I'm back - with Slimming World Friendly Lasagne!

Good evening,

I can't believe it's almost a year since I last blogged a recipe on here!  I have decided to resurrect Homecooked by Hamill although a lot of my recipes will now be tailored towards Slimming World as I am following their plan.  I have had a very successful journey with them so far losing 2 stone 13 lb since I started mid May!  I still have quite a way to go but I'm in it for the long haul! Don't worry there will still be some non Slimming World recipes along the way!

Ok on to my Lasagne!  This recipe came about as I didn't fancy making any of the lasagne recipes I'd seen online or in Slimming World magazines, recipe books, etc.  Most of them contain quark and/or fromage frais and I'm not keen on either.  In the past pre SW I'd often used packet white sauce mixes for a quick hack when making mac & cheese or lasagne so I calculated the syns in a packet to see if they would be a viable option and thankfully they are!

Lasagne

Serves 4

2.5 Syns & 1 x Healthy Extra A on Slimming World

Ingredients:

6-9 dried no pre cook lasagne sheets (depending on the size of your dish)

500g minced beef (5% or less fat)

2 smoked bacon medallions,  chopped 

1 large onion, chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 stick celery, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

250g chestnut mushrooms, chopped

1 tbsp tomato puree

500g carton passata

1 white wine stock pot

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp ground mace

pinch of sweetener

salt & freshly ground pepper

2 x 25g sachets Schwartz white sauce mix

600ml 1% fat milk

80g reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

Place the minced beef, bacon, onions, carrot and celery in a shallow, lidded saucepan (without the lid at this stage) and cook until starting to brown all over, approx 15 mins, stirring frequently.

Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 mins, stirring frequently.  Add the tomato puree, passata, stock pot, herbs, mace, sweetener and seasoning and mix thoroughly.  Bring to a gentle simmer and cook with the lid on for around 20 mins stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile combine the milk with the sachets of sauce mix in another pan and cook according to the packet instructions.  

Assemble the lasagne in a large square or rectangular oven proof dish starting with a small drizzle of the white sauce then a layer of lasagne sheets followed by a layer of the mince mixture and another drizzle of white sauce.  Repeat the layers then add a final layer of lasange sheets and top with the rest of the white sauce and the grated cheese.

Bake at 200C for approx 40 mins but this will depend on the dish you've used and your oven so check it frequently and cook it for longer if needed.  it should be nicely browned and a little bit crispy on the top.  

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Shona x

Meatballs Alla Norma

Yay!  I'm back again!

This time I'm sharing a recipe I've made a couple of times now and it's delicious.  This time I left out the fennel seeds from the recipe and we enjoyed it more, but I'll leave that up to you.  The recipe has been taken from my Save With Jamie recipe book by Jamie Oliver.  The book recipe includes polenta but I prefer to serve it with tagliatelle.

Meatballs Alla Norma

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large aubergine

1/2 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley

400g minced beef

1 tbsp fennel seeds

olive oil

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Dice the aubergine into 1cm cubes then season well with salt and leave for 15 mins.  Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley and put into a bowl with the beef.  Mix together by hand then roll into 20 or so evenly sized balls.  Scatter the fennel seeds on a plate and roll the meatballs in them so they stick.  Put them in the fridge until needed.  

Take handfuls of aubergine and squeeze out the excess salty liquid.  Heat oil in a pan and cook the aubergine for about 10 mins until golden, stirring occasionally.  Crush the garlic and add to the pan along with the sweet chilli sauce and balsamic vinegar.  Tip in the tomatoes and a splash of water.  Simmer for around 10 mins or until thickened.  

Meanwhile, heat some more olive oil in a separate pan and brown the meatballs until they are cooked through.  Season the sauce to taste then toss through the meatballs.  Serve with tagliatelle or polenta with some grated parmesan. 

Meatball Stroganoff

Good afternoon,

Today's recipe is one I found in last month's Good Food magazine which is now also up on their website.  The recipe was easy to follow and really tasty, possibly even better than my usual beef stroganoff recipe and it was a nice change to make it with meatballs.  We served it with tagliatelle but it would be just as good with rice or mash.

Meatball Stroganoff

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 500g beef mince
• drizzle of oil
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g pack small button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 beef stock cube, made up to 300ml stock
• 150ml pot soured cream
• small pack parsley, chopped
• rice, mashed potato or tagliatelle, to serve

Method

1. Season the beef and shape into walnut-sized meatballs. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the meatballs until brown on all sides. Scoop out of the pan and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook for a few mins to soften. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and fry for a few mins until the mushrooms soften and start to brown a little. Stir in the tomato purée, paprika and flour for 1 min, then add the stock, bit by bit, to make a smooth sauce. Return the meatballs to the pan, cover and simmer gently for 15 mins or until the meatballs are cooked through.
2. Stir in the soured cream and most of the parsley, and season to taste. Serve scattered with the remaining parsley, with rice, mashed potato or tagliatelle.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2014

My Bolognese Sauce

Good evening,

Tonight's recipe is one of my own, well it probably started life as a recipe from somewhere long ago but I've added to it and adapted it to suit our tastes.  It's great with the old staple spaghetti but just as good with a baked potato.

Bolognese Sauce

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
450g minced beef steak
2 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
200g mushrooms, peeled and sliced,
1 clove garlic, crushed or finely chopped
100ml white or red wine
500g carton passata
1 tbsp tomato puree
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat a large saute or frying pan with a lid.  Add the mince, bacon, onion, carrot and celery and cook without fat, stirring regularly, until the vegetables have softened and the mince is starting to brown.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for 2-3 mins more.  Add the wine and bubble over a high heat until it has almost evaporated.  Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for around 20 mins.  Check the seasoning then serve with spaghetti or a baked potato and freshly grated parmesan.