Saag Paneer

Saag Paneer is a fabulous veggie dish full of goodness and very tasty!  I was so proud of this one I put it into a foil box.  Yum!

You need:

• A block of paneer indian cheese
• Two handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• Tspn coconut oil
• Roughly chopped brown onion
• Cumin Seeds
• Four frozen cubes of spinach
• Pinch of medium curry powder
• Pinch of Turmeric
• Sprinkle of garam massalla powder
• Generous salt and pepper seasoning

Brown the onion and cumin seeds then add the paneer and spices.  Then add the spinach and reduce.  This recipe works best if you add the tomatoes last then place the saag paneer in the oven for 20 minutes.  Yum!

Linguine Aglio

Sometimes, simple is best.  This is a 20 minute, healthy powerhouse of a meal which I adapted from a dinner in Lake Garda.  We served this recipe together with the Zucchini Swirl as a side.

It serves three to four and its simplicity speaks volumes.  Concentration is required right at the end.

• Pack of linguine
• Two handfuls each of fresh basil and parsley shredded
• Good quality olive oil (don't scrimp)
• Four tbsp of chopped black olives or a tsp of crostini
• Tbsp of lazy garlic
• Half tsp chopped chilli's
• Half a cup of grated parmesan
• Salt and Pepper to season

Whilst cooking your pack of linguine, prepare the fresh herbs and spices in a bowl.  Save the parmesan

When the linguine is cooked simply add to the herbs and whilst stirring add the olives and cheese.  

Serve immediately!!

Loz's Zucchini Swirls (v) (lactose free)

We have more courgettes than anything else from the allotment this year and needed a recipe to get rid of a few in an interesting way.  Cue lil sister in law! I have adapted this amazing recipe and would love to share it! 

Heat the oven to 170 and put on your favourite episode of Jeremy Kyle whilst you curl those courgettes!!

• 8 Zucchinis - peeled into ribbons avoiding most of the seeds and curled into rosettes in the baking dish. (This will take about an hour to do!)
• 3 bulbs of fresh elephant garlic (much sweeter), small cloves halved and spread evenly inside zucchini curls.
• -Large punnet of organic plum tomatoes halved and scattered over Zucchini
• -handful of fresh thyme and parsley leaves scattered over 
• -1 packet of soft goats cheese and the odd sliver of blue goats cheese for flavour scattered over the masterpiece!
• 3-4 Tablespoons of melted coconut oil drizzled over the top.  Or Olive oil as an alternative
• Season with black pepper and drizzle with balsamic if you like!

Bake for around 30-40 minutes and discover the ways of the zucchini.  This is a healthy dish that is so tasty it feels wrong!

Caribbean Cottage Pie with Apple Mash

So here is my vegetarian/lactose free take on a fun cottage pie twist.  Easy bake for busy families or for those just wanting a tasty treat! Don’t fancy “meat free”? Just substitute pork or beef mince (500g)

THE CARIBBEAN BIT:

·      ¾ pack of quorn mince (or pork/beef mince 500g)

·      1 red onion – chopped

·      3 large handfuls of curly kale

·      1 red pepper – chopped

·      1 part boiled and finely sliced carrot

·      1 tbsp jerk paste (tesco is good)

·      1 tbsp lazy garlic

·      Chilli to taste (optional)

Fry lightly in a tbsp of olive oil and spoon into a casserole dish.  Allow to cool whilst working on the mash

APPLE MASH TOPPING:

• ·      Half a jar of apple sauce (or a cup of pre-mashed apple)
• ·      1 handful of lactose free grated mature cheddar  (or just cheddar)
• ·      Splash of lactose free skimmed milk (or normal)
• ·      Salt and pepper to taste

COMBINE AND COOK:

Mash and mix it all together and spread the mash evenly on top of the jerk mixture.  Sprinkle with another handful of cheese and season to your taste.

Place in the middle of a pre-heated ovento 170 degrees oven for 30 mins or until golden.  Serve with veg on the side if you like!

Total prep and serving time – 45 mins

FIT AS A BUTCHERS DOG!!!

Chicken and/or Tiger Prawn Spinach Balti

Scratch Balti (Serving Suggestion)

This is great, you can adjust the temperature according to your audience.  It has took me ages to come up with a decent "indian" curry but here it is.  Lots of fiddly stuff. Lock and load that slow cooker! Serves four - with rice and nan.  (See serving suggestion)

Balti Sauce:

Fry together in coconut oil (any left over oil? Sick it in your hair!)

• 1 pack of Passata
• Fresh coriander (handfuls)
• Lazy Ginger (2 heaps on a teaspoon)
• Lazy Garlic (2 heaps on a teaspoon)
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Squeeze of tomato puree
• Veg Stock Cube

1/2 teaspoon of the following:

• Fennel
• Crushed chilli
• Cumin
• fenugreek
• Sugar
• Garam Masala

The Curry:

• Diced chicken and/or tiger prawns
• Red Pepper
• Green Pepper
• White onion
• Two handfuls of cherry tomatoes - whole
• More chilli flakes, hot curry powder and add salt (all to taste)
• 3 spoons of indian chutney (homemade ask for recipe)
• Frozen spinach cubes x 5

Method:

After preparing the sauce chuck everything into the slow cooker in a non "Nigella" sexual way and cook on low for 6 hours.  Easy.

Chuck it in shamelessly

Blitz of 6 hours

To Serve:

Cook the rice, heat the nan breads and slap the curry on top.  No frills, just a "back from the pub-worthy" curry!!

Crab and Cherry Tomato Pasta

Yum-tastic!!

Here is a healthy and quick to prepare a two course meal.  So simple but very tasty.  We really enjoyed it and to keep it healthy ditch the garlic bread!  This is for two people, you just double the ingredients to serve more!

STARTER: MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO SALAD

Rocket leaves
A Beef Tomato 
Half a small red onion
Fresh basil leaves
One "ball" of mozzarella
Sliced black olives
Balsamic glaze to finish



Thinly slice the tomato, onion, black olives and mozzarella and place on a bed of rocket.  Tear up the basil and and place on top.  Drizzle the glaze like in the picture just before serving - if you do it earlier it will spread and won't look so pretty!

MAIN COURSE - CRAB AND CHERRY TOMATO PASTA

White Crab Meat (one pot is more than enough
Tin of finest cherry tomatoes (or the equivalent in fresh cherry tomatoes)
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
Teaspoon of dried chilli seeds
One Lemon
Fresh Basil (handful - leaves only)
Spaghetti 




This bit is simple.  Whilst cooking the spaghetti and after draining the juice out of the tin of tomatoes chuck everything in the pan and simmer.  Add the basil and the crab meat at the last moment as well as a squeeze of lemon.  Mix in the spaghetti, sprinkle on dried parsley and parmesan if you want to then serve! 

         

Pea Salad!

Serving Suggestion

As per usual I have come back from Australia brimming with ideas thanks to my lovely lil sis-in-law!  This recipe is made up of a combination of two of her recipes, mainly due to ingredients available here in the winter versus their ingredients in the summer.  We are having salmon, pea salad and some simply salt and pepper baked potatoes on the side for Alex but it is great for bbq's too. 

Here we go!!

PEA SALAD INGREDIENTS:

Half a pack of frozen garden peas (frozen is fresher!!)
One medium red onion chopped finely
Half a cabbage, thinly sliced
Pancetta cubes
Half a pack of feta cheese

Heat for 10 minutes

Cover the peas, cabbage and onion with water (and either semi-dried basil or mint) and simmer for 10 minutes then place in a glass bowl.  Then lightly brown the pancetta and add to the mix.  Let the mixture cool down before adding your tiny cubes of feta.  

THE DRESSING (best made the night before):

Olive Oil or Rapeseed Oil
Two garlic cloves
Cider Vinegar
Wholegrain Mustard
Canadian Maple Syrup
Salt and Pepper to taste

Take a jar and place two parts of olive/rapeseed oil to one part of cider vinegar with the garlic cloves.  Add a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard and two teaspoons of maple syrup along with your personal preference of salt and pepper. 

Finished Salad

As for the salmon, best keep it boring as the dressing will do all the hard work!!

Totally simple and ridiculously yum ... I hate veg, but this is pretty nice!