Chicken, Spinach and Creamy Tomato Pasta

  Another creamy but low fat recipe for all you pasta loving students. I have adapted this recipe from one I found online here, but substituted many of the ingredients to make it cheaper and quicker to make! I have always encouraged whole wheat pasta over white pasta, but was unable to find it in my local shop! Buy whatever you prefer - the sauce will still taste great.Things you'll need:Serves 22 x Chicken Breast1 x Onion4 x Handfuls of Fresh Spinach*2 x tbsp Chopped tomatoes2 x tbsp Low Fat Soft Cheese**2 x 75g Fettuccine Pasta*You can also use Frozen Spinach which keeps for much longer! See here**I used 'LowLow' Soft Cheese, still a cheap option which packs in more flavour! You also have the option to throw in extra veggies like fresh tomatoes or peas if you fancy!Price Overall: £2.22Per Serving: £1.11Approx, based on Tesco prices

Cooking Instructions:Boil the pasta according to packet instructions.Meanwhile, fry the chopped Onion and Chicken Breast in oil in and large frying pan until brown.Then stir in your Chopped Tomatoes and Low Fat Soft Cheese and reduce heat.Just being serving, add your Fresh Spinach and stir in until wilted (This takes now more than 30 seconds!) Add more spinach according to preference.Try 'LowLow' Soft Cheese in all major supermarketsLove this recipe? Share your attempt with me on Twitter: @Verityphillips_And be in with a chance of winning your own 'LowLow' Vouchers to purchase in store!

Creamy Tarragon Chicken

 Tarragon Chicken, Brown Rice and VegetablesTarragon is a herb which isn't used often, especially by students, but tastes great with Chicken! Combined with a low fat creamy sauce, this recipe can easily be put together quickly and any leftovers can be frozen for another day. This recipe goes well with any sort of rice, potatoes or crispy bread*, as well as lots of vegetables - as many as you want!*This recipe is based on the above meal combination: brown rice and vegetables.2 x Chicken Breast100 ml Chicken Stock200 ml Low-Fat Creme Fraiche1 tbsp Dijon Mustard 1 tbsp Tarragon (Dried)*50g Brown RiceMixed Vegetable Selection (see here)*You can use fresh Tarragon (in which case it's 2tbsp!) But dried works just as well and it more cost-efficient!I suggest you buy the cheaper Chicken breasts which have been frozen from fresh (see here)Approx, based on Tesco prices.Fry the chopped Chicken in oil until brown.Meanwhile, put your Brown Rice on to boil (or potatoes)Turn down the heat and add the Chicken Stock. When it bubbles, add the Low Fat Creme Fraiche, Herbs, Dijon Mustard. Stir in the mixture and simmer until the sauce has reduced.Meanwhile, boil/steam your Vegetables. Then serve!You need to think about your timings depending on what you're eating your Tarragon Chicken with! For example, Brown Rice tends to take a lot longer than normal rice, or if you're mashing potatoes you'll need to put those on earlier too. Read your timings on the packages and everything will work out fine.This recipe is taken from the 'Eat Yourself Thin' cook book! You can view some of their other recipes online here.

Chicken, Pesto and Pinenut Wrap

  This is an easy, delicious lunch wrap which can be taken anywhere. With a few cupboard ingredients, tons more flavour can be added to the standard chicken wrap. Plus, this meal works out far cheaper than buying from a shop when you're out and about. Take 5 minutes out of your morning (or night before), put it in a container and have it when you like. No hassle, no stress, no money wasted.1/3 Roast Chicken Pack*1 x tsp Pesto1 x Wholemeal WrapHandful of Rocket LeavesHandful of Pine Nuts (optional)* You have many options here. All major supermarkets sell ready made roast chicken pieces ready to throw in sandwiches/wraps like this. The cheapest way to do this lunch would be to use leftover chicken from a roast dinner. Plan ahead and save the pennies! However, for convenience purposes, pricing is based on the ready made packs provided by supermarkets.Lay the Wholemeal Wrap down on the surface and spread 1 tbsp of Pesto over the base.Lay the chicken in a line down the middle of the wrap and scatter Pine Nuts (optional) on and around the chicken.Bunch the handful of Rocket Leaves on top of the chickenFold up the bottom of the wrap (so no fillings fall out) and tuck in the sides. A similar Tesco sandwich here is priced at £2, so it's definitely worth making you're own, especially given how easy it is! On the go, cheap tasty chicken pesto pine nut wrap!

Recipe : ITC "Kitchens of India" - Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

aI love the food at most of ITC's restaurants, I have also tried their ready to eat Dal Bukhara which was quite good and the Mirch Ka Saalan which was ok. So with the new range of pre mixes out, I picked up the Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani mix.What i really loved about this premix, was that there was absolutely no chopping to be done. The recipe was extremely simple. Add the pre-mix to curd/yoghurt, add the meat. Marinate.Cook separately, layer with cooked rice and serve.The meat was marinated overnight and I was really excited. I'd used my hands to mix the masala, yoghurt and meat and the fragrance of spices on my fingers were extremely enticing and lasted long after I had washed my hands, done the dishes and had a bath. So I was really, really looking forward to the end result.As usual, I skipped the layering and cooking separately and went my most comfortable way (less washing up, faster production) of semi cooking the met in the pressure cooker. Add rice and water, stir and cook for 3 whistles, letting the steam escape on its own. However, the final biriyani, did not have half the taste, that the original masala promised. I'd added a couple of chillies, but the biryani still wasn't spicy enough. The flavour did not penetrate either the rice or the chicken.It did look and smell good, but the taste wasn't up to the normal ITC standard. This is not a product that I would buy again. Shaan Memoni Mutton biriyani mix is still firmly my favourite so far.

Chicken, Spinach and Creamy Tomato Pasta

Another creamy but low fat recipe for all you pasta loving students. I have adapted this recipe from one I found online here, but substituted many of the ingredients to make it cheaper and quicker to make! I have always encouraged whole wheat pasta over white pasta, but was unable to find it in my local shop! Buy whatever you prefer - the sauce will still taste great.Things you'll need:Serves 22 x Chicken Breast1 x Onion4 x Handfuls of Fresh Spinach*2 x tbsp Chopped tomatoes2 x tbsp Low Fat Soft Cheese**2 x 75g Fettuccine Pasta*You can also use Frozen Spinach which keeps for much longer! See here**I used 'LowLow' Soft Cheese, still a cheap option which packs in more flavour! You also have the option to throw in extra veggies like fresh tomatoes or peas if you fancy!Price Overall: £2.22Per Serving: £1.11Approx, based on Tesco prices

Cooking Instructions:Boil the pasta according to packet instructions.Meanwhile, fry the chopped Onion and Chicken Breast in oil in and large frying pan until brown.Then stir in your Chopped Tomatoes and Low Fat Soft Cheese and reduce heat.Just being serving, add your Fresh Spinach and stir in until wilted (This takes now more than 30 seconds!) Add more spinach according to preference.Try 'LowLow' Soft Cheese in all major supermarketsLove this recipe? Share your attempt with me on Twitter: @Verityphillips_And be in with a chance of winning your own 'LowLow' Vouchers to purchase in store!

Recipe: Mqualli - Moroccan Chicken Tajine with Preserved Lemon & Olives

a This dish is called a tajine, because it is traditionally cooked in a vessel called a tajine (similar concept as paella). The tajine is an earthenware (mitti) dish comprised of 2 parts. The bottom is circular and flattish with slightly raised edges and it has a conical cover that sits on this base.The concept of cooking in a tajine is that the earthenware adds some amount of flavour to the dish (like mud pots used in Indian cooking) and the conical top, captures the condensation and returns the moisture to the dish cooking below. The dish is typically cooked on low heat and ends up being really moist and tender. The advantage of cooking in a tagine is that you can always lift the lid to adjust spices or add vegetables in installments. However, you can still cook this dish, even if you don't have a tajine.Ingredients:1kg chicken - curry cut (preferably with bones, they add flavour to the stew)2 cups (500 ml) water / stock2 tsps olive oil1 large onion sliced6 cloves garlic chopped2 tsp ginger paste1 tsp cumin powder2 tsp fresh ground black pepperpinch of saffron2 preserved lemons1/2 cup green olives (canned)2 tbsp chopped parsley2 tbsp chopped corriandersalt to tasteMethod:In the tajine/heavy bottomed dish, heat the olive oilAdd the onions and garlic and saute lightly until they start to soften.Add ginger paste, cumin powder, salt and pepper powder and sir till well mixed.Add chicken pieces and brown on both sides.If using dried lemon - wash well, pierce a couple of times with a fork/knife and add at this stage.Add 1 cup stock/water, bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes.If you are using preserved lemons - rinse, discard the flesh, slice the skin and add it at this stage.If you used dehdrated lemons, then add the juice of 1 fresh lemon at this stage.If you don't have preserved or dehydrated lemons, add the juice of 2-3 lemons at this stage with some lemon rind.Mix wellAdd the olives, saffron and the remaining water / stock and give it a swirl.Sprinkle the chopped parsley and corriander on top.Cover and cook on low heat for another 20 minutes until done.If you are serving this tajine with bread or rice, then you will want a slightly thicker curry.If you are serving it with couscous, you will want a slightly thinner curry.Serve hot with rice, couscous or bread.Kim's Tips:1. All you need is a heavy bottomed pan with a tight fitting lid that won't let the steam escape, if you don't have access to a tajine. 2. This particular recipe calls for preserved lemons (typical in Moroccan cuisine), but I didn't have them in stock, I only had dried lemons (used in Middle Eastern cooking), so I substituted the preserved lemons with dehydrated lemons and the juice of 1 fresh lemon. If you can't find preserved/dehydrated lemons, you can make the dish with juice from 2-3 lemons and some lemon rind. It won't taste as good as the original, but it will still be tasty.

3. Preserved lemons and bottled olives have some salt in them, remember to adjust for this when salting the dish.

Creamy Tarragon Chicken

Tarragon Chicken, Brown Rice and VegetablesTarragon is a herb which isn't used often, especially by students, but tastes great with Chicken! Combined with a low fat creamy sauce, this recipe can easily be put together quickly and any leftovers can be frozen for another day. This recipe goes well with any sort of rice, potatoes or crispy bread*, as well as lots of vegetables - as many as you want!*This recipe is based on the above meal combination: brown rice and vegetables.2 x Chicken Breast100 ml Chicken Stock200 ml Low-Fat Creme Fraiche1 tbsp Dijon Mustard 1 tbsp Tarragon (Dried)*50g Brown RiceMixed Vegetable Selection (see here)*You can use fresh Tarragon (in which case it's 2tbsp!) But dried works just as well and it more cost-efficient!I suggest you buy the cheaper Chicken breasts which have been frozen from fresh (see here)Approx, based on Tesco prices.Fry the chopped Chicken in oil until brown.Meanwhile, put your Brown Rice on to boil (or potatoes)Turn down the heat and add the Chicken Stock. When it bubbles, add the Low Fat Creme Fraiche, Herbs, Dijon Mustard. Stir in the mixture and simmer until the sauce has reduced.Meanwhile, boil/steam your Vegetables. Then serve!You need to think about your timings depending on what you're eating your Tarragon Chicken with! For example, Brown Rice tends to take a lot longer than normal rice, or if you're mashing potatoes you'll need to put those on earlier too. Read your timings on the packages and everything will work out fine.This recipe is taken from the 'Eat Yourself Thin' cook book! You can view some of their other recipes online here.

Recipe : Maffe Tiga / Tiga Degae / African Chicken Peanut Butter Soup

a I'd seen the recipe for African Chicken Peanut Butter Soup on Kadi's African Recipes, a couple of months ago and thought that it would be fun to make, so I'd bookmarked it. Today, I was looking to make something "different" and remembered this recipe and since I had an open jar of peanut butter in my cupboard, our meal tonight had an African twist, which we quite enjoyed.In her introduction, Kadi says "African peanut soup is enjoyed in many West African countries including Senegal, Guinea and Mali. The soup is also known as Maffe Tiga or Tiga Degae, there are a lot of varieties of peanut butter soup, it can be made with beef, fish, chicken or completely vegetarian."While Kadi calls it a soup, it has the consistency of a curry / gravy and goes well with rotis and rice. Kadi also has a step by step video to make this dish uploaded on youtube. If African food interests you, do follow Kadi's Channel on youtube.I have tweaked Kadi's recipe to adjust for our own tastes and to accommodate the ingredients that I had on hand.Ingredients :1kg chicken legs2 tsp oil (and some leftover pork fat from some chops I fried the other day)3 fresh tomatoes chopped2 tbsp tomato sauce2 onions chopped6 garlic cloves chopped8 green chillies - 4 chopped & 4 split1 tbsp black pepper coarsely pounded1 bouillon/soup cube4 tbsp creamy peanut butter (not chunky)3 cups (750ml) watersalt to taste Method : Warm a wide mouthed pan and heat the oil in it.Brown the chicken on all sides in this oil (fry in batches if necessary, but don't overcrowd the pan) Be careful, the oil will splatter, when the chicken releases its juices.Remove the browned chicken and in the same pan and oil, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, onions, garlic, the 4 chopped green chillies, black pepper and soup cube. Fry it for about 10 minutes until the mixture becomes mushy.Now, add the water and peanut butter and simmer on a low flame, stirring well until all the peanut butter is dissolved. Let it cook for about 15-20 minutes on a low flame, keep stirring to prevent the peanut butter from sticking and burning.Add the 4 slit green chillies and salt to taste and simmer for another 5-10 minutes till it smells cooked.Now add the fried chicken and simmer the mixture until the chicken is completely cooked, stirring frequently.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.I loved the curry with plain rice, but my husband found it a little sweet with the rice, he preferred it with phulkas.

Recipe : Roast Chicken with Duxelles

If you cook this right, the meat will be incredibly soft, tender and juicy. Don't pull out the chicken skin before roasting. It helps keep the meat moist, the stuffing in and adds a lovely texture and flavour to the dish.

Since I roast chicken in the microwave on convection setting, I've found that roasting it covered for 2/3 of the time helps keep most of the moisture in.

Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken with skin - around 1kg
1 quantity duxelles (from 400gm mushrooms) at room temperature
1 tsp salt
juice of 1 lime
a little butter or olive oil for basting.

Method:
Clean the chicken well, especially the inside and dry
Rub the chicken with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, both inside and outside and keep for 10-15 minutes.
Stuff the chicken with the duxelles and if you can get the skin loose, pack some duxelles between the skin and the flesh.
(My butcher here in Ahmedabad, ends up tearing the skin when he de-feathers the chicken and unless I clean my chicken myself, I have to make do with what I'm given)
Baste the chicken with a little melted butter or olive oil.
Roast in a preheated oven at 200C for about an hour and a half.
Keep an eye on the chicken as it roasts and increase or decrease the time as needed.

You can serve your chicken completely coked but moist, or slightly crispy.

I've made this a home style roast chicken, but you can obviously make this a much neater dish, by trussing the chicken once stuffed.

If you are roasting it uncovered in a regular oven, you can cover the wings and the final leg joint with foil until half cooked, to get an even colouring all over.

Recipe: Mqualli - Moroccan Chicken Tajine with Preserved Lemon & Olives

 the dish is called a tajine, because it is traditionally cooked in a vessel called a tajine (similar concept as paella). The tajine is an earthenware (mitti) dish comprised of 2 parts. The bottom is circular and flattish with slightly raised edges and it has a conical cover that sits on this base.

The concept of cooking in a tajine is that the earthenware adds some amount of flavour to the dish (like mud pots used in Indian cooking) and the conical top, captures the condensation and returns the moisture to the dish cooking below.

The dish is typically cooked on low heat and ends up being really moist and tender. The advantage of cooking in a tagine is that you can always lift the lid to adjust spices or add vegetables in installments. However, you can still cook this dish, even if you don't have a tajine.

Ingredients:
1kg chicken - curry cut (preferably with bones, they add flavour to the stew)
2 cups (500 ml) water / stock
2 tsps olive oil
1 large onion sliced
6 cloves garlic chopped
2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
pinch of saffron
2 preserved lemons
1/2 cup green olives (canned)
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped corriander
salt to taste

Method:
In the tajine/heavy bottomed dish, heat the olive oil
Add the onions and garlic and saute lightly until they start to soften.
Add ginger paste, cumin powder, salt and pepper powder and sir till well mixed.
Add chicken pieces and brown on both sides.
If using dried lemon - wash well, pierce a couple of times with a fork/knife and add at this stage.
Add 1 cup stock/water, bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes.
If you are using preserved lemons - rinse, discard the flesh, slice the skin and add it at this stage.
If you used dehdrated lemons, then add the juice of 1 fresh lemon at this stage.
If you don't have preserved or dehydrated lemons, add the juice of 2-3 lemons at this stage with some lemon rind.
Mix well
Add the olives, saffron and the remaining water / stock and give it a swirl.
Sprinkle the chopped parsley and corriander on top.
Cover and cook on low heat for another 20 minutes until done.

If you are serving this tajine with bread or rice, then you will want a slightly thicker curry.
If you are serving it with couscous, you will want a slightly thinner curry.

Kim's Tips:
1. All you need is a heavy bottomed pan with a tight fitting lid that won't let the steam escape, if you don't have access to a tajine.

2. This particular recipe calls for preserved lemons (typical in Moroccan cuisine), but I didn't have them in stock, I only had dried lemons (used in Middle Eastern cooking), so I substituted the preserved lemons with dehydrated lemons and the juice of 1 fresh lemon. If you can't find preserved/dehydrated lemons, you can make the dish with juice from 2-3 lemons and some lemon rind. It won't taste as good as the original, but it will still be tasty.

3. Preserved lemons and bottled olives have some salt in them, remember to adjust for this when salting the dish.

Chicken, Spinach and Creamy Tomato Pasta

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Another creamy but low fat recipe for all you pasta loving students. I have adapted this recipe from one I found online here, but substituted many of the ingredients to make it cheaper and quicker to make! I have always encouraged whole wheat pasta over white pasta, but was unable to find it in my local shop! Buy whatever you prefer - the sauce will still taste great.

Things you'll need:
Serves 2

2 x Chicken Breast1 x Onion4 x Handfuls of Fresh Spinach*2 x tbsp Chopped tomatoes2 x tbsp Low Fat Soft Cheese**2 x 75g Fettuccine Pasta

*You can also use Frozen Spinach which keeps for much longer! See here
**I used 'LowLow' Soft Cheese, still a cheap option which packs in more flavour!

You also have the option to throw in extra veggies like fresh tomatoes or peas if you fancy!

Price Overall: £2.22
Per Serving: £1.11
Approx, based on Tesco prices

Cooking Instructions:

Boil the pasta according to packet instructions.Meanwhile, fry the chopped Onion and Chicken Breast in oil in and large frying pan until brown.Then stir in your Chopped Tomatoes and Low Fat Soft Cheese and reduce heat.Just being serving, add your Fresh Spinach and stir in until wilted (This takes now more than 30 seconds!) Add more spinach according to preference.Try 'LowLow' Soft Cheese in all major supermarketsLove this recipe? Share your attempt with me on Twitter: @Verityphillips_And be in with a chance of winning your own 'LowLow' Vouchers to purchase in store!

Creamy Tarragon Chicken

AppId is over the quota AppId is over the quota

Tarragon Chicken, Brown Rice and Vegetables
Tarragon is a herb which isn't used often, especially by students, but tastes great with Chicken! Combined with a low fat creamy sauce, this recipe can easily be put together quickly and any leftovers can be frozen for another day. This recipe goes well with any sort of rice, potatoes or crispy bread*, as well as lots of vegetables - as many as you want!*This recipe is based on the above meal combination: brown rice and vegetables.2 x Chicken Breast100 ml Chicken Stock200 ml Low-Fat Creme Fraiche1 tbsp Dijon Mustard 1 tbsp Tarragon (Dried)*50g Brown RiceMixed Vegetable Selection (see here)*You can use fresh Tarragon (in which case it's 2tbsp!) But dried works just as well and it more cost-efficient!
I suggest you buy the cheaper Chicken breasts which have been frozen from fresh (see here)Approx, based on Tesco prices.Fry the chopped Chicken in oil until brown.Meanwhile, put your Brown Rice on to boil (or potatoes)Turn down the heat and add the Chicken Stock. When it bubbles, add the Low Fat Creme Fraiche, Herbs, Dijon Mustard. Stir in the mixture and simmer until the sauce has reduced.Meanwhile, boil/steam your Vegetables. Then serve!You need to think about your timings depending on what you're eating your Tarragon Chicken with! For example, Brown Rice tends to take a lot longer than normal rice, or if you're mashing potatoes you'll need to put those on earlier too. Read your timings on the packages and everything will work out fine.This recipe is taken from the 'Eat Yourself Thin' cook book! You can view some of their other recipes online here.