Capsicum and Chorizo pasta

A lazy meal for a busy day

take 

2 red capsicums

1 chorizo sausage

1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes (I used kumatos)

slice capsicum and chorizo and halve tomatoes 

Place on a Chefs Toolbox silicon sheet and drizzle with olive oil - I used the Cobram Estate Lemon infused oil 

Cook in preheated oven at 200 deg for 20 - 30 minutes - take out when it begins to char

Meanwhile cook 500 g pasta in a large pot of water 

We chose orecchiette 

Toss roasted vegetables and chorizo together

Drain pasta, toss vegetables and chorizo through with 1 tablespoon capers and 2 big handfuls of fresh basil

Serve with grated parmesan and fresh ground pepper

Creamy tomato and chicken with pasta

I wanted something creamy and filling but low in WW ProPoints so I made this up on the spot - based loosely on the Chicken Fricassee in the Travelling with Thermomix book

Take two chicken breasts and halve them lengthways and place in the veroma tray
Halve 250g button mushrooms and place in the bottom of the veroma
Pour 500ml water into the TM and cook for 25 minutes on Veroma speed 1

While this is cooking gather your other ingredients and put the pasta on to cook

Set steamed chicken and mushrooms aside. Pour cooking liquid into a bowl or jug.

Put 2 cloves garlic (peeled) and an onion (peeled and halved) into the TM for 3 secs speed 7
Add a large handful of basil leaves and whiz for another 3 seconds at speed 7

Pour in 20 ml oil (I used rice bran oil) and cook 3 minutes 100 deg reverse speed 1

Scrape down and add cooking liquid, 300 ml passata, 15 ml worcestershire sauce, a good shake of tabasco, 100 ml cream, a teaspoon of sea salt and a good grind of pepper. Cook 2 minutes 100 deg reverse speed soft
I decided to use the cream this way as we have had SO much cream in the house over Christmas and New Year

While this is cooking cut the chicken up into bite size pieces

Add 100g baby spinach, chicken and mushrooms to the TM
With the help of the spatula cook 3 minutes 100 deg reverse speed soft

Drain pasta and pile into serving dish. Pour chicken and sauce on top and enjoy!

I used 400g of small penne and this made 5 delicious serves at only 13 ProPoints each!

Zucchini and baby leeks with pasta

I was planning to cook this recipe but as usual I had not paid a great deal of attention to the quantities in the recipe when shopping. So when I got it out tonight and saw 250g pasta, feeds 4 I thought - well I am going to have to upscale this - might as well adapt it to suit myself.

Put the saute pan on a low flame to preheat. Then add 1 teaspoon rice bran oil and brush it over the surface.

I had zucchini (lots of zucchini) and some baby leeks I had bought. I decided to use a red onion to add colour to the dish. So I gave my new vegie twister a run. Zucchini ribbons - done! Cut up the leeks and onion and chop the garlic finely.

I cut up 175g of ham and measured out 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese I had previously grated in my Thermomix

The pan should be hot by now. I put in the onion and leeks and fried for about 5 minutes until starting to soften.

Then add the garlic and zucchini and fry for 2-3 minutes longer

Add ham and keep cooking on a low heat

While you are doing all this have the pasta cooking in another pan

Whisk a can of evaporated milk with an egg and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.

 Add to pan and wait till it is bubbling. Then add 2 teaspoons cornflour you have mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water. Never mix cornflour with warm water - it will go lumpy

Stir for about a minute more and then add pasta to the sauce and put the whole lot into a serving bowl.

This served eight and calculated out to be 8 ProPoints per serve and 2 serves vegies. We had it with a big bowl of green salad.

8 ProPoints per serve