Slimming World Curry Sauce - 3 recipes/ 3 ways

Last week I shared with you my Spice Bag recipe, nothing accompanies a Spice Bag better then a tub of curry sauce!

Here are some easy and mostly syn free curry sauce recipes.

Method 1

Mushy Pea Curry Sauce

This can be a bit like marmite some people love it and some people will not even dare to make it.

If you are brave enough to give it a go you will be pleasantly surprised that it taste nothing like mushy peas and is a very mild tasting curry.

Ingredients

1 tin of mushy peas

1 tin of baked beans

1 tin of chopped tomatos

1-2 spoonfuls of syn free medium curry powder ( check sw app)

1. Empty all tins into a saucepan and heat through
2. Add in curry powder and mix
3. Curry can be served as is or blended until smooth

LovelyGirlyBits has a recipe that includes more speed food and spices to give it more flavor. Check it out!

Method 2

Simple Tomato Based Curry

If I decide to add curry to my dishes last minute then I always use this recipe. It is like a quick version of my Madras Recipe.

Ingredients

1 small onion, peeled and diced finely

1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic crusher

450g of passata

1tsp of turmeric

1tsp of coriander

1tsp of chilli powder

1tsp of cumin seeds/powder

1tsp of garam masala

4-6 tsp of water

1. Saute the onion and garlic in frylight on low heat.
2. Add in spices and saute for another 2 minutes
3. Add in passata and water and bring to a boil
4. Once boiled, turn down to a simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half (if you do not want to reduce it that's fine, I just like my curry to be a little thicker.)

Method 3

Chip shop curry

This recipe looks exactly like curry you get with a chipper dinner and is not too far off in taste either. This recipe is not syn free but with only 3.5 syns of flour and this can serve up to 4 people you can basically count just 1 syn.*

Ingredients

500ml of chicken stock

2-3 tbsp of syn free curry powder*

Frylight

1 small onion, diced finely

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 carrot, diced finely

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp of flour 

1. In a saucepan, saute the onions and carrots and garlic in frylight.
2. After 5 minutes add in curry powder and bay leaf.
3. Add a few more sprays of frylight, remove pan from heat, add in flour and mix.
4. Return to heat and slowly add in stock, constantly stirring.
5. Stir until all flour has dissolved and bring to boil.
6. Once boiled return to simmer and reduce until desired consistency.
7. Curry can be served as is(bay leaf removed), sieved to removed veg, or blended(blending will change colour slightly).

So here are my curry sauce recipes, of coarse there are many other recipes out there, even on the Slimming World website. As always I tailor my recipes to my Lactose Free diet.

*Always Double Check Syn Values in the Slimming World Book/Website.

Homemade Spice Bag- Syn Free

If you are Irish then you know what a Spice Bag is and how obsessed the entire country is with them. What started off in very few Chineses around Dublin has now taken over and Chineses in each county coming up with their own variation. Unfortunately their not very good while you are following a healthy lifestyle or a plan such as Slimming World.

So how to make a delicious spice bag that will not leave you craving the real thing.

Ingredients

(serves 2)
2 Chicken Breasts
1 slice of Brennans B Good Wholemeal Bread(or any other HEXB Bread)
1 egg, beaten
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
1 Onion, peeled and diced
1 Pepper, any colour, deseeded and diced
4 Large Potatos, peeled and wedged
4 tsps of chilli flakes- divide between chips, chicken and veg
2 tsps of chilli powder- divide between chips, chicken and veg
Good sprinkle of salt 

Method
 Preheat oven at 180 degrees(fan oven)

1. Par boil potatoes for 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness of chip.
2. Drain and dry the chips, spray evenly with Frylight and sprinkle on  chilli flakes and powder and mix.
3. Blend B Good bread into breadcrumbs with chilli flakes and chilli powder. I use a food processor or a blender
4. Dice up Chicken Breasts into strips
5. Dip strips into the beaten egg and then dip the strips covered in beaten egg into bread crumbs.
6. Once covered in breadcrumbs pop strips into a tin foiled (sprayed with frylight) oven dish.
7. Place chicken strips and chips into preheated oven for 30 minutes, shake chips halfway but do not touch chicken.
8. While they are in the oven prepare vegetables.
9. In a wok on low heat add in onions, peppers and carrots and spray with frylight. Sweat the veg for a good 15 minutes i.e do not colour the veg but soften them.
10. Add in the rest of the chilli flakes and powder.
11. Once chicken and chips are done, mix together with the veg and sprinkle on on salt.
12. Serve with some homemade syn free/ low syn curry sauce

(Come back next week for some curry sauce recipes)

 

Slimming World Update- Tips To Stay On Track When You Can Not Make Group

We all get them times when life can get super busy, 10 million things to do and not enough time to do it in. That was August for me! I had to prioritise and choose things that needed my time and things that at this moment I could not afford to give my time to. 

That is why at this moment I am not attending weekly weigh ins. After a crazy busy August of a horrendous flu that had me a week in bed, my Mams 50th and multiple of friends birthdays and preparing for college I could not make my weekly Monday meetings. 

At the moment I am waiting to get my college time table to see will I be home from college on a Monday to start going back or will I have to change group. I do miss group, group provides great support and let's you talk about your journey in an open non - judgemental setting.

I may not be at group but I am still following the plan. Slimming world is great in that sense it provides you with the tools to carry on in your everyday life.

So here are some tips to stay on track when you can not make group.

Remember why you started! 

So cliché I know but it really does help. We all started on this journey for a reason weather it was to lose weight, get healthy, feel better about ourselves or all of the above . If you keep this in mind then you are sure to stay on track.

Use your tools! 

 When you started you were given the tools in the form of your books and online tools i.e syn calculator. When you feel you are losing your way read the book. When you are unsure of syns use the calculator or the syns online tool with a list of  branded product syns.

Keep in touch with fellow slimming worlders! 

Weather it's the ladies from group, slimming world family on Instagram or one of the many groups on Facebook. All these men and women are on the same journey as you and can relate to every craving, every bad day, every milestone. A little word of encouragement can really set your mind back on track.

Do not deprive yourself!
It's the same as been in group, if you really want something have it by not having that naughty treat/ that extra tipple/cheeky takeaway you can drive yourself demented. Slimming world set you up with the tools to control your attitude towards food. So if you went way over syns or had a big binge get up the next morning and start all over again back on track.

Avoid the scales at home!
If you are used to the scales at group do not start weighing yourself at home if you miss a meeting or two. Scales at home can be totally different from scales at group. They are not calibrated the same. You could be losing weight or maintaining but the scales you have at home could have you at a three pound gain. This can really change you attitude towards the plan, you could end throwing all the hard work you have been putting in because of scales that weigh you different.

Hope my tips help you when you life gets to busy and you can not make group. Remember to stick to plan and everything will work out great.

Shepard's Pie- Dairy Free/ Slimming World Friendly

 My mam used to make Shepard's Pie nearly every week when I was younger. It was always a really filling meal and would warm you right up over winter months. Over the years I have been trying to make my version healthier every time I made it by omitting processed packets, gravy granules, extra salt and now by omitting dairy yet still having creamy mash on top.

Ingredients

(Serves 4 people or 2 really hungry people)

• 250g of under 5% lean mince(beef or lamb)
• 5 medium potatoes
• 2 beef stock cubes
• 500ml of boiling water
• 3 carrots
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
•  100g of frozen peas
• 100ml of unsweetened almond milk
• Pepper
• Dried mixed herbs
• Dried Parsley

Recipe

1. Chop vegetable up finely.
2. In a large pan fry mince until brown, add in onions and garlic and saute until soft.
3. At this stage add in dried herbs, these should be added in at the start as they need time to release flavor, if using fresh add in at the end.
4. Mix the stock cubes with 500ml of boiling water and add to the pot with carrots.
5. Bring to boil, turn to simmer to let the liquid reduce to thicker consistency.
6. Peel and chop potatoes to roughly the same size, bring to boil in a pot of water. Depending on size of potatoes this can take 15-30mins.
7. When the gravy mix has reduced to a thicker consistency remove from heat.
8. Drain potatoes, using a potato masher mash potatoes, add in almond milk a little at a time, too little and they will be dry, too much and the mash is ruined. Constantly taste test. I also add in pepper and parsley to add flavour.
9. Add in frozen peas for last 5 minutes of simmering
10. In a oven dish add in your mince mixture, once evenly spread out start to add mash on top.
11. Evenly smooth out mash, using a knife/fork along the top and create a design, I went with criss-cross design. By adding a design to the mash you are giving more of a surface area to get crispy. Pierce the mash all the way through in some areas to allow steam release. ( I forgot hence my hole)
12. Place is a preheated oven of 160 degrees for 30 mins.
13. Serve and enjoy!

On Slimming World this would be considered free on Extra Easy Plan

Carribean Pepper Pot Stew

Ingredients

400g of stewing steak fat removed

2 red peppers

1 small sweet potato

200g green beans

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp of red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp of sweetener

2 tbsp of jerk seasoning

200g of passata

200ml of beef stock

2 tbsp of Worcester sauce

salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
2. In a hot pan sear the meat for 4-5 mins
3. In a large casserole dish add in all ingredients with the meat. Stir everything together
4. Cover with tin foil and place in oven for 1 1/2 hours
5. Serve with rice
   

Slimming World Syn Free Chicken Madras Recipe

Ingredients

4 Lean Chicken Breasts

1 onion chopped

1 tin of chopped tomatos (400g)

2 tbsp of tomato puree

2 tsp of garam masala

10 dried curry leaves

150ml water

Spice Mix

3 or 4 tbsp of chilli flakes/ 1 or 2 red chillis chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 green cardamoms
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric

Recipe

1. Spray pan with fry light and brown off the chopped chicken for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. On a low to medium heat add in onion and saute for 5 minutes.
3.  Add in spice mix and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add in puree and tomatoes, bring the pan to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Now add in chicken with the 150ml of water, bring to a boil and cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add in the curry leaves and garam masala and simmer until sauce has thickened.
7. Serve with a side of rice or chips or salad, if you are like me you can serve with all three.

*Madras is a hot and spicy tomato dish, the heat of the dish can be controlled by how much chilli flakes or chilli you add in the more you add the hotter it will be.

Slimming World Week 8 update- 1/2 Stone Award

 

Stepping on the scales last night I had no idea what to expect, when a -3 popped up on the screen to say I was delighted is an understatement. After my ups and downs over the past few weeks, getting my first half stone award is an amazing feeling. I am now down eight pounds and well on my way to my stone award. This week I changed up what I was eating, I listened to my body and ate what I wanted. This week my body wanted carbs and I ate carbs by the bucket load!

The great thing about the Slimming World plan is that there is little or no restrictions. You can eat as much carbs as you want following the Extra Easy plan. There is also no time restricts e.g no eating past 7pm or any weighing involved so you can eat as much or as little carbs as you feel you need. In last week Slimming World Post I mentioned how with my insulin resistance Doctor had told me to avoid carbs where possible, so when I started Slimming World I was a little frightened of carbs, from week 2 I started including Sp days into my week. I feared that eating carbs throughout the week would have a negative effect on the scales come Monday, by Fridays I would switch from Extra Easy to Sp. Some weeks I lost one or two pounds with a few maintains thrown in. I was chipping away and content with it as I stated last week my journey will be a slow one.

I had no plan start of the week, as I said I just listened to my body and gave it what it wanted. I thoroughly enjoyed my week and all the food I consumed. I kept my syns to about 6/7 a day with one day of using my full 15 syns. Slimming World should never feel restrictive and if you food optimise 100% it never will. This week I ate crisps, had Chinese and wine. As long as you stay within syns then it will show on the scales.

I stayed the whole week on the Extra Easy plan, and as you can see my result was better then ever, -3 pound brought me up to 8 pound loss over all and got rid of my nasty one pound gain from last week.

You will find my instagram dedicated solely to my Slimming World Journey here. I post all my meals here and my weekly weigh ins. Below is just some of the delicious meals I ate during the week

 

 

So fellow Slimming Worlders how was your week? Did you get what you wanted on the scales?

Let me know in the comments below.

Do not forget to check back on Friday for another delicious Slimming World friendly recipe.

Remember you are in a race with nobody. Enjoy your journey, treat yourself and if you have a bad day/week remember tomorrow is a new day and all you have to do is pick yourself up and start a fresh.

Slimming World Nacho Style Feast

 

As before Friday is all about food on the blog , and even though I may be on Slimming World my food is still as adventurous as ever. 

The original recipe was featured in Slimming World's Magazine in May, it had a syn value of 1 for the whole dish. I tweaked mine to omit syns to make mine completely syn free. This dish is extremely easy to make, as well as been perfect for sharing. so grab a few mates around and dish this up they will have no idea its a Slimming World recipe.

Ingredients

250g of lean mince(5% or under)

1 tin of kidney beans

1 tin of plum/chopped tomato's

1 beef stock cube

1 tsp of tomato paste

1 carrot grated or chopped finely

1 onion chopped finely

2 cloves of garlic

1 jalapeno chili

70g of grated cheese

2/3 large potato's, peeled and chipped into large wedges

Spice Mix:

1 tsp of chili flakes

1 tsp of Cajun spice

1 tsp of mixed herbs

1 or 2 tsp of chili powder

1 tsp of smoked paprika

Method

1. Par boil the potato's for 3 minutes in boiling water, drain and place on a chip tray and evenly spray with Fry light one cal spray. Pop in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Shake at 15 minutes.
2. In a non stick frying pan brown off the mince, when it is evenly brown add in onions and garlic and saute on a medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Add in crumbled up beef stock cube and spice mix and tomato paste, give a good mix around the pan, evenly coating the meat and vegetables.
4. Add in tomato's and kidney beans(juice and all) with the grated carrot. Bring to the boil constantly stirring and then leave to simmer for about 15 minutes or so, until it thickens up.
5. When the chips are finished remove from the oven and arrange them around the outside of the oven dish( like the picture above).
6. Place the chili in the centre of the dish. On top of the chili throw on the chopped jalapeno ( seeded or deseeded) and evenly sprinkle the cheese on top.
7. Place under the grill or back into hot oven for 10 minutes.
8. Serve! Enjoy!

This recipe serves two people, can easily be altered to serve more.

Vegetables can be altered to suit your own preferences.

Hotness of the dish is up to you this recipe is on the milder side of things just up the quantities on the spice mixture to make it more spicy.

Syn Values:

1/2 of the Dish: Free on Extra Easy using HEXA

If not using cheese as HEXA then 35g of reduced fat cheese is 5-6 syns do check on your Slimming World app or with your Consultant.

Enjoy