MPM: 1st October 2018

As I write this on Sunday afternoon, I am full of cold and feeling most grumpy about it. I do not feel ill exactly - certainly not poorly enough to spend tomorrow at home, more’s the pity, but stuffed up and sniffy and sorry for myself. I have spent the majority of the day in bed, in some sort of vague protest against germs, kept company by the cat (when I am not making too much noise sniffing and sneezing) and one of Stephen King’s recent doorstoppers which is very bleak and apocalyptic and exactly suits my mood.

Meal planning then; on Friday D will be out on the first of his many birthday celebrations, so I will probably opt for prick and ping, and on Saturday we are going out for dinner with D’s sister and her husband - probably to The Reliance because my brother in law, who is an absolutely lovely chap, appears to have quite a limited range of food that he will consent to eat and The Reliance serve fish and chips. I must admit I do struggle to deal with the concept of otherwise sensible, intelligent adults who have the palate of toddlers but hey, I like The Reliance so it’s no skin off my nose. Recently we had a delicious bar snack there of roasted peppers with ricotta and capers piled onto crusty bread which is something I must recreate at home at some point.

Elsewhere on the meal plan:

Monday: Spinach, ricotta and roasted tomato gnocchi bake. I have so enjoyed rediscovering some of my older blog recipes in this latest crack at WW - there’s some really lovely stuff in those archives. This is exactly the kind of stodgy deliciousness that I’m going to need if this cold carries on into the beginning of the working week.

Tuesday: Mushroom risotto. D is in charge of this one. He promises that there will not be too much butter and Parmesan, but he may need close supervision...

Wednesday: Potato, bacon and asparagus salad topped with Epoisses. The original recipe called for green beans (which D detests) and Brie (we have Epoisses in the freezer leftover from last Christmas that needs using before we start buying cheese for this Christmas). I do enjoy a substantial warm salad for supper and have high hopes for this one.

Thursday: Salmon with pasta pesto. Haven’t had this in a good six weeks and it is one of our absolute favourite things.

Sunday: Fish pie - perfect Sunday fare.

Have a fabulous week all - stay warm and avoid germs!

Meal Plans and Mini Goals

A day late for an MPM post but yesterday was a Bank Holiday so I don’t think that it counts as a proper Monday. We had a lovely day here, a nice walk in the morning followed by a lazy afternoon and finally finishing off season 2 of The Good Place which I think is tremendously good.

Anyway, I’ve noticed that I am not quite as focused now as I was back when I first started which is, of course, to be expected but I’d like to ensure a bit of momentum is maintained so I’ve set myself a little mini goal. It’s our wedding anniversary on 17th September and we’re going away for the weekend to Whitby via Darlington – not quite so random as it sounds given that our sole stop off point in Darlington is The Raby Hunt, which bastion of culinary pulchritude we first visited last year. If I can be half a stone further closer to goal by the time we go, then I get a new outfit to wear (and, no doubt, to spill food on).

In general, I am very very anti setting “I must be x weight by y date” goals because we none of us can control the rate at which our bodies choose to shed the lard. We can do everything right but sometimes the scales just don’t budge and I don’t want my sense of achievement tied up with the arbitrations of such a randomly cruel being. However, I am keeping this casual and treating it as a little bit of fun and additional incentive to stay on track, stop allowing the odd day “off” to creep in and keep up with the exercise. If I don’t make it, then I still plan to stick on some glad rags, make my nails all sparkly and have a wonderful, indulgent few days away.

Onto the meal plan and the theme for the first half of the week is on a theme of “It’s pay day on Thursday.” Last night, this led to a slightly random salad and pasta bowl – roasted courgette with watercress, baby spinach and basil in balsamic dressing, pasta and peas tossed in watercress pesto with half a pack of goats’ cheese and red onion fiorelli bunged on top for good measure.

Today – eggs baked in spiced tomato and spinach sauce with toasted pitta for dunking.

Tomorrow – pan fried chicken breast in creamy mushroom and tarragon sauce, mashed potato, honey roast carrots.

Then on Thursday we celebrate the start of the month with a trip out to The Moorcock Inn – the online menu looks intriguingly lovely so I shall look forward to reporting back. And the weekend can be slightly more decadent because, wahey, we have money again.

Friday – trout with beetroot and horseradish (a bump from last week)

Saturday – mussels cooked with white wine, shallots and Bayonne ham, with a crispy pile of oven baked fries on the side

Sunday – still to be decided.

Have a good week all!

MPM: 6th August 2018

There are only so many times that one can write “Monday again” or, “Where did the weekend go?” or, “Can’t believe we’re eight months into the year!” without it becoming ineffably tedious. Suffice to say, please take all the above as read.

If nothing else, my returning to Weight Watchers has refocused our attention on meal planning which is excellent news. We’ve more or less completely stuck to the plan these last few weeks and have been eating extremely well. We’re also getting more of a sense of what works well with the current WW ideal – NB: if you like fish, chicken and pulses and can make them the main constituents of your dish, you’re going to be laughing all the way to the (Smart Points) bank. I also continue in my efforts to stick an egg on top of pretty much everything I eat.

This week, we again have no particular plans, other than Tuesday night, when we’re off to the cinema and I am angling to fit in a cheeky Nando’s, having discovered that a double chicken pitta is a mere 8 Smart Points. I have to admit I secretly quite adore Nando’s and yes, I know that I could cook something just as nice at home and not pay ridiculously over the odds for it, but I maintain that it is worth the occasional splurge, especially since there is a branch located very handily for our local multiplex. D is out for lunch on Thursday (probably Nando’s again, the lucky sausage. Fortunately, he is very partial to chicken) so keeping things light on Thursday evening.

Monday: Crab scrambled eggs with pan roasted asparagus.

Wednesday: Prawns with sweet potato mash and chilli vinaigrette

Thursday: Tuna sandwiches

Friday: Twice baked cheese soufflés, roast courgette and spinach salad with balsamic dressing, garlic bread

Saturday: Momofuku chicken wings

Sunday: Butternut squash, sage and amaretti ravioli

Recipe corner: cumin spiced rice salad with lime and herbs

I will never tire of my coronation rice salad but this is a great alternative that requires very few ingredients and certainly things that I always tend to have knocking around. It’s possible that you might not have any fresh limes in your fruit bowl (as gin and tonic aficionados this is not a problem we experience) - lemon would probably work too.

Don’t skimp on the fat in the initial cooking stage - this will lightly coat the grains in lieu of any other dressing. I sprinkled some pickled red chillies over the portion that I took for lunch (see below. Also note my pretty, pink lunchbox. Could I be more of a cliche girlie girl?) These were an excellent addition.

Ingredients

30g butter
Tbsp vegetable oil
Red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
150g basmati rice
300ml vegetable stock

Zest and juice of 1 lime
Large handful of soft green herbs (mint, parsley, coriander...)

Serves 2-4 as a side dish

Melt the butter and oil together over a medium to low heat. Once melted, add the onion with a decent pinch of salt, cover, and turn the heat right down. Cook until very soft, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and dried spices and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Stir through the rice so well coated in fat and spice, then pour over the stock. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer then cover again, put the heat on its lowest setting and cook for 5 minutes. Then, turn the heat off altogether and leave covered for a further 5 mins, at which point the rice should be cooked through.

While the rice cooks, chop together the herbs.

To finish the salad, stir through the herbs, lime zest and juice. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe corner: Bang Bang Turkey

The period between Christmas and New Year never really feels like real time.  I have never, since entering adulthood, worked those few days - partly because my birthday falls on the 28^th and I have always insisted that I can’t work on my birthday.  I know that millions do, but there have to be some advantages to having a birthday at such a time and one of them is that I always spend it at home.

Food between Christmas and New Year is also a strange thing.  You’ve had one big celebration and are probably gearing up for another.  You don’t really want to cook much (because that would get in the way of all the lying around).  You probably have masses of leftovers lurking in the fridge but all you really want to do is munch your way through your selection box.  Normal rules don’t apply and you find yourself eating cheese for breakfast and cracking open a bottle at three in the afternoon (or is that just me?)

Anyway, turkey curry is a must for us during this period.  We don’t tend to have turkey for Christmas Day itself, so buy a crown in specially and get the curry made in advance so the flavours have time to develop.  I’ve blogged D’s special recipe here.

And this year, he found another turkey leftovers dish: “Bang Bang Turkey” which is absolutely perfect for the season.  It contains some fresh, raw veg for a bit of crunch and a zingy peanut sauce which wakes your sluggish taste buds up.  I think it should become a regular part of our festive routine, especially since the sauce can be made in advance and frozen (I have stashed some away already in my deep freeze so it can make a re-appearance on the menu later this year.)  If you can bear to do a bit of chopping and steaming of rice then have a go at this one.  I imagine it would also work well with chicken.  The list of ingredients is absolutely massive I know, but the method is easy, and most of these are things that you are likely to have in your store cupboard anyway.  It is honestly not an arduous task to assemble.

Photo credit: bbc.co.uk

 

Notes

The original recipe is a Hairy Bikers one, and can be found here.

We served this on top of steamed basmati rice to make it a more rounded meal. 

I found that the quantities listed for the sauce would dress six lots of salad generously.  I’ve given the amounts per the original recipe below but do note that you will have leftovers which can be bagged up and frozen. 

Ingredients

For the turkey:

1 tbsp soy sauce

Juice of half a lime

½ tsp of palm sugar (or soft brown sugar)

½ tsp of chilli powder

½ tsp Chinese Five Spice

125g cooked turkey, roughly chopped

For the peanut sauce:

Tbsp vegetable oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

5cm piece fresh ginger, grated

2 red chillies, seeds removed and chopped

200ml chicken stock

150ml coconut milk

75g crunchy peanut butter

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (you can substitute cider vinegar for this if that’s what you have in)

Tsp palm sugar (or soft brown sugar)

Tbsp fish sauce

Juice of half a lime

For the salad (suggestion only – select veg to suit):

Carrot, reduced to strips with a potato peeler

Red pepper, sliced into thin strips

2 spring onions, sliced

5 radishes, thinly sliced

To serve and garnish:

 

100g basmati rice, steamed

Red chilli, sliced

Fresh coriander and mint, roughly shredded

Roasted, unsalted peanuts

Serves 2, with leftover sauce

Whisk together the ingredients for the turkey marinade then add the turkey and combine well.  Cover, and set aside (I did this several hours in advance to no detrimental effect).

Make the sauce: gently heat the oil in a pan and then add the shallots, cover, and cook over a low heat until translucent (probably about 4-5 mins).  Add the garlic, ginger and chillies and continue to cook for a couple of minutes or until they have lost their “raw” smell (probably another 2-3 mins).  Now add all the other sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer and reduce by about half.  Set aside to cool.

To serve – add a couple of tablespoons of the cooled peanut sauce to the turkey and mix well. 

In a deep bowl, start with the rice, then the turkey and finally, divide the prepared salad veg.  Drizzle with some of the remaining sauce.  Garnish with chilli, herbs and peanuts as desired.

Recipe corner: An Ottolenghi yoghurt dressing to see you through the summer

It may seem odd to add, to the distinguished archives here on WW Foodie, a recipe that essentially a salad dressing.  For a start, the instructions are pretty much, “Place stuff in a blender and switch on”.  But I wanted to make a mental note of this particular dressing because D and I have come to the conclusion over the past few days that it is one of those things (like bacon, butter and cheese) that makes EVERYTHING taste better.

It’s an Ottolenghi recipe and he serves it as an accompaniment to leek fritters (the recipe can be seen in full here – the fritters themselves are lovely).  But we’ve drizzled it over salad, used it as a dip, added a dollop atop a pile of tagine and couscous and it just perks it all up.

D’s lunch today is a box of somewhat dubious looking cold leftovers – even these, he reports, are delicious when accompanied by a swirl of the magic green sauce.  So, with barbecue season fast approaching, I think that this might be one to have in the fridge at all times for splatting, spreading and dunking purposes.  The below makes one healthy sized batch that seems to keep quite happily in the fridge for at least five days. 

Cook’s notes: the raw garlic does make it quite punchy (perhaps avoid eating before a first date) but I see no reason why you couldn’t add a green chilli into the mix for some additional heat.  We used a Kenwood mini processor to make this – a kitchen gadget that I could not be without as it is perfect for chopping and blending small amounts is easy to use and, importantly, easy to clean.  Highly recommended (although please note that they do not sponsor me.  I’d quite like to be sponsored and provided with lots of lovely free stuff because I have no shame but Kenwood most definitively do not.)

 Ingredients

100g Greek yoghurt

100g sour cream

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

20g roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

30g roughly chopped coriander leaves

 

Open blender (or food processor).

 

Insert ingredients.

 

Close blender. 

 

Ensure blender is plugged in.

 

Press button to blitz.

 

When the whole is a uniform green, check the seasoning and then set aside ready for use.

Recipe corner: warm potato salad with olive oil, lemon and mustard

My go-to potato salad recipe tends to be this one that I posted years ago - simple, creamy, delicious. However, sometimes mayonnaise is not the way to go.  I admit that these occasions are few and far between - a swipe of mayonnaise improves many, many things.  But sometimes, sometimes you might want something a little more restrained.  And in that case, this is an excellent recipe.

We had it with salmon and with lightly pickled cucumber ribbons and it was the kind of meal that leaves you wanting to lick the plate.  Sophisticated, simple, summery food.

Ingredients

250g new potatoes, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
Squeeze of lemon juice
Tsp dijon mustard
Tsp wholegrain mustard
2 spring onions, finely chopped

Serves 2, 6 pro points per portion

Place the potatoes in a pan full of lightly salted water.  Bring to the boil and then cook for around 10-12 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, make the dressing.  Whisk together the lemon juice and the mustard, then gradually add the olive oil until incorporated into a smooth dressing.  Stir through the spring onions and season to taste.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain and while they are still warm (this is important) gently mix with the dressing.  Allow them to sit for at least 15 minutes to absorb and serve at room temperature.

Recipe corner: coronation rice salad

So, we bought a barbecue.  A beautiful, kettle style, Weber jobby.  We bought a barbecue, and the weather promptly took a dramatic turn for the worse.  I'm not saying that we were directly responsible for the pervading dampness of the Bank Holiday weekend but...

We bought a barbecue and decided that the first thing that we were going to cook on it was a simple, spatchcocked chicken adorned with nothing more than a slick of oil and a flurry of salt and pepper.  And, to accompany it, I decided to try and recreate the Waitrose coronation rice salad of which we are both so fond.

Now not to diss our beloved Waitrose, but I think that my version is WAY better - more kick, more texture and less drowned in dressing.  Every barbecue, even the slightly soggy ones, needs a couple of decent sides and this is better than decent.  Along with some watercress salad and crusty bread, it was all that our beautiful chicken needed to ensure that our inaugural barbecue was a tasty one.

Ingredients

100g basmati / wild rice mix
Large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp vegetable oil
Tbsp curry powder
Tsp chilli flakes
Tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp tumeric
50g raisins

For the dressing:
Tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp half fat creme fraiche
Tbsp mango chutney
Tsp vegetable oil
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Handful of fresh chopped chives and / or mint

Serves 4 (as a side), 6 pro points per portion

Cook the rice according to packet instructions until al dente.  You want to ensure that it retains some bite which will lend the salad texture.

Gently heat 2 tsp of oil and then add the onion and cook off over a low heat so that it softens without colouring.  After about five minutes, add the spices and the raisins and continue to cook until the onions are meltingly soft and the spice mix has lost its harsh rawness - another five minutes or so.

While onion and rice are cooking, combine the dressing ingredients in a large bowl and season enthusiastically.

Now add the cooked rice to the onion pan and combine well. Cook for a further couple of minutes, stirring regularly to ensure that the mix is well amalgamated then remove from the hat and allow to cool slightly before combining with the creamy dressing.  Check the seasoning, adding more lemon or salt as necessary.

To have this at its best, allow to sit for at least an hour before serving.  It is relatively forgiving and can be made in advance, but don't serve cold from the fridge - always let it come up to room temperature first.  Your barbecue will thank you for it.

Recipe Corner - A simple but excellent little potato salad

Potato salad is not something I think to make very often. But I think I must have been inspired by Jenny’s recent post on the German style sausage with potato salad, because when I saw that I had half a bag of new potatoes leftover in the bottom of the fridge I developed something of a craving. One swift adjustment of the meal plan later, potato salad and smoked sausage was on the weekly menu.

Now in the past, I would have just gone down the route of combining potatoes with some mayonnaise (probably extra light – for shame!) some chopped veggies, seasoning, nice enough but nothing particularly exciting. But a couple of tweaks later, inspired by a recipe I found online of Diana Henry’s (a cookery writer who earned my enduring adoration with her fabulous Gastropub cookbook) it was elevated several notches. The notion of soaking the potatoes in stock beforehand is genius, as is the combination of mayonnaise and crème fraiche.

I have used full fat mayo here, and half fat crème fraiche. This latter ingredient is fast becoming a staple in my fridge – I often use it in place of cream and absolutely adore it – it is rich, creamy with a slight edge of sour and significantly lower in points than cream.

Hopefully, the summer will continue in a similar vein to the amazing week we have just had and then this salad can make its barbecue debut! As one of several side dishes, this would comfortably serve four. Oh, and it would probably work very well with some fresh herbs added to the dressing – I wondered about mint while I think Diana suggested chervil and parsley.

Ingredients

400g new potatoes
50ml good vegetable or chicken stock
30g mayonnaise (be a divil and go full fat)
40g half fat crème fraiche (Yeo Valley is an excellent brand)
Squeeze of lemon juice
Small bunch of spring onions, chopped
Seasoning

Serves 2 (as a generous main course), 8 pro points per portion

Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, chop the spring onions and combine with the mayonnaise, crème fraiche, lemon juice and seasoning to taste.

When the potatoes are cooked, slice and, while still warm, pour over the stock. Part cover and leave to stand for about 10 minutes to allow the potatoes to absorb it.

While the potatoes are still warm, mix through the dressing. This can be served chilled but is probably best slightly warm or, at least, at room temperature.

Recipe Corner - Broad bean and bacon salad with goats' cheese croutons

Being on a diet and saying “I like salad” is a bit like those very slender celebrities who claim to be “stuffed” after a small piece of steamed fish and some broccoli – it sounds like there is some serious self delusion going on. But I am going to stick my neck out here – people, I like salad, I really do. Admittedly, I like to put stuff on my salad, but I genuinely enjoy crunching through a pile of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes et al.

I’ve always been slightly wary of serving up a main meal salad, assuming that D was not a fan. But it turns out I have been wrong on this score, he, like me, is quite happy to eat it as long as it is a vehicle for Other Things. Were he to be presented with a plate of naked iceberg adorned with nothing more than a few palely bland chunks of tomato, it might be quite another matter.



This particular salad was borne from necessity – I am still trying to come up with fifty different ways to serve broad beans, plus we had some bacon and some goats’ cheese in the fridge that needed using up. But it was absolutely delicious and perfect light but tasty fare for a Sunday (oh-bugger-its-weigh-in-tomorrow) evening.

Ingredients

For the green salad:

Mixed leaves, shredded
¼ cucumber, chopped or sliced
Tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp white wine vinegar
Tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

For the broad beans:

100g frozen broad beans
2 rashers of back bacon, fat trimmed, and chopped
4-5 spring onions, finely sliced
Tsp butter
2 tbsp half fat crème fraiche
Tsp fresh mint, finely chopped
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper

For the croutons:

4 thin slices of French baguette (approx 20g each)
60g soft goats’ cheese

Serves 2, 12 pro points per portion

Tip the broad beans into a saucepan of simmering salted water and boil for around five minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, heat the grill and toast one side of the baguette slices for a few minutes. When lightly toasted, remove, and smear the goats’ cheese on the other side. Have these on a baking sheet ready to go back under. Whisk the oil, vinegar, mustard and seasoning to make the vinaigrette.

Melt the butter in a non stick pan and fry the bacon. After a couple of minutes add in the spring onions and toss well to coat in the delicious rendering bacon fat. Soften for a further two to three minutes.

Now, place the goats’ cheese croutons back under the grill for around five minutes until beginning to brown. While they’re under, add the broad beans to the bacon pan and combine well before adding the crème fraiche, lemon, mint and seasoning. Allow to bubble gently and remove from the heat – you want them to be warm but not blisteringly hot when they hit the salad.

Toss the leaves and cucumber with the vinaigrette. Top with the broad bean and bacon mixture, and finally the goats’ cheese croutons.

Classic recipe corner - chicken Caesar salad

I love chicken Caesar salad. It’s become a bit of a cliché, hasn’t it, a stalwart of a certain type of restaurant menu. I don’t care. I think it’s scrummy.

I did some research when I came to write this (by which I mean I looked at Wikipedia. God bless the Internet) and was surprised to discover that this dish supposedly dates back to the 1920s. Also, that the original does not contain actual anchovies (which I always assumed were a given) – but that a faint anchovy flavour was bestowed by a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

As with most recipes, there are potentially endless variations of the Caesar salad – and here is mine. Plonking a chicken breast on top makes it a more substantial meal, but of course, if you are less carniverous or less greedy than me then leaving it off will reduce the total pro points in the recipe to 6.

I don’t know where I originally found this particular method of making the dressing, but it works very well. The combination of the soft boiled egg and the yoghurt give a good silken texture while the other components pack the requisite Caesar punch. The addition of the chilli flakes, by the way, is a new one on me and comes following a recent post on one of my very favourite food blogs, Jenny Eatwell’s. Jenny suggests that the hint of heat adds a je ne sais quoi to the dressing and I really liked how it worked – especially since it picked up on the slight chilli note in the Cajunated chicken.

Ingredients

For the dressing:
1 medium egg
2 tbsp 0% fat Greek yoghurt
3-4 fat garlic cloves
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and patted dry
Tsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of chilli flakes
Squeeze of lemon juice
15g Parmesan cheese, grated

For the croutons:
2 slices of bread from a medium white loaf, crusts removed
1 tbsp olive oil

2 heads of Little Gem lettuce
2 medium chicken breasts
Cajun seasoning (optional)

Serves 2, 10 pro points per serving

First of all, prepare the ingredients for your dressing. Wrap the garlic cloves, skin and all, up in a little foil package and roast in a hot oven for around 45 minutes, at which point the sweet flesh will slip easily from the papery skins.

Put the egg in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and bring up to simmering point. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Place your peeled egg, the roasted garlic and all the other constituent parts, along with a good scrunch of black pepper, in a mini processor and whizz until smooth. Reserve until ready to serve (dressing the lettuce to early will make it soggy).

To make the croutons, cut your bread into squares, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake in a hot (180 – 200) oven for 15 minutes until crisp and golden.

If using, rub Cajun seasoning to taste into your chicken breasts, and then bake in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until cooked through and juicy. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Assemble: tear your lettuce up, anoint with dressing and top with your crunchy croutons and your warm chicken.