Courgetti with Meatballs

During the fat-fighting, healthy eating regime one thing I have really missed is pasta.

Pasta is usually a mainstay in our weeknight meals when I'm at work as it makes for such quick and easy meals so I've been experimenting with courgetti or courgette pasta as an alternative and this one is delicious with hearty meatballs and a quick homemade sauce.

I used Tesco Finest Beef Meatballs here as this was mid-week and they are absolutely fine but obviously if making the meatballs from scratch, the calorie count will go up or down accordingly. I also added a luxurious 10g Grana Padano grated over the top of the finished meal too, which you could leave out if you don't have the spare calories left / this would shed X calories.

The below serves two with each portion coming in at around 464 calories and this can all be cooked in the one pan too which saves on the washing up. 

Courgetti with Meatballs

Here's how:

• 2 100g courgettes
• 1 white onion
• 1 green pepper
• 200g fresh tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 red chilli
• 10g coconut oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 12 meatballs (I used Tesco Finest Beef Meatballs) 
• 20g Grana Padano 

Firstly use a spiraliser to make the courgetti - I have a Linea one from House of Fraser and use the middle setting for this which makes more of a tagliatelle shaped courgetti. If you don't have a spiraliser, no problem, use a vegetable peeler and make thin ribbons of pasta instead. Now set aside.

Add the coconut oil to the pan and place on a gentle heat.

Now peel and crush the garlic and dice the white onion and add to the pan. Slice the chilli and also add to the pan.

While these are softening, chop the green peppers and tomatoes which will make the basis of your sauce and set aside for the minute.

Now add the meatballs to be pan and allow to brown on each side, turning them with a wooden spoon or spatula. Once they are lightly browned, add the tomatoes and peppers, tomato puree, paprika and oregano and give a good stir.

Cook gently for twenty minutes which will allow for lovely, tender meatballs and add the courgetti for 1-2 minutes at the end. 

Courgetti with meatballs

Dish up on two plates or bowls and add the cheese on top if you're having. Enjoy!

Meat Free Monday: Spinach, Ricotta and Courgette-Pasta Lasagne

Healthy eating and sticking to a daily 1200 calorie count has its ups and downs. Weight is slowly but surely coming off of me, but my hungry, greedy little mind craves comfort food.

This recipe was born of one too many late-work finishes and wanting something substantial, filling and utterly delicious to look forward to for dinner - that ticked the comfort food box too.

By substituting the usual lasagne pasta sheets for ribbons of courgette instead, over 350 calories were saved overall and the below, which serves two comes in at 425 calories a portion. I must stress this low calorie portion is only realistic if you stick to the ingredient weights below.

This is a great vegetarian dish for a Meat Free Monday; however, if cooking for vegetarians, swap the Grana Padano cheese for another hard cheese that is suitable for vegetarians. Also if you're not keen on spice, simply omit from using the chilli flakes in the ricotta mix - but I love the added heat they bring - plus spicy chilli speeds up the metabolism. Win, win.

Also you can of course make your own tomato and basil sauce but I made this last night at 8pm after a long day and so used a hack - a jar of Lloyd Grossman's sauce - incidentally dinner was on the table in 30 minutes.

Meat Free Monday: Spinach Ricotta and Courgette-Pasta Lasagne

Here's how:

• 250g ricotta
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 garlic clove
• Nutmeg to taste
• 1 350g jar of Lloyd Grossman's Tomato & Basil Sauce (or alternative) 
• 150g spinach
• 2 medium courgettes
• 60g Grana Padano or alternative hard cheese
• 1 tomato
• 1 Light Olive Oil spray

Firstly make the ricotta sauce by adding the olive oil spray to a pan on a medium heat. Crush the garlic and add to the pan with the dried chilli flakes. After a couple of minutes add the ricotta and two thirds (40g) of the cheese use a wooden spoon to mix till the consistency gets slightly wetter and moveable. Grate over a generous amount of nutmeg, season with black pepper to taste and a pinch of salt and set aside off the heat.

Now cut the ends off of the courgettes, then using a vegetable peeler, create thin ribbons of courgette, lengthways.

Now it's time to assemble the lasagne. Start by placing a couple of spoonfuls of the tomato sauce at the bottom of your dish and spread with the back of the spoon. Next place a third of the spinach on top scattered to cover the dish. Now it's for the courgette ribbons, ensure every bit of spinach is covered so your end result is clear, beautiful, vibrant layers. 

Courgette Pasta layer of lasagne

The ricotta mixture needs to go on top of the courgettes and as they are obviously a lot flimsier than pasta sheets, I found the best way to get an even spread to cover all of the courgettes, was to use a pastry brush. You want to layer up three times, so use a third of the ricotta mix. Now top with another couple of tablespoons of the tomato sauce and then repeat till you have three layers.

For the topping, simply finely slice a tomato and place across the top then scatter the remaining 20g of cheese all over.

Place into the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and tomato sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for a few minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Spinach Ricotta and Courgette-Pasta Lasagne

Creamy Pork, Peppers and Mushrooms with Butternut Spaghetti

This is a lovely pasta sauce that uses only a little crème fraiche to get that unctuous creamy gloss alongside chicken stock and a tiny bit of corn flour rather than full fat cream. Served here with butternut spaghetti instead of actual pasta this is another great option if you are calorie counting or cutting back on your carbs.

The Butternut Spaghetti or Noodles can be made easily using a sprialiser, but Marks & Spencer do a great version as part of their healthy range - the pack serves two, and half a pack is only 35 calories which is great for a mid-week meal - what's more this meal can be on the table in 25 minutes too. 

This meal comes in at 420 calories per person with a handful or 50g watercress.

Creamy Pork, Peppers and Mushrooms with Buttenut Spaghetti

Here's how:

• 1 pack Butternut Noodles
• 160g lean pork loin steaks
• 50g light crème fraiche
• 1 red pepper
• 100g mushrooms
• 1 white onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 150ml chicken stock (I use Knorr) 
• 1/2 tsp corn flour
• 30g Grana Padano cheese
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• Handful fresh parsley

Firstly place the coconut oil into a pan and place on a gentle heat.

Now peel and slice the onion and crush the garlic and add to the pan to soften.

Slice the pepper and mushrooms and set aside. Finely chop the parsley and also set aside.

Chop the pork into thin strips and once the onion has started to soften, add to the pan to sear. Turn each piece over till the meat has started to cook on each side.

Now add the peppers and mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile make up the chicken stock and set aside.

Add the crème fraiche to the pan and stir, season generously with salt and black pepper then pour in two thirds of the chicken stock and turn the heat up a little. Now also grate in the cheese.

Add the corn flour to the remaining stock and stir to make a thick, gluey paste then add this to the pan and stir. Cook for a further five minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Creamy Pork, Peppers and Mushrooms

In the meantime cook the butternut spaghetti in the microwave (for two minutes) or you could steam them if you prefer.

Finally add the spaghetti to the pan and mix to ensure every strand is coated well in the sauce and finally add the parsley and give one final stir before dishing up. 

Butternut Spaghetti

Serve with a handful of watercress or rocket. Enjoy!