Mushroom Lasagna

1 packet fresh lasagna sheets or instant lasagna sheets
500 g mince
1 large onion
1 small tin mushrooms
1 tin tomatoes
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tbsp butter
1 cup water
pinch salt and pepper


SAUCE
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup plain flour
2 cups milk


Cook chopped onion in melted butter. Add mince and stir til mince is browning. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, water, herbs and salt and pepper and cook for about 1 hour.


Melt butter, add flour and stir to a paste. Add milk, cook and stir til the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Grease large oven dish and put a think layer of hot mince. Cover with lasagna sheets. Put the rest of the mince and cover again with more lasagna sheets. Pout over the sauce and sprinkle liberally with grated cheese. Brown in a fairly hot oven - 200C for approximately 30 minutes.

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.

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.

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.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

WW 7pt

serves 4

400g lean beef mionce
1 tsp dried oregano
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup tomato pasta sauce with roasted garlic & red wine
150g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
2 tbs finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
250g dried spaghetti


Combine beef, oregano and half the onion in a medium bowl.Roll tablespoons of the mixture to make 20 meatballs.


Lightly spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Cook meatballs, turning occassionally, for 3-5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to plate.


Cook garlic and remaining onion in same pan, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened. Add the tomaotes, pasta sauce and mushrooms. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10mins. Add meatballs. Covver and simmer for 15 mins or until sauce is thickened slightly ad meatballs cooked through. Stir in the basil and half the parsely.


Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water following packet instructions or until just tender.  Drain. Serve with pasta topped with meatballs and sprinkled with remaining parsley.


Suggestion:
serve with a side salad

Herb and Bean Falafels

Falafel
2 x 400g cannelloni beans
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup parsley
1 cup mint leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
rock salt and black peppercorns - freshly ground
1 1/2 cup besan flour
700ml vegetable oil for deep frying


Yoghurt Sauce
1 small lemon
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup greek style yoghurt
1 tsp cumin


Drain the beans thoroughly. Transfer to a large bowl and roughly mash.
Finely chop the onion, add to the bowl with the garlic that has been minced/ crushed.
Finely chop the parsley. Add to bowl.
Finely chop the mint. Add to bowl.
Stir in spices, freshly ground salt and pepper and 1/2 cup of Besan flour. Combine well, then form into small balls (1 flat tablespoon amounts) with your hands that have been lightly floured with the remaining flour.
Heat the oil until hot. Cook falafels in batches of 4-5 for about 3 minutes or until a dark golden brown colour. Remove from hot oil and drain on paper towels.


To make the yoghurt sauce, finely grate the lemon rind. Chop mint to a desired consistency.
Combine lemon rind, mint, yoghurt and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and serve with falafels.


Notes:
Cannelloni beans can be substituted with any other white bean.
Besan flour is available from health food and asian food stores. It binds the falafels and doesn't make them gluggy.






Chef's idea:
My husband made these the other night (YES! He was in the kitchen!). He didn't use the mint leaves, used only ordinary plain flour, and put enough oil in a deep fry pan to cook. Still tasted good!! We ate these with just greek yoghurt, and it was delish!