Chilli and Ginger Beef

Today I started back at Weight Watchers so tonight I made a yummy, easy meal out of the Secrets of Success recipe book. 

Serves: 1

Points per Serve: 5 1/2

Ingredients

100 grams lean, premium beef mince

2 slices red onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

75 grams green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces

1 teaspoon sambal oelek

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/4 cup cooked rice

Directions

Add the mince, onion and ginger to a non-stick fry pay and cook, stirring, over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until browned and cooked through.

While the mince is cooking, steam or microwave the green beans until just tender.  Add to the mince along with the sambal oelek and soy sauce.  Heat through while stirring.  Serve with rice.

Chicken and Pea Risotto

I love making risotto, there is something therapeutic about it as it's not something that you can rush.  Last night I had a couple of chicken breasts out and wasn't too sure what to have and then I thought, risotto...

Ingredients

190 grams arborio rice

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

2 organic, free range, boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into 2cm cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup frozen peas

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste

Olive oil or butter

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place all of the stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil, once boiling simmer over a low heat.

Heat oil in a sauté pan and add chicken.  Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Once chicken is cooked through remove from pan and set aside. 

In the same pan add a touch more oil and cook the onion and garlic until softened.  Season with salt to soften the onion.  Once the onion is softened and translucent add the rice and stir to coat in oil.  Place a ladleful of stock into the saute pan and cook until all the liquid is absorbed.  Repeat this until all the stock is gone and the rice is cooked through.  Return the chicken to the pain and add peas.  Add Parmesan cheese to your taste. 

Serve topped with some Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Extra Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce

This pasta sauce is extra easy to make using tinned tomatoes and goes well with any pasta dish.

Ingredients
2 400 grams tins of whole peeled tomatoes
1 onion, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch dried oregano
Pinch dried basil
Fresh red chilli, deseeded, chopped
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a large, heavy based pan heat up a drizzle of olive oil.  Place garlic into the warmed oil and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the tins of tomatoes, onions, oregano, basil and chilli and bring to the boil.  Simmer for about 10 minutes on low.

Serve over pasta with freshly grated Parmesan! 

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Tonight we felt like a yummy, warming winter meal and decided on Spaghetti and Meatballs.  One of my fave's.

Ingredients
400 grams premium, low fat minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Watties tomato sauce
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
Chopped fresh basil
Chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese
Linguine

Directions
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
In a bowl combine all ingredients together and mix well.  Add more/less breadcrumbs if required.
Take tablespoon sized amounts of the combined mixture and roll into balls.  Place in an oven proof dish and cook for 10 - 12 minutes or until cooked through. 

While meatballs are cooking cook spaghetti to packet instructions and prepare the pasta sauce as per my Extra Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce recipe.
When the meatballs are cooked through place on top of spaghetti, cover with pasta sauce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.