Wow! What an amazing January it has been. The 7th of the month saw the launch of the new 5pm session at Eastington and it was fabulous to welcome so many to start their weight loss journeys. We have also welcomed new members to the other group meetings too and it's fantastic seeing everyone's brilliant weight losses. So in this issue I thought I would share with you all a couple of recipes that are firm favourites across all groups.Tuck into this healthy-version of an all American classic. In this recipe lean pork is slow-cooked then shredded or 'pulled' and layered with a bbq sauce.

BBQ Pulled Pork in the slow cooker

Ingredients

1.5-2kg pork shoulder, all fat removed

5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp mustard powder

500g passata

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 tbsp sweetener

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

 In a small bowl, mix passata, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweetener and seasoning. Transfer to a small pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

 Meanwhile, trim and remove all visible fat from the pork and sear all sides in a hot frying pan. Transfer to a slow cooker coat with the sauce and cook for 8-12 hours on MEDIUM.

 Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Allow the meat to cool for approximately 15 minutes, then shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks.

Tip: Chef's tip: On an Extra Easy day serve with our hot and spicy coleslaw, Slimming World chips and 60g wholemeal roll (Healthy Extra 'b' choice).

Suitable for freezing

There are hundreds of wonderful recipes and each week we learn new ones. So if you love food but would also love to lose weight come along and join us. Suitable for everyone, family, single, vegetarians, large appetites, grazers 11-15 year olds, young and older. We meet at Stonehouse Community Centre 9.30am Wednesday mornings or Eastington Village Hall Wednesdays 5pm and 7pm. A warm and friendly welcome awaits.

Chicken tikka masala with coriander rice

Winter nights were made for this rich, smooth curry with just the right kick.

Ingredients

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks

250g dried basmati rice

A large handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped

600g green beans, halved

2 tsp black mustard seeds

200g fat-free natural fromage frais

Lime wedges, to serve

For the marinade

250g fat-free natural yogurt

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp tandoori spice blend

2 cm piece fresh root ginger,

peeled and finely grated

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Method

 Put the marinade ingredients in a large glass bowl, season with salt and stir. Add the chicken and mix to coat evenly. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 4-6 hours, or overnight if time allows.

 About 40 minutes before you want to eat, put the rice in a pan with 650 ml water and bring to the boil. Season well and stir in half the chopped coriander. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to stand undisturbed for 10-15 minutes.

 Meanwhile make the sauce. Spray a large, heavy-based frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and cook the garlic, chilli and tandoori spices over a medium heat for 30-40 seconds. Stir in the passata and tomato purée, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

 Preheat your grill to high. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers and grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Discard the marinade.

 Meanwhile boil the beans for 2-4 minutes. Drain well. Place a frying pan sprayed with low calorie cooking spray over a high heat, add the mustard seeds and beans and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Season well.

 Remove the cooked chicken pieces from the skewers and add to the sauce. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the fromage frais. Garnish the chicken tikka masala and rice with the remaining coriander, and serve with the beans and the lime wedges for squeezing over.

Tip: Have the full Friday-night curry experience and serve the chicken tikka masala with a ready to eat small poppadom (2½ Syns each)

For the Sauce

Low calorie cooking spray

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp tandoori spice blend

500g passata with onions and garlic

4 tbsp tomato purée

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