Easy tuna pasta bake

The Slimming World tuna pasta bake recipe is quick and easy – and really cheesy! It’s the perfect midweek family meal

3 Syns per serving

35 minutes

Serves 4

To make this dish Free, leave out the cheese.

Ingredients

350g dried fusilli pasta

1 small leek, trimmed and thinly sliced

100g frozen spinach

100g frozen sweetcorn

250g tub plain quark

175g fat-free natural fromage frais

400g canned tuna chunks in spring water, drained

75g reduced-fat Cheddar, grated

Method

Preheat your grill to its highest setting. Cook the pasta in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water for 8 minutes. After 4 minutes, add the leek, spinach and sweetcorn, making sure the water comes back to the boil quickly. Drain the pasta and vegetables and tip back into the pan.

Stir the quark, fromage frais and tuna chunks into the pasta with half of the cheese and some seasoning.

Spoon the pasta into a large ovenproof dish, sprinkle over the remaining cheese and place on a baking tray. Grill for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and browning.

Serve with Salad or vegetables.
 

Lamb rogan josh

Seasoned with fragrant spices, this slow-cooked curry produces lamb that’s meltingly tender

FREE

2 hours 50 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

Low-calorie cooking spray

800g boneless lamb shoulder, visible fat removed, cut into large bite-sized pieces

2 onions, halved and thickly sliced

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2cm piece root ginger, peeled and finely grated

2 cinnamon sticks

4 tsp paprika

2 tsp crushed cardamom seeds

4 tbsp medium curry powder*

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 tsp sweetener

600ml lamb stock

600g swede, peeled and cut into large pieces

Fat-free natural yogurt and chopped fresh coriander, to serve

*Watch out for spice/seasoning blends that have added ingredients (like sugar, oil or starch). To protect your weight loss, count ½ Syn per level tsp/1½ Syns per level tbsp.

 

Method

Spray a large, heavy-based lidded casserole or saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray and cook the lamb in batches for 3-4 minutes, until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Re-spray the casserole or saucepan with low-calorie cooking spray and add the onions. Cook over a medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly browned.

Add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, paprika and cardamom seeds and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the curry powder. Return the lamb to the casserole or saucepan and stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, sweetener, stock and swede. Season lightly and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to very low and cover tightly. Simmer gently for 2 hours, or until the lamb is meltingly tender.

 

Double bacon burgers

Dive into beef and bacon, crispy salad and an indulgent layer of creamy mayo, all sandwiched in a wholemeal roll. It’s a premium burger to savour!

6½ Syns per serving

25 minutes plus 30 minutes chilling

Serves 4

Deduct 6 Syns if using Bread rolls wholemeal  as a Healthy Extra ‘b’ choice.

 

Suitable for freezing (uncooked burgers only).

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped

500g lean beef mince (5% fat or less)

Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

8 back bacon rashers, visible fat removed

1 level tbsp extra-light mayonnaise

2 tbsp fat-free natural fromage frais

4 x 60g wholemeal rolls, halved (and toasted if you like)

A few lettuce leaves

¼ cucumber, thinly sliced

1 tomato, thinly sliced

1 onion, sliced into rings

Method

Place the onion, beef and parsley in a large bowl. Season lightly and mix well with your hands until combined. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and form each portion into a burger. Place the burgers on a plate lined with baking parchment, cover and chill for 30 minutes.

When you’re ready to cook, preheat your grill to high.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat, then gently press the burgers into the pan (you may need to cook them in batches). Cook for 1 minute then turn and cook for a further minute to seal, Reduce the heat to medium and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until cooked through, turning frequently.

Meanwhile, grill the bacon for 3-4 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking.

Remove the burgers and the bacon from the heat and drain on kitchen paper.

Mix the mayonnaise and fromage frais together and spread on both halves of the rolls. Fill with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, burgers and bacon.

Serve hot with Slimming World fries and plenty of salad.

Serve drizzled with yogurt and sprinkled with coriander.