and place into oven at 190oc and cook for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes.

I served with mange tout and it made a super colourful and filling dinner but pretty light on the points.  The WW recipe called for half a jar of pepperdew peppers, which if I had got would have added a lovely peppy tang to the dish.

Bread!

Hubby with low tolerance levels has been venturing further into the kitchen this weekend and has caught the baking bug.  Two loaves of delicious bread made by his fair hands.  A lovely German Potato Bread from the Hairy Bikers Bakeation book (plaited) which was so moist and similar to a French Brioche but with a lovely crust and a standard Tin Loaf from the sainted Delia with extra onion seeds added. 

Both so very yummy when served warm from the oven with slatherings of butter, so very bad for the diet, but we all need treats now and then.

Bulgar Wheat, Mushrom & Spinach Pilaf

Tried this little recipe out last night and it was surprisingly good, my first time cooking bulgar wheat and it turned out a treat.  As before it is a dish from Weight Watchers that I have modified slightly.

Bulgar Wheat, Mushroom & Spinach Pilaf

Serves 2 Pro Points 7 per serving

1 1/2 cubes vegetable stock, made up to 480ml with hot water

120g dried bulgar wheat
2 tsp olive oil

1 medium onion sliced thinly

200g bag of fresh spinach leaves

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp chili flakes

S&P

Add the bulgar wheat and stock to a saucepan, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 12 mins or until the bulgar is tender.

In a large non-stick frying pan heat up the oil and add the onion and garlic, cook until they are golden, about 8 mins.  Add the mushrooms and chili & seasoning and cook until tender and golden. Add spinach to wilt for 1 minute. Mix in the bulgar wheat and serve. 

Very tasty side dish that on the original recipe would serve 4, but I took two servings to make it a main dish, served with some pan fried chicken on top.

Courgette & Dill Rosti

This is a quick and easy little side dish that I have modified from Weight Watchers, it works out about 2 pro points each.

Courgette & Dill Rosti

Serves 2 as a side

1 courgette approx 150g

150g potato

1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped

2 spring onions finely chopped

Grate the courgette and potato and squeeze in a clean tea towel to remove any extra moisture.  Mix it together with the dill and add the spring onion and seasoning.

In a frying pan squirt some lo cal spray and add the mixture, pat down to cover the base in a thin pancake.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, then if you are clever flip over by turning out on to a plate and sliding it back into the frying pan.  I was not clever at this and it broke so I turned the dish into a scramble, but the trick was to leave it long enough so that the  base was lovely and crispy and caramelised.

I served this this  a 150g chicken breast that I had bashed thin with a rolling pin and coated in seasoned flour and pan fried in tsp of oil and a fresh salad with feta and balsamic vinegar for a meal of 9 pro points.

Chinese Spiced Pork Stir Fry

A quick and tasty little dish that I modified from a Weight Watchers recipe.  I estimate my portions and changes bring it up to a 15 pro point meal.

Chinese Spiced Pork Stir Fry

Serves 2

500g tenderloin of pork

125grm dried egg noodles, cooked as per instructions on pack

purple spouting broccoli, a handful of the heads and storks cut 3cm

green beans, a handful cut into 2cm lengths

spring onions, 3 or 4 sliced fine
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1 pepper, thinly sliced

1 tbls soy sauce

Juice and zest of one lemon

1 tsp Chinese 5 spice

1/2 tsp cayenne or chilli
1 tsp ground coriander seeds

On a plate mix the lemon zest, Chinese spice, cayenne and coriander seeds, take the pork and roll it on the seasoning, then cut into 1cm thick rounds.

Using a large frying pan r wok spray with lo call spray and place the pork in to cook about 3-4 mins each side turning once so they become caramelised and golden.  Remove and place to one side.

Take the veg and add to the pan with a little more lo cal spray and rapidly fry, retaining a nice crunch, add the noodles, soy sauce and lemon juice and heat through.  Serve with the pork.

Recipe can serve 4 at 7 points each, but it seemed a little stingy, but having said that there was more pork than we needed in this.

Pot Roast Beef Brisket

It does not happen often, but I relinquished my kitchen and look what dear hubby with low tolerance levels came up with when I left him in charge of on Sunday. 

A very delicious slow cooked pot roast of beef brisket.  Maybe I can get him to divulge his methods or to do a guest post himself.  It really was very tasty with a thick unctuous gravy served over lashings of mashed potato and peas.  Perfect Sunday meal!


Edit:
Lovely Hubby with Low Tolerance Levels has posted his recipe in the comments sections, please view.

Mallorcan Tumbet

Viewing what was remaining in the fridge and cupboard I decided to codge together whatever I could and I came up with my version of a Mallorcan Tumbet.  A Tumbet is a Spanish vegetable dish, similar to a ratatouille.  I happended to have a pack of cooking chorizo so decided that they too needed to be added to the recipe.  I cooked this on the hob in a cast iron lidded pot on low, with a heat diffuser underneath for almost 3 hours and it really, really helped the flavours to come together and was quite delicious because of it.

My Take Mallorcan Tumbet

Serves 2 Approx 10 WW Pro Points (Exclusive of pasta)

200g Cooking chorizo, cut into 1cm slices
1 courgette, chunky chopped
1 red pepper, chunky chopped
1 onion chunky chopped
1 large carrot chunky chopped
1 x 420g can chopped tomatoes (I used canned whole cherry tomatoes)
1 glass red wine
Handful of mushrooms, chunky chopped
Bay leaf
2 Sprigs of thyme
1/2 tsp margoram
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp smoked chili flakes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp oil
S&P

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed lidded pot and gently cook the vegetables, with the exception on the mushrooms and tomatoes for a minute or so.  Add the chorizo and brown slightly, add the herbs and spices,  Pour over the red wine and cook for a further minute then add the tomatoes.  Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, putting a diffuser underneath the pan if necessary and gently simmer away with the lid on for 2 hours, stirring now and then.  After 2 hours add the mushrooms and taste, if too acidic from the tomatoes add a teaspoon of sugar.  Simmer away for a further half hour.  I served this with pasta, but would also be good with boiled and sliced potatoes.

Because the veg is nice and chunky they hold their form over this long cooking time, the chorizo infuses all it's spices into the dish and is so tender, it melts in your mouth.  Adjust the herbs and seasoning to suit yourselves, also if pushed on time the dish is cooked well before the 2 hours, but the flavour is enhanced if left for longer the choice is yours.