Sometimes its really hard to make meals for the full family that are both Syn free and something everyone will eat.
One big winner for us is mince bolognese which is so versatile and can be used in a few different dishes.

You'll need
500g Extra Lean Beef Mince (Must be less than 5% fat)
2 Onions, Chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, Grated
3 Carrots, Grated
1 Red Pepper, Finely Chopped
8-10 Mushrooms Chopped
2 Cartons Passata
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
1tsp Basil Seasoning
Fry-light spray
Salt and Pepper

To Make
Put a large frying pan on a medium heat and add 2 sprays of the Fri-Light.
*You might not need it if you have a really great frying pan however i find that because the mince doesn't have as much fat in it, it tends to stick to the pan.*

Add the mince and brown it off in the frying pan. Drain off any residual fat when cooked then transfer the mince into a dish and replace the pan back on the hob. If needed add another spray of fri-light and fry off the onions and garlic. Once soft add the mushrooms and peppers, and continue to cook for a few minutes.

Add the mince back into the pan and mix in the passata. Add the tomato paste and the basil seasoning.

Mix in the grated carrot and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Turn to a low heat and allow the bolognese to simmer for around 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly and the carrot will be almost unrecognisable amongst the mince.

This dish is so versatile as it can be used for pasta bakes, for lasagna and for spaghetti bolognese and you can eat as much as you like as its syn free - especially with plain pasta.

I've been thinking about this for a few days now and its compelled me to write a post as i am genuinely curious about other peoples opinions.

Is it possible to appreciate art, knowing there is a sinister reality attached?

Let me explain.

I love horror movies. I don't know that i would go as far as to say i have an addiction but i do enjoy them more than most people i know. Now, Horror movies are prime real estate for taking reality (however gory) and turning it into a film, or technically art. Many films are "based on" which i think gives them a bit of leeway as to how 'creative' they can get with the story line but the bottom line is that many are taken from real life events. Although you can really call into question how real the events were, as most involve possession which if Hollywood is to be believed is somewhat of an epidemic, taking from real life seems to be an accepted form of art. Biopics of wars or other massacres in history seem to bring in the big box office bucks and lets be honest, we all love to see our favourite Hollywood actors reenact these events (fact or fiction on the big screen).

Leonardo DiCaprio and  ‎Kate Winslet in a fictionalized account of a real event - The sinking of the Titanic

But what if bad things are happening off camera. Is it possible to look past these events for the enjoyment of a film? Even if what your watching is completely unrelated. Can you separate the reality from the art.

• Heat the oven to 180c and grease the muffin tin with the fry-light.
• Cut the crusts off of the bread and flatten it out. Place a slice over a space in the tray and press in. You will need to overlap a little of the bread to make it fit. This will serve as the edible "cup". Repeat for the remaining 5 slices.
• In a bowl mix the eggs, milk and seasoning together. Pour the mix equally in the 6 bread cups.
• Shred the ham slices and distribute them among the cups and sprinkle in the grated cheese.
• Place in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the egg mix has fully set. You can check by inserting a knife into the middle of the cup. It should come out clean when cooked.

There are loads of different ingredients you can use and they don't have to be exclusively for breakfast. Why not make them for lunch with sliced hot dog or fresh tomato and diced onion.