Chickpea fritters with Tzatziki

WW 4.5pt

serves 4

prep: 15mins

cooking: 10 mins

1 x 40g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup skim milk
3/4 cup self raising flour
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup frozen corn kernels
4 green shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs fresh flat leaf parsley
1 x 125g tub low fat tzatziki


Pulse chickpeas in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add eggs and pulse, continuing to add milk, flour and cumin while pulsing. 
Fold in corn, shallots, garlic and parsley.
Lightly spray a large non-stick fry pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Using 1/4 cup mixture for each fritter, form 4 fritters in the pan. Cook for 2-3 mins  each side or until golden, risen and cooked through. 
Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining mix to make 12 fritters.


Serve warm or cold with salad and tzatziki

Quiche #1

4 eggs
2 tsp butter, melted
2/3 cup  milk
4 tbsp SR flour
3 slices lean ham, diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup cheese, grated
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 tin corn


Combine egg, butter, flour and milk. Mix well in an oven proof dish.


Add ham, onion, 1/2 cheese and corn. 


Top with tomato and 1/2 cheese. Bake for 30 mins at 180C (fan forced) or until set.






I add other items to this too. I also add grated carrot and mushrooms, amongst others.

Curried Chickpea Patties

WW 4pt

serves 4

1 x 300g chicpeas, risnsed and drained

2 cups (460g) leftover mashed potato

100g green beans, thinly sliced

1 tbs curry powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup (12g) finely chopped coriander

1 tbs canola oil

80g baby spinach leaves

250g grape tomatoes

2/3 cup (190g) reduced fat Greek-style yoghurt

Pulse chickpeas in a food processor until roughly chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Add mashed potato, beans, curry powder, egg and coriander. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well combined.

Using 1/4 cup of mixture at a time, shape mixture into 12 patties. Heat oil in large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.  Cook patties for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden. Serve with spinach leaves, grape tomatoes and a dollop of reduced fat yoghurt.

Lentil Burgers

WW 5.5pt

serves 4

350g sweet potato (kumara), peeled and chopped

1 x 400g can brown lentils, rinsed and drained

50g 99% fat free semi-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

3 green shallots, thinly sliced diagonally

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

2 tsp olive oil

1 medium brown onion, halved, thinly sliced

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 tsp brown sugar

4 large round wholemeal bread rolls, halved horizontally

60g baby rocket leaves

1 large tomato, sliced

preheat oven to 200C or 180C fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Steam the sweet potato for 10 mins or until tender. Mash, then cool slightly. Place sweet potato, lentils, tomato, shallots, egg and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Season with salt and  freshly ground black pepper and stir well until combined.

Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shape each portion into a 9cm round patty about 1.5cm thick. Place patties onto prepared tray and spray with oil. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once, or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over low heat. Add onion and cook for 10 mins or until softened. Add vinegar and sugar, cook for a further 2 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Toast the cut side only of th bread rolls until lightly browned. Place roll bases onto serving plates and layer with patties, rocket, tomato and caramelised onion. Top with remaining toasted bread roll halves.

TIP! 

You can substitute sweet potato with any type of regular potato  when making patties.

Ginger Nuts

2 cups Self Raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
125g butter
1 egg
1tbsp golden syrup


Sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon and ginger into a bowl.


Rub in softened butter with fingers until it resembles bread crumbs.


Melt syrup and mix together with the egg.


Add to mixture and work with hands into a firm dough.


Roll into balls, about 1 inch (2.5cm) round and place about 2 inches apart (5cm) on a greased tray and place into a 160C conventional oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Double Chocolate Muffins

WW 2.5

makes 18

1 2/3 cups Self Raising flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup dark choc bits

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

2 x 200g tubs Nestle Diet Vanilla Yogurt

Preheat oven to 200C . Line a 18 x 1/3 cup (80 ml) capacity muffin holes with paper cases.

Sift the flour, soda and cocoa into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and choc bits and make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, egg and yoghurt until combined. Stir into the dry ingredients until just combined (don't over mix).

Spoon mixture into paper cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand muffins in pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Spinach & Tuna Rice Cake

WW 3pt

serves 6

2 medium red capsicum, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200g baby spinach
2 cups cooked rice
425g can tuna in springwater, drained and flaked
4 green shallots, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh dill
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon rind, grated
rocket leaves to garnish


Preheat to 180C. Grease a 22cm round ovenproof dish or cake tin and line the base with baking paper.


Heat a large oil-sprayed non-stick frypan over medium heat. Add the capsicum and cook, stirring,  for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and spinach, cook until the spinach wilts. Cool.


Combine the spinach mixture, rice, tuna, shallots, eggs, egg whites, dill and rind in a large bowl Season and mix well.


Spoon mixture into the prepared dish and press down firmly. Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm. Garnish with rocket and serve cut into wedges.

Coconut Fudge Squares

Coconut Fudge Squares

125 g butter spread, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 whole whole egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 1/2 tbs cocoa powder
1 cup self-raising white flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup icing sugar
1 tbs milk

melt butter and mix in sugar. 

Add egg and beat well.

Mix in vanilla and cocoa. 

Add sifted flour alternativley with coconut. 

Spread into a lamington tin and bake 180 for 20 mins. 

Ice while hot with chocolate icing and when set, cut into squares.

This is sooo delish! When I make it, it rarely lasts long!

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tbs butter

250g  ski lemon meringue yoghurt

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 egg

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon rind

2 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 170C. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper cups.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar and margarine with a wooden spoon. Stir in the yoghurt, blueberries, egg, lemon juice and zest.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stin just to combine, but do not overmix - the batter is supposed to be lumpy.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 13-16mins. Turn the muffins out onto a rack to cool.
Store in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days or wrap individually and freeze for up to a month.

To be a bit sneaky and make them healthy for the kiddies....
1/2 cup yellow squash puree can be added to step 2.

Peanut Butter Cookies (version 2! )

Courtesy of my sister


1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp flour


Mix together and bake on medium for about 12-15 mins.


Don't let them go brown in the oven or they will be too hard! :)




EASY and TASTY!!

Hot Crossed Muffins

2 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
2/3 brown sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
125g butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup mixed peel
1/2 walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup white chocolate melts, melted


Preheat oven to 180C and 160C fan forced. Line 12 large muffin pans with paper cases. Sift flour, spice and brown sugar into a large mixing bow and make a well in the centre.
Whisk mil, eggs, butter and vanilla together in a jug. Pour into dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to gently combine. Add dried fruit and nuts and gently fold through.
Divide mixture evenly between muffin pans. bake for 20 mins, until risen and golden and firm to a gentle touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Place melted chocolate in a snap locked bag and snip off one corner. Pipe a cross over each muffin and leave to set.

Choc Banana Pancakes

Need to use that squishy banana in your fruit bowl?


40g butter
1 3/4 cup Self Raising flour
1/2 cup castor sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 ripe banana
250 ml milk
100 ml water
1 egg
extra banana and ice cream for serving - if you wish ;)


Melt butter.
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and cinnamon until evenly combined. 
Break banana into bite sized pieces and add to mixture with milk, water and egg. Combine.
Heat fry pan over medium heat. Brush pan with melted butter.
Pour 2 amounts of batter (roughly 1/4 cup each) into the pan, making sure when the batter spreads that they don't touch.
Cook for about 2 minutes, or until l bubbles appear randomly. Flip and cook for 30 seconds or until just firm.
Repeat with remaining batter. Make sure the pan does not become too hot.
Serve the pancakes with extra banana slices and/or ice cream.




Notes:
If the pan becomes too hot, the pancakes will turn very dark and burn around the edges.
These pancakes will keep in a sealed container for 2 days (if they last!), but are best eaten on the day they're made.
If the banana is over-ripe, just mash!




Chef's idea:
Strawberries can be added in place of the banana, if desired.