Creamed spinach

Serves 2

12g butter

1/2 small onion

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp plain flour

100ml whole milk

200g bag spinach

50ml single cream

40g cheddar

Salt and pepper

Finely chop onion and garlic and soften in butter over a low heat. Add flour and then add milk gradually until you have a roux. Allow to.thicken. Meanwhile, boil the kettle and poor over the spinach to wilt. Stir into roux mix along with cream. Poor into oven proof dish and top with cheese.  At this point you can refrigerate until ready to cook. When ready, heat in oven at 180 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Crispy Cheese Balls

cheddar
1 egg
2 sliced bread, crumbed
2 tsp mustard
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients and shape into small balls.  Deep fry at 160 degrees C for 6 minutes.

Aubergine Parmigiana

1 medium aubergine, sliced into 1cm pieces
1 tomato, sliced into 1/2 cm pieces
1 ball low fat mozarella, sliced into 1/2 cm pieces
sprinkle grated parmesan

for the sauce

1 clove garlic
1/2 can tomatoes
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp tomato puree

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C.  Grill the aubergines on a medium heat for 10 minutes until softened.

In the meantime, make the sauce by softening the garlic in fry lite before adding all other ingredients.  Season to taste.

When ready, start to layer the ingredients in an oven proof dish, starting with the aubergine, then tomato slices, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 the sauce & a sprinkle of Parmesan. Repeat again before backing for 15 minutes.

Cranberry and Pecan Brie en Croute

Recipe & Image taken from www.the-girl-who-ate-evertrhing.com

1 sheet frozen puff pasry, thawed

18oz wheel of Brie

1/3 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon butter

¼ tablespoon cinnamon

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Soak dried cranberries in a small bowl of water for one minute so that they are not hard.

Lay thawed puff pastry sheet on a cookie sheet.

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in pecans and cinnamon and toast for about 3 minutes.

Place Brie in the middle of the puff pastry.

Place pecan mixture on top of Brie.

Place brown sugar on top of pecan mixture. The heat of the pecan mixture will help melt the brown sugar.

Drain cranberries. Place them on top of brown sugar.

Bring the edges of the puff pastry up and press them together making sure to seal the dough. If you have excess dough you can cut a leaf or decoration to add to the top of the Brie.

Twice Baked Skins

Recipe & Image taken from www.slimmingeats.com

2 large potatoes

low calorie spray

sea salt

black pepper

4 slice of cooked lean bacon, chopped

4 tablespoons of fat free sour cream (3 syns)

56g of cheddar cheese (2xHEa’s)

fresh chives

Preheat oven to 218c or 425f (gas mark 7)

Spray the skin of the potatoes with low calorie spray, and rub into the skin some sea salt, wrap with alluminium foil and bake in the oven for approx 45mins-1 hour.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Cut in half and then scoop out some of the flesh into a bowl, add the sour cream, bacon some chopped chives and a little salt and black pepper and mix all together.

Spoon back into the potato skins and top with the cheddar.

Place back in the oven and bake until cheese is melted and golden.

Serve as a side dish or as a meal with a mixed salad.

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Recipe & image taken from www.olivetheingredients.blogspot.co.uk

12 wonton wrappers, at room temperature

12 light mozarella string cheeses

Preheat over to 400 degrees 

Take out your room temperature wraps and wrap each one around a cheese string.

Bake in the over for 10-12 minutes, turning once until golden brown.

Baked Cheese Dip

Recipe & Image taken from www.triedandtasty.com

8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. cream cheese
16 oz. cheddar cheese, grated (sharp or mild)
4 oz. chopped green chilies
Green onion (suit your own taste)
1 c. chopped ham
1/2 pound chopped bacon
1 round bread loaf, hollowed out

Mix first seven ingredients together and put into the hollowed out bread loaf. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for one hour. Serve with leftover bread or chips.

Artichoke Dip

Recipe & Image taken from http://www.joyfulabode.com

8 oz. Cream Cheese, warmed in the microwave for 2 minutes on 50% heat to soften it

1/3 cup sour cream 

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 cup of chopped spinach (either fresh, cooked, or frozen, thawed)

2 cans or jars of non-marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped

garlic salt

chili powder to taste

handful of shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix all ingredients in a baking dish, and sprinkle on a bit more mozzarella, then grill until the cheese is browned.

Grilled Aubergine

Recipe & Image taken from http://www.mazamag.com

4 Servings

1 large eggplant
3 large tomatoes, to match the diameter of the eggplant
0.4 lbs feta, crumbled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
juice of half lemon
2 garlic cloves
½ extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut of the eggplant crosswise into ½” thick rounds. Lightly season them with salt and leave them for 30 minutes on a side to let water to come out of the eggplant.

Once ready drizzle some olive oil on top of each slice and grill them on a lightly oiled grill rack for 2 -3 minutes each side.

Blend the basil leaves with 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt in an immersion blender until smooth.

Cut the tomatoes crosswise to 1/4” thick rounds.

Lightly oil the baking pan. Arrange 4 eggplant rounds side by side. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of the basil-garlic mixture on top of each one, then generously sprinkle feta crumbs.

Top each with tomato rings.

Add another layer of eggplant, basil spread, feta and tomato rounds and top with the rest of the crumbled feta.

Preheat the oven to 400F

.

Drizzle some olive oil on top of each stack and bake for 15 minutes.