Carrot and Lentil Soup

Personally, i think that January, when it still cold and wet, is a rubbish time of year to go on a diet. Luckily soups are healthy, and are perfect for those freezing days, where you just want to stay bundled up in bed all day and the frost still hasn't thawed by lunchtime. This is definitely my favourite soup that I've ever made, despite losing the tip of my thumb at least twice!!(graters are dangerous things you know!)

By far tastier than shop bought soups, and better for you, without any preservatives. The lentils which are full of protein, and fibre to fill you up, without the need to snack later in the day. The carrots, add essential vitamins and minerals, antioxidants that will help clear skin and aid digestion . The added bonus of the chilli and cumin seeds, add flavour and added health benefits such as keeping away the flu, and clearing away the sniffles.

Personally I would love to make with chicken stock, as I think it tastes better, but if your vegetarian, or like me have a vegetarian in your family, then feel free to use vegetable stock. If your vegan use a dairy free milk, or top with more stock. I personally like to top with feta cheese for an added tang, plus it helps it to cool down quickly, as I'm very impatient but feel free to not put it on, or add a dollop of plain yogurt if you don't have any. 

Ingredients 

2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes
olive oil
750g carrots, grated 
140g red lentils
1 l veg/ chicken stock
1/2 cup milk

1. lightly toast the cumin and chilli flakes, until fragrant, set aside around half
2. add the rest of the ingredients, bring to boil, then simmer for 15 mins or until the lentils are cooked
3. blend until smooth
4. sprinkle with the reserved cumin seeds and chilli, sprinkle with feta or a dollop of yogurt if wished

Roasted Carrots ,Chickpeas ,and Lemon Quinoa Salad

Just when you thought it was over; I go and give you another salad recipe. This is the salad, I'm most likely to take to college, as it's super tasty and good for you, and a more interesting than a sandwich, and cheaper than the canteen. Plus, its super easy to pack in a box, and its not too smelly for the train, which is my most common lunch place, since we hardly ever get a break.

I know salads are a summer thing, but since this one is colourful and filling, I can eat it any time of the year. I promise comfort food, and more Christmas recipes will be coming soon, as well as party foods. Plus, the carrots and chickpeas can be served warm, and are lightly spiced, so are more suited to this time of year. Not to mention, that the other side of the world is in spring at the moment (I'm obviously thinking of them in this post).

This is super easy to make on Sunday nigh,t and it'll last for the whole week. Have a couple variations each day to prevent yourself getting bored. Toss with rocket or spinach to bulk the quinoa out. Or try this recipe, if you just have the quinoa left.

Since my sister was eating this, I didn't add harrissa to the chickpeas and carrots, but if you like a little bit of heat, add about 1 1/2 tbsp once the chickpea have been added.I used a mixture of red, white, and black quinoa, just because it looks pretty, but a don't think it has any more health benefits, so feel free to use ordinary quinoa.

Ingredients

750g carrots

230g chickpeas

2 tsp cumin powder

Olive oil

1 lemon

Mustard

Salt and pepper

375g Quinoa (with leftovers)

Handful coriander 

100g Feta

1. Preheat the oven to 180c

2. Chop the carrots into even sized pieces, toss in cumin powder and olive oil. Pop in the oven until the carrots are cooked.

3. Meanwhile cook the quinoa

4. Once cooked drain the quinoa, toss in a lemon vinaigrette( lemon zest & juice, mustard, olive oil and seasoning, to taste)

5. When the carrots are almost tender, toss in the chickpeas until warm, coat in Harissa paste and more cumin if needed

6. To serve plate the quinoa, top with the carrots and chickpea, crumble over the feta and sprinkle the coriander on top.

Griddled Courgette with Mozzarella & Sweet Chilli Dressing

Sadly, the only courgette recipe this year (completely forgetting about this one). Unless you don't like courgettes, then "yay" for you!! Luckily for both my sisters, Dad only planted 2 plants, and this year wasn't a very good for year, for growing courgettes! Meaning it was a very sad year for me. Normally, we grow so many that we end up giving loads away, but this year we had to buy some, i know shock horror!

Since i love courgettes, and I'm always trying to find new recipes, when i came across this one, i did i little excited dance. Its fits my claim "i could eat mediterranean food every day, for the rest of my life" (not that i am) quite nicely. With several of my most loved ingredients, namely the mozzarella (of course, it's in the top 5 favourite cheeses list!!) and the basil.

The sauce is quite sweet on its own, but paired with the courgettes, it balances out. The sauce is also very versatile, and would work well with salmon and chicken, or if you reduce the sugar, it would make a great dipping sauce. 

Serve as a side dish, with fish or chicken, or as a light lunch with added salad  leaves to bulk it up a bit. We had it with grilled mackerel, and my quinoa salad, not the most well planned, and everything works together beautifully meal, but one of the tastiest. 

Ingredients
100g caster sugar
150ml rice wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 large chillis, deseeded and finely chopped
700g courgettes
1 ball of mozzarella
olive oil
basil leaves, to finish

1. In a small pan, heat the sugar and vinegar with 150ml water. once the sugar has dissolved, add in the garlic and the chilli. Simmer gently for 20mins until reduced and syrupy. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Slice the courgettes finely. Toss in oil and seasoning.
3. Heat the griddle pan or barbecue  to hot.Cook the courgettes, until tender and charred.
4. Arrange on a serving plate, tear over the mozzarella and drizzle with the dressing. Scattered with basil. 

Caramalised Onion and Cheese Muffins

Can we please, just take a moment, to appreciate that these beauty's exist. Both sweet and salty, and incredibly cheesy. Cheese is one of the best foods to grace the earth, and i think i would die, if i didn't have it for over a week. If you make these, and don't like them...., then I'm sorry we cannot be friends, as these are definitely my favourite savoury baking recipe, though my cheese scones come a close second.

For parties, i think this small size is easy, and gives you an excuse to eat more because "there small....". I regularly make them in a normal cupcake tin, as its easier to get out, and don't dry out as quickly. These are definitely one of those items to eat on the day, because they dry out quite quickly.
I'm still in the process of finding the exactly right amount of sugar for my taste buds, so keep adjusting it to your own, but this is what I've found is roughly the right amount. If you don't have panko breadcrumbs, don't worry, it's just as great without it. Also if you don't like one of the cheeses, feel free to swap it, or leave out.

If only i had this recipe, when i was in yr 7, and had to design a savoury muffin, in food tech. At the time my 11 year old mind was blown...what madness! It had to contain two vegetables, (classic example of school trying to make us healthier) but then olives were counted as a vegetable, so it wasn't too hard.

Ingredients 

250g butter
40g  caster sugar
250g self raising flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 red onion
250g cheddar cheese grated
1 tbsp chives
approx 250g crumbled cheese, e.g. feta, blue cheese

panko breadcrumbs, optional

1. saute the onions until caramelised, leave to cool
2. beat the butter and sugar together, until light and fluffy,beat in the egg 
3. fold in the flour and salt
4. gently fold in the cheddar cheese, caramelised onions, chives and crumbled cheese
5. spoon into moulds, top with panko breadcrumbs, and bake until 180° for 20 mins or until golden brown( they will "set", once out of the oven)
6. leave to cool for 5 mins before removing.

Chargrilled Courgettes, Aubegine and Pepper Salad

Still dreaming about this salad.....I'm not lying, I promise! Recently, I've been constantly craving it, as it was just so tasty, but unfortunately, its one if I have all the ingredients, and a lot of time on hand to make it, even if i used the barbecue to speed up the process (actually thinking about that, it would be x10 quicker....ah never mind, you live and learn!).

I think we need to talk about the ingredients, in this salad though...In particular the olives; i love them so much, i reckon i could probably eat the whole jar in one sitting. Not to mention the courgettes, which i love so much, that i can't even wait, for the ones my Dad grows to be ready! And aubergines, my new found love, and i don't even care that my sister and Dad don't like them, because now I'm trying to find, loads of other recipes to use them in.

Feel free, to take out any vegetables you don't like. Can we also take a moment, to appreciate that this salad doesn't have any feta in (yep, I kinda addicted to it), but of course, feel free to add it: Personally, i would tear over mozzarella, to basically have heaven on plate. I also used sundried tomatoes chopped pieces, but feel free to chop up whole sundried tomatoes,as they are easier to find. Serve this salad on its own, or as a side dish.

Ingredients

3 red peppers
3 aubergine
2 courgettes
2 red onions
1  large red chilli
1 garlic clove
6tsbp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
12 whole sundried tomatoes
2 handful black olives( i used kalamata) 
fresh basil leaves

1. On large griddle pan/ saute pan/ barbecue, cook the peppers, aubergine, onions and courgettes, until softened and either browning, or have bar marks.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the oil, vinegar, finely chopped chilli and crushed garlic.
3. As the vegetables are done, add them into the dressing to marinate.
4. When all the vegetables are cooked, add in the olives, sundried tomatoes, basil and seasoning. Toss.
5. Serve, drizzle with more oil if wished.

Roasted Butternut Squah, Oregano, Watercress and Feta Salad

Yet another salad. But it's nearly summer, and summer is what salads are for; so sorry there won't be any stopping just yet. Although this salad is only half in season, when watercress is at its peak in the UK its really tasty and can lightens up the dish as well as the fresh herbs.

I kept the squash as the main ingredient, but for a lighter meal just bulk it up with more watercress, and adapt portions accordingly. Just don't eat this salad if you going out, or tone down the garlic if you are, because this is defiantly one to keep the vampires away at night.

I used butternut squash as I had to use it up but feel free to swap with pumpkin if you prefer. I left this skin on because it gives a more intense flavour but if you don't like the texture feel free to peel the squash if you don't like the texture. 

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash
olive oil
1 bulb garlic (crushed cloves, skin left on)
1 tsp chilli flakes
4-5 springs oregano

for the dressing
2 tsp red wine vinegar
6 tsp olive oil
salt & pepper

large handfull watercress
150g feta cheese

1. preheat the oven to 200°/ gas 6
2. cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. cut into wedges
3. tip into a roasting tin and toss in olive oil, chilli flakes, oregno ,garlic cloves and salt, roast for about 30mins
4. meanwhile make the dressing whisk together the ingredints and  adjust seasoning 
5. when the butternut is cooked drizzle over the dressing, spinkle with feta and add the watercress and toss together

6. Serve 

Warm Coconut and Spinach Dhal

As my family and anyone that knows me well, will tell you, I love lentils. The green puy lentils are my favourite, but the red lentils in a curry, are good too! Hence this curry. Not to mention, how good they are for you; which is partly why I started eating them (not mentioning how tasty they were when I first tried them, the green lentils was served with confit duck; So of course it was delicious).

   This curry is very creamy, so if you prefer a lighter curry, then swap half of the coconut milk with vegetable or chicken stock. If you want it a bit spicier, feel free to add finely diced fresh red or green chili, which I would do if my youngest sister wasn't eating it(shes doesn't like extremely spicy foods, and knowing me i would make it too spicy for her!).

  

Serve with rice or naan bread if you like them. I served it with paratha bread, which my mum buys from a specialist Indian food shop, but feel free to make your own. They are incredibly buttery and moreish , and sorry but that after naan bread will never be quite as good unless is homemade(but then all bread is great homemade).

Ingredients

250g red lentils 

1 onion

1 garlic clove

20g fresh ginger

4 tbsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp turmeric

500g fresh spinach

400 ml coconut milk

200 ml water

1/2 lemon, juice

1. Cook the lentils for about 8 mins, drain

2. Meanwhile finely chop the onion and garlic. Peel and grate the ginger.

3. Sweat the onion until soft and add in the garlic, ginger and spices.cook for 1 min

4. Add the spinach, and cook for 2-3 mins

5. Add the coconut milk and water

6. Pop in the lentils, mix in and cook for 5 mins or until hot

7. Season and mix in lemon juice to taste.

8. Serve 

Lemon, Tomato, Feta Quinoa Salad

After Easter with all that chocolate, and after 6 weeks working in a pastry section, i thought should take a break from sugar and eat healthily for a few weeks. I did also promise a new salad recipe, and I'm pretty sure i won't be easing up on the salad front, any time soon: Sorry. Not Sorry. This is, by far my favourite quinoa salad I've made (I've already made it three times, and I'm making it again this weekend!), its fresh and zingy, and filling without being heavy. 

Quinoa has become a popular and trendy food item now, particularly with bloggers, as i have seen a big increase in the amount of recipes that use it, in whatever shape or form. I on the other hand, didn't get off with the best starts with it: My mum gave it to us when we were little, back when it was much cheaper, and we disliked it so much, that i had to buy the first packet myself just in case i didn't like it again; but hence this salad, i liked it.

As always feel free to switch up the ingredients if you don't like something, but personally i would just keep it, as it is. Serve on its own, or if you wanted to make a more substantial meal serve with grilled salmon, asparagus or green beans.

Ingredients

175g quinoa
1/2 tsp mustard
salt & pepper
1tsp red/white wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon
1/2 pack feta cheese
handful cherry tomatoes
handful mixed salad leaves eg. rocket, watercress, spinach
1/4 red onion


1. cook the quinoa 
2. Meanwhile make the vinaigrette; zest the lemon, juice of half the lemon,add       the mustard, vinegar, oil, and season to taste.

3. Finely chop the red onion and soften in the vinaigrette 

4. When the quinoa is cooked, drain, and leave to cool

5. Cut to tomatoes in half and add to the onions and vinaigrette.

6. Mix in the feta and salad leaves

7. Add in the quiona when cool

8. Mix together and serve