Yummy treats from social media sensation Pinch Of Nom’s new cookbook

CHICKEN TIKKA PAKORAS

Takeaway pakoras are usually deep fried, so we created our own slimming-friendly version, and they’re just as delicious. Swap the chicken for Quorn fillets for a vegetarian version.

SERVES 4

PER SERVING 180 KCAL 17G KH

• 400g skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 50 grams of cornmeal
• 25 g (1 ounce) plain flour
• Low calorie cooking spray
• 1/10 oz (2 g) coriander and mint leaves for garnish

FOR THE TIKKA SPICE MIX

• 1½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• A pinch each of ground black pepper and cayenne pepper

TO SERVE (optional)

• Raita (+33 kcal per serving)
• 75 g mixed salad (+15 kcal per serving)
• lemon slices

Place all the ingredients for the tikka spice mix in a mixing bowl and mix well. Add the chicken pieces and mix well until completely coated in the spice mixture. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line a baking sheet with non-stick parchment paper. Stir the beaten egg into the chicken until coated. Mix together the cornstarch and flour and add to the chicken. Stir with a wooden spoon until the chicken is completely coated. Add 2 Tbsp water and mix well until the chicken is coated in a thick, sticky coating.

Place the chicken pieces on the parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure they don’t stick to each other. Spray with low-calorie cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn over. Spray again with low-calorie cooking spray and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy. The chicken should show no signs of pink and the juice should run clear. Sprinkle with coriander and mint leaves and serve with raita, a tossed salad and lemon wedges, if desired.

PIZZA NACHOS

Ever thought of adding your favorite pizza topping to a bowl of nachos? We kept ours simple with onions, peppers, pepperoni and cheese, but everyone can continue with their choice of toppings.

SERVES 4

PER SERVING 295 KCAL 32 G KH

• 170 g (5¾oz) lightly salted tortilla chips
• ½ red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• ½ green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 6 slices of pepperoni, cut into strips
• 30 g black olives, quartered
• 30 grams of passata
• 1 tsp garlic granules
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 15 g (½ oz) reduced-fat cheddar cheese, grated
• 20 g (¾ oz) reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, grated

Preheat the grill to high heat. Arrange tortilla chips on a baking sheet and arrange onion, peppers, tomatoes, pepperoni and olives on top.

Place the passata, garlic granules, and herbs in a small bowl and stir, then drizzle over the bowl. Sprinkle the cheese on top and place under the grill for 4-6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the fries are beginning to brown.

BERRY & PROSECCO TIRAMISU

We’ve given the traditional coffee-infused pud a facelift! By using ricotta cheese instead of mascarpone, we’ve made it slimming-friendly and added a cheeky splash of Prosecco for a happy touch of fizz.

SERVES 4

PER SERVING 192 KCAL 19G KH

• 250 grams of ricotta
• 3 tsp granulated white sweetener (or sugar)
• juice of half a lemon
• 200g fresh berries (we used a mix of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries)
• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) Prosecco
• 8 ladyfingers, halved
• Mint leaves, to decorate

Place the ricotta, sweetener and lemon juice in a mixing bowl and mix until smooth. Cut the berries into equal sized pieces and save a few to decorate the top. Pour the Prosecco into a bowl and dip the ladyfingers in it. Let them soak up some prosecco, but don’t let them get soggy.

Place two ladyfingers halves on the bottom of each 4 x 200ml dessert bowls. Arrange half of the berries on the plates, then spread with half of the ricotta mixture.

Place two more ladyfingers in each pan, top with the remaining sliced ​​berries and top with the remaining ricotta mixture. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Decorate with the reserved berries and a mint leaf before serving.

LEMON CHEESE CAKE PIES

Topped with berries and a drizzle of lemon curd for extra oomph, these cupcakes are almost as good to look at as they are to eat!

POWER 8

PER TART 72 KCAL 10G KH

• Low calorie cooking spray for greasing
• 1 sheet of filo pastry
• 1 tbsp skimmed milk
• 180 g (6¼ oz) low-fat cream cheese
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp lemon curd
• 8 raspberries
• 16 blueberries
• 1 light digestive biscuit, crushed
• zest of lemon for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/convection 160°C/gas 4) and lightly grease 8 holes of a 12 muffin tin with a little reduced calorie cooking spray.

Lay the filo pastry flat on the work surface. Cut into 24 pieces – they don’t have to be perfect squares. Brush the first piece with a little skimmed milk. Press into the first hole of the muffin tin, dry side down. Brush the next piece and place it on top of the first, then repeat with a third piece. Repeat with the other 7 holes in the muffin pan. (There should be 3 pieces of filo per cake.)

Bake for 8 minutes or until the dumplings are golden brown and crispy. Leave to cool completely.

Put the cream cheese, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon curd in a bowl. Mix until smooth and combined. Pour the batter into the molds. Place 1 raspberry and 2 blueberries on top of each cake.

Heat 1 tsp lemon curd in the microwave for a few seconds until liquid. Scatter the crumbled biscuit over the tartlets and drizzle with the lemon curd. Chill for 10 minutes to firm up, then serve garnished with strips of lemon zest, if desired.

Adapted from Pinch Of Nom: Enjoy by Kate and Kay Allinson, edited by Pan Macmillan, £20, available now. To order a copy for £18 visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free delivery within the UK on orders over £20. Promotional price valid until January 14, 2023