Recipe: smoked mackerel and chive quiche

The summer may have been a bit hit and miss this year but you've still got to take advantage of the hot weather when it appears! One of my favourite things to do when the sun starts to shine is to eat al-fresco. A dish that always reminds me of summer is a quiche. This time I opted for a smoked mackerel and chive dish from one of my favourite cookbooks, Faye Makes It Easy. I actually almost followed this to the letter which is very unusual for me but everything from Faye's cookbook is great the way it is.

Paired with some refreshing Galvanina*, the quiche went down a treat! Offering organic flavours - in beautiful embossed bottles - such as Red grapefruit, Ruby orange, Sicilian clementine and Sicilian lemonade, the 100% fruit drinks are absolutely delicious. My personal favourite is the Sicilian Clementine - so fruity!

Ingredients:
1 pack of ready rolled shortcrust pastry
2 large eggs, beaten
200g smoked mackerel fillets
100ml milk
200ml half-fat creme fraiche
I bunch of chives, chopped

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees for a fan oven/ 220 degrees/gas mark 7.

2. Roll out the pastry and line a small tart dish, roughly trim the edges. Prick the base a few times with a fork and blind bake - with baking beads and a sheet of parchment paper - it for 15 minutes.

3. Remove the paper and beads once baked and brush with beaten egg before baking for another five minutes. Set aside once cooked.

4. To make the filling, take the skin off the mackerel, tear the fish into little pieces and scatter over the pastry base.

5. In a large jug, whisk the milk, eggs, creme fraiche and chives with a couple of grinds of pepper and a few pinches of sea salt.

6. Bake for 25 minutes on a baking tray until the top is golden and set.

7. Cut into wedges and serve with a fresh salad - I've gone for roasted vegetable and goats cheese - and a homemade potato salad to up the carb intake!

Please do let me know if you make it, simple drop me a tweet!

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Recipe: grilled avocado barley bowl with Lakeland

Lakeland got in touch to see if I wanted to try out the new Davina McCall range and test them out with a recipe. Always one for kitchen equipment, I said yes and soon a parcel arrived. Consisting of a pair of kitchen scissors, crinkle cutter, grater, peeler and a pairing knife, they were the perfect addition to my kitchen. I decided it was time to try out a recipe from one my favourite cookbooks at the minute, A Modern Way To Cook by Anna Phillips - the recipe called for most of the items to be used. So what did I think? I loved the bright colours as I think aesthetics are everything in a kitchen, they felt sturdy to withhold my clumsiness and were simple and quick to use whilst preparing a meal. Who has time for complicated equipment on a week night? The price point is great too - good quality at a really reasonable price.

Serves 2 with leftovers for lunch

Ingredients
1 large avocado
300g pearl barley
1/2 bag of baby spinach
50g chopped walnuts
Zest and juice of one lemon
100g feta cheese
200ml plain fat free Greek yogurt
A handful of roughly chopped fresh basil
A few pinches of sea salt
A pinch of black pepper

Method
1. Rinse the pearl barley under cold water then boil it in a saucepan. Include a good pinch of sea salt, the juice of half a lemon before putting the squeezed lemon half into the pan too. Cook for around 25 minutes.

2. Cut the avocados in half - leaving the skin on but discarding the stone. Put them cut side down in a griddle pan and cook until they have black griddle marks.

3. To make the yogurt sauce, mix the chopped basil leaves with the zest and juice of the remaining half a lemon. Add a good pinch of sea salt and pepper for some extra flavouring.

4. Wilt the spinach in a frying pan.

5. Once the pearl barley is cooked, drain away the water and crumble in the feta cheese and chopped walnuts. Add the wilted spinach to the dish and mix it all together.

6. Divide between two bowls - remembering to keep some aside for lunch leftovers! Top with the grilled avocado and spoon on the yogurt mix.

As always I'd love to know if you try this recipe out, drop me a tweet to let me know!

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Recipe: Thai vegetable curry soup

Thai is fast becoming my favourite type of food to eat. It's always so quick to cook, packs a punch with the flavours and lets vegetables take centre stage. So when I found a Thai curry paste in the selection that Goldfish Sauces sent over, I knew I wanted to make some kind of soup. Packed full of my favourite veggies, it tasted quite similar to a red Thai curry. It was the perfect fresh, light summer dish for a warm evening.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pack of rice noodles
1 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 aubergine
A bunch of spring onions
1 pack of baby sweetcorn
1/2 of sugar snap peas
60g Goldfish sauces Thai Curry paste*
1 can of reduced fat coconut milk
1 litre of vegetable stock
A handful of chopped basil

Method
1. Heat up the olive oil in a large wok and place all the veg in it. Cook for around ten minutes.

2. Once tender, add the stock, curry paste and the coconut milk. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the chopped basil.

4. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions.

4. Once cooked, divide the noodles between four bowls. Then spoon in the broth before dividing the vegetables equally.

5. It's as simple at that! Tuck in and enjoy!

As always, let me know what you think or if you made it via a tweet. I'd love to know!

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Recipe: Japanese turkey katsu curry

Goldfish brand got in touch and offered me some curry concentrate sauces with a cooking challenge to rustle up some delicious meals. Challenge accepted! Goldfish Brand have been making curry sauces for over 30 years and were founded by Mr Lee for professional chefs. As soon as I spotted the Japanese style curry sauce I immediately had a kind of Katsu curry planned. I wanted to make it a little healthy so opted for lean turkey escalopes and a cornflake coating instead of bread crumbs. The curry sauces are delicious, it tasted just like my favourite Wagamama dish. We opted for a thick sauce like you get in the restaurant. They're really simple to use and you just mix with water. You just add more water depending on how thick or thin you prefer the sauce.

On another note, anyone else struggle to make curries look photogenic?!

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 turkey escalopes
1 egg
A handful of cornflakes
200g white rice
100g Japanese style curry sauce*
300ml water
1 tsp of olive oil

Method
1. Put the rice in a pan of boiling water and cook for 15 minutes.

2. Crush the cornflakes into crumbs using your hands. Coat the turkey escalopes in the egg before coating in the crushed cornflakes. Put to one side on a white rack.

3. In a small saucepan, mix the curry sauce and water together until it has dissolved completely. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 2-3 minutes.

4. Fry the escalopes in the olive oil 3-4 minutes each side depending on their thickness.

5. Drain the rice, put on a plate and plate the escalope on top. Pour over the sauce.

As always I would love to know if you attempt this, make sure you drop me a tweet! Use the hashtag #curryoncooking

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Recipe: Ultimate mac and cheese

Mac and cheese is one of my all-time favourite comfort dishes. It's so hard to get right but when it's cook to perfectly, it tastes heavenly. Just not the most photogenic of food dishes! So when I was kindly sent some Norwegian Jarlsberg cheese I decided to attempt it for the first time. I used a Jamie Oliver recipe as a base. Jarlsberg is a great cheese to use because it still keeps it's intense nutty flavour when it's melted.

Feeds 4

Ingredients:
20g butter
1.5 heaped tbsp plain flour
4 tsp of lazy garlic
3 bay leaves
1 pint of semi-skimmed milk
300g macaroni pasta
1 pack of cherry tomatoes
4 rashers of bacon
Splash of Worcester sauce
150g grated Jarlsberg cheese*
100g grated parmesan cheese
1 big handful of breadcrumbs
Olive oil

Method:

1. Grill the bacon under the grill until it is nice and crispy. Once cooked, put aside to cool down.

2. While the bacon is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat, add the flour then turn the heat up to medium. Keep staring until you get a paste like mixture.

3. Add the garlic and keep stirring until the garlic is nice and golden. Add the bay leaves.

4. Slowly add the milk and keep stirring until the sauce is lovely and smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and then leave it to simmer. Stir occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Preheat the oven to around 200 degrees.

5. Boil some water and add the pasta. Cook to the packet instructions.

6. Meanwhile roughly chop the tomatoes and bacon. Season them with salt and pepper to your taste.

7. Once the pasts is cooked, drain it and add it to the sauce. Then add the grated cheeses, tomatoes, bacon and Worcester sauce.

8. Make sure the sauce isn't too thick as it will thicken in the oven. Add some water if you need too.

9. Transfer the mixture into a oven-proof casserole pan before popping in the oven for around 30 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and golden brown.

10. Whilst it cooked, heat some olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat before popping in the breadcrumbs. Stir and toss the breadcrumbs around until they're crispy but not too burnt!

11. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs over the finished mac and cheese for a lovely cranky topping before tucking in. Enjoy!

As always, please do let me me know if you give this a whirl and drop me a tweet!

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A Valentine's day love in

After nine years my boyfriend and I don't really celebrate Valentine's Day and I'm actually away with the girls! Oops. But I do get drawn into the heart shaped food, the vibrant pinks and red and the beautiful flowers. After all, I am a girl! So to celebrate the day of love - because what do I love more than stuffing my face - these heart shaped scones will be perfect. Paired with this gorgeous bunch of red roses* from Blossoming Gifts, they make me one happy bunny. Even if you don't have a significant other, Valentine's Day flowers are always a winner. There's nothing to say you can't treat yourself once in a while. After all, you know your tastes inside out! Buy someone special - or yourself! - a bunch with my special discount code. Simply enter BGIFTS33 at the checkout - the only bouquets exempt are the flowers by post range.

No sweet treat is every complete without having a pretty tin to carry them in. Every bake needs a finishing touch. It's a good job this Orla Kiely set* made its way into my kitchen then. It makes the perfect gift for any baking fanatic and you get five - FIVE! - tins so that means lots of cake. Lot and lots of cake. Food is always the way to a girl's heart. Well this girl anyway! These scones fit in the bottom one perfectly.

Then finally ice cream. Haagen-Dazs Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream* was made for the day of love. Vanilla ice cream is blended together with crumbly biscuit and a tangy strawberry sauce. It really does taste as good as it sounds. It's best to get two as you won't want to share this beauty with anyone!

Recipe taken from good old Martha Stewart. She's a good 'un. As always, I'd love to know if you managed to rustle these up in the kitchen so drop me a tweet. Happy baking!

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The £3.50 ASDA wonky veg box - what can you make?

ASDA got in touch and challenged me to rustle up three recipes using their new Wonky Veg box. Priced at just £3.50, the cardboard box is full off seasonal vegetables. With the only snag being the fact they're all a little bit misshapen. But they taste perfectly fine! It's to encourage the public to waste less food and trying the imperfect vegetables that usually get thrown away.

So what did I make? Well I put together three different recipes and still have so much left over! The below menu fed five people comfortable. The only vegetables pictured below that were bought separate was the radishes and the spring onions and I didn't have many salad items. 

Prawn cocktail

Ingredients:
Half a cucumber
3 peppers
1 bag of radishes
1 pack of cooked king prawns
8 spring onions
5 heaped tbsp light mayo
4 tbsp tomato and chilli chutney
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp creamed horseradish
A splash of lemon juice

Method:
1. Mix the mayo, chutney, Worcester sauce, horseradish and lemon juice together to make the seafood sauce.

2. If you have one, used a spiralizer to create cucumber ribbons. Place the chopped salad nicely in a small glass bowl.

3. Place 5-6 prawns in the middle before pouring a couple of tablespoons of the sauce over the top.

Cottage Pie - taken from Hairy Bikers Dieters cookbook with a few weeks

Ingredients:
800g potatoes
3 leeks
150g low fat creme fraiche
500g extra lean mince
1 can of chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp of tomato puree
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 parsnip
2 carrots
3 small onions
500ml of beef stock made with one stock cube
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cook the mince, parsnip, carrots and onions in a large dish for around ten minutes - until the meat has browned.

2. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Bring to the boil and then let it shimmer for around 40 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

3. Once the meat has been shimmering for around 20 minutes, peel the potatoes. Chopped into small chunks and cook them until they are soft.

4. Once the potatoes are nearly done, sautéed the chopped leeks for five minutes. They must be softened but not coloured.

5. Drain the potatoes, tip back into the pan and add the creme fraiche and leeks. Mash everything together until it is smooth. Preheat the oven to 200 - adjust accordingly.

6. Pour the beef mixture into an ovenproof dish and layer with the mashed potato.

7. Bake for 30 minutes in the oven or until the topping is lovely and golden. Serve with savoy cabbage or a veg of your choice!

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

I've actually made this before and posted the recipe on the blog.

Overall I was so impressed with the box and really couldn't believe just how many different types vegetables were in it. It's fantastic value for money and a great way to encourage people to eat healthier.

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Recipe: Coconut and Lime Cake

Loaves are fast becoming my favourite thing to bake! This time it's a Coconut and Lime cake from Levi Roots. I added my own lime glaze to keep it even more of a zingy kick and changed a few of the ingredients. You can never have too much citrus in a cake!

Ingredients:
175 self-raising flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
175g baking spread
175g caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
50g desiccated coconut
Finely grated zest and juice of two limes

For the glaze:
125g icing sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of one lime
4 tsp of water

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Adjust depending on your oven if you have too.

2. Put the flour, butter, bicarbonate of soda, eggs, coconut, caster sugar and lime in a large mixing bowl.

3. Use an electric whisk, start off slowly and then gradually increase the speed. Mix together until the batter looks light and fluffy.

4. Pour the batter into a lined and greased loaf tin before popping in the oven for around 40 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on it as it cooked very quick!

5. Once baked, take it out and leave it to cool for ten minutes in the tin before popping it on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the glaze:
1. Pop all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until you get the desired thickness.

2. Pour over the loaf once it has cooled.

Let me know on Twitter if you decide to make and I'd love to see a picture. Happy baking!

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5 of my favourite cookbooks

Cookbooks are my jam. I don't even want to count how many I have. I absolutely love buying them, settling down in bed flicking through the pages and rustling something up that looks vaguely like the picture. I am addicted. But these five are my current favourites.

1. Levi Roots Reggae Reggae Cookbook
Caribbean food is up there with one of my favourite cuisines and this cookbook is perfect for beginners. The recipes are so simple to make, ingredients aren't too tricky and everything tastes utterly delicious. I love the fact the book tells you all about Levi Roots and the journey he's made to get to where he is today. The Jamaican Ginger Cake recipe is perfection. Next on my list is the coconut cake and sweet potato pudding. Best start baking!

2. Lola's Forever
Every single recipe in this book looks mouth-watering. I've had a Lola's cupcake before in London so was over the moon when I was kindly treated to this book from the mother. It has every different type of cupcake, tray bake and loaf you can imagine. And then some more. Some recipes are quite time-consuming so it's best to set aside a lot of time for the kitchen. But they always come out perfectly and taste great. The rocky road cupcakes are bookmarked for my next baking session.

3. Mary Berry's Baking Bible
How could I not include the Queen of baking eh? The recipes always use simple, wholesome ingredients - nothing worse then wondering where the hell to get certain bits and pieces - and Mary always break down exactly what you need to do perfectly so there's not room for error on your part. She has everything covered. The cakes aren't anything too fancy but they're old favourites and always hit the spot. The Frosted Walnut Layer Cake has been calling my name for a while!

4. Jamie's Ministry of Food
I have a soft spot for Jamie Oliver but sometimes he gets a bit too fussy and includes recipes that take forever. That's ok on a lazy Sunday but who has time for that midweek when you feel like your stomach is about it eat itself? This is an oldie but a goodie. It's got some great British classics and lots of hints and tips to help you get to know your way around a kitchen. It's a fantastic option for those who are just starting to experiment. I still can't believe I haven't made the Baked Camembert Pasta. I'm slacking.

5. The Hairy Bikers' family Cookbook Mums Know Best
I wish I could employ the Hairy Bikers to be my full time cooks. These men are my heroes! They always create such hearty dishes with a slight twist to help keep them feeling fresh. After all, how many times can you have Shepherd's Pie eh? This one features all different types of cuisines but they all have a slight British twist to them which means they'll suit even the fussiest of eaters. Nothing to too intense. The cheesy cottage pie is such a crowd pleaser and always gets a nod of approval from guests. I think the curried salmon will be my next dish I tackle!

What are your favourite cookbooks? I'm always after suggestions! 

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A few favourites #5

1. The Hairy Dieters cookbook
I'm trying my hardest to eat healthily or at least 80% of the time. We all need a burger binge once in a lifetime right? So I've been digging around in my extensive cookbook collection and come across an old favourites. I adore The Hairy Bikers - I think I might have nearly all of their books. This one is a little gem. Every recipe I've tried has been amazing and they all feel indulgent despite shaving off a few calories from the original. It's amazing how a few changes can completely reduce the calorie content without having to compromise on taste.

2. Schwarzkopf Got2b Rise 'n' Shine Volume and Shine Hairspray*
I'm always a little heavy handed with hairspray - gotta help it stick right? - so look out for one that has a strong hold but doesn't make my hair feel rock solid. I've found just the right one thanks to Got2b. This beauty helps to stop any stray hairs coming out of place, gives it a much needed shine and boasts it's volume. The lazy girl in me loves a multi-tasker. It's easy to brush out and my hair doesn't feel heavy or sticky.

3. Urbanears Plattan headphones
My headphones suddenly packed up halfway through my commute to the city so I need of some decent quality ones sharpish. I'd spotted these in various colours on the tube so hunted around until I realised what they were. Urbanears is a Scandinavian brands and are famous for their rainbow colours. They're comfortable to wear, easy to adjust and have brilliant sound quality.

4. Next postcard clutch bag 
My darling mother treated me to this clutch in the Next sale just before I went to Barcelona. I have such a soft spot for a novelty clutch and this one ticks all the boxes. Such a conversation starter!

5. Models Own Chrome effect nail polishes*
Since I've been trying really hard to stop biting my nails, I've been smothering them in nail polish a few times a week. I've found if they look pretty, I tend to leave them alone. I picked up these polishes a few months ago from my old job and they look great on. So shiny! The gold and silver are already earmarked for the festive season.

6. Gallo Family Vineyards Spritz Raspberry and Lime & Pineapple and Passionfruit*
I do love a good glass of wine as anyone who knows me will confirm but sometimes it's nice to have something a little lighter and more refreshing. That's where these tasty concoctions came in. TV presenter Laura Whitemore is the face of the brand so you know you're going to be in good hands when you crack open a bottle. All the cool kids are drinking them!

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Recipe: Baked Oats

I found these baked oats floating around on the web while I was looking for healthy yet filling breakfasts. I've been obsessively having them most days as they're perfect for weekdays. The great thing is you can pop any fruit that tickles your fancy in them - my favourite is blueberries. I make mine the night before and have them cold for breakfast when I get into work. It helps me stay on plan for Slimming World!

Ingredients:
50g fresh blueberries
35g porridge oats
1 medium egg
50ml semi-skimmed milk

Method:
1. Mix the oats, milk and egg together in a bowl.

2. Pop in the blueberries and mix it all together.

3. Pour into a small ramekin and pop in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees.

4. Once cooked you can either have them warm or wait for them to cool down. I prefer them the latter way. Enjoy!

As always let me know if you make them, tweet me and show me the pictures!

 

 

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Recipe: Malteaser Bunny Easter Nests

 

Looking for something quick and easy to bake at Easter? You need something that will get you lots of brownie points? Look no further! These simple bunny nests take hardly any time at all to whip up. Plus they taste so yummy that you'll be the toast of wherever you decide to spend Easter.

Makes 10

Ingredients:
400g milk chocolate
3 packs of mini Malteser Bunnies
4 large crushed Shredded Wheat

Method:

1. Bash the Shredded Wheat with a rolling pin while it's in the packet. Pop to one side.

2. Melt the chocolate over the hob. Use a saucepan of boiling water and play a bigger ceramic bowl on top. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't boil over. Make sure you keep stirring.

3. Once the chocolate is melted, mix in the crushed Shredded Wheat until it is fully covered.

4. Pop three teaspoons of mixture into a cupcake case before making a little hole in the middle. Pop your Malteser Bunny in the middle.

5. Pop in the fridge for an hour to help them set before scoffing one to two!

Please do tweet me and let me know if you make them!

 

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