Soya Mince Chili

There is nothing like a bowl of hot Mexican tantalizing chili on a Winter’s day, when your mood is low as it is soo dark outside! All you want to do is hibernate in your home.

This dish has definitely lifted my spirits and I’m about to get a second serving.

It is super easy to make it doesn’t take much time and at the end you will be one happy bunny!

Ingredients

300g Quorn Soya Mince frozen

2 medium onions diced

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tin kidney beans

4 garlic cloves crushed

2 dried red chili

1 veg stock cube

Salt to taste

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

Fresh lime juice to taste

Method

🌟Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat sprinkle in the cumin seeds, drop in the chili, onion and crushed garlic. Stir until onion looks translucent

🌟Toss in the tin of crushed tomatoes along with the paprika, crumble in the veg cube and season with salt, bring them to the boil gently.  Put in the soya mince into the tomato sauce and mix well.  Throw in the Kidney beans with the brine

Lower the heat and cook the chili for 30 minutes stirring occasionally, squeeze in a little fresh lime

🌟Serve piping hot with tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche

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Going back in time…

I took a trip down memory lane today!

When I was 7 and in primary school we made Jewish potato latkes for Hanukkah and today I thought of making them.

😊I went straight back in my mind to the classroom with all my friends and my teacher trying something new that tantalised my taste buds😊

Potato latkes recipe

Ingredients

3 large red potatoes, peeled & grated

1 small onion grated

1 large egg

Salt to season

Olive oil

Method

Place the grated potato and onion into a colander and squeeze out excess liquid

Mix the egg and salt in a bowl and stir in the potato and onion mix

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan and press the mix into the pan on a low heat

Wait 2 to 3 minutes and carefully flip the latke over

Cook on both sides until golden brown

Butter Bean, Kale & Tagliatelle Soup

A wholesome soup. Filled with some much goodness and the Kale just takes it to that super soup level!

INGREDIENTS

1 tin 400g butter beans drained
100g kale
100g tagliatelle
50g crushed tomato
800ml water
1 garlic clove crushed
1 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste

METHOD

Place all the ingredients into a soup maker or in a saucepan on a medium heat to simmer.  Cook through until soft. 

Coriander & Cheese Scrambled eggs

To add to the flavour of already delicious scrambled eggs with cheese. I decided to put coriander, yes simply coriander! into the mix and my what a result!

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs
Handful of chopped coriander
Handful of grated mature cheddar cheese
3 tbsp milk
Salt to taste
1 tbsp butter

METHOD

Place all the ingredients into a bowl apart from the butter and beat together until combined

Heat the butter in a non stick pan on low.  Once melted add the egg mixture and stir slowly with a wooden spoon

Once the eggs are of a soft scrambled consistency, take off the heat and place on two pieces of toast with lashings of butter

Enjoy!

A Beetroot, Feta & Quinoa Salad

I have a tremendously healthy salad recipe for today. One that we had last night and has left me vitalised! Low fat, high in protein and fibre and so very tasty. I felt so good eating it and I still have some left over for lunch.

Perfect for a summer’s evening with a cheeky glass of crisp white wine if you want 😉 I’ll be experimenting and creating more salads this season. Can’t wait to share them with you all.

I will be serving some @ Angie’s Fiesta Friday Party

Have a terrific day! Much love D x

INGREDIENTS

1 cup quinoa
1 raw peeled and grated beetroot
3 spring onions finely sliced
1 big tomato roughly chopped
1 tin roseca/borlotti beans rinsed & drained
Feta cheese crumbled (low fat)
Handful of sunflower seeds
1tbsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 tsp garlic granules
Salt to taste

METHOD

Put the quinoa to in a small saucepan and cook upon instruction. I tend to cook it like pasta. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and set aside

In a large bowl add the rest of the ingredients in order according to the pictures. Leaving the beetroot til the end..ish. This way you cab minimize the addition of the deep pink colour to the salad

Crumble in the feta last and fold in

Serve alone or with some buttered whole grain pitta bread

I will be serving some @

Baked Egg In Toast

A cheese and egg dish which can only be described as ultimate comfort on a plate.  Is a brilliant nutritious breakfast or a luxury delight at brunch!

Prep takes a minute, place in the oven and when the timer goes off your cheese, egg in toast is ready!

INGREDIENTS for 1

Slice of bread
1 medium egg
Grated cheddar cheese
Butter

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200c

With the back of a tablespoon press firmly into the centre of the bread. Making an indent for the egg to sit in

Lightly butter the edges of the bread

Crack an egg into the indent.  Sprinkle the edges with grated cheese

Place in the oven for 15 minutes. You should get a runny egg!

The Calm Me Down Smoothie!

Recently there has been a lot of change to my daily routine as now my two boys are in school and I find myself alone at home with our pet rabbit Alfie. It’s lovely having some quiet time but mostly I find myself constantly running around like a headless chicken.  This morning I went food shopping which I absolutely adore.  I feel all stocked up and ready to invent more recipes. . I also cleaned the kitchen!

For when I need to calm down and relax I have come up with this wonderful soothing smoothie recipe to help me unwind.  No caffeine, no added sugar just pure peaceful bliss. The chamomile and mint tea does the trick!

INGREDIENTS

200ml of cold mint & chamomile tea
1 small banana
1 nectarine in halves
Handful of frozen blueberries
Handful of baby spinach

METHOD

Place all the ingredients into a blender or NutriBullet and blitz till smooth.  Serve with ice if desired

My First Homemade Chutney!

I didn’t know that home made chutneys are so easy to make!  And so damn tasty!  I made this delectable tomato chutney with green tomatoes that were picked fresh out of my mother in law’s garden.  She is extremely gifted when it comes to gardening and my husband definitely inherits his green fingers from her. 

This chutney will go superbly with Indian flatbread due to the heat or with a strong mature cheddar or brie and crackers as it is also sour and slightly sweet! An all rounded chutney.  Shame that 1kg of toms gave me 1 small jar of chutney. However I know where I can find more tomatoes! Mother in law I’m on my way!

With tomatoes being harvested, do give this simple recipe a go! You’ll make it again and again

INGREDIENTS

1kg green tomatoes cored and chopped
1 large white onion diced
1 cup cider vinegar
1¼ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp crystallized ginger
1 tsp red dried chilli flakes
1 tsp salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp mixed spice

METHOD

Place all the ingredients into a large saucepan, mix well, bring the contents to a boil and then cover, simmer for 50 minutes on a low to medium heat

Make sure most of the liquid has evaporated, this will give the chutney an intense flavour

Mature Cheddar Soufflé with Tefal

It is difficult making soufflés but what if I told you, I have a machine that will not only mix the ingredients but cook the base of the soufflé and all you have to do is follow the simple instructions and place the soufflés to bake.

INTERESTED?  I’ve caught your attention right?!

Ok, so I’m going to take you back to August last year when I was approached by Tefal to trial out a new kitchen product, and what a product it is!  I am now allowed to show this wonderful piece of apparatus as it is about to be on UK shelves in September this year.  It proved to be a very popular and extremely useful tool in the kitchen.

It cooks, chops, mixes, whisks.  Making all types of dishes from your simple sauces to exquisite sweet delicacies. Not forgetting hearty meals that can be prepped and cooked in the one machine, especially for those Autumn and winter nights approaching.  You are able to plug this in, follow the recipe, set the Cuisine Companion, then sit back with a large glass of vino

I will be making many more recipes with the Tefal CC but for now I will indulge your eyes and tastebuds with these mature cheddar cheese soufflés!

INGREDIENTS

40g plain flour
30g butter
500 ml milk
150g grated mature Cheddar cheese
4 eggs
Salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°c.  Place the flour and milk in the cuisine companion food processor with the mixer attachment.  Season with salt and pepper then mix at speed 7 for 1 minute,  Add the butter, launch the sauce programme for 8 minutes, set at 90°c speed 4

In the meantime separate the egg whites from the yolks.  At the end of the program, throw in the grated cheddar, mix for 1 minute at speed 8.  Combine the yolks in to the mixture and mix for 45 seconds

Pour the cheese mixture into a large bowl and wash the food processor bowl

Place the egg whites into the cleaned bowl, fit with the mixer attachment again.  Start the food processor at speed 7 for 7.5 minutes without the stopper

Grease 6 to 8 small glass ramekins, gently fold the egg whites in to the cheese mixture.  Pour individually up to the top of each ramekin.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, without opening the oven door.  The soufflés will be ready when risen, golden brown and still have a little wobble to them.  Eat immediately for a fluffy sensation

To make soufflés by hand see http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4805/cheese-souffl-in-4-easy-steps-

Instant Loaded Egg Paratha

My husband is always watching Indian street food videos on YouTube.  This is one particular dish that he was checking and that I was extremely intrigued by.
I think you all know me by now, in that I love to cook really, really simple food and am not embarrassed in taking short cuts to get to the final yummy result!

This is one of those easy than easier recipes, yet so satisfying and filling.  The protein hit from the egg and cheese really reaches the spot!  Make sure that you have some ready made parathas or frozen parathas like I used in this recipe and you are ready to go my friends!

Enjoy, see you soon! Much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

Frozen paratha/ready made paratha
Large eggs
Grated mature cheddar cheese
Spring onion sliced
Chopped fresh coriander
Chilli flakes
Butter
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Place the frozen paratha in a frying pan and cook through on both sides to a medium golden brown.  Spread a little butter on one side

Crack one egg onto the buttered paratha and break the yolk gently.  Load on all other ingredients and seasoning

Cover with a large lid on a low heat for 5 or so minutes or until egg is firm

Fold the paratha and serve with a hot chilli sauce