Easy Peasy Spicy Rice Salad

My love for nandos literally borders on obsession. I could quite happily tuck into a peri peri feast every day but, although it's definitely a Slimming World friendly meal out, sadly daily trips aren't exactly wallet friendly.

So, for lunch today, I decided to set about creating my own version and...dare I say it, it might even be better than nandos own rice...and it's definitely speedier and packed fuller of goodness! 

To make your own, you'll need: 

- Rice (obvs...!). I'm using a microwave pouch from M&S because I'm lazy and the whole thing is only 1.5 syns, but you could boil your own dried and make it syn free!

- Veggies of your choice, I've got: butternut squash, peppers, onions, aubergine, mushroom and sweetcorn. 

- Smoked Paprika

- Chilli flakes/fresh chilli

- Fresh corriander

- Nandos sauce of your choice, I used garlic 😍

Syns: 0.5 per portion (plus any for a microwave pouch of rice if you're a convenience queen like me). 

Method: 

- Spray a baking tray with frylight and lee-heat your oven to 200 degrees. 

- Cut your veggies into fairly small chunks and spread evenly on your tray (add everything except the sweetcorn)

- Coat your veggies in 1 tsp paprika and add a generous shake of chilli flakes, salt and pepper, then give it a good old shake to make sure everything is evenly coated. 

- Chuck it all in the oven for 20 mins. 

- While you're waiting, pop the kettle on and have a cuppa, you've got a 15 min break! 

- With about 5 mins to go until your veggies are done, get started on your rice. 

- Once the rice is cooked, pour it into a large bowl or, if you're making it for lunches, straight into a tupawear (saves washing up!) 

- Add in roughly chopped corriander and sweetcorn and mix it through your rice

- Next up (the best bit!) add in your nandos sauce...this is what makes the rice spicy! I add in 2 level tbsp, which is 1 syn.

- Once the sauce is mixed well, add your veggies and mix again, which should leave you with something a little like this:

Spicy, packed full of speedy veg and filling...the perfect extra easy lunch, or an ideal side dish for your peri peri chicken 🙌🏼 

To make it into a Spicy Rice Salad, for lunch, I added in chicken chunks and salad leaves, but use your imagination, it's also great with salmon or just left if you're a veggie or having a meat free meal!