Tag: Low-fat

Baked Lamb and Vegetables

Serves: 4

Prep time: 20 mins; Cook time: 50 mins

Low Fat

Ingredients:
4 x 7oz (200g) lamb shoulder chops
1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into strips
1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into strips
1 celery stick, trimmed and sliced
pinch of garlic salt
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of ground black pepper
4 thin slices lemon

Step One : Cut four 12 in (30cm) squares of foil. Trim and discard any fat from meat and place a lamb chop in the centre of each foil square.

Step Two : Divide the vegetables equally between the lamb chops.

Step Three : Preheat the oven to Gas 4/350oC/180oF. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic salt, thyme and the black pepper, then sprinkle over the vegetables. Place lemon slices on top.

Step Four : Fold the foil squares tightly around the chops to seal, the place the foil parcels on a large baking sheet. Cook in the preheated oven for 50 mins, or until the chops are tender and cooked through. Discard lemon before serving the lamb and vegetables.

Find other lamb recipes here …

Apricot and Ginger Fool

A recipe by Rosemary Conley

Serves:  4;  Prep:  20 mins

Apricots and ginger are a perfect combination for this lovely dessert.

Ingredients:
14oz/396g can apricot halves in natural juice; 1 lb/450g quark or other low fat soft cheese; 1 tbsp/15ml syrup from a jar of stem ginger; 2-3 pieces of stem ginger; a few mint leaves, for decoration

Method:

  • Drain the apricot halves and puree in a food processor or liquidiser with the quark or low fat soft cheese and syrup from the stem ginger.  Transfer to a mixing bowl.  Chop 2 pieces of the stem ginger and fold it into the apricot mixture.  Taste the mixture, then add more stem ginger if you like.  Finely chop the remaining ginger and spoon the mixture into individual glasses.  Cover each glass with a piece of clingfilm and leave to chill in the fridge until required.
  • Just before serving the fool, place a little of the reserved chopped ginger on the top of each one and decorate with one or two small mint leaves.
  • Tip:  Quark (which means ‘curds’) is a type of curd cheese that originates from Germany.  It is much lower in fat than most soft cheeses and similar in texture to fromage frais.  You will find it in most large supermarkets.  If you can’t buy quark, use sieved cottage cheese instead.

Sizzling Beef Fajitas with Salsa

Mexican food can be high in fat, but this dish uses extra-lean rump steak, half-fat creme fraiche and only a little oil. The tortillas aren’t brushed with an oil as is usual either.  You’ll notice the great taste, but you only been eating half the fat.

Serves: 4;  Cals per portion:  495;  Total fat per portion: 17g

Ingredients Salsa:  1 beef tomato, skinned, deseeded and finely chopped; 4cm (1 1/2in) piece of cucumber, finely chopped; 1 small red onion, finely chopped; 30ml (2tbsp) fresh chopped coriander; juice of 1 lime; freshly ground black pepper

Fajitas:  325g (12oz) extra-lean rump steak, cut into thin strips; 1-2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and chopped; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped; juice of 1 lime; 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh chopped coriander; 325 (12oz) pack, 8 ready made wheat tortillas; 15ml (1 tbsp) corn oil; 1 medium spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced; 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced; 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced; 5ml (1tsp) taco seasoning; 100ml (3 1/2fl oz) half-fat creme fraiche

  • Mix all the salsa ingredients together and spoon into a serving bowl.  Cover and leave in the fridge.
  • Put the beef strips in a shall bowl with the chillies, garlic, line juice and coriander.  Mix well, cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour.
  • When you’re ready to cook the beef, wrap the tortillas in tin foil and put them in the oven at 170oC/375oF/Gas 3 to warm them through (or seal them in microwave ffilm and heat them in a microwave oven according to the packet instructions).
  • Remove the beef from the bowl, reserving the marinade.  Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and brown the beef over a high heat, turn once, for 1 min.  Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm on a plate.
  • Stir-fry the onion and peppers over a high heat, until starting to char.  Return beef to the pan and add any reserved marinade.  Add taco seasoning and sizzle for 1-2 mins.  Serve with tortillas, salsa and the creme fraiche drizzled over each portion.