Following my recipe earlier this week for my festive Mince Pie Bites, next in the Christmas countdown are these delicious little treat which I have made many times as a lighter contribution to a festive buffet.
Chicken and Chorizo Lasagne – 15sp
I often roast a chicken on a Sunday night and then use it throughout the week for lunches and evening meals. This week I decided to try something new and, being a lasagne lover, thought this combo would be really tasty. It is a bit higher in points than some of my other recipes but it really is worth it, filling and packed with flavour. If you don’t have left over roast chicken you could use finely chopped (or minced) chicken breast. Two 165g chicken breasts would be the same overall in points.
Mince Bites – 4sp
I LOVE mince pies but they are always just that bit too pointy to actually not feel guilty about eating them. Craving them still this Christmas I decided to see if I could come up with a low pp alternative and the result were these lovely little delicate bursts of flavour. They are really simple to make and have literally two ingredients and are perfect to take along to a buffet with you to provide yourself with a low smart point option.
Kickin’ Chicken Kebabs – 8sp
I’ve had skewers in my kitchen drawer for months now so thought this weekend I would get them out. I decided to change up a recipe I previously posted (my Sticky Chicken Wings) and change it up, lowering the propoints even further. The result was delicious. I served these kebabs this time with 40g of rice (for an extra 4sp) however you could also make these with Butternut Squash chips for a 0sp option!
Basil, Mozzarella and Tomato Salad – 4sp
This little beauty is exactly what the title suggests. A salad which consists largely of basil, tomatoes and mozzarella. Whilst it may sound a bit dull or boring it is actually a delicious and fresh salad which is both low in propoints and so, so easy to make. It is also a perfect starter option should you be trying to make a low point three course meal. I’ve included half a tsp of olive oil per person as it just helps to make the whole thing a little more slippery but feel free to leave it out for an even lower point alternative.
Sizzling Beef with Spring Onions & Black Bean Sauce – Only 12sp!
This was a recipe made for me by my lovely best mate’s OH and it was so nice I bought the recipe book to make myself a smart point friendly version. It’s from Jaime’s Ministry of Food (original recipe here) and comes in at a very reasonable 12sp each. It’s a nice change to have a different stir fry sauce like black bean and the addition of rice instead of noodles makes another welcome change!
Chicken Katsu
I’ve seen katsu curry on the menu a few times at our local Japanese but it’s known for being rather high in points. Having been craving it for a while, this week I thought I would see if I rustle up a low point version and the result was delicious! I served this with 50g of rice per person and lots of green salad leaves. The chicken katsu itself if 5sp so you can add as much rice as you require, just be sure to add the points.
Chicken Kiev with Butternut Squash Chips and Salad – 8sp
My OH loves a chicken kiev so whenever he fancies one (outta the freezer) I’m always stuck for what to have (and very jealous of him eating it). Not anymore!! Turns out home made chicken kievs are one of the most simple things you can make at home and the results are equally as delicious as the real thing, so much so that these days, my OH prefers the ‘Weight Watchers’ version too!
‘Jerky’ Burgers with Mango Salsa – 8sp
I was brain storming recipe ideas this weekend and thinking I hadn’t got my jerk seasoning out in a while. And that’s when it hit me. JERKY BURGERS. Not able to resist a pun, it had to be the lovely lean turkey mince I had in my freezer. Having made a delicious mango slaw with my Hoisin Duck Pancakes recipe I thought I would give this a twist and do a Mango Salsa to accompany it. Everyone knows burgers are nothing without chips so some delicious, well-seasoned Butternut Squash Chips were the perfect accompaniment.
Gorgeous Green Fusilli with Bacon
This delight of a dish involves hardly any cooking and the sauce is so quick and easy (it takes around the same length of time to prepare as the pasta takes to cook). This is one of my favourite recipes as usually when you are trying to find low point pasta meals, you would stick to tomato based pastas as they are lower in points. This recipe however, is a nice low point tomato free alternative. Depending on how hungry I am I sometimes add an extra handful of spinach leaves whole at the end and let it wilt in the heat.