Core Inside-Out Chicken Kiev

Serves: 4-6  (makes 12)
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:

• 450g chicken breast fillet
• 6 thin slices of virginian ham (140g) or 12 thin slices of a small round smoked leg ham
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 TB crushed garlic (or more if you love garlic)
• 12 tsp breadcrumbs (I used Krummies multigrain)

Method:
Chop the chicken breast finely to approx 5mm. This is easier when it is partly frozen
Add chicken, oil and garlic to a bowl and mix.
If you have time, cover bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours. Due to a change in plans, mine marinated for 30 hours.
Spray a 12 x 1/2 cup muffin tray with a little oil.
Line each cup with a slice of ham.
Divide the chicken mix into each cup.
Top eaxh cup with 1 tsp breadcrumbs.
Bake in middle/bottom of an oven preheated to 200*C for 10-15 minutes.
If your oven has a top element, keep an eye on to ensure the crumbs do not burn.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 17 pts, or 4 pts serving 4 or 3 pts serving 6.
We had 3 peices each.

Core Chicken, Watermelon and Mint Salad

A wonderfully refreshing and zingy chicken salad

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Very easy

Ingredients:

• 100g baked chicken breast, diced (or 140g breast fillet grilled and diced)
• 1 1/2 cup watermelon, diced to 1cm
• about 10cm of cucumber, sliced or diced
• 125g can corn kernels, drained
• 10 fresh mint leaves, sliced very thin (try scissors)
• 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
• 1 TB balsamic vinegar
• 3 TB lemon juice

Method:
In your serving bowl, make a nest of spinach.
In another non-metallic bowl, toss the rest of the ingredients together and serve on top of the spinach nest.

Optional - sprinkle with 3 tsp of strong parmesan for an extra 0.5 pts

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 5pts

Core 'Creamy' Chicken and Vegetable Soup

This makes a thick 'creamy' soup like a chowder.

If you prefer a more liquidy soup, add 1-2 cups boiling water in at the end with 1 tsp extra stock.

Serves: 6-8 (10 cups)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 onion diced
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 3/4 cup frozen spinach
• 300g baked chicken breast, diced or shredded (or use 350 g diced raw chicken breast fillet)
• 1.5 L water
• 1.5 TB chicken stock powder (6 stock cubes)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 cup small pasta or risoni (160g)
• 375 ml can Carnation Light and Creamy Evaporated milk 98.5% fat free
• pepper
• parsley

Method:
Coat your soup pan with oil spray and sautee onion and garlic for about 3 minutes.
If using raw chicken breast, add here and cook until chicken turns white
Add cooked chicken, frozen vegetables, water, stock and thyme and bring to boil.
Add pasta and simmer for 20 mins.
Add evaporated milk, parsley and pepper to taste and simmer for a couple of minutes - do not boil

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 25.5 pts or 3 pts serving 8, or 4 pts for 6 large servings

Core Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives - Moroccan Cooking School

Pictured with eggplant added

This traditional Moroccan meal can be cooked on the stovetop in about an hour or in the slow cooker for about 4-5 hours. You do not need an expensive tagine pot.

Instructions given are for stovetop with slow cooker timing in [square brackets]

Optional - you can bulk this out with other vegetables if you wish.

Hard root vegies like carrots and sweet potato go in with potato, cut chunky.
Soft vegies like eggplant, zucchini go in 15 mins from end [SC 30-40 mins from end]

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 onions, sliced
• 1/2 bunch or 5 'clumps' of fresh coriander, roots removed, leaves and stalk chopped fine
• 1 TB or Moroccan spice mix (note as spice mixes vary, you may wish to taste towards the end and add more if needed)
• 1 TB olive oil
• 12 small chicken drumsticks, skin removed (or 12 'lovely legs' = drumsticks with skin and the 'handle' removed)
• 2 TB cooking or sea salt
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp Hoyts artificial saffron colouring
  This is sold in the racks of spices in bags for refilling jars. Be careful with this powder as it is very strong and stains big time - I have 3 yellow fingers - and use it sparingly in your cooking. It is much cheaper and more effective than saffron for getting that lovely exotic orange-yellow colour
• 600g potato, cut to 1.5 - 2cm chunks
• kalamata olives, 12-18 pitted or unpitted
• 1/2 preserved lemon, chopped fine - I will be posting a recipe to make your own soon!
• 2 cups frozen peas
• Optional - extra vegeatables

Method:
In a large soup or stock pot, add the oil, onion and coriander and cook on medium until it starts to wilt a little [SC on high for about 20-30 mins]
Meanwhile, remove the skin on the drumsticks by scoring around the ankle with a sharp knife, insert knife under skin to loosen and pull.
Soak chicken in a tub of water with a couple tablespoons of salt for 10 mins and wash (why? Try it and see all the gunk that comes off that you are not eating!)
Add Moroccan spice and yellow colouring.
Stir, then add chicken drumsticks and enough water to about 1cm below chicken line.
Simmer on medium heat for 30 mins, giving occasional stir [SC high for 1.5 hours, no stir]
Add potato, olives, preserved lemons and frozen peas (yes, this early - Moroccan-style mushy peas) and cook for a further 20-30 mins on low, giving occasional stir [SC high for 1-1.5 hours, no stir]
Taste, adding more Moroccan seasoning or white pepper.

Serve with cooked rice or couscous

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 20 pts, or 5 pts each serving 6

If serving with rice, don't forget to add the points for rice - 1/2 cup cooked rice is 1.5 pts

Core Khao Tom - Thai Rice Soup - Thai Cooking School (Core + 1pt)

I learnt this authentic recipe at Thai cooking school in Patong, Phuket in January.

If using chicken, it's called Khao Tom Gai
Beef = Khao Tom Nua, Pork = Khao Tom Moo, Prawns = Khao Tom Goong

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• cooked rice, 60g or 1/3 cup
• 500ml water
• meat - handful of meat of choice, sliced thin (for Pointing, 80g chicken breast or lean steak, you can also use 2 pts of pork or seafood if you wish)
• * 1 TB brown sugar or palm sugar (*1pt)
• 3 TB light soy sauce
• 2-3 pinches ground white pepper (note black pepper may be used for taste, but it looks like burnt flecks)
• 4 baby corns, cut to 2cm
• 1 handful cabbage, cut to 2-3cm square
• 1/3 small carrot, sliced thin

Method:
In a small pot bring the water to the boil.
Add meat and keep boiling until meat is cooked.
Add cooked rice and remaining ingredients.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, being careful not to over cook the vegies.
Serve and enjoy.

This is traditionally served with 2 garnishes - 2 pinches of pickled radish and a pinch of fried garlic.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 4pts for a large bowl

On Core you need to allow 1 pt for the sugar

Me in cooking school serving Khao Tom. Yes I am very sunburnt from snorkelling the day before.

Core Chicken and Thyme Cottage Pie

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 3 medium carrots, sliced to about 2mm thick
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 red capsicums, deseeded, diced to 1.5cm
• Chicken - either 300g roasted chicken (no skin or bones, chopped chunky) or 500g raw chicken breast or thigh fillets (diced to 1.5cm). I used 2 large roasted chicken breasts
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 cup chicken gravy, made as per instructions (I use instant)
• 1.5 cup frozen beans
• 1.5 cup frozen corn kernels
• 400g potato, peeled and chopped chunky

Method:

Spray a large non stick frypan with oil.
Fry onions, capsicums, garlic and raw chicken if using, until all is cooked and brown.
Add thyme, gravy, cooked chicken if using and vegetables. You probably need to add some more water so the liquid level is just below the level of the chicken/veg mix.
Simmer for 5 mins, then pour into a baking dish or 4 smaller heatproof dishes
Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. You want them breaking apart soft.
Drain potatoes and mash with no milk or butter and add to top of baking dish/es. Fluff potato with a fork or draw decorative lines on the top.
Alternatively, use a potato ricer or push through a sieve to give squiggly potato "worms". I used a ricer
Put dish/es under grill until the potato turns a nice golden brown on the raised bits.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 21 pts, or 5 pts for a generous serve

Core Faux Fried Rice (Cauliflower)

A healthy, tasty and low fat alternative to fried rice.

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Variations: This is a throw together meal. Use what you have handy.

Vegies: You can add your favourite vegetables as long as they are diced fine or grated. Suggestions - mushrooms, spinach leaves, capsicum, bok choy, chilli, bean sprouts etc

Meat: Try turkey mince, chicken mince, very lean beef mince, pork mince, finelely diced chicken fillets, rindless bacon, seafood or left over grilled or roast meats. Tofu can be used for vegos. I used turkey mince.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced
• 500 g lean mince (your choice)
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 cauliflower, grated on coarse
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1/8th cabbage, shredded fine
• 1 cup beans, fresh or frozen and defrosted
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 TB Chinese 5 spice
• 3 spring onions, cut to 3 cm

Method:

Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick frypan.
Add onions and fry until translucent.
Add mince and fry until lightly browned.
Add cauli and carrot and stirfry for 2 or 3 minutes before adding soy sauce, corn and beans.
Stir fry a further couple of minutes, add 5 spice and cabbage, mix thoroughly and serve (the cabbage adds a nice crunchy texture)

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 20.5 pts, or 5 pts per serve serving 4 using either:

• 500g chicken mince
• 500g very lean beef mince
• 500g lean pork mince
• 250g rindless bacon

Nutritional data (per serve):
Very lean beef mince = 395 cals, 1649 kj, 16g fat, 4g sat fat, 34g protein, 29g carbs
Chicken mince = 395 cals, 1649 kj, 16g fat, 4g sat fat, 34g protein, 29g carbs

Base recipe credit goes to my Core buddy "Sundays"

Core Chicken Paella

Serves: 6-8

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 large red capsicum, diced
• 1TB olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 500g chicken mince
• 1 1/2 cups brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 x 400g tin diced tomatos
• 6 saffron threads (optional)
• 3 chicken stock cubes
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 cup frozen beans
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1/8 cabbage shredded

Optional: chilli to taste

Method:

Heat a large non-stick pan, add oil, then onions, garlic, capsicums and fry for 3 minutes.
Add chicken mince and fry until chicken is no longer pink.
Add rice, water, tomatoes, saffron, paprika and stock.
Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to low, simmering for 40 minutes until almost all the stock is absorbed.
Optional - add chilli (I used 1/2 tsp dried chilli for a mild 'tang')
Add cauliflower and frozen vegies and simmer for 5 mins.
Stir through carrot and cabbage. Turn heat off and allow to sit for a few minutes until wilted.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 31pts. Serving 6 = 5pts/serve, serving 8 = 4pts

Almost Core Country Chicken Casserole (Slow Cooker)

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 600g chicken thigh fillets, cut chunky
• 1 packet McCormick Slow Cookers Country Chicken Casserole (1.5pts)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1-2 carrots, chopped
• 1/3 cup non fat milk (I use Pura Tone)
• 1 cup of defrosted frozen peas

Method:
Add chicken, sauce mix, water, milk and carrot into slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
Stir through the peas about 20 or 30 minutes before serving (ie when you start cooking the potatoes or rice)

Serve with mashed potatoes (or rice) and your favourite steamed vegies.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is (not pointed yet)

On Core, you'll need to allocate 1/2 pt for the sachet

Core Slow Cooker Chicken Green Curry

This is a fragrant green curry, it is not hot at all!

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 4 TB (50g) green curry paste (I used True Thai @ 31kj, 0 fat for 50g = 0pts)
• 650 g chicken thigh fillets, cut to approx 2 cm chunks
• 3 tsp coriander paste (or fresh in food processor)
• 3 tsp basil paste (or fresh in food processor)
• 1 cup non fat milk (I used Pura Tone)
• 1 tsp coconut essence
  (milk+essence = healthy coconut milk alternative)
• 3 TB cornflour for thickening

Method:

I put all except flour in slow cooker in the morning, turned onto auto setting (4 hours high, then switches to low).
After 10 hours I removed about 1/3 cup juices, made a paste with cornflour and stirred back though.
High for an hour to thicken.

There is no reason the cornflour couldn't be added at the start and it doesn't "need" 11 hours cooking - but I like curry meat fall-apart tender and wasn't home to supervise. I think it would be fine on high for 4 or 5 hours.

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 15.5 pts, or 4 pts each for 4 servings

Add 2 pts for or 3/4 cup cooked rice (2.5pts for 1/4c raw rice)

Since it has only a few ingredients, I even worked out the kj’s – 1100kj per serve, or 264cals without rice

Almost Core Crispy Honey Chicken (0.5pt each)

The chicken takes the same time to cook as homemade potato chips, so cut up a couple of spuds and throw them in too

Serves: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 x 140g skinless chicken fillet
• 2 tsp grainy mustard
• 1/2 tsp (or more) cracked pepper
• 1TB (4tsp) honey
• 2/3 cup Weeties

Method:

Put the Weeties into a strong plastic bag and gently squeeze to break down to about 1/3 size flakes, not to dust.
Put honey, mustard and pepper in a shallow dish and microwave for 2o-30 secs to thin the honey.
Press the first fillet into the honey mix, turn over and press again.
Drop into the bag of Weeties, twist the top and shake to coat.
Put onto a baking tray, repeat.
Spray with cooking spray and bake at 180*C for 25-30 mins.

On Core? The honey is 1 pt or 0.5 pts per serve

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 8pts, or 4 pts per serve.

CORE Asian Noodle Soup - Vegetarian or Chicken

Options to suit meat eaters, Vegans and Lacto Vegetarians

Serves: 1

Difficulty: Very easy - no cooking

Ingredients:

Optional: 100g firm tofu, diced to 1cm or 100g cooked chicken, diced or shredded

• 75g thin hokkien noodles, chopped to about 3cm
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups of thinly sliced or grated vegies
  suggestions: spinach, cabbage, grated carrot, corn kernels, peas, beans, beansprouts, bok choy
  I used beans sprouts, grated cabbage and a couble of TB of frozen beans and peas
• 1 spring onion, white chopped fine, green chopped to 2cm
• 2 tsp of vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 TB skim milk powder (omit for Vegans)
• 1-2 tsp each of basil and coriander
• crushed chili - start with 1/4 tsp - omit if you don't tolerate spicy
• 1/2 tsp coconut essense

Method:

Put the the tofu or chicken (if using) into the bottom of a large noodle bowl (3-4 cup capacity).
Layer the raw vegetables on top
In a heat proof bowl or jug, mix stock powder and milk powder.
Stir in 2 cups boiling water and herbs, then add coconut.
Pour into noodle bowl, leave to sit for 3 mins, then enjoy

Not on Core? The total Points for this recipe is 2 pts as Vegetarian, no tofu with free vegies (1.5 for Vegan)
Add 2 pts for tofu, 3 pts for chicken

Core Chicken, Spinach and Ricotta Pasta

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup cold roast chicken, skin removed and chopped
• 4 cubes frozen spinach
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen mint peas
• 1 cup frozen beans
• 10 large basil leaves, shredded
• 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley, shredded
• 2 tsp seeded mustard
• 1 x 250g tub Perfect Italiano Extra Light Ricotta
• 1/3 cup nonfat milk
• 200g dry pasta shells

Method:

Saute onion and capsicum in olive oil in a lage pan.
Add frozen vegies, and chicken and stir until warmed through.
Add rest of ingredients except pasta and stir through.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in pan of boiling water, drain, and add to the chicken ricotta mix.
Stir through and serve.

Optional - top with 1 tsp Parmesan cheese and 1 tsp almond flakes

Not on Core? The total of this recipe is 23 points (5.5 points per serve)

Core Chicken/Turkey Potato Casserole

I made this with turkey fillets, but chicken thigh fillets would be lovely too. Chicken breasts may dry out too much

Serves: 4-6

Cooking Time: 60-75 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 750 g chicken thigh fillets of turkey fillets, diced to approx 2cm
• 750 g potatoes, diced to approx 2cm (skin on if you can)
• handful fresh parsley (or thyme), coarsley chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 150 ml nonfat milk
• 150 ml water
• 3 tsp seeded mustard
• 2 tsp french onion soup mix (or a onion, chopped)

Method:
Arrange the potatoes in the bottom of a large baking dish.
Scatter garlic and parsley (onion if using)
Put chicken/turkey on top
In a jug, mix the water, milk, mustard and french onion soup.
Boil the fluids in the microwave (around 90 secs) and pour into the baking dish.
Bake at 180*C covered for 40 minutes.
Uncover and bake a further 20-30 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and chicken and potatoes are tender and crisp.
Serve with steamed vegies

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is 22 points

CORE Thai Turkey StirFry (or Pork or Chicken)

I used diced turkey fillet for this and it was lovely and moist. You could also use diced chicken thigh (breast may be too dry) or pork fillets.

Serves: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

The stir fry:

• 400g turkey fillet, cubed to 2cm (or chicken thigh or pork fillet)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 small red capsicum, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups green beans (frozen is fine)
• lemon wedges

Thai Marinade:

• 1 tsp mint
• 1 tsp lemongrass (or juice of 1 lemon)
• 1 tsp chilli paste
• 2 tsp coriander

The "nest" - choose 2 of the below in contrasting colours:

• bean sprouts
• baby spinach
• grated carrot
• shredded lettuce

Method:

Mix the herbs in a non-metallic bowl and add a few tsp of water to make a thinish paste (I use commercial tubes of wet crushed herbs. If using fresh, the quantity given is once pulverized - you could throw it all in the food processor).
Add the turkey to the herbsand stir in. Cover and marinate for 20 minutes.
Spray a nonstick frypan or wok with oil and heat to medium-hot.
Add the capsicum and onions and a few TB of water and cook for a few minutes.
Add the turkey and a few more TB of water. Water helps to steam fry food and reduces oil needed.
Cook turkey for about 5 minutes, then add beans (I added still frozen)
Stir fry for a few minutes until beans are done.
Meanwhile, prepare the nest on the plates/bowls by adding a layer or ring of nest vegetable 1 (I used 2/3 cup bean spouts per serve)
Add nest vegetable 2 leaving about a 2 cm ring showing vegetable 1 (I used a generous handful of baby spinach)
Serve the stirfry on the center of the nest with a wedge of lemon (the lemon is the "sauce" and dressing all in one)

Not on Core? The only points here are for the meat - 4 points for 200g of turkey, chicken thigh or lean pork fillets.

CORE "Smokey BBQ" Chicken Breast

Slicing grilled chicken is a good way to control your serving of chicken breast when the fillets are enormous and shows the lovely coloring from the smoky BBQ seasoning.

Serves: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 medium chicken breasts (about 400g)
• powdered "Smokey BBQ" seasoning

Method:
Put chicken on a plate and sprinkle seasoning over both sides. Allow to sit for at least 10 mins.
Heat a grill or frypan (I used a Foreman grill) very hot and cook chicken until done, turning only once (no need for a Foreman).
Slice and serve with a big plate of vegies.

Not on Core? A 200g chicken breast fillet is approx 4.5 points (raw weight)

The "enormous" serving pictured is 200g on a very large plate.

CORE Slow Cooker Lemon Roast Chicken

A lovely moist roast chicken with subtle lemon flavour. It will fall off the bone.

Serves: 4+ (I used a 1.6 kg chicken and it served 6)

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 large lemons (or 4 small)
• a chicken (or chickens) of size to suit your family

Method:

Cut the bumps of the end of the lemons. Cut 1 or 2 thin slices off each end. This will leave you with lemon chunks about 4 cm thick. Cut these in half so you have 2 lemon rings each about 2 cm thick. Put 2 or 3 lumps in the bottom of the slow cooker bowl - we're using these as "legs" to prop up the chicken to dry roast it.
Insert a few of the lemon slices into the carcass, making sure you have 4 slices left.
The chicken will cook better if you close the legs/carcass "hole". You can do this by tying the legs together, or use the "Chicken Shop Crossed Legs" method - stretch one leg away from the body, with sharp knife cut a 1 cm slit in the loose skin, pop opposite "ankle" through, then the other.
Put chicken on props, lay a slice of lemon on each breast, one on the tummy, and half slice each on the leg/thigh.
Put chicken in slow cooker bowl.
Optional - If you have time, put lid on and fridge at least overnight. Take out of fridge an hour or 2 before putting onto heat.
Add a thin layer of boiling water to bottom of slow cooker bowl, about 1/3 -1/2 cup.
Cook on low heat for about 8 or 9 hours or high for about 4.
Serve.

Optional - if your other family members are skin eaters, you may wish to brown off in oven/grill as the chicken is pale.

Almost CORE Chicken Filo Pies (+0.5 pts)

A plain chicken pie base with flavour options like mushroom, pepper, coriander, curry etc.

Includes instructions for making as a family pie and as individual pies
I prefer individual pies as it helps control portion distortion and prevent seconds-itis :)

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 750g chicken thigh fillets, diced 1cm
• oil spray
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 2 tsp chicken stock
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk
• 3 TB cornflour
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup peas
• 2 cups mixed vegies (frozen or fresh diced small and steamed)
• 3 cubes frozen spinach
• 6 sheets filo pastry

The above ingredients make a middle of the road "creamy" chicken and vegetable pie which you can add your favourite flavourings.

Optional - herbs of choice

• For a plain family friendly pie, just add a little parsley
• For a creamy Thai style, add a bunch of chopped coriander and 2 tsp mint (pictured)
• For mushroom chicken, add 1 cup chopped mushrooms with the other veg and a sachet of cup-a-soup style cream of mushroom soup (point it)
• For pepper chicken, add lots of cracked pepper
• For curry chicken - add 2 tsp mild curry powder, and adjust to taste.
• For farmhouse style, add tarragon and thyme
• For basil chicken, you guessed it, add chopped basil
• You can also use any of the herb, spice or seasoning blends like Moroccan, Thai, mixed herbs, lemon pepper, Italian etc

Method:

Spray a large pan with oil, heat and add chicken, onion and garlic.
Fry for about 10 mins until chicken is no longer pink on the outside.
Turn heat down to low and add 1 cup water, stock, salt and pepper and simmer with lid on for 15 mins.
Mix the cornflour with 1/4 cup water and add to pot with the milk. Stir for 5 mins while sauce thickens.
Add vegies and herbs and turn off heat - mix must cool before it can be in contact with the pastry. (If your stove top or pan retains heat, pour into a plastic of pyrex bowl).
Take filo out of fridge, it's easier to work with at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 200*C

Individual pies:
Lay out 1 sheet of filo, spray with oil and fold in half.
Drape carefully over a medium ramekin or a 1 cup muffin tray.
Put 1 cup of mix in center, spray and fold down pastry to cover mix.
Repeat to make 6 pies.
Bake for approx 30 mins until golden brown.
Serve within 10 minutes - filo gets soggy when it sits.

NB - with 1 sheet of filo, the base can be a little soft and is best served in the ramekins. If serving on plate, use 2 sheets of filo pastry for more firmness.

Family pie:
Spray pie dish with oil spray.
Cut 6 sheets of filo in half.
Put first sheet in base of pie dish and spray with oil.
Pepeat for 2nd - 7th sheet, rotating dish/filo so that one sheet does not overlay another (looks like a big star).
Add pie filling.
Place 1 sheet of filo on top of filling, spray with oil, repeat with sheets 2-5, again staggering each sheet.
Crinkle or fold down pastry edges to seal pie. Spray again.
Bake for approx 30 mins until golden brown.
Serve within 10 minutes - filo gets soggy when it sits.

On Core? Allow 0.5 pts per serve for the filo

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is approx 23.5 pts, or 6 points per serve

Core Chicken, Pumpkin and Rocket Risotto

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 300 g chicken mince (or finely chopped fillets)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin (or thick pumpkin soup)
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas (try mint)
• 4 chicken stock cubes
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 1 capsicum or chargrilled capsicums, sliced into strips
• 2-3 TB fresh chopped basil
• 1 cup rocket

Method:
Fry chicken, onion and garlic in large nonstick pot with 1tsp oil and put aside (if using raw capsicum, add at start).
Using same pan, turn down to medium, add the remaining oil and the dry rice.
Stir to coat with oil, and fry for about 3 or 4 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 cups of boiling water and stock and simmer for 10 minues until most water has absorbed.
Add pumpkin and cook for another 5-10 minutes, adding a splash more water if it looks a little dry.
Add frozen or grated vegies, beef mix, chargrilled capsicums and basil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
Again, add a little water if it starts to stick.
Turn off heat, stir through rocket and serve.

Optional - serve with 2 tsp sharp parmesan (0.5 pts)

CORE Chicken, Ricotta & Rocket Pasta

This colourful pasta tastes as good as it looks.
Mild "creamy" ricotta sauce gets its flavour from the rocket

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 300 g chicken mince
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/2 red capsicum, cut in strips
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 250 g pasta (spiral or penne)
• 1 large carrot (at lest 2cm thick), peeled
• 2 small/1 large zucchini
• 1/2 cup mint peas, frozen
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen beans
• 1/2 bag rocket (about 50g)
• 1/2 a 250 g tub Perfect Italiano Light Ricotta
• 2 small or 1 large spring onion, sliced
• 2 tsp seeded mustard
• 3 tsp finely chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c non-fat milk

Method:
Using a vegetable peeler, make ribbons of carrot and zucchini, ensuring some green skin is visible on each zucchini ribbon. Put ribbons in base of strainer/colander.
Heat a large frypan with the olive oil.
Fry the onion, garlic and capsicum until the onions go clear, then add chicken mince.
Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water and add pasta.
When chicken is cooked (chicken mince does not brown, it will still be white), add frozen vegies and a few TB of water to steam them.
When pasta is al dente (around 9 mins), pour into strainer over vegie ribbons, give a good shake and straight back to pan. Stir through rocket and set aside for a couple of minutes while you make the pasta sauce.
Add ricotta, milk, mustard, basil, spring onion and some cracked pepper to the chicken/veg mix and stir through.
Add sauce to pasta and stir through.
Serve immediately.

Optional - add 2 tsp of parmesan cheese for 0.5 pts (well worth it)

Not on Core? The total for this recipe is approx 25 points