All That I'm Eating

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

Five Minute Salmon Noodles

By 14 Comments

I blinked and it is the end of January! I can’t believe this is my first post of 2021. But these five minute salmon noodles are quite an apt recipe for now. I’ve been working from home and the appeal of toast and sandwiches has worn pretty thin. However, I don’t want to be making a time consuming lunch each day. So I started to think about food I could make in a few minutes; a few basic recipes which will add variety to my working week and be a doddle to make.

I used some sweet chilli hot smoked salmon for these noodles. It was reduced and I used it for two lunches (the other of which I’ll tell you about below). A handful of fresh vegetables, dried noodles and a soy dressing made from store cupboard ingredients are all you need for a delicious lunch in minutes. read more

Blackcurrant Frangipane Tart

By 31 Comments

I can’t say no to blackcurrants; whatever they are in I will like it. They have such a distinctive flavour and when I found some at the market I had to set about making a blackcurrant frangipane tart. This tart is a marriage of two of my favourite things: blackcurrants and sweet almond frangipane.

The best thing about this tart comes from using raw blackcurrants. As they cook in the frangipane filling they burst and become sweet and sticky. The blackcurrants retain their sharp berry flavour but taint the tart with splashes of deep purple impromptu jam. With autumn just around the corner I can’t think of anything else I would rather spoon into my face. read more

Broccoli Stalk and Sesame Soup

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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

Store Cupboard Shortbread

By 16 Comments

Shortbread in tin

I often find that I buy nuts or seeds to make something particular and I get left with a few grams of them here and there. That’s where my store cupboard shortbread comes in. This year I am attempting to use up ingredients in my cupboards and I thought I would start by using the last few dregs of cocoa powder and some leftover hazelnuts; I am so glad I did.

Ingredients

Makes 12 pieces of shortbread:

  • 175g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 150g butter, softened
  • 50g chopped nuts, chocolate or seeds

Method

Grease a loose bottomed tart tin, mine was 20cm. Preheat an oven to 160C.

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl or food mixer and beat together until you get a ball of dough. read more

Satay Pork Fried Rice

By 16 Comments

I really like the flavour of satay: nutty, salty and with a hint of ginger and garlic. Quite a lot of the recipes I have tried involve marinating before cooking and frankly, on a weekday when I want dinner in a flash, mixing up a marinade is not what I want to be doing. My satay pork fried rice has all the flavours you’d want from satay, is super simple to make and contains three different vegetables. As it’s a versatile recipe I’ve popped a couple of variations to the original at the end of the post. read more

Apricot and Coconut Granola

By 13 Comments

apricot and coconut granola

I used to think I didn’t like dried apricots. As it turns out, I do, but only the extra squidgy unsulphured ones. When you bite into them or pull them apart it’s almost like they are full of thick honey and you can see the strands of sticky apricot trying to hold on to the other half. They are the perfect addition to some apricot and coconut granola; a burst of sunny-day flavours for breakfast is how I like to start my day.

ingredients

You will need (for a big jar of finished granola):

  • 350g oats
  • 150g mixed nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, macadamias, walnuts or whatever you like)
  • 75g seeds (poppy, linseed, sesame or whatever you like)
  • 75g desiccated coconut
  • 125g dried apricots, chopped
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 120ml honey or maple syrup

method

In a large bowl mix together the oats, nuts, seeds and desiccated coconut.

Preheat an oven to 150C and line two large baking trays with baking paper.

Add the honey (or maple syrup) and coconut oil to a small pan and heat gently until the coconut oil has melted. Stir everything together to make sure it’s well combined.

Pour the honey and coconut mixture over the granola ingredients and mix everything together really well with a large spoon.

Tip the granola onto the lined baking trays and spread the mix out over the tray so you have one even layer.

Put the trays into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until it’s smelling toasty. Remove the trays from the oven, mix everything together well and then put back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes so that everything gets evenly toasted. Be careful not to let anything catch but do leave it in long enough for everything to be a lovely golden colour.

Remove the trays from the oven and leave to cool. Add the chopped apricot to the granola mix then tip into an airtight container.

This amount of granola will last two of us at least a fortnight having a generous serving with yoghurt.

I love how dark the apricots are amongst all the other ingredients. You can of course use the orange dried apricots, or any other dried fruit that you like to make it your own. The combination of apricot and coconut together I really like and I think I’d add some coconut flakes next time for more texture. I like to serve my homemade granola over yoghurt and my OH likes to add some to other cereal and make both go a little further.

Carrot Falafel and Quick Pickled Onions

By 13 Comments

carrot falafel, pickled onions, cucumber and all the sides

I’ve tried to make falafel a few times before without much success; it seems to fall apart when I cook it. Experimenting with this falafel recipe, a bit more of this and a bit less of that, means that I’ve now ended up with a pretty sturdy recipe. These carrot falafel are really easy to make; everything gets blended together, and I’ve served them with all my favourite sides. Quick pickled onions will be appearing on everything from now on!

Ingredients

You will need (for two):

  • 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 100g carrots, grated
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • Zest 1 lemon
  • 1/4 tsp chilli powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • Sesame seeds
  • Oil for frying

For the Pickled Onions

  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 100ml white wine or cider vinegar

Sides

  • Yoghurt, dried mint, garlic, lemon juice – use a vegan yoghurt to make it vegan
  • Flatbreads
  • Chilli sauce
  • Hummus
  • Cucumber

    • read more

    Tomato, Butterbean and Spinach Pesto Soup

    By 11 Comments

    spinach pesto

    Sometimes I make something like a veggie stew or pasta sauce and realise that it could become a delicious soup with just a little extra water. That’s exactly how this Tomato, Butterbean and Spinach Pesto Soup came about. I had made it as a sauce for baking with gnocchi, similar to this recipe, and I thought it would make a great soup; something a bit different from a normal tomato soup. And I was right. Full of flavour, colour and easy to make from a few ingredients you probably already have in the cupboards.

    Ingredients

    You will need (for four hearty bowls):

    • 2 tbsp pine nuts
    • 4 nuggets frozen chopped spinach (or half a bag of fresh)
    • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
    • 15g Parmesan cheese, grated
    • Salt and pepper

     

    • 1 small onion, finely chopped
    • Olive oil for cooking
    • 700ml tomato passata
    • 1 tin butterbeans, rinsed and drained
    • 200ml vegetable stock
    • Salt and pepper

    Method

    Start by making the spinach pesto. Add the pine nuts to a blender, or pestle and mortar, and blend until finely chopped.

    Add the frozen spinach to a small frying pan and cook until defrosted and any excess water has evaporated. If you’re using fresh you’ll need to wilt it down and then chop it.

    In a small bowl mix together the pine nuts, spinach, garlic, Parmesan and salt and pepper. Put to one side.

    Add a little olive oil to a saucepan and add the onion, fry for 10 minutes until softened.

    Pour in the passata and vegetable stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid partially off.

    Stir in the butterbeans and continue to simmer for 10 more minutes.

    Serve the soup in bowls and dollop the pesto on top. Serve with some warm, crusty olive studded bread if you like.

    The tomato soup is comforting and familiar with the added butterbeans giving a lovely bit of substance. A good vegetable stock is essential for good soup. I liked scooping up the pesto and soup with crusty bread; getting different proportions of soup to pesto each time. This tomato and butterbean soup freezes well, I stirred the remaining pesto through before freezing it and it’s been delicious for warming winter lunches.

    Lemon Almond Biscuits

    By 19 Comments

    Lemon Almond Biscuits with tea

    When the nights get darker and colder I reach for two things: one is the big cast iron saucepan and the other is my collection of spices. But for all the big flavours, homely soups, stews and curries that seem so apt at this time of year sometimes I crave a little delicacy. Something subtle, light and simple is what I’m after and these Lemon Almond Biscuits are exactly that. Just the ticket at the end of a busy day with a cup of tea, preferably Earl Grey. These little biscuits take less than half an hour from start to finish; perfect.

    Ingredients

    You will need (for around 15 biscuits):

    • 150g butter, cubed
    • 75g caster sugar
    • 150g plain flour
    • 25g ground almonds
    • Zest 1 lemon

     

    Method

    Put all of the ingredients into a mixer or a bowl and combine to form a dough.

    Preheat an oven to 150C.

    Divide the dough up into small balls, slightly smaller than a golf ball, then put onto greased trays. Leave a little room between each of them so they can spread out. Press the top of each one lightly with a fork.

    Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden. Leave to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

    These aren’t the snappiest of biscuits, they’re not supposed to be. They are ever so slightly soft in the middle and all the better for it. If you would prefer them to be crisper then just press them a little more with the fork to make them thinner. The lemon and almond flavours are subdued and these easy biscuits are the perfect antidote to a busy autumn evening. Uncomplicated to bake, unfussy to eat and with all the comfort of a good shortbread I’ll be keeping some of these in the biscuit tin for the next few months.

    Sesame Chicken with Miso Dressing and Roasted Vegetables

    By 15 Comments

    sesame chicken with miso dressing

    Meals which are healthy, filling, full of colour and flavour and balanced are what I try to aim for with my cooking…most of the time. I always seem to come back to the same combination of chicken with some sort of grain; it’s always a winner and none more so with my latest recipe. This sesame sesame chicken with miso dressing is wholesome, flavourful and just the ticket for some quick weeknight cooking.

    Ingredients

    You will need (for two):

    • 2 small chicken breasts
    • 1 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • Salt and pepper
    • Oil for cooking
    • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
    • 150g brown rice
    • 1 small red onion, sliced
    • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into small chunks
    • 2 tbsp white miso paste
    • Juice 1 lime
    • 125ml plain yoghurt

    Method

    Start by adding the onion and carrots to a roasting tray, drizzle over a little oil along with some salt and pepper and mix everything together well. Pop into the oven at 180C for 25-30 minutes or until soft and starting to brown at the edges.

    Bring a pan of water to the boil and then add the rice and cook according to packet instructions.

    Place the chicken in between two sheets of clingfilm and bash with a rolling pin to make them a little thinner. Sprinkle the paprika, garlic powder, cumin and salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken.

    Get a frying pan onto a medium/high heat and add a little oil. Add the chicken and fry, turning from time to time until the chicken has cooked through and the spices are lightly blackened. Add the sesame seeds to the chicken for the last few minutes of cooking to allow them to toast.

    Whisk the miso, lime and yoghurt together to make the dressing.

    Drain the rice when cooked and return to the pan, mix the roasted vegetables into the rice and serve up with the chicken and dressing.

    This recipe lends itself particularly well to using up Sunday roast leftovers. You could mix any leftover veg into the rice, top with leftover roast chicken and just mix up the quick dressing. The combination of spices with the earthy miso gives the whole dish a delicious undertone; the sharp lime and sweet roasted vegetables add flavour over the top. Red rice or wild rice would be great if you don’t have any brown, the nuttiness of the rice is great in this dish. All in all this is my new current favourite chicken and grain combination!

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