I was rummaging in a charity shop a few weeks ago (I love charity shops) and I came across a cook book by the Hairy Bikers called The Happy Dieters. With that title who could resist? Plus it cost the princely sum of £1.
It is packed with simply lovely tasty recipes and I have made quite a few of them. One of my favourites is their cassoulet. This recipe serves six.
6 good quality sausages. I bought mine from a local butcher and they are really worth seeking out
6 boneless chicken thighs (about 450g). I prefer using chicken breast so substituted them which does make the calorie count slightly less but not so much as to make a huge difference
stick of celery, three medium carrots, 2 medium onions, 2 cloves of garlic crushed
200g gammon or bacon
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes, 400 g tin of cannelloni beans, 400 g tin of butter beans - drain and rinse in cold water
Method
Brush a non stick frying pan with teaspoon of sunflower oil and add the sausages to the pan (I chop them in half) until nicely browned. Add onions to the pan (I find that I had to add a little more sunflower oil so if you do the same don't forget to add the extra few cals). Add the chicken (thighs or breast whichever you are using) to the pan and cook for a few minutes. Then bung it all in a casserole. Stir in the gammon, celery, carrots, tinned tomatoes and a 150 ml red win if you wish. If not just add water instead.
Put in a bay leaf, thyme and freshly ground pepper and sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of caster sugar.
This recipe also adds 1 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes which I left out because I am not a chilli lover.
Either simmer on the hob and cook for 45 mins or put in the oven. Then stir in the beans and put back for a further 30 mins.
I have made this several times and had a batch cook the other week and have frozen about 10 portions. In fact I am having it for supper tonight. Add veg of choice or rice - adding extra cals - and enjoy.
The Hairy Bikers bring this in at 464 per portion but that is using chicken thighs.
When I made this myself I only used 5 sausages, a chicken breast, no red wine and it came out as 382 a portion.
When I make these recipes I do measure out every single ingredient and note its calorie content and I would recommend you do the same. That way I am sure I am not misleading you in any way but sometimes there will be a variant in the calorie count depending on what sausages you use, etc.
OK my version saves only 80 cals but look at it this way. That could be a chocolate digestive biscuit you can now have..............