This is a great dinner to help you use up any leftover meat from your Sunday roast. Can also use beef - could try others too! This is another meal you can leave all day in the slow cooker if you prefer.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 800g chopped tomatoes (2 tins)
- 1 pint of chicken stock
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 150g dried apricots
- 400g chick peas
- 350g leftover roast lamb
- 250g spinach
- 250g cous cous
- 30g flat-leaf parsley
(1) Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry for 5 minutes.
(2) Peel and crush the garlic and add to the onions, along with the spices. Fry for another minute.
(3) Pour in the tomatoes and just over half of the stock. Chop the apricots pieces into quarters and add to the mixture, along with the honey. Simmer for 10 minutes.
(4) Add the chick peas and stir well. Then add the cooked lamb and cook for a further 5 minutes.
(5) Stir in the spinach and cook for another 2 minutes.
(6) Add the remainder of the stock to a new pan and bring to the boil.
(7) Remove from the heat and add the cous cous. Cover and leave for 10 minutes. After this time fluff up using a fork. Stir in the chopped parsley (and a bit of butter if you like). Serve with the tagine.
This lamb curry is really quick and simple to make, if you have a bit more time in the morning you can make it in the slow cooker and leave to cook gently all day - which will add more flavour.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 tsp garam marsala
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 green chilli
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 400ml half-fat coconut milk
- 350g diced lamb (you can use leftovers from a roast for this)
- 200g sugar snap peas
- 250g brown basmati rice
- 300g fine green beans
- 120g low fat natural yoghurt
(1) Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
(2) Add the lamb (if already cooked as using leftovers you can skip this bit), and fry for 5 minutes.
(3) Stir in the garam marsala, turmeric and cinnamon and cook over a low heat for a further 5 minutes.
(4) Chop up the garlic and chilli (both finely) and add, cook for 1 minute.
(5) Add the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk and stir well. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes. If you are using cooked leftover lamb add it here.
(6) Add the sugar snap peas and simmer for another 10 minutes.
(7) In the meantime cook the rice and green beans in a steamer, following packet instructions.
(8) Serve the curry with the rice, green beans and yoghurt on the side.
This dish is a little bit of a treat - and due to the cost it is probably best left for special occasions. With me on maternity leave at the moment we certainly can't afford lamb shanks on a regular basis! You can also subsitute the fancy-pants carrots and leeks for normal ones.
INGREDIENTS:
- 30g unsalted butter
- 30g fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 15g fresh thyme leafs
- Several fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 glove of garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 lamb shanks
- 200g Chantenay carrots
- 175g baby leeks
- 100ml white wine
- 600g potatos
- 10g butter (for the mash)
- 1 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
(1) Wash and crop the three types of fresh herb and mix with the unsalted butter in a bowl. Crush the garlic and add it, along with the cumin, to the herb butter mixture.
(2) Rub the mixture over the lamb shanks and leave to marinate.
(3) Trim the baby leeks and Chantenay carrots.
(4) Cut out two squares of tin foil (35-40cm) and divide the carrots and leeks between them.
(5) Fold the edges of the foil up to make two bowls. Place the lamb shanks on top of the vegetables.
(6) Pour half of the wine into each 'bowl'.
(7) Gather the foil around the bone and pinch it tightly together at the top. Place on a baking tray and roast for 2 hours in a preheated oven (180c).
(8) Peel and chop the potatoes and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender.
(9) Drain the potatoes and mash with the butter and milk.
(10) Remove the lamb shanks and vegetables from the foil parcels and serve on top of the mashed potato.
This vegetable tart is delicious and looks amazing - yet it is healthy too.
How so?
Well how about substituting the pastry for cous cous...
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 red pepper, deseeded
- 1/2 yellow pepper, deseeded
- 1 red onion
- 1 courgette
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 200g cous cous
- 50g butter
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 tbsp Parmesan
- 100g creme fraiche
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 1/2 Mozzarella ball
(1) Chop the peppers into chunks, the red onion into wedges, the cherry tomatoes in half and slice the courgettes thinly.
(2) Place all of the vegetables into a roasting tin, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with black pepper.
(3) Stir everything together and roast for 20 minutes at 200C - stir again half way through.
(4) Dissolve the stock cube in 200ml of boiling water. Put 200g of cous cous into a bowl and add the stock. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes until all of the stock has been absorbed. Then fluff up using a fork, and add butter for more flavour.
(5) Spoon the cous cous into a flan dish (20cm is a good size). Press it evenly into the base and sides.
(6) Let the roasted vegetables cool for a few minutes before adding to the flan.
(7) Beat the eggs together and mix in the Parmesan (grated), creme fraich and thyme.
(8) Pour this mixture over the roasted vegetables and top with torn mozzarella.
(9) Bake the tart for 30-35 minutes, until set. Serve with salad.
This is a very tasty yet simple supper dish, and is perfect served with a green salad.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 whole butternut squashes
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 125g cous cous
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 50g Feta cheese
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 green pepper
- 6 black olives
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander
- 1tbsp lemon juice
- Butter
(1) Cut two whole butternut squash in half, and scoop out the seeds. Cut criss-cross patterns into the flesh.
(2) Brush with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes (preheated to 200C).
(3) Prepare 125g cous cous - can use any type but I prefer plain for this recipe. Follow packet instructions, adding a stock cube to the boiling water.
(4) Chop up 50g of Feta cheese, 4 cherry tomatoes, half a green pepper, 6 black olives and 1 tbsp of fresh coriander. You can use other peppers and olives - however I like the variety of colour that these add to the dish!
(5) Stir into the prepared cous cous, and add 1 tbsp of lemon juice and a dollop of butter.
(6) Spoon the mixture into the squash and grill on a high heat for 5 minutes.
(7) Serve with a green salad.
This cake is absolutely delicious - it may not look the most exciting sponge when it comes out of the oven but it tastes amazing! It is also a great pudding for anyone who is lactose intolerant if you use a lactose-free spread in the recipe. We often make this cake for family and friends and it's always a winner!
INGREDIENTS:
- 200g butter or margarine
- 200g golden caster sugar (plus 6tbsp for topping)
- 3 eggs
- 200g ground almonds
- 100g polenta
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Several lemons
(1) Grease and line an 8 inch cake tin (can use smaller - but obviously cake will be higher so may take a bit longer to bake).
(2) Beat 200g of butter or margarine together with 200g caster sugar.
(3) Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well each time.
(4) Add 200g of ground almonds and beat well.
(5) Stir in 100g of polenta and 1 tsp of baking powder.
(6) Grate in the zest of 1 lemon and the juice of half a lemon. Mix well.
(7) Put in the oven at 170 for about 50 minutes - cover half way through.
(8) For the topping - grate rind of 2 lemons into a saucepan, along with the juice of 3 lemons, then add 6 tbsp of golden caster sugar. Stir on a gentle heat until dissolved.
(9) Remove cake from oven. Prick all over with a skewer to ensure that it is cooked through.
(10) Pour over the topping mixture straight away.
(11) Leave to cool at room temperature - remove from tin when cool.
This is a really easy recipe to follow and is a real treat when it is cold and rainy outside!
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 good quality sausages
- 1 medium egg
- 100g plain flour
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of baking powder
- 225ml of milk
- Olive or grapeseed oil
(1) Cook 4 sausages in the over for 20 minutes at 220 degrees.
(2) Meanwhile make the batter mixture - add the following ingredients in this order - 1 egg, 100g plain flour, a pinch of salt, a pinch of baking powder and then 225ml of milk.
(3) Transfer into a blender and mix.
(4) Cover the bottom of a roasting tin( only just) with oil - grapeseed works really well - and put in the over for 5 minutes.
(5) Take out the heated oil and place the roasting tin onto a hot hob before pouring the batter mixture in (be careful!!).
(6) Return to the oven and then place sausages (that have already been cooked for 20 minutes) into the middle of the batter mixture.
(7) Cook for another 20 minutes with the oven at 220.
This is risotto is so simple to make - it doesn't require much attention (none of that stirring the stock in gradually nonsense!), but still tastes creamy and delicious!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1tbsp of olive oil
- Half a clove of garlic
- One leek
- 200g pancetta
- 200g arborio rice
- 580ml of stock (or 480ml stock + 100ml white wine)
- Handful of grated parmesan
- Handful of wilted spinach
- About 10 cherry or baby plum tomatoes
- A chunk of blue cheese
(1) Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Crush the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
(2) Finely chop the leek and add to the pan, along with the pancetta. Cook until done (a few minutes).
(3) Prepare 580ml of stock. Either use 580ml of boiling water or 480ml of water and 100ml of white wine, and crumble in 2 stock cubes and mix well.
(4) Add 200g of arborio rice to the stock - cover the saucepan and bring to the boil.
(5) Simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes, stirring often.
(6) Add a handful of parmesan to the saucepan and stir in until melted.
(7) Add the saucepan to the top of the saucepan and cover, when the spinach has wilted stir it into the risotto.
(8) Choose some blue cheese to add to the risotto - it can be any time and any amount, depending on individual tastes. We often use Shropshire Blue.
(9) Chop the tomatoes in half an stir them into the risotto. Continue to cook until the rice is tender.
This recipe always raises eyebrows when we cook it for family or friends, or when I mention it at work. However it is much more delicious than it sounds. It is also very easy to make compared with many risottos. It takes about half an hour in total so give it a chance!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tbsp oilve oil
- 1/4 clove of garlic
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 medium-sized sweet potato
- 350ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 150g arborio rice
- 100ml white or rose wine
- A handful of cherry or baby plum tomatoes
- Half a tin of baked beans
- Parmesan cheese
(1) Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan.
(2) Crush the garlic and chop the red onion into smallish chunks and add to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes.
(3) Chop the sweet potato into small chunks and add to the pan - season with a little pepper and cook for about 8 minutes.
(4) Meanwhile make some stock - we just cheat here and use stock cubes. Add 2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes to 350ml of boiling water in a jug and mix well.
(5) Add 150g of arborio rice to the saucepan and stir continuously for 1 minute.
(6) Add 100ml of the wine and simmer until the liquid has gone (can replace wine with additional stock if required).
(7) Add the stock a bit at a time - simmering with the lid on and stirring often.
(8) Chop the tomatoes in half and add them to the risotto when all of the liquid has disappeared. Stir and simmer.
(9) Add half a tin of baked beans and some grated parmesan and simmer until the risotto reaches the desired consistency.
I absolutely love food - it is usually my favourite part of any holiday and is the reason why I fully admit I will never be a size 8! With this in mind I have been inspired to set up this new food blog. Cooking has always been something I have enjoyed but in the past it has consisted of the odd dinner party or a fancy buffet for someone's birthday. However last year I had Maya so now I am entirely responsible for feeding her and making sure that she has a better diet than we have - and in the process hopefully we will all eat better. I was so excited about the weaning process and Maya sitting with us all at the table for her Christmas dinner, but unfortunately this coincided with a bout of bronchiolitus which put pay to any solids for a couple of week. I got very disheartened by this and went out and stocked the cupboards with various pouchs of ready prepared purees. In the new year we started again, and Maya absolutely loved her food. The advice of offering babies just a teaspoon of puree once a day for a couple of weeks didn't wash with her, and pretty soon she was on three meals a day. Because Maya had embraced her solids with such enthusiasm (only crying if it wasn't going in quick enough!) I decided to embrace being a better housewife - well the cooking side anyway, and also to ditch the packets as maternity pay doesn't sit well with them!
The first afternoon I set aside for cooking up lots of baby food, I think I went a bit mental. I wheeled Maya into the kitchen in her buggy so she could watch me before dropping off to sleep, and I whipped up three separate dishes - braised beef with sweet potato, chicken in tomato sauce and chicken with apple and sweet potato. Four hours later the kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off in it and I had already broken the new blender James had picked up on his way home. I resorted to my old hand-held blender and eventually pureed everything and managed to fill 31 small plastic pots with healthy meaty dinners. I felt really pleased with myself, but also slightly nervous as mnay friends have said that their babies loved prepared baby food but hated anything they prepared themselves.
It turns out that Maya is a bit like her daddy and will eat anything! She absolutely loved the homemade purees, and despite the odd face being pulled at the beginning of every meal (the sort of face you might pull if you were being force-fed dog poo), she squealed with delight with each mouthful, and then often got cross at the end when it had all gone!
I really hope she has started as she means to go on, and when she turned two she doesn't suddenly turn into a fussy little bugger who flatly refuses to eat something she happily wolfed down the day before. So I am hoping that this blog will develop over the next few years and that as a family we will learn to cook better and more nutritious food, eat less rubbish (and in turn bring down our shopping bill) and enjoy lovely food. We will also eat at the table together and try out more new recipes, not just fajitas once a week, pasta bake another, etc (as now!).
We will still be allowed trips to eat out and the occasional treats - recipes will be included.
