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.
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.
Lamb, Lentils and Flatbreads
When it’s a weekday and you come back from work to cook dinner, I’m assuming it’s not just me, you actually just want to relax. The cooking should be straightforward, ideally with minimal washing up and the food should be tasty, filling and balanced. I’ve been adding more and more recipes to my weeknight repertoire that are just that; minimum fuss, maximum flavour and ideally ready in under 30 minutes. This recipe for lamb, lentils and flatbreads was another midweek success and is also part of an upcoming post about eating organic on a budget.
New in the Kitchen May 2016
It’s a funny time of year at the moment. I’m not sure whether to make myself a cold drink and sit outside or have a nice cup of tea and snuggle down on the sofa. Luckily enough with the bits and bobs I’ve been trying for this month’s ‘New in the Kitchen’ I have had all sorts of things to try no matter what the weather!
First up I tried a selection of Dutch treats and sweets from Hema. The bag of multicoloured sweets are called Old Dutch and were made up of hard and soft sweets in all sorts of flavours; notably cinnamon, raspberry and cream. They were quite intense to start with and then mellowed; I wasn’t that keen on the cinnamon (but that’s a personal cinnamon thing) but I enjoyed the others. There were also stroopwafels, which I really like, and these had a bit more spice in than some others I’ve had before; great with a cup of coffee. The last thing was a little tub of liquorice; full of tiny squares of deepest liquorice this is not for the faint hearted! It’s really intense, even just one square, but if you like your liquorice strong this is the one for you.
Baked Aubergine, Halloumi and Tomato Mashed Potato
Sundried tomatoes, paste and pesto always hang around for a bit in my kitchen. I never seem to use a whole tub or jar so am left with trying to find different ways to use them up. And why not mix them with mashed potato! This Baked Aubergine, Halloumi and Tomato Mashed Potato is really rather very good; especially when you get a forkful of everything at once. Great for using up a few odds and ends too and you could easily stretch this to feed four people just by adding an extra aubergine and a few more potatoes.
Harissa Chicken with Quinoa, Avocado and Mango Salad
How many times do you think about what to make for dinner and end up with a seemingly impossible list of requirements for that one meal? It needs to be filling, but without being too full of fat, tasty without being too salty or sugary, balanced and preferably something interesting. Welcome to every weekend of my life! Planning meals is something I can’t live without (see post here if you want some top tips) and I usually do it on a leisurely Sunday morning when I have time to look through my blog, magazines and books for inspiration. More often than not I end up fulfilling all the requirements that I want my dinner to be, but it takes time to work it out. So give my Harissa Chicken with Quinoa, Avocado and Mango Salad a go; I’ve done all the hard work for you.
Easy White Bean Stew with Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Wholesome food always makes you feel good; it’s made from humble ingredients and is full of good things like beans, vegetables and whole grains. I normally eat slow cooked, what I would describe as wholesome, meals in the autumn and winter but this easy white bean stew with purple sprouting broccoli is the perfect dish for this time of year. It’s quick and easy to make, is full of seasonal vegetables and is absolutely delicious. Using seasonal veg not only makes the best of what’s around but means it’s super cheap to cook up too, feeding four people for around £4.50 (most of what I used was organic too!).
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