Simple Meal that combines 2 family favourites, Pizza & Cheeseburgers! What is not to love about this one? Simple & quick to make, full of flavours and textures and fully satisfying & filling. Great for a quick family midweek meal or a weekend dish.
Serves 4
500g Minced Scottish beef
2 Tsp Tomato ketchup
1 Tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tsp Whole grain mustard
Salt & Black pepper
4 Flatbreads (pita breads)
6 Tbsp of tomato passata or pizza Sauce
Chopped small red onion
1 Pepper, chopped into bite size pieces
Small Handful of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
80-100g Cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat your oven to 230 deg.
Heat a little oil in a fry pan and fry the minced beef until browned and cook through. Add to the the pan the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper, mix.
Place the Flatbreads (Pitas) onto a baking tray and top each bread with about 1 tbsp of passata sauce leaving approx 1/2 inch border then top with the minced beef, onion, pepper, grated cheese and tomatoes, season then bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes until crisp. Enjoy!
I do love Bruschetta, in fact anything Italian, it has to be my 2nd favourite cuisine, next to Scottish Cooking, of course!
This is a classic recipe that never fails to satisfy the taste buds. Bruschetta is an antipasto starter consisting of toasted bread with oil and garlic, topped with tomatoes & basil. It’s light & refreshing, a perfect snack, starter or party food dish.
Serves 10-12
1 Baguette or any crusty bread- sliced diagonally (try Tiger bread, its delicious too)
250g Cherry Tomatoes – sliced into quarters
1-2 Garlic Cloves – crushed
Fresh Basil leaves – chopped or 2 tsp dried basil
30ml Balsamic Vinegar (use a good quality one – you’ll taste the difference)
60ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil (use a good quality one)
1/2 Small red onion – chopped finely
1 Tsp Sea salt
1 Tsp Cracked Rainbow Pepper
Place the diced tomatoes, red onion, garlic, basil, balsamic vinegar & olive oil into a bowl & mix through. Season with salt & pepper. Cover & refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavours to infuse.
When ready to serve, brush the bread with a little olive oil & garlic, grill lightly under a medium grill heat until lightly toasted.
Spoon mixture onto the bread, sprinkle a little basil & serve. Enjoy!
A great way to use up left over chicken after your Sunday Roast. This dish is very easy to bake and healthy too.
This simple and tasty bake will keep you full as it has protein (chicken), fiber (veggies), and fat (cheese). The chicken is smothered with cherry tomatoes, onion and peppers keeping the chicken moist. I used Italian herbs and chilli spice for a wee kick. Delicious!
Prep time is only 10 minutes and 40 minutes in total to cook, so a quick meal to bake. Gluten free too.
Serves 3-4
2 Large Chicken Breasts, cooked & shredded
1 Onion, chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, chopped
Spray Oil
2 Tsp Italian Herb Mix
1 x 400g Tin Chopped Tomatoes
10-12 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tsp Dried Chilli Flakes
125g Mozzarella, grated or sliced
Small handful basil leaves to serve
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 200 deg fan.
In a pan heat the spray oil and fry the onions, pepper and garlic for a few minutes to soften.
Add in the Italian herbs, chilli, tin tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, sugar and season, then simmer for about 20 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in the cooked chicken then transfer to a baking dish.
Tear or grate over the mozzarella evenly and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden and bubbling. Serve with some chopped basil leaves. Plate up with a side of cooked rice, pasta or potatoes.
I do Love Pizza! Pizza originated from Italy and is usually a round or flattened wheat base with cheese and tomatoes. Through the years pizza has had many a different toppings, such as onions, olives, mushrooms, meat and dare I say Pineapple even! Pineapple in our house is very debatable whether it is a good topping or not what’s your take on it? Lol!
I just found out that the term PIZZA was first recorded in the 10th Century in a Latin manuscript from the Italian town of Gaeta, Lazio. Pizza has became one of the most popular foods in the world, especially in Europe and North America. The Baking/Cooking of Pizza varies around the world, with the most popular being a wood fired oven. Unfortunately, I don’t have one of these….yet! lol! I did invest in a Pizza Stone which to me is the next best thing for that perfect crusty base.
Although I am a fan of Traditional Foods, I also do like to experiment and decided to take a look at how I could make Pizza a bit different. Taking the traditional shape dough and filling only the middle then bringing up the sides and over like a calzone almost, this was my creation…..a Braided Style Pizza Wrap.
To be honest this is entirely up to your own tastes, this is what I used:-
1 Ball Mozzarella, sliced
100g Grated Cheddar Cheese
Mushrooms, washed, sliced
125g Sliced Hungarian Smoked Sausage (or any smoked sausage) I love the Gyulai Kolbasz as it has a lovely smoked paprika flavour. I recently purchased from the Transylvania Shop in Glasgow, they have amazing foodie finds. https://www.transylvaniashopandcoffee.co.uk/
To prepare the dough, sift flour into a mixer bowl with sugar and salt. Put the lukewarm water into a measuring jug and add the dried yeast, allow the yeast to start to bubble and react, approx 5-10 minutes.
Make a well in the center of the flour mix and add in the olive oil and the yeast mixture and slowly using a dough hook bring the dough together and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough bounces back when pressed. (alternatively use your hands in a bowl and knead on a floured work surface) Allow to rise at room temperature or in your oven and 40 deg C until it doubles in size, approx 1-2 hours. Once doubled in size, punch back air and shape.
If you have a pizza stone, place on the oven rack and preheat your oven to its highest temperature, usually 250deg C. If not, preheat a baking tray or pizza tray in oven at 220 deg C.
To make the sauce put everything into a pot and heat through for about 5 minutes, using a blender blitz into a smooth sauce.
Meanwhile prepare your pizza wrap. Roll out the dough into a rough rectangle shape.
Spoon some of the pizza sauce down the middle, I measured dough into 3 equal sections. Then add your toppings onto the sauce, starting with the mozzarella first, then the rest.
With a sharp knife make horizontal cuts at either side in the pastry, then one by one and alternating each side, wrap up the pizza, securing the ends.
Reduce your oven temperature to 220 deg C before putting pizza in, slide onto pizza stone or tray and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove and serve. This is also a good sharing idea as you can cut each section into pieces for everyone, great for parties.
When I think of Caribbean Food, I think beans, rice, peppers, sweet potato & tomatoes to name a few. This dish is a mix of all my favourites and I was using up leftovers too. I hope you enjoy. This dish would be lovely with Lamb too.
Serves 2
300g Scottish Beef Mince
150g Diced Butternut squash (or sweet potatoes)
1 onion, chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 cm fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp sweet hot paprika
120ml Beef Stock
200g chopped tin tomatoes
200g Black Eyed beans
Handful of peas
Salt & Pepper to taste
Heat some oil in a large pan and brown the mince.
Add in the butternut squash, onion, red pepper, garlic, ginger, paprika and mix through, cook for 1 minute then add in the stock, tomatoes, peas and beans, bring to the boil then simmer covered for about 30 minutes. Season.
If using Lamb I would slow cook this so the Lamb in tender.
I am now back to work after a long furlough period due to this Covid19 pandemic. Being back at work means that I prefer quick and easy cooking meals for mid week dining. Last thing I want is to finish a long work day and stand cooking for an hour, who’s with me?
This dish takes just 15 minutes, so its a quick throw together in one pan kinda dish, but packs flavour and spice. Good on its own or can serve with some rice. I also used freshly picked Spinach from my new veggie beds (furlough project).
Homegrown spinach
Serves 2
200g chickpeas
200g chopped tomatoes
80g chorizo – sliced or cut into bite size pieces
1 brown onion – chopped
1 yellow pepper – chopped
Handful of Spinach – chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp basil flakes or fresh leaves to serve if you have
Salt & pepper to taste
100g Wholemeal or Basmati Rice if serving. (cooked as per packet instructions)
Spray a pan with oil and heat on a medium to high heat
Brown onions in pan for a few minutes
Add in the pepper and chorizo with garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a few minutes
Add in the tin tomatoes and chickpeas, mix through, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
1 minute before serving, add in the spinach and basil flakes, mix through. Season
I recently purchased a new cookbook by Pinch of Nom, I loved their last one so had to get their new one. This is a recipe from their Fakeaway options and at under 400 calories per serving it is definitely my new takeaway at home. Super tasty no compromise on flavour at all. I served with a little Basmati and Wild Rice along with my homemade Sweet Potato Roti, a perfect Saturday night home takeaway.
Makes 2 Servings
2 Chicken Breasts – cut into small chunks
1 red onion – diced
1 garlic clove – grated
1 cm piece of ginger – grated
1 tsp chilli flakes or 1 red chilli- diced
1 tsp curry powder**
1 tsp mixed spice**
**(I used this as an alternative to gram masala as I didn’t have any)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 x 400g tin tomatoes
100ml chicken stock – 1 stock cube
1 red pepper – diced
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander to serve.
Heat a little low fat spray oil in a fry pan on medium heat
Brown the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger together for a few minutes
Add the chicken and brown all over.
Next add in the curry powder, cumin, mixed spice, ground coriander and mix through until coated.
Add in the tin tomatoes, red pepper and stock and bring to the boil then reduce and cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes lid on, then 15 minutes with lid off to help thicken the sauce slightly.
I’ve had an Indian Superfood Cookbook for ages but for some reason never actually attempted to make anything from it. So today was that day it got opened. I wish I had opened it up sooner, this dish was super tasty and full of good antioxidants. I served it with a chickpea chapati, made from my original Chapati recipe, I changed the plain flour for Gram Flour.
Serves 2
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp gram masala
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2-3 chillies chopped or 1 tsp chilli flakes
250g scottish beef mince
225g can of chickpeas
Small handful of Fresh coriander to serve.
Heat the oil in a large fry pan
Add in the onions with the cardamom, cumin, garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric, gram masala & chillies. Cook until onions are slightly browned and softened.
Add in half of the tin tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes or until the excess juices have dried off.
Add in the mince, mix well and cook until mince has browned all over, about 5 minutes.
Add in the remaining tomatoes & chickpeas, bring to the boil, cover & simmer for about 30 minutes. If the consistancey is too thick just add a little water.
Another home comfort food dish, delicious for lunch or dinner, hot or cold.
Serves 4
Butter for greasing tin
1 Roll ready made shortcrust pastry
1 bunch of asparagus spears
250g Spinach leaves
3 large eggs
150ml double cream
1 garlic clove, crushed
10 small cherry tomatoes
handful fresh basil, chopped
40g grated cheddar cheese (or you could use parmesan)
Salt & pepper
Pre heat oven to 190 deg on convection bake setting.
Grease a 10-12 inch tart tin with the butter, roll out the pastry and line the tin, trimming of excess.
Cover the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for about 20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and allow to cool slightly. Reduce oven to 180 deg.
Meanwhile, bend the asparagus spears until they snap and discard woody bases.
Bring a large pan of slightly salted water to the boil and blanch the asparagus for 1 minute, remove. Using the same water put the spinach in then remove immediately. Drain well and squeeze excess moisture out.
Mix the eggs, cream & garlic together in a bowl and season with salt & pepper.
Lay the spinach into the pastry case, then the asparagus and tomatoes cut side up, sprinkle with the basil. Pour the egg mixture into the case and sprinkle the grated cheese over evenly.
Transfer to the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, remove and leave to cool to room temperature, serve.
We do love a good stew on a Sunday, this is a little change to the normal traditional stew and super tasty with loads of flavour. All you need is some good fresh bread to douk (dip in) and scoop up the gravy. Yummy!
Makes 2-3 servings
400g good scottish steak (diced)
75g-100g chorizo (diced)
1 x 400g can tin chopped tomatoes
1 x 225g tin chickpeas
1 x 225g tin red kidney beans
300ml beef stock
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 clove garlic minced
100ml red wine
1 tbsp worcester sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 red onion – chopped
Coriander – chopped to garnish
Salt & pepper to season
Heat a little oil in a pan and gently fry the steak until browned, then add in the chorizo and onion until softened.
Sprinkle on the cumin, paprika, garlic, sugar, cinnamon and tomato paste and mix through to coat beef. Season well.
Add in the chickpeas, kidney beans, tin tomatoes, stock and worcester sauce, mix and bring to the boil. Add in the red wine.
Reduce to a low simmer place lid on pan and cook slowly for about 2-3 hours or until meat is tender.
There is nothing more I like than a lazy sunday morning breakfast (well after my little morning workout to wake me up). Good breakfast, fresh coffee and orange juice, catching up with the world, reading a little, planning my meals.
Today, I was using up leftovers in the fridge so pork sausages it was, with a little bit of cookingwithluce twist. 🙂
Made 2
2 Pork Sausages (meat removed from skin)
1 tbsp scottish oats
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tsp nutmeg
Salt & pepper
Mix everything in a bowl, take a small handful and flatten to about 1cm thick
I used my Crisperplate to cook these and it took just 6 minutes. (Turned after 4 minutes)
I also added a few cherry tomatoes onto plate.
I then added 1 large egg onto the crisperplate 1 minute before sausages were ready.
This is a tasty little dish and so healthy too. I’m always trying to get more fish into my meals (hard when my partner isn’t a fish fan!), but even he loved this one. Result!
Easy to make and full of protein and iron.
Makes 2 portions
1 tsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp ground mixed spice
2 garlic cloves or 1 tsp dried garlic
1 x 400g chopped tomatoes
1 can chickpeas (optional)
100g Spinach (optional)
1 packet of fresh green peas
2 cod fillets
zest of 1 lemon
handful of chopped coriander to serve
Heat oil in a large pan and cook onion & garlic over a high heat until softened and slightly browned. Stir in the curry powder and mixed spice, mix through.
Add in the tin tomatoes, chickpeas and green peas with seasoning to taste.
Cook for about 10 minutes until sauce starts to thicken slightly.
Add in the cod and cover, continue to cook for another 10 minutes until fish is cooked through.
Squeeze on the lemon zest and coriander then serve. Yummy!
I served with some curry roasted parnsips and carrots.
OMG! These are so delicious and perfect for the party season. Little bite size pieces of deliciousness.
Makes about 12
8-10 Vittoria Tomatoes
Dried Thyme
150g plain flour
75 g soft butter salted
40 g grated parmesan
1 egg
250g mozzarella
Green pesto
Paprika & poppy seeds
1. Pre heat oven to Fan 160 deg, Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, add the butter and parmesan, add in half the whisked egg, slow speed on mixer mix together.
3. Tip onto a non stick surface and bring together with your hands until you have a dough, flatten slightly. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat crisper plate and cut tomatoes in half, sprinkle with salt & thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
5. Take a small 3cm star cutter and cut the mozzarella into thin stars.
6. Remove the dough and roll out and cut with a 5-6cm star cutter, place on baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 mins or until slightly browned.
7. To serve, once stars are cooled, spread a little pesto on star then place mozzarella star, a little more pesto then the tomato half.
8. Yum! Gorgeous with some prosecco.
Fresh Pasta is just the best, but I always make far too much, I really need to learn my portion sizes…lol. Today I came across a recipe for balsamic chicken so I decided to try it out but add a little honey to it for the glaze and flavour, it was delicious.
For the pasta: (makes 4 servings)
275g ‘OO’ Grade Pasta Flour
3 large eggs
1 tbsp dried basil
Sift the flour & put basil into the large bowl on Kitchen Aid mixer or work surface.
Make a well in the middle. Crack one egg in and whisk gently.
Gently with your hands start to incorporate the flour starting at the bottom, once it starts to come together crack the 2nd egg, then the 3rd until it becomes sticky.
Using the dough hook on the mixer, knead together until you get a smooth like dough. Remove, cover with cling film and leave for about 1 hour.
Attach the pasta attachment, cut the pasta dough into 4 sections.
Flatten dough with hand then feed through the pasta maker, No. 1 x 5, No. 3 x 2, No. 5/6 x 1
Change attachment to fettuccine and feed through. Hang until ready to cook.
Heat a large pan of slightly salted water and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Strain
For the Balsamic Honey Chicken:-
2 Chicken Breasts (1 per person)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp rainbow pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tbsp olive oil
Place chicken breast in a dish. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a seperate dish then pour over the chicken. Marinade in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Pre heat your grill to medium heat and gently grill the chicken on the wire shelf for about 16-17 minutes turning halfway through. Tip:- place a tray of cold water underneath to catch any drips but this also adds a little steam to help keep the chicken moist. (I have a chicken breast setting on my oven which I used, this automatically controls the temperature).
Meanwhile cut some baby tomatoes in half (I used vittoria tomatoes), and place in the dish with remaining marinade sauce and mix. Place in the oven with the chicken beasts and next shelf down (underneath).
Remove chicken from grill and slice lengthways, tip into the drained pasta along with the tomatoes and sauce and combine. Serve. Yummy!
I just love my relaxing Sunday mornings, today the sun was out and I felt great, the sun beaming into my kitchen through my living room. It’s amazing how a little bit of sun makes you feel, especially after our really bad and long winter.
Feeling good I decided to experiment, I was sent an idea recently….omelette in bread….brilliant, easy, tasteful, quick and simple cooking. Loved this.
There are so many combinations you can do, I went with cheese and tomato.
Makes 2
2 Slice of Bread – Thick slice is best
2 large eggs – whisked
2 tomatoes – sliced
Gouda cheese – small handful grated
Seasoning
Heat a little oil in a fry pan and gently cook your filling ingredients, in this case I gently fried the tomatoes.
Cut out the centre of the bread and set aside.
Arrange the filling in the pan to the shape of the centre of the bread, then place the outside of the bread in the pan.
Gently pour some of the egg mixture into the centre of the bread covering your filling. Do this slowly so it sets. Then sprinkle the cheese on top
Allow to set slightly, then place the centre of the bread on top and flatten down. Then flip over and cook for 2 minutes.
I first saw this recipe on Food for fitness, Scott Baptie is a Sports nutritionist, Director of Food For Fitness. Online trainer. Speaker. High protein cook. Magazine cover model & fitness writer. He specialises in fat loss, muscle gain and nutrition. His recipes are delicious and so nutritious, so when I seen this recently I had to give it a try. At only 164 calories per portion (without the chicken), who wouldn’t? I used green lentils and added chicken for a more filling meal.
Makes 4 portions
Spray oil with coconut oil
2 onions, diced
10g ginger, crushed
10g garlic, crushed
200g green lentils (or red) rinsed
350ml vegetable stock
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp gram masala
1 tsp dried chillies
400g chopped tomatoes
400g coconut milk – reduced fat
2 chicken breasts
Seasoning
Fresh coriander, chopped
Heat spray oil in a large pan.
Add the diced onions with garlic and ginger and cook until softened. Remove from pan
Add the seasoned chicken to the pan with the gram masala, chillies and cumin and cook until chicken is browned.
Add the onions back to the pan with the lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil then gently simmer with lid for about 30 minutes.
Remove lid and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken.
I picked up an amazing bargain recently in Aldi’s….29p for 2.5kg bag of Maris Piper potatoes…..Yes I know…..right…..29p!! So after picking up some lovely scottish beef sausages at my local butchers I decided a Stew was the perfect match for these potatoes.
A warm comfort filling dish.
Makes 4 servings.
8 Scottish Beef sausages (or any of your choice)
4 potatoes – washed and cubed (skin on)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
300ml chicken stock
2 garlic clove – crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 sweet red peppers – sliced
1 red onion – quartered
1 tsp crushed chillies
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
salt & pepper
1 tbsp worcester sauce
1 tbsp mixed herbs
Gently heat up to a medium heat a fry pan with oil.
Gently fry the peppers and onion with the garlic, chillies and paprika until softened, remove from pan with slotted spoon.
Put your sausages into the pan and gently brown on all sides.
Once sausages are browned add back to the pan the pepper mix, tomato paste, tin tomatoes, chicken stock, potatoes, salt & pepper, worcester sauce and mix. Bring to the boil then simmer for approx 25 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
A few minutes before ready add in the mixed herbs, and cut the sausages into 3 sections, then serve. Yummy!
I just love Sunday Brunch time, no alarm, lay in, relaxing morning and a fantastic big breakfast that will keep me going until my Sunday dinner. I couldn’t decide between sweet or savoury this morning, so why not both?? This was an absolute treat and so glad I had some fresh tomatoes as this jam just nailed the dish.
Makes 2 portions
For the Jam
10 cherry tomatoes – 1/4
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
Sprayoil
1 red onion – finely chopped
For the French Toast
2 slices of bread (I used wholemeal)
1 tbsp butter for frying
2 eggs
Salt & pepper to taste
1 large handful of kale – I steamed cooked mine for 4 minutes, perfect.
1/2 Avocado – sliced
To make the jam:- Heat 1 tbsp butter and some spray oil in a fry pan
Saute the onion on medium heat until tender about 5 minutes
Add brown sugar, stir and cook for a further 3 minutes
Add the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar and cook for a further 5 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm
To make the French Toast:- Heat 1 tbsp butter in a fry pan.
Whisk the eggs and season with salt & pepper
Place the slices of bread in the egg mixture and allow to soak for a minute, then place into the hot pan and fry on each side for about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Steam cook your kale.
Place kale onto toast, then avocado slices then top with the jam.
New Year, New Recipes, New ideas, New ways of thinking and so on………..yes we all do it in January and this one was no different. I am trying to look for new ways to add health benefit spices to my food, so thought I would start with Turmeric, a spice rice with anti-inflammatory effects, powerful antioxidants which protect our body from free radicals, know to improve brain function, lower your risk of heart disease, prevent cancer, it even has anti-ageing benefits (I so on this one…lol). So why not?
This little dish was so tasty, I will definitely be having it more.
Makes 2 portions
4 eggs
spray oil
2 tsps turmeric
Salt & pepper
6 cherry tomatoes – cut into quarters
2 tsps parsley (dried or fresh) – I used dried
Heat oil in a fry pan on medium heat
Gently heat through tomatoes until slightly soft
Whisk up eggs and pour into pan, add turmeric, parsley and salt & pepper, allow to sit for a minute then gently mix through until you have a scrambled egg consistency. Serve immediately.
I just love Lazy Sunday mornings, no alarm, no rushing, relaxing healthy breakfast with a good fresh cup of coffee, no better way to start the day. This little breakfast is so tasty and quick to pull together but also very nutritional:-
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is one of incredible green-leafy vegetable often recognised as one of the functional foods for its health benefiting nutritional, antioxidants and anti-cancer composition. Its tender, crispy, dark-green leaves are one of the favorite ingredients of chefs all around the world. It is very low in calories and fats (100 g of raw leaves provide just 23 calories). Fresh 100 g of spinach contains about 25% of daily intake of iron, one of the highest for any green leafy vegetables. Fresh leaves are a rich source of several vital antioxidant vitamins like vitamin-A & vitamin-C.
Eggs Eggs are an all-natural source of high-quality protein and a number of other nutrients, all for 70 calories per large egg. One egg has varying amounts of 13 essential vitamins and minerals plus 6 grams of high-quality protein. The high-quality protein in an egg is essential for building and maintaining lean body mass.
Tomatoes are also an excellent source vitamin C, biotin, molybdenum and vitamin K. They are also a very good source of copper, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), vitamin B6, folate, niacin, vitamin E and phosphorus. They are usually red when mature, but can come in a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, green and purple. The water content of tomatoes is around 95%. The other 5% consist mainly carbohydrates and fiber. One medium sized tomato (123 grams) contains only 22 calories.
2 Large eggs
100g Spinach
Mixture of tomatoes
Rainbow pepper
oil 1 tsp
Chopped Chilli (optional if you like a bit of spice)
Heat a little oil in a fry pan on medium to high heat, half tomatoes and place face down in pan, cook for about 4-5 minutes or until browned and softened.
Meanwhile bring a pan of water to boil then reduce to a simmer and place eggs in one at a time to poach, I make a swirling motion in water to help bring the egg together. Poach for about 3-4 minutes.
Add the spinach to the tomatoes and place a lid on for about 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted.
Place spinach and tomatoes on to a plate, top with poached eggs and season with rainbow pepper and chilli. YUMMY!
Using some leftovers in my fridge, this is what I came up with for my brunch today. Yes brunch………I had a bit of a lay in this morning.”….I just love Saturday mornings……no alarms…..no rush to get up……no work……heaven.
Makes 6
100g diced chorizo
5 eggs – whisked
4 spring onions – diced
1 orange pepper – diced
1 red onion – diced
6 cherry tomatoes – quartered
spray oil
parmesan cheese – about 2 tbsps
salt & rainbow peppercorns for seasoning
Preheat your oven to 180 deg
Fry in a little oil the chorizo and red onion – approx 5 minutes until browned
Grease a muffin tin
Place a spoonful of the chorizo in the tin, then sprinkle the peppers, spring onion and tomatoes into the tin.
Pour in the egg mixture into each tin and then grate a little parmesan cheese on top and season with salt and pepper
Bake for about 25 minutes
Allow to cool slightly remove from tin and serve……..so Yummy!
Saturday lunch in my house today was Focaccia, although it turned out to much more like a pizza….lol…..I couldn’t decide on my toppings so just put it all in. Was absolutely delicious. (although note to self…….less toppings next time!)
I decided to try it using my crisper tray and it didn’t fail me, results were amazing in just 15 mins.
400g White bread flour
300ml warm milk
1 sachet 7g yeast
salt
1 tsp of dried Italian herbs (or you can use a mix of garlic, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper)
1 tbsp olive oil
Toppings of your choice………I used Mixed Piccolo tomatoes (halved), sliced roasted peppers, sauteed red onion, black olives, fresh basil leaves.
Salt & pepper to season
Mix the yeast with the warm milk and leave for about 10 mins until it starts to froth.
Mix the Flour, salt & herbs in a large mixing bowl
Pour the milk into the flour and mix well. Knead dough for about 10 mins by hand or using a mixer for a few minutes until blended together into a dough.
Let dough rise for about 1 hour. Use rising setting on Hotpoint oven.
Preheat crisper plate for 2 minutes on Dynamic Crisp setting.
Once dough has risen, place directly onto crisper plate and spread it out evenly to cover crisper plate.
Place your toppings into the dough evenly and drizzle with a little oil
Cook on dynamic crisp setting for 15 mins. (Or oven at 220deg for 20 mins)
This is my go to Pizza Sauce, ever since I started cooking I always look for healthier options to shop bought products and this is definitely one of them. Not only are your homemade options healthier but so much more tastier.
Makes enough for 2 large pizzas
250g of fresh tomatoes or 1 can 400g of chopped tin tomatoes. (I would urge you to try fresh it makes such a difference to the flavour.
4 garlic cloves – minced
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
salt & fresh cracked pepper
1 tbsp Olive oil
First place the fresh tomatoes into a pan of boiling water to loose the skins (about 10 mins). Remove skins before placing into processor.
Combine all of the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Tasting through and adding more pepper or oil as required. If you prefer a really thick sauce, drain some of the tomato juice before putting into the blender.
The sauce can be used straight away or chilled in the fridge up to 1 week.
Inspired by a post I seen on KitchenAid London’s Facebook and having recently invested in my own KitchenAid Stand Mixer it was a must that I had to bake. I adjusted some of the ingredients to my liking. For me it was a little bit too crispy on top but my partner loved it. Practise makes perfect as they say…..watch this space.
Makes 1 loaf
1 packet of 7g dried active yeast
200ml lukewarm water
pinch of sugar
400g strong white bread flour
1/2 tsp salt
50ml olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1/2 bunch of basil – finely chopped
1-12 Cherry tomatoes (of your choice) I used piccolo and sunblush
1 tbsp Tomato puree
Sea Salt flakes to garnish
Empty the yeast into the lukewarm water with the pinch of sugar and leave for about 10 minutes until foamy.
Stir in the olive oil to the yeast
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, gradually add in the yeast mixture and tomato puree, using the dough hook, knead until a soft dough. Speed 1 for about 5 minutes.
Select proving on your oven (if you have one), if not, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours.
Knock back the dough and knead on speed 1 mixing in the basil for about 2 mins.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface about 1.5-2cm thick
Place on a greased baking sheet on a tray and make 12 indentations with a damp fingertip, push your cherry tomatoes into each hole, prove again for about 30 mins.
Preheat your oven to 200deg, drizzle a little oil over bread and garnish with sea salt. Bake in the oven for about 25 mins or until bread sounds hollow on bottom.
I served with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil dip, but it is also really nice on its own.
With some puff pastry left in the fridge and looking for a tasty Sunday brunch thought I’d have a go at a puff pastry tart. Such a simple and easy yet tasty delight. The fillings are endless too, I now have so many ideas going on in my head for next time…….goats cheese being one of my favourites.
1 sheet of puff pastry
1 egg whisked for the wash
2 egg yolks
handful cherry tomatoes – halved
handful of spinach
salt & pepper to taste
Firstly cut your pastry into a square, about 5″ x 5″, using a sharp knife draw a square around the pastry about 1 cm in, be careful not to cut right through.
Brush the pastry with the egg wash.
Place the spinach in the square then the cherry tomatoes around the edge.
Place into a preheated oven at 190 deg for approx 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, pour the remaining egg wash into the centre and then place the egg yolks in the middle, put back in oven and continue to cook for approx 10-15mins.
Always wanted to make my own pesto sauce, so today was that day! Decided to pair with some chicken and pasta for dinner, very tasty if I do say so myself! lol!
Makes for 2
For the chicken pan:-
1 1/2 large chicken breast – cut into small chunks
80g Spinach spaghetti pasta
Handful pancetta
10 cherry tomatoes
1 red & 1 yellow pepper – sliced finely
1 onion – chopped finely
Salt & pepper
Italian seasoning
1 tsp chilli flakes
For the pest sauce:-
Large handfuls of basil
80-100g toasted pine nuts
1 garlic clove
Salt & pepper
Lemon Juice (1 lemon)
50g Parmesean cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano)
Olive oil (very important to use a very good quality oil)
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add the chicken, season with salt & pepper & Italian seasoning, brown all over.
Meanwhile bring a large pan of salted water to boil for your pasta, add pasta and reduce to simmer for 10 mins.
Add onion, pancetta and peppers to pan with chicken and cook until soft and slightly browned.
Add cherry tomatoes and chilli flakes cook for a few mins, stir through
To make the sauce, put everything into a food processor and blend until smooth, gently add the oil a little at a time until desired smoothness.
Drain pasta and add to the chicken pan, mixing through with the other ingredients. Tip in the sauce, mix and heat through for about 1 min.
1. Put all dry ingredients into a bowl and mix together, make a well in the middle and gently add water little at a time while stirring, continue to add water until you get a smooth batter, it shouldn’t be too thick or too runny. Set aside.
Haggis Pakora
1 x 500g McSween’s Haggis, but Grants and Halls are also good. (500g serves about 3)
1. Cook as per package instructions and let cool. Make into small balls and dip into batter.
2. Gently drop into hot oil and fry for about 4-5 mins. Drain and pat excess oil off with kitchen paper.
Chicken Pakora
1 x Chicken Breast
1. Cut chicken breast into small chunks and lightly fry in a pan to brown.
2. Add some tomato paste to the left over batter mix and stir through until it turns pink, dip chicken chunks into batter and then drop gently into the oil and fry for about 3-4 mins. Drain and pat excess oil off with kitchen paper.
Pakora sauce for Chicken pakora
50g tomato ketchup
2g Mint leaves (finely chopped)
100g Natural Yoghurt
Pinch salt and chilli
50ml milk
1. Mix all the ingredients together, slowly adding the milk to produce a thin sauce. Pour into dish and set aside until ready.
Chilli sauce for Haggis Pakora
1/2 tin chopped tomatoes
Generous squirt of tomato sauce
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp hot chilli sauce
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 beef oxo cube
1. Mix all ingredients into a pan and simmer until the oxo cube has fully dissolved. Remove and allow to cool before serving.
THE WEE CALEDONIAN COOK 
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