All That I'm Eating

Recipe ideas for budget meals, everyday cooking and a little indulgence. Travel inspiration and restaurant reviews too.

Thai Vegetable Noodle Soup

By 9 Comments

I am still making an effort to have interesting lunches. Soup is perfect at this time of year as it freezes well and just needs heating through for an (almost) instant lunch. This is my Thai Vegetable Noodle Soup and I make it with plenty of chilli. I love the heat of the chilli with the creaminess of the coconut but you can make it as hot as you like.

This is a great recipe for using up any vegetables you have in the house. I like to use a few different colours if I can to brighten up the soup a little. The lime and coriander really lift the flavours and give it a zing and freshness which is just what I want from this soup. read more

Broccoli Stalk and Sesame Soup

By 14 Comments

Ingredients for broccoli stalk soup

If you’re chopping the florets off the broccoli and throwing away the stalk you’re missing out. The stalk has that delicious broccoli flavour and can be used in so many ways. My broccoli stalk and sesame soup recipe is one of the things I like to use the stalks for but you can also chop them finely and add them to stir fries, pasta dishes and roasted veg.

Ingredients

You will need (for four portions):

  • Oil for frying
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 celery stick, roughly chopped
  • Broccoli, a mix of stalks and florets around 350g
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 400ml hot vegetable stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • Sesame oil for drizzling

Method

Start by adding a little oil to a large saucepan over a medium heat.

Add the onion and celery to the pan and fry for five minutes until the vegetables are starting to soften. read more

Smoked Bacon and Kale Soup

By 11 Comments

There’s something special about watching the steam rise from a hot bowl of soup after you’ve been working in the garden all morning; you just know it’s going to fill you up. My smoked bacon and kale soup came about simply to use up some ingredients in the kitchen. I cooked up enough for six portions so there’s plenty in the freezer for a wet and windy day. We have rather busy weekends and when lunchtime comes it’s nice to stop, take some time and eat something nourishing. read more

My Favourite Spring Recipes

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Tuscan Sausage Ragu

There are different shades of green in spring; the deep greens of kale and purple sprouting broccoli and the vibrant greens of asparagus and wild garlic. It is around this time each year that things seem to come alive, the evenings are getting longer and the days warmer. Trees are blossoming and everyone seems to awaken from a winter slumber to shake off those cobwebs (literally and figuratively). I start to cook lighter meals at this time of year but there’s always room for something more indulgent for those chilly evenings that catch you by surprise. With so many things about to come into season there’s much to look out for and these are my favourite spring recipes.

A few of my favourite hearty meals, which also lend themselves very well to a bit of batch cooking and freezing, are all pasta related! There’s my Tuscan Sausage Ragu which was inspired by a meal I had in Tuscany; you’ll need excellent sausages for this. My Layered Ragu and Aubergine Pasta Bake takes a bit of time to make but it is so worth it, the more aubergines the better as far as I’m concerned. For something a little lighter, and my favourite way to cook with chard, my Chard and Bacon Open Lasagne is much less effort than a normal lasagne. I do love a bit of spice and a tomato based curry is one of my top comfort foods; this Slow Cooked Lamb Curry is full of spices and fresh flavours.

A quick and easy weeknight dinner is always a bonus; it allows for extra time in the garden on those long evenings. A baked aubergine is one of my favourite things to eat; be it with pesto, jerk seasoning or my Miso Glazed Aubergine. The smoky flavour of chipotle chillies and the sweetness of the sweetcorn work so well together in my Chipotle Sweetcorn Hash. For a real hint of summer my Artichoke and Red Pepper Gratin is just asking to be enjoyed outside with a cold glass of wine and some warm crusty bread.

Having some delicious veggie meals stashed away in the freezer means I always have something I can serve with baked potatoes, rice or bread and my Smoky Cowboy Beans and my Lentil and Black Bean Chilli are two of my favourite recipes.

It wouldn’t be spring without Easter and a wonderful Easter Afternoon Tea is well worth a try; sandwiches, sausage rolls, scones, chocolate shortbread and rice krispie nests. For something a little different to the usual why not give my White Chocolate Easter Egg Nests a go?

There’s always room for some baking and these Spanish Fennel Biscuits are similar to something I tried in Madrid. Delicious with cream cheese and sherry! I like my cookies crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle and my Double Chocolate and Orange Cookies are exactly that!

A few other things to look out for at this time of year are Bergamot lemons and I’ve got plenty of Bergamot Recipes to try: as a salad dressing, in a cake and in a cocktail! If you’re lucky enough to find some wild garlic there’s plenty of cooking inspiration if you take a look at these Wild Garlic Recipes. And don’t forget about the Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Rhubarb! What will you be cooking up this spring?

Vegetable Keema Rice with Crispy Paneer

By 13 Comments

vegetable keema rice with crispy paneer

At this time of year I get all the spices out of the cupboard and start to use those that I forgot about over the summer months. I found a tub of my homemade keema spice mix and although I know it’s delicious with lamb I wanted to try and make a veggie version. After trying out a few different vegetables and quantities I decided that I like this version of my vegetable keema rice the best. Not only is it easy and filling, it’s also got four different veg in and loads of texture from that crispy paneer.

ingredients

You will need (for two):

  • Rapeseed oil for cooking
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 dsp keema spice mix
  • 125g basmati rice
  • 300ml water
  • 2 nuggets frozen spinach (about the same as 4-6 tbsp blanched and chopped fresh spinach)
  • 1/2 mug frozen peas
  • Salt

For the crispy paneer:

  • Rapeseed oil for cooking
  • 1 heaped tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • Handful mushrooms, sliced
  • 225g paneer cheese
  • Salt

method

Heat a little oil in a lidded saucepan on a medium heat and add the onion. Fry for around 10 minutes or so until it’s starting to turn golden brown.

Add the garlic and the keema spices to the pan and cook for another minute or two.

Stir the rice into the pan so it gets all coated with the spices then pour in the water with a little salt. Pop a lid on the pan and leave for 12-15 minutes.

After this add the peas and spinach to the rice, stir the pan and then pop the lid back on and leave for another 8-10 minutes.

Test the rice to ensure it is cooked, all the water should have been absorbed by the rice, and add a little more salt if needed.

While the rice cooks you can get on with the crispy paneer. Start by heating a little oil in a non-stick frying pan on a medium/high heat. Add the turmeric and cumin and cook for a few minutes until smelling fragrant.

Tip the mushrooms and paneer into the spices and fry for 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mushrooms are soft and turning golden and the paneer is crispy on the edges. Add a little salt and check the seasoning.

Serve up the vegetable keema rice with the crispy paneer and mushrooms on top.

I really like the combination of veg in this meal. You’ve got sweetness from the onion and peas, a slight earthiness from the spinach and a rich mushroom flavour. By using a spice mix that you’ve already made (and which you can alter to suit your taste) means most of the hard work is already done and you can just sprinkle in those flavours! The crispy paneer is a fantastic way to add texture and it would be delicious to use some marinated paneer if you fancied.

Easter Afternoon Tea

By 9 Comments

easter afternoon tea

There are so many delicious cakes and biscuits which appear from the recipe books ready for Easter. Simnel cakes, hot cross buns and Easter egg nest cakes to name a few. Frankly I think it’s shameful that all the Easter treats aren’t served all at the same time with a huge pot of tea and some excellent company. So that’s exactly what an Easter afternoon tea is all about. An excuse to scoff all the tasty cakes and biscuits along with some sandwiches (which of course contain some sort of vegetable to negate the cake calories) and scones (because it’s not afternoon tea without a scone).

Of course, an afternoon tea can comprise whatever takes your fancy, below is what I chose to serve for mine:

  • Cucumber, cream cheese and chive sandwiches
  • Smoked ham and chutney sandwiches
  • Locally made sausage rolls and a small pork pie
  • Sultana scones with clotted cream and jam
  • Rice krispie Easter nest cakes
  • Caramel and chocolate hot cross buns (I bought these!)
  • Chocolate, thyme and lemon shortbread

A nice pot of tea and coffee on the side to wash it all down with finished it off perfectly.

I do really like chocolate Easter egg nests and I have made some delicious white chocolate and coconut ones before. This batch of krispie cakes needed to be slightly on the bitter side as they were being served alongside other sweet foods. I also prefer them when they are the sticky cocoa covered kind rather than the melted chocolate variety as they are much easier to eat!

Ingredients

To make your own rice krispie cakes you will need:

  • 125g rice krispies
  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 100g golden syrup
  • 25g cocoa powder
  • Chocolate eggs to decorate

Put the rice krispies onto a baking tray and put them in a warm oven so they get lovely and toasted.

Melt the butter and golden syrup in a large pan on a low heat. When melted and combined sift in the cocoa powder and mix everything together well.

Tip the krispies into the cocoa mix and stir everything together so it’s well coated.

Divide the cocoa covered rice krispies between 12 cupcake cases and top each one with a couple of chocolate eggs.

You might have noticed that my scones were a little on the flat side. I know exactly why, it was my mistake. I cooked them on foil backed baking paper and I think this stopped the heat from getting to them how it normally would and they didn’t rise as much. They still tasted great covered in clotted cream and raspberry jam though!

As much of a fan of a traditional Easter Sunday roast as I am I think this afternoon tea is a fantastic alternative. And the leftovers you have afterwards are excellent.

Keema Spice Mix

By 16 Comments

spices for keema mix

Pouring rice into a pan with some vegetables, seasoning and water has to be one of the most satisfying meals to cook. It all goes in together, bubbles away and then in no time a deliciously fragrant meal is ready. My keema spice mix is designed just for this purpose; to be simply added to rice dishes for a fantastic flavour in moments. You’ll find a few recipe suggestions for using this spice mix below and you can of course add in or leave out any spices you want more of or don’t like. You can’t do that with a shop bought mix.

Ingredients

You will need:

  • 2 tbsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp turmeric
  • ½ tbsp ground coriander
  • ½ tbsp ground fenugreek
  • 1 tsp dried chillies
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried coriander (leaf)
  • 1 tsp salt

Method

Simply measure out the ingredients, add to a little tub with a lid and give everything a good shake to ensure it’s well mixed.

My garlic powder was a bit lumpy when I went to use it but it all broke down after an enthusiastic shaking.

I have three favourite ways to use this keema spice mix. Firstly it is fantastic to make a simple keema rice, similar to this recipe, just add a spoonful of the spice mix before adding the water. Secondly it makes a great marinade. Just mix it half and half with plain yoghurt and marinate chicken or paneer (similar recipe here) before griddling. Thirdly, try adding the spice mix and some fried onion to some minced lamb and making some lamb keema meatballs. Delicious served wrapped in a naan with raita and salad or use to make a keema meatball curry.

Carrot, Chickpea and Harissa Soup

By 10 Comments

chickpea and harissa soup close up

I meal plan. Only the dinners mind you. I’d like to think I was organised enough to plan fantastic breakfasts and fabulous lunches but I’d much rather have longer in bed each morning than fuss around with an avocado and quickly grab something easy for lunch in the week. However, there are consequences to this nonchalant attitude of mine. What if disaster strikes? What if, as I enjoy my chicken sandwich for lunch I realise that chicken is on the meal plan for that night? It doesn’t bear thinking about. So I don’t; I have a very simple way round this predicament instead. Make lunches vegan, and if not vegan, vegetarian. Hello Carrot, Chickpea and Harissa Soup.

Ingredients

You will need (for four big bowls):

  • 2 onions, peeled and sliced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and chopped into large chunks
  • 2 tbsp harissa paste
  • 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 250ml vegetable stock
  • 8 apricots, roughly chopped
  • 700ml tomato passata
  • Oil for cooking
  • Salt and pepper

Method

Add a little oil to a saucepan and add the onion and carrot. Fry, stirring from time to time for at least 10 minutes until the onions are soft and starting to brown at the edges.

Stir in all the remaining ingredients and bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Divide the mixture into bowls and serve straight away, or divide into portions and freeze.

This recipe also makes a delicious cheat’s tagine if you continue cooking it slowly to thicken it. Simply serve it with some tabbouleh.

The sweetness from the carrots and apricots is delicious with the acidic tomatoes and spicy harissa. The chickpeas add a real substance to the soup and with all those different veggies in there it’s all goodness. I like to keep mine in portions in the freezer and take a pitta bread to work to have alongside.

I am getting involved with Centrepoint’s ‘The Big Broth’ with this soup. The Big Broth is Centrepoint’s latest fundraiser for homeless young people in the UK and they are asking people to submit their favourite soup recipe with the chance of having it produced by Yorkshire Provender. Then, each pot sold by Yorkshire Provender will mean 20p goes to Centrepoint. If you’d like to submit a soup recipe you can do so here.

Smoked Pea and Potato Soup

By 16 Comments

smoked pea soup with cheese sandwiches

There’s been a spate of soup recipes appearing on my blog recently. I’ll tell you for why: because there’s nothing more comforting I would like to have for lunch during the week. Sure, a steaming bowl of cauliflower cheese would be a fantastic winter luncheon but that’s more effort than I am willing to put in for what is effectively the most rushed meal of the week. So instead I take a bit of time at the weekend and batch cook some soup, freeze it and reap the rewards in the weeks to come. This Smoked Pea and Potato Soup is probably one of my favourite soups of all; all the salty, smoky tang as if it had bacon or ham in but it’s vegan.

Ingredients

You will need (for four portions):

  • 1 onion, diced
  • Oil for cooking
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 600ml vegetable stock
  • 350g frozen peas
  • Sprig fresh mint
  • 1/2 tbsp smoked salt
  • Black pepper

Method

Add a little oil to a saucepan and add the onion, potato and garlic. Fry for 5-10 minutes until the onion is softened, you’ll need to stir it regularly to stop the potato from sticking.

Add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Tip in the peas, smoked salt, a good bit of black pepper and the mint. Bring the pan back to a simmer and continue simmering for 5 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and the blend the soup. Leave the mint in if you like it extra minty or take it out before blending if you don’t.

If you want to eat it straight away return the soup to a low heat to ensure it’s warm and check the seasoning before serving. If you are freezing in then leave it to cool before diving between pots and popping in the freezer.

I’m not sure you can go wrong with peas and mint together, it’s such a classic. The smoked salt really adds an extra something to this soup; I love ham or bacon with pea soup but wanted to avoid using meat in this recipe. The potato not only thickens the soup but makes it more filling too. Vibrant in colour and flavour you can’t fail to be cheered up just looking at it. I’ve been particularly enjoying this smoked pea and potato soup with cheese and pickle sandwiches! What are your favourite freezer soups?

Vegetable Singapore Noodles

By 22 Comments

Vegetable Singapore Noodles close up

The thing I like most about these vegetable Singapore noodles is that you can throw in whatever you have left in the fridge at the end of the week. Add a few simple store cupboard staples and voila, dinner in 15 minutes. I have been perfecting this recipe for a little while now to get a good balance of sweet, salt and spice and by Jove I think I’ve cracked it. No more takeaways needed! You really can play around with this recipe too; try using different noodles or rice, different vegetables and nuts.

Ingredients

You will need (for four):

  • 4 rice noodle nests £0.90
  • Small handful unsalted peanuts £0.30
  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds £0.20
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce £0.30
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine £0.30
  • 1 tsp sugar £0.02
  • Black pepper £0.02
  • 8 spring onions, ends removed and sliced £0.50
  • 2 carrots, peeled and grated £0.20
  • 8 mushrooms, finely sliced £0.40
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced £0.10
  • 1 chilli, finely sliced £0.20
  • 1 small tin sweetcorn, drained £0.50
  • 2 tsp curry powder £0.15
  • Oil for frying £0.05

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