Pizza Dip for Popcorn

We are so used to now having different flavours of popcorn with chilli and chocolate and lime and lemon infused through the kernel.  However how about a popcorn dip?

You’re either a salted or a sweet popcorn fan. I love both! 😉 I had popped a bag of salted corn in the microwave and then thought I wanted pizza too.

So this is how the inspiration came for the fresh tomato pizza dip!

Easy, quick and healthy!!! Great if you want to snack on something light but it’s bursting with flavour

INGREDIENTS

1 punnet of mini plum tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt to taste
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small green chilli optional

METHOD

Blitz the  tomatoes, garlic, salt and chilli together in a blender

In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil with the oregano on a slow heat

Pour in the tomato mixture, stir well. Bring the dip to a medium boil and then simmer for 15 minutes

Serve your tangy dip with fresh salted popcorn

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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

Grilled Portobello Sandwich

I enjoy stuffing mushrooms with rice, garlic, cheese. However with the Portobello mushroom I wanted it to be the star of the dish.  This healthy and delectable sink in your teeth kind of loaded sandwich has to be my best sandwich creation to date.  The mushroom acts as a meaty substitute and the rest of the flavours are mellow untill you get glorious chunks of crumbly feta that brings a salty and sour taste to your tastebuds!  I could eat this sandwich over and over again!

Come join me, much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

2 Portobello mushroom cups
1 large tomato sliced
1 avocado sliced
Handful of baby spinach
Feta cheese
Chilli & garlic dry mix
Mayonnaise
Toast 4 slices seeded bread
Butter
Salt to taste
Olive oil

METHOD

With a brush lightly oil both sides of the mushroom, having taken out the stalks.  Grill for 7 to 10 minutes until soft and slightly shrivelled

Take out of the the grill and generously season with salt, chilli and garlic powder

Butter the 2 toasts liberally, place the mushroom along with the rest of the ingredients, layer, season and then crumble feta over the top.  and complete with the second piece of toast

(Optional, a peri peri mayonnaise can be made by mixing a peri peri spice mix with a dollop of mayonnaise)

Serve your loaded mushroom toasted sandwich with lots of french fries!

Paneer In Urad Daal

Paneer and black gram split lentils, I was yet to combine in a dish, so yesterday was the day. I was extremely pleased with the result as I managed to get a mushy daal with bags of flavour. It tasted very similar to a daal makhani, as the paneer provided the wonderful creamy feel and flavour

Ummm…I was in heaven! I’m sure you all will love it too, guaranteed!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cubed paneer
1 cup split urad, white split gram lentils
½ tsp soda bicarbonate
¼ tsp turmeric
Boiling water
1 tbsp sunflower oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 onion diced finely
1 tomato chopped
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp dried cumin & coriander powder
Salt to taste
Lemon juice to taste
½ cup tomato passata/crushed tomato
Fresh coriander optional

METHOD

Boil the urad daal with the bicarbonate of soda and turmeric until soft and mushy. Once cooked leave aside

In a large non stick saucepan, heat the oil and mustard seeds on a medium heat.  Fry off the onion and fresh tomato

Add all the spices and stir fry for a couple of minutes

Pour in this tomato passata, along with the cooked daal and its water.  Gently place in the cubed paneer into the saucepan

Simmer through on a low heat for 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with freshly made hot chapatis

A Vibrant Halloumi & Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is one of my favourite grains   I wanted to make a vibrant colourful and extremely tasty salad dish as the sun is out here in the UK and wanted something fresh and light to keep me going all day.  This particular recipe has done exactly that! I have not had to snack on anything since I had it at lunch and I’ve just finished my dinner so it really works!

A few steps to prep and then just to mix all together, voila!  You have your healthy salad for the day.

INGREDIENTS

1 small cup quinoa cooked
Halloumi pan fried and diced
1 medium cucumber diced finely
2 tomatoes diced
4 spring onions slice
1 tin sweet corn drained
Baby spinach sliced
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin & coriander powder
Lemon juice to taste

METHOD

I fry the halloumi cheese by thinly slicing and then placing into a hot non stick pan with olive oil.  Fry off on both sides until golden brown

Place all the ingredients into a large bowl.  Mix thoroughly so everything is fused together

Ready to serve…How simple was that?

Waffling Away….

Finally I was able to get my hands on a waffle maker.  I saw it sitting pretty in my parents kitchen and I knew I had to borrow it.  My 4 year old loves sweet waffles so I thought why not try some savoury ones.  But they weren’t for him! However my husband and I, just couldn’t stop eating them!

I think what makes them so moreish is the melted butter that is added to the batter. Makes the waffles taste wonderful and crispy.  So simple to prepare but you will need a waffle maker.  Hope you enjoy them friends!

INGREDIENTS

1-3/4 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter melted
3 eggs
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated

METHOD

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl

Add the melted butter, milk and eggs. Combine well. Throw in the cheese and give a final stir

Cook waffles in the waffle maker upon instructions

Top with avocado, cherry tomatoes and more grated mature cheddar cheese!

The Indian Onion Soup

Forget the french onion soup! For a second.  Take it to the next level, spice it up, masalafy it and transform it into the Indian curried onion soup.  You are bound to have these ingredients in your pantry , so no extra shopping!   A quick fix with some fresh crusty buttered bread or even some khichdi (rice and split mung bean dish)

I had a large sweet white onion and in contrast a red onion to use for this soup.  However I will never really understand why a red onion is a RED onion ? It is very much purple/magenta in colour?…any how…I love onions, I eat them raw in salads, find them delicious paired with a mature cheddar cheese sandwich!  I just love them!  Most of my cooking will involve onions in some way or another but today we are focusing solely on the onion.

This soup can be cooked in under 20 to 25 minutes.  Is very tasty, slightly sweet because the onions are caramelized in the spices and then you get a hint of heat on your palette at the very end from the red dried chilli flakes.

I know all onion lovers will adore this and it may even convert non onion lovers to loving them.  Hope you have a wonderful day…I’ll see you soon! Much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

1 large white onion sliced
1 large red onion sliced
1 tsp sunflower oil
Pinch of cumin seeds
Pinch of asafoetida
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp cumin/coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tsp garam masala
1 tin finely chopped tomato
Salt to taste
1 cup water

METHOD

In a large saucepan, heat up the oil on a medium heat with the cumin seeds. Once the oil starts to sizzle are the onions and mix well

Add all the seasoning and spices making sure all the onion is coated. Cover, reduce to a low heat and cook for 5 minutes

Pour in the tin of chopped tomatoes with the cup of water, stir well, bring to a boil and gently simmer for 15 minutes

Serve up with a dollop of natural yoghurt and fresh bread

Simply Pomodoro Sauce

My love for Italian food exceeds my love of any other cuisine. Sometimes you just want a simple tomato, garlic based Italian sauce to adorn a plate of delicious pasta.
When I am in the mood for this, I automatically make my go-to pomodoro sauce! Simple, full of flavour and extremely addictive!!

Have fun and enjoy your pasta!!!
See you soon, until then much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

1 tin of chopped tomatoes
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp brown sugar
Salt to taste

METHOD

Heat the oil with the garlic and oregano on a low heat.  Once the oil starts to sizzle carefully pour in the tin of tomatoes

Add the sugar and salt.  Stir well, cook and cover for 15 to 20 minutes

Serve up the pomodoro sauce on your favourite pasta

Juicy Garlic Baked Tomatoes

This is the beauty about cooking…Making the most simplest food and dishes with maximum flavour. Why make life so complicated when it can be so simple!

Tomatoes, garlic and olive oil! That’s it!!! that’s all you will need!

Have a look…Give them a go and let me know how you like the simplicity of these tasty garlic infused tomatoes.

Have a relaxing weekend, I’m off to cook some more food…Much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

4 big tomatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic sliced finely
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°c

Make tiny cuts in the tomato and slot the garlic slices in

Repeat for all the tomatoes

Place the tomatoes on a baking tray

Drizzle a little olive oil onto the prepped tomatoes

Bake for 20 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked all the way through

Butter Bean Quesadilla

I make cheese and tomato quesadillas a lot but I’m trying to up my fibre intake and I thought beans were the way to go. I didn’t want to cook the beans twice over, so prepped a quick filling within minutes. This way the beans remain nutritious and I’ll have a happy healthy me!

They were really yummy that I ended up eating more than I should have. I really have to start controlling my portion control!…Today we are having chilli and mushroom penne. I’m already thinking about our next meal! I am terribly addicted to food! Lol!

See you all soon with the pasta recipe, much love, D x

INGREDIENTS

1 tin butter beans, drained & rinsed
1 onion chopped crescent shaped
2 plum tomatoes sliced thinly
2-3 handfuls of grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp cumin & coriander powder
Sprinkling of chilli flakes and garlic powder
Salt to taste
Olive oil to pan fry

Ready made tortillas

METHOD

Take all the ingredients apart from the oil and mix well, until all is combined and nicely coated/seasoned

Heat a non stick frying pan on a medium heat with a little olive oil. Place the tortilla in the pan, add a few tablespoons of the butter bean mix on one half and fold over

Cook on both sides until the cheese has melted and the beans have warmed through