I mentioned yesterday how much we had enjoyed the combination of asparagus, smoked salmon and soft boiled eggs last week. Well, apparently one of us enjoyed it so much that he decided to go off to the supermarket and buy all the constituent parts so we could have it for tea again last night. And it was just as scrumptious second time around.
The real revelation has been the method that Heston Blumenthal suggests using to cook the asparagus which I am going to share with you here. It’s easy peasy and produces perfectly cooked asparagus with just the right amount of bite and a slightly “roasty” flavour (I initially put charred as the adjective there and then realised that not everybody wants their food to taste burned-by-any-other-name).
So, step 1: preparation. Snap the woody ends off your asparagus. Retrieve, from your slightly chaotic cupboard, a medium sized saucepan and attendant lid. Put two pieces of kitchen towel down beside the hob.
Step 2: pre-cooking. Place a scant tablespoon of olive oil into your pan, then bung (a technical term) the asparagus on top and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Lid on.
Step 3: apply heat. Put the lidded saucepan over a medium heat and set a timer for five minutes. This would be a good moment at which to pour a glass of wine. You may wish to shake the pan vigorously several times during the cooking process to redistribute the stalks inside – or simply to work out some of the day’s frustrations.
Step 4: remove from heat. Tip onto sheet one of the kitchen towel and use sheet two to absorb any excess oil.
Step 5: serve.
WW note: I would reckon on counting a single point per portion of this to account for any oil – remember that most of the excess is blotted off.
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Monday, 23 May 2011
Meal Planning Monday 6 - and a weekend round-up
I was going to bemoan the fact that Monday always seems to come around far, far too quickly. And then I remembered that I actually wrote my last meal planning Monday post on a Tuesday. And didn’t really start following said meal plan until the Friday. Life gets in the way, you see! Well, a combination of life and langour (on my part).
The meals that I did manage to cook, following my previous post, were delicious. There was the asparagus with soft boiled eggs and Heston B’s tea smoked salmon, which combination I thought was an absolute treat (although getting the smoked salmon to co-operate and form elegant strips to wrap around the asparagus was challenging. We just had it on the side).
Then, in front of Dr Who on Saturday we had venison burgers, brought all the way back from Scotland, cooked until only just pink and slapped in a bun with a plastic cheese slice – I’m sorry, but regardless of the quality of the meat in your burger (and these were top notch) a plastic cheese slice is entirely necessary. In a fit of productivity, we whipped up a batch of home made mayonnaise which was perfect for chip dunking. It really was a team effort – D whisked while I trickled the oil – which seems to make the process easier. And Sunday, it was pork cheek stew, which deserves a post all of its own (although I have noticed that every time I comment that I’m going to do a separate post on x or y subject, it never tends to materialise. Bad, butterfly brained blogger!)
So, onto this week. And from Friday onwards we will be out, off down to London for my gorgeous little nephew’s christening, and, more importantly for the purposes of this blog, lunch at The Ledbury. Only four meals need to be planned. Tonight will be asparagus with something…probably eggs of some sort. One meal will be brought across from last week. And in addition, I plan to cook:
o Lemon salmon with minted crushed peas and new potatoes
o Aubergine and red lentil curry – I have blogged about this dish before here, it is a very simple but very tasty midweek veggie supper. If we have new potatoes left, I might do some sort of spicy fried potato thingy to go on the side.
Pop over to Mrs M’s blog for more meal planning fun and have a lovely, fun and food filled week!
Friday, 20 May 2011
Au naturel
Whether you are looking to lose weight, or maintain your already svelte figure or keep yourself and your family healthy, everyone has to exercise a certain level of control over what they eat.
Take two of my very closest friends. They have absolutely enviable figures – perfectly proportioned, slender, healthy. Not too skinny, but certainly no inches to pinch (as an aside – these are the two nymphs that for some reason I chose as my bridesmaids. And then chose them beautiful, flattering dresses. No, I’m not sure why either.) They are both what people might refer to as “naturally slim”; they do not diet, they eat cake and drink wine and while they exercise (A enjoys walking while R is a keen hockey player) it is by no means a daily occurrence for them.
But I’ve observed them closely. And while they’ve neither of them counted a point or a calorie in their life both of them are naturally able to regulate their eating. I believe that it is instinctive or, if not, then a lifetime of practice has made it almost so.
I remember having a conversation once with R when she confessed to a “binge” – over the course of an afternoon she’d eaten an entire (largish) bag of yoghurt covered raisins. I nodded, and sympathised, but later reflected that “binge” in my world meant something very different. She probably ate little, if any, tea that night. I don’t think I would have done the same in the circumstances.
It makes me wonder if “naturally slim” does not mean (as I have jealously but deludedly maintained to myself for years) a naturally speedy metabolism, but a natural ability to ingest as many calories as the body needs, and adjust all the peaks and troughs of consumption over a period of time, so as to not end up with a surplus that then settles as a layer of podge.
Of course, we all know exceptions to this rule – but I bet they’re fewer and further between than perennial dieters would like to think. The reality is that in general, the larger you are (assuming you’ve not reached the stage where you are rendered immobile) the higher your metabolism because your body has to work that much harder to transport you around from place to place.
I wonder if the fact that I had already had a taste of calorie counting before I hit my teens has permanently robbed me, and others like me, of the ability to achieve that natural balance? Or whether, like a good sense of smell, or an ear for music, it is simply something one is born with? OR whether it is something that one can learn (or re-learn) with a bit of time and care? I know that I am guilty of not always listening to my body but perhaps, if I'm really, really quiet, I might start to hear a wise little voice telling me exactly what I need to do.
Take two of my very closest friends. They have absolutely enviable figures – perfectly proportioned, slender, healthy. Not too skinny, but certainly no inches to pinch (as an aside – these are the two nymphs that for some reason I chose as my bridesmaids. And then chose them beautiful, flattering dresses. No, I’m not sure why either.) They are both what people might refer to as “naturally slim”; they do not diet, they eat cake and drink wine and while they exercise (A enjoys walking while R is a keen hockey player) it is by no means a daily occurrence for them.
But I’ve observed them closely. And while they’ve neither of them counted a point or a calorie in their life both of them are naturally able to regulate their eating. I believe that it is instinctive or, if not, then a lifetime of practice has made it almost so.
I remember having a conversation once with R when she confessed to a “binge” – over the course of an afternoon she’d eaten an entire (largish) bag of yoghurt covered raisins. I nodded, and sympathised, but later reflected that “binge” in my world meant something very different. She probably ate little, if any, tea that night. I don’t think I would have done the same in the circumstances.
It makes me wonder if “naturally slim” does not mean (as I have jealously but deludedly maintained to myself for years) a naturally speedy metabolism, but a natural ability to ingest as many calories as the body needs, and adjust all the peaks and troughs of consumption over a period of time, so as to not end up with a surplus that then settles as a layer of podge.
Of course, we all know exceptions to this rule – but I bet they’re fewer and further between than perennial dieters would like to think. The reality is that in general, the larger you are (assuming you’ve not reached the stage where you are rendered immobile) the higher your metabolism because your body has to work that much harder to transport you around from place to place.
I wonder if the fact that I had already had a taste of calorie counting before I hit my teens has permanently robbed me, and others like me, of the ability to achieve that natural balance? Or whether, like a good sense of smell, or an ear for music, it is simply something one is born with? OR whether it is something that one can learn (or re-learn) with a bit of time and care? I know that I am guilty of not always listening to my body but perhaps, if I'm really, really quiet, I might start to hear a wise little voice telling me exactly what I need to do.
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
A non food related post about weddings
Yesterday I mentioned that my wedding is a mere four months away. And it has become increasingly apparent to me that I do not have a long term career as a wedding planner, or indeed, any sort of planner. Despite having two years, yes, TWO YEARS to organise the thing, I’m still woefully under prepared.
The problem is, you see, that we booked the venue within a couple of months of getting engaged, without looking at anywhere else. The Star Inn at Harome is one of my favourite places to stay in the world and we have been going for my birthday every year for the past….oooh, six or seven years. When I found out that they hold weddings there, I didn’t need to see anywhere else. I love the setting, plus I knew that the meal would be absolutely top notch (if you happen to watch Great British Menu you will have seen the chef proprietor, Andrew Pern, get voted through to the final as the North East representative.) So that was all booked and sorted ages ago. And at the beginning of the year I stirred myself to arrange a registrar as well (I thought it might be a good idea), and took my bridesmaids shopping for dresses (top tip: if you’re buying high street for bridesmaids, hit the January sales. We got two absolutely gorgeous Monsoon dresses for something ridiculous like £40 apiece). And then I sort of…stopped. People would ask “How’re the wedding plans going?” and I would wave a hand airily and say, “All under control.”
The thing that most people are curious about is The Dress. And, funnily enough, that has been one of the least important aspects for me all along. As a girl who has battled with her weight since a very tender age indeed, I have never taken very much pleasure in clothes shopping (regardless, it has to be said, of whether I’ve been going through one of my rare slender phases or not). Changing rooms are, as far as I am concerned, Hell on Earth whatever size you are. The idea of going into one of those very posh wedding shops and trying on a range of sample sized gowns – which, let’s face it, were bound to be so ridiculously tiny that I’d end up with some poor woman desperately trying to squidge some delicate little bodice around my comedy boobs - was not one that appealed.
I thought I’d be quite happy to just pick something up, off the hanger, nearer the time. And then I made the mistake of Googling images in an idle moment. And I saw The Dress. It was so beautiful and so perfect and so exactly the kind of thing I wanted – even though I hadn’t even known what I’d wanted until then, that everything else just looked plain wrong. Fortunately, I think I have found a dressmaker who thinks she can recreate The Dress, and in time for September, and for an amount that will just about squeeze onto my credit card. So I guess that one more thing ticked off my non-existent list (which I really should get around to making…)
The problem is, you see, that we booked the venue within a couple of months of getting engaged, without looking at anywhere else. The Star Inn at Harome is one of my favourite places to stay in the world and we have been going for my birthday every year for the past….oooh, six or seven years. When I found out that they hold weddings there, I didn’t need to see anywhere else. I love the setting, plus I knew that the meal would be absolutely top notch (if you happen to watch Great British Menu you will have seen the chef proprietor, Andrew Pern, get voted through to the final as the North East representative.) So that was all booked and sorted ages ago. And at the beginning of the year I stirred myself to arrange a registrar as well (I thought it might be a good idea), and took my bridesmaids shopping for dresses (top tip: if you’re buying high street for bridesmaids, hit the January sales. We got two absolutely gorgeous Monsoon dresses for something ridiculous like £40 apiece). And then I sort of…stopped. People would ask “How’re the wedding plans going?” and I would wave a hand airily and say, “All under control.”
The thing that most people are curious about is The Dress. And, funnily enough, that has been one of the least important aspects for me all along. As a girl who has battled with her weight since a very tender age indeed, I have never taken very much pleasure in clothes shopping (regardless, it has to be said, of whether I’ve been going through one of my rare slender phases or not). Changing rooms are, as far as I am concerned, Hell on Earth whatever size you are. The idea of going into one of those very posh wedding shops and trying on a range of sample sized gowns – which, let’s face it, were bound to be so ridiculously tiny that I’d end up with some poor woman desperately trying to squidge some delicate little bodice around my comedy boobs - was not one that appealed.
I thought I’d be quite happy to just pick something up, off the hanger, nearer the time. And then I made the mistake of Googling images in an idle moment. And I saw The Dress. It was so beautiful and so perfect and so exactly the kind of thing I wanted – even though I hadn’t even known what I’d wanted until then, that everything else just looked plain wrong. Fortunately, I think I have found a dressmaker who thinks she can recreate The Dress, and in time for September, and for an amount that will just about squeeze onto my credit card. So I guess that one more thing ticked off my non-existent list (which I really should get around to making…)
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Meal Planning Monday 5
All of which is entirely beside the point of this post. This post is about all the delicious things that we will be eating this week as soon as I rouse my lazy self and actually acquire the stuff with which to make them.
So (in no particular order):
Asparagus wrapped in smoked salmon and dunked in soft boiled eggs a la Heston in the current Waitrose ads.
One pot prawn and tomato curry with carrot and cumin salad and naan bread (eagle eyed viewers might note that this appeared a couple of weeks back, but for reasons which currently escape me, it never got made and the prawns have been languishing in the freezer ever since).
Spaghetti puttanesca – I think I must have seen a couple of blog posts about this recently, because for some reason it has lodged itself in my head.
Gnocchi with butternut squash a la D.
Venison burgers (brought back from the west coast of Scotland) with oven chips (classy, no?)
Pork cheeks with chorizo, white port and broad beans served with mustard mash.
Pop over to Mrs M's blog for more meal planning fun.
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Tastes of home
Eating out is, or should be, a pleasure and a privilege. And to complain because one has just had to spend a week eating out, paid for by their employer, is inappropriate. Really, it is, and I'm not going to do it. But the unthinkable is starting to happen - I am beginning to get to the stage where nine times out of ten, I would rather eat at home.
Let's forget about the whole foodie-on-a-diet thing for the moment as well - the fact is, it is possible to eat out and still lose weight, but it is difficult. So generally, when I'm away for prolonged periods I accept that the weight is going to stay the same or perhaps creep up a little. I've made my peace with that. I just can't bring myself to be the person on the table who orders the green salad with dressing on the side.
But the fact of the matter is, most of the time nowadays when I eat something in a restaurant, I find myself thinking that I could do better at home. And I am not, for one moment, claiming to be a great cook. I am a competent cook.
There will always be restaurants where what comes out of the kitchen is a little bit special, that gets your heart racing a little bit faster. I've bored you all before by our bordering on obsessive love of J. Baker's Bistro Moderne. Later this year, we've managed to get a reservation at Heston Blumenthal's new London venture, Dinner. And we're already engaging in spirited debate as to what we'll eat when we go there.
But other than that, I think I'm content to limit my going out from now on. It's unlike me to take a mature line on anything - perhaps being thirty is finally beginning to catch up with me.
This, by the way, is what I came home to on Friday:
A roasted chicken breast with salty, crispy skin. Some simple, asparagus picked just up the road. And a portion of D's delicious lemon couscous. Completely simple and completely delicious, the highlight of my culinary week.
Let's forget about the whole foodie-on-a-diet thing for the moment as well - the fact is, it is possible to eat out and still lose weight, but it is difficult. So generally, when I'm away for prolonged periods I accept that the weight is going to stay the same or perhaps creep up a little. I've made my peace with that. I just can't bring myself to be the person on the table who orders the green salad with dressing on the side.
But the fact of the matter is, most of the time nowadays when I eat something in a restaurant, I find myself thinking that I could do better at home. And I am not, for one moment, claiming to be a great cook. I am a competent cook.
There will always be restaurants where what comes out of the kitchen is a little bit special, that gets your heart racing a little bit faster. I've bored you all before by our bordering on obsessive love of J. Baker's Bistro Moderne. Later this year, we've managed to get a reservation at Heston Blumenthal's new London venture, Dinner. And we're already engaging in spirited debate as to what we'll eat when we go there.
But other than that, I think I'm content to limit my going out from now on. It's unlike me to take a mature line on anything - perhaps being thirty is finally beginning to catch up with me.
This, by the way, is what I came home to on Friday:
A roasted chicken breast with salty, crispy skin. Some simple, asparagus picked just up the road. And a portion of D's delicious lemon couscous. Completely simple and completely delicious, the highlight of my culinary week.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Recipe corner - Rhubarb crumble muffins
Nothing makes me feel more thoroughly domestic goddess like than baking. A loaf of banana bread today to keep D company next week (am away for work AGAIN), some fabulous hot cross cupcakes for my parents for Easter:
And this weekend, a batch of very lovely rhubarb crumble muffins to welcome a couple of visiting friends.
Muffins are great. The thing is, they're basically cake, but cake that you're allowed to eat for breakfast. Cake as legitimate breakfast food! And these are not only very tasty examples of the genre, at 6 pro points they are relatively virtuous too.
Ingredients
175g caster sugar
175g rhubarb, diced
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
125ml buttermilk
200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the crumble:
50g light muscovado sugar
50g plain flour
25g oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g butter
Makes 12, 6 pro points per muffin
Heat the oven to 220 and line a muffin tin with 12 cases.
Stir the caster sugar into the rhubarb and set aside.
Make the crumble topping by combining the dry ingredients and then rubbing in the butter until the mixture resembles damp sand.
Stir the oil, egg, vanilla and buttermilk into the rhubarb - it will look quite wet at this stage. Now add in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate and stir well.
Spoon (or ladle) into the cases and top with a thick layer of crumble. Bake for 15-18 mins, until a skewer inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
Allow to cool - and then proceed to enjoy at any time of the day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
And this weekend, a batch of very lovely rhubarb crumble muffins to welcome a couple of visiting friends.
Muffins are great. The thing is, they're basically cake, but cake that you're allowed to eat for breakfast. Cake as legitimate breakfast food! And these are not only very tasty examples of the genre, at 6 pro points they are relatively virtuous too.
Ingredients
175g caster sugar
175g rhubarb, diced
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
125ml buttermilk
200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the crumble:
50g light muscovado sugar
50g plain flour
25g oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g butter
Makes 12, 6 pro points per muffin
Heat the oven to 220 and line a muffin tin with 12 cases.
Stir the caster sugar into the rhubarb and set aside.
Make the crumble topping by combining the dry ingredients and then rubbing in the butter until the mixture resembles damp sand.
Stir the oil, egg, vanilla and buttermilk into the rhubarb - it will look quite wet at this stage. Now add in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate and stir well.
Spoon (or ladle) into the cases and top with a thick layer of crumble. Bake for 15-18 mins, until a skewer inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
Allow to cool - and then proceed to enjoy at any time of the day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Meal Planning Monday 4
Back to reality and Mrs M's
Hmmm. Well, strictly speaking this is meal planning Tuesday. But we'll draw a veil over the lack of accuracy to the title, shall we? And forgive a poor little brain addled by a week of sunshine and cider?
After a wonderful time away I am not really in the mood for anything as sensible as meal planning. Or, indeed, work. Fortunately I'm off to Birmingham for a meeting today, so several hours can be whiled away on the train catching up with blogs and staring into the middle distance wishing that I was still on holiday...
The meal plan for this week is rather brief and rather dull:
Roast chicken breasts with asparagus
Smoked salmon linguine - final recipe not yet decided
A one pot prawn and tomato curry with rice and naan to accompany Dr Who on Saturday
Garlic and rosemary lamb with new potato salad
Plus a lovely meal with friends at my beloved J Baker's and a night out in Birmingham on expenses! But since we're talking civil service expenses that is far less exciting than one might expect!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Hmmm. Well, strictly speaking this is meal planning Tuesday. But we'll draw a veil over the lack of accuracy to the title, shall we? And forgive a poor little brain addled by a week of sunshine and cider?
After a wonderful time away I am not really in the mood for anything as sensible as meal planning. Or, indeed, work. Fortunately I'm off to Birmingham for a meeting today, so several hours can be whiled away on the train catching up with blogs and staring into the middle distance wishing that I was still on holiday...
The meal plan for this week is rather brief and rather dull:
Roast chicken breasts with asparagus
Smoked salmon linguine - final recipe not yet decided
A one pot prawn and tomato curry with rice and naan to accompany Dr Who on Saturday
Garlic and rosemary lamb with new potato salad
Plus a lovely meal with friends at my beloved J Baker's and a night out in Birmingham on expenses! But since we're talking civil service expenses that is far less exciting than one might expect!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Foodie Abroad: Foraging
It turns out that I had a deprived childhood and never even realised. You see, despite numerous childhood beach holidays, sandcastles and 99s a-plenty, my parents NEVER took me winkling. I shall be having stern words with them when next we meet, I can tell you. Because it turns out I love winkles.
Here they are, recovered after some extensive scrambling around in rockpools and a grazed shin. Aren't they lovely, though?
I haven't included a photo of the winkle sans shell because they are not things of beauty - what shellfish are, quite frankly? But they taste amazing, little iodiney bites of seaside and sunshine.
We had them pretty simple and unadulterated - after rinsing they were boiled for twenty minutes and then piled into bowls where we fell upon them with pins - you have to "winkle" the flesh out you see, just like snails. A dish of garlic butter (I couldn't shake the escargot connection) proved a lovely addition, but they were fabulous just by themselves as well.
Unfortunately, it is late in the mussel season, so our foraging in that direction was slightly less successful: those that we found were delicious but a little on the dainty side:
Still, they made a perfectly pleasant, if light supper, briefly boiled with wine, the resulting juices being strained and combined with cream and garlic.
We've been walking along the beach today and have found a new spot which looks to be a veritable treasure trove of mussels - D reckons if we head back in September we could be in for a feast of crustaceans. Which is good news as far as I'm concerned; not only because I adore shellfish (and it is, incidentally, fantastically diet friendly) but because the act of gathering it yourself somehow makes it taste all the sweeter.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Here they are, recovered after some extensive scrambling around in rockpools and a grazed shin. Aren't they lovely, though?
I haven't included a photo of the winkle sans shell because they are not things of beauty - what shellfish are, quite frankly? But they taste amazing, little iodiney bites of seaside and sunshine.
We had them pretty simple and unadulterated - after rinsing they were boiled for twenty minutes and then piled into bowls where we fell upon them with pins - you have to "winkle" the flesh out you see, just like snails. A dish of garlic butter (I couldn't shake the escargot connection) proved a lovely addition, but they were fabulous just by themselves as well.
Unfortunately, it is late in the mussel season, so our foraging in that direction was slightly less successful: those that we found were delicious but a little on the dainty side:
Still, they made a perfectly pleasant, if light supper, briefly boiled with wine, the resulting juices being strained and combined with cream and garlic.
We've been walking along the beach today and have found a new spot which looks to be a veritable treasure trove of mussels - D reckons if we head back in September we could be in for a feast of crustaceans. Which is good news as far as I'm concerned; not only because I adore shellfish (and it is, incidentally, fantastically diet friendly) but because the act of gathering it yourself somehow makes it taste all the sweeter.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, 23 April 2011
Foodie Abroad: A bit o' Scottish style tapas
Greetings from Scotland! The sun may have disappeared as soon as we crossed the border, but we still have our fingers crossed for a week of rest, relaxation, the odd dram of whisky and, of course, as much local food as we can get down our gullets.
To start with, I bring you a selection of light bites served up by the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe. D and I ordered three starters, a portion of cheese and pudding to share.
Locally smoked salmon with oatcakes:
A Haggis taster plate with more oatcakes:
Stornaway black pudding with apple purée and still more oatcakes:
Local cheeses and, yes, oatcakes:
And, finally, a piece of Ecclefechan tart. This was a new one on me but absolutely gorgeous - just imagine all that is good about Christmas pudding and encase it in buttery pastry:
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
To start with, I bring you a selection of light bites served up by the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe. D and I ordered three starters, a portion of cheese and pudding to share.
Locally smoked salmon with oatcakes:
A Haggis taster plate with more oatcakes:
Stornaway black pudding with apple purée and still more oatcakes:
Local cheeses and, yes, oatcakes:
And, finally, a piece of Ecclefechan tart. This was a new one on me but absolutely gorgeous - just imagine all that is good about Christmas pudding and encase it in buttery pastry:
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, 18 April 2011
(Not a) Recipe Corner - Roasted Asparagus
This weekend we paid a visit to our local farm shop and eagerly acquired some of the new season asparagus, picked just up the road.
We try and eat as much of this stuff as possible during it's all too brief season. Tonight's supper was simple but absolutely delicious; not so much a recipe as an assembly of happily harmonious ingredients.
Ingredients
Bunch of asparagus
Tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp of butter
Zest of half a small lemon
1-2 tsp lemon juice
30g Cornish Yarg (alternatively use Parmesan or Gruyere)
2 medium eggs
Tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Serves 2, 9 pro points per serving
Preheat the oven to 180. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus spears, then toss in the olive oil and season well. Place in the oven and set a timer for 15 mins.
Put a pan of water on to the boil and add the vinegar. Break the eggs into ramekins ready for poaching.
Use a potato peeler to reduce your cheese to a pile of shavings.
Melt the butter over a low heat and add in the lemon zest and juice.
As the asparagus comes up to the end of it's roasting time, slip the eggs into the boiling water for 2 minutes to poach.
Drizzle the lemon butter over the roasted asparagus, top with the cheese shavings, the poached egg and an extra scrunch of black pepper.
Consider having some crusty bread on hand to mop up the butter and egg yolk - or, if you want to save points, throw etiquette to the wind and use your finger.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We try and eat as much of this stuff as possible during it's all too brief season. Tonight's supper was simple but absolutely delicious; not so much a recipe as an assembly of happily harmonious ingredients.
Ingredients
Bunch of asparagus
Tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp of butter
Zest of half a small lemon
1-2 tsp lemon juice
30g Cornish Yarg (alternatively use Parmesan or Gruyere)
2 medium eggs
Tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Serves 2, 9 pro points per serving
Preheat the oven to 180. Snap the woody ends off the asparagus spears, then toss in the olive oil and season well. Place in the oven and set a timer for 15 mins.
Put a pan of water on to the boil and add the vinegar. Break the eggs into ramekins ready for poaching.
Use a potato peeler to reduce your cheese to a pile of shavings.
Melt the butter over a low heat and add in the lemon zest and juice.
As the asparagus comes up to the end of it's roasting time, slip the eggs into the boiling water for 2 minutes to poach.
Drizzle the lemon butter over the roasted asparagus, top with the cheese shavings, the poached egg and an extra scrunch of black pepper.
Consider having some crusty bread on hand to mop up the butter and egg yolk - or, if you want to save points, throw etiquette to the wind and use your finger.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Meal planning Monday 3
So…
Monday: We’ve got some beautiful looking asparagus which I shall be roasting and serving up with lemon butter and shavings of Cornish Yarg cheese with a poached egg perched proudly on top. Simple, light and scrummy.
Tuesday: I saw these chicken fillets with a caesar style melt when I was doing my online shop (I had a 25% discount voucher with Ocado – necessity, sadly, makes me more of a Tesco or Asda girl normally) and, since chicken caesar salad is a favourite of mine, I couldn’t resist. The plan is just to have the fillets on some lightly dressed Little Gems.
Wednesday: Chilli con carne – a household favourite. We’ll be making it in the slow cooker and freezing a couple of portions to take to Scotland with us.
Thursday: I may have promised D a curry to celebrate the start of the holidays. We have a fabulous Indian takeaway just across the road from us and I do spend a large proportion of my life trying to ignore the wonderful smells that frequently drift across…but sometimes, you just have to indulge.
Friday: A play it by ear kind of day – although I had vague intentions of throwing together a macaroni cheese and again, making a couple of extra portions for Scotland. It may not be very summery, but who can resist macaroni cheese at any time of the year?
Continuing in the not-very-summery-but-who-cares vein, we have a mass of leftover chicken from our Sunday pot roast and some rather sad looking mushrooms in the fridge, so I am wondering if whipping up some chicken and mushroom pie filling for the freezer could be in order? I love a nice pie, and it is relatively easy to make them a little more WW friendly by just having pastry on the top of the meat (which I always think is more of an inverted tart than a pie, but to-may-to, to-mah-to.)
Also this week, D has requested that some of the humongous pile of rhubarb in our kitchen be made into crumble, and I am more than happy to oblige.
Pop over to Mrs M's blog for more meal planning fun.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Recipe corner - Gnocchi and butternut squash with chilli, garlic and sage
This post was supposed to be about fish and fruit. But that will have to wait for another day because last night's tea needs to be recorded for posterity (and, hopefully, your delight and delectation.)
I really wish that I could take credit for it but nope, it is all D's work. I just stood on the sidelines warning him to watch the butter content. Then took one of my trademark Pollockesque food photos.
It was absolutely yummy - so much so that the other half of the gnocchi has already been earmarked for a repeat performance.
Ingredients
Butternut squash, peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 red chilli, finely diced
2 tsp chilli flakes
salt and pepper
250g gnocchi
50g butter
8-10 sage leave - finely sliced
10g Parmesan cheese
Serves 2, 11 pro points per portion
NB: The cooking times below were for pieces of squash about 1cm cubed, but feel free to go chunkier if you wish, just adjust timings accordingly.
Toss the diced squash in two cloves of crushed garlic, the diced chilli and half the chilli flakes along with plenty of seasoning. Roast in a 140 oven for about an hour - you want it soft but not on the verge of disintegration.
Blitz half of the squash pieces.
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the gnocchi and boil for 3 minutes. You'll know they're ready when they float to the top of the pan.
Meanwhile, finely slice the final clove of garlic. Melt the butter until foaming, and then throw in the garlic pieces for a scant ten seconds. Add the blitzed squash sprinkle with the other tsp chilli flakes and fry for one minute before adding the sage leaves and the roasted squash cubes. Cook through for another couple of minutes.
Drain the gnocchi and put into two bowls. Divide the squash mixture between them and toss a little to combine. Finish with the grated Parmesan.
Serve with a fork and a smile
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I really wish that I could take credit for it but nope, it is all D's work. I just stood on the sidelines warning him to watch the butter content. Then took one of my trademark Pollockesque food photos.
It was absolutely yummy - so much so that the other half of the gnocchi has already been earmarked for a repeat performance.
Ingredients
Butternut squash, peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 red chilli, finely diced
2 tsp chilli flakes
salt and pepper
250g gnocchi
50g butter
8-10 sage leave - finely sliced
10g Parmesan cheese
Serves 2, 11 pro points per portion
NB: The cooking times below were for pieces of squash about 1cm cubed, but feel free to go chunkier if you wish, just adjust timings accordingly.
Toss the diced squash in two cloves of crushed garlic, the diced chilli and half the chilli flakes along with plenty of seasoning. Roast in a 140 oven for about an hour - you want it soft but not on the verge of disintegration.
Blitz half of the squash pieces.
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the gnocchi and boil for 3 minutes. You'll know they're ready when they float to the top of the pan.
Meanwhile, finely slice the final clove of garlic. Melt the butter until foaming, and then throw in the garlic pieces for a scant ten seconds. Add the blitzed squash sprinkle with the other tsp chilli flakes and fry for one minute before adding the sage leaves and the roasted squash cubes. Cook through for another couple of minutes.
Drain the gnocchi and put into two bowls. Divide the squash mixture between them and toss a little to combine. Finish with the grated Parmesan.
Serve with a fork and a smile
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, 11 April 2011
Meal Planning Monday 2
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| A groovy MPM graphic! Courtesy of Mrs M. |
And with no further ado, here is how the meal plan is looking this week:
Monday: Gnocchi with roasted butternut squash in sage butter. Bumped from last week. It's a good job that squashes are hardy things, this one has been sitting patiently in the cupboard for a while now.
Tuesday: Hake with tapenade and caramelised pears. This dish deserves a post all of it's own!
Wednesday: Tinned ravioli on toast. Classy, no? D is out so I'm indulging myself with a super quick and easy taste of childhood.
Thursday: Peppered chicken breast strips (still clearing the freezer and have no idea why we ended up with these) with sun dried tomato and basil couscous and some Mediterranean style veg.
Friday: Fish in breadcrumbs (another item unearthed from the dwindling freezer) probably with mash and peas and lashings of ketchup (tartare sauce for D).
Saturday: We're celebrating our "anniversary" this week (seven years since our first date in a sticky carpeted York pub!) so tonight will be a special candlelit dinner.
Sunday: In further adventures with the slow cooker, I'm doing a pot roast chicken with mustardy gravy as seen recently on Dinner Diary served with roast potatoes and something green!
Check out Mrs M's blog for more meal planning fun.
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Oh! To be in England, now that April's here...
We're coming to the end of a glorious weekend of sunshine. A nation waits with bated breath to see if it is here to stay or if we have just experienced British Summertime in it's entirety.
This weekend, I have mostly been walking. Well, that's not quite true - in fact, walking has only accounted for four of the last forty eight hours. But it felt like more.
D, you see, has appointed himself Chief Whipper Into Shape. This involves the two of us doing a dogged seven mile trek along the river every other afternoon. But in honour of the beautiful weather, this weekend we did it on two consecutive days.
I should say at this point that sometimes I quite like a walk. When the scenery is pleasant, the pace pitched somewhere around "gentle saunter", and there is a pub or two to take in, I can think of few more pleasing ways to while away an afternoon. But D is not doing this particular walk for Fun - nope, this is all in the name of Fitness.
I'm just not built for serious walking. I have short little legs and therefore a short little stride. While D powers purposefully along, I am having to trot, whimpering, at his heels. And my other serious problem is that I am the lucky (?) owner of what we like to call in the trade Comedy Breasts. This means my centre of gravity is all off - I'm in constant danger of toppling forward, and very frequently do.
Having said all that, there is no denying the plus side. The scales are descending at a gratifying rate. And yesterday I managed to quaff four pints of delicious, sun-dappled cider without going into points deficit. What? If this is, indeed, British Summertime then it's only right to indulge in the very British pastime of drinking until your nose turns a fetching shade of lobster...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
This weekend, I have mostly been walking. Well, that's not quite true - in fact, walking has only accounted for four of the last forty eight hours. But it felt like more.
D, you see, has appointed himself Chief Whipper Into Shape. This involves the two of us doing a dogged seven mile trek along the river every other afternoon. But in honour of the beautiful weather, this weekend we did it on two consecutive days.
I should say at this point that sometimes I quite like a walk. When the scenery is pleasant, the pace pitched somewhere around "gentle saunter", and there is a pub or two to take in, I can think of few more pleasing ways to while away an afternoon. But D is not doing this particular walk for Fun - nope, this is all in the name of Fitness.
I'm just not built for serious walking. I have short little legs and therefore a short little stride. While D powers purposefully along, I am having to trot, whimpering, at his heels. And my other serious problem is that I am the lucky (?) owner of what we like to call in the trade Comedy Breasts. This means my centre of gravity is all off - I'm in constant danger of toppling forward, and very frequently do.
Having said all that, there is no denying the plus side. The scales are descending at a gratifying rate. And yesterday I managed to quaff four pints of delicious, sun-dappled cider without going into points deficit. What? If this is, indeed, British Summertime then it's only right to indulge in the very British pastime of drinking until your nose turns a fetching shade of lobster...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Some first anniversary navel gazing
It’s been nearly a year since I started this blog.
If this was primarily a weight loss blog, I’d be sheepishly admitting that my weight probably is about the same now as it was when I started that first entry. It’s been lower and higher, but overall, there has been no significant change. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Well, disappointed, of course.
But also, after a very turbulent few years which have involved all sorts of personal traumas, part of me is rather pleased that I’ve at least broken the pattern of gaining. The depression and anxiety issues, which are the root cause of much of the poundage I now carry around, are improving. I may be taking anti depressants for life, but as my lovely GP said, if you had a thyroid issues, or were diabetic, you would take that medication for life and not think anything of it.
It strikes me, reading that last paragraph back, that it smacks a bit of excuse making. Is it an excuse? I’m not sure. I certainly think, had the last few years not been as difficult, I would be smaller. I absolutely know that, especially in the early days of the anxiety, when a vague feeling of dread hung about me like a cloud punctuated only by moments of extreme, white-hot panic, I was self medicating with food and alcohol. It’s natural to turn to things that you love in times of stress. And there is a limit to how much you can ask of your loved ones before your depression starts sucking all the life and joy out of them as well whereas food is an unquestioning, undemanding constant.
To go back to my original point, I have always wanted this blog to be about more than weight loss, but a celebration of wonderful food as well. I wrote, back in my very first entry, about how some of my favourite memories were foodie ones, and it was absolutely true; food has always been a great love of mine and probably always will be but, somewhere along the line, it also became my weapon of choice. That’s sad. It makes me sad that I’ve abused something I am so very fond of and turned it into something harmful. But, at the very least, my eyes are now open to that. And it is nearly impossible to binge mindfully. The essence of bingeing, especially when you’re using it as an escape mechanism, is mindlessness.
Gosh. A bit heavy. I feel the urge to chuck a recipe in now, for something frivolous like fairy cakes, or fudge. Instead, let me consider for a moment where I want to be in another year’s time? Well, still writing here. Still sharing a virtual meal with all you lovely people. Hopefully slimmer. Definitely healthier, both in body and mind.
If this was primarily a weight loss blog, I’d be sheepishly admitting that my weight probably is about the same now as it was when I started that first entry. It’s been lower and higher, but overall, there has been no significant change. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Well, disappointed, of course.
But also, after a very turbulent few years which have involved all sorts of personal traumas, part of me is rather pleased that I’ve at least broken the pattern of gaining. The depression and anxiety issues, which are the root cause of much of the poundage I now carry around, are improving. I may be taking anti depressants for life, but as my lovely GP said, if you had a thyroid issues, or were diabetic, you would take that medication for life and not think anything of it.
It strikes me, reading that last paragraph back, that it smacks a bit of excuse making. Is it an excuse? I’m not sure. I certainly think, had the last few years not been as difficult, I would be smaller. I absolutely know that, especially in the early days of the anxiety, when a vague feeling of dread hung about me like a cloud punctuated only by moments of extreme, white-hot panic, I was self medicating with food and alcohol. It’s natural to turn to things that you love in times of stress. And there is a limit to how much you can ask of your loved ones before your depression starts sucking all the life and joy out of them as well whereas food is an unquestioning, undemanding constant.
To go back to my original point, I have always wanted this blog to be about more than weight loss, but a celebration of wonderful food as well. I wrote, back in my very first entry, about how some of my favourite memories were foodie ones, and it was absolutely true; food has always been a great love of mine and probably always will be but, somewhere along the line, it also became my weapon of choice. That’s sad. It makes me sad that I’ve abused something I am so very fond of and turned it into something harmful. But, at the very least, my eyes are now open to that. And it is nearly impossible to binge mindfully. The essence of bingeing, especially when you’re using it as an escape mechanism, is mindlessness.
Gosh. A bit heavy. I feel the urge to chuck a recipe in now, for something frivolous like fairy cakes, or fudge. Instead, let me consider for a moment where I want to be in another year’s time? Well, still writing here. Still sharing a virtual meal with all you lovely people. Hopefully slimmer. Definitely healthier, both in body and mind.
Monday, 4 April 2011
Meal Planning Monday
I think that one of the most sensible things a frugal foodie can do is make a weekly meal plan.
I realise that there are arguments against it. It’s not exactly spontaneous to have a list of meals pinned (or, rather, magneted) up on the side of the microwave. It doesn’t exactly scream “Free spirit lives here”. And what happens if the meal plan says chicken but your heart says fish?
But the alternative is to end up wandering round the supermarket with a slightly dazed expression, picking up random items, and condemning yourself to a Masterchef style invention test when you get home. And having to go back to the supermarket the next day to do it all over again.
Gentle reader, I have been there, and it is not a happy place. And so now I meal plan. I mean, I can be reasonably flexible – if I want Thursday’s dinner on Tuesday then that’s ok (wild and crazy, huh?) But, aside from the obvious logistical and financial advantages, it also is the best way to manage my points. Dinner tends to be the high point (no pun intended) of my eating day, therefore, I work out what I’m having and plan everything else around it. If I know it’s going to be a bit points heavy, then it makes sense that I’ll have a lighter lunch. Whether you’re a Weight Watcher or not, that’s just common sense.
So from now on, I’m going to try and include the odd weekly meal planning post in this blog. This idea is not mine – it is blatantly stolen borrowed from Mrs M whose blog I recently stumbled across. Given all the inspiration and tips I’ve picked up from looking at other people’s meal plans, I thought that it would be nice to contribute myself.
This week we’re trying to eat down the contents of the freezer, so it can have its annual (is that shameful?) defrost and clean. Hence the meals are based around what we have unearthed in there.
In no particular order:
Sweet chilli chicken stir fry with rice noodles
Broccoli and blue cheese soup
Cajun pork steaks with rice and peas
Coley curry – loosely based on Jamie’s coley korma recipe, but using some home made curry paste that we found lurking in the middle drawer of the freezer
Roasted butternut squash with gnocchi in sage butter
Crispy skinned chicken breast with lemon couscous
Spaghetti carbonara – I’m a bit of a purist and tend to use this recipe because it doesn’t include cream. I like my carbonara to be a simple bacon and egg concoction. With Parmesan. And butter.
I realise that there are arguments against it. It’s not exactly spontaneous to have a list of meals pinned (or, rather, magneted) up on the side of the microwave. It doesn’t exactly scream “Free spirit lives here”. And what happens if the meal plan says chicken but your heart says fish?
But the alternative is to end up wandering round the supermarket with a slightly dazed expression, picking up random items, and condemning yourself to a Masterchef style invention test when you get home. And having to go back to the supermarket the next day to do it all over again.
Gentle reader, I have been there, and it is not a happy place. And so now I meal plan. I mean, I can be reasonably flexible – if I want Thursday’s dinner on Tuesday then that’s ok (wild and crazy, huh?) But, aside from the obvious logistical and financial advantages, it also is the best way to manage my points. Dinner tends to be the high point (no pun intended) of my eating day, therefore, I work out what I’m having and plan everything else around it. If I know it’s going to be a bit points heavy, then it makes sense that I’ll have a lighter lunch. Whether you’re a Weight Watcher or not, that’s just common sense.
So from now on, I’m going to try and include the odd weekly meal planning post in this blog. This idea is not mine – it is blatantly stolen borrowed from Mrs M whose blog I recently stumbled across. Given all the inspiration and tips I’ve picked up from looking at other people’s meal plans, I thought that it would be nice to contribute myself.
This week we’re trying to eat down the contents of the freezer, so it can have its annual (is that shameful?) defrost and clean. Hence the meals are based around what we have unearthed in there.
In no particular order:
Sweet chilli chicken stir fry with rice noodles
Broccoli and blue cheese soup
Cajun pork steaks with rice and peas
Coley curry – loosely based on Jamie’s coley korma recipe, but using some home made curry paste that we found lurking in the middle drawer of the freezer
Roasted butternut squash with gnocchi in sage butter
Crispy skinned chicken breast with lemon couscous
Spaghetti carbonara – I’m a bit of a purist and tend to use this recipe because it doesn’t include cream. I like my carbonara to be a simple bacon and egg concoction. With Parmesan. And butter.
Recipe Corner - Lemony white bean purée
I was going to start the post by suggesting that this bean purée is a delicious alternative to mashed potato. But I just couldn't do it to my beloved mash. It felt too much like betrayal.
I mean, really, who wants an alternative to mash? There are few sights that will gladden a foodie's heart more than a golden slump of buttery mashed potato on the side of the plate.
But we are coming into spring now and it is just conceivable that we might want something a little zingier to wake up our palates. And here it is. This recipe is as bright eyed and zippy as all those bonny young spring lambs out there. And it just so happens it is the perfect accompaniment to a juicy piece of lamb, as seen above. But it would work equally well with steak or, come to think of it, a nice big chunk of tuna. It's not really a recipe, so much as a bung all the ingredients together and blitz.
Ingredients
Tin of cannellini beans, drained (reserve a couple of tablespoons of the liquid)
2 fat cloves of garlic
Juice of half a lemon
Fresh herbs and seasoning to taste
Serves 2, 3 pro points per person
Wrap the garlic cloves, still in their skins, up in a piece of foil and roast in a hot oven for about half an hour.
Meanwhile put the beans, the reserved liquid, the lemon juice and any fresh herbs into a blitzer. We've done this with both basil and parsley and both worked beautifully. I'd recommend something leafy and green rather than the headier end of the herb spectrum - the aim here is fresh.
Watch the seasoning at this point - remember the bean water will be salted, so don't go overboard on the additional salt. Plenty of black pepper is good though.
Add the garlic and blitz to a coarse paste. Place in a small saucepan to warm through while you cook your meat accompaniment.
I mean, really, who wants an alternative to mash? There are few sights that will gladden a foodie's heart more than a golden slump of buttery mashed potato on the side of the plate.
But we are coming into spring now and it is just conceivable that we might want something a little zingier to wake up our palates. And here it is. This recipe is as bright eyed and zippy as all those bonny young spring lambs out there. And it just so happens it is the perfect accompaniment to a juicy piece of lamb, as seen above. But it would work equally well with steak or, come to think of it, a nice big chunk of tuna. It's not really a recipe, so much as a bung all the ingredients together and blitz.
Ingredients
Tin of cannellini beans, drained (reserve a couple of tablespoons of the liquid)
2 fat cloves of garlic
Juice of half a lemon
Fresh herbs and seasoning to taste
Serves 2, 3 pro points per person
Wrap the garlic cloves, still in their skins, up in a piece of foil and roast in a hot oven for about half an hour.
Meanwhile put the beans, the reserved liquid, the lemon juice and any fresh herbs into a blitzer. We've done this with both basil and parsley and both worked beautifully. I'd recommend something leafy and green rather than the headier end of the herb spectrum - the aim here is fresh.
Watch the seasoning at this point - remember the bean water will be salted, so don't go overboard on the additional salt. Plenty of black pepper is good though.
Add the garlic and blitz to a coarse paste. Place in a small saucepan to warm through while you cook your meat accompaniment.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
A thousand words. Or not.
Aka further experiments with my new Blogpress app...
You know how I said that I wished my blog had more pictures? Yeah, well. This is why it doesn't:
It turns out that one of my many talents is the ability to make perfectly nice platefuls look like dog food. This is stew and mash by the way.
Or this:
This is a spaghetti dish I have been meaning to blog about for ages. Gorgeous. Here, it looks like pale dog food. Note the artistic skewiffness to the set up...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
You know how I said that I wished my blog had more pictures? Yeah, well. This is why it doesn't:
It turns out that one of my many talents is the ability to make perfectly nice platefuls look like dog food. This is stew and mash by the way.
Or this:
This is a spaghetti dish I have been meaning to blog about for ages. Gorgeous. Here, it looks like pale dog food. Note the artistic skewiffness to the set up...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, 28 March 2011
I love to go a-wandering...
Well, I've finally gone and done it. Yep, the Foodie has got the technology. I've been doing so much travelling for work recently that my poor blog has been somewhat neglected. Now, with the Blogpress app, I can remote post with ease! Well, I think it is with ease. I mean, I haven't actually posted this yet...
I'm a homebody so being away is tough. It's especially difficult, when one is trying to shed some poundage, to be trapped in a fully catered facility where it is possible to eat three courses for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oh, and biscuits are laid on every time we break for coffee. Damn those biscuits. So far, so good. I'm partly saved by the fact that mass catering - even reasonable quality mass catering - isn't a patch on home-cooked food so I'm not tending to over indulge. As long as I stand FAR away from the biscuits.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I'm a homebody so being away is tough. It's especially difficult, when one is trying to shed some poundage, to be trapped in a fully catered facility where it is possible to eat three courses for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oh, and biscuits are laid on every time we break for coffee. Damn those biscuits. So far, so good. I'm partly saved by the fact that mass catering - even reasonable quality mass catering - isn't a patch on home-cooked food so I'm not tending to over indulge. As long as I stand FAR away from the biscuits.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Diet averse
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| Stew! (Image taken from deliciousmagazine.co.uk) I was on the phone to my Mum the other day, discussing cancelling my subscription to Weight Watchers magazine because I found the recipes a bit “diet-ey”. Which D found amusing for some reason – “Of course they’re dietey,” he said, “It’s a diet magazine.” I HATE the word diet – although dietey sounds a bit like doughty which I like...but the word diet, and the concept of diet food, stinks of deprivation and misery and steamed vegetables. I can’t count the number of times I’ve read some skinny sleb or other enthusiastically saying that their dinner tends to consist of grilled chicken and steamed veg. I bet they don’t leave the skin on the chicken either. If I thought I had to live on that for the rest of my life I’d attempt hari kiri with a piece of blunt spaghetti. Take this week, for example. Among other things I’ve put away a great slab of sirloin steak and a rather delicious split pea and ham soup with a crusty, buttered roll for dunking. On Tuesday, I tucked into a hearty beef and red wine stew which I’d found lurking in the freezer, served up with Cheddar dumplings*, mashed potato and creamy leeks. I’ve sampled the new, limited edition Penny Pigs (I assume Penny is Percy’s girlfriend; she is lemon flavoured in any case), eaten several segments of chocolate orange, and a good few fistfuls of Maltesers. None of these things are dietey, or dietesque, in the slightest. There are concessions, of course there are. I mean, I’m finally learning a bit of portion control – the steaks may have been huge, but there were no potatoes on the side because they just weren’t required and the Maltesers were weighed out. The “creamy” leeks were made with half fat Philadelphia. I haven’t had any wine. I’ve exercised. But, I suppose the point I’m trying to make, is that the concessions have been, relatively speaking, fairly small. I’ve been able to enjoy what I’ve eaten safe in the knowledge that it is a million miles away from a joyless plate of chickenandveg. And at the scales today, I’d somehow managed to lose 6.5 pounds. I’m willing to make a few concessions for success like that. *For the recipe, pictured above, pop across to the Delicious magazine website – according to the nutritional info it works out at a pretty reasonable 10 pro points per portion. |
Sunday, 13 March 2011
What is the use of a blog without pictures...?
Packet of peanuts for anyone who can identify the quote paraphrased above? No? Well, it's from Alice in Wonderland, spoken by Alice herself just before she falls down the rabbit hole. Only, she referred to a book rather than a blog. Blogs still being a twinkle in a white rabbit's eye at the time.
It keeps popping into my mind with regards to this blog because I'm extremely lax on the old picture front. Some of my absolute favourite food blogs always have amazing pictures of gorgeous looking meals strewn throughout them and it always makes me feel a little shabby by comparison.
Yesterday, I had an absolute behemoth of a sirloin steak for tea. Seriously, seriously huge, but also glistening and tender and totally delicious and would have made a fantastic (if rather carnivorous) blog illustration. But I only remembered when I was about three quarters of the way through. And no one wants to see a picture of a mostly-eaten supper.
So instead you get this:
It keeps popping into my mind with regards to this blog because I'm extremely lax on the old picture front. Some of my absolute favourite food blogs always have amazing pictures of gorgeous looking meals strewn throughout them and it always makes me feel a little shabby by comparison.
Yesterday, I had an absolute behemoth of a sirloin steak for tea. Seriously, seriously huge, but also glistening and tender and totally delicious and would have made a fantastic (if rather carnivorous) blog illustration. But I only remembered when I was about three quarters of the way through. And no one wants to see a picture of a mostly-eaten supper.
So instead you get this:
It may look rather unprepossessing - but this is the basis of our rather fabulous smelling tea tonight. Leeks, carrots, celery, dried split peas and homemade ham stock seasoned with black pepper, mustard powder and dried parsley all bunged in the slow cooker and then left to putter away on low for 6-8 hours before being whizzed up to make a gorgeous, hearty soup. And I can't tell you how much it warmed the cockles of my heart to be able to use the words "homemade" and "stock" in the same sentence. Just before serving, I plan to stir through a spoonful of mustard and some shredded gammon that has been languishing in the freezer since Christmas. Perfect Sunday night fare.
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Lenten promises
Awww, how lovely it is to be missed! Thank you so much, Peridot, for your comment on my last entry.
I’ve not blogged anything for a while; time just hasn’t been on my side, but neither has inclination, if I’m honest. Of course, in dieting spheres this generally means bad news, and, I must concede, my heart hasn’t been in the counting lately. Apparently, the fact that I have to wear a wedding dress in, oh, six months, is not incentive enough.
It was in the run up to Easter last year that my efforts first started to seriously falter. I can’t even remember why now. So it seems fitting that in the run up to Easter this year I retake my mojo. Yes, for Lent 2011 this particular foodie is giving up giving up on WW. I even made a list of things that would help me use these six weeks to form some good habits, including cutting out all alcohol apart from the odd glass of wine (I appear to have developed a bit of a cider habit of late), exercising three times a week and dragging my sorry behind to a meeting without fail. Unless I have a really good excuse, like illness or death or something.
Actually, Lent has started a day late in our household due to me being away for work for a few days and missing out on pancake day. So we had pancakes last night, mine smeared respectively in lemon juice and sugar, Florentine butter and golden syrup. Gorgeous stuff, and I discovered D’s talent, hitherto concealed, for pancake flipping. A man of many and varied talents, obviously.
I’ve not blogged anything for a while; time just hasn’t been on my side, but neither has inclination, if I’m honest. Of course, in dieting spheres this generally means bad news, and, I must concede, my heart hasn’t been in the counting lately. Apparently, the fact that I have to wear a wedding dress in, oh, six months, is not incentive enough.
It was in the run up to Easter last year that my efforts first started to seriously falter. I can’t even remember why now. So it seems fitting that in the run up to Easter this year I retake my mojo. Yes, for Lent 2011 this particular foodie is giving up giving up on WW. I even made a list of things that would help me use these six weeks to form some good habits, including cutting out all alcohol apart from the odd glass of wine (I appear to have developed a bit of a cider habit of late), exercising three times a week and dragging my sorry behind to a meeting without fail. Unless I have a really good excuse, like illness or death or something.
Actually, Lent has started a day late in our household due to me being away for work for a few days and missing out on pancake day. So we had pancakes last night, mine smeared respectively in lemon juice and sugar, Florentine butter and golden syrup. Gorgeous stuff, and I discovered D’s talent, hitherto concealed, for pancake flipping. A man of many and varied talents, obviously.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Recipe corner - Valentine's Raspberry Souffle
Edited Feb 2012: I'm adding this recipe to Mrs M's first ever recipe link party - it seems appropriate given the time of year! This is a fantastic, simple and (relatively) virtuous dessert to make for the one you love...
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| Raspberry souffle - sadly not mine! (Taken from the Good Food Channel website) |
A good few years ago – just over seven to be precise, I was in a pretty low place. I had just moved back in with my parents after a disastrous period of trying to assert my independence that had left me broke, tired and utterly heartbroken. That Valentine’s Day I received the most beautiful bouquet of flowers, sent by my gorgeous Mum to cheer me up. The gesture didn’t cheer me up though. It made me feel incredibly alone.
And so, it was on Valentine’s Day that I decided I needed to do something to take control of my life and I signed on to an Internet dating site. At that moment in time it didn’t cross my mind that I would meet anyone with whom I could have a long term relationship. But I wanted to take the initiative, seize the day...do something, anything, positive.
D was not the first man that I chatted with on there, but he was the first one that I actually met in person. As a couple, we didn’t get off to the most auspicious of starts, but despite everything, the relationship prospered and grew. And this year, I get to marry my best friend in the entire world, and I get to stand up in front of my family and friends and tell them how much I love and value him. So I always celebrate Valentine’s Day, because it was the day on which I took the first steps along the path that would lead to here, and to him.
Enough with the gushy stuff and on to the more important part of this post – pudding and, specifically, the pudding that I served as the final hurrah of my multi course extravaganza of a Valentine’s Day dinner.
This recipe, which is by Paul Heathcote on the BBC website, describes itself as “foolproof”. Now I must admit that I tend to distrust anyone or anything that uses that particular adjective, but on this occasion it may have been justified. Certainly it was simple to put together, and a lovely way to end a meal. I didn’t pick it because it was WW compatible – that was just a happy accident, but I would definitely make it again, without a qualm, for a dinner party.
The only change I have made to the original recipe is to halve the portion size – and this is only because my ramekins could only hold a quarter, as opposed to half, of the mixture. After several other courses though, the reduced quantity was absolutely fine. One of the key things I’m learning about myself is that I need a lot less food than I think I do. And I would rather eat a smaller portion of something yummy that a large bowl of something bland and worthy.
Oh, and I should mention, that D used the remaining half of the mixture the following night. It had split slightly, but a good whisk to reincorporate the raspberry and the meringue, and Bob’s your uncle, two more soufflés. So they are obviously pretty forgiving if you want to make them in advance. Personally, I made the coulis before hand and then had the egg whites and sugar laid out in bowls to do the whipping and folding at the last minute.
Ingredients
250g raspberries
4 egg whites
100g (plus 2 tsp) caster sugar
1/2 tsp cornflour, dissolved in a little water
2 tsp butter
Serves 4, 4 pro points per serving
First, evenly butter and sugar ovenproof moulds for the soufflés and place in the freezer.
For the coulis, add half of the sugar to the raspberries. Place in a hot pan and cook quickly for 2-3 minutes with a good squeeze of lemon juice. Liquidise with a hand blender and pass through a sieve to remove the seeds.
Place 2 tsp of coulis in the bottom of the soufflé dishes and thicken the remaining coulis with the moistened cornflour.
For the meringue, ensure the whisk and bowl are free from grease by scalding in boiling water or rubbing a lemon around the surface of the bowl, then place the egg whites into the bowl and start to whisk (an electric whisk makes life an awful lot easier!) Gradually add the sugar until the mixture forms a soft, glossy peak then finish off with a good squeeze of lemon juice.
Briskly whisk about a third of the egg white mixture into the thickened coulis and then gently in the remainder, taking care to keep in the air.
Divide the mix between the dishes.
When ready to bake, space out on a tray and bake in a medium to hot oven (180C/350F/Gas 4) for approximately 10-15 minutes depending on the size and dish.
Dust with icing sugar, place a raspberry on top (if you so fancy) and serve immediately
Monday, 21 February 2011
The wanderer returns
The last week has seen me at a training centre, deep in the wilds of Lincolnshire. Well, I say deep in the wilds – it is actually just a couple of miles outside of Lincoln town centre. But it feels like the middle of nowhere.
After five days there I did feel a bit like a mole. Classrooms, bedrooms and dining room are all under the same roof and so, unless you make a conscious effort, or take up smoking, you never actually need to set a food outside.
And oh, the joys (or not) of mass catering. Actually, they make a fairly reasonable fist of it, but still…had I ever been allowed to have school dinners (I brought a packed lunch for my entire school career) I am sure this would have invoked flashbacks. L-Hall is kind of legendary in certain circles; people have been know to gain as much as half a stone after a week of three course breakfasts, lunches and dinners. They quite literally feed you into a sort of bemused submission.
I am pleased to report that I did not gain half a stone – in fact, a quick hop on the scales this morning, and I appear to have stayed the same, which I take as quite the victory. The week started well; I hit up the salad bar at lunchtime and stuck to one course, generally a veggie or fish option for dinner…however, by the end of the week I had made a couple of evening visits to reception to purchase a twin pack of Cadbury’s Caramel Bunnies to soothe my jangled nerves.
It was lovely to be home, and to be reminded of the pleasures of great home cooking. We’ve had quite a fishy weekend, the highlight of which was an amazing warm salad of pan fried mackerel fillets and grapefruit. It was D’s creation, much as I would like to take credit, and I’ve told him he needs to cook it again soon. The combination of the rich, oily mackerel with the sour grapefruit and a hit of wholegrain mustard was absolutely gorgeous – and I’m not usually a grapefruit lover.
I also realise I never got the chance to post here about the Valentine’s Day dinner I cooked before I left for Lincoln – but rest assured it was fabulous, even if I do say so myself. I do plan to share the pudding recipe here because actually it is a very WW friendly dessert, and easy to whip up midweek if you feel like indulging.
Right, off to plough through my inbox…
After five days there I did feel a bit like a mole. Classrooms, bedrooms and dining room are all under the same roof and so, unless you make a conscious effort, or take up smoking, you never actually need to set a food outside.
And oh, the joys (or not) of mass catering. Actually, they make a fairly reasonable fist of it, but still…had I ever been allowed to have school dinners (I brought a packed lunch for my entire school career) I am sure this would have invoked flashbacks. L-Hall is kind of legendary in certain circles; people have been know to gain as much as half a stone after a week of three course breakfasts, lunches and dinners. They quite literally feed you into a sort of bemused submission.
I am pleased to report that I did not gain half a stone – in fact, a quick hop on the scales this morning, and I appear to have stayed the same, which I take as quite the victory. The week started well; I hit up the salad bar at lunchtime and stuck to one course, generally a veggie or fish option for dinner…however, by the end of the week I had made a couple of evening visits to reception to purchase a twin pack of Cadbury’s Caramel Bunnies to soothe my jangled nerves.
It was lovely to be home, and to be reminded of the pleasures of great home cooking. We’ve had quite a fishy weekend, the highlight of which was an amazing warm salad of pan fried mackerel fillets and grapefruit. It was D’s creation, much as I would like to take credit, and I’ve told him he needs to cook it again soon. The combination of the rich, oily mackerel with the sour grapefruit and a hit of wholegrain mustard was absolutely gorgeous – and I’m not usually a grapefruit lover.
I also realise I never got the chance to post here about the Valentine’s Day dinner I cooked before I left for Lincoln – but rest assured it was fabulous, even if I do say so myself. I do plan to share the pudding recipe here because actually it is a very WW friendly dessert, and easy to whip up midweek if you feel like indulging.
Right, off to plough through my inbox…
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