All That I'm Eating

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

Paprika Pepper Pasta

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Life is busy. I have a toddler. Dinner that can be ready in a flash is what it’s all about in my house. This paprika pepper pasta is a dish I keep coming back to, and variations of it, because it’s so quick and simple. The ingredients are easy to get hold of and inexpensive: exactly my kind of weeknight cooking. And, with three portions of veg in one meal everyone’s happy!

A smoky, sweet and savoury pasta sauce it is also delicious served with baked potatoes. The fresh basil really lifts the dish and parsley would work just as nicely. read more

Red Lentil and Tomato Soup

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Perhaps I should rename my blog ‘All That I’m Blending’ I’ve been making so much soup recently. But that’s the joy of soup isn’t it? You can pretty much throw what you’ve got hanging around into the pot and miraculously out comes a steaming hot bowl of marvellous soup. My red lentil and tomato soup is no different. Made using what I had in the cupboards and fridge this felt like a meal concocted out of nothing; and I have extra portions in the freezer for a rainy day. 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

Creamy Lentil Pasta Bake

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Creamy Lentil Pasta Bake with cheese topping

You know those small pasta shapes you can buy which are ideal for minestrone? Well, it turns out they make a really good pasta bake. I found this out by accident when making my creamy lentil pasta bake and looked in the cupboard to find only teeny tiny bows to hand. This is a seriously tasty and very filling vegetarian pasta bake which is crammed full of veg with a little added double cream for a touch of weeknight luxury.

Ingredients

You will need (for two plus leftovers):

  • 180g pasta
  • 250g cooked puy lentils
  • Handful grated cheese, cheddar or Parmesan both work well

For the creamy tomato sauce

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 pepper, finely chopped
  • Olive oil for cooking
  • 600g tomato passata
  • 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste
  • 3 nuggets frozen chopped spinach (you could use fresh that has been wilted and chopped)
  • 150ml double cream
  • Salt and pepper

Method

Start by making the sauce. Get a saucepan onto a medium heat and add the onion with a glug of olive oil. Fry gently for 10 minutes. read more

Vegetable Keema Rice with Crispy Paneer

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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.

Jerk Carrots with Rice and Beans

By 9 Comments

roasted jerk carrots

Jerk seasoning has to be one of my favourites. No matter what time of year it is there’s always room for something to be cooked up with it; sticky jerk chicken in the autumn, a fiery casserole in the winter or when the new season arrives, jerk carrots. This recipe came out of a need to use up a whole load of carrots and I certainly didn’t want to make soup. I can see it working really well on the BBQ as a spicy veggie side in the coming weeks too. If you can get hold of new season spring carrots they are sweeter and smaller than carrots available later in the year and are ideal for this recipe.

Ingredients

You will need (for two):

  • 6 small to medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp jerk seasoning
  • Salt and pepper

 

  • 125g easy cook rice, washed
  • Pinch allspice
  • 4 spring onions, sliced
  • 200g tinned black beans
  • 300ml hot vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp desiccated coconut

 

  • Salad
  • 1 lime

Method

Start by mixing the carrots, rapeseed oil, jerk seasoning and a little salt and pepper together until the carrots are nicely coated.

Put the carrots onto a baking tray and roast at 190C for 25-30 minutes or until starting to turn golden brown.

While the carrots are cooking wash the salad and leave to drain.

Get a medium lidded saucepan onto a medium heat and add a little rapeseed oil. Add the spring onions, allspice and coconut and fry together for five minutes or so. Tip in the rice and fry for another minute.

Pour in the hot vegetable stock and the black beans then bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and leave to cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on how long the rice takes. Stir from time to time. All the stock should be absorbed by the rice.

Serve the carrots, rice and beans up with a handful of salad and then squeeze a little lime juice over everything.

The rice and beans are so comforting and the flavour of the allspice and coconut running through is delicious. The jerk carrots are fantastically spicy and sweet as the roasting intensifies all the flavours. Adding a squeeze of lime over everything at the end freshens everything up nicely. There are plenty of other veg that this recipe would work so well for; aubergines I have tried in the past and I think butternut squash would be great too.

Sage and Black Pudding Pasta

By 11 Comments

black pudding and sage pasta

I imagine that as you read sage and black pudding pasta you’ll fall into one of two camps of people; either the ‘a full English isn’t the same without it’ camp or the ‘I don’t like it’ camp. If you know what goes into making a black pudding I can understand that it doesn’t really help to sell itself: pork blood, pork fat, oatmeal and spices. The spices vary between producers so try out a local one if you can get your hands on it, it’s definitely worth it. Black pudding is such a polarising ingredient but it’s actually pretty cheap meaning it’s perfect for cooking on a budget.

Ingredients

For two:

  • 2 slices black pudding (the best you can get your hands on) £1.50
  • 1 large ripe tomato, deseeded and finely diced £0.15
  • 3 large fresh sage leaves, finely sliced £0.00 (free from the garden)
  • 300g pasta £0.50
  • 25g butter £0.15
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil £0.10
  • Salt and pepper £0.02

Total £2.42

Method

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Get a frying pan on a low heat and add the butter and sage. Let the sage infuse into the butter as it melts.

When the water has boiled add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions.

Turn the heat up to medium on the frying pan and add the black pudding. Fry on both sides and then break it up as you go. Add the olive oil, tomatoes and a little salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta then mix the black pudding and tomatoes into the pasta. Serve.

The black pudding is so rich, deep and with a gentle spice; the sage brings a lovely, homely herb note and the tomato a welcome freshness. Combined with some simple pasta it is a cheap, easy and delicious meal to make. You could of course use sausages if you don’t fancy black pudding. Morcilla and boudin noir are Spanish and French alternatives but if you haven’t tried it for a little while I really think our black pudding deserves another go.

How To Do A Weekly Meal Plan

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how to do a weekly meal plan, ideas from recipe books

I have been writing my meal plans for a few years now and I often get asked how to do a weekly meal plan. Speaking to friends a few weeks ago they said they would all love to use meal plans but had either lost a bit of inspiration with what to cook or thought they would struggle to come up with ideas. When it comes to actually putting pen to paper, or finger to screen, it can seem there are so many things to consider that it’s hard to know where to start. Don’t worry though, this post is all about how I started doing meal planning and how, over time, I have wasted much less food, saved time in the kitchen and really expanded my cooking repertoire. And you can too.

Some basics first:

Don’t take it too seriously. read more

Tomato and Mascarpone Gnocchi Bake

By 13 Comments

Tomato and Mascarpone Gnocchi Bake in baking dish

I think this is a perfect meal in many ways: firstly, it’s just the right size for two people; secondly, it’s really simple to make; thirdly, it’s deliciously vegetarian and full of veg and lastly, it’s really versatile. My tomato and mascarpone gnocchi bake is made from a few ingredients which I often have in the kitchen anyway. Just the thing for a busy Monday night when you want something quick and tasty. You could add anything to it that you had hanging around in your cupboards, maybe some olives, sundried tomatoes, leftover chicken or roasted veg or you could pop some cheese on top.

Ingredients

You will need (for two*):

  • 1 small onion, finely diced £0.10
  • 1 small carrot, finely diced £0.08
  • Olive oil for frying £0.10
  • 1 large garlic clove, crushed £0.05
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes £0.75
  • 1 tbsp sundried tomato paste £0.15
  • Small handful basil, big leaves roughly chopped £0.30
  • 125g mascarpone cheese £0.75
  • 350g spinach gnocchi £2.29
  • Salt and pepper £0.02

Total £4.59

* This could easily stretch to feed four if you added a few additional ingredients, used extra gnocchi or served it with a big salad.

Method

The key to this dish is to get the onion and carrot lovely and soft and beautifully caramelised. Start by getting a saucepan on a low heat and add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the carrot and onion and leave to cook gently for at least 15 minutes.

Add the crushed garlic and continue to cook for another five minutes.

Increase the heat to medium and add the tomatoes and sundried tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until reduced and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat.

Cook the gnocchi according to pack instructions, drain and leave to one side. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Stir the mascarpone through the tomato sauce then add the gnocchi and basil to the sauce and mix everything together well.

Tip into an ovenproof dish and bake for 10-15 minutes until bubbling and slightly golden in patches on top.

I managed to find some lovely spinach gnocchi to use for this but you could use any gnocchi, or indeed any pasta for this. Also, if you don’t have any mascarpone I have used cream in the past and it works really well. This is my kind of cooking; because you don’t have to tend to it, keep stirring it or fuss over it you can get on with all the other things that need to be done when you get in from work. Not only that but it is scrumptious. The onions and carrot give a natural sweetness, the tomatoes are slightly sharp, the mascarpone creamy and the basil rounds it all off nicely. I do like the texture the gnocchi bring to this but whatever pasta you have would be great too. I know there are lots of people who say you shouldn’t cook with leafy herbs like basil but I actually think it imparts a lovely flavour into the dish; it’s not as vibrant as fresh basil but I like it.

Smoked Chicken Fried Rice

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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.


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