Oils

We need fats in our diet, but we should choose mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats over saturated fats whenever possible. This means choosing vegetable oils in preference to solid animal fats.

Whatever kind of vegetable oil you choose, it is best to remember that all vegetable oils are 100% fat and one tablespoon contains 99kcals/416kjoules! And even vegetable oils contain saturated fats. Coconut oil is about 95% saturated fat but sunflower oil is only 10% saturated fat, and safflower and rapeseed oils are less than 10% saturated fat. We need to cut down our intake of saturated fats, so using coconut oil for cooking is probably not a good idea.

Another thing you need to consider when cooking with oil is the smoking point. At what temperature will the oil smoke? When heated to smoking point, oil produces an unpleasant odour, the flavour can be spoiled and the vitamin content is reduced. Some oils when heated convert to trans-fatty acids which we definitely don’t want to eat.

Olive oil, whether from the first, second or subsequent pressings, is not suitable for cooking. Keep it for use as a salad dressing. It is very expensive, so use sparingly. Olive oil will keep for up to a year in the fridge, or up to six months on the counter top.

The best choice for cooking is corn or sunflower oil. These are both suitable for heating to high temperatures.
I very seldom use oil in cooking, preferring a non-stick cooking spray, which serves the same purpose. If I do use oil – probably no more than a teaspoonful at a time – I choose sunflower oil.

Curried pork : Wk31/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm rice
300gms lean pork strips
1 onion, chopped
1 Tblsp red Thai curry paste
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp grated root ginger
8 pickled garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup fat free milk
1 Tblsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 Tblsp fish sauce

Method
Put the rice on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain and keep warm.

Spray a large pan or wok with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion until it starts to soften.
Add the curry paste, crushed garlic and ginger and fry 2 minutes.

Toss in the pork strips and stir fry for 3 minutes.
Now add the milk and stir well.
Cook for another 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through.

Add the fish sauce and turmeric, then the lemon juice and pickled garlic.
Stir well to combine.
Allow to heat through.

Serve the curry with rice and garnish with strips of lemon and lime rind and sliced spring onion.

If you haven’t got fish sauce, use 1 finely chopped anchovy instead.
Pickled garlic has a far less intense flavour than fresh garlic – don’t be afraid to use all 8 cloves.

Link to .pdf files for Week 32

Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 32.

Udon noodles : Wk31/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm Udon noodles
1 onion, thinly sliced
6 courgettes, quartered lengthways
4 carrots, julienne
6 – 8 baby corn, quartered lengthways
100gm green beans, halved
½ red pepper, sliced
½ yellow pepper, sliced
1 baby cabbage, shredded
1 Tblsp miso paste
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tblsp sherry
2 Tblsp sesame seeds

Method
Cook the Udon noodles according to the instructions on the packet.
Drain and keep warm.

Mix the miso paste, vinegar, sherry and sesame seeds together.
Set aside.

Spray a wok with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry-fry the onion until it starts to soften but not colour.
Add the rest of the vegetables (except the cabbage) and stir fry for about 5 minutes.
Stir through the shredded cabbage and sesame/miso dressing.

Serve the vegetables on the noodles.

Udon noodles are rather like pasta. They are made from wheat flour, but not the Durham wheat flour used in pasta so they lack the yellow colour of pasta. Odon noodles cook easily, and the strands stay separate.

Folic acid - B9

 

 

Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin. Also known as B9, it works best in conjunction with B6, B12 and Vitamin C.

 

Functions
Vitamin B9:

• Is necessary for cell metabolism
• Aids in red blood cell formation
• Required for protein synthesis
• Activates the brain
• Counteracts depression

 

Sources of Vitamin B9:
Folic acid is found in:

• Liver
• Eggs
• Dairy produce
• Whole grains
• Green leafy vegetables
• Legumes
• Yeast
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Asparagus

 

Deficiency symptoms:

• Anemia
• Intestinal disorders.
• Lack of energy
• Mood changes
• Receding gums
• Cracked lips
• Depression
• Prematurely graying hair

 

People on medication for epilepsy should exercise caution with large amount of folic acid as it can change the functioning of their drugs. Pregnant women may be encouraged to take a folic acid supplement to prevent spina bifida in their babies. It may also reduce the risk of premature labour. Women taking birth control pills or HRT, people suffering from psoriasis, and anyone under stress or taking alcohol may benefit by taking extra folic acid.

 

Haddock chowder : Wk31/3

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 rashers lean bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 sticks of celery, sliced
200gm sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 Tblsp whole grain mustard
2 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce
800ml vegetable stock
300ml milk
2 Tblsp corn flour
2 cups frozen peas
1 x ±400gm tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
400gm haddock fillets, skinned and cut in chunks

Method
Spray a large saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the bacon for 2 minutes, then add the onion, celery and potato.
Cover with a lid and allow the vegetables to sweat for 5 minutes.

Mix the mustard and Worcestershire sauce into the stock, and pour into the sauce pan.
Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes until the potato is cooked through.

Add the peas, beans and fish chunks to the pan.

Mix the corn flour into the milk.
Pour into the sauce pan, stirring all the time, and allow the soup to thicken slightly.
Simmer for 5 more minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.

Serve with whole wheat rolls or toast, if desired.

Because of the beans, this chowder is filling – you don’t really need a starch with it.

Chilli bean burgers : Wk31/2

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients

2 x ±400gm tins red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 slices fresh bread, crumbed

1 Tblsp mild chilli powder

1 Tblsp chopped coriander

1 Tblsp tomato paste

1 small egg, lightly beaten

½ cup fat free natural yoghurt

1 Tblsp lemon juice

Grated rind from ½ lemon

I Tblsp chopped coriander

Method

First, make the dressing:
Combine the yoghurt, lemon juice and rind and 1 Tblsp chopped coriander.
Mix well.
Set aside.

Roughly mash the kidney beans in a bowl.
Add the breadcrumbs, chilli powder, 1 Tblsp chopped coriander, tomato paste.
Mix together well.
Add the egg and stir well.

Shape the mixture into 8 patties (this is easier if you wet your hands first).

Spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray, and place over heat.
When the pan is hot, add the patties.
Cook for 5 minutes each side, or until crispy on the outside and heated through.

Serve 2 patties per person, with the dressing and a crispy salad with avocado slices.

Natural food sources

Natural nutritional sources satisfy appetite, are easily obtainable and reasonably inexpensive.

 

In a perfect world, natural food sources would be the perfect form of nutrition; however, this is not a perfect world and there are many possible pitfalls for our natural sources of nutrition.

• The soil on agricultural land has been artificially fertilized, or is depleted in nutrients. Crops can only supply what they have been able to absorb during growth.
• Crops are harvested before their peak and sprayed with chemicals to retard ripening.
• Chemical sprays are applied later to re-start the ripening process.
• Pesticides are still used to ensure bigger crops.
• Produce from supermarkets is packaged in soft plastics which can leach oestrogen into the food.
• Many of the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables are lost through exposure to light, heat and oxidation, both in the supermarkets and at home.
• Livestock are treated with hormones (to increase growth) and antibiotics (to protect against disease). These drugs are often passed on to humans through the meat.
• The time taken from the farm to the table is not easy to calculate, so just how fresh is our food?
• Many fruits and vegetables are now genetically modified to improve appearance and extend shelf life.

 Although buying organic alleviates most of these problems, it does not fix them all. And usually organic produce is a lot more expensive. Buying from a local farmers’ market or farm stall makes for fresher food at a better price (no long term storage or transportation costs).

Spaghetti Stretch : Wk31/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm spaghetti
1 large onion, chopped
300gm extra lean beef mince
50gm red lentils
2 large carrots, grated
1 cup (250ml) beef stock
1 x ±400gm chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tblsp fresh chopped parsley

Method
Put the spaghetti on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
When al dente, drain and keep warm.

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onions until they start to soften.
Add the beef to the pan and stir-fry until the meat is sealed.

Now add the lentils, grated carrot, tinned tomatoes, stock and herbs.
Stir well to combine.
Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.

Serve the mince spooned over the spaghetti.
Garnish with the chopped parsley.
Serve a green salad on the side, if desired.

Adding lentils and carrots stretches the meat, and helps thicken the sauce. They also increase the fibre content.

Protein

To most people, protein means meat. The term ‘meat’ includes chicken, fish and game, not just beef, lamb and pork. Meats form a big part of the protein group but nuts, legumes, tofu, eggs and cheese also belong in the same category.

Protein is essential for growth and repair of muscle and tissue, for regulating metabolism and boosting the immune system. People who are ill or coping with a lot of stress need extra protein for energy.

Women who are pregnant or breast feeding also need additional protein – and extra 6gm per day during pregnancy and an extra 11gm a day while breast feeding.

Growing children need proportionally more protein than adults because they are building bones and muscles. For example; 1-2 year olds need approximately 60gm protein per day increasing gradually to 60 – 110gm by age 5 to a maximum of 170gm by age 12, then tapering off to healthy adult levels by age 18.

You can calculate the amount of protein foods an adult needs per day with this formula:
W times 0.8 = gm of protein required, where W equals body weight.
So, for example, if you weigh 60kg you need 60 x 0.8 = 48gms of protein per day. That is very little, and far less than most people eat. If you order a steak in a restaurant – even a ‘lady’s steak’ – it will weigh in excess of 100gm, often as much as 250gm!

Eating an excess of protein forces the liver to break down the amino acids – which will be stored as fat or excreted through the kidneys. This places an extra burden on the liver and kidneys. A high protein diet causes calcium loss from the bones, as well as increasing uric acid blood levels contributing to gout and arthritis.

This makes our ever popular South African braais look like poison-on-a-plate!There is much to be said for having a protein-free day at least once a week.

Lemon chicken with cashews : Wk30/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
400gm broccoli florets
400ml chicken stock
1 Tblsp corn flour
2 Tblsp clear honey
2 Tblsp lemon juice
Grated rind form 1 lemon
50gms roasted cashew nuts

Method
Spray a large frying pan or wok with non-stick cooking spray.

Dry fry the chicken strips until they are ‘sealed’ and beginning to brown.
Add the garlic and broccoli and a little of the stock.
Allow to cook, covered, for about 5 minutes.

Mix the corn flour, honey, lemon juice and rind into the remaining stock;
then add this to the pan, stirring all the time, so that the sauce thickens.

Serve with rice or noodles, and soy sauce if desired.

Link to .pdf files for Week 31

Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 31.

Seafood coral pie : Wk30/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
240gm potatoes
240gm red sweet potatoes
1 onion, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 x ±400gm tin chopped tomatoes
½ cup white wine
Grated rind of 1 lemon
300gm skinless salmon fillets, cut in chunks
200gm prawns, shelled and deveined
200gm frozen peas

Method
Peel the potatoes and sweet potatoes and cut into chunks.
Cook in lightly salted boiling water until soft.
Drain and mash well.

Meanwhile, spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, celery and garlic until the onion starts to soften.
Add the anchovies, tomatoes, lemon rind and wine.
Stir well.

Nestle the salmon and the prawns into the sauce.
Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Thicken the sauce with 1 Tblsp corn flour, if you wish.

Tip the fish mixture into a casserole dish.
Top with the mashed potatoes.

Bake in the oven at 200ºc for 20 minutes, until the top is slightly browned and the sauce is bubbling.

Boil, microwave or steam the frozen peas.

Serve the pie with the peas.

Vitamin B12 – Cobalamin, cyanocobamin

 Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin. B12 works in conjunction other B group vitamins, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, sodium and potassium.

Functions
Vitamin B12:
Is necessary for production of neurotransmitters
Stimulates the brain
Prevents heart disease
Decreases risk of cancer
Stimulates red blood cell production
Contributes to healthy nerves
Stimulates appetite
Promotes growth

Sources of Vitamin B12:
Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products, however it can be manufactured in the body.
Very small amounts are required.

Deficiency symptoms:
Dizziness
Anxiety
Lethargy
Weight loss
Tinnitus
Pernicious anemia
Loss of balance
Oversensitivity to hot/cold

Cobalamin may be lacking in people whole follow a strict vegan or macrobiotic diet. Always check with your doctor before taking supplements of any kind. An excess of any vitamin can have unpleasant side effects. The water soluble vitamins are readily excreted in urine, so toxicity is rare.

Basil and spinach pasta : Wk30/3

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm curly spaghetti
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium butternut, chopped
6 small parsnips, sliced
½ cup veg stock
2 mild red chillies, finely chopped
1 x ±400gm tin chopped tomatoes
250gm spinach, roughly chopped
25gm basil leaves, chopped
4 Tblsp grated parmesan

Method
Cook the spaghetti in lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, spray a pan with non stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion until it starts to soften.
Add the garlic, the chillies, the butternut cubes, the parsnips and the stock.
Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the butternut is cooked.

Now tip in the tomatoes and bring the pot back to the boil.
Stir through the spinach and basil and allow to wilt.

To serve. spoon the vegetables over the spaghetti and sprinkle with the parmesan.
The flavour of basil goes really well with spinach and butternut.

Bok choy fry : Wk30/2

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 slices lean bacon, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
200gm button mushrooms, chopped
4 carrots, julienne
4 courgettes, julienne
½ can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
150gm mung bean sprouts
4 bok choy, chopped

240gm rice

Method
Cook the rice in lightly salted boiling water until it is tender.
Drain and keep warm.

Spray a wok with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the bacon bits lightly.
Add the onion and ginger and allow the onion to soften.
Stir in the carrots, courgettes and mushrooms.
Add ¼ cup of water, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Now stir through the chick peas and pepper.
Fold in the bok choy and allow to wilt.
Stir the bean sprouts through.

Serve with the rice.

Teriyaki sauce, soy and sweet chilli sauce all go well with this dish.

Nihil recens ab Africa

Far from finding anything new in my exploration of foods and food sources, I have found shortages of things I use all the time! I had to visit four supermarkets before I could replace my favourite brand of curry paste. It is imported, so I can only think that our pre-World-Cup dock strike is responsible; some ships returned to their home ports without being unloaded. Some small businesses, dependant on imported goods, were left high and dry with no stock, and now have to wait for their orders to be re-shipped, cleared through customs, and finally delivered. So I hope that, in due course, my curry paste and other imported items will return to the shelves.

Just another reason to buy local produce, I guess.

Chicken in mango sauce : Wk30/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 tsp ground cumin
500ml chicken stock
4 – 5 Tblsp Patak’s mango chutney
8 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
1 Tblsp corn flour

2 Tblsp chopped coriander
300gm couscous
300ml chicken stock

Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Sprinkle the cumin over the chicken pieces.
Dry fry the chicken until it is ‘sealed’.

Add the stock, the chutney and the spring onions.
Allow to simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Slacken the corn flour with a little water, and stir into the pan.
Cook for another 2 minutes to let the sauce thicken.

Meanwhile, put the couscous and coriander in a bowl and cover with 300ml chicken stock.
Cover and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Fluff up the couscous with a fork.

Serve the chicken and couscous with a fresh mixed salad on the side.

Chicken a la Med : Wk29/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed
125gm mushrooms, chopped
2 courgettes, sliced
1 small aubergine, cut in chunks
4 spring onions, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 Tblsp capers, rinsed and chopped
1 Tblsp chopped parsley
1 ±400gm tin chopped tomatoes
500ml chicken stock

240gm pasta shells

Method
Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain and keep warm.

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the chicken until ‘sealed’ on all sides.
Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for another 3 or 4 minutes.
Now add the courgettes, aubergine, onions and red pepper.
Add the tinned tomatoes and stock.

Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir through the parsley and capers.
Fold in the cooked pasta.

Link to .pdf files for Week 30

Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 30.

Fish Espagnole : Wk29/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Grated rind & juice from 1 lemon
1 onion, finely sliced
480gm potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
1 small aubergine, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
1tsp paprika
100gm green beans, cut in 3cm lengths
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
10 cocktail tomatoes, halved
1 ±400gm tin chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 ±400gm tin chopped tomatoes
480gm skinless hake fillets, cut into big chunks
Roughly chopped parsley, to garnish

Method
Place the fish chunks in a bowl with the lemon rind and juice.
Set aside.

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onions and garlic until the onion begins to soften.
Add the potato and aubergine chunks and the paprika and stir well.
Cover and allow to cook for 5 minutes.

Add the green beans, the anchovies, cocktail tomatoes, chick peas and tinned tomatoes.
Cook, covered, for 15 minutes, adding a ½ cup of water if required, until the potatoes are cooked.

Now tip in the fish chunks and lemon, and stir to combine.
Cover again, and cook for another 10 minutes until the fish flakes easily.

Serve garnished with lots of chopped parsley.

Ragout of pork : Wk29/3

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm rice
1 tsp turmeric

400gm lean pork strips
1 large onion, thinly sliced
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
2 large carrots, sliced diagonally
4 parsnips, sliced diagonally
2 cups broccoli florets
450ml chicken stock
100gm raisins
2 Tblsp tomato puree
1 Tblsp chopped coriander

Method
Put the rice on to cook in lightly salted boiling water to which you have added the turmeric.
Drain when cooked and keep warm.

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onions until they start to soften.
Add the pork strips, and stir fry until sealed.
Sprinkle over the cumin and cinnamon, and fry 2 minutes more.

Tip in the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
Continue cooking for 30 minutes, or until pork is cooked and vegetables are tender.

Mould the rice in 4 small ramekin dishes and turn out onto dinner plates.
Serve the ragout beside the rice.

Tomato soup – my way : Wk29/2

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 x 400gm tin tomatoes, pureed
1 large carrot, chopped
2 turnips, chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced
2 courgettes, chopped
150gm red lentils
50gm split peas
750ml veg stock
2 Tblsp mild curry paste
1 Tblsp chopped coriander

Method
Put everything in a saucepan.
Stir well.
Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Add another 250ml stock if you want a thinner soup.
Taste. You may want to add a little sugar.

Serve with brown seed rolls.

Eggy veg : Wk29/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 X-large eggs
1 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
8 – 10 courgettes, chopped
8 mushrooms, chopped
8 – 12 asparagus spears, chopped
400gm new potatoes, thickly sliced
400gm cherry tomatoes, halved
±¼ cup veg stock

Fresh basil leaves

Method
Par-boil the potato slices.

Spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onions, garlic and courgettes until the onions begin to soften.
Add the stock.
Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, asparagus, potatoes and tomatoes.
Cover and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the tomatoes start to pulp.

Make 4 ‘wells’ in amongst the vegetables, and crack an egg into each ‘well’.
Cover the pan again and cook until the eggs are cooked to your taste.

Scatter shredded basil over the top and serve with crusty bread, if you like.

The bread is really unnecessary because of the potatoes. There is a very large quantity of veg in this, so you may want to use 2 frying pans as I did. The photo shows 2 servings.

Salmon and dill spaghetti : Wk28/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
300gm spaghetti

1 small onion, thinly sliced
300 – 400gm skinless salmon steak fillets, cut in chunks
±18 – 24 small prawns, cleaned
2 cups fat free milk

3 Tblsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tblsp cornflour

Lemon zest to garnish

Method
Put the spaghetti on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain when al dente and keep warm.

Poach the onion, salmon and prawns in the milk until the fish flakes easily.
Remove the salmon and prawns from the milk.
Thicken the milk with the corn flour slackened with a little water.
Season with black pepper and the chopped dill.
Put the salmon and prawns back into the sauce and heat through.

Serve the fish over the spaghetti, garnished with grated lemon zest and a sprig of dill.
Accompany with a fresh, crisp salad.

Link to .pdf files for Week 29

Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 29.

Chicken in a pot : Wk28/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
3 – 4 skinless chicken breast fillets, cut in chunks
3 leeks, cut on diagonal , thick slices
2 large carrots, quartered lengthways
6 – 8 parsnips, quartered lengthways
2 courgettes, sliced
200gm button mushrooms
400gm new potatoes, halved
500ml chicken stock
200ml dry white wine
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 cup frozen peas
1 – 2 Tblsp corn flour

Method
Put the chicken, leeks, carrots, parsnips, courgettes, potatoes and mushrooms in a large lidded saucepan.
Pour over the stock and wine.
Add the tarragon.

Bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and allow to simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Add the frozen peas, and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked.
Stir through the corn flour, slackened with a little water.
Allow sauce to thicken.

Serve.

I find potatoes take surprisingly long to cook when they are in with something else, so I par-cooked mine in the microwave for about five minutes, to give them a head start.

 

Anthony Rolley’s chickpeas : Wk28/3

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
2 x 350gm tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained
400gm baby spinach
6 slices back bacon, all visible fat removed, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
2 Tblsp balsamic vinegar

Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion and bacon strips until the onion starts to soften.

Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.
Bring to a boil.
Pile the spinach on top, reduce heat, and cover with a lid.
Allow the spinach to wilt – takes about 5 minutes.

Fold the wilted spinach through the chickpeas and serve.

Scilly fish : Wk28/2

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
450gm skinless hake fillets, cut in chunks
2 anchovies, chopped
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
2 red ‘bonnet’ chillies, deseeded, thinly sliced
2 x 400gm tins chopped tomatoes
200ml dry white wine (optional)
500ml veg or fish stock
100gm couscous

Lemon zest and parsley to garnish

Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, fennel, chillies and anchovies until the onion begins to soften.
Pour in the tomatoes, stock and wine, and bring to a boil.
Stir in the couscous.
Scatter fish chunks over the top.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.

Serve garnished with lemon zest and chopped parsley

The couscous is the starch here, but you could serve with crusty bread if you wish.
     

Magic sandwiches

I know, I know, I'm supposed to be taking a break from blogging, but my brother insists that I post this recipe – he named this a ‘Magic Sandwich’ the first time I made it for him. The recipe has a life of its own, and changes each time I make it, but certain ingredients must be included for it to qualify as ‘magic’ – I will italicize these.

Take 2 slices of brown or whole wheat bread.
Generously spread 1 slice with Helman’s low fat mayo, and the other with marmite.
Place the marmite slice on a sheet of cling wrap or grease-proof paper (paper is actually best).
Now pile on LOTS of mixed lettuce leaves, watercress, sliced cucumber and sliced tomato.

We used to get something called ‘cheese spice’ here, but I think it must have contained MSG, because it’s no longer available. So sprinkle the salad-y stuff with aromat or some similar seasoning, and some freshly ground black pepper.
Top with a good slice or 2 of Hickory smoked ham and slices of cheese.
Then add avocado slices.
Finish with the mayo-ed bread slice, and press down with the palm of your hand.
Do NOT attempt to cut the sandwich in half.

Quickly fold the greaseproof paper tightly around the sandwich.

To eat, hold with both hands, tearing the paper off in a spiral as you work your way down.

I can picture my brother now, begging for another!

Rosemary chicken : Wk28/1

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large sprig rosemary, leaves picked off and finely chopped
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional)
1 Tblsp capers, rinsed, drained and finely chopped
1 x 400gm tin chopped tomatoes
150ml dry red wine

Method
Spray a large, deep frying pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Brown the chicken pieces all over.
Once the chicken is sealed, remove it from the pan and set aside.

Fry the onion and garlic until the onion begins to soften.
Stir in the finely chopped rosemary and fry another 2 minutes.
Add the anchovy fillets, capers, tomatoes and wine.

Nestle the chicken pieces into the sauce.
Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile make a salad and warm some crusty bread.
Serve these alongside the chicken thighs.
Spoon the sauce over the chicken pieces.

Sabbatical

I'm taking a bit of a sabbatical, so that I can go hunting for new ingredients and ideas - I hope I find something different to try out. I will still be posting a main meal recipe every day, as well as the Thursday link to the .pdf files.

If you miss my ramblings, you can join me on my other blog, which has absolutely nothing to do with food!
The link is on the right and down a bit - or you can click Words of the Sphinx.
I'll be back in a couple of weeks.

Eat well and stay warm (or cool, if you're in the Northern hemisphere).

Beef casserole with mash : Wk27/5

Serves 4 : Very easy : 2hrs (less in a pressure cooker)

Ingredients
450gm stewing steak, cubed
1 onion, sliced
1 leek, sliced
2 carrots, julienne
2 parsnips, julienne
100gm button mushrooms, chopped
3 cups water + 1 Tblsp beef stock powder
2 tsp dried thyme
½ glass red wine (optional)
1 – 2 Tblsp corn flour

300gm potatoes
200gm butternut

Method
Spray a large saucepan (or pressure cooker) with non-stick cooking spray.
Brown the steak cubes all over.
Add the onion and leek and cook until they start to soften.

Now add the carrots, parsnips and mushrooms, followed by the water, stock powder and thyme.

Cover and simmer for at least 90 minutes (45 mins in a pressure cooker).

Cut the potatoes and butternut into chunks and boil in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain and mash well.
Season to taste.

Mix the corn flour to a thin paste with the wine (or a little water).
Remove the lid from the casserole and thicken the gravy with the corn flour mixture.

Serve the casserole with the mash.

If you use a pressure cooker please, please make sure you release all the steam and pressure before attempting to open the pan. Alternatively, you could cook this all day in a slow-cooker.

Link to .pdf files for Week 28

Go here for the recipes and shopping list for Week 28.

Collections update

I've just updated each of the recipe collections, up to and including the recipes in Week 28. It makes it easier if you are looking for a type of recipe - eg. chicken - then you don't have to scroll down here forever.

Chicken and sweetcorn soup : Wk27/4

Serves 4 : Very easy : slow (but well worth the wait)

Ingredients
2 skinless chicken thighs

2 carrots, chopped
2 leeks, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
½ large aubergine (optional)
Kernels from 2 sweet corns
70gm pearl barley
1 Tblsp chicken stock powder
1 ½ litres water

Method
Place everything in a large saucepan.
Bring to the boil, then simmer for one hour.

Fish out the chicken thighs and strip the meat off the bones.
Discard the bones and put the meat back in the pot.

Blitz, with a hand blender, 4 or 5 times, depending how smooth you want the soup to be.

Serve with a swirl of soy sauce.

There is something about chicken soup that makes you feel better – even if you don’t have the flu! This one is a really hearty meal.