Plaice with Prawns and Dill

This was a hugely simple dish to make and cook but really really tasty. I didn't have the time to skin the fish first so I cooked it with the skin on. I would probably bake the fish next time as much of the cheesy filling leaked out into the water below whereas had I baked it the filling might have stayed in better.

 

 

Plaice with Prawns and Dill (adapted from Ultimate Philadelphia Cookbook)

(Serves 4)

 

100g low fat soft cheese

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

8 prawns, chopped

pepper

4 skinless plaice fillets

 

Mix together the soft cheese, dill, prawns and pepper.

 

Lay the plaice fillets on a board and divide the prawn mixture between them. Roll up the fish and secure with a cocktail stick.

 

Place in a steamer and cook for 8-10 mins until the fish flakes when tested with a knife. Serve.

Roasted Carrot and Barley Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

This was a really lovely and flavourful barley salad that takes a little prep but is essentially really simple to make with big bold flavours. The original recipe uses squash but I'm not much of a fan of butternut squash except in soup so I changed it for carrots and it worked perfectly.

Roasted Carrot and Barley Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

(adapted from Good Food Magazine November 2008)

(Serves 4)

500g carrots, cut into batons

1 tbsp olive oil

250g pearl barley

300g Tenderstem broccoli, cut into medium-size pieces

100g sun dried tomatoes, sliced

1 small red onion, diced

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted

1 tbsp small capers, rinsed

15 black olives, pitted

20g pack basil, chopped

For the dressing

5 tbsp balsamic vinegar

6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Heat oven to 200C. Place the carrots on a baking tray and toss with olive oil. Roast for 20 mins.

Meanwhile, boil the barley for about 25 mins in salted water until tender, but al dente. While this is happening, whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Drain the barley, then tip it into a bowl and pour over the dressing. Mix well and let it cool.

Boil the broccoli in salted water until just tender, then drain and rinse in cold water. Drain and pat dry. Add the broccoli and remaining ingredients to the barley and mix well. Serve.

Chicken Puttanesca

This is a lightened up version of Puttanesca and according to The Times is only 247 calories per serving without the pasta. I made a few changes, I used a tin of chopped tomatoes rather than fresh cherry tomatoes and I only had black olives but mixed would be nice. It was a delicious meal, the lovely saltiness of the anchovies, olives and capers was a lovely contrast with the tomatoes and chicken.

Chicken Puttanesca (adapted from The Times)
(Serves 6)

1 tbsp olive oil
20 anchovy fillets, drained
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp mixed olives, stoned
2 tbsp capers
12 chicken thighs, boned and skinned
450g tagliatelle
bunch of fresh basil, stems removed
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 180C.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based casserole dish. Add the anchovies and garlic and fry gently for 2-3 minutes, until the anchovies have melted but the garlic has not browned.

Stir in the tomatoes, olives and capers, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the chicken thighs and stir well to combine. Place a lid on the casserole and put on the middle shelf in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven; give the chicken a good stir so that it’s well coated in the puttanesca sauce. Return to the oven, without the lid, and cook for a further 20 minutes.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the tagliatelle according to packet instructions.

Remove the puttanesca from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before stirring in the basil leaves. Season and serve over the pasta.

Rhubarb and Pear Crumble

Another crumble! This is the last one I made during half term, it's a Rhubarb and Pear crumble and it was delicious, so good with ice cream! I still have more rhubarb so I'm trying to think of lovely things to do with it.

Rhubarb and Pear Crumble (from Good Food Magazine March 2007)
(Serves 6)

3 ripe pears

600g rhubarb

100g golden caster sugar

finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

 

For the crumble:

175g plain flour
50g rolled oats
100g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
50g caster sugar
 

Preheat oven to 200C.

 

For the topping, put the flour, butter and sugar in a bowl and rub with your fingers until you have a mixture that looks like breadcrumbs, mix in the oats and then set aside in the fridge.

 

Peel the pears and chop into large chunks, then chop the rhubarb into finger-length batons. Tip into a large ovenproof dish and toss with the sugar and orange zest and juice.

 

Crumble over the topping and bake for 40 mins until golden and bubbling at the sides. Serve with ice cream.

Smoked Salmon Pitta Pizza

This provided me with a lovely lunch on a beautiful sunny weekend lunchtime. I was really quick to make but gave me that kinda pizza fix I was craving. Soft cheese and smoked salmon warmed up? What could be better?! I served it with a lovely green salad with lettuce from my Mum's garden and radishes from mine.

Smoked Salmon Pitta Pizza (adapted from Good Food Magazine April 2013)
(Serves 1)

1 pitta bread
1 tbsp low fat soft cheese
1-2 slices smoked salmon, sliced
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 tsp capers
sprinkling of chopped dill

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Spread the top of the pitta with the soft cheese. Add the smoked salmon and then sprinkle over the red onion, capers and finally the dill.

Bake in the oven for 10 mins or until the pitta is crispy and golden. Serve with a side salad.

Mars Bar Cake

This brings back memories of childhood. It's the cake my Mum always used to make for our birthday parties and after school tea with friends etc. The recipe came from a nursing friend of my Mum's and it's now made by both my sisters and myself for parties, book clubs and pacifying clients.

The original recipe only called for two Mars bars but since then Mars bars have shrunk and so you now need three of them. Although I'm sure that Mars would hotly dispute the diminishing size of their Mars bars, the proof is in the pudding (or cake). Having experimented, two is now not enough to hold the cake together and three works perfectly. The cake is so good, my book group ate it all up in minutes with many asking for second and third helpings and they kept telling me how good it was. But seriously, what could be better than melted Mars, crushed biscuits and chocolate, so simple but so good!

Mars Bar Cake

60g butter/margarine
3 Mars bars
1 tbsp golden syrup
225g digestive biscuits
150g milk chocolate

Melt the butter, Mars bars and golden syrup together in a saucepan over a low heat or in a bowl over a pan of boiling water if you're prone to burning chocolate like me!

Meanwhile, bash/crush the digestive biscuits with a rolling pin until they half are like breadcrumbs but there are still some chunks.

When the mars mixture is melted add in the digestives and mix well to combine, then tip into a greased and lined tin.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water and spread on top of the mars and digestives. Place in the fridge and leave until it sets. When set, turn out of the pan and cut into squares.

Puy Lentil, Couscous and Hummus Salad

This is really more of a putting together recipe than an actual cooking anything recipe but it's here for inspiration more than anything, and that's what this blog is partly about, recipes to be used and played with, using whatever you have in the house. This salad was really simple to throw together but the flavour combinations were fantastic. The hummus when mixed with everything gave the dish a different sort of "vinaigrette" which worked fantastically and I loved the crunch of the pumpkin seeds.

Puy Lentil, Couscous and Hummus Salad (adapted from Salad Pride)
(Serves 1)

60g lemon and garlic couscous
1/2 head lettuce, shredded
100g puy lentils, cooked
2 tbsp hummus
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted

Put the couscous into a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover by about 1/2 cm. Leave for 5 mins until the couscous has soaked up all the water then fluff with a fork, leave to cool.

Grab your lunchbox and put the shredded lettuce in the bottom of the box. Top with the couscous, followed by the puy lentils. Dollop the hummus on top of the lentils and then sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds over the top.

Meal Planning Monday

Another Monday, they seem to come around so quickly! Two weeks until the end of term and only three until I finish for the summer! So much to do before then though. This week is another busy week both work wise and in the evenings. I'm going to the theatre two nights, to Zumba of course and to a party on Friday and dinner and the cinema on Saturday. I also finally have an appointment for the first round of Botox on Thursday afternoon, I'm rather terrified and thankfully my Mum is coming with me and then staying the night afterwards. So all in all busy!

In line with that my meals are quick and easy; two days I'm eating on the run so I'm taking a pack up with me, the quick and simple things the rest of the week. I'm looking forward to the possible Barbacoa on Sunday. I have some stewing beef in the freezer and am going to throw it in my slow cooker and hope it comes out like it's meant to!

I've been having fun in the garden this weekend in between the rain showers and I have my first mooli!

It's going into a stir fry with the mackerel and some home grown pak choi on Thursday. It's so exciting now the garden is producing and I'm not having to buy so much veg!

Monday
Broccoli and Rice Casserole with Salad
Orzo Pasta Salad with Parma Ham and Spinach

Tuesday
Spiced Potato and Lentil Soup with Naan
Beans and Greens Salad with Chorizo (Waitrose Recipe Card)

Wednesday
Quiche and Salad
Salmon Hash with Veg

Thursday
Aubergine Meatball Pitta with Crisps
Ginger and Chilli Mackerel with Stir Fry Pak Choi, Mooli and Noodles

Friday
Cheese and Pickle Sandwich, Crisps, Hummus and Olives
Baked Potato with Baked Beans, Sausages and Cheese

Saturday
Salmon and Avocado Sandwich
Out with friends for curry

Sunday
Barbecue!
Barbecue Hotdog Spaghetti

I'm linking up with Mrs M, check out her blog for more meal planning ideas and I hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Spiced Potato and Lentil Soup

I really liked this soup although mine turned into more of a dahl than a soup but I loved the warmth of the spices in the dish wich went pefectly with the lentils and potatoes.

Spiced Potato and Lentil Soup (from Tinned Tomatoes)
(Serves 4)

tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1cm piece ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
a good pinch of chilli powder
4 medium potatoes, chopped into chunks (1 cm approx)
200g red lentils
1.2l vegetable stock
handful of fresh coriander, chopped
salt and pepper

Saute the onion, garlic and fresh ginger until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the spices and mix well. Add a splosh of water to prevent the spiced onions from sticking to the pan.

Add the potatoes and lentils, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes and lentils are tender.

Season with salt and pepper, then add the fresh coriander and serve.

Chorizo and Greens Calzone

I love having pizza but ordering a take away is so expensive and as it comes from quite a long way from my house it tends to be a bit soggy when it arrives. So I tend to make my own. I use the pre-packeted pizza base mixes as I think they taste better and are quicker than anything I have made myself, which means that I can pretty much make pizza in half an hour. It's fantastic.

This calzone is delicious and lovely and filling with the addition of the tomato lentil sauce which isn't in the original recipe. The bread bit was really crunchy too, no soggy pizzas here!

Chorizo and Greens Calzone (adapted from Good Food Magazine February 2010)
(Serves 2)

1 packet of pizza base mix
1 portion tomato and lentil sauce

12 slices chorizo

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200g spring greens

1 ball low fat mozzarella, torn into pieces

grated Parmesan

 

Make the pizza base according to packet instructions.

 

Heat oven to 200C. Put a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven. Cut any central tough veins out of the greens, then finely shred the leaves.

 

Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Roll one piece out into the largest circle that you can, then spread half the tomato lentil sauce over half the pizza base leaving a border. Layer half the chorizo on top of the sauce.

 

Sizzle the garlic in a little oil in a pan, then add the greens and toss. Tip half onto the chorizo, then add half the mozzarella and grate over lots of Parmesan. Fold the dough over, fold in and pinch the sides together, and slide onto a baking sheet dusted with semolina.

 

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, then bake for 15-20 mins or until puffed up and browned.