Get wedding ready with yummy Slimming World recipes

Love spicy food but not the calories that come with it? Check out these tasty, healthy Slimming World recipes…

Lamb Madras

One of the hotter curries on the Indian menu, the Madras is thought to come from the eastern city of that name (now known as Chennai). Leave the seeds in the chillies if you want an extra blast of heat!

Serves 4, ready in 3 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 2 green chillies, deseeded
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 700g lean lamb leg steaks, visible fat removed, cut into large chunks
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cardamom pods, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 6 tbsp tomato purée
• 300ml boiling chicken stock
• 2 level tsp tamarind paste
• Finely chopped fresh coriander
• Rice, to serve

For the Madras curry powder

• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• 1 tsp turmeric

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Put the chillies, garlic and ginger in a small food processor and blend with100ml water to make a paste. Set aside. Make the Madras curry powder. Use a pestle and mortar to grind the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon and cloves to a powder. Stir in the turmeric and set aside.

2. Spray a non-stick casserole pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a high heat. Season the lamb and stir-fry in batches until browned on all sides, setting each batch aside. Add the onion to the casserole pan and stir-fry until soft and starting to colour – about 10 minutes. Add the garlic paste, cardamom, bay leaves and 3 tbsp of the Madras curry powder and stir well. (You can keep any leftover Madras powder in an air-tight jar).

3. Return the lamb to the pan and add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, stock and tamarind. Season to taste, mix well and cover the pan tightly. Cook in the oven for 2½-3 hours, stirring every hour or so until the meat is meltingly tender. Scatter over the fresh coriander & serve with boiled dried basmati rice.

Spicy hot-smoked salmon noodles

Noodle dishes are as filling as they are flavoursome, and this easy supper has tasty chunks of salmon
and healthy vegetables in every mouthful.

Serves 4, ready in 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 350g dried egg noodles
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp mild or medium curry powder
• 400g frozen sliced mixed peppers
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 300g skinless hot-smoked salmon fillet, roughly flaked
• Small handful of chopped fresh coriander
• Lime wedges, to serve

Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, spray a non-stick wok or large frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a high heat. Stir-fry the onion and carrot for 3 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, curry powder and peppers and stir-fry for 4 minutes or until just beginning to soften. Add the drained noodles and about 2 tablespoons of water and toss everything together. Add the soy sauce, season and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the salmon and stir-fry for 2 minutes/until piping hot. Remove from the heat, scatter over the coriander and divide between plates. Serve hot with lime wedges to squeeze over.

Mexican chilli chicken cups

You don’t have to miss out on the spicy delights of Mexican food – these crisp lettuce cups are every bit as tasty!

Serves 4, ready in 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 large red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 4 tbsp canned chopped tomatoes
• 4 tbsp tomato purée
• 4 cooked skinless and boneless chicken breasts, diced
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• Small handful of chopped fresh flatleaf parsley, to garnish
• 8 large leaves from an iceberg lettuce
• Lime wedges
• Rice, to serve

Heat a large non-stick frying pan and spray with low-calorie cooking spray. Add the garlic, onion, red pepper, chilli, cumin, paprika, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée and chicken and stir-fry for 6 minutes or until the mixture is hot and the vegetables are just tender. Season well and scatter over the parsley. Spoon the chicken mixture into the lettuce leaves, fold them over to enclose the filling and serve with lime wedges and boiled dried rice.