Super snacking spiced roasted chickpeas…
Posted: March 20, 2014 Filed under: Canapés, Savoury | Tags: chickpeas, healthy, snack, spicy Leave a commentMy vice is most definitely snacking and sometimes I do get tired of my trusty, sweet and salty popcorn to nibble while watching a movie! With this in mind I went hunting for new snack recipes! After cinnamon baked apples were a disaster these were my next test! Dried flavoured chickpeas! And they were really really tasty!
I took inspiration from this recipe, and slow roasted a full can of drained chickpeas in a 180C oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
To begin a rinsed and dried the chickpeas on a tea towel.
Next I placed them on a baking tray covered with baking parchment and popped them in the oven. They do take a long time to become fully crispy so this could be an option for the bottom shelf of the oven while you’re roasting or baking something else.
When removed from the oven I popped them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a mixture of BBQ seasoning, chilli powder, paprika and garlic. Toss the seasoning over the chickpeas and you’re onto a new snacking sensation! Enjoy!
Middle Eastern Meal!
Posted: September 17, 2013 Filed under: Parties, Savoury | Tags: dishes, eastern, food, meal, middle, party Leave a commentGood things come to those who wait and I’m sorry I didn’t post this sooner but as I mentioned a few weeks ago I made a middle eastern meal for some friends of mine who came to stay! As with any good dinner party you need to spend time with your friends and not all your time in the kitchen so I tried to stick to things I could make in advance and used a combination of homemade dishes and ready made goodies! I made a Tabouleh salad myself and cooked halloumi and marinated chicken. I also made some homemade bab ganoush, an aubergine dip from Lebanon. You can easily recreate this feast at home using shop bought dips and salads. I also used a falafel mix that I bought from Waitrose. It made about 10 falafel for £1.10! I hope you like the images and if you want any information on the dishes just let me know!
Middle Eastern Meal…
Posted: August 30, 2013 Filed under: Parties, Savoury | Tags: dinner, eastern, ideas, middle, party Leave a commentAs I might have mentioned before I used to live in Oman in the Middle East for most of my life. Now I’m back in the UK I miss my friends from there so much! We now all live at different corners of the UK and it’s hard for us to meet up but this weekend we are doing just that and I’m planning on cooking a middle eastern feast for us all! I had a search on the internet for some inspirational ideas. This is what I came up with but I will be sure to share pictures of the food I actually make with you next week!
Chicken with Puy Lentils and Asparagus…
Posted: January 19, 2013 Filed under: Savoury | Tags: 15 minute meals, asparagus, chicken, jamies, lentils Leave a commentAs I mentioned in an earlier post I got the Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals Cookbook for Christmas. I tried this recipe from it for the first time the other day and it was really tasty! I’ve included a few images from the cooking process!
In this recipe the chicken is rubbed with salt, pepper and cayenne before being bashed thin and pan fried in a drizzle of olive oil with whole garlic cloves, pancetta and asparagus.
The chicken is served with puy lentils cooked with carrot, onion, spinach and yoghurt.
If I had to make a few comments about this recipe book I would say you can’t do the recipes in 15 minutes….unless you want to trash the kitchen. If your prepared to open cans and throw them on the floor or simply open a packet of chicken breasts and cook them with trimming and sinew or fat then it is possible but realistically people don’t really cook like that! This recipe book should probably be called ‘30 Minute Meals’ and ‘30 Minute Meals’ should probably be called ‘ 5 and Half Hour Meals’ but there you go! Despite that the book is still good with a wide range of recipes to try!
Super Salmon Risotto…
Posted: January 16, 2013 Filed under: Savoury | Tags: leftovers, recipe, risotto, salmon, smoked Leave a commentJust after Christmas with plenty of food left to be used up in the fridge I made myself a speedy lunch time risotto using leftover smoked salmon! The dish worked really well and was very simple to make! I served it with a handful of fresh peppery rocket!
To make this risotto I used the same method I previously used in other risotto recipe (which is frying garlic and onion in a splash of oil, adding the Arborio rice and slowly adding stock or white wine).
In addition I also added, oregano, smoked salmon, frozen peas and broccoli. I finished the risotto with seasoning, a knob of butter to make the risotto creamy and glossy and some grated parmesan to add richness!
The cooked smoked salmon worked really well and although I used vegetable stock you could also use fish stock and add other seafood if you like a stronger flavour!
Broccoli, Pine Nut and Chilli Pasta…
Posted: November 30, 2012 Filed under: Savoury | Tags: broccoli, chilli, nut, pasta, pine, recipe Leave a commentOn a cold Sunday night all I wanted for my dinner was something hot and delicious! I had a flick through Gino D’acampo’s pasta book and stumbled across this great dish. It took mere minutes to make and tasted amazing smothered in grated parmesan!
All the ingredients you need are in the image below (apart from the pasta) and I’ll try to sum up the recipe in a few lines! First off you will need to boil the pasta of your choice until al dente in salted water and then drain.
To make the rest of the dish, here are the steps!
1. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil per serving to a pan and heat (2tbsp for one person, 4 for 2 people etc).
2. Add to the pan sliced garlic (one clove per serving), pine nuts (1.5 tbsp per person) and finely sliced chilli. Add as much or as little chilli as you like! I don’t like too much! hehe. Then add your sliced broccoli pieces.
3. Cook those ingredients over a medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Next add some dry white wine (about 75ml per serving) and cook out for a further 5-10 minutes until the broccoli is soft. Add the drained pasta to the mix and finish with fresh basil leaves and parmesan cheese!
Easy peasy and super tasty! The Gino D’Acampo pasta book is also amazingggg totally worth a purchase! Great Christmas present for anyone who likes Italian food!
Pizza Bread (or ‘why haven’t I done this yet’…)
Posted: November 27, 2012 Filed under: Savoury | Tags: bread, easy, ideas, pizza, recipe 3 CommentsI have actually tried a homemade pizza bread once before but I’ve never made it myself! Seeing a picture of one on Pinterest brought back that memory and made me think again as to why I STILL haven’t tried it! Made using French bread or a crusty loaf simply add tomato paste, cheese and any toppings you like! Rocket, ham and mushrooms will be my first attempt I think! Pop in the oven and ‘voila’ Pizza Bread!
Here’s my top three from the web!
Perfect Pad Thai…
Posted: November 4, 2012 Filed under: Savoury | Tags: noodle, pad, recipe, thai Leave a commentPad Thai is my absolute favourite Asian dish. I’ve never known how to make it but have religiously ordered it every time I go to a local noodle bar. I finally plucked up the courage to make it myself and the results were really tasty!
The recipe I used was very authentic and came from the ‘Thai Table’ website. To see the recipe follow this link. The recipe is for a traditional prawn Pad Thai but I added some chicken to mine as well! It was very easy to make and the recipe tells you that you can omit some of the more obscure ingredients if you like! I also used spring onions instead of chives but both work well!
It really is worth giving this recipe a try if you enjoy Thai and Asian cuisine, it’s delicious!
French Peas with Bacon…
Posted: October 6, 2012 Filed under: Savoury | Tags: bacon, french, peas, recipe 1 CommentThe other day at dinner we all fancied something different to the standard carrots or cabbage with our roast so I tried making these French peas. The result was really tasty and a great way to jazz up what can be a boring vegetable! They’re also supper easy but look like you’ve made a bit more of an effort hehe! Great for fooling everyone into thinking you’re a super chef!
If you want to make them here’s how!
Ingredients
1 Onion chopped finely
3 slices of smoked bacon, chopped
1 chicken stock cube, mixed with water
a splash of dry white wine
a knob of butter
Frozen peas
Method
1. To begin melt the butter in a pan and fry the onions and bacon until the bacon is cooked and the onions are soft.
2. Add to the onions and bacon a few glugs of white wine and cook off for 5 minutes until the wine reduces.
3. Add the chicken stock followed by the frozen peas and cook through! You can add as little or as much stock as you like and if you prefer you can drain the peas after! Enjoy!
The Best Breakfast…
Posted: September 11, 2012 Filed under: Randoms, Savoury | Tags: best, breakfast, eggs, salmon, scrambled, smoked Leave a commentSome people are massive breakfast eaters. I’m not one of those people, during the week its a speedy bowl of Cheerios on the way to work or sometimes a slice of toast or a cereal bar but by far the biggest indulgence you can have is a luxury weekend breakfast…these usually happen around 11am preferably when your out shopping with your friends or sitting out in the garden. You’ll find your holidays are often full of these breakfasts and they are heavenly! When it’s time for one of these I have one big favourite, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on a toasted bagels! YUM YUM! Accompanied by a ice cold bucks fizz (that’s champagne and fresh orange juice (no pulp please!)), and without a doubt it is a heavenly combination! Next time its your birthday get your friends round for a slice of mid morning luxury and have a try of this combination, you’ll feel famous for a day hehe
Appetite 