foodyblog

Guacamole

2010-06-29T11:06:00.003+01:00

First of all, I'm sorry that I don't have my own picture of guacamole, I really thought I had one but I can't find it. Next time I make some (and if I remember to grab my camera) I'll put up my own picture.

Guacamole is amazing!!! That's really all I can say about it. Other than try this recipe out, add it to Mexican food, use as a spread on sandwiches or as a dip or even just toast some fresh bread and place some on top. Just make sure that your get a ripe avocado, not too firm to the touch, that it has a bit of give in your hand and that it is all a uniform colour on the inside. Don't eat any over ripe (brown or stringy bits) parts.
Not only are avocados so good for you but they taste delicious...need any other reasons to make guacamole? I don't think so!

Ingredients: (enough for 2 people)
1 ripe avocado, peeled and chopped into small cubes
2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped into small cubes
(Approx) a tablespoon of freshly lemon (or lime) juice
Chili flakes – to your taste
Salt & pepper

Method:
1) Mash the avocado to a smooth consistency in a bowl using a fork
2) Add the lemon or lime juice, chili flakes, salt and pepper and mix.
3) Lastly add the chopped tomato and mix gently. Best eaten straight away fresh.

Tip!: to keep the beautiful green colour of the guacamole, keep the large stone of the avocado and put it back on top of the guacamole.

Enjoy! x

Update

2010-06-28T18:10:00.002+01:00

So I have a lot of excuses about why I haven't posted in a month!! :O but I won't go into it. What I will go into are my brand new recipes to come!

I have 6 planned so stay posted!

Also I wanted to say something about trying new foods. For a long time when I was younger I was beyond a fussy eater. Unless I knew I liked it I wouldn't even try it. This element of my personality thankfully has changed and now I will now try almost everything!!
Food is so amazing!!! Don't be afraid to try things that you may not ordinarily go for.

It really annoys me when I tell people that I'm a vegetarian and one of the first things that they says is " Oh you don't eat that tofu stuff do you? What is it scrambled eggs??"

Ughhhhh! NO!!! Tofu (made from soya beans, just in case you didn't know) when cooked properly and incorporated within a dish is delicious!! I've had bad tofu before and when it's bad, it tastes really bad, but when it's done properly - which is not difficult to do! - it tastes wonderful.

and of course when you ask people in return "So have you ever tried tofu then?" 9 1/2 times out of 10 then answer is............"No way, I know I wouldn't like it".
So if you haven't tried something, how do you know you won't like it?!!!!

Having the attitude of 'well I won't try it because I know I won't like it' drives me insane! And I swear that in the future if I have children of my own they will not be like that. People are not born choosy about food, we make ourselves that way but setting limits on what we like & don't like and very often find it difficult to change.

Trying something new can be a bit daunting and takes you out of your comfort zone, but why set limits around yourself when you could be discovering something amazing?! Why keep eating the same stuff all the time! There is so much out there to eat, you could easily never eat the same thing twice in a life time!

I challenge everyone (including myself) that the next time you eat out you try something totally new and would not normally go for. If it's not to your taste then at least you know, but if it is then you may have just opened a new door to a world of foods you've yet to try and enjoy!

Summery Rice with Chickpeas and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2010-05-31T14:02:00.003+01:00

It's hard to come up with a name for this one as you can't really place it from a country, though I suppose that it is mostly Italian in flavours. I tried a dish similar to this one while visiting Isaac's mum a few weeks back and loved it. I changed a few things that needed changing and I feel now it's a perfect light (but at the same time filling) summery dinner. This would also be great as a cold side salad as part of a BBQ or picnic.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 small can (220g) of chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, crushed/grated
8-10 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into small pieces
150g of white long- grain rice (basmati rice is perfect)
300mls of water or vegetable stock
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Chilli flakes, about 1/2 a tea spoon or whatever suits your taste
1 teaspoon of oregano (fresh is better but dried is fine)
1 teaspoon of thyme (fresh is better but dried is fine)
Salt & pepper

Method:
1) In a pot cook the white rice in the water or stock for 10 mins or until until the water is absorbed (when the rice has little pits in it you know it's almost completely done) and leave to rest off the heat with a lid on for about 5 mins.
2) In the mean time in a wide frying pan gently fry the onion and garlic in some olive oil until the onion has become translucent and fragrant.
3) Into this add the chickpeas and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until the chickpeas have warmed up.
4) When the rice is ready add the onion, garlic, chickpeas and sun-dried tomatoes to the rice. Followed by the herbs, chilli, lemon juice and seasoning and stirring gently.
5) Serve hot or cold. Some of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes could also be drizzled over for some added flavours.

Enjoy! x

TIP!: Put the onion, garlic & oil onto a cold pan, then turn on the heat. You have more control over the cooking and will be able to cook the garlic without burning it and making it taste bitter.

Veggie Spanish Paella

2010-05-19T17:27:00.005+01:00

Obviously this is not a traditional Spanish paella, however it is absolutely delicious and has all the elements of a proper paella: sweet onion, smokey paprika and a delicate saffron flavoured rice.

Ingredients (Serves 2-3 people):
200g of Spanish paella rice
400mls of vegetable stock
1 pinch of saffron, which has been infused into the stock
1 large onion sliced into semi-circles
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
60g of peas
1 yellow pepper, sliced length-ways
5 red Spanish pimientos del piquillo, sliced & cut into small pieces
3 Quorn chicken fillets, cooked and cut into chunks
5-6 small mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 a teaspoon of smoked paprika
Salt & pepper
Bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
Lemon, freshly squeezed

Method:
1) In a large flat based pan, sautee the chopped onion and garlic in some olive oil on a gentle heat until lightly caramelised. Add the quorn pieces, mushrooms, yellow pepper, pimiento peppers and cook for 5 mins on a medium to high heat, making sure the ingredients do not burn.
2) Add the rice and stir the mixture for a few minutes until each grain in coated.
3) Add 3/4 of the stock and let simmer gently on a medium heat for about 10 mins, adding more stock if required. However don't mix the ingredients around too much as you want the rice at the bottom of the pan to caramelise. (You probably will not need all the stock but it's better to have too much than too little on hand.)
4) Add the peas, paprika, salt & pepper and stir again. Leave to cook for another 5-10 mins until the rice is fully cooked.
5) Add the lemon juice and parsley on top and serve.

Enjoy! x

Tomato, Cannellini & Balsamic Pasta

2010-05-19T16:52:00.003+01:00

This is a beautiful recipe which is inspired by an equally gorgeous recipe by my best friend Julie. This recipe takes no time at all to prepare and cooks in about 20-25 mins, it's healthy, hearty and tastes just as nice cold as it does hot. Thanks for the inspiration Julie! xxx

Ingredients: (Serves 2-3 people)
Penne pasta - enough to serve however many people you like, c. 90g each
4-5 medium vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 can of cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, crushed/grated
3 tablespoons (or a nice glug) of a good olive oil
3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme (if using dried thyme, 3/4 of a teaspoon)
1 teaspoon of sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Method:
1) Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C. (160 for a fan oven)
2) Put all your ingredients into an oven proof dish, making sure everything is evenly coated. Cover with tin foil and place into the oven for 20mins. During this time cook your pasta till al dente. After the 20 mins, take off the tin foil and cook for a further 5 mins.
3) Spoon the mixture over your pasta, serve hot or cold.

Enjoy! x

Tomato & Bean Soup

2010-05-04T21:28:00.002+01:00

This evening I opened up the our big kitchen cupboard and had no clue what I'd pick. I wanted to make soup, but what kind was entirely dependent on what lovely ingredients I could pull out.
I love that cupboard, it's packed with delicious wonders... bags of middle eastern spices, jars of flame grilled Spanish peppers, cartons of Italian tomatoes, Japanese soya bean pastes, dried French cep mushrooms, beans and pluses from all over the world. That one spot in the kitchen is my little sanctuary, and from it's stuffed shelves I made this tonight. Very simple, rustic and most of all VERY tasty! Just what the doctor ordered when it's cold outside and you can feel a cold coming on :s

Ingredients: (serves 2)
Olive oil
1 carton of Italian chopped tomatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large (2 small) cloves of garlic, crushed
1/2 a tin of cannellini beans, drained & washed
1 teaspoon of mushroom ketchup
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 pint (500 mils) of water or stock
About 8 large fresh basil leaves, torn
Salt & pepper

Method:
1) In a large pot gently fry the chopped onion in some olive oil until they just start to turn golden brown (about 8 mins), then add in the crushed garlic and cook for one minute making sure they do not burn.
2) Add the tomatoes, mushroom ketchup, sugar, beans and stock and allow to simmer for 20-30 mins until the soup has reduced by about half.
3) Add the torn basil leaves, season to taste and serve.

Enjoy! x

Italian oven roasted stuffed tomatoes

2010-04-27T11:49:00.003+01:00

Summer is finally on it's way, and these gorgeous stuffed tomatoes will definitely bring the taste of summer to you just a little bit faster.
These all in all take about an hour from start to finish, a little bit of fiddly prep work is needed but it's quite a lot of fun too.
These can be eaten hot or cold, but they are at their best when just warm and all the flavours have been allowed to develop. These are prefect accompanied by a simple side salad for dinner or as part of a picnic.

Ingredients: (serves 2-3 people)
6 medium sized vine tomatoes
1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, very finely chopped or grated
6 tablespoons of long grain rice - fragrant rice such a jasmine will not work in this recipe
6-8 leaves of fresh basil finely chopped
A pinch of dried oregano or a few leaves of fresh (10-12 leaves)
olive oil
salt & pepper

Method:
1) Cut and retain the tops off the tomatoes. Using a spoon scoop out the insides leaving a hollow shell of the tomato and place the tomato flesh into a bowl.
2) Mash the tomato flesh until it is a uniform consistency with a fork (for ease I used a hand blender until completely smooth) .
3) Cook the rice for about 5-8 mins until almost fully cooked in plenty of salted water, drain and return to the pot.
4) To the rice, add the garlic, herbs, seasoning to taste, a small glug of good olive oil and about half of the crushed or blended tomato flesh (you don't want the mixture to have too much liquid in it).
5) Spoon the mixture into the tomato shells, replace the tomato top and drizzle with olive oil.
6) In a preheated oven at 180 degrees C (160 for a fan oven) place the tomatoes on a metal tray* lined with tin foil and cook for 20-30 mins until the tomatoes are completely soft.

Enjoy! x

*In stead of a regular flat baking tray, I used non stick one for making buns or muffins as the tomatoes fit perfectly into the spaces and will not move about.

:O

2010-04-27T11:42:00.002+01:00

It's been over a month since my last post, that is really bad :s

Recently I got a new job which takes up a very large amount of my time and when I come home in the evening all I feel like doing it sleeping and catching up with my boyfriend!
Anyway, I'm going to try get back on track with this. I'm going to post a delicious new recipe next that I made for dinner last night.

3 bean salad

2010-03-14T23:06:00.002Z

Bean salads are a really easy and healthy way to get some more fiber and protein into your diet. Any beans you like can be used, the ones that I like best though are chickpeas, kidney beans and butter beans as they have very different textures that contrast and compliment each other when eaten. To add to bit more kick to it some smoked paprika or chili flakes could be added. This also takes basically no time to put together, just throw everything into a bowl and mix. It is best eaten at room temperature and about half an hour after it has been made so the flavours can develop.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 table spoon of white wine vinegar
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed
½ a red pepper, finely diced
1 large spring onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 small piece of garlic, crushed or grated
Salt & pepper

Method:
1) Put all the ingredients into a large bowl, mix well

Enjoy! x

Bosco Linguine

2010-03-14T22:55:00.003Z

I adore this pasta dish, mushrooms are one of my favorite vegetables and taste gorgeous in this dish. I've used dried porcini mushrooms which have a very strong and almost meaty flavor to them so you don't need very many of them, however if you can get your hands on fresh ones.

Ingredients:
Linguine cooked to al dente
2 tablespoons of olive oil
A few dried porcini mushrooms - about 8 or 10 depending on size
2/3 large feild mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
½ a lemon zest & vice
Fresh (or dried) thyme leaves
Salt & pepper to taste

Method:
1) Rehydrate the dried porcini mushrooms in a small bowl of just off the boil water and leave for 10-15 mins until tender, kept the left over water & cut the porcini into small pieces. Thinly slice the field mushrooms.
2) Crush the garlic and gently fry the garlic for 1 min, then add the mushrooms and add some of the left over mushroom water (making sure to not put in any of the grit), the add the lemon juice and zest, thyme, salt & pepper.
3) Take the cooked linguine and add the pasta to the sauce.
4) Can be topped with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano.

Enjoy! x

Spelt Bread

2010-02-24T15:04:00.004Z

My wheat-less diet is going really well so far. I've gained loads of energy, my mood has lifted, my digestion has got much better and I'm just feeling lighter all around. I have on a few occasions eaten wheat (for example when out to dinner etc.) but for the most part been eating wheat-free products & loving it. A friend's mum introduced me to this bread..spelt bread!

Spelt is basically the great-grandfather of modern day wheat, but for many people who have a wheat intolerance spelt products can be a great substitute. Now of course it's not exactly the same as normal bread (I do miss a fresh loaf of sour dough I have to say) but once it's toasted & has some lovely fresh honey comb on it it's fine. It's a nice change in the morning from porridge anyway. The texture is slightly different from wheat-bread as there are no raising agents added to it, so it's a little dense, but as I said toasted it is very nice.

Spaghettini Omelette

2010-02-18T22:58:00.002Z

I made this for the 1st time last week, I had some leftover cooked spaghettini pasta, some eggs and half an onion in the fridge..and voila! It's a great speedy lunch or brunch that takes only about 15mins to make. The pasta I used was rice pasta (see last post) but of course normal wheat pasta would be perfect to use. A good non-stick pan is really useful in making this dish, but if you don't have one it's fine, just make sure you keep an eye on the eggs so they don't stick too much to the pan while cooking them.

Ingredients:
(serves 1)

2 large free range eggs
50g of cooked Spaghettini
½ an onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Fresh parsley to garnish

Method:
1) Beat the eggs in a bowl with some salt & pepper until frothy.
2) In a pan (non-stick is best) gently sauté the onion until lightly golden, add it to the eggs & mix.
3) Clean the pan of any onion residue. Add some olive oil, the cooked pasta & the eggs.
4) Making sure the egg doesn’t stick or burn along the edges, cook the omelette until the base is firm.
5) Finish the omelette by putting it under a hot grill until the egg is completely cooked (don’t leave it too long as the pasta may burn & become too crunchy).
6) Remove from the pan & garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Enjoy! x

Look what I found..

2010-02-07T16:56:00.004Z

Recently (much to my dismay) I have developed an intolerance to wheat, meaning no more lovely pasta :'(
So when I went for a walk earlier today I passed by a health food shop, went in and found these!
Organic, wholegrain, vegan, wheat-free pasta! It's made from Italian organic brown rice instead of wheat..yey!

I can't wait for dinner tonight :)

x

Lemon Tart

2010-02-07T16:27:00.002Z

I made this for my mum's birthday during the summer & she loved it. Although it does take some time to prepare & cook it is well worth it, my mum loved it! I also made the little roses, they're great fun to make & edible too!

Ingredients:
For the sweet shortcrust pastry:
200g plain flour, sifted
1 tbsp icing sugar
100g Butter, chilled and cubed
Egg, beaten
For the filling:
3 Eggs
1 Lemon, grated zest
125g caster sugar
150ml double cream
3 Lemons, juice only
1 Orange, juice only
icing sugar, for dusting

Method:
1. For the pastry: Put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor and process briefly.
2. Add half the beaten egg and continue to process. If making the pastry by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring it together.
3. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough until it is about 2cm thick, then wrap it in cling film or place it in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10–15 minutes, before using.
4. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.
5. Line a 23cm tart tin with the shortcrust pastry and cover the base with baking parchment. Fill the tin with baking beans and bake blind for 10-15 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment for the last five minutes of baking for a golden crust.
5. For the filling: Place the eggs, lemon zest and sugar in a bowl and whisk for a couple of minutes until the egg is all broken up.
6. Add the cream, orange and lemon juice. Mix well, skimming off any froth from the top of the mixture. Carefully pour the filling into the cooked pastry case.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/gas 3 and bake the tart for 30-35 minutes or until the filling has just set in the centre – it should only wobble very slightly when you take it out of the oven. Let cool and then enjoy!

x

Mujaddara (middle eastern lentil & rice dip)

2010-02-07T16:05:00.004Z

I've adored middle eastern food ever since I traveled to Jordan a few years ago with my family. Middle eastern style of cooking is very healthy, using lots of fresh ingredients and very few saturated fats. This is one of my favorite Lebanese dishes using lentils, rice and spices. This dish it very healthy, doesn't take long to make and is definite people pleaser.

Ingredients:
1 large onion, cut into long strips
1/2 can of green lentils or about 200g of cooked puy lentils
50g of rice, cooked
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Smoked paprika for sprinkling

Method:
1) In some olive oil, fry the strips of onion until they are a dark golden brown colour, but not burnt.
2) In a food processor add the ¾ of the lentils, cooked rice, cumin salt, pepper and puree in a food processor until smooth. If the mixture is too thick water can be added to thin it out. Alternatively, don't blend all the ingredients together, just add them together & mix well.
3) Serve cold or hot topped with the remainder of the lentils and golden onions. Eat with warm flat breads or an accompaniment to a main dish.

Enjoy x

2010-02-05T02:53:00.003Z

Oh no..behind again :s
I've been quite sick lately and not been cooking much, but I'll catch up hopefully this weekend.

x

The quickest tomato pasta sauce EVER!

2010-01-21T12:35:00.006Z

This is the simplest and quickest pasta sauce to make ever. I've been making this and then adding gorgeous roasted vegetable ravioli to it..it's absolutely delicious, give it a try! It's very healthy and nutritious. This recipe is enough for one, so just double or triple everything depending on how many mouths you're feeding.

Ingredients:
6-8 cherry tomatoes (depending on their size)
2 cloves of garlic - leave the papery skin on it, don't peel it
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

Method:
1) Line a flat tray with tinfoil (this makes cleaning up SO much easier & quicker), place the cherry tomatoes & garlic in the centre of the tray and drizzle over the olive oil.
2) Place the tray into a preheated grill (I think this is called a broiler in the US?) and leave to cook for about 10-15 mins. Keep an eye on them, the cherry tomatoes will burst & spit so be careful. Some smoke may occur from the juice of the tomatoes hitting the element, juts make sure the tomatoes don't start smoking!
3) When the tomatoes & garlic have browned on the top and become very soft, they are perfect. Your grill/broiler will probably be different from mine so keep any eye on them.
4) Remove from the tray. If the skin of the tomatoes have been too browned just pull it away from the tomato, the garlic will have shrank in the skin and will be easy to remove.
5) Blend the ingredients together, adding the salt & pepper. I put the tomatoes into a small plastic bowl and used a hand blender until smooth. If you don't have one you can use a potato masher or a fork until everything is mixed well together.
6) Cook what ever pasta you like and add it to the sauce. If you like at the last minute you can add some freshly chopped basil or a teaspoon of good quality balsamic vinegar.

Try it, you'll love it.
Enjoy! x

Spiced Hot Apple Drink

2010-01-17T17:30:00.004Z

Although this is traditionally drunk at Christmas, in freezing cold January it is a delicious warm pick me up!

Ingredients:
1 L of apple juice (cloudy or clear, whichever you prefer)
1 cinnamon stick - crushed
4-5 cloves
1/2 a nutmeg - crushed (Place the nutmeg in a sandwich bag, cover with a towel & using a rolling pin whack it until broken in small bits)
1/2 the peel of an orange
1 teaspoon as caster sugar

Method:
1) In a piece of muslin cloth place the orange peel, nutmeg, crushed cinnamon, cloves. Secure with a piece of string.
2) Pour the apple juice in a pot, add the sugar and the muslin containing the spices.
3) Cover and over a medium heat allow the spices to infuse into the apple juice for up to 1 hour.
4) Remove the muslin and pour the juice into mugs.

Enjoy! x

Banana Bread

2010-01-17T17:11:00.006Z

I love Banana Bread, it's so tasty and can be thrown together in no time, perfect if someone is dropping by on short notice. It's also fantastic for using up over ripe bananas that would otherwise get thrown out.
It's a firm favorite with my family and friends. As long as it's eaten in moderation it can be had as part of a perfectly healthy diet. To make it even healthier you could add wholewheat flour. This recipe makes one loaf, but the quantity would work easily well to make a batch of banana muffins.

Ingredients:
225g/8oz of flour (any kind you like as long as it has no raising agents in it)
1 heaped teaspoon of baking powder
1-2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
110g/4oz of caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
75mls/ 3lf oz of sunflower oil
A few drops of vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, mashed

Method:
1) In a mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix together.
2) Add the egg, oil, vanilla extract and mashed bananas and mix well together.
3) In a non-stick or lined loaf tin add the mixture and distribute it evenly.
4) In a preheated over at 180 degrees C (160 degrees C in a fan oven)/ 360 degrees F/ gas mark 4, bake for 40-50 mins, when it's ready you'll be able to insert a knife into it and when taking it out there is no residue left on it.
5) Leave it to cool in the tin for about 10 mins, take it out and leave to fully cool.

Enjoy! x

Just to say...

2010-01-11T19:32:00.001Z

I know I am a week behind, but with a very good reason.
My wonderful dog of 15 years had to be put to sleep last week and honestly, food was the very last thing on my mind. I miss her so much.

However in the next few days I will have 2 recipes up, one for last week and one for this week.

x

Potsicker Dumplings

2009-12-30T16:51:00.005Z

Potsticker dumplings are a traditional Chinese dish that is eaten around new years (good timing eh?). Traditionally they are stuffed with pork and vegetables, but being vegetarian I have of course changed around a few of the ingredients. These do take a long time to prepare but I promise are worth it in the end as they are delicious!! It will take about 3/4 of an hour to prepare and about 10-20 mins to cook.

These dumplings get the name "pot sticker" because that's exactly what they do, the bottom of the dumpling becomes all crispy and caramelised during the cooking, be careful bot to let the bottom of the dumplings burn though, a deep brown colour is perfect. These are best eaten hot, but watch out because the insides might burn the top of your mouth.

Ingredients:
For the dough:
140g/5oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
125ml/4fl oz very hot water
For the stuffing:
110g of firm tofu, fried till golden
1 clove of garlic, grated
1-2 Carrots, grated
75g/3oz Chinese leaves or spinach, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
½tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry if none is available)
½tbsp dark soy sauce
½tsp light soy sauce
½tsp salt
¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½tbsp finely chopped spring onions
1 tsp sesame oil
½tsp sugar
1 tbsp cold stock or water

Dipping Sauce:
2 tablespoons of light soya sauce
A dash of hot water
chilli flakes

Method:
1. For the dough, place the flour into a large bowl and stir the hot water gradually into it, mixing all the time with a fork or chopsticks, until the water is incorporated. Add more water if the mixture seems dry.
2. Tip the dough mixture onto a clean work surface and knead it with your hands, dusting the dough with a little flour if it's sticky. Continue kneading until it is smooth - this should take about eight minutes.
3. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover it with a clean damp towel and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
4. For the stuffing, while the dough is resting, combine the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl and mix them together thoroughly. Set aside.
5. After the resting period, take the dough out of the bowl and knead it again for about five minutes, dusting with a little flour if it is sticky.
6. Once the dough is smooth, shape it into a roll about 23cm/9in long and about 2.5cm/1in in diameter, using your hands.
7. With a sharp knife, slice the roll into equal-sized pieces. Using your hands, roll each of the dough pieces into a small ball and then, with a rolling pin, roll each ball into a small, round, flat, 'pancake' about 6cm/2½in in diameter.
8. Arrange the round skins on a lightly floured tray and cover them with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out until you are ready to use them.
9. Place about two teaspoons of filling in the centre of each 'pancake' and moisten the edges with water. Fold the dough in half and pinch together with your fingers.
10. Pleat around the edge, pinching with your fingers to seal well. The dumpling should look like a small Cornish pasty with a flat base and rounded top.
11. Transfer each finished dumpling to the floured tray and keep it covered until you have stuffed all the dumplings in this way.
12. To cook, heat a large lidded frying pan (preferably a non-stick pan) until it is very hot. Add vegetable oil and place the dumplings flat-side down into the pan.
13. Reduce the heat and cook for about two minutes until they the dumplings are lightly browned. Add the water, cover the pan tightly and simmer gently for about 12 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Check the water halfway through and add more if necessary. Uncover the pan and continue to cook for a further two minutes.
14. For the dipping sauce, combine all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
15. To serve, remove the dumplings from the pan with a large slotted spoon and serve with the dipping sauce.

Enjoy! x

Festive Shortbread Biscuits

2009-12-26T19:09:00.004Z

These biscuits are great at Christmas and well, any other time of the year. My family love them and asked me to make 2 batches of them within one week!!
The preparation does take a while, but it's all worth it in the end. This recipe makes about 20 biscuits.

Ingredients:
120g/4oz of plain flour
120g/4oz of butter at room temperature, cut into small cubes
60g/2oz of icing sugar
60g/2oz of cornflour

Method:
1) Sift the flour, icing sugar and cornflour in a bowl, then add the butter.
2) Work all the ingredients together with your hands, this does take a while, but keep going until it forms a soft ball (if it seems too dry, try adding another small knob of butter but no liquids).
3) On a clean floured surface, roll out and cut into the desired shape.
4) Place on a baking tray and put into the freezer for 15 mins to chill.
5) Place into an oven at about 150 degrees C for about 40-50 mins, do check to make sure they don't go too brown, all ovens differ so keep an eye on them.
6) Allow them to fully cool and decorate!

Enjoy! x

Spicey Vegetable Ramen

2009-12-26T17:51:00.007Z

I forgot to take a picture of my own dish, so I had to use a generic ramen bowl picture. Sorry!

So this recipe is so easy to throw together, taking maximum a half an hour to prepare and make. The ingredients are all ones that we lying either in the fridge or the pantry, but they could easily be replaced with anything that you fancy. Although this is not an authentic ramen recipe, it's super tasty! To bump up the protein in the dish add some small cubes of tofu right at the end.
This recipe is for about 2 people.

Ingredients:
Noodles (enough for two people)
2 large handfuls of fresh, washed spinach
2 large field mushrooms (or 6 small mushrooms), cut into thin slices
1 large/2 small clove(s) of garlic, crushed
1/2 a ltr of vegetable stock - try to get one without flavoured with herbs. A home made one is best using vegetables and root ginger
1 tablespoon of mushroom ketchup
2 tablespoons of light soya sauce
Chili flakes or one small red chili finely chopped (to taste)
3-4 spring onions, cut into this disks
1 handful of fresh coriander, washed and roughly torn

Method:
1) In a saucepan heat up the vegetable stock, soya sauce, mushroom ketchup on a medium heat and when at a simmer add the chili.
2) In a pan over a low heat in some vegetable oil and cook the crushed garlic and mushroom until tender.
3) Put a handful 0f spinach into a serving bowl, followed by the cooked mushroom and garlic.
4) Cook the noodles in salted water until al dente, drain and place into the serving bowl.
5) Ladle the hot spicey broth over all the ingredients
6) Garnish the ramen with coriander and spring onion.

Enjoy! x

Flapjacks

2009-12-07T19:18:00.006Z

This great recipe I sadly cannot take credit for, it's my sisters. She's turning into a wonder baker! Here is her blog page, check her out.

Flapjacks are so simple to make and take basically no take to cook, so you'll have tasty home-made flapjacks in a flash!!

Ingredients:
225g (8oz) of rolled oats
110g (4oz) of good quality unsalted butter
85g (3oz) of caster sugar
4 tablespoons of golden syrup

Method:
1) In a pot over a low-moderate heat, melt the butter and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is heated through.
2) Add in the 4 tablespoons of golden syrup and allow to dissolve in the butter and sugar mixture.
3) Turning off the heat, add the oats and mix together so all the oats are coated.
4) On a baking tray lined with non-stick parchment (if you use grease-proof paper the flapjacks will stick, parchment is best) spread the mixture out to a uniform thickness.
5) In a moderate oven of about 180 degrees C, place the tray on a middle shelf and cook for 10-15 mins depending on how crunchy you like your flapjacks, all the time making sure they don't burn.
6) When you take them out of the oven, using a knife divide the mixture into the desired size of flapjacks while the mixture is still hot (It's much harder to divide the flapjacks up once they have cooled), then leave to cool and enjoy!

Banana Lassi

2009-12-01T16:00:00.004Z

Traditionally an Indian milky fruity drink, perfect to have with spicy food (like the Moroccan couscous below).

Ingredients:
2 bananas, peeled
200 ml of milk
3-4 ice cubes
1-2 tablespoons of runny honey
A pinch of cinnamon
(optional) A small handful of porridge oats

Method:
1) Put all the ingredients into a blender/liquidiser and blend until really smooth
2) In a glass pour some honey along the inside and then pour in the lassi, serve with a long straw. This amount is enough for 2-3 servings.

*Another fruit that works really well in a banana lassi is ripe, sweet mango.

Moroccan Couscous

2009-12-01T15:34:00.005Z

Ingredients:
Couscous - 1 cup
Hot water - 2 cups
Olive oil for cooking and dressing
1 Onion - finely chopped
A few sweet vine tomatoes - quartered
1/2 a red pepper - cut into small cubes
Pine nuts - a handful toasted
Fresh coriander - a handful, roughly torn
Ground coriander - 2 teaspoons
Ground cumin - 2 teaspoons
Squeeze of lemon/line juice
Seasoning
Raisins - a palm full
White wine vinegar - 2 tablespoons
Chilli flakes (optional)

Method:
1) Cook the onion in a little bit of olive oil but without giving the onion a lot of colour
2) In a dry pan lightly toast the pine nuts
3) Cut the vine tomatoes into 4 or 8 pieces depending on size
4) In a large bowl pour boiling water over the couscous, cover and leave for 5 mins until it has doubled in size
5) Using a fork fluff the couscous until loose, add the onion, pine nuts, tomatoes, pepper, ground cumin and coriander, chilli flakes, raisons, lemon/lime juice, white wine vinegar & seasoning (to taste)
6) Mix it all up and serve with fresh coriander sprinkled on top and a drizzle of olive oil

Can be eaten as side dish or as a main meal by adding quorn chicken (as I did in the picture).

Tofu Salad

2009-12-01T15:07:00.004Z

Ingredients:
4 handfuls of baby spinach
Soba noodles
1-2 spring onions thinly sliced diagonally
A handful of fresh beansprouts
Firm tofu, cubed (4-5 pieces per person)

For the dressing:
3 tablespoons of dark soya sauce
1 inch of root ginger finely grated
1 teaspoon of sugar
A dash of hot water

Method:
1) In a serving bowl, place the spinach, followed by the finely chopped spring onion.
2) Cook the soba noodles, drain, refresh in cold water and allow excess water to drain off. Then place the noodles on top of the spinach leaves.
3) Put some vegetable oil into a good non stick pan and cook the tofu until golden brown on all sides, making sure that the tofu doesn’t stick to the pan.
4) Just before the tofu is fully cooked, toss the bean sprouts into the pan and cook for 3 mins. Then add the tofu and bean sprouts to the rest of the salad.
5) Mix all the ingredients for the dressing well and pour over the salad.

Guacamole

2009-12-01T14:53:00.004Z

A super simple favorite that can be eaten with in so many ways and once you start making your own you'll never eat anything else, so delicious and healthy.

Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
2 tomatoes - deseeded and chopped into small cubes
Chilli flakes - as much as suits your taste
Seasoning
Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice - 1 tablespoon

Method:
1) Peel the avocado and in a bowl mash with a fork until smooth
2) Add the deseeded tomato, chilli, seasoning and lemon/lime juice and mix gently.
3) Enjoy!

Oh no!

2009-12-01T14:05:00.003Z

My keeping up to date with my foodyblog has been dismal.
So to make up for that I'm going to add 4 more recipes right now! :)

Spiced Pumpkin & Butternut Squash Soup

2009-11-02T20:10:00.013Z

So it's now that starting to get wintery and cold outside (well, unless you live on the southern hemisphere), here's a lovely warm and comforting soup that's perfect for those chilly autumn evenings.

This time of year is perfect for pumpkins and squashes are they're in season and easily available. The pumpkin I used was the same one that I carved for Halloween, however pumpkins have many more uses than just scaring away evil spirits! This is a very simple soup to put together as well as being very healthy and delicious. It's suitable for both vegetarians and vegans but meat-eaters will love it too. Enjoy!

Ingredients: Serves 4-6
1 pumpkin, top taken off and all the flesh scooped out, or peel the skin and chop into chunks
1/2 a butternut squash, peeled and diced into chunks
2 small-medium white onions (or 1 large), peeled and diced
Freshly grated nutmeg, roughly a generous pinch
1/2 a cinnamon stick
1 litre (about 2 pints) of vegetable stock
Salt & pepper

Method:
1) In a large cooking pot, lightly sauteé the onions until soft and translucent, but not browned on a low to medium heat. This should take around 10 mins.
2) Add in the butternut squash and pumpkin into the pot and stir the ingredients together.
3) Add the vegetable stock (I used a high quality organic vegan stock cube mixed with 1L of water).
4) Grate the nutmeg and snap a cinnamon stick in half, adding both to the pot.
5) Allow all the ingredients to simmer on a low-medium heat for about 45 mins until the pumpkin and squash is fully cooked and softened, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the base of the pot. After about 1/2 an hour take the snapped cinnamon stick out.
6) Using a blender, liquefy the ingredients until the soup it is completely smooth. Allow the soup to cook for a further 15 mins on a low heat.
7) Pour into a bowl, grate a little more nutmeg over the top and serve with warm crispy fresh bread.

Enjoy! x

-

2009-11-01T14:19:00.003Z

Well sadly I haven't been doing any cooking over the last few days, I've got the flu (quite possibly the swine variety) and so have spent most my days wrapped up in blankets on the sofa sipping lucozade and not eating much. I'm very lucky that I had my wonderful boyfriend on hand to look after me, he made a lovely dinner last night but I just couldn't eat any more than a few mouthfuls. Hopefully will be back to my normal self soon and start cooking again.

Why?

2009-10-29T16:28:00.006Z

The reason behind this blog is actually my great friend Aoife, who I've know since I was about 10. We went to the same primary school but ended up in different secondaries, but during the summer between primary and secondary school we decided to go a kid's cookery course. I remember it so well, for a week we made an array of different dishes ranging from spicy koftas to yummy cakes. Both of us still talk about it and how much fun we had doing it. The lovely lady who ran it was called Bee and at the beginning of the course we were presented with a "Bee's Cookery Book" which I still have to this day and has inspired some recipes I cook.

For my friend Julie's birthday during the summer this year, I decided I'd put together a cook book for her with some of my recipes. All through college I'd bring in different things to eat during the day, and Julie would always be asking me for the recipes, so for her birthday I compiled ones I knew she's like and ones she'd been asking me for and made them into a book which she loved. Aoife thought that it was a really nice idea and suggested that I write a blog of the different things I cook...so now that I have a year to spare (spending it figuring out what to do next after graduating with an arts degree) I'm going to document as best and as often as I can about my cooking (I'm going to aim at once a week).

I can't wait!!

A new start!

2009-10-29T15:14:00.000Z

I'm making a new blog..this one about cooking and the food I love to make.

But before I can start with any of that I have to start at the beginning.

My love of cooking developed in a bit of a strange way I guess. My relationship with food has never been an easy one. I was always a bit heavier than the other kids around me growing up, leading to a lot of bullying in my school years, going hand in hand with copious amounts of self esteem so low a never ending well looks shallow. This is an issue that still isn't fully resolved within myself and probably never will be if I'm honest, but it's something I'm actively managing.

At about the age of 12 my relationship with food began to get rocky. Starting secondary school, where everyone was taller and skinner and more polished than I was (I grew up pretty tom-boyish, more interested in playing outside with the dog and in my own dream world than playing with others), plus on top of that I was extremely shy. I could tell instantly that I wasn't like them and that I would have to make a decision to change myself; the way of spoke, the way I did my hair (clothes weren't an issue as I had to wear a uniform), the way I carried myself..and most importantly the weight I was. To fit in you had to look a certain way...and I looked nothing like that.

My eating habits changed slowly, only eating half of meals that were given to me and picking at other bits like a bird. Yet my weight didn't change. The "puppy fat" my mum always promised me I'd lose soon wasn't going, so I began to change my eating habits even more. It got the stage (about half way through my 1st year in secondary school) that I just stopped eating in front of others, I'd throw out everything in my lunch box so I could go home and my mum and dad wouldn't worry about me. This continued on for the entire 6 years of secondary school, with lots of interest from my peers wondering why I never ate but still never looking sick or skinny (only making it worse). In 2nd year I became a vegetarian. My mum initially didn't agree and told me that if I wanted to be a vegetarian then I'd have to make my own meals.. that was music to me ears. I'd eat maybe a bowl of cereal for dinner when no one else was in the kitchen and when they'd ask what I'd had, I would make up some meal..pasta, rice etc etc.

The bullying didn't stop despite my changing everything about myself. In 3rd year it got to a peak and I just wasn't able to cope anymore. I began to slowly self destruct, which didn't go unnoticed by the few people I was friendly with in school (although I've never said to to them, I am grateful for what they did). Parents and teachers were involved and my eating habits and self loathing were brought to a head. I don't blame my parents in any way for actions there after, they didn't know what to do, it wasn't their fault, they had never gone experienced anything like that before and didn't know the signs to look out for or what to do if they saw them.
They made me eat meals in front of them and they monitored me on a constant basis, making the guilt of having to eat "normally" boil inside me like lava..however change was on the horizon.

I skipped 4th year..and went straight into 5th (meaning I knew no one, but at least the bullying of the previous years where behind me). However with this came with it's own problems, the stress of difficult and new subjects, having to get to know new people and again hide my eating difficulties and my bouts of depression from another set of people. My anorexia of previous years then turned into bulimia/anorexia. I still didn't eat in front of people at school but now I could at home and at least pretend to my family that everything was "fine". I hid my eating disorders and depression as best as I could until one day in 6th year (final year) I went to my mum and told her, totally unable to cope any longer with being so sad and destroying myself. It took a while for my family to know what to do and how to react but I got medical help, went on medication and therapy. Without which I don't know if I'd be here today.

However my difficulties with food are not over, and they probably never will be. Although I now and able to control my anorexic and bulimic tendencies, mentally, many of the restrictions I put on food are still there. I still do not it meat of any kind (including fish), I stay away from fried foods, I don't eat chocolate, cake, chips, crisps, food with butter or cream, pastries, cheese, processed white bread and basically anything with a high fat content.
I know for many people that cuts out a huge part of their diet, but that's how I eat and I feel for the most part totally safe. I no longer need to starve myself or make myself sick. I work around the foods I don't eat and have a far better and healthier diet than most people I know. I'm not bragging about this, it's just how it is really. I eat a mainly vegan diet but I do ensure I get enough protein and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. I try to take regular exercise and I walk a lot as I don't have a full car license. But most importantly I am happy.

Food now, I am happy to say, does make me very happy. I love cooking and preparing something that I know is good for me (both mentally and physically). The "limits" that other people see in my diet is where I can be really creative, altering recipes I find and making them (in my eyes) better and healthier. I hope in this blog to write down some of those recipes and a little of the back story behind them. I never thought that I could be at the place that I'm at today, I have come so far from my school days and I'm so proud of myself.