Vegetable Risotto

Serves 1

Syns per portion: Extra Easy Free , Green Free

Ingredients

• 75g arborio rice
• 100g broccoli florets
• 50g pea
• 50g sweetcorn
• 1/4 medium onion chopped
• 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
• 300ml vegetable stock
• 2 dairylea cheese triangles
•  Frylight

Method

1. If using frozen veg cook first until ready, cut broccoli into small pieces and set aside.
2. Add a few sprays of frylight in a pan and cook the onion over a medium heat until softened. Add the garlic and rice and cook for a further minute.
3. Add 50ml of the hot stock and boil until the liquid has been absorbed. Pour in 125ml of the remaining stock and simmer on low for 10 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the broccoli, sweetcorn and peas along withe the remaining stock. Heat and stir for another 5 minutes until the liquid has almost been absorbed and the rice is tender but still has a sloppy consistency.
5. Add the cheese triangles and stir into rice mix until melted. Serve.

 This is one of my favourite recipes even when I'm not following slimming world. Not only is it very quick, easy and very tasty but it also costs very little per portion so great for those who are looking for great meals on a budget. It's also a great meal foe those who only have access to a microwave at work but don't want to succumb to eating packet meals.
Enjoy.

Oat and Yoghurt Layer

Serves 1

Syns per portion: Extra Easy 1, Red 1, Green 1
(using oats as a Healthy extra B)

Ingredients

• 35g porridge oats (not the instant kind)
• 1 large banana
• 150g pot of fat free natural yoghurt
• 1 level tsp sugar (1 syn)

Method

1. Mix the porridge oats with the sugar and place under a medium grill for 3-4 min until toasted, turning occasionally as they brown. (keep an eye on them as they start to burn quickly!)
2. Meanwhile chop the banana into small chunks. Add the yoghurt, stir to mix.
3. Take a glass pot or small drinking glass and alternate layers of yoghurt mixture and oats, finishing with a sprinkling of oats on top.

I highly recommend this as a breakfast or even just a tasty pudding. It needs a little attention to make sure the oats don't burn (can you tell I didn't pay attention the first time I cooked them, my house was stinking of burnt oats for a good few hours!) it's actually a rather quick dish. I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the dish was, and it certainly hit a spot with my sweet tooth.

Here are a few notes I made about this recipe:

• Do not mash the banana during step two as it would need to be counted as 4 syns according to the slimming world rules.
• You can replace with sugar with sweetener to make this dish syn free. Personally I try not to use sweeteners and just limit how much natural sugar I use instead.

Vegetable Curry

Serves 1

Syns per portion: Extra Easy Free, Red Free (without rice), Green Free

Ingredients

• Selection of vegetables (I used broccoli, red pepper, cauliflower, peas, potato, courgette)
• 1/4 onion
• 100g passata
• 100ml veg stock
• 1 heaped teaspoon of curry powder
• 1 level teaspoon garam masala
• Frylight

Method

1. Cook any frozen or root vegetables until ready and cut into bite size pieces. If using fresh veg such as peppers or courgette there is no need to cook first.
2. Meanwhile fry onion in a large pan with a few sprays of frylight.
3. Add the curry powder, garam masala and veg stock and simmer for a few minutes till the liquid is reduced by half. 
4. Add all the vegetables and stir through the stock.
5. Add the passata and stir though. Reduce the heat and allow mixture to cook and thicken to desired consistency.
6. Garnish with some coriander and serve with rice.

When i'm cooking meals I love the colours of naturals foods as well as tantalising smells which make you want to devour the dish as soon as it's ready. This dish certainly ticks these boxes for me with its wonderful array of greens and reds of the ingredients and the gorgeous aroma of the curry spices. This dish was yummy and very simple to make. Perfect for vegetarians or if you're like me and just prefer a meat free meal every now and then.

Here are a few notes I made about this recipe:

• Other veg that can be used is butternut squash, baby sweetcorn, mushrooms

• I used Tescos medium curry powder, but you can get spices milder or hotter versions in most supermarket.
• Remember to syn your ice if using this on a red day

Enjoy x.