Butternut squash and spinach rotolo

I decided to give this one a go as it's veggie and pretty substantial. And I have to say it made an excellent Sunday dinner. Took a while to make as I had to wait for the squash to roast in the oven but it was well worth it!  Another recipe my hubby loved. I reckon this would be good for having friends round as you could make it in advance, bung it in the fridge then cook it off when everyone arrives.

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/squash-spinach-pasta-rotolo

I didn't have any fresh pasta so instead I used dried lasagne sheets but I softened them in boiling water for a few minutes then laid them out on grease proof spritzed with fry light. Careful they don't stick together.

I didn't have a big enough butternut squash but I had a large sweet potato kicking around and so i roasted this off at the same time and mashed them together and it worked a treat.

I also tweaked the spinach bit by adding some fresh mint and lots of freshly grated nutmeg. I didn't bother adding the Parmesan to each of the rolls. I just put plenty on top.

Patatas bravas topped with fried eggs

Cheap easy and rather tasty. Serves 2 but easily multiplied to serve more.  This dish is usually fried to give crispy spuds but you can get the same effect done in the oven as long as you keep them in one layer.

Ingredients:
2 floury red skin potatoes skin on diced
1 red onion peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic crushed
2tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1tbsp grated Parmesan
2tbsp tomato purée
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 eggs
Fry light

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200*C
2. Spray 2 ovenproof dishes with fry light
3. Split the onion between the dishes and use it to line the bottom of each dish
4. Add the diced potatoes and spritz with fry light
5. Bake for 30 mins until crispy and golden
6. In the meantime combine the other ingredients apart from the eggs in a jug or bowl
7. Once baked add the tomato sauce over the potatoes and replacd in the oven for a further 10-15 mins until the sauce is piping hot
8. In the meantime fry the eggs in a non stick pan with a little fry light on a very low heat. Make sure the yolks are still runny
9. Remove the dishes from the oven and top each one with an egg. Serve

Blueberry, banana and cinnamon pancakes - no flour, no dairy, no sugar, no fat!

I promise these taste a million times better than they look. They are totally gluten free, dairy free, sugar free and no fat either. In short they are fruit, eggs and cinnamon. Sounds like a fruit omelette right? I suppose to a point they are. And for all that doesn't sound very appealing, these are so worth a go.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
3 really ripe bananas (the blacker the skin the better as they are much sweeter and less starchy)
3 eggs
1 punnett blueberries
1-2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method:
1. Peel and Mash the bananas in a bowl
2. Beat in the eggs until thoroughly combined. This is your batter.
3. Add the cinnamon and blueberries and whisk in.
4. Preheat a non stick pan on a very low heat and add the batter 2 spoonfuls at a time. Only put about 3 pancakes in at a time. You need room to turn them.
5. Once bubbles start to appear on the surface

Aberdeen Angus beef shish kebab, spicy wedges with yoghurt and mint sauce

Can you have a kebab on a diet? YES!

I managed to get my hands on some lovely Aberdeen Angus minced beef that's less than 10% fat.  I'm not adding egg or breadcrumbs or any fillers. The meat is so good it doesn't need it.  These kebabs are spicy, crusted and moreish.

Ingredients:

Wedges:
1tsp ground cummin
1tsp paprika
1tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1tsp dried oregano
1 chicken oxo cube crumbled
2 big red skin potatoes cut into wedges (skin on)

Kebabs:
400g beef mince (less than 10% fat)
1tbsp balti curry paste

Sauce:
1 cup low fat natural yoghurt
2tsp mint sauce

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 220*C
2. Mix all the spices together in a big bowl and toss the wedges in the spices
3. Place in a single layer on a baking tray lined with grease proof
4. Put the mince in the same bowl to pick up any leftover spices
5. Add the curry paste and stir together thoroughly until the paste is totally combined with the mince
6. Divide into 4 portions. Scrunch each portion into an egg shape
7. Slide a metal skewer into the meat and then squeeze it to make it thinner and make it stretch along the skewer until it's covered
8. Place on a baking tray lined with grease proof
9. Put the wedges in the top of the oven and the skewers in the bottom
10. Cook for 30 mins turning both the wedges and kebabs halfway through
11. For the sauce simply stir the mint sauce into the yoghurt and at da!!!!
12. Serve with salad, low fat coleslaw and a little mango chutney

Mushroom-stuffed peppers, bean salsa and cous cous

Slight adaptation on a hairy dieter's recipe. And no giving me stick about using chorizo.  I know it's got fat in it but the flavour you get can't be replicated. Also I don't add any oil when frying the mushrooms, I just use the little oil that comes out of the chorizo.

Ingredients:
Stuffed peppers:
2 peppers halved and deseeded but leave the stalk intact
1/2 chorizo ring diced
8-10 mushrooms chopped small
2 garlic cloves crushed
1tsp dried oregano
1tsp chilli powder
1tsp paprika
1tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 slice brown bread  crumbled
2tbsp tomato purée
1/4 block feta crumbled

Bean salsa:
1/4 can mixed beans drained
1/4 can sweet corn drained
Small handful fresh coriander chopped
6 splashes lime juice

Cous cous:
1/2 cup cous cous
1 cup boiling water
Mexican spice mix

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200*C
2. Fry the chorizo in a frying pan on a low heat till it releases it's oils.
3. Add the mushrooms and bread, turn up the heat and fry until dark and all the moisture has evaporated
4. Add the other ingredients stir together and stir together
5. Spoon the stuffing into the pepper halves put on a baking tray and bake for 30 mins
6. In the meantime combine the ingredients for the salsa and stir together
7. Add the spice mix to the cous cous, pour over the boiling water and cover with cling film for 10-15 mins until the liquid is fully absorbed. Then fluff it up with a fork
8. Serve