Neep (Turnip) Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

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Neep Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

My lovely neighbour handed over some more Neeps (Turnips) the other day, this time instead of the normal Haggis, Neeps ‘n’ Tatties, I decided to make a cake! Well after all you get carrot cake & courgette cakes so why not a Neep cake? This is one of those recipes that doesn’t sound inviting but once you try it, it’s delicious and not what you were expecting. The little bit of Nutmeg through gives a lovely soft spice and the brown butter frosting giving that nutty sweetness. You have to give this a try if you have leftover Neeps (Turnips).

Makes 12 Cakes

250g Plain Flour

150g Grated Raw Neep (Turnip)

3 Eggs

175g Light Brown Sugar

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

100 ml Milk

2 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

2 Tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/2 Tsp Salt

For the Brown Butter Frosting

400g Icing Sugar

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

3 Tbsp Milk

115g Unsalted Butter at room temperature

Handful of chopped walnuts or hazelnuts to top

  1. Preheat oven to 180 deg & line a 9 x 9 inch Baking tin with paper and grease.
  2. In a bowl beat the eggs, sugar, extract & milk until combined.
  3. Sift in the flour and add the baking powder & baking soda with salt & the nutmeg, stir to combine and pour into the lined tin, bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins then remove the paper and place on a wire rack to completely cool.
  4. Meanwhile to make the frosting, place icing sugar, extract & milk into a bowl and set aside.
  5. In a pan on low heat add the butter and gently melt, once melted turn up heat slightly to a medium heat (do not boil) then stir until the butter becomes brown in colour & smells nutty (this will take about 8-10 mins). Remove from heat immediately, allow to cool slightly and add to the icing sugar mix, whip up until you have a smooth thick frosting.
  6. Slice your cake into 12 squares and place frosting into a piping bag, pipe frosting on top of each slice and sprinkle with some walnuts or hazelnuts. Serve with a lovely cuppa! Enjoy.
Brown Butter
Neep Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Neep Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Neep Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Neep Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Vegetable Tagine

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In a bid to get more vegetables into our diet, this little Tagine was simply super tasty and super healthy. One pot cooking too so nice & easy. I do love Moroccan flavours. Idea came from a recipe from PON and as usual I added and took out bits to suit my own tastes. Delicious!!!

 

Serves 4

Low calorie spray

1 Large carrot, cut into chunks

200g Turnip (swede), peeled and cut into chunks

2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

6 shallots – peeled and cut into wedges

1 red pepper, cut into wedges

200g peeled and deseeded butternut squash, cut into chunks

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp Moroccan Spice Mix (1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp white pepper, 1/2 tsp mixed spice, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric)

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

250ml vegetable stock

1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained.

200g Baby Spinach

handful chopped fresh coriander

 

  1. Spray a Casserole dish with low cal spray and place over medium heat, add the vegetables and cook for about 5-10 minutes until lightly browned.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes, then add the spice mix and season ensuring all vegetables are covered.
  3. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and stock, bring to a simmer, cover and turn down low. Cook for about 1- 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir in the chickpeas and spinach and cook for about 5 minutes more.
  5. Sprinkle with fresh coriander and serve.

 

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Rumbledethumps

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This is a Scottish Traditional Dish, made up of mainly Potatoes, onion & cabbage. I love this dish it is such a warming comfort food dish but healthy and nutritious.  It was chilly & wet here today, so this was the perfect dish to go with my chicken tonight.

 

Serves 2

250g potatoes – skin on and cut into small chunks

200g Turnip – cut into small chunks

1 white onion – finely sliced

1/2 green cabbage – finely sliced

Salt & Rainbow pepper (or black pepper)

1 egg yolk

40g low fat cheddar cheese

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 deg
  2. Place the potatoes and turnip in a large pan salted boiling water and gently boil until slightly softened.
  3. Meanwhile, spray a fry pan with low fat oil and cook the onion & cabbage until softened and slightly browned.                                                                          20190603_175245
  4. Once potatoes etc have softened, drain and add the the cabbage pan, mix and gently mash, not too much as your still want some chunks.                                            20190603_175644
  5. Decant into an oven proof dish and mix with the egg yolk, season with salt & pepper and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.                                                    20190603_180019
  6. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
  7. Serve. Yummy!  (A little splash of Worcestershire Sauce with this is amazing also)

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Roasted Winter Vegetables

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Winter Vegetables……especially when roasted, they are so fulfilling, colourful and full of flavour. I love roasted veg, especially on a cold winters night like tonight, I wanted something to warm me up.

 

Here are a few of my favourites and why:-

Beets—Beets are one of the most overlooked Superfoods.  They lower blood pressure, increase exercise endurance, and reduce inflammation.  They contain potent phytonutrients called proanthocyanidins which give beets their brilliant purple color.  Proanthocyanidins are proven anti-cancer compounds.  They are packed in nutrients like folate which is important to prevent birth defects, potassium which is critical for healthy muscles and nerves, manganese which helps build strong bones, and vitamin C for a strong immune system.

Carrots—Just one carrot contains 13,500 IU of beta carotene which translates into a tremendous amount of nutritional power against free radicals.  Beta carotene is anti-cancerous, prevents cellular damage and premature ageing, and is important to prevent cataracts.

Squash—Squash is rich in beta-carotene, the nutrient that gives squash its brilliant orange-coloured flesh.  Enjoy it cut in half, seeded, and roasted.  Add roasted squash to soups, salads, stews, or in wraps and on sandwiches.  Use grated, raw squash in muffin recipes, in place of zucchini in zucchini bread recipes, or in other baked goods to increase their nutritional value.

Sweet Potatoes—Like squash, sweet potatoes are also high in beta carotene.   They also contain vitamins C, B6, and minerals like blood-building iron, energy-boosting potassium, and Nature’s relaxant, magnesium.  Enjoy them chopped into French fry-shapes, tossed in a little olive oil and sea salt and baked in the oven for about 45 minutes on 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Turnips—Turnips are a good source of fibre which helps to keep blood sugar levels steady and stabilize energy and moods.  They also have a rich source that have proven anti-cancer powerhouses.

 

So tonight I roasted some Sweet Potato, Turnip, Carrot and Beetroot, sprinkled with some olive oil and rosemary, baked in an oven at 220 deg fan for 35 minutes. YUMMY comfort food!  I steamed a piece of Salmon to go with it.

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Haggis, Neeps & Tatties (haggis, turnip & potatoes…..lol!)

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Haggis, Neep n Tattes      Hag Neep Tatt

One of my favourite Scottish meals!

 

1 x Scottish haggis

2 large Potatoes, I used Albert Bartlett potatoes (yum)

1 turnip

pinch salt and pepper

50ml warm milk

1 knob of butter

Choice of sauce – the usual is whisky cream sauce but we’re not that keen, so a good old sweet gravy it is for us!

 

1. Cook haggis as per instructions, normally in a casserole dish at 190 deg for 1/5 hours.

2. Peel and dice potatoes and turnip,bring to the boil (in a separate pan) and then simmer for 25 mins, add in pinch of salt.

3. Once all cooked, mash potatoes with the warm milk and butter added so make a smooth consistency.

4. Also mash the turnip to a good smooth consistency.

5. Take a cookie cutter and lay on plate spoon in haggis first making sure it is well patted down, then lift the cutter up slightly but not out and then spoon the turnip on top of the haggis and pat down, repeat the same with the potatoes.

6. If you have any left over add to plate in your own design, pour over sauce and serve.  Yum Yum!

My Granny’s Homemade Vegetable Soup

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veg soup

This soup is always best served a day old, I make a big pot that does 3 days and it’s still yummy on Day 3. (approx 150 calories a bowl)

This was my Grans Recipe and I’ve used it all my life.

 

250g Great Scot Vegetable Broth, which gave me 10 bowls (soak for at least 8-12 hours)

4 x carrots – grated

1 x leek – chopped finely

1 x turnip – grated

small bite size chunks of potato (choose potatoes suitable for boiling) amount as per your liking. (I used 6 small boiling potatoes)

3 x vegetable stock cubes

3 litres water

Salt and pepper to season

 

1. Fill up a large soup pot with the water

2. Pour in the pre – soaked broth lentils and put in vegetable stock cubes (no need to dissolve before, put them in whole)

3. Bring to the boil, while waiting for water to boil, put in the grated carrot, turnip and leeks and mix through

4. Season with salt & pepper

5. Once boiled reduce heat to a simmer for 40 minutes.

6. Serve with some yummy bread.