Recipe of the Week - Sausage and Butternut Squash Bake

Hello!

Butternut Squash is a great vegetable, and has a ProPoints Value of 0. Can't argue with that! You can mash it, bake it, roast and stuff it, make it into soup or wedges instead of chips. I find it quite sweet so I like to pair it with very savoury or spicy flavours. This is a one pot dish (less washing up is always a bonus!) and is warm and comforting now the nights are drawing in and it's getting colder. Even my kids liked it - another plus!

I used Weight Watchers Cumberland sausages, which have a ProPoints value of 3 for two sausages, but if you can't get those any low fat sausage will do although the ProPoints value will be different. For example, Tesco Light Choices Cumberland sausages are 4 ProPoints for 2 sausages.

Serves 4
ProPoints per serving (when using WW sausages) 7

8 low fat sausages (I used Weight Watchers)
1 red onion
1 butternut squash
2 tsp dried sage
Calorie controlled cooking spray
800g potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste.

Chop and deseed the butternut squash - there is no need to peel it as once baked the skin is very thin and edible (and good for you!). You can peel it if you like - wrestling with it is good exercise! I chopped mine into wedges, although chunks will do too!

Chop the onion into wedges, and the potatoes into chunks (didn't peel these either!).

Spray a roasting tin with calorie controlled cooking spray (I used Fry Light) and put the veg in, with the sage and seasoning, spray again and roast in a 200 degree oven for 15 mins.

Turn the veg over and add the sausages to the pan. Roast for a further 20 minutes.

Serve with green veg such as brocolli, cabbage or mange tout.

Yum!

Just a quick note about the calorie controlled cooking spray, as it isn't completely free of ProPoints. I use Fry Light 1 Calorie Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which, according to the Weight Watchers ProPoints online tracker doesn't contain ProPoints until you've used 19 sprays of it. I would usually use about 10 or so for a recipe such as this, and that's for 4 servings, so well within the limit before it starts costing points! Just be aware that if you're using it several times a day for more than one meal you might have to count a point or two.

You could add some red pepper to boost your veg intake and make it more filling too. You could also use chicken or pork chops in place of the sausages, or make a veggie version with more veg (courgettes and mushrooms might work well), chick peas and add some goats cheese or feta at the end.

What do you do with butternut squash? make the most of it while it's in season!

Hx

Breakfast of the day! 8 ProPoint cooked breakfast

Morning!

I have just eaten my breakfast and man was it good! My usual breakfast consists of cereal, skimmed milk and fruit but this morning I felt like a change. Don't get me wrong, starting the day with a bowl of cereal and fruit makes me feel amazing and sets me up for the day, but a change is as good as a rest, and having a good cooked breakfast for 8 points isn't bad. Only 3 more points than my usual breakfast, but I had it a little later than usual so wont have a morning snack which will even it out.

So, I had:

• 2 Weight Watchers Premium Pork Sausages - 3PP (1pp each but when you enter 2 into the tracker it comes up with 3 - hate when that happens!)
• 2 slices Weight Watchers White Danish bread, toasted - 3PP (1PP each, but same as the sausages)
• 1 medium poached egg - 2PP
• Tinned tomatoes - 0PP
• Sliced mushrooms steamed in the microwave with 1tbsp Worcester Sauce - 0PP

Totally worth 8 points!

Some more cooked breakfast ideas:

• Swap the poached egg for a whole egg and an egg white, scrambled, for the same points. Or make it into an omelette
• Exchange one sausage for a 25g rasher of bacon, fat removed (1PP per rasher)
• Add some baked beans for 1PP per tablespoon
• Quorn sausages are also 1PP each
• Cube a small (100g) potato and microwave it for 3-4 mins. Put on a baking tray and mist with Fry Light before baking for about 15-20 mins until crispy. 2PP
• Put it all in a sandwich! You can use 1tbsp of extra light mayo instead of butter for free

What did you have for breakfast today?

Hx

Dinner of the day! Toad in the hole

For tonight's dinner I made toad in the hole using a recipe adapted from the "your week" pamphlet I got at group last week. It has a ProPoints value of 8 per serving, and was delicious! I love to cook when I have the time, and toad in the hole is a family favourite so I'm glad I've found a slimming-friendly version! I served it with cabbage and a purple caulifower that I got at a local farmers market - I saw it there and couldn't resist! The recipe includes gravy, not pictured. Pics and recipe below!

6 Weight Watchers Premium Pork Sausages, halved
1 onion, sliced
125g plain white flour
Pinch salt
1 medium egg
250ml skimmed milk
2tsp mustard
1tbsp dried sage
40g gravy granules




Preheat oven to Gas mark 6/200c. Coat a litre oven proof dish with fry light and add halved sausages and onion. Cook for 20 minutes. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl with a pinch of salt. Whisk in the egg and then slowly add the milk to make a thin batter. Add the mustard and sage. Pour the batter into the hot dish and cook for a further 30 mins. Make 1pt gravy with the granules. Serve with 0pp veg.
Serves 4.

It's not as greasy as my usual toad in the hole, but is very tasty! You really don't need any potato or other carb with this, as the batter is enough. Just serve with plenty of 0 point veg. Yum!

Will you be giving this a go?

Hx