Rigatoni with Italian Sausage

10 cherry tomatoes
2 tsp plus 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
560g pack Coles Italian style pork sausages (or just your fave flavour of sausage - from where-ever you shop)
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
500g rigatoni pasta


Preheat oven to 375 degrees . (My oven only goes to 25o, but seemed to do the trick) Place tomatoes on a small baking tray and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes in oven for about 8 minutes, or until the skin begins to split. Remove tomatoes from the oven.


Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. While water is heating, place the remaining 1tbsp of oil in a large heavy saute pan over medium heat.


Add sausages and cook over moderate heat for 7-8 minutes, or until almost cooked through. Remove sausages from pan and allow to cool. Slice sausages into 3cm discs. Place garlic in the pan and saute for 1 minute or until tender. Add the tomatoes and sausages and saute for 3 minutes. Add the olives and toss gently. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the parsley.


Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the salted boiling water for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta and toss in the pan with the sauce. Seas the past a to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to plates and serve.


SERVES 4

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.

Roast Chicken and vegetables

WW 7pt

serves 4

1 tbs olive oil

4 x 2o0g skinless chicken marylands

400g baby potatoes, halved

250g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 3 cm pieces

2 small zucchini, cut into 3cm lengths

250g cherry tomatoes

1 tbs fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 200C. Spray a large baking dish with oil.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large non-sick frying pan. Cook the chicken over high heat for 3-4 minutes or until browned all over. Arrange the chicken and potatoes in the prepared dish. Bake for 30 minutes.

Add the pumpkin, zucchini, tomatoes and rosemary to the dish. Drizzle with remaining oil. Seas with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake for a further 3o minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetable are tender. Serve.

Prosciutto and Vegetable Pizzas

WW 5pt 

serves 4

1 reduced fat puff pastry sheet, just thawed

1 tbs olive oil

1 small brown onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

150g button mushrooms, quartered

1 small red capsicum, coarsely chopped

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

4 thin slices prosciutto, chopped

100g reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 200C. Line baking tray with baking paper. Cut pastry sheet into 4 squares. Place on tray. Bake for 5 minutes.

Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium -high heat. Cook onion, garlic and mushrooms, stirring for 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Add capsicum and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes. Cool for 5 minutes.

Spoon vegetable mixture onto pastry squares, leaving a 1cm border. Sprinkle with prosciutto and feta. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. Serve sprinkled with basil leaves.

Moroccan Chickpea and Spinach Soup

WW 1.5

serves 4

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium brown onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp Moroccan spice mix
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 x 135 tubs apricots
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 litre vegetable stock
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 bunch english spinach, washed, trimmed, shredded


Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and spice mix and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant


Add tomato paste, undrained apricots, rind, lemon juice, stock and chickpeas. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.


Blend chickpea mixture with a stick blender to the consistency you prefer (blend briefly to retain some texture or blend until smooth for a creamy taste). Add spice and cook, stirring, over  medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve.


Serving suggestion:
Serve with a dollop of low-fat natural yoghurt.




Cooks notes:
Perfect for a snack, or a starter.
When I made this, I didn't use the lemon rind.
Instead of Moroccan spice mix, I found a tin of Moroccan spiced chickpeas! No need to drain!  Perfect and tasted fantastic!
I also don't own a stick blender (or any blender for that matter), so I used an electric beater. I don't know if it "blended" it, or made any difference at all.