All That I'm Eating

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

Kung Pao Chicken with Mushrooms

By 17 Comments

kung pao chicken with mushrooms and rice

I remember the first time I tried Kung Pao chicken and how much I loved the numbing sensation you get on your tongue from the Szechuan pepper. In order to use up more of the vegetables from my veg box I made my version of Kung Pao chicken with mushrooms. This is definitely not a traditional Kung Pao chicken recipe, it doesn’t even have peanuts, but this version in particular is known in our house as: the best stir fry you’ve ever made. High praise indeed.

Ingredients

You will need (for two portions): 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

Miso Glazed Aubergine with Pickled Cucumber Salad

By 10 Comments

miso glazed aubergine, cucumber pickle and red rice

I’m not ashamed. I will admit it. I am an aubergine-aholic. Babaganoush, parmigiana, in a curry, moussaka, stirred through pasta there isn’t any meal I don’t love which has aubergines in. This recipe may sound familiar, as I have made something similar before, but this miso glazed aubergine when combined with a quick pickled cucumber salad really is a match made in heaven. Depending on the size of your aubergines this takes around half an hour to make, a little longer if they are large and need more time in the oven.

Ingredients

You will need (for two):

For the aubergines

  • 2 aubergines, sliced in half lengthways and flesh scored in a criss cross pattern (don’t slice into the skin though)
  • 2 tbsp miso paste (the best you can get your hands on)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp runny honey (use agave or maple syrup to make it vegan)
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil

For the cucumber pickle

  • 1 small cucumber, sliced into a strip using a vegetable peeler
  • 1 small red onion, peeled and finely sliced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 small piece ginger, finely grated
  • Few sprigs fresh coriander, roughly chopped

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    Sticky Chilli Chicken with Avocado Rice Salad

    By 11 Comments

    sticky chilli chicken with avocado grapefruit rice salad

    I have to admit that I turn to a chicken dinner in some form or other most weeks. Especially as the evenings get lighter and warmer as it’s an easy meal to pull together and so flexible on the ingredients used too. My latest offering, this sticky chilli chicken with avocado rice salad, is full of colour and vibrant flavour and ready in 30 minutes. Trust me on the grapefruit. If you don’t fancy using chicken in this then I think tofu, halloumi or aubergine would be great alternatives.

    Ingredients

    You will need (for two):

    • 2 chicken breasts
    • Rapeseed oil for cooking
    • Salt and pepper
    • 2-3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
    • 150g brown rice
    • 1 large avocado, skin and stone removed, roughly chopped
    • 1/2 grapefruit, peel and pith removed, roughly chopped
    • 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped

    Method

    Pop a pan of water on to boil and once boiling add the rice and cook according to packet instructions. I find it normally takes around 20 minutes.

    Then, put the two chicken breasts between two sheets of clingfilm and whack them with a rolling pin to make them a little thinner; around 1-1.5cm thick is ideal. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.

    While the rice cooks prepare the avocado, grapefruit and onion. Mix them all together in a bowl and add a little salt and pepper. The grapefruit juice will stop the avocado from turning brown.

    Around 10 minutes before the rice is cooked heat up a frying pan on a medium/high heat and add a little oil. Add the chicken and fry on both sides until cooked through and starting to turn golden brown. Pour in the sweet chilli sauce and leave it to bubble up, turn sticky and coat the chicken.

    Drain the rice well and stir in the avocado mix. Serve up with the chicken on the side.

    The chicken is so good! It’s sticky, spicy and, depending on the sweet chilli sauce you use, garlicky too! The brown rice brings a lovely wholesomeness while the avocado works to smooth everything out. Adding the grapefruit means there’s a fantastic sharpness to cut through everything. You could use so many different ingredients like mango and quinoa, miso or aubergine! And if you’re a fan of quick recipes during the week you might like to take a look at my other 30 minute recipes.

    Pea, Bacon and Sundried Tomato Risotto

    By 11 Comments

    forkful of pea and bacon risotto

    I love how a recipe evolves over time. Many risottos have been made in my kitchen over the years and I have to say a pea risotto has got to be one of my favourites. This recipe for pea, bacon and sundried tomato risotto is, in my opinion, the very best it can be. Other variations have included chorizo, fried speck, mint, goat’s cheese or spinach but this combination of ingredients gives such a variety and depth of flavour that is hard to beat.

    ingredients

    You will need (for two people):

    • 1 small onion, finely diced (preferably not a red onion)
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
    • 4 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped or sliced
    • 175g risotto rice
    • 500-600ml hot vegetable or chicken stock
    • 1 mug full frozen peas
    • Small knob of butter
    • 4 rashers smoked bacon, chopped
    • Salt and pepper
    • 25g Parmesan cheese, grated

    method

    Start by adding the oil and onion to a saucepan and frying gently for at least 15 minutes until the onion is softened and not coloured. Add the garlic and sundried tomatoes and continue frying for a few more minutes.

    Stir the rice into the onion mixture and cook for another minute or two before adding a little vegetable stock.

    Add a little vegetable stock to the rice mixture at a time stirring well between each addition and ensuring the stock has been full absorbed before adding the next.

    While the risotto is cooking you’ll need to get a small pan of water boiling for the peas and a frying pan heating up for the bacon.

    Test the rice to see if it’s cooked and if so, remove the pan from the heat, pop the lid on and leave to one side for five minutes.

    While the risotto is resting cook the peas in the boiling water and fry the bacon until crispy.

    Blend the peas with a little butter to make a rough puree. If you’d rather add the peas whole that’s no problem, I just love the bright green colour blending them gives the risotto.

    Stir the peas, bacon and Parmesan into the risotto, check the seasoning and add a little salt and pepper if it needs it.

    At the heart of any good risotto is of course the perfectly cooked rice, cheese and onion combo. Adding the sundried tomatoes gives such a punchy, savoury flavour which coupled with the sweet peas and salty bacon is just the best. Slightly different to my normal weeknight recipes where I try to use as few pans as possible this recipe is definitely worth the extra washing up.

    Harissa Roasted Squash and Red Rice

    By 7 Comments

    Harissa Roasted Squash with red rice and salad

    Sometimes things look tastier than they are and I often find that the reverse is also true. This harissa roasted squash and red rice looks ok, if slightly on the orange side, but trust me when I say it is delicious. Full of colour and flavour, the slight spiciness from the harissa works wonders with the sweet butternut squash. Red rice does take longer to cook than white rice but its nutty wholesomeness is well worth the wait. Bung this oven, sit back and get ready for a taste of autumn; it’s ready faster than you’d think.

    Ingredients

    You will need (for two):

    • 1 small butternut (or other) squash, seeds removed, peeled and roughly diced
    • 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
    • 1 tbsp Harissa paste
    • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
    • Salt and pepper

     

    • 4 tbsp yoghurt (use non dairy yoghurt to make it vegan)
    • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
    • Salt and pepper
    • Red rice
    • Salad

    Method

    Start by getting an oven preheating to 180C.

    Mix together the squash, onion, harissa paste, oil and seasoning in a bowl. Make sure everything is well coated in the harissa. If you like it hotter you can always add more harissa. Tip the mixture onto a baking tray trying to get everything on a single layer.

    Bake the squash and onions in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the squash is soft and starting to turn golden.

    While the squash is baking cook the rice according to packet instructions; it normally takes 25-30 minutes.

    Stir together the yoghurt, paprika and a little salt and pepper.

    Serve the squash up with the rice and salad and dollop the smoky paprika yoghurt over the top.

    I was really surprised how much oomph the paprika yoghurt brought to the whole dish; it was a great cooling contrast to the hot harissa and it married the veg, rice and salad together so well. The harissa roasted squash was really punchy and the salad fresh and crisp. There are lots of different harissa pastes out there, some are much better than others, so keep trying them until you find one that you like. Wonderfully orange this meal almost glows from the plate, tremendously healthy and filling and ready in under 45 minutes. That’s the kind of weeknight cooking I’m after.

    Miso Roasted Aubergine with Rainbow Chard and Soy Dressing

    By 14 Comments

    miso roasted aubergine with chard and brown rice

    There’s a bit of a miso theme on the blog at the moment. For two reasons: firstly, miso is delicious and secondly, it’s expensive and you have to buy quite a lot. So I needed to use up my stash and I really wanted to have a go at my own miso roasted aubergine. Most of the ingredients used are pretty standard store cupboard staples; I was pretty amazed how much more than the sum of its parts this recipe is. It’s fantastic, if I do say so myself, and my miso glaze and my soy dressing will be making many future appearances in my kitchen.

    Ingredients

    You will need (for two):

    • 2 aubergines (normal purple ones are fine but if you can get stripy or white ones they do look lovely and are slightly smaller)
    • 150g brown rice
    • 5 stalks of chard roughly chopped

    For the miso glaze:

    • 2 tbsp white miso paste
    • 1 tbsp soy sauce
    • 1 tsp runny honey (use maple syrup or agave to make it vegan)
    • 1 tsp water
    • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil

    For the dressing:

  • 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
  • 1 tsp pickled ginger
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • Juice 1 lime
  • black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar

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    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!

    Smoked Chicken Fried Rice

    By 12 Comments

    Smoked Chicken Fried Rice

    I bought some smoked chicken from a local farm shop. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with it but it sounded too tasty not to try it. I planned to serve it with some cheese and chutneys but somehow I never got round to it. I certainly wasn’t going to waste it and I thought, rather than serving it alongside something else, why not make it the star of the dish? Smoked chicken fried rice sounded like just the thing for a simple, no hassle budget meal in a flash. Turns out it’s even better than it sounds.

    ingredients

    You will need (for two):

    • 1 smoked chicken breast, sliced thinly £2.30
    • 150g basmati rice £0.22
    • Oil for frying £0.05
    • 1 tbsp sesame seeds £0.12
    • 2 cloves garlic, crushed £0.10
    • Few sprigs coriander, roughly chopped £0.12
    • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce £0.10

    Total: £3.01

    Method

    Cook the rice according to packet instructions, drain, then put to one side.

    Warm a wok on a medium-high heat and add a little oil. Add the sesame seeds and garlic and fry for 30 seconds.

    Add the smoked chicken and fry for 30 seconds more, to warm through.

    Pour in the soy sauce, rice and coriander and give everything a really good mix before serving.

    Optional – you could use scrambled egg instead (or as well as) the chicken. I have done in the past and it’s such a quick and easy dinner. Just whisk up one egg per person then add to the oil and quickly scramble before adding the sesame and garlic.

    The smoked chicken in this gives it such a brilliant flavour; the smoking means it has a great texture too. If you can’t find smoked chicken you could try smoking your own, or use egg instead as I mentioned above. Any leftover barbecued chicken would be a great alternative. This whole meal takes 20 minutes from start to finish. There’s a lot of room to add in vegetables; I would have added peas or sweetcorn if I had any. This really is more than the sum of its parts and a versatile, quick and easy recipe I know I’ll be coming back to again and again.

    Balsamic Roasted Vegetables and Lemon and Black Pepper Cod with Birds Eye

    By 18 Comments

    Lemon and Black Pepper Cod with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables and Rice, finished

    When I’m thinking of ways to treat myself in the middle of the week I like to try and make my life as easy as possible. I prefer to make things where everything is cooked together, or use the same tools. For example I would always try to steam any vegetables over potatoes or pasta that I’m cooking, or if I’m roasting something I try to put everything in the oven. That’s what this meal is all about; grabbing a few bits and bobs from around the kitchen and lifting a meal into something delicious. So, instead of going for a standard fillet of fish, I tried the Lemon and Cracked Black Pepper Lightly Dusted Cod from the Birds Eye ‘Inspirations’ range and works so well with sticky balsamic roasted veggies.

    Ingredients

    You will need (for two):

    • 2 Birds Eye Lemon and Cracked Black Pepper Lightly Dusted Cod fillets
    • 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 1 red onion, peeled and sliced
    • 2 tbsp olive oil (for roasting)
    • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
    • 120g mixed rice
    • Couple handfuls rocket
    • 1 lemon
    • Salt and pepper
    • Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

    Method

    Preheat the oven to 200C. Get a large pan of salted water on to boil.

    Mix the onions with the olive oil and a little salt and pepper on a baking tray. Roast in the oven for ten minutes.

    After ten minutes add the tomatoes to the tray with the balsamic vinegar and the rosemary then return to the oven for 20 minutes. Put the cod on a separate baking tray and put this in the oven at the same time.

    Cook rice according to the pack instructions (it should take around 20 minutes).

    When the rice is cooked, drain well then add the juice from the lemon and a good helping of black pepper.

    Stir the roasted tomatoes and onions through the rice then serve everything together with a good handful of rocket.

    Give everything a little drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil before eating.

    I think this works so well as a meal because there’s only a little bit of prep work to do and it’s all ready at the same time. The combination of lemon and black pepper cod works so well with the faint rosemary flavour from the roasted veg; the cod itself flakes apart so easily. The onions and tomatoes bring sweetness, the vinegar adds a lovely sticky glaze and the lemon and rocket bring a little freshness too. Depending on which rice you use (I used a basmati and wild mix) will give different flavours and textures to the finished dish. This would of course work with cous cous or quinoa if you preferred and you could mix the veggies up depending on what you had in your kitchen. Delicious, fresh, full of veg and ready in only 30 minutes.

    This is a sponsored post and I was reimbursed by Birds Eye for my time and ingredients. All opinions and words are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support me.

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