Saturday 16 January 2010

Mozzarella with Chillies and Basil

Again, in honour of eat something hot and spicy day, a variation on the classic mozzeralla, tomato and basil salad.

For 2 servings you need:
1 ball fresh, good quality mozzarella
handful torn fresh basil leaves
1/2 finely chopped chilli
pepper/chilli flakes
6 cherry tomatoes
good quality olive oil

Slice the cheese and lay on a plate. Add slices of tomato. Top the cheese with the chilli then basil and finish with the pepper/chilli flakes and the fresh basil. Drizzle over the oil and serve either on its own or with some italian crusty bread to mop up the lovely juices.

Spaghetti and Meat(less)balls

Today is eat something hot and spicy day. Apparently. So in honour of this we hat spicy meat(less)balls and spaghetti for dinner.

For 3-4 portions you need:
300g spaghetti
1 tin chopped toms
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 whole chili, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp stock powder
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1 packet quorn swedish style meatballs
freshly grated parmesan

Begin by sauteeing the onion in some olive oil. After about 5 mins add the garlic and chillies. After a couple of mins add the oregano and fry for 1 minute. Then add everything else apart from the pasta and parmesan. Cook, covered, for about 15 mins till the sauce is reduced and the meatballs cooked. Check the seasoning.

Meanwhile cook the spaghetti. When cooked drain and add to the sauce. Mix till the pasta is covered then serve with a grating of cheese on the top.

Tiramisu

This is a different version to normal as Tescos helpfully delivered me two tubs of ricotta with only a 1 day shelf life. Remind me again why I shop online?! Anyway. It seems to have worked and tastes nice.

You need
2 tubs ricotta
1 tub mascapone
250ml strong fresh coffee with 1 tbsp vanilla sugar added to it
1/4 cup kahlua
2/4 packet sponge fingers
2 tbsp cocoa
1/4 cup vanilla sugar
1 tbsp vanilla paste (or same quantity of vanilla extract if you can't find it)

Begin by making the coffee. Once it's brewed add 1 tbsp vanilla sugar to it along with 1/4 cup kahlua. Leave to cool. Meanwhile mix the ricotta with the mascapone, 1/4 cup vanilla sugar, vanilla paste. Soak the spong fingers briefly in the coffee and layer into a serving dish. Spoon the cheese mixture on top, dust over the cocoa and leave to chill before scoffing. Inauthentic, calorific and lovely.

Birthday Pancakes

Well, pancakes made with a different recipe to normal at any rate. And served on my birthday so therefore birthday pancakes.

This is a tweaked Jamie Oliver recipe.

For about 15 or so pancakes you need:
1 cup milk
1 cup self raising flour
1 egg
1 apple, grated (skin, core and all)
a pinch salt

Mix everything together into a batter and then pour, a ladle at a time, into a hot pan. Cook for about 1 minute before flipping over and cooking the other side. Serve with maple syrup and sit back and hear the moaning that these aren't the usual pancakes, why are there bits in them whilst enjoying them yourself.

Friday 15 January 2010

Garlic Bread

Well this is cheats garlic bread really but it still tastes good. Take a part baked baguette and slash slices into it (being careful not to cut all the way through). Fill with garlic butter made with 100g butter and 1 large crushed garlic clove. Bake in the oven (uncovered) for about 10 mins and scoff. Then feel sick and mourn all the buttery calories consumed. Oh dear!

Garlic Bread

Well this is cheats garlic bread really but it still tastes good. Take a part baked baguette and slash slices into it (being careful not to cut all the way through). Fill with garlic butter made with 100g butter and 1 large crushed garlic clove. Bake in the oven (uncovered) for about 10 mins and scoff. Then feel sick and mourn all the buttery calories consumed. Oh dear!

Pasta Mozzarella Tomatoey Thing

I am sure there is a better name for this, but this is the name it has had in our house for years! It's a simple tomato and garlic sauce, which pasta is added to and then it's topped with fresh mozzarella and baked in the oven till it's crispy and crunchy on top. Lovely.

For 2 people you need:
200g pasta, fusilli or rigatoni is best
1 tin chopped toms
pinch sugar
salt and pepper
fresh basil, roughly shredded
2 cloves garlic, crushed
125g mozzarella, diced
2 tbsp olive oil

Begin by putting the pasta on to cook. Meanwhile put the toms into a large, flat based pan and heat with the garlic and olive oil. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar. When the pasta is cooked drain and add to the sauce. Stir through the basil then top with the mozz and maybe some fresh grated parmesan if you want. Bake in a hot oven for about 15-20 mins till the cheese has melted and the top layer of pasta has gone crispy. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Thursday 14 January 2010

Steamed Quinoa

I love quinoa, it's the nutty taste and more substantial mouth feel than cous cous that I think is the winner. Plus it's one of those foods that makes you feel healthy when you eat it, even if you've just binged on choccy biccies beforehand ;-)

I prefer to steam mine and follow this rule of thumb for perfect results every time:
Measure 1 cup quinoa into a lidded pan, add just under 2 cups water and a tsp vegan stock powder. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins. Turn off the heat and leave to absorb the steam for a further 10-15 mins (you can leave it like this for ages too if you need to).

To serve use like rice or any other grain, or it's also nice dressed with oil and/or vinegar/lemon juice. This amount will do 2 meals, so add more in the same ratio for more people/additional days.

Roasted beetroot, parsnip, carrot and orange salad with onions and honey

I don't particularly like beetroots. Or parsnips for that matter. A while back N found a lovely recipe for a roasted beetroot and orange dish but we can't find it again :( This our recollection of it.

For 2 servings plus a cold lunch the next day you need:
4 beetroots, cut into wedges
2 parsnips, cut into fat fingers
2 large carrots, ditto parsnips
2 red onions, cut into wedges
1/2 cup (125ml) orange juice
1 tbs honey (use agarve nectar for vegan version)
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbs olive oil
salt
pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl to mix, then turn into a baking dish. Cover with foil and place in a moderate oven for 30 mins. After 30 mins check them and remove the foil. Continue to cook for another 15 mins till the sauce has reduced to a sticky glaze and the veggies are tender.

It's nice served with quinoa or another grain and some feta or goats cheese. For a vegan version use smoked tofu instead.

Wednesday 13 January 2010

Veg Box (English) Curry

A curry that worked for once! Normally my try-it-and-see curries are a bit manky, but fed up with yukky curry pastes that taste rank I created this and it was lush. A bit English probably in the taste stakes but curry-ish and yumsome none the less. Result.

For 4 portions you need:
1 onion chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 inch ginger, grated
1 tsp each of ground cumin, corriander, tumeric
5 crushed cardamon pods
1 tin toms
1/2 cup ground almonds
3 carrots, diced
2 parsnips, diced
1/2 pack mushrooms, quartered
1 cup water
chopped corriander to garnish
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 chopped chilli

Begin by frying the onion in some oil. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for a few mins. Add everything else apart from the almonds and corriander and bring to the boil then simmer for 15-20 mins until the veggies are tender. Add the almonds and heat through. Serve with rice/roti and chopped corriander.

Veggie Pasta Carbonara

A yummy, creamy concoction this one which mimics real pasta carbonara well imho.

To serve 2 you need:
150g spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 slices quorn ham, shredded
1/2 pack mushrooms, finely sliced
125ml white wine
125ml double cream
Chopped flat leaf parsely to garnish
Grated parmesan to garnish

Begin by cooking the pasta. Whilst this is cooking fry the onion and garlic in the oil until soft. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry gently till the water has come out. Then add the quorn ham, cream and wine. Heat through. Drain the pasta retaining a little bit of water. Put the pasta in with the sauce and mix thoroughly. Serve topped with chopped flat leaf parsley and parmesan. Lovely comfort food :)

Tuesday 12 January 2010

Peanut Butter and Salad Sandwich

Yes another lunch recipe :-P And another quick and easy one at that. I'd run out of inspiration last night when it got to the lunch making stage and couldn't be faffed with soaking cous cous or anything so made a sarnie. I am not that keen on sarnies for lunch but this one is worth it. And it's healthy. What more do you need...

For one person spread peanut butter on *both* sides of some seeded bread (doing it on both sides eliminates the need for marge/butter and stops the bread from going soggy from the salad). Then layer up some salad veggies on one side. I used carrot strips, corriander sprigs and shredded chinese leaf. Splodge over some tabasco and shove into a plastic tub ready to grab from the fridge the next morning. A perfect low-GI lunch.

Monday 11 January 2010

Steamed eggs with rice noodles and vegetables

This was my lunch today (Lex had his lunchbox as normal!).

For the eggs you need (per person):
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 mushrooms, sliced
handful chopped corriander
glug soya sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
ground pepper
1/2 onion, finely diced

Mix together and pour everything into a small heatproof bowl. Place in a steamer and steam for about 20 mins till cooked.

For the noodles and vegetables:
Soak 1 bundle of rice noodles per person in boiling water for about 5 mins.

Meanwhile stirfry some veggies (I used courgettes, onion, chinese leaf and sugar snap peas). Add some mirin and soya sauce to the pan to taste. Add the noodles once rehydrated and warm through. Serve with the eggs on the side.

Snowballs and Slushballs

Yes we're sick of the snow too. And another school closure snowday brought the inevitable question of "what the heck do we do today?!". And of course the answer was cook something. These were Lex's idea and recipe. And yummy they are too.

For the snowballs:
Melt as many white chocolate coins as you can find in a double boiler.
Add enough cornflakes to get it to the right consistency.
Spoon in to cake cases and leave to set.
Eat.

For the slushballs (so called cos you use milk chocolate and therefore the snow is all dirty...):
Melt as much leftover milk chocolate as you can find (we used 4 bags of coins and 1 snowman).
Add cornflakes, mix and spoon in to cases.
Eat.

Sunday 10 January 2010

Apple Crumble

I had a craving for apple crumble and custard over the weekend. Normally crumble isn't something I make that often as we're not a big crumble family. But I really fancied it and it turned out really well, if a little souffled in the oven as the apples continued to cook down! Proper winter warming fare :)

For 8 generous servings you need:
900g peeled and chopped cooking apples
100g vanilla sugar
225g plain flour
175g butter
175g demerara sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Begin by cooking the apples in a pan over a gentle heat. This will take about 15 mins. You want them mostly pulpy with still with some lumps. Meanwhile blitz the butter and flour in a food processor till it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and cinnamon to it. Pour into a baking dish and top with the crumble mixture. Bake at 180 degrees for about 30 mins. Serve with custard. Ours came from a tin. I don't do making custard and anyway for comfort food like this you need ambrosia!

Meal Plans for Next Week

New year always sees a return to mostly vegan and usually middle eastern/far eastern meals as a contrast to the rich, UK fare of the festive season.

Next weeks meals are:
Thai coconut broth
Tofu satay and noodles
Dhal, rice and roti
Spaghetti and meatballs
Mexican - fajitas probably with rice, tortillas and chips and dips
Carrot and Jerusalem artichoke soup
Chicken noodle soup
Tortilla soup

Puddings are lemon suprise pudding, apple crumble and custard and syrup sponge and custard.