Sweetcorn Fritters with Avocado and Bacon

Most of my sweetcorn failed to come to anything, they had no kernels of corn on them! My Mum gave me one of hers and so I made these fritters. They were very filling but delicious and went perfectly with the bacon and avocado. I also served it with a gorgeous tomato and onion salad.

Sweetcorn Fritters with Avocado and Bacon (from Cook Yourself Thin by Gizzi Erskine)
(Serves 2)

1 large egg
150g Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp cornflour
60g plain flour
salt and pepper
200g tin sweetcorn, well drained
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp oil

4 slices smoked bacon
1/2 avocado sliced
1 tbsp maple syrup

Put the egg, yogurt, cornflour, flour and salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk together until it becomes a smooth batter. Add the corn and spring onion and mix thoroughly.

Heat a frying pan until it is fairly hot and add 1 tbsp oil.  Drop ladlefuls of the mixture into the pan until you have 4 fritters. Cook for 2-3 mins or until the bottom is crisp and golden. Then turn over and cook the other side for 2-3 mins. You might need to do this in 2 batches.

Add a little more oil if you need to, then add the bacon to the pan and cook for 1-2 mins on each side, until cooked through.

Serve 2 fritters on each plate, top with 2 slices of bacon and a few slices of avocado. Drizzle with the maple syrup.

Chipotle-Lime Arctic Char with Avocado Salsa

I picked up some arctic char from the Waitrose fish counter a while ago, it's very like salmon, so i used it in place of salmon in this recipe. This was delicious, I served it over brown rice, and I loved the combination of the flavours.

Chipotle-Lime Arctic Char with Avocado Salsa (from Closet Cooking)
(Serves 4)

2 tbsp oil
juice and zest 1 lime
1 tbsp chipotle paste
1/2 tsp cumin
1 clove garlic, grated
salt and pepper
4 fillets salmon or arctic char

For the Avocado Salsa
2 large avocados, diced
juice 1 lime
1 chilli, finely diced
1 plum tomato, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander, chopped
salt

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Mix together the oil, lime juice and zest, chipotle paste, cumin and garlic. Place the salmon on foil on a baking sheet, pat dry, season with salt and pepper, spread on the chipotle mixture and bake for about 10-15 mins.

Whilst the salmon cooked make the avocado salsa by combining the ingredients in a bowl and mixing together. Serve the salmon with the avocado salsa on top.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

I needed a lot of sugar to make this palatable, if you like bitter things you probably won't need so much sugar. But yeah, not exactly a healthy alternative!

Avocado Chocolate Mousse (from The Sweet's Life)
(Serves 4)

2 large avocados, peeled and pitted
60g cocoa powder
50-100g brown sugar
2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
125ml vanilla almond milk
pinch sea salt

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to serving dishes or bowls, cover with cling film, and put into the fridge until chilled.

Serve topped with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

Black Bean Freekeh Bowl

This lovely salad reminded me of the flavours of the summer. 

Black Bean Freekeh Bowl (from Naturally Ella)
(Serves 2)

100g uncooked freekeh
1 tbsp oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green or red pepper, chopped
60g sweet corn
juice 1 lime
60g cooked black beans
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp salt
handful cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 ripe avocado
hot sauce
20g crumbled feta cheese

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the freekeh and cook according to packet instructions.

Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil, followed by the onion, pepper and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the corn is cooked through, 7 to 8 mins.

Add the lime juice, stirring up some of the bits and pieces stuck to the pan. Add the black beans, cumin, chilli powder and salt; cook for 3 to 4 mins more, until the beans are heated through. Remove from the heat, then stir in the tomatoes and coriander.

Divide the freekeh and black bean mixture into two bowls. Serve topped with sliced avocado, a drizzle of hot sauce and some crumbled cheese.

Crab Guacamole

This is a really simple recipe and used up the last of my avocados. I served it in a wrap for lunch with some lettuce and tomatoes.

Crab Guacamole (from SkinnyTaste)

2 ripe avocados, coarsely mashed
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1/4 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
several drops bottled hot pepper sauce (optional) 
170g tin crabmeat chunks, drained

In a bowl combine the avocados, sour cream, coriander, lime juice, salt, and hot sauce. Fold in the crabmeat and serve.

Healthy Southwest Pasta Salad with Chipotle-Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing

This is a lovely tangy pasta salad, easy to make although if you are making this the night before to take for lunch I recommend that you chop the avocado in the morning before you go to work to stop it going brown.

Healthy Southwest Pasta Salad with Chipotle-Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing
(from Ambitious Kitchen)
(Serves 4)

250g dried pasta shapes
1 400g tin black beans, rinsed and drained
100g sweet corn
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 spring onions, sliced
60g sliced black olives
handful coriander, chopped

For the dressing:
180g fat-free plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp chipotle paste (plus more to taste)
2 tsp honey
1-2 tbsp lime juice, plus more to taste
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

For garnish:
Diced avocado
Diced green onion

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according packet instructions. One cooked, transfer to a strainer and rinse with cool water then transfer to a large bowl. Add in the black beans, corn, tomatoes, green onions, black olives and coriander; gently stir to combine all of the ingredients.

In a blender, add the dressing ingredients: greek yogurt, chipotle pepper, honey, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. Blend for 30 secs or until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Add the dressing to the pasta and stir well to combine and coat all of the pasta. Cover and refrigerate for an hour, then serve cold.  Garnish with avocado, extra coriander or spring onions, if desired.

Breakfast Salad

So I'm back to packed lunches for work. Hopefully there will be lots of new salads and lunchbox ideas on the blog as I get back into the swing of things at work. This is an interesting breakfast salad which I had for lunch. It was very tasty and I used lovely fresh tomatoes picked from the garden including a variety called Lemon Tree which looks just like a lemon!

Breakfast Salad (from Fed and Fit)
(Serves 4)

400g pork mince or bacon
4 eggs, hard-boiled
400g cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 avocados, diced
handful coriander, chopped
salt and pepper
2 lemons, juiced

Season the pork mince and roll it into 1-1/2 inch meatballs. Over a high heat, cook and stir until brown on all sides and cooked through. Set aside to drain and cool.

Peel the eggs and cut each into 8 pieces.

Combine the eggs, tomatoes, onion, avocado, meatballs, coriander, salt, pepper, and lemon juice into a large mixing bowl. Stir until the egg yolks and avocado become a little creamy. Serve.

Avocado, Bacon and Potato Salad

This a lovely bacon, avocado and potato salad, simple to make but wonderfully tasty.

Avocado, Bacon and Potato Salad (WeightWatchers Foods)
(Serves 4)
(6 WW ProPoints)

650g new potatoes, halved

cooking spray

4 rashers bacon medallions

1 tsp cider vinegar

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

1 tsp clear honey

125g avocado, stoned, peeled and sliced

85g watercress, any large stalks removed

125g cherry tomatoes, halved

1 red onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper

Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the potatoes. Cover, and simmer for 10-15 mins or until the potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, mist a pan with cooking spray and fry the bacon turning once, for 5 mins. Roughly chop.

Drain the potatoes and tip into a bowl.

Place the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, mustard and honey in a screw-top jar and season. Shake to combine and then pour over the potatoes. Toss to coat.

Add the bacon, avocado, watercress, tomatoes and onion, then toss lightly to mix.

Divide between 4 plates and serve, or transfer to an airtight container and chill for up to 24 hours.

Banana and Avocado Smoothie

I am trying to find things for breakfast that fill me up for longer, so that I don't feel quite so hungry between meals. I thought first off I would try smoothies and as I had both bananas and an avocado in this one was first. I actually really liked the taste of it although I was very skeptical at first, but the banana is the dominant flavour making it more palatable. I also definitely felt fuller for longer this morning.

I am also on the hunt for more healthy snacks and I've come up with popcorn and nuts and dried fruit. If anyone has any other ideas please let me know.

Banana and Avocado Smoothie (adapted from Good Food)
(Serves 2)

1 banana, sliced
1 avocado, peeled and stone removed
1 tsp honey
300ml chilled milk

Mix all the ingredients together in a blender. To serve, pour into a tall glass.

Fish Taco Salad with a Creamy Chipotle Dressing

I have only once before made fish tacos but I love them, it's not really something that exists over here even in Mexican restaurants or at least the ones I frequent. This is a salad version of a fish taco and it was delicious. The creamy sauce was great with just a hint of spice and it went really well with the fish. Easy to transport too, even though it got all jumbled up in my bag, at least it got a good mix up!

Fish Taco Salad with a Creamy Chipotle Dressing (from The Wicked Noodle)
(Serves 4-6)

For the Marinade
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
juice and zest 1 lime
salt and pepper
450g/4 fillets white flaky fish fillet

For the dressing
200ml plain greek yogurt
3 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tsp chipotle paste
squeeze lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste

For the Salad
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
180g sweetcorn
1-2 avocados, chopped
chopped coriander, spring onion and lime wedges, to serve.

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Place the fish on a large plate and drizzle over the marinade, taking care to lift each fillet to get marinade both over and under fish. Marinate for 30 mins.

Meanwhile, mix together the dressing ingredients and allow to sit at room temperature.

Grill the fish until just cooked through. Pull the fish apart (if it's cooked properly it should come apart fairly easily) and set aside briefly.

Assemble the salad: Fill four bowls with the lettuce. Top with the fish, corn, avocado and garnishes. Drizzle the chipotle dressing over the top of each salad and serve.

Gourmet Chicken Wraps with Chipotle Mayo, Chunky Salsa and Salad

I love anything vaguely Mexican and anything with chipotle which doesn't seem to effect me quite as much as other chillis. This was a rather tasty wrap worth the effort. I have changed the recipe that called for making the salsa and mayo from scratch, life's too short, so I used bought salsa and mixed chipotle paste with ready made mayo.

Chicken Wrap with Chipotle Mayo, Chunky Salsa and Salad (from What Katy Ate)

(Serves 4)

2 chicken breasts

zest and juice 2 limes

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

large handful mint leaves, roughly chopped

salt and pepper

handful salad leaves

8 tortilla wraps

2 avocados, halved, destoned and sliced

1 tbsp chipotle paste

1 tbsp natural yoghurt

1 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tbsp salsa

Place the chicken on a piece of greaseproof paper and cover with another piece of greaseproof paper, bash with a meat mallet or rolling pin until the thickness of 1cm. Place the chicken into a ziplock bag.

Add the lime zest, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, half the mint and salt and pepper to the bag and shake well. close the bag and place into the fridge for 30 mins to 1 hour.

Warm a griddlepan over a medium heat, add the chicken and marinade and cook for 5-7 mins. Turn the chicken over and cook for a further 5-7 mins, until the marinade is bubbling ans the chicken cooked through. Remove and cut the chicken into strips

To serve; divide the warmed tortillas between the plates and arrange the salad leaves in a strip down the middle of each tortilla about three quarters of the way down, Top with a tablespoon of salsa, some chicken strips, a few slices of avocado and finally the chipotle mayo. Fold the bottom of the tortilla over the filling, then fold over the left and right sides and serve.

Sizzling Chicken Fajita Salad

This was so tasty and a healthy take on a fajita. I really do love a warm salad. 

Sizzling Chicken Fajita Salad (from Iowa Girl Eats)

(Serves 2)

4 chicken thighs, cut into strips
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 courgette, cut into batons
1 tbsp oil, divided
1 romaine lettuce, shredded
handful cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 avocado, chopped

For the marinade
juice of 1/2 lime
1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 jalapaeno, seeded and minced
2 tbsp chopped coriander

For the vinaigrette
juice of 1/2 lime
handful coriander, chopped
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper

Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl then add chicken and toss to coat. Cover then let sit and marinate at room temperature for 30 mins. 

Combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a food processor or blender then process until smooth. Set aside.

Divide the lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado between two plates, drizzle with half of the dressing and mix well to coat the salad and divide between two bowls.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan on a high heat. Add the chicken in one layer on the bottom and cook for 1 min undisturbed. Stir then sauté for another min or two. Add the onions and courgette. 

Cook for 1 min, undisturbed, then stir and saute until tender, about another minute. 

Top the salad with the chicken and courgette mixture and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve.

Avocado and Goat's Cheese Alfredo Pasta

I've had this recipe lying around for ages but never seem to have both avocado and goat's cheese in at the same time. Finally I did! This was lovely, really fantastic and creamy, with the slight Charles's of goat's cheese.

Avocado and Goat's Cheese Alfredo Pasta (from Closet Cooking)

(Serves 2)

120g linguine

1 large avocado, pureed

1/2 jalapeño

1 tbsp coriander

Juice 1 lime

1 tbsp butter or oil

1 clove garlic, grated

8 tbsp cream or milk

110g goat's cheese, crumbled

25g parmesan, grated

salt and pepper

Being a pan of water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions.

Meanwhile, puree the avocado, jalapeno, coriander and lime juice in a food processor or blender and set aside.

Melt the butter in pan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the cream, goat's cheese and parmesan, simmer until the cheese has melted, mix in the avocado mixture and heat to warm.

Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and serve hot over the pasta. Garnish with more goat cheese, avocado and coriander

Avocado and Goat's Cheese Pizza

I always end up with a very rustic looking base when I make pizza. I can't get it to roll out in that perfect circle, nonetheless it is always lovely and crispy. I had never considered putting avocado on a pizza but it really works, and is a lovely and creamy addition to this pizza.

Avocado and Goat's Cheese Pizza (adapted from A Thyme for Cooking)
(Serves 2-4)

1 packet pizza dough mix
2 tbsp pesto

3 tomatoes, very thinly sliced

4 thin slices Prosciutto, torn into pieces

1 ripe avocado, sliced

2 tsp dried oregano

50g goat's cheese, sliced

50g cheddar/mozzarella, grated

 

Mix together the pizza dough according to the packet instructions.

 

Preheat the oven to 200C.

 

Spread the pesto over the pizza dough base and arrange the tomato slices on top. Next add the prosciutto and avocado slices.

 

Sprinkle with oregano, top with the cheese.

 

Bake in the oven, 18 – 20 mins, or until the crust and top are golden brown. Serve

Quinoa, Prawn and Asparagus Salad with Coriander and Lime Dressing

This was my second ever experience of eating quinoa but itself rather than as part of a blend. My first experience was years ago when an ex-boyfriend had made curry and then looked in the cupboard to discover that he had no rice, but what he did have was quinoa. It was just so wrong as a side to the curry, gritty and just ugh. This one I have to say was much more successful. Blended in with the salad it was delicious, slightly crunchy but that went well with the veg. I shall definitely be trying quinoa again.

Quinoa, Prawn and Asparagus Salad with Coriander and Lime Dressing
(from The Passionate Cook)
(Serves 4)

100g quinoa grains
400g raw, shelled prawns
1 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, crushed)
6 spring onions, sliced
200g green asparagus
2 handfuls black olives, stones removed
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large handful coriander leaves, chopped
1 handful dill or basil, chopped
1 avocado, cut into chunks
juice of 2 limes
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the quinoa according to packet instructions. Drain and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan, add the crushed garlic and fry for about 30 secs until fragrant, but not yet brown. Add the prawns to the pan. Fry for about 2-3 mins on each side, until pale pink all over. Take the pan off the heat, transfer the prawns to a bowl and leave to cool.

Meanwhile cook the asparagus for about 5-7 mins. Run under the cold tap, then drain well and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, drizzle over the olive oil and lime juice, season to taste. Serve.

Zesty Lime Prawn and Avocado Salad

This is a really simply put together salad, lovely and zesty with the lime juice. I served it over lettuce.

Zesty Lime Prawn and Avocado Salad (from Skinny Taste)
(Serves 4)

450g large cooked prawns, peeled and deveined, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
juice 2 limes
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped coriander
salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine the red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate for at least 5 mins.

Put the prawns, avocado, tomato and chilli in a large bowl, add the onion mixture and then stir to combine. Add the coriander and toss gently. Season and serve.

Meal Planning Monday

Wow, so last week passed in a flash, despite it still being a five day week for me! I was in so much pain by the end of last week that I ended up paying to go and see a physio. He spent an hour and  a quarter with me and I think I finally understand a bit more and have some useful things to do, including rolling around on a tennis ball!

 

Food wise I pretty much stuck to plan. There was only one swap out, when I realised that the avocados I had were much riper than I thought, I made this lovely Avocado, Bacon and Egg sandwich on homemade bread to munch on for lunch yesterday instead. Not worth a whole post but definitely worth a mention.



I also spent part of yesterday with my neighbour breaking into my shed as I've lost the padlock keys! She came with an electric saw, which went through the bracket in no time, but it does mean that I now have to attempt a spot of DIY next weekend and get a new one. This is not something I am any good at!

I also repotted all my little sweetcorn plants, I have 24! Too many for me, but luckily the ones I don't have space for have good homes to go to. I also have aubergine, chilli and tomatillo plants sheltering on my windowsill which are still slightly too small to go out. The tomatillos are just peaking through and in a couple of weeks the aubergine and chilli plants will be big enough to be repotted.

This week I tried really hard to use my cookery books rather than just relying on the Internet for a meal plan. It's really difficult especially with Pinterest where I can easily search for recipes using a particular ingredient. However, I persevered, and pretty much everything comes either from my head, the freezer or a cookbook.

 

Monday

Storecupboard Pasta Salad

Sticky Asian Salmon Kebabs with Pak Choi and Rice

Tuesday

Lime, Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Mushroom Burger

Wednesday

Smoked Trout and Fennel Pasta Salad (Salads Book)

Out for dinner

Thursday

Salami and Cornichon Sandwich with Crisps

Chicken, Sweetcorn and Courgette Enchiladas

Friday

Duck in Lettuce (Hairy Dieters)

Kale Speltotto with Goat's Cheese (River Cottage Veg)

Saturday

Tomato Tarte Tatin with Salad

Out

Sunday

Mexican Mackerel Nachos

Fish finger Pie