Crispy Asian Sea Bass

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Healthy and delicious crispy Asian sea bass is packed full of flavour thanks to the garlic, lime and red chillies. This recipe really transforms that basic cut of fish into a mouth-watering dinner. A portion of this crispy Asian sea bass works out at only 277 calories per serving and 9g fat.

Crispy Asian Sea Bass

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 4 x175g sea bass fillets
  • Cornflour to dust
  • 2 tsp groundnut oil
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 30 g root ginger cut into matchsticks
  • 1 red chilli cut into matchsticks
  • Bunch of spring onions shredded
  • 3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
  • 400 g bok or pak choi or choi sum
  • 4 tbsp Kikkoman teriyake marinade
  • Lime wedges to serve
  • Steamed rice to serve

Instructions
 

  • Pat the fish with kitchen paper, then dust both sides with cornflour. Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan, then drizzle the skin on each fillet with a little more oil and add to the pan, skin-side down. Cook for 2-3 mins, turn and cook for a further min.
  • Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in a large wok, add the ginger, chilli and spring onion and cook for 2 mins, stirring. Add the garlic and cook for a further min, then spoon over the fish. Add the bok choi and teriyake marinade immediately to the wok, cook over a high heat for 1 min until wilted. Serve with the fish, lime wedges and steamed rice.

Notes

Look for Young’s Basa Fillets in the freezer aisle for a cheaper alternative to sea bass.

Skinny Spanish Fish Stew

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Flavour-packed skinny Spanish fish stew can be ready in just 30 mins. Made with cod, king prawns and a rich tomato sauce, this mouth-watering dish serves 1 and works out at only 236 calories per serving – perfect if you’re counting calories or trying to be good. This stew is served with a homemade cauliflower couscous, which is light and easy to make.

Skinny Spanish Fish Stew

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • spray oil
  • 100 g fennel sliced, fronds reserved
  • 1 tsp sweet or hot smoked paprika
  • 125 g tomato passata
  • 125 ml vegetable stock
  • 100 g cod
  • 75 g fresh king prawns
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 40 g green beans
  • 80 g cauliflower florets
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Put a squirt of spray oil and the fennel into a medium pan on a low-medium heat and gently cook until tender.
  • Add the paprika, tomato passata and vegetable stock. Cook over a high heat for 5 mins, until thickened.
  • Add the cod and fresh king prawns, stir well to coat in the sauce and cook for a further 5 mins, until both are just cooked through. Season to taste and add lemon zest and juice.
  • Meanwhile, cook the green beans in boiling water for 3-4 mins, until just tender. Whizz the cauliflower in a food processor.
  • Toss the cauli ‘couscous’ with a squeeze of lemon juice and serve with the fish stew and beans, scattered with fresh parsley.

Notes

If you've got leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Re-heat thoroughly before serving.

Slimming World’s Chicken and Potato Curry

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This delicious Slimming World’s chicken and potato curry is so simple to make and guilt-free too making it the perfect Saturday night alternative to a takeaway.

Slimming World's Chicken and Potato Curry

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 onion peeled and finely chopped
  • 794 g 1lb 12oz skinless and boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 large potatoes peeled and cut into large bite-sized pieces
  • 170 g 6oz baby leaf spinach, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp medium or hot curry powder
  • 400 g can chopped tomatoes
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • A large handful of chopped coriander and mint leaves

Instructions
 

  • Place a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. When hot add the onion, chicken, potatoes, spinach and curry powder, stir to mix well. Stir-fry for 2-3 mins.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and 397ml (14fl oz) of water and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 25-30 mins, or until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through and tender.
  • Remove from the heat and season well with salt and black pepper. Stir in the chopped herbs and serve immediately.

Notes

Using cheaper cuts of chicken like leg and thighs, will help to make this chicken curry less expensive.

Lentil and Bacon Soup

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This lentil and bacon soup recipe is a delicious lunch time option. Serving 4-6 people, this mouth-watering recipe is packed full of lentils which will keep you fuller for longer and bacon which adds a great depth of flavour to the soup. A hearty, healthy soup that all the family will love – and you can keep it for up to three months frozen, too. Just reheat it when you need a quick supper! This recipe takes 1hr to slow cook this luxurious soup dish. A portion of this dish works out at only 240 calories and 10g of fat per portion.

Lentil and Bacon Soup

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon
  • 1 onion peeled and chopped
  • 2 carrots peeled and diced
  • 200 g 7oz red lentils
  • 400 g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Crusty bread to serve

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the bacon, onion and carrots and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, or until the bacon has started to turn golden and the vegetables have softened. Add the lentils to the pan and stir well. Add the chopped tomatoes and 1.5 litres (2½ pints) boiling water, and stir in stock cube. Bring to the boil, cover, and then simmer the soup gently for about 1 hour, or until the lentils and vegetables are tender.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and leave the soup to cool slightly. Purée the soup with the parsley, and add seasoning to taste. If the soup is too thick, a little extra boiling water can be added.
  • Reheat the soup for serving in mugs, with crusty bread.

Notes

To save time (and washing up), this soup needn't be puréed, but can be left slightly chunky - just make sure it's cooked for long enough, so that the lentils are very tender. If the soup isn't going to be pureed, ensure that both the bacon and onion are finely chopped. To freeze, leave the soup to cool, pack into freezer containers, cover, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to defrost before reheating.

Mediterranean Roast Potatoes

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These Mediterranean roast potatoes are the perfect choice for a summer Sunday lunch. With crispy new potatoes and juicy cherry tomatoes baked with olive oil, garlic and anchovies, this spud recipe is a true taste of the Med. Try serving it up with roast chicken or baked fish for a delicious family feast.

 

Mediterranean Roast Potatoes

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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 750 g new potatoes
  • 4 tbsp light olive oil
  • 1 bulb garlic separated into cloves
  • 50 g anchovy fillets tinned, drained and sliced
  • 200-300 g cherry tomatoes on the vine
  • 3-4 tbsp sliced olives black and green
  • Black pepper to season

Instructions
 

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
  • Place the potatoes in a roasting tin and coat with 2tbsp olive oil. Roast them in the centre of the oven for 20 mins.
  • Remove from the oven and add the rest of the ingredients, drizzling over the remaining olive oil and grinding over some black pepper. Return to the oven for 20-25 mins, or until the potatoes are tender and the skins on the tomatoes are just starting to split. Serve immediately.

Notes

The way to tell whether a potato is new – rather than just small – is to rub the skin. It should come off easily.

Roasted Cauliflower and Cherry Tomato Dhal

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Flavour-packed roasted cauliflower and cherry tomato dhal is so simple to make and only 211 calories! It takes around an hour to cook, but it’s worth the wait. Made with yellow split peas and topped with cauliflower and cherry tomatoes, this dhal is full of all the classic Indian spices as well as onion and ginger. Get some naan bread for dipping and you’ve got a delicious Indian meal that’s good for you too.

Roasted Cauliflower and Cherry Tomato Dhal

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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g yellow split peas rinsed well
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 head cauliflower broken into florets
  • 250 g cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ tsp each cumin seeds and chilli powder
  • 1 onion sliced

Instructions
 

  • To make the dahl, boil 1 litre water and add the split peas, garlic, ginger, turmeric and bay leaves. Return to the boil, skim off any scum, then cover with a lid and simmer for 45 mins-1 hr, stirring now and then, until it thickens.
  • Heat the oven to 200C, gas 6. Toss the cauliflower and tomatoes with the oil, cumin, chilli powder, onion and seasoning on a baking tray. Roast for 20 mins.
  • Check the consistency of the dhal. If it’s a bit runny, remove the pan lid and increase the heat to reduce, stirring well.
  • Once the split peas are soft and fairly smooth, season well with salt. Serve in a bowl with the cauliflower spooned on top.

Notes

This side is best served on the day its made and eaten on the same day too.

Hairy Bikers’ Spanish-Style Chicken Bake

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This Hairy Bikers’ Spanish-style chicken bake recipe is a perfect one-pot wonder. The Hairy Bikers have captured the classic flavours of Spain in one dish – and it’s one of their diet dishes too! At just 370 calories per serving, you’d think this dish would be lacking in flavour – far from it! The powerful flavours of paprika and chorizo give the chicken a lovely Spanish twist.

Hairy Bikers' Spanish-Style Chicken Bake

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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 15 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium onion cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 medium red onion cut into 8 wedges
  • 500 g new potatoes quartered lengthways
  • 8 whole garlic cloves unpeeled
  • 8 medium tomatoes quartered
  • 75 g chorizo
  • 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 green pepper deseeded and cut into strips
  • Flaked sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Put the onions, potatoes, garlic and tomatoes in a large roasting tin and season with sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Toss everything together lightly and roast for 20 minutes.
  • While the vegetables are roasting, skin the chorizo and cut the meat into thin slices – 5mm is about right. Put the chicken thighs on a board and carefully slash each one 2 or 3 times with a knife. Season all over with black pepper. Mix the paprika and oregano together and set aside.
  • Take the roasting tin out of the oven, scatter the chorizo over the veg and turn everything a couple of times. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and chorizo and sprinkle with the paprika and oregano. Season with a little salt and return to the oven for 20 minutes.
  • Take the tin out of the oven. Holding one corner carefully with an oven cloth, lift the tin a little so all the juices run to the opposite end, then spoon and drizzle the juices back over the chicken. Tuck the pepper strips loosely around the chicken and vegetables.
  • Turn the oven up to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Put the tin back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the peppers are just softened and the chicken is golden and crisp.

Notes

The Hairy Bikers cut the fat on this dish by using chorizo, which has natural fats, so you don't need to add any extra

Healthy Chicken Casserole

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Healthy chicken casserole for cold winter nights, made with plenty of veg and butter beans for a filling meal that’s good for you too. The whole family is going to love this recipe, which is packed with nutrients but also something to look forward to. Serve on its own or with crusty bread.

Healthy Chicken Casserole

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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr 45 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion halved and finely sliced
  • 2 carrots peeled and thickly sliced
  • 2 celery sticks thickly sliced
  • 605 g pack chicken thigh fillets without skin
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 500 g new potatoes quartered
  • leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs and 2 thyme sprigs
  • 600 ml stock made from a stock cube
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 410 g can butter beans drained
  • crusty wholegrain or seeded bread to serve

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180C, gas 3. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pan and cook the onion until soft. Add the carrots and celery and stir so they are all coated in oil. Cook for 4-5 mins.
  • Toss the chicken in the flour, add to the pan and cook until lightly browned. Then add the potatoes, rosemary, thyme and stock. Heat until simmering, cover and cook in the oven for 45 mins.
  • Mix the cornflour with 4tbsp water to make a paste. Stir into the casserole and then add the beans and cook for another 10 mins. Serve with chunks of bread.

Hairy Bikers’ Thai Chicken and Coconut Curry

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Hairy Bikers’ Thai chicken and coconut curry is the perfect quick and easy dinner from The Hairy Bikers’ new show, The Hairy Dieters. This delicious recipe takes a classic dish and reduces the calories to turn it into a healthy family meal.

Hairy Bikers' Thai Chicken and Coconut Curry

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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin slices
  • 1 large red pepper deseeded and cut into thin strips
  • 1 large yellow pepper deseeded and cut into thin strips
  • 400 ml can of half-fat coconut milk
  • 250 ml cold water plus 2 tbsp
  • 2 heaped tbsp Thai green or red curry paste
  • 6 dried or fresh kaffir lime leaves
  • 4 tsp nam pla Thai fish sauce
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 150 g mangetout peas trimmed
  • 2 tbsp cornflour small handful of fresh coriander roughly torn
  • Small handful of fresh basil leaves roughly torn

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan, frying pan or wok.
  • Stir-fry the chicken and peppers for 1 minute. Pour over the coconut milk and add the 250ml of water, curry paste, lime leaves, fish sauce and caster sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
  • Add the mangetout and return to a simmer. Mix the cornflour with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir into the pan. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the spiced coconut milk has thickened, stirring frequently.
  • Serve the curry in deep bowls, scattered with fresh coriander or basil if using (and don't eat the lime leaves!)

Notes

You could use leftover cooked chicken in this recipe just make sure you reduce the cooking time for the chicken.