Very Quick Thick Pea Soup
This is the sort of soup that sticks to your ribs. Another of my thrown together efforts.
Get a bag of mushy peas from the freezer department in the supermarket, empty it into a large pan, add about 1 litre veg stock. Bring to the boil, season the soup to your taste and eat. Thin it down to the thickness you like.
It's nice with mint added, use fresh mint if you have it, but dried will do fine and even a dollop of mint sauce if you want.
Of course, you can fancy it up if you want, by adding spinach or other veg.
The inspiration
Monday, 28 July 2014
Spiced Autumn Fruit
I love this spicy fruit warm with yogurt. However, other members of the family are not keen......hence the name "Minging Fruit".
Spiced Autumn Fruit
Serves 4
6 ripe plums, stones removed and quartered
3 ripe pears, peeled cored and quartered
2 dessert apples, cored and quartered
250 ml diet lemonade
1 cinnamon stick
2.5 cm (1") fresh root ginger, unpeeled and sliced
1 star anise or 3 cardamom pods cracked
Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 mins until the fruit is soft and the juices reduced and syrupy.
You can stick it all in a casserole dish and bake, covered in the oven instead of in a pan.
Spiced Autumn Fruit
Serves 4
6 ripe plums, stones removed and quartered
3 ripe pears, peeled cored and quartered
2 dessert apples, cored and quartered
250 ml diet lemonade
1 cinnamon stick
2.5 cm (1") fresh root ginger, unpeeled and sliced
1 star anise or 3 cardamom pods cracked
Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 mins until the fruit is soft and the juices reduced and syrupy.
You can stick it all in a casserole dish and bake, covered in the oven instead of in a pan.
Lemon Curd
Lemon Curd
I first made lemon curd at school but recently revisited it. This recipe is the one I used at school.
This recipe makes a large Kilner jar.
4 lemons, zest and juice
4 eggs, beaten
100g butter
450g sugar
Put the ingredients into a large basin, on top of a pan of simmering water. Don't let the bottom of the basin touch the water.
Stir constantly until thick and the curd coats the back of a spoon.
Pour into the sterilized jar, cover, seal and label. Cool then store in the fridge.
This is delicious made with limes, or use a mixture of citrus fruits.
I first made lemon curd at school but recently revisited it. This recipe is the one I used at school.
This recipe makes a large Kilner jar.
4 lemons, zest and juice
4 eggs, beaten
100g butter
450g sugar
Put the ingredients into a large basin, on top of a pan of simmering water. Don't let the bottom of the basin touch the water.
Stir constantly until thick and the curd coats the back of a spoon.
Pour into the sterilized jar, cover, seal and label. Cool then store in the fridge.
This is delicious made with limes, or use a mixture of citrus fruits.
Baked Eggs in Spicy Sauce
Baked Eggs in Spicy Sauce
A Weight Watchers recipe, but don't let that put you off. Its delicious!
Serves 4
low fat cooking spray
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, de-seeded and roughly chopped
1 courgette, chopped
1/4 tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
300ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
25g jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped
handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
4 large eggs
Preheat oven to Gas 3/160'C
Spray a large pan with low fat spray and fry the vegetables for 5 mins until softened.
Stir in the chilli powder, stock and tomatoes. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes.
Stir in the jalapenos and coriander.
Spoon into an ovenproof dish or 4 individual dishes and make 4 hollows in the sauce. Break the eggs into the hollows, season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the eggs are cooked as you like them.
Serve.
You can add more or less chilli powder, or use herbs like oregano and thyme instead, use harissa paste and cinnamon with the chilli for a moroccan style flavour. Try different veg as well, aubergine is good in this mix.
A Weight Watchers recipe, but don't let that put you off. Its delicious!
Serves 4
low fat cooking spray
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, de-seeded and roughly chopped
1 courgette, chopped
1/4 tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
300ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
25g jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped
handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
4 large eggs
Preheat oven to Gas 3/160'C
Spray a large pan with low fat spray and fry the vegetables for 5 mins until softened.
Stir in the chilli powder, stock and tomatoes. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes.
Stir in the jalapenos and coriander.
Spoon into an ovenproof dish or 4 individual dishes and make 4 hollows in the sauce. Break the eggs into the hollows, season with salt and pepper and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until the eggs are cooked as you like them.
Serve.
You can add more or less chilli powder, or use herbs like oregano and thyme instead, use harissa paste and cinnamon with the chilli for a moroccan style flavour. Try different veg as well, aubergine is good in this mix.
Quick Saucy Chicken Breasts
This is one of those recipes that tastes different every time you make it. There's just so many combinations you can have.
Quick Saucy Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Serves 4
Take 4 chicken breasts and make a little pocket in each one.
Stuff the pocket with cheese...... mozzarella is good, so is a blue cheese. You can also use a soft cheese like Boursin.
Use a skewer or cocktail stick to close the pocket, or wrap the chicken breasts with bacon or proscuitto/parma ham.
Place the chicken breasts into a baking dish.
Take a jar of your favourite sauce..... I like Reggae Reggae sauce, but choose whatever floats your boat.
Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover and bake for 20-25 mins at Gas 4/180'C
Remove the foil and cook for another 5 mins or so.
Serve with veg and rice/couscous/potatoes.
Quick Saucy Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Serves 4
Take 4 chicken breasts and make a little pocket in each one.
Stuff the pocket with cheese...... mozzarella is good, so is a blue cheese. You can also use a soft cheese like Boursin.
Use a skewer or cocktail stick to close the pocket, or wrap the chicken breasts with bacon or proscuitto/parma ham.
Place the chicken breasts into a baking dish.
Take a jar of your favourite sauce..... I like Reggae Reggae sauce, but choose whatever floats your boat.
Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover and bake for 20-25 mins at Gas 4/180'C
Remove the foil and cook for another 5 mins or so.
Serve with veg and rice/couscous/potatoes.
Spinach and Cheese Cannelloni
Spinach and Cheese Cannelloni
A nod to healthy eating here, with a tasty recipe originally from Weight Watchers.
Low fat spray (or use a little oil if you prefer)
2 shallots, diced
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 celery stick, diced
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
8 fresh sage leaves, chopped, or a pinch dried
475g frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 spring onions, sliced finely,
pinch of nutmeg
300g very low fat soft cheese, eg Philadlephia extra light
160g tubes cannelloni (16 tubes)
Preheat the oven to Gas 6/200'C/400'F
Spray a non stick pan with the low fat spray and cook the shallots, pepper and celery for 3-4 mins. Add the tomatoes, 100ml cold water and the sage and simmer for 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the drained spinach into a bowl and mix in the spring onions, nutmeg, cheese and some salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff the cannelloni tubes with the spinach mixture. Spoon quarter of the tomato mixture onto the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Place the stuffed cannelloni on top and pour over the remaining sauce.
Bake for 30 mins and serve straightaway.
For the weight watchers amongst you, this is 3.5 points per serving. (Thats UK points and not propoints)
A nod to healthy eating here, with a tasty recipe originally from Weight Watchers.
Low fat spray (or use a little oil if you prefer)
2 shallots, diced
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
1 celery stick, diced
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
8 fresh sage leaves, chopped, or a pinch dried
475g frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 spring onions, sliced finely,
pinch of nutmeg
300g very low fat soft cheese, eg Philadlephia extra light
160g tubes cannelloni (16 tubes)
Preheat the oven to Gas 6/200'C/400'F
Spray a non stick pan with the low fat spray and cook the shallots, pepper and celery for 3-4 mins. Add the tomatoes, 100ml cold water and the sage and simmer for 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the drained spinach into a bowl and mix in the spring onions, nutmeg, cheese and some salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff the cannelloni tubes with the spinach mixture. Spoon quarter of the tomato mixture onto the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Place the stuffed cannelloni on top and pour over the remaining sauce.
Bake for 30 mins and serve straightaway.
For the weight watchers amongst you, this is 3.5 points per serving. (Thats UK points and not propoints)
Chilli Jam
Chilli Jam
Nigella Lawson made this on one of her tv shows. I think it was Nigella's Christmas. I made it the next day and have made it a couple of times since.
You can make it as hot as you like by adding more chillis, but to be honest it's quite hot as it is. A bit like sweet chilli sauce, but instead of a stingy bottle, you get a whole big jar (or maybe more).
If you like sweet chilli sauce, give this a go, its fab.
http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chilli-jam-2692
Nigella Lawson made this on one of her tv shows. I think it was Nigella's Christmas. I made it the next day and have made it a couple of times since.
You can make it as hot as you like by adding more chillis, but to be honest it's quite hot as it is. A bit like sweet chilli sauce, but instead of a stingy bottle, you get a whole big jar (or maybe more).
If you like sweet chilli sauce, give this a go, its fab.
http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chilli-jam-2692
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