Huevos rancheros & potato cakes
1kg floury potatoes, cut into chips
Serves 4
Ready in 1 hour 10 minutes
1 red onion, finely sliced
3tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cucumber, deseeded and finely chopped
250g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
4 spring onions, finely sliced
800g floury potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
6 medium eggs, 2 beaten
Low-calorie cooking spray
20g fresh chives, finely sliced, reserving some to serve
400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
Lime wedges, to serve
1 Put the onion in a small bowl with the vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Toss well, then set aside for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the onions are floppy and pink. Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.
2 Put the cucumber, tomatoes, chilli and spring onions in a bowl. Season well and set aside.
3 To make the potato cakes, put the potatoes in a clean tea towel over the sink and squeeze hard to get rid of the excess liquid. Transfer to a large bowl, then stir through just enough beaten egg to bind the potato together (you may have some egg left over).
Add some freshly ground black pepper.
4 Spray a large, non-stick frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium-high heat. Put a quarter of the potato mixture in the pan and spread into a thin pancake, about 15cm wide. Cook for 4 minutes, or until golden underneath, then carefully flip and repeat on the other side. Transfer to a plate and repeat until you have 4 potato cakes. Put them directly on the rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the edges are very crisp.
If you’re not ready to serve, reduce the oven to low to keep them warm.
5 Stir the chives through the cucumber and tomato salsa. Gently squeeze the onions to remove any excess liquid.
6 Re-spray the frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and return to a medium-high heat, then fry the eggs to your liking. Put a potato cake on each plate and divide over the black beans and salsa. Top each with a fried egg and the onions, and scatter over the reserved chives. Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing over.
Chicken fajita pasta bake
Serves 4
Ready in 1 hour 15 minutes
Low-calorie cooking spray
2 red onions, finely sliced
2 peppers, any colour, deseeded and sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2tsp fajita seasoning
680g jar passata
1 chicken stock cube
300g dried pasta shapes, such as paccheri or rigatoni
4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1cm strips
160g mature reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, grated
Mixed-leaf salad, to serve
1 Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Spray a large frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Fry the onions and peppers for
8-10 minutes, or until softened and a little coloured. Add the garlic and fajita seasoning with a splash of water, and fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add 480g of the passata, the stock cube and 250ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes. Season to taste.
2 Meanwhile, boil the pasta for 3 mins less than the pack instructions (it will finish cooking in the oven), then drain well. Add the chicken to the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Toss the pasta through the sauce, then transfer to a 25 x 30cm baking dish.
3 Season the remaining passata, spoon it over the pasta, then scatter the cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is dark golden and crisp, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then divide between 4 plates and serve with the salad.
Chilli-topped chips
Serves 4 Ready in 50 minutes
Low-calorie cooking spray 400g can red kidney beans in chilli sauce
2tsp ground cumin
25g reduced-fat Cheddar, grated
Large green salad, to serve
1 Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Spread the chips on 1 or 2 large, non-stick baking trays in a single layer and spray with low- calorie cooking spray. Season and cook until golden, turning halfway.
2 When the chips have 10 minutes left to cook, mix the steak, kidney beans and cumin in a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the steak has broken down slightly and the mixture is piping hot.
3 Preheat your grill to high. Transfer the chips to a shallow baking tin or dish. Top the chips with the chilli mixture, evenly scatter the cheese over the top and grill until melted. Scatter over the coriander leaves, then divide between 4 plates. Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing over and the salad.
All recipes are taken from Slimming World’s collection. Recipes are based on Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan and the liberating concept of Free Food – food that is naturally lower in energy density (calories per gram) and most satiating, so you stay fuller for longer. To find out more about Slimming World and how to join, visit slimmingworld.co.uk or slimmingworld.ie, or call 0344 897 8000 or 01 656 9696. ‘Slimming World’ is a trademark of Miles-bramwell Executive Services operating as Slimming World. *Pregnant women, the elderly, babies and toddlers and the already unwell are advised not to eat raw or partially cooked eggs.