SLIMMING WITH SHERYL Time to spice up your life with these great recipes

WeightWatchers consultant Sheryl Macdonald is our local slimming expert

Scallops and a chicken tikka dish are on this week’s slimming menu. Scallops with grilled red pepper sauce

1 red pepper, halved and deseeded 5 sprays calorie-controlled cooking spray 3 spring onions, finely chopped 2tsp tomato puree Pinch of paprika 30g low-fat soft cheese 8 large scallops Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper 1tbsp fresh p parsley y or choppedpp chives •Preheat the grill. •Grill the pepper halves, skin side up, until it begins to blacken and char. •Cool for a few minutes, then peel and roughly chop them. •Meanwhile, spray a non-stick frying pan with low-fat cooking spray and cook the spring onions until softened, about three to four minutes. •Use a hand-held stick blender to puree the peppers, spring onions, tomato puree and lowfat soft cheese. •Season with a pinch of paprika and a little salt and pepper. •Place in a saucepan and heat gently. Add a little warm water to thin the sa sauce down, if n needed. •P •Preheat a ch chargrill pan or a nonstick st frying pa pan. Remove th the scallops fr from their sh shells, then sp spray with lo low-fat co cooking sp spray and chargrill or saute for about two minutes on each side. Avoid overcooking, or else they will be tough. •Pour a little sauce into each scallop shell, then top with a cooked scallop. Serve, sprinkled with parsley or chives.

Chicken tikka salad

2 x 160g chicken breast, skinless, cut into thin strips Fat-free Greek yogurt (quantities of 240g and 80g) 1-inch slice root ginger, peeled and finely grated 1 clove garlic, crushed Zest of half a lime 15ml lime juice Coriander (quantities of half tbsp, 1tbsp, and extra leaves to garnish) 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground cumin Half tsp hot chilli powder 1.5tsp paprika 1 carrot, grated 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 red onion, finely chopped 75g mixed salad leaves 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 folded naan breads, halved •Put the chicken in a bowl. Add 240g of the yogurt, plus the ginger, garlic, lime zest and juice, half a tablespoon of coriander and the spices. Mix well and cover with clingfilm. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. •Preheat the grill to high and cook the chicken on a foil-lined tray for eight minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through. •Meanwhile, make the salad. In a large bowl, toss together the carrot, chilli, onion and salad leaves. •Combine the remaining 80g of yogurt, the lemon juice and one tablespoon of coriander for a dressing, then set aside. Toast the naan halves until crisp. Divide the salad between plates and top with the chicken. Break up the toasted naan and scatter over, garnish with the extra coriander and serve with the dressing.

Sheryl’s weekly words of wisdom

“We don’t ask for perfect, we just ask you to be honest with yourself.”

Tasty treats Chefs can get cooking this week with healthy recipes for scallops and chicken tikka