Schnitzel with mushroom sauce

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Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick
Ingredients
4 small chicken breast fillets
(±500gm total)
3 slices day-old bread, crumbed
1 egg, beaten
1 Tblsp vegetable oil

400gm oven chips

200gm white button mushrooms, chopped
200ml fat free milk powder
400ml water
½ tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tblsp cornflour

Lemon slices to garnish

Method
Heat the oven to 220ºC.
Spray a baking tray with non-stick cooking spray.
Spread the oven chips on the tray and bake for 15 minutes.
Turn the chips over, and bake for another 15 minutes.

Whisk the milk powder into the water in a saucepan.
Drop in the chopped mushrooms and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cornflour (mixed to a paste with a little water) and mustard.
Bring back to the boil, stirring, then simmer until the sauce thickens.
Keep warm.

Place the chicken breasts (well spaced) between two sheets of plastic.
Hammer until thin.
Dip the chicken into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs to coat.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan.
Fry the schnitzels over a medium heat for 5 minutes..
Turn and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Keep warm.

Serve the chips, schnitzel and sauce with lemon wedges and a mixed salad.

Using ‘double-strength’ milk gives a rich, creamy tasting sauce.

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Herby rice with radish salad

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Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick
Ingredients
240gm rice
1 Tblsp veg stock powder
4 Tblsp soft herbs, finely chopped
E.g.: basil, mint, chives, parsley

12 – 15 radishes, chopped
3 stalks celery, finely sliced
1 red onion, halved and sliced
1 small cucumber, quartered and sliced
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 Tblsp lemon juice
1 Dsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp caster sugar

320gm stir-fry strips e.g. pork, chicken, beef

Method
Cook the rice in water with the stock powder.
When cooked, drain off any excess water and stir through the soft herbs.
Keep warm.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables for the salad.
Mix together the oil, lemon juice, mustard and sugar.
Pour this over the vegetables and toss well.
Set aside.

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Stir fry the meat strips for about 5 minutes.

Serve the rice and salad with the stir-fried strips.

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Chicken casserole with dumplings

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Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
8 skinless chicken thighs
2 Tblsp flour
300ml chicken stock
200gm baby leeks, sliced
2 tsp crushed garlic
200gm carrots, sliced
200gm parsnips, sliced
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
1 x 300gm can broad beans, drained
2 bay leaves
For the dumplings:
130gm self-raising flour
45gm low fat spread
2 Tblsp chopped parsley

Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Spray a large casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Toss the chicken in the flour to coat.
Dry fry the thighs until golden and sealed.
Remove to the casserole dish.

Pour the stock into the pan with the leeks and garlic.
Bring to the boil while stirring.
Now add the carrots, parsnips, celery and bay leaves.
Bring back to the boil.
Carefully pour the vegetables and stock over the chicken.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

For the dumplings, rub the fat into the self-raising flour.
Stir through the parsley.
Add enough water (80-100ml) to form a sticky dough.
Using well-floured hands, shape the dough into eight balls.

Add the broad beans to the casserole dish and stir well.
Space the dumplings around the dish.
Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.

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Chicken, asparagus and broccoli au gratin

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Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
½ tsp crushed garlic
400gm chicken breast fillets, cut in bite size pieces
1 bay leaf
250ml chicken stock
200gm fresh asparagus
200gm broccoli florets

2 Tblsp cornflour
250ml double strength fat free milk (use ¼ cup milk powder)
Lemon juice to taste
2 slices bread, crumbed
30gm parmesan, finely grated
½ tsp paprika

Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry-fry the onion and garlic until the onion starts to soften.
Remove the onion and garlic from the pan and set aside.

Toss the chicken pieces in the pan and seal on all sides.
Add back the onion and garlic.
Add the bay leaf and stock.
Simmer for 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 180ºC.
Steam or microwave the broccoli and asparagus.

Mix the cornflour to a paste with a little of the milk.
Add to the pan and stir well.
Pour in the rest of the milk and a little lemon juice to taste.
Allow to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Tip the chicken, broccoli and asparagus into the dish.
Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan and paprika.
Sprinkle over the chicken mixture.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

Serve with a fresh salad and/or vegetables of your choice.

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Chicken burger patties

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Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
400gm skinless chicken breast
4 slices wholewheat bread
4 large spring onions
1 – 2 Tblsp chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

400gm mashing potatoes
400gm butternut
2 Tblsp chopped parsley

300gm frozen peas
3 – 4 tomatoes, sliced

Method
Cook the potatoes and butternut in lightly salted water.
Once soft, drain well and mash.
Beat in the parsley.
Keep warm.

Steam or microwave the peas.
Keep warm.

Put the chicken, bread, onions, parsley and seasoning in a food processor.
Pulse until everything comes together in a ball.
On a floured board, shape the mixture into 8 patties.

Spray a large ridged pan and the patties with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the patties for about 5 minutes each side.

Serve 2 patties per person along with the peas, mash and tomatoes.

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