Last Thursday was a fasting day, and I wanted a meal that was healthy and filling as well as being quite low in calories. I had a vague idea of something I was going to cook, but I wasn’t diligent at meal planning last week, so it was a bit of an experiment. Happily, the results were tasty, and thus my griddled aubergine and courgette gratin came to be.
Posts Tagged ‘cooking’
Sweet Potato Fries
Earlier in the year, I made a conscious decision to not give my family processed foods. I’m making everything from scratch, where it can be done. And where it can’t, I’m looking for alternatives. What started off as a plan for me to lose a bit of weight and be healthier in myself, has turned into something that will benefit my whole family. No unnatural preservatives, no nasty chemicals, less fat and oils and far fewer E numbers.
Last week, Roo asked for chips for dinner, so instead of picking up a packet of frozen chips in the supermarket, I picked up a bag of sweet potatoes and made sweet potato fries for a change. Also, I am still a bit obsessed with them after my trip to The Diner the other week.
These are so easy to make and absolutely delicious. They are baked in just a tiny bit of olive oil, and cook quickly – no need for par boiling! A sprinkling of salt and pepper on the raw potatoes as they go in to oven give a lovely contrast to the sweetness of the creamy orange flesh. Finally, sweet potatoes are full of good things: folate, vitamins, beta carotene and calcium.
To make sweet potato fries, you’ll need: Read more
Total Greek Yoghurt – Honey Pudding with Pistachio Yoghurt Ice Cream
Total Greek Yoghurt have come up with 1000 different ways to enjoy their yoghurt, and popped them all on this great new Facebook app. Now you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your computer for inspiration on how to use such an incredibly versatile ingredient. Total Greek yoghurt is made in the traditional way, in Greece, making it delicious and authentic compared to Greek style yoghurts.
To celebrate this, Total are running a treasure hunt: find the hidden recipes, dotted around the internet, and win up to £800 worth of ultimate kitchen gadgetry! There are 30 to find so get searching.
If you’re already taking part, good news! You’ve stumbled upon one of the hidden recipes. I tested out the honey pudding with pistachio yoghurt ice cream. Being a lover of honey cake and pistachios, this really appealed to me, and I vlogged my experience here:
I Love: Summer Barbecues
I do love a barbecue. Probably because a barbecue in my house means all I have to do for dinner is whip up some kind of green salad, and make a potato salad. All the grilling is left to Ross, and I know we haven’t consistently had the weather for it this summer, but it really doesn’t have to be a big work up.
My Dad (commonly known as Paaj, or Paaji if my sister and I are feeling affectionate) and step mum have just returned to the UK after a nine year stint in New Zealand. Hooray! It was about time – the grandchildren were only going to get older and less baby-like. They popped round this afternoon after an interview and brief shopping trip in Southampton and stayed for a nice, boozy barbecue dinner.
All in all it was a lovely afternoon, and hopefully a nice welcome home for Dad and Lynda.
Here are my tips for a successful barbecue: Read more
Fishcakes
Having been to two blogging conferences in as many weeks, I’ve been inspired to switch my camera over to video mode. So, I thought I’d try something new with this recipe. Not only am I blogging about the fishcakes I made for supper, but I am also vlogging about them.
The ingredients I used for my fishcakes were: Read more
Kung Hei Fat Choi – Cooking Cashew Chicken With My Small Daughter
Ruby-Roo has always enjoyed cooking. Before she discovered The Disney Channel and all things Mickey Mouse, she used to be fond of that irritatingly chirpy Katie, who presents I Can Cook on CBeebies. We tried out a few recipes every now and again, and that has since evolved to helping me out most evenings as I cook dinner for us all.
Whether it be grating, stirring, or cracking eggs, she is on it like a bonnet.
Today, being Chinese New Year, I decided to make Mandajuice’s Cashew Chicken. I’ve made it a few times before and each time I do, I am reminded of how epic it really is. OK, so it’s a bit of a work up, and not a quick supper by any means, but the time and effort is definitely worth it. Read more