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Piperade Wrap September 11, 2011

Filed under: Fast Food,Healthy Eating,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 8:03 pm

This is a good one for breakfast, brunch or lunch. It’s quick and simple and just what you need to start the day. I got the recipe from the Weight Watchers ‘Simply Enjoy’ cookbook. It’s a great cookbook actually, I would highly recommend it. I got a good bit of stuff out of it and it’s all pretty healthy stuff.

 

Serves 1

7 Propoints per serving

 

Ingredients

Calorie controlled cooking spray

25g red pepper, de-seeded and diced

1 spring onion, sliced thinly

1 tomato, de-seeded and diced

2 small eggs, beaten lightly

1 large low fat tortilla wrap

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Method

1. Heat a small, heavy based, non stick pan and spray with the cooking spray. Add the red pepper, spring onion and tomato and stir fry for 2 minutes until softened.

2. Pour in the eggs, season, and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the eggs from sticking, until scrambled.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan and warm the tortilla for about 2 minutes, turning once. This helps to soften the tortilla.

4. Spoon the piperade on to one half of the warm tortilla, tuck in the ends and roll up. Slice in half on the diagonal.

 

Chook Roasted with Garlic and Verjuice

Filed under: Chicken,Favourites — delishuss @ 7:46 pm
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I was watching Masterchef Australia and a lady called Maggie Beer was showing the contestants how to make this recipe. It looked so juicy that I had to give it a try. Plus I had a request for a roast dinner this weekend and it seemed like a sign. As roast chicken goes this is probably the best I’ve tasted, real moist. Maggie used verjuice, which she mentioned was grape juice. I couldn’t find verjuice so I just used white grape juice instead.

I was a bit dubious about the garlic, I kind of thought that it might be a bit overpowering but they are lovely. Much milder than expected, give it a go.

Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

30 cloves garlic
1 lemon
1 x 2 kg Barossa Chook or an equal well brought up chook
3 sprigs rosemary, chopped
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
125ml verjuice
125ml water
1 cup chicken stock

Method

1 Preheat a fan forced oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Blanch the unpeeled garlic in boiling water for four minutes, then drain and set aside.

2 Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the cavity of the chicken, then add the rosemary.

3 Mix olive oil with a good pinch of sea salt and pepper and massage into the skin of the bird. Cover the breast (only) with foil and sit the chook on a trivet in a shallow baking dish about 5cm deep.

4 Transfer to the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 40 minutes.

5 Remove foil from breast and use to cover the legs. Pour verjuice over the chicken, place the blanched garlic to the baking dish and add the water to the base of the dish to avoid burning.

6 Cook for a further 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the chook and place breast side down on the trivet to rest for 40 minutes, covered loosely with foil.

7 To make the jus, pour all the pan juices from the baking dish into a small saucepan and add 1 cup of warm chicken stock, pour into a narrow serving jug, then refrigerate this while the chicken is resting. Just before serving, scoop away the fat that has risen to the top, warm the remaining jus. Carve the chook, then pour over the jus and serve.

Note: I served it with some roasted potatoes and parsnips. Boil the potatoes first and then add them and the parsnips to the roasting tray which the chicken is cooking. Baste them every now and again. They turn out fantastic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.masterchef.com.au/chook-roasted-with-garlic-and-verjuice.htm

 

 

Christmas Salad August 30, 2011

Filed under: Healthy Eating,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 8:49 pm
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Let’s face it salads can be dull and boring but this is a winner. I’m not really sure why this is called a Christmas salad, I think it would work any time of the year. This a recipe from the Weight Watchers ‘Simply Enjoy’ cookbook.

7 Propoints per serving

Serves 6

 

Ingredients

50g pecans

calorie controlled cooking spray

2 slightly under-ripe pears, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 wedges

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons clear honey

140g watercress

3 tablespoons balsmic vinegar

1 small red onion, cut into thin rings

3 cooked beetroot, diced

75g stilton cheese, crumbled into small pieces

freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

1. Put the pecans in a dry, non stick frying pan and then toast them over a medium-low heat for 4 minutes, turning once. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.

2. Spray the pan with the cooking spray and cook the pears for 4 minutes over a medium heat, turning once. Add the ginger and honey, turn the pears to coat them in the syrup mixture and cook for another minute.

3. Divide the watercress between four plates and drizzle over the balsamic vinegar. Scatter the onion, beetroot, and pecans over the leaves. Top with the pears and crumbled stilton then season with black pepper.

Serve immediately.

 

If the thought smelly cheese churns your stomach you could replace it with feta instead.

 

Jerk Chicken with Caribbean Beans

Filed under: Chicken,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 8:36 pm
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This is a bit of a take on chicken fajittas really. I thoroughly enjoyed them. I found it hard enough to get the black beans. I know they are in tescos but I didn’t managed to get there. I used red kidney beans instead. I took the recipe from the Weight Watchers ‘Simply Enjoy’.

10 propoints per serving

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 skinless boneless mini chicken fillets

2 tablespoons jerk spice mix

350g butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded, and cut into 1 cm cubes

calorie controlled cooking spray

1 onion, chopped finely

2 large garlic cloves, chopped finely

1 yellow pepper, de-seeded and diced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

400g black beans, drained and rinsed

3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

25g sweet and hot jalapenos (from a jar), drained and roughly chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

To serve

4 tortillas

4 tablespoons 0% fat Greek yoghurt

 

Method

1. Put the chicken fillets on a plate. Sprinkle over the jerk spices, coating both sides, then cover and chill. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the butternut squash and cook for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain then refresh under cold running water.  Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat a lidded non stick saucepan, spray with the cooking spray then cook the onion for 8 minutes, covered, stirring regularly. Add the garlic, pepper, thyme and cumin seeds. Spray with the cooking spray and fry for another 3 minutes, stirring.

3. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 1/4/110 degrees celsisus. Add the black beans, squash and 2 tablespoons of water to the saucepan with the onions and peppers. Stir and heat through for 5 minutes.

4. While the black beans mixture is cooking, heat a griddle or non stick frying pan, spray the chicken with the cooking spray and cook four of the chicken fillets for 6 minutes, turning once, or until cooked through. When the black beans and squash have finished cooking , season and stir in the coriander and jalapenos.

5.  Cover the first batch of cooked chicken and keep warm while you cook the second batch. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in foil and warm in the oven. Place a tortilla on each serving plate, top with the black bean mixture then the chicken. Place a spoonful of yoghurt on top before serving.

 

 

Sundried Tomato Yeast Bread August 25, 2011

Filed under: Bread — delishuss @ 7:59 pm
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I tried this recipe on a whim. I fancied some yeast bread and had the yeast. There was a recipe on the back of the yeast box so I kind of followed that but I used plain cream flour instead of strong flour. It turns out like a soda bread with the plain flour. It also doesn’t last long, you would need to keep it in an airtight container. Give it a go!

Ingredients

750g tesco strong/super strong bread flour

2 teaspoons salt

25ml of olive oil

1 x 7g fast action bread yeast

450ml warm water (made from 1 part chilled, 1 part boiling)

50g chopped sundried tomatoes

 

Method

1. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, sundried tomatoes and yeast. Stir in the oil and water and mix into soft dough.

2. Turn onto a floured surface and knead well for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in an electric mixer with a dough hook.

3. Shape the dough as required and place in a greased tin or tray. Cover with greased cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.

4. Uncover and bake  in an oven, pre-heated to 230 degrees/ 450 degrees fahrenheit/ Gas mark 8 for around 30-35 minutes. Baked loaf should sound hollow when tapped underneath.

5. For a soft, moist crust, remove from the oven and wrap in a clean tea towel to cool.

 

 

 

Caldo Verde August 24, 2011

Filed under: Soups and Stews — delishuss @ 9:21 pm
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Hi, I was in a shop in Donnabate picking up some ice cream after a walk on the beach and the local school was raising money for charity by selling second hand books. Ipicked up ‘Healthy Main Meal Soups’. The recipes in it are great, so it was hard to decide which one to sample first. So I just stopped at a page and came across this recipe. This is a real wholesome winter warmer.

Ingredients

2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

450g/ 1lb floury potatoes, cut into large chunks

1.4 litres/ 2 1/2 pints Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock

100g/ 3 1/2 oz garlic sausage (optional), sliced

350g/ 12 oz dark green cabbage, such as cavalo nero, Savoy or kale, tough stalks removed, leaves very finely sliced

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Salsa Verde or olive oil

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes until translucent.

2. Add the garlic and fry for another minute.

3. Add the potatoes and stock. Bring to the boil then simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are just beginning to break up.

4. Meanwhile, fry the sausage in the remaining oil for a few minutes until crisp. Drain on paper toewls.

5. Roughly mash the potatoes into the liquid. Mix in the the cabbage, salt, pepper and sausage.

6. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the cabbage is tender.

7. Check the seasoning before serving.

8. Pour into bowls and swirl in some salsa verde or a good slick of fruity olive oil.

Salsa Verde

 I haven’t tried this out but it was mentioned in the recipe so I thought I’d share it with you. If you try it, let me know how it works out.

If you are making it in advance, leave out the vinegar or lemon juice and add it just before serving. The sauce will keep in a screw-top jar in the fridge for up to a week. Allow to come to room temperature and mix well before using.

3 tbsp fresh flat-leafed parsley

2 tbsp chopped mixed herbs such as thyme, basil, rocket, chevril, tarragon, savory, lovage

3 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1-3 tsp red wine vinegar or tbsp lemon juice

150ml/ 1/4 pint extra-vinegar olive oil

 

Put all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor or blender. Add 4 tablespoon of oil and whizz to a paste. With the motor still running, gradually trickle in the rest of the oil until the sauce forms a uniform consistency. Makes 200ml/ 7 fl oz.

 

 

Pardina lentils with white wine, Serrano ham and pimentón August 14, 2011

Filed under: Rice and Grains — delishuss @ 6:43 pm
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I saw this recipe on Saturday’s Kitchen on BBC. They showed some footage from Rick Stein’s Spain. He does some really tasty looking dishes on that programme. I couldn’t find pimentón so I just used smoked paprika instead, not sure how different the flavour would be. I served it with some pan fried haddock and baby potatoes.

Serves 6

Ingredients

Preparation method

  1. Check over the lentils for any little stones, then rinse in cold water. Tip them into a saucepan, add enough cold water to cover them by 5cm/2in and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat
  2. and leave them to simmer for about 30 minutes or until just tender but still a little al dente. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and set to one side.
  3. Put the olive oil, garlic, onion and carrot in a wide, shallow pan over a medium heat and cook gently for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and just beginning to colour. Add the Serrano ham and fry for another 5-6 minutes.
  4. Stir in the pimentón, tomatoes and wine and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the mixture cooks down into a thick sauce.
  5. Stir the lentils into the sauce with 150ml/5fl oz of the reserved cooking liquid, the chopped parsley, 1½ teaspoons of salt and some pepper. Simmer for a further 5-6 minutes.
 

Guacomole August 7, 2011

Filed under: Sauces — delishuss @ 5:57 pm

I made this recipe the last day and had it with beef tacos, yummy.

Ingredients

1 avocado, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 chilli, chopped

splash of cream if you have it

1 spring onion, chopped

juice of 1 lime

couple of sprigs of coriander

2 tsp old el paso fajitta mix

Method

Whizz everything in a blender until chunky or smooth depending on how you like the consistency of your guacomole.

Hey presto it’s done and it’s much nicer than the jar version.

 

Creamy Mushroom and BaconTagliatelle

Filed under: Fast Food,Pasta — delishuss @ 5:51 pm
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For anyone that knows me, I have a complete aversion to mushrooms. So this recipe was not for me. Feeling a little hungover myself and my other half fancied a bit of pasta. So he got creamy mushroom and bacon tagliatelle and I had tomato and bacon tagliatelle. Feedback from my guinea pig was very positive.

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 slices bacon, chopped

40g mushrooms, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

50ml white wine

1 garlic clove, chopped finely

60g tagliatelle

50ml cream

1 tablespoon of olive oil

splash of liquid stock

Some chopped parsley to serve

Salt and pepper to season

Method

1. Boil the pasta according to the packet instructions.

2. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan and the olive oil. Add the onion and saute for a couple of minutes.

3. Add the bacon and mushrooms and fry until the bacon is browned. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.

4. Add the wine and let the alcohol burn off. Stir in the liquid stock and reduce the heat.

5. Add the cream and stir. Taste for seasoning and add if needed.

6. Stir in the pasta and coat the pasta with the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

 

Halloumi and Vegetable Burgers

Filed under: Vegetarian,Weight Watchers Recipes — delishuss @ 5:28 pm
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I don’t make an awful lot of vegetarian food. I have this notion that I’d miss the meat but really it is only that, a notion. This is great, real filling. The recipe is from the Weight Watchers Simply Enjoy cookbook. The method suggests making these in the oven and really that’s the only way to make them, I tried cooking them on the pan because I was short of time, but they fall apart.

8 propoints per serving

Serves 4

Ingredients

125g light halloumi cheese, patted dry and grated coarsely

2 carrots, peeled and grated coarsely

125g canned sweetcorn, drained

2 large spring onions, chopped

40g fresh breacrumbs

1 egg, beaten lightly

calorie controlled cooking spray

salt and freshly ground pepper

To serve

4x wholemeal rolls

4 curly lettuce leaves

tomato slices

red onion slices

cucumber slices

4 tablespoons spicy tomato salsa or relish

 

Method

1. Put the halloumi, carrot, sweetcorn and spring onions in a food processor and whizz to a coarse paste. Spoon the mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs, eff and seasoning. Shape into four burgers- the mixture is quite loose but holds together when cooked.

2. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180 degreees celsius and spray a baking tray with the cooking spray. Transfer the burgers to the baking tray, place in the oven and cook for about 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking, until cooked through and golden.

3. Meanwhile, cut each roll in half and lightly toast. Top one half of each roll with a lettuce leaf and slices of tomato. Add the burgers and top with cucumber and red onion as well as a tablespoonful of the salsa/relish and finally the top of the roll. Serve straightaway.

The recipes suggests making the day before and storing in the fridge as it firms them up and they are easier to cook.