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Salmon En Croute

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Salmon En Croute

I decided to have a go at this No Count recipe as I was looking for another way of cooking salmon, and salmon en croute is a meal I haven’t had for nearly two years while I’ve been following the NC plan.  It was always going to be tough to try to replicate the real thing but we absolutely loved this and I can’t wait to make it again.

It’s free on No Count and 5 points per serving if following WW Freestyle.

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 2 boneless salmon fillets
  • 80g baby spinach
  • ½ an onion, finely chopped
  • 25g fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 WW wraps
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (use a low-cal spray oil if following WW Flex)
  • 100g Yeo Valley 0% crème fraiche
  • an egg

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion. Cook for a couple of minutes.
  3. Add the spinach, parsley and lemon juice and cook for a further 3 minutes.
  4. Take the pan off the stove and squeeze any water out of the spinach.
  5. Stir in the crème fraiche and season to taste.
  6. Lay the wraps out on a baking tray and brush some of the beaten egg all round the edge.
  7. Place a salmon fillet on each wrap – over to one side – before putting some of the mixture from the pan over each salmon fillet.
  8. Fold over the wrap and press down with a fork to seal the edges together.
  9. Brush the remaining egg over each wrap.
  10. Place the baking tray in the oven for about 25 minutes.
  11. I’ve served it here with roasted vegetables: enjoy!

When I make this again, I’ll serve it with mashed potatoes and long-stem broccoli.

Banana, Oat and Blueberry Biscuits

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Banana, Oat and Blueberry Biscuits

These have just come out of the oven and are such a delicious afternoon treat – perfect with a cuppa!  I’ve adapted a recipe from the new WW Bakes book in order to make them free on No Count.  If following WW Freestyle, they would be 1 point each if you made 12.

Ingredients (makes 10):

  • 4 bananas, mashed
  • 125g oats
  • 100g blueberries

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180C.
  • Mix the bananas and oats together in a bowl.
  • Add the blueberries and stir in carefully.
  • Use a spoon to place the mixture on a non-stick baking tray. I made 10 biscuits.
  • Bake for 15 – 18 minutes.
  • Allow to cool and enjoy!

Afternoon Tea

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Afternoon Tea

I love creating No Count alternatives for foods I particularly enjoy and an afternoon tea has always been a favourite of mine.  On our recent trip to Devon, we had planned to go out for a cream tea but I decided to make a DIY one instead.  I’d definitely do this again – a super treat without any guilty feelings – and so filling that hubby and I didn’t manage to eat it all!

I had six of the finger sandwiches, one quiche, two of the red velvet brownie pieces (which was one brownie cut in half) and one scone – this was just 2sp on No Count!  If following WW Freestyle, it would be about 10sp per person if you had the same amount.

Sandwiches

Take 6 slices of Warburtons medium sliced wholemeal bread and used two slices to make each of these:

  • wafer thin ham and tomato
  • egg mayonnaise
  • tuna and cucumber

I used 2 tbsp of Aldi lighter than light mayonnaise in total on all of the sandwiches (this amount is free).  I also cut the crusts off which I have taken into account when working out the points for WW Flex.

Crustless Quiches

I used the recipe that can be found here: lovingnocount.com/no-count-crustless-quiches/ and added ham and spring onion.

Red Velvet Brownies

I made these the day before and cut each brownie in half.  The recipe can be found here: lovingnocount.com/red-velvet-brownies/

Blueberry Scones

These are a real treat if you haven’t tried them yet.  View the recipe here: lovingnocount.com/blueberry-scones/

I made NC cherry jam (using 200g frozen cherries and blackcurrant sugar-free jelly) – lovingnocount.com/no-count-jam/ – to put on the scones as well as Yeo Valley 0% creme fraiche which is free on NC.

All served with a pot of tea.  Perfect!

Red Velvet Brownies

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Red Velvet Brownies

Here’s another amazing recipe created by Mands (@mands5781) and just in time for Easter!  A fantastic chocolate dessert which is very low in points.  I made them yesterday and they are absolutely delicious!

You can have two for 1sp on No Count and they’re 1sp each on WW Freestyle.

Ingredients (makes 9):

  • 2 bananas
  • 3 eggs
  • 50g 0% Greek yoghurt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp sweetener (I use sukrin gold)
  • 1-2 tsp red food colouring
  • 50g Ready Oats (like Ready Brek)
  • 12g cacao powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 100g quark
  • 10g vanilla #jello mix (you can use vanilla extract instead if you can’t get this)
  • 12g white chocolate chips

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180C.
  2. Line a square brownie pan with greaseproof paper.
  3. Mash banana well, until smooth, and mix with egg yolks, yoghurt, vanilla, sweetener and red food colouring.
  4. Whisk the whites lightly and fold in.
  5. Add the oats, baking powder and cacao and mix well altogether.
  6. Pour this mix into the brownie pan and leave to settle.
  7. In a separate bowl, mix the quark with the vanilla jello powder and you’ll get a stiff set vanilla cream cheese mix. If you don’t have the powder, just use vanilla extract and some sweetener and mix with the quark.
  8. Dollop the cream cheese mix around the brownie pan and swirl into the mix, leaving marbled blobs and not mixing too much.
  9. Finally add the white chocolate drops evenly over the top and bake for 15 – 20mins depending on how squidgy you like your brownies.
  10. Allow to cool (if you can) then slice into 9.
  11. Enjoy!

No Count Garlic Flatbread

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No Count Garlic Flatbread

I’ve had a few goes at trying to make some sort of bread with oats but none of them have ever been edible:-)  However, I decided to give it one more try this week, as I really fancied some garlic bread to go with my soup, and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome – adding the garlic has made all the difference. I will definitely be making this again, and hubby enjoyed it too, but it might not be to everyone’s taste.  If you try it, I’d love to hear what you think.

(The whole recipe works out at 10sp if tracking.)

Ingredients (serves 2 people):

  • 100g oats, blitzed in food processor (or you can use oatmeal)
  • 100g low fat natural yogurt (use 0% if tracking)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp garlic puree or 2 garlic cloves, crushed (you can adjust this amount to taste)
  • 10g plain flour for rolling out the ‘dough’ (5g per person is free)
  • Frylight, or a similar alternative, for cooking

Method:

  1. In a bowl, mix the yogurt, salt and garlic together.
  2. Mix the oats with the baking powder before pouring into the yogurt mixture. Stir until it’s all mixed together and you can form this ‘dough’ into a ball using a spoon.
  3. Sprinkle the flour onto a pastry board and put the dough on it.

You now have two options:

  1. Using a knife, cut the dough into four pieces and roll each one out. You do need to make sure the rolling pin has flour on it as the dough can be very sticky.  Place the four pieces into a frying pan that has been sprayed with Frylight, and cook on both sides for a couple of minutes.  Once cooked, I cut two of the pieces into triangles purely for aesthetic purposes. J (See the first photo above.)
  2. Alternatively, you can split the ‘dough’ into about 10 pieces and roll each of them out into thin strips, in your hands. Place the strips into the frying pan and cook them on both sides for a couple of minutes.  As I turned them over, I did flatten them slightly with a spatula. (See the second photo above.)

I’m looking forward to trying these with the hummus and beetroot dips which can be found at: lovingnocount.com/bruschetta-and-dips/

NB: If you haven’t read the information about blitzed oats, please do so.  It’s on the FAQ page under the ‘No Count Explained’ section.

You can use 10g plain flour to help roll the dough out – this is the tricky bit so make sure you smother the rolling pin with it:-)

I have since made this ‘flatbread’ using oatmeal which is free on No Count and it’s just as good taste-wise.  The mixture is even stickier though but I’ve found that if you mix the ingredients together and leave it to stand for ten minutes, it is slightly easier to flatten into small pieces using your hands – no need for flour and rolling.

No Count Festive Roast Salmon

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No Count Festive Roast Salmon

Many thanks to Mands (@mands5781) for another delicious recipe of hers.  She usually makes this dish on either Christmas Eve or Boxing Day to keep things light during all the indulgences, but it would be great for any occasion – including Easter.

You could adapt the crumb easily – using lemon rind instead of clementine, which goes perfectly with a meaty white fish like cod or haddock.

This meal is free on No Count but you might want to exchange the wholemeal bread for a seeded slice of bread which would make the recipe 1 point per portion.  If following WW Freestyle, the salmon is free but you would need to weigh and point any potatoes you served it with.

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 500g salmon side fillet
  • a slice of wholemeal medium-sliced bread (Hovis, Warburtons)
  • 15 cranberries, chopped (fresh, raw)
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 2 clementines, rind only
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 sprig parsley
  • a pinch of black pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 190C.
  2. Foil a dish and lay the salmon into it, skin side down.
  3. Toast the bread and, once cool, pop it into a food processor with the garlic, rosemary and parsley and blitz to a crumb.
  4. Mix in the chopped cranberries, clementine zest and pepper, and spread over the top over the fish.
  5. Bake for about 20mins until cooked through – check the middle of the fillet to ensure it’s cooked through but not overcooked.
  6. Portion into 4 and lift off with a fish slice – the skin should stick to the foil and the fish will come off easily without it.

Mands served this with fresh, steamed lemon veggies and some garlic air roasted potatoes – all free on No Count.

(Photos courtesy of Mands.)

Egg Custard Tarts

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Egg Custard Tarts

I decided to have a go at making these as they used to be my dad’s favourite dessert and always remind me of him.  One of them is free on No Count but two would be 1sp because of the ground almonds.  If following WW Freestyle, they are 4sp each.

Ingredients (makes 6):

  • 85g oatmeal (I use the Mornflake brand)
  • 80g blitzed oats
  • 2 flat tbsp Splenda/Truvia/Natvia/Canderel
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pinch of bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 12g ground almonds (2g per person is free)
  • 20g plain flour for rolling out the dough (5g per person is free)

Ingredients for the egg custard:

  • 200ml skimmed milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp Splenda (or other sweetener)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • nutmeg (to sprinkle on top

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.
  2. Mix the oatmeal, oats, Splenda, ground almonds, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
  3. Stir in the oil, lemon juice and 50ml hot water. Mould into a ball with your hands.
  4. Scatter the 20g plain flour on the kitchen top and roll out the dough. Use a pastry cutter to cut out 6 circles.  (The rolling out can be tricky. If you need to roll out twice, add a touch more water to the remaining mixture.)
  5. Put these into a muffin tray (I use a silicone one) and gently press them down so that they fit into the mould.
  6. Mix the milk, egg yolks, Splenda and vanilla extract together and pour into the pastry cases.
  7. Sprinkle the top of each one with nutmeg.
  8. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
  9. Turn the oven down to 180C and bake for a further 5 – 10 mins. (It is hard to get the timing right so that they are not overcooked or undercooked.)
  10. Enjoy!

If you have not already done so, please read the information about blitzed oats here: lovingnocount.com/faq/

Fig and Hazelnut ‘Blondies’

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Fig and Hazelnut ‘Blondies’

Here’s another variation on Mandy’s original ‘Blondies’ recipe.  They are two for 1sp on No Count and if following WW Freestyle, they are 1sp each or 2 for 3sp. A fab snack or great as a dessert with fruit and natural yogurt.

Ingredients (makes 10):

  • 50g ready oats (eg: Asda Ready Oats/Ready Brek)
  • 10g self-raising flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup (or other sugar-free syrup)
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 50g low fat natural yoghurt (use fat free on WW Flex)
  • a pinch of salt
  • 20g chopped hazelnuts (2g per person is free)
  • 4 fresh figs, peeled and chopped into small pieces

Method

  1. Mash the bananas and beat well with the egg yolks, sugar-free syrup, vanilla extract and yoghurt.
  2. Lightly whisk the egg white and fold in.
  3. Add the oats, flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt and mix well.
  4. Stir in the hazelnuts and figs.
  5. Pour into a greaseproof papered brownie tin.
  6. Bake on 180C for 15 – 20 mins.
  7. Allow to cool in the brownie tin and cut into portions.

Enjoy!

Serving suggestion:

This dessert uses two of the ‘blondies’, making it 1sp on No Count or 3sp if following WW Flex: Total 0% Greek yogurt with a squirt of sugar-free maple syrup and strawberries complement the ‘blondies’ perfectly.

Mini Lemon and Ginger Cheesecakes

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Mini Lemon and Ginger Cheesecakes

Cheesecake remains a favourite dessert of mine so I’m always on the lookout for a new recipe to try. I adapted a WW recipe (Raspberry and Ginger Cheesecake) to make these mini cheesecakes which are 1 point each on No Count.  They make a delicious dessert but do take quite a while to make as, with No Count, you have to bake the NC biscuits before you can then use them in a cheesecake.

If following WW Freestyle, they are 4 points each.  You could use a different base to reduce the points – the topping is just 1sp per portion.

Ingredients (makes 6 – 8):

  • 85g Mornflake oatmeal
  • 80g blitzed oats
  • 2 flat tbsp Splenda/Truvia/Natvia/Canderel
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pinch of bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (from daily allowance)
  • the zest and juice of two lemons
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 2 or 3 tsp ground ginger (depending on how gingery you like them)
  • 180g Philadelphia lightest (6sp)
  • 300g Skyr natural yogurt or 0% Total yogurt or Yeo Valley 0% crème fraiche
  • 1 tbsp Myprotein sugar-free maple syrup
  • 2 sheets fine leaf gelatine
  • 24g Flora light (4g per person is free)
  • fruit to decorate

Method:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
  2. Mix the oatmeal, oats, Splenda, lemon zest from one lemon, salt, nutmeg, mixed spice, ginger and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
  3. Stir in the oil, lemon juice from one lemon and 50ml hot water.
  4. Divide the mixture into six pieces and flatten with your hands.  (These shapes will be crumbled once cooked so it doesn’t matter what they look like.)
  5. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes before taking out and allowing to cool.
  6. Once cooled, put the ‘biscuits’ in a bag and crush into crumbs with a rolling pin.
  7. Melt the Flora and mix with the crumbs.  Share the mixture out between 6, 7 or 8 small dishes.  (I used empty Gu dishes that I’d saved.)  Press the mixture firmly down and get it as level as you can.  Chill in the fridge for an hour.
  8. Soak the gelatine in cold water for a few minutes until it has softened.
  9. Meanwhile, mix the yogurt or crème fraiche with the Philadelphia.  Stir in the zest and juice from the remaining lemon and the sugar-free syrup.
  10. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine and place it in a pan.  Melt over a low heat while stirring continuously.
  11. Remove from the heat and whisk in two tbsps of the soft cheese mixture.  Then pour this back into the remaining soft-cheese mixture and stir it all together.
  12. Spoon this mixture over the biscuit base and chill for a couple of hours, until it is firm.
  13. Decorate with fruit and serve.

NB:  Please see the information about blitzed oats in the FAQ section, if you haven’t already done so.

(The biscuit base is a bit crumbly but it perfectly complements the lemon topping.)

Slow-cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken

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Slow-cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken

I’d planned a new sweet and sour recipe for this week but it’s been such a busy week that I decided to try a slow-cooked version so that it would be all ready for eating when I arrived home.  I was pleasantly surprised as I’m used to crunchy vegetables in a sweet and sour recipe but this was really good too!  The meal is 1sp on No Count and 6sp if you’re following WW Freestyle.

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
  • 4 peppers cut into strips (I used 2 red, 1 yellow and 1 green)
  • an onion, sliced
  • an inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
  • 75g tomato ketchup (50% less sugar)
  • 75ml balsamic vinegar
  • a 400g tin of pineapple chunks in natural juice
  • 2 tablespoons sugar-free syrup (I used the Myprotein maple one – available online at Myprotein.com)
  • a tbsp lime juice
  • lemon thyme (optional – to decorate at the end)

Method:

  1. In a bowl/jug, mix the tomato ketchup, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, the juice from the pineapples, the sugar-free syrup and 100ml water.
  2. Put the chicken, peppers, onion, ginger and half of the pineapples in the slow cooker. (You can use all the pineapples if you wish but I found that half the tin was enough.)
  3. Pour the contents of the bowl/jug into the slow cooker.
  4. Cook on Low. My slow cooker cooks quite quickly so it was only on for 4.5 hours.
  5. Serve with 50g brown rice and decorate with chopped lemon thyme if you wish.
  6. Enjoy!