Another Chinese fakeaway and a tasty casserole all Slimming World friendly

Slimming World sweet and sour chicken and beef in red onion gravy were two new recipes I tried this week.

The sweet and sour chicken I did with cauliflower rice which, for the first time, I made myself thanks to my brand new spanking food processor. It was very quick and very easy and very tasty. Just what you want after you've been out walking in the countryside all day!!

Sweet and sour chicken:

Here's the SW recipe: (to serve four)

Ingredients

• 6 skinless chicken breast fillets, very thinly sliced
• 6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• Low calorie cooking spray
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sweetener
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
• 100ml passata
• Spring onion slivers and lime wedges, to garnish

Method

1. Place the chicken in a shallow ceramic dish. Sprinkle over the spring onions and garlic, season well and pour over the light soy sauce. Toss to mix well, cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a high heat. Add the chicken mixture and cook for 5-6 minutes and then add the dark soy sauce, sweetener, vinegar, paprika, 5-spice powder and passata. Stir to mix well and bring the mixture to the boil.
3. Reduce the heat and cook gently for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Check the seasoning before serving garnished with spring onion sliver and lime wedges to squeeze over.

I also did a beef in red onion gravy which was really good. I've never made my own gravy before so I was a bit worried about how this would turn out but it was beautiful! It took a while to make but it was worth it! 

Beef in red onion gravy: (excuse the messy plate)

Here's the SW recipe: (to serve four)

Ingredients

• Low calorie cooking spray
• 2 red onions, sliced
• 750g very lean braising steak, visible fat removed, cut into 2½ cm cubes
• 1 white onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 500g peeled carrots, roughly chopped
• 500g peeled swede, roughly chopped
• Finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, to garnish 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan140°C/Gas 3
2. Spray an ovenproof casserole pan with low calorie cooking spray and fry the red onions for 10 minutes until slightly caramelised, adding a little water if needed. Remove from the pan then spray the pan again with low calorie spray and brown the meat in batches. 
3. Meanwhile place the white onion and garlic in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. 
4. Stir the cooked red onions back into the meat with the puréed onion and garlic, stock cube, tomato purée, balsamic vinegar and 500ml of water. Season and bring to the boil. 
5. Cover and cook in the oven for around 2 hours or until the meat is really tender. 
6. About 30 minutes before the meat is cooked, cook the carrots and swede in lightly salted boiling water for 25-30 minutes or until soft. Drain, mash together and season.
7. Check the seasoning of the meat, scatter over the thyme and serve with the vegetable crush. Enjoy!