More Buffet ideas

Mini Quiche with Peppers

Makes 12

Core recipe

Points per serving:  ½

5 eggs

120 ml skimmed milk

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ green pepper, finely diced

¼ red pepper finely diced

Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan oven). Spray two 12 hole patty tins with frylight.

Mix together eggs, milk, salt and pepper until well combined. Add the peppers and mix in well with the egg.  Pour mixture into the patty tins, place in oven and cook for 10-12 minutes or until egg is set.

Sweet Potato & Spring Onion Fritters

Makes 8 (or make smaller ones as party nibbles)

Core recipe

Points per recipe: 19½

450g orange fleshed sweet potato, peeled & finely diced

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 tbsp natural yogurt

1 tbsp fish sauce

60g dried weight polenta

½ bunch spring onions, chopped

½ green chilli, deseeded & finely chopped

1 red onion, finely sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

Cook the sweet potato in boiling salted water for 5 mins.  Drain and set aside.  Mix eggs, yogurt, fish sauce, polenta and spring onions in a bowl.  Add the sweet potato, chilli and red onion and stir well.

Heat the oil in a large pan overmedium heat.  Sppon 4 large tbsp of the mixture into the pan, cook 3-4 mins or until golden brown on one side, flip over and cook 2 more mins.  Fry remaining fritters and serve.

Lovely with a dip of plain fromage frais or yogurt.  (Or even creme fraiche if you want to use some points)

Olive, Feta & Thyme Flans

Moist little flans that are best eaten warm, rather than hot from the oven or cold from the fridge.

Makes 24

Core points per recipe: 6½ (2 flans for ½pt)

Points per recipe: 24½.  (1 pt each)

450g sweet potatoes, peeled & diced

1 tbsp olive oil

4 large eggs, beaten

200ml 0% greek yoghurt

200g diced, reduced fat feta

55g pitted black olives, chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to Gas 6/200ºC/400ºF

Put sweet potato, oil and a good pinch of sea salt into a roasting tin and toss well together.  Cook for 20 mins or until just tender.

Reduce oven temperature to Gas 3/160ºC/325ºF

Whisk eggs and yogurt then add seasoning.  Pour the mixture into 24 shallow patty tins which have been lightly oiled. (use frylight)  Add the feta, sweet potato and olives and sprinkle with thyme.

Cook 30-35 mins or until golden & just firm to the touch.

Chicken Tikka Triangles

Makes 18

Core points per recipe: 6

Points per recipe 14½

450g bonelss, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1cm cubes

4 tbsp low fat natural yogurt eg 0% total

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp chilli powder

grated rind and juice of ½ lemon

3 sheets filo pastry (Jusrol is 2 pts per sheet)

Mix yogurt, garlic, chilli powder, lemon rind and juice.  Stir in chicken cubes.  Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Fry chicken mixture over low heat for 10 mins, stirring occasionally until cooked.  Set aside to cool.

Brush pastry edges with water, cutting each sheet into 6 strips.  Put 2 tsp filling at the base of one strip.  Fold right corner of pastry over filling to form one side of triangle.  Continue folding until you reach top of strip.  Brush with water/milk and place on non-stick baking tray or tray covered with parchment paper.  Repeat to make 18 triangles.

Cook at 425ºF/220ºC/Gas 7 for 8-12 mins until golden.  Cool.

Suitable for freezing.

Store in polybox layered with greaseproof paper.  Seal. label and use within 3 months.

Thaw at room temp for 2 hours.

Cheese & Celery Boats

Take 2 sticks celery, cut each into 5 lengths and fill the centre groove with extra light philly with onion & chive.

Tie a chive or length of geen spring onion around the middle of each for an extra flourish!

Courgette Christmas Candles

Points each: ½ (both plans)

1 medium courgette, straight if possible (approx 200g)
45 g cream cheese eg Philadelphia extra light
2 artichoke hearts, (in brine) drained & chopped
15 g Sun-Dried tomatoes, use 2-3, drained of oil and chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon fresh chives, finely chopped

Peel 12 or 14 vertical strips of courgette using a potato peeler (preferably a swivel type one). Bring a large pan of water to the boil, blanch the courgette for 30 seconds and then refresh under cold water.

Put the cream cheese, artichokes, tomatoes and lemon juice into a food processor and blend until smooth, then add the chives.

Lay the courgette strips flat and spread a teaspoon of the pate on top. Then roll up gently and stand upright. Garnish with extra chives and thin strips of sun dried tomatoes.