Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4

Syns Per Serving : Syn Free

Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
500gm lean minced beef, less than 5% fat
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 medium egg, beaten

For the mashed potatoes:
3lb white potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
250ml vegetable stock

Method
1. Place the potatoes in the bottom of the Instant Pot with the vegetable stock. Lay the rack that comes with your pot over the top of the potatoes so that it lays flat.

2. In a bowl mix together all of the meatloaf ingredients and squeeze together into a loaf shape. Place on a piece of tinfoil. Shape the tinfoil up and around the edges of the meatloaf, creating a dish for it. Place the meatloaf in the foil on top of the rack in the pressure cooker and secure the lid.

3. Ensure that the steam release is closed and set pressure cooker to Manual for 25 minutes. Once it has finished cooking, use the quick release method to let the steam escape. 

4. Carefully lift the meatloaf out of the pressure cooker and cut into slices. Drain the potatoes and then return them to the cooking pot to mash. Serve the mash with the meatloaf.

Instant Pot Bolognese Pasta

Serves 4

Syns Per Serving : Syn Free

Ingredients
Low calorie spray oil
400gm lean minced beef, less than 5% fat
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
Frozen chopped garlic to taste
400gm can chopped tomatoes
500gm carton passata
400ml beef stock
1tbsp dried Italian mixed herbs
500gm pack dried pasta shapes

Method
1. Select Sauté or Browning on your pressure cooker and allow it to heat up.

2. Spray the Pressure Cooker cooking pot with low calorie spray oil and add the minced beef. Break into pieces with a wooden spoon as you brown the mince. After a couple of minutes, add the onion and garlic and sauté until the mince is browned all over.

3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Press down on any pasta sticking up out of the sauce with a wooden spoon, adding a little more water if necessary to ensure all the pasta is submerged.

4. Lock on the lid and close the Pressure Valve. 

5. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. When the beep sounds, allow a 5 minute natural release, then very carefully do a quick release to release any remaining pressure. Stir well and serve. 

Rich Beef Casserole

Serves 4

Syns Per Serving : 2 Syns 

Ingredients
500gm lean diced beef
500gm bag carrots, peeled and sliced
2 x parsnips, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
1 small swede, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
2 onions, peeled and sliced
2 x rich beef stock pots, dissolved in 1.2ltr boiling water
40gm Bisto gravy powder, mixed with a little cold water (5 Syns)
30gm Bisto Best beef gravy granules (5 Syns)

Method
1. Brown off the diced beef and add it to the slow cooker pot.

2. Add all of the vegetables and the stock and cook on low for around 8 hours.

3. About an hour before serving, stir in the gravy powder and granules and turn the slow cooker to high to allow the gravy to thicken. Serve with your choice of Syn Free vegetables and potatoes.

You could leave out the gravy powder and granules to make this casserole Syn Free, but personally I don't like a watery casserole. I would rather use a couple of Syns and enjoy a rich, thick casserole instead.

Beef & Bean Hotpot

Serves 6
Syns Per Serving : Syn Free

Ingredients
• 500gm lean minced beef, 5% fat or less
• 1 beef stock cube
• 2 large onions, diced
• 500gm pack carrot and swede diced
• 2lb potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 x 400gm cans baked beans in tomato sauce
• Worcestershire sauce, to taste

Method

1. Heat a large non-stick pan, add the beef then fry over a medium-high heat until browned, stirring often and breaking up any lumps with a spoon. Crumble in the stock cube and mix well.

2. Add the vegetables, stir to mix with the beef and pour in enough boiling water (about 1 litre) to cover. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and stir well. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 30 mins or until the vegetables are tender.

3. Tip in the baked beans, sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce to taste, stir well and heat through. Taste for seasoning. Serve with extra Worcestershire sauce or Tabasco, for those who like a peppery hot taste.

Beef Rissoles

Serves 4
Syns Per Serving: Extra Easy - FREE

Ingredients
• 700gm small floury potatoes, such as Desiree, scrubbed
• 1 large egg, beaten
• freshly ground black pepper
• Low-calorie cooking spray, such as Frylight
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 500gm lean minced beef (5% fat or less)
• 2tsp Cajun seasoning
• 200gm can chopped tomatoes
• 6tbsp tomato purée
• small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method
1. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. Drain well, allow to cool a little, peel and mash to a smooth purée. Leave to cool, then mix in the beaten egg, season and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, spray a large frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium-low heat. Fry the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mince, increase the heat to high and fry for 5-6 minutes, or until lightly browned all over.

3. Stir in the Cajun seasoning, tomatoes, tomato purée and the parsley. Season well. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until fairly dry. Leave to cool.

4. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Tip the mince into the mash and mix well. Divide into 12 portions, shape each into a ball and roll into a rissole. Place on the baking tray, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours, or overnight if you can.

5. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Spray the rissoles with low-calorie cooking spray and bake for around 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Beef And Mixed Bean Chilli

Serves 4

Syns Per Serving : Extra Easy - Syn-free

Ingredients
• Fry Light
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 2tsp cayenne pepper or paprika
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 2tbsp ground cumin
• 2tsp chilli powder (or more to taste if you like it hot)
• 500gm extra lean minced beef
• 400gm can chopped tomatoes
• 1 red and 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into small bite-sized pieces
• freshly ground black pepper
• 400gm red kidney beans in water, drained and rinsed
• 400gm can mixed beans in tomato sauce

Method
1. Place a large, non-stick frying pan sprayed with Fry Light over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the cayenne pepper or paprika, cinnamon, cumin, chilli powder and minced beef and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes and peppers and bring to the boil. Season well, cover tightly and cook over a low heat for 20-25 minutes.

3. Add the beans, stir to mix well and return to the heat for another 10 minutes. Serve in warmed bowls with boiled rice or Syn-free potato wedges and a large mixed salad.

Cheeseburger Frittata

Serves 4

Syns Per Serving : Extra Easy and Original - Syn-free **
**add 4.5 Syns per serving if not using the cheese as part of your Healthy Extra A choice

Ingredients
• Fry Light
• 500gm extra lean minced beef
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 250gm frozen mixed sliced peppers
• 8 cherry tomatoes, diced
• 120gm reduced-fat cheddar, grated**
• 10 large eggs (I only used 8 medium eggs the first time and it wasn't really eggy enough)
• freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6.

2. Spray a large pan with Fry Light and cook the onion and garlic over a low heat for a few minutes until starting to soften. Increase the heat, add the mince and fry for 5-6 minutes until browned all over. Add the peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes and cook for a minute or so.

3. Spray a large oven dish with Fry Light and spread the mince mixture over the base of the dish (think I will use a bigger dish next time). Beat the eggs and add half of the cheese and some freshly ground black pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the mince mixture, then top with the remaining cheese.

4. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until set and golden brown.

Slow Cooker Beef Casserole

Serves 4

Syns Per Serving : Extra Easy - 1.5 Syns

Ingredients
• 500gm lean diced casserole beef
• 1kg mixed root vegetables; carrot, swede, leeks, parsnips, etc cut into bite size chunks
• 1ltr beef stock made with 2 stock cubes
• 4 heaped tsp Bisto Best beef gravy granules (4.5 Syns)
• 4 level tsp Bisto powder (2 Syns)

Method
1. Dry fry the beef until browned all over. Put the vegetables in the bottom of the slow cooker, then place the browned beef on top. Pour over the stock and cook on low for 7-9 hours.

2. Half an hour before serving, mix the Bisto powder with a little cold water and add to the slow cooker with the gravy granules. Stir in, then turn the slow cooker up to High for 30 minutes while the casserole thickens.

Cowboy Pie

Serves 4

Syns per serving: Extra Easy - Syn-free

Ingredients
• Fry Light
• 500gm extra lean minced beef
• 6 spring onions, white bulb thinly sliced and green leaves finely chopped
• 500gm pack fresh diced carrot and swede
• 415gm can baked beans
• 300ml beef stock
• 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1tsp dried mixed herbs
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 x 107gm packs Smash Instant Mash Potato Cheddar & Onion flavour
• 2 eggs, beaten

Method
1. Place a pan sprayed with Fry Light over a medium heat. Add the minced beef and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Then add the white spring onion to the mince and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes, or until the meat is browned.

2. Add the carrot and swede, baked beans, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs, then season. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Preheat the grill to medium. Make the Smash according to the packet instructions. Add the spring onion greens to the mash with half of the egg and beat well. Divide the mince mixture between 4 ovenproof pie dishes, then spoon over the mash. Roughen up the tops of the pies with a fork, then brush with the remaining egg.

4. Grill the pies for 3 minutes or until browned. Serve with a selection of superfree vegetables.

Oven-Baked Italian Meatballs

This dish is packed with superfree foods, and as it's all cooked in the one dish it'll cut down on the washing up. You could also use extra lean turkey mince instead of beef for the meatballs.

Serves 4
Syns per serving: Free on Extra Easy and Original

Ingredients
2 large onions, finely chopped
500gm extra lean minced beef
2tsp dried Italian mixed herbs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Freshly ground black pepper
400gm can chopped tomatoes with herbs
1tbsp granulated sweetener
500gm carton passata
150ml hot vegetable stock
2 medium courgettes, trimmed and cut into chunks
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180/Gas Mark 6.

2. Mix together half of the chopped onions, all of the tomatoes, sweetener, passata, vegetable stock, courgettes and red pepper in a large roasting tin and season well. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 50 minutes.

3. Put the other half of the chopped onions in a bowl with the beef, Italian herbs, garlic and some black pepper, then mix well and divide into 20 portions. Roll each portion into a ball, place on a plate, cover and chill until ready to use.

4. After 50 minutes, remove the foil from the roasting tin, stir in the meatballs and bake for a further 40 minutes. 

5. Serve with your favourite pasta shapes, remembering to add the Syns accordingly if following the Original plan.

Beef And Red Wine Casserole

I left this simmering away in the slow cooker all day, but if you prefer you could put everything in a heavy-based casseroles dish, bring to the boil then cover tightly and cook in the oven at 170C/Gas 3 for 2-2.5 hours.

Serves 4

Syns per serving - 2 Syns on Extra Easy and Original

Ingredients
500gm lean stewing beef, all visible fat removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
3 large leeks, thickly sliced
500ml hot beef stock
100ml red wine (4 Syns)
400gm can chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2tsp dried mixed herbs
Freshly ground black pepper
4 level tsp Bisto gravy powder (4 Syns)

Method
1. Add all of the ingredients except for the Bisto powder to a slow cooker. Cook on low for around 8 hours.

2. 20 minutes before serving, mix the Bisto powder with a little cold water until all dissolved, then stir this into the casserole. Replace the lid and turn the heat up to high for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Cheesy Beef Meatloaf

Serves 4

Syns per serving: Original & Extra Easy - 0.5 Syns*
*add 4.5 Syns per serving if not using the cheese as part of your Healthy Extra A choice

Ingredients
• 450gm (1lb) extra lean beef mince
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 2tbsp tomato ketchup (2 Syns)
• 120gm (4oz) reduced-fat Cheddar, grated*

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas Mark 6. Mix the mince, onion, garlic, thyme, ketchup and half the cheese. Shape into a loaf and put into an oven-proof dish. Bake for 25 minutes.

2. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and bake for a further 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.