Salmon and Prawn Fish Pie

There is a lot of veg packed into this fish pie, it is a really yummy dish. 

Salmon and Prawn Fish Pie
(Serves 4)

olive oil
1 rasher bacon, sliced
1 large carrot
1 bunch spring onions
½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp plain flour
600ml semi-skimmed milk
2 tsp mustard
400g frozen chopped spinach
4 x 120g salmon fillets
200g raw peeled prawns
400g frozen peas
125g feta cheese
600g sweet potatoes
600g cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Put the bacon into a large roasting tray with 1 tsp of oil, then put on a medium heat. Wash and trim the carrot and spring onions, chop into 1cm dice, and once the bacon is lightly golden, stir them into the tray.

Finely slice and stir in the parsley stalks. Cook for 10 mins to soften, stirring regularly, then stir in the flour. Gradually pour in the milk, bring up to a good simmer, then stir in the mustard and frozen spinach. Simmer for 5 to 10 mins, or until the spinach has thawed.

Chop the salmon into bite-sized chunks, halve the prawns, finely chop the parsley leaves and stir it all through the sauce with the frozen peas, then crumble the feta over the top and turn off the heat.

Meanwhile, wash the sweet potatoes and cauliflower (leaving the skins on for extra nutritional benefit) and chop into 3cm chunks. Cook in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15 mins, or until cooked through, then drain and mash well, taste, and season. Gently spoon the mash over the fish pie filling, spreading it out with a fork. Bake for 40 mins, or until golden and crisp on top, and bubbling at the edges.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

So, on the whole, I don't hold with this replacing carbs with veg, my philosophy is everything in moderation and always has been. However, just before I went on holiday I had a cauliflower that needed using and I thought I would experiment. So I made "rice" out of it. This is actually really tasty, no it doesn't taste like rice but it wasn't as bitty and unpleasant as I had feared. I used a mix of leftover veg and you could pretty much use what you like, which is why the recipe doesn't state specific veg, this is a brilliant clear out the fridge meal.

Cauliflower Fried Rice (from Steamy Kitchen)
(Serves 4)

4 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 head cauliflower, grated
1 tbsp water
4 handfuls mixed veg, chopped small
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 egg
4 tsp Sriracha

In a wok or large saute pan over medium heat, cook bacon until almost crispy. Add the onions and stir fry until translucent.

Turn the heat to high. Add the grated cauliflower and stir fry for 1 min. Add the water and mixed veg, stir well, cover the pan and let the cauliflower mixture steam for another 3 mins or until tender.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and poach an egg.

Uncover and add the fish sauce. Toss well to combine. Serve with sriracha drizzled over the top.

Hidden Cauliflower Cheese Pasta Sauce

I found this recipe at Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary, whilst looking for something to do with cauliflower that had been languishing in the bottom of the fridge for a week or so. I'm not the biggest fan of cauliflower but one appeared in my veg bag so I had to do something with it! Usually I mash it but this pasta sauce is a perfect way of adding more veg secretly. I sprinkled some chopped tomatoes and olives over the top and voila, perfect supper!

Hidden Cauliflower Cheese Pasta Sauce (from Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary)
(Serves 4-6)

300g cauliflower florets
35g unsalted butter
35g plain flour
300ml milk
100g mature cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
pinch cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Put the cauliflower in a saucepan and cover in water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, about 10-15 mins.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large saucepan until it is melted. Stir in flour and cook, while stirring, for one min. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk. Return pan to heat in between each addition and stir until the sauce thickens. Remove pan from heat.

When the cauliflower is cooked, drain and purée with a blender. Stir the cauliflower purée, cheddar, mustard and cayenne into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve over pasta.

Daring Cooks November 2015: Cauliflower Pakora

Vimala was our host for the November daring cooks challenge and she invited us to try our hands at some Indian snacks and treats.

Although not very difficult to make, these were really good. I made them for my Mum and sister for lunch one day with a green salad and some mango chutney. The deep fat frying element is always scary for me so I made sure I had an adult present throughout!

Cauliflower Pakoras

Servings: makes 1 bowl

Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 3-4 mins

Ingredients
Note: you can use any vegetable or meat to make these pakoras.
1 cup / 11oz / 320g cauliflower florets, clean and cut into thin long strips
a pinch salt
a pinch turmeric powder
1/2 cup / 1 1/2oz / 43g gram (chickpea/garbanzo/besan) flour OR powdered yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp / 1/2oz / 16g cornstarch (maizena, Aust/UK cornflour)
1/2 tsp paprika/ red chili powder
1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
oil for deep frying

Directions:
Soak the cauliflower florets in a bowl of water with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 mins. Remove and drain them and cut into thin long strips.

In a clean bowl, add gram flour/ powdered cornmeal, cornstarch, paprika/red chili powder, cumin powder, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala and salt, and mix well.

Add cauliflower and mix with your hands to coat it well.

Add a little water and mix it with your hands until the mixture is moistened and the powder combines well with the cauliflower. Note: The mixture should not be watery and the consistency should be sticky.

Set aside for 5 mins and add enough oil to a frying pan that it’s about a quarter full, and heat till it reaches 200°F / 93°C. Now reduce the heat and put the battered cauliflower into oil and fry them till golden brown.

Piccalilli

So my chutney making continues! This time it's picalilli. My Mum gave me the contents of her fridge before she went on holiday a couple of weeks ago and so I decided to use it up in one swoop. I'm not sure what this tastes like yet as it needs to rest for 4-6 weeks but it smelt gorgeous.

Picalilli (from River Cottage Handbook Preserves by Pam Corbin)
(makes 3 340g jars)

1kg washed, peeled veg - choose 5 or 6 from the following: cauliflower or romanesco, green beans, cucumbers, courgettes, green or yellow tomatoes, tomatilloes, carrots, silver skinned onions or shallots, peppers.
50g fine salt
30g cornflour
10g tumeric
10g English mustard powder
15g yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp crushed cumin seeds
1 tsp crushed coriander seeds
600ml cider vinegar
150g granulated sugar
50g honey

Cut the veg into small, even bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Mix well, cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave in a cool place for 24 hours, then rinse the veg with ice cold water and drain thoroughly.

Blend the cornflour, tumeric, mustard powder, mustard seeds, cumin and coriander to a smooth paste with a little of the vinegar. Put the rest of the vinegar into a saucepan with the sugar and honey and bring to the boil. Pour a little of the hot vinegar over the blended spice paste, stir well and return to the pan. Bring gently to the boil. Boil for 3-4 mins to allow the spices to release their flavours into the thickening sauce.

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully fold the weel-drained veg into the hot, spicy sauce. Pack the picle into warm sterilised jars and seal with vinegar-proof lids. Leave for 4-6 weeks before opening. Use within a year.

Cauliflower Tots

I had a friend over for lunch last week and I made Spinach, Feta and Chickpea Burgers and then to go on the side I made these cauliflower tots. Apparently cooking spray here is not the same as the same as in the States, all my tots stick to my muffin tin and I had to scoop them out with a teaspoon! But they were delicious, lovely and cheesy.

Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots (from Kalyn's Kitchen)

1/2 large head cauliflower, coarsely chopped
60g sharp cheddar
25g Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated 
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
salt and pepper
1 egg

Preheat oven to 200C. Spray a Mini Muffin Pan with non-stick spray.

Cut away the leaves of the cauliflower, but use most of the inner core part. Coarsely chop the cauliflower, place in a microwave proof bowl, cover with cling film, and microwave for 2 mins on high. (Microwaves can vary so you may need to experiment with the time, but the cauliflower should be just slightly soft.) Quickly take off the cling film and let the steam escape, and if you see any water in the bottom of the bowl, put the cauliflower into a colander and let the water drain off.

Put the steel blade in the food processor, add the cauliflower, and pulse until the cauliflower is finely chopped but still slightly chunky. (Be careful not to over process so you don't end up with cauliflower puree!) If there is any water in the food processor bowl, drain the cauliflower again in the colander.

Put finely chopped cauliflower into a bowl and add the cheddar, Parmesan, chickpea flour, salt, Old Bay seasoning, and pepper. Stir until the ingredients are well-combined. Add the egg and stir until the ingredients are mostly coated with egg.

Using a tablespoon scoop out rounded spoonfuls of the mixture and place it in the mini muffin pan. Bake for 15 mins. Carefully turn each cauliflower tot over in the muffin tin and bake for 15 mins more, or until tots are nicely browned on both sides. Serve hot; these are best served right out of the oven.

Chickpea and Cauliflower Burgers

In an effort to eat less red meat, I'm also eating more vegetarian food than I used to. I love veggie burgers. I make a batch, freeze them and then I have a really quick supper that I can just grab out of the freezer. These are the latest lot I made, really tasty. I served it in a seedy bun with dill pickle, cheese, tomatoes and barbecue sauce.

 

Chickpea and Cauliflower Burgers (from The First Mess)

(Serves 4)

 

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tin chickpeas, drained
1 garlic clove, rough chopped
1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil
squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper
6 tbsp chickpea flour
2 tbsp chopped chives

Steam the cauliflower over a pan of boiling water until tender, about 8-10 mins. Remove the cauliflower and run some cold water over it. Towel the florets lightly and then place in the bowl of a food processor.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Add the chickpeas, garlic, Old Bay seasoning, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the cauliflower. Pulse the mixture until you have a meal that clumps together when you squeeze it. You should still see little bits of chickpeas. Put the chickpea and cauliflower mixture into a large bowl and stir in the flours and chopped chives until your mix is fully combined and the flour is absorbed. Season.

Line a baking sheet with grease proof paper and with wet hands form the mixture into 4 patties. The out the patties onto the baking sheet. Bake for 30 mins, then serve,

Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Soup

This is a really yummy soup. It's lovely and creamy and fantastic served with a piece of crusty bread.

















Creamy Mushroom and Roasted Cauliflower Soup
(from Closet Cooking)
(Serves 4)

 

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

3 tbsp oil, divided

salt and pepper

2 leeks, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

500g mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp thyme, chopped

62ml white wine

750ml chicken stock

250ml milk

 

Preheat the oven to 200C.

 

Toss the cauliflower florets in 2tbsp oil along with the salt and pepper and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower for 20-30 mins, until lightly golden brown.

 

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and leeks and and saute until tender, about 7-8 mins. Add the garlic and thyme and saute for about another min until fragrant.

 

Add a little of the chicken stock and deglaze the pan. Add the rest of the stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 mins. Season.

 

Remove from the heat and using a hand blender blitz until smooth. Add the milk and heat gently. Serve.

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

I had some very sad looking cauliflower in the fridge and was looking for ways to use it up. I tend to eat soup about once a week, those WeightWatchers habits are hard to break! So soup it was. This soup is fantastically flavourful and creamy, lovely served with some crusty bread.

Cream of Cauliflower Soup (from BBC Food)
(Serves 4)

1 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
800g cauliflower florets, roughly chopped
1l vegetable stock
150ml single cream

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 mins, or until just softened.

Add the ground cumin and ground coriander and fry for a further 1-2 mins, or until fragrant.

Add the cauliflower and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8-12 mins, or until the cauliflower is tender. Remove from the heat and blend with a hand blender.

Add the cream, season with salt and pepper and warm through for 1-2 mins. Serve.

Cauliflower and Red Pepper Farro Salad

This was a really lovely salad, I am definitely becoming a bit more enamoured with cauliflower if I can do something interesting with it and this dish really works.

Cauliflower and Red Pepper Farro Salad (adapted from Closet Cooking)
(Serves 4)

1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
250g farro
1 small red onion, chopped
100g feta, crumbled
50g mixed seeds, toasted
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper
handful parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 200C. Toss the cauliflower florets in the olive oil with the salt and pepper. Arrange the cauliflower florets in a single layer in a baking dish. Roast the cauliflower in a  for about 20-30 mins until lightly golden brown.

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the farro according to packet instructions.

Place the cauliflower, red pepper, farro, onion, feta and seeds into a large bowl.

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper together.

Pour the dressing over the salad followed by the parsley and mix well to combine.

Orange Chicken with Cauliflower Carrot Mash

This felt like a really healthy but really filling dish. It as also very simple to make. It was nice to have something oriental without rice or noodles as well, the mash worked perfectly and I will definitely be trying it again. It also froze really well.

Orange Chicken with Cauliflower Carrot Mash
(from A Life of Flavour)
(Serves 4)

For the mash
1 large head cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp dried rosemary
1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

For the chicken
4 chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces3 tbsp oil
2 oranges, juiced and zested
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 spring onions, chopped

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the cauliflower and carrots and cook for about 12 mins.

Heat the oil in frying pan over a medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, and herbs until the onion is translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, add the orange juice, zest, ginger, and soy sauce. Heat over medium heat and bring to a simmer, leave to reduce and thicken while the chicken cooks, but watch it doesn't burn.

In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden and browned. Add the sauce to the chicken and stir to coat.

Drain the cauliflower and carrot  and add back to the pan along with the onion mixture and the butter. Season and then blitz with a hand blender until smooth. Divide between four plates and serve the mash along side the chicken and sprinkle the spring onions over the chicken.

Spicy Prawn Stir Fry

I was looking for a recipe to use up half a head of cauliflower that would actually make it taste of something. I went rummaging in my box of recipes and came up with this. I adapted it a little from the original and made it actually spicy. The original picture seemed to suggest that there would be lots of liquid in the dish at the end but I didn't have much left, it was still very tasty. I served it with rice.

Spicy Prawn Stir Fry (adapted from WeightWatchers Recipe Card)
(Serves 2)
(3 WW ProPoints Per Serving)

cooking spray
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
150g cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp grated ginger
100g mangetout or sugar snap peas, halved
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoons Turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
200g raw prawns
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
handful spinach leaves
2 tbsp chopped coriander

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the cauliflower for 4-5 mins.

Spray a wok or frying pan with the cooking spray and stir-fry the spring onions, cauliflower, garlic and ginger for 2-3 mins.

Add the mangetout and cumin seeds and fry for another 2 mins.

Stir in the turmeric, curry powder and chilli powder, then add the prawns and cook for 3-4 mins until they are pink.

Add 100ml water, tomatoes and spinach. Heat until simmering and cook gently for 2-3 mins. Sprinkle in the coriander and serve.

Skinny Alfredo Sauce

This is a delicious pasta sauce that uses cauliflower instead of loads of cream and you can't tell the difference. It's lovely and creamy and a good way to use up cauliflower, which I'm not particularly fond of. I have used it as a pizza topping, pasta sauce and this time I served it with Courgette Ricotta Gnocchi, monkfish and leeks.

Skinny Alfredo Sauce (from Slender Kitchen)
(Serves 8)

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1 tbsp oil

1/4 onion or 2 shallots

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 170g can low fat evaporated milk

125ml - 250ml chicken stock

100g Parmesan cheese, grated

salt and pepper

 

Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and simmer for 20-25 mins until the cauliflower is very tender. Drain and put back in the pan

Mean while heat the oil in a frying pan and add the oil and onions. Saute over medium heat for about 7 mins until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Add the evaporated milk and cook for 2 mins.

 

Add the onion mixture, Parmesan cheese, chicken stock, salt, and pepper to the cauliflower and using a hand blender, blend until creamy and smooth.

 

 

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

There seems to be a fashion at the moment for pizza bases made with things other than the traditional flour and yeast. One of which is cauliflower, so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and try the new craze. I was very underwhelmed by this. The mixture was far too soggy and I ended up adding in flour until it became a consistency I could actually work with. It was also a bit boring. A couple of weeks later I tried a courgette crust pizza, which I'll post about in the coming weeks, which was much better. I topped my pizza with red onion, cherry tomatoes, chorizo and a Northumberland cheese.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza (from Lavender and Lovage)
(Serves 2)

340g raw cauliflower, fresh or frozen
1 large egg
50g mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt
cooking spray

Pre-heat the oven to 210C. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Grate the cauliflower, or process it in a food processor; you are looking to achieve fine crumbs, but not a puree. If using frozen cauliflower, squeeze excess water out of it and crumble with your hands if possible. 

Microwave the cauliflower crumbs for 5 to 6 mins, or until soft. Place the cauliflower crumbs in to an large mixing bowl and add the egg, grated mozzarella, Parmesan, herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine

Place the cauliflower mixture onto the prepared tray and pat out into a large circle, about 12cm in diameter and about 1cm thick. Spray the top with a little cooking spray and bake for 15 to 20 mins, or until golden brown and firm.

Remove from the oven and spread your toppings on top. Put the pizza back into the oven and bake for 10 mins until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

Lentil Cauliflower Burgers

This ended up being a really flavourful burger, but I had a few problems trying to get the mixture to stick together into a burger form! I'm quite glad the recipe called to bake the burgers as I'm not sure I could have turned them over! However, after baking and freezing, I pan fried them and they we really good. I served them in a seeded bun with tomato, mayo and homemade pickles.

Lentil Cauliflower Burgers (adapted from VeganRicha)
(Serves 4)

100g dried lentils
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 3-4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp garam masala1/2 head of cauliflower, grated
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chickpea flour

If the lentils need soaking, then cover in water and soak according to the packet instructions.

Wash, drain, add to a saucepan with all the ingredients and cook on a low-medium heat, partially covered for half an hour or until easily squished. Stir a few times in between.

Grate the cauliflower, spread it on a parchment lined baking sheet and Bake at 200C for 12-15 minutes until some of the cauliflower gets crisp and golden.

Add the cooked lentils, roasted cauliflower, spices and salt to a bowl and mix well, mashing a bit.

Add chickpea flour, mix until the lentil cauliflower mixture easily comes together. Shape into burgers.

Bake on parchment lined sheet for 20 minutes at 200C.

The patties can be made ahead and kept refrigerated or shaped and frozen. They can also be served as is with sauce/dressing.

Cauliflower and Broccoli Macaroni Cheese

You remember this Fish Pie I made back in May? Well this is the macaroni cheese I used the other half of the bechamel sauce for. I took pictures at the time and then froze it to eat later on. I was basically using up slightly out of date pasta and and some leftover broccoli and cauliflower. I really liked the addition of the veg into the macaroni cheese. I love cauliflower cheese anyway so I didn't mind the cauliflower being there and the broccoli actually added brilliantly to the dish and as there is the added veg you don't need so much pasta. Definitely one to make again.

Cauliflower and Broccoli Macaroni Cheese (from Donald Skehan)
(Serves 4-6)

250g macaroni
1 cauliflower, broken into florets
1 broccoli, broken into florets
700ml cold milk
50g butter, plus extra for greasing
50g plain flour
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
pinch of nutmeg
200g cheddar cheese, grated 

Fill a large cooking pot big enough to hold the cooked pasta, broccoli and cauliflower with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Add the macaroni and cook for 12 minutes or until al dente.

Five minutes before the pasta is cooked, add the cauliflower florets to the water. Two minutes later, add the broccoli florets - if you don’t have enough space just put on a second pot of boiling water. Cook for 3 more minutes, then drain. Place back in the pot and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease a 25cm x 25cm ovenproof baking dish, approximately 5cm in depth.

Add the milk to a saucepan over a medium to high heat and the whisk in the butter and flour. Continuously whisk until the mixture comes to a steady simmer and continue to cook until you have a thick sauce.

Add the wholegrain mustard, a pinch of nutmeg and three quarters of the cheese. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Mix through until the cheese has melted and then pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni, cauliflower and broccoli and mix through until everything is combined.

Pour the contents of the pot into the baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and pop in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the top has turned golden and the sauce is bubbling up the sides. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.     

Cauliflower, Swiss Chard and Gnocchi Bake

I've been trying to grown Swiss chard in my garden for the first couple of years and it just doesn't work. The leaves grow a bit and then they turn brown and crispy no matter how much I water them. It's really irritating. So when I saw a huge bunch in my local Turkish supermarket I wanted to try it. This bake seemed the perfect option, disguising the boring cauliflower with a lovely leafy green vegetable! What could be better?

This was really good, lovely and cheesey. I made a mistake though, I actually cooked the chard before putting it in the dish to bake and I forgot to squeeze all the water out so mine came out a little watery. I really don't think you need bother cooking the chard before, maybe the thick stalky bits but not the leaves.

Cauliflower, Swiss Chard and Gnocchi Bake (adapted from www.weightwatchersfoods.co.uk)
(Serves 4)
(9 WW ProPoints per serving)

275g cauliflower florets
500g gnocchi
125g baby plum tomatoes, halved
75g Swiss chard, cooked, squeezed and chopped
30g low fat spread
30g plain flour
450ml skimmed milk
100g mature cheddar
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Boil the cauliflower for 5 minutes, then drain and arrange in a 1½ litre ovenproof dish with the gnocchi, the tomatoes and the chard. Set aside.

Melt the low fat spread in a pan. Whisk in the plain flour, cook, whisking, for 2 minutes, then whisk in the skimmed milk. Gently simmer, whisking constantly, for 15 minutes or until it thickens.

Stir in the cheese and mustard and season. Spoon over the cauliflower.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve with a green salad.

Cauliflower, Cumin and Chickpea Broth

This is one of the best things I've made in ages! It is just so good! It's lightly spicy with chunks of vegetables and chickpeas. It's lovely served with a Naan Bread.



Cauliflower, Cumin and Chickpea Broth (from www.weightwatchers.co.uk)
(Serves 4)
(4 WW ProPoints per serving)

cooking spray
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1l water
1 veg stock cube
1 tsp curry paste
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
400g chickpeas
2 tbsp coriander, chopped
4 tbsp virtually fat free plain yoghurt

Spray a large saucepan with low fat cooking spray and gently fry the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring, for another minute.

Add the vegetable stock and curry paste and bring up to the boil. Add the cauliflower and chickpeas. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the cauliflower is just tender. Transfer half the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the pan with the rest of the soup and add the coriander. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the soup is piping hot.

Serve each portion with 1 tbsp of the yogurt, garnished with coriander sprigs.

Ethel the Goat

Last month I received a hamper from Ethel the Goat, the lovely goaty face of Capricorn Goat's Cheese. It contained a whole array of delicious foods that I cannot wait to use!

All I had to do was make up recipes using the goats cheese with inspiration from the hamper and post them on my blog. Now, I love goat's cheese but I have to admit that I always thought I was a French goats cheese girl. However, I am converted! This cheese comes from Somerset and it was delicious with a lovely sharp flavour, which I love. Goat's cheese is also healthier than some cows cheese, so fantastic for WeightWatchers! I have a few recipes up my sleeve so look out for them over the coming weeks.

The first recipe I made using the cheese and peppers from the hamper was Chicken stuffed with Goats Cheese, Peppers and Spinach. It was delicious. I used Parma ham to wrap the chicken and filling, which feels like such a luxury to me. I served it on a bed of peppers, courgette and carrot, which are delicious roasted and with Romanesco and Cauliflower Mash.

Chicken Stuffed with Goat's Cheese, Peppers and Spinach

(Serves 4)

(9 WW ProPoints per serving)

100g spinach

4 medium chicken breasts
80g pepperdew peppers
100g goats cheese
8 leaves fresh basil, plus extra to garnish
4 slices Parma ham
2 medium yellow peppers, deseeded and thickly sliced
300g carrots, halved
2 courgettes, sliced
cooking spray
black pepper

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/190°C/fan oven 170°C.

Put the spinach into a colander and pour over a kettleful of boiling water to wilt the leaves. Run cold water through the colander to cool it, then squeeze the spinach tightly with your hands to remove the excess liquid.

Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket into each chicken breast. Place 2 basil leaves in each pocket, then share the spinach equally between them. Slice the goats cheese and put in the pocket. Cut the pepperdew peppers into 4 equal pieces and share between the pockets. Close the pockets. Wrap the Parma ham around the Chicken and secure with a cocktail stick if needed.

Spray the bottom of a roasting tin or large shallow baking dish and put the peppers, carrots and courgette in, Spray the veggies with cooking spray and tossing to coat. Arrange the chicken breasts on top, then season with black pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes. Serve, garnished with extra basil leaves. 

Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Soup

My weigh in day is a Tuesday, so I got weighed last night and I have lost 4 pounds! So chuffed as I have been trying really hard this week, but also trying to eat things already in my fridge and freezer that needed eating but were possibly bigger portions or higher in fat than I am now eating but I still succeeded! Very happy! I am slowly getting my head around changing what I am eating but also eating the foods I enjoy.

This cauliflower and blue cheese soup is delicious and although it has (to me) only a tiny amount of blue cheese in it, the taste definitely still comes across strongly.



Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Soup (adapted from http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/)

(Serves 4)

(3 WW ProPoints per serving)

1 large onion, chopped

270g cauliflower, broken into florets
2 vegetable stock cubes, dissolved in 900ml boiling water
60g Stilton cheese, crumbled (or Danish Blue)
2 tsp chives, snipped
1 pinch salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
5 sprays cooking spray
120g Extra Light Soft Cheese with Garlic and Herbs

Melt the margarine in a large saucepan and sauté the onion for about 3 minutes, until softened.

Add the cauliflower and vegetable stock to the saucepan and bring to the boil. Cover and cook over a very low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.

Transfer to a liquidiser or food processor and blend for about 15 seconds. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the soft cheese and then add the remainder to the soup in the liquidiser. Add the blue cheese and half the chives. Blend for a few more seconds, until smooth. Return to the saucepan and reheat gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and spoon a little reserved soft cheese on top of each portion. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and a little pepper. Serve at once.