If you’ve been reading my blog for a little while you’ll know I’m a fan of recipe boxes. To come home and find everything you need ready to cook a meal, all pre-weighed and everything, is music to my ears for a busy week. It’s meal planning but the hard work has been done for you. Riverford have started to do some of their recipe boxes with guest chefs and this month it’s Sarah Raven. When they asked me if I would like to try one out I was looking forward to its arrival, the recipes sounded delicious.
Archives for June 2016
It’s All Easy Cookbook
When I get a new cookbook I feel it deserves some quality time to be looked over and thumbed through. Normally with a nice cup of tea. I was really looking forward to taking some time to read through the It’s All Easy Cookbook by Gwyneth Paltrow. The title got my interest first; a whole book full of easy recipes. It sounded right up my street! The photography in the book is lovely; the emphasis is on lifestyle rather than just food and I think that makes it easier to see how the recipes might fit in your day to day life. Gwyneth Paltrow wrote the book and recipes along with Thea Baumann and there are some great ideas in there that I can see appearing on my kitchen table.
Eating Organic on a Budget
Can you eat organic while also making sure you don’t break the bank? I think you can. And not only that I think you can make some really delicious and different meals too. The answer to eating organic on a budget is about sourcing the ingredients cost effectively and a good meal plan. I wanted to put it to the test and see what I could make with one week’s worth of organic meat and veg. One way to make things easier is to use a veg box company; the time you save needing to go to the shops can be spent planning what you’re going to cook up.
Harissa Lamb with Tabbouleh
When it’s hot in the day but slightly cooler in the evenings, sometimes a salad doesn’t quite cut it; I’m after something with a little warmth and zing for those colder evenings. This Harissa Lamb with Tabbouleh came about for two reasons: firstly I had some harissa paste leftover from a previous chicken version and secondly I had two lamb steaks which were crying out for some Middle Eastern flavours. Also, this recipe is part of an upcoming post where I look at eating organic on a budget so it worked out really well to use up some lovely veg and herbs I had in the kitchen. Also, if you make double the amount of tabbouleh it’s great for lunch the next day, particularly with some toasted pitta bread and hummus.
Tikka Paneer and Pilaf
I love paneer. If I see a menu and it has paneer on it, I will order it without a doubt, preferably alongside a thick, garlicky daal of some description. As the cheese itself is quite flavourless it lends itself to being mixed with punchy flavours and spices. This Tikka Paneer and Pilaf is one of those meals which you start in the morning before work (mixing the marinade) and then finish off in the evening. And, as usual, it’s ready in around 30 minutes and won’t break the bank; a perfect vegetarian midweek meal.