I cook fresh, (sometimes) healthy recipes

Thursday 31 October 2013

Main Meals: Scotch Pot Tagliatelle with King Prawns

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There's nothing more satisfying than seeing other people enjoy your food and for me,  that comforting silence after the first bite is a clear sign that you've done a good job. However, when I'm cooking for myself I'm not always so generous with the time and effort I put in. I typically prefer simple dishes like salads, couscous, or grilled fish and veg that I can make in no time and carry around with me for packed lunch. I had a day off today and decided to make a one-pot pasta dish that I've been perfecting for a wee while and I finally think it's ready to share with you all. 



There are many one-pot pasta recipes out there but I couldn't find one that really hit the spot in terms of spice for me - I'm a spice addict. You simply put all your ingredients in a pot and cook whilst the starch in the pasta is slowly released to help create a beautiful rich and creamy sauce. 


This recipe will serve two people very comfortably or if you're cooking for just yourself, you can keep the rest for lunch the next day. The main ingredients are:

150g tagliatelle pasta 
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 can of plum or chopped tomatoes
1 chopped pepper (I used half a red, and half a yellow)
1/3 large onion
2 tablespoons of tomato puree

To season, you will need:

200ml chicken stock
1 teaspoon hot curry powder
1 teaspoon coriander
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger paste
salt & pepper, to taste

Bring to the boil and then turn down the heat, simmering for about 20 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on it - I usually give it a stir every 5 minutes or so until the pasta is al dente. The spicy pasta is perfect on its own but I think everything is better with prawns! Fry the king prawns in a tiny amount of olive oil, pepper and soy sauce and serve.
Sunday 27 October 2013

Desserts: Oreo Pound Cake with Vanilla Drizzle

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Can I let you in on a little something? I used to be absolutely petrified of baking...like I legit couldn't force myself to make something as simple as a cookie. Then one day I decided to just fully dive in and make some flapjacks. Now I know what you're thinking - that it doesn't sound like much but my thirteen year old self was so proud! I soon started taking those sticky lovely things into school for my friends to enjoy because let's face it, baked goodies are (sometimes) best shared!



I took a little inspiration from the classic lemon drizzle cake and using a simple pound cake as a base, added some crushed Oreo cookies. And for the drizzle, I just replaced the juice of a lemon with vanilla extract. 


If like me, you love the idea of combining two sweets into something so sinfully delicious then maybe you can swap the Oreos for something else that you love? Maybe some Daim Bars or Snickers? Whatever you fancy! 

You'll Need:

225g soft unsalted butter 
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
225g self-raising flour 
1 packet of Oreo cookies, crushed

For the Drizzle: 85g caster sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, water


PREHEAT oven to 180 C.

WHISK together the butter and caster sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy. Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, slowly mixing it all through. 

SIFT in the flour, then add the crushed Oreo cookies and mix until everything is combined. You can line your loaf tin (I used a 8 x 21cm) with greaseproof paper but I didn't have any at the time so I just greased the tin with some butter instead. Spoon in the mixture and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. While the cake is cooling, mix together 85g of caster sugar, the vanilla extract and some water - just keep adding the water a tablespoon at a time until the drizzle reaches a thick but runny consistency. 
Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork, then pour over the drizzle - it should sink in and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping. Leave the cake in the tin until completely cool, then remove and serve. 
Sunday 20 October 2013

Main Meals: Lemon Pulp Pepper Chicken

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I haven't been eating the healthiest food recently due to my new job so when I finally had a day off I treated myself to something that wasn't shop-bought. Recently, however, my days off are actually just a few hours to myself to relax, and not necessarily a whole day! I've just started a new job working in a bar, so on top of going to university full-time (i.e. spending my classes surfing the net here) and going to the gym, trying to cook on a regular basis is becoming near on impossible. I won't say impossible because deep down I know I do have the time and can make it happen!


On this particular day, I was

a) short on time
b) using whatever ingredients I could find
c) not very hungry

which is why the portion size looks quite small. So feel free to add more chicken or veggies, or maybe even add some pasta. 



The combination of lemon and parsley is perfect if you want to add some natural flavour to your meals. I try not to cook with any additives or any unnecessary amounts of salt and sugar so try to use foods that are naturally quite salty or sweet. A lot of my cooking starts with a versatile base - something like couscous or a mixed bean salad - and in this case I used some leftover roasted veggies. Anyway enough of my chit-chatter, the recipe is below! 

For the chicken, you will need:
2 chicken breasts, skinless & boneless
juice and flesh of a lemon
2 tablespoons soy sauce
black pepper
1 clove garlic, sliced or minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the veg:
I used a mix of sliced peppers, onion, aubergine, courgette, and cherry tomatoes. Drizzled with olive oil and some salt & pepper, I roasted them in the oven for about 25-30 minutes. 


SLICE your chicken breasts to your desired thickness. 

COMBINE the olive oil, garlic, juice and flesh of a lemon, soy sauce and black pepper in a bowl. Place the chicken breasts in the mixture and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. 

HEAT your griddle pan or wok until hot and fry the chicken breasts for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Sprinkle with some fresh parsley. 

You can eat this hot or cold and it would work perfectly as a packed lunch with some couscous and fresh lemon squeezed on top. 
Monday 7 October 2013

Dressings and Sauces: Lemon & Mustard Dressing

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I am probably the world's biggest fan of Marks & Spencer food, especially their super-foods salads. This is actually an adapted recipe of the dressing from one of my favourite M&S salads...I loved the tangy and fresh flavours that the dressing provided and thought I'd have a go at recreating it! I created this recipe using trial and error so you can tweak the recipe to suit your tastes - I like my dressings to be tangy! It's perfect with tomatoes and with any of your favourite salads. Click on the image to see my how-to video! 

You'll Need (for approx. two servings):
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
garlic pepper and salt (to taste)
parsley (approx. 2 tablespoons)

Add this dressing to a salad with chopped tomatoes, couscous and grilled chicken.