Quick Spiced Noodles in Coconut Milk (v)

This is an adaptation of Nigella's Spicy Chicken Noodles but sans the dead chicken, obviously. It's gently warming, and nice and filling on a cold wet day.

For 3-4 portions you need:
2 bundles rice noodles, soaked in hot water
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 courgette, sliced
1 can coconut cream
1 litre vegetable stock
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 inch piece ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 tbsp soya sauce
2 red chillies, sliced
handful corriander, chopped
handful salted peanuts

Put everything aside from the corriander and peanuts into a pan and gently simmer for 5 mins or so. Serve in large bowls topped with the corriander and peanuts. Slurp and savour.

Meal Plans for Next Week

This week we will mostly be noshing on:

Celery and Leek Soup
Grandad's Soup
Home made pizzas (triple cheese, cheese and tomato and vegetable with blue cheese)
Cheat's donuts
Bakewell slice
Spicy fajitas and mexican rice
Bruschetta with tomatoes and pesto
Sausages and mash
Miso with noodles
Pasta and sauce

Celery and Leeks Soup with Onions (v)

Yes it's definitely Autumn again, and with the weather like it was earlier the only thing that's going to put a smile on my face is a large, steaming bowl of yummy soup...

For 4 portions you need:
3 sticks celery, finely diced
3 leeks, finely shredded
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4-5 potatoes, diced with skins on
1.25l dark stock (e.g. vecon or marmite)

Saute the veggies in the oil in a lidded pan for about 10 mins. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 15-20 mins till everything is cooked and serve with nutritional yeast and bread. Feel warmer on the inside...

Baked Spinach Florentine with Poached Eggs

I recently told a friend I am not a fan of this, so quite why I made it is a good question. The answer I guess is we had a HUGE pack of spinach in the veg box and some left over cheese sauce in the fridge and lots of eggs. So this dish was born. It was actually rather nice. I might be converted...

For 2 portions you need:
1 bag spinach, leaves picked over and washed (no need to drain) and roughly shredded
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
knob of butter
salt and pepper
a little freshly grated nutmeg
cheese sauce - about 1/3-1/2 pint
2 eggs

Fry the onion and garlic in the butter till softened and lightly browned. Add the spinach, cover with a lid and steam for 5 mins or so. Once wilted season with salt, pepper and the nutmeg and transfer to an oven proof dish. Cover with the cheese sauce and bake in a hot oven till bubbling. 5 mins before the spinach is ready poach two eggs. Remove the gratin from the oven and top with the eggs. Serve with saute potatoes or bread. Flex those muscles...

Cheats Donuts (v)

Rachel Allen calls these Balymone Balloons. But I call them cheats donuts. They're so simple to make, take hardly any time at all and taste d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s.

For about 12 donuts you need:
140g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
2-4 tsp sugar plus extra for tossing in once cooked
200ml soya milk

Mix everything together to make a smooth batter. Heat vegetable oil to about 180 degrees and then fry spoonfuls of the batter in the hot oil. Move them around to get them an even golden brown colour. Err on the side of small when adding the batter to ensure the middle goes puffy and gets totally cooked. Too big, and the inside will stay sticky.

Drain on kitchen paper and then toss in extra caster sugar. Add vanilla, cinammon, cardamon, lavender etc depending on what you fancy. Or serve dipped in melted chocolate or warmed jam. Addictive!