8th February 2011 facebook email

When you're happy you look nice, when you're sad you don’t!
I’m having computer problems, word keeps freezing and it’s taking twice as long to do anything so I think I’m going to have to replace mine, can’t complain I suppose I’ve had it almost 6 years, it’s just the nightmare of choosing the right one, hey ho such is life.

Well the good news is I lost 3lb yesterday when I got weighed, I was thrilled, first week back on track this year, especially as I haven’t felt like I was on a diet as such, I’ve cooked some delicious food, and still managed to drink my wine by doing plenty of walking using my pedometer. If you’re interested to see what I spent all my ProPoints on last week, here’s a link to my tracker;

http://wwbevsworld.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-tracker-january-31st-february-6th.html

Today I’m hoping to cook Jamie Olivers Mustard Chicken which will use those leeks I mentioned yesterday and also I going to have a bash at a savoury cheesecake! It caught my eye as I was going through some old Weight Watcher cookbooks, sounds different and will be the first time I’ve made pastry since I was at school probably! Here’s the recipe if you fancy having a go yourself.

Red pepper and basil cheesecake

27 Pro Points per recipe
Takes 35 minutes to prepare, 20 minutes to cook + 10 minutes cooling.

Serves 6 - 5pp each, or serves 4 – 7pp each
Freezeable

Not all Cheesecakes have to be sweet, try this savoury version and you’ll be hooked!

For the pastry:
100 g (31/2 oz) plain white flour plus 2 3 teaspoons for rolling
1 tablespoon cornflour
50 g (13/4 oz) polyunsaturated margarine
a pinch of salt


For the filling:
3 red peppers, de-seeded and halved
350g (12oz) low fat plain cottage cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons torn fresh basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

l. To make the pastry, mix the flour and cornflour together in a bowl. Rub in the margarine with your fingertips, under the mixture resembles line breadcrumbs. Add the salt and then stir in enough cold water to make a soft dough.

2. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/ l 90°C/fan oven l70°C. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry so it is big enough to line the base and sides of a 20 cm (8 inch) fluted loose-bottomed flan tin.

3. Lift the pastry into the tin and prick the base with a fork Line with non-stick baking parchment and baking beans. Bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and the beans and return the pastry to the oven for 10 minutes.

4.Meanwhile, grill the peppers under a high heat, skin side up until the skins blacken and blister. Transfer the peppers to polythene bag and seal. When they are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and roughly chop the flesh.

5. Place the peppers, cottage cheese, eggs, basil and seasoning in a food processor and blend until smooth. Remove the pastry flan case from the oven and spoon in the pepper filling.

6. Return the flan to the oven for 20 minutes, until the filling has set and is firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into wedges to serve.

Tip: if you don’t have a food processor, chop the red pepper very finely and push the cottage cheese through a sieve. Mix them together with the eggs, seasoning and basil as in step 5 before spooning into the flan case.

Have a fabulous day xx