Bean Cassoulet with Poached Eggs

So it seems like the weather is finally picking up- it's getting milder and more conducive to outdoor activities, such as bbqs,picnics and gardening! At long last the weather is showing a semblance of spring/summer.
Therefore, I decided to expend all my energy today in the garden, to make the most of the mild weather and embellish my somewhat average flowerbeds!!!
Having spent the day working hard with the soil, I've built up quite the appetite! The only culinary option now is an injection of protein, to re-fuel the body, so what better than a protein-packed meal such as a bean cassoulet with poached eggs!!!

 

Poached Eggs with Tomato Butter Beans

Serves 4

For the tomato butter beans:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 medium red onions (finely sliced)

2  400g cans chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 tablespoon cider or rice vinegar

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2  400g cans of butter beans (drained)

Sea salt (to taste)

Black pepper (to taste)

Poached eggs:

4 medium eggs

1 tablespoon white vinegar

 

Method for Beans:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.

Add the onions and cumin seeds and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the canned tomatoes, tomato puree, cider or rice vinegar, smoked paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Cook over a gentle heat for about 20-25 minutes.

Add the drained butter beans to the tomato mixture and cook for a further 10 minutes, being careful not to over-cook as the beans will go into a mush!

Set aside while preparing the poached eggs.

 

Method for poached eggs:

Heat a saucepan full of water and white vinegar.

Once the water is boiling, create a swirl in the water with the handle of a wooden spoon and quickly crack your egg into the swirling water.

Cook the egg for 1-2 minutes or longer if you prefer your eggs harder boiled.

Repeat this for your remaining eggs.

Remove egg from water and serve immediately with your tomato beans.

Serve with crusty bread or toast.

Nutritional Tip:

Butter beans are like an “All-Star” food as they contain exceptional nutritional values. Like most other beans, they are packed full of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. Overall, they are excellent in aiding a healthy heart, promoting a good digestive system and regulating your blood sugar levels.

 

 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This recipe is so easy and so tasty, that you'll never again be tempted to reach for that infamous orange lidded jar !!  Step away from that jar and give your tastebuds a real treat with this easy to follow recipe....enjoy!!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 red onions (finely diced)

1 white onion (finely diced)

1 red or green pepper (finely sliced)

4 chicken breasts (cut into cubes)

4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

½  pineapple (peeled, cored and cut into cubes) or ½ can of pineapple chunks

400g / 1 tin plum tomatoes

2 tablespoon tomato puree

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoon soy sauce

4 tablespoon cider vinegar

100ml water

Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to....

Heat the olive oil in a casserole over a medium heat, add the red and white onions, and peppers and sauté for 5 – 10 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces and garlic and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the pineapple and its juice along with the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, honey, soy sauce, cider vinegar, water and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir all the ingredients well, cover and allow to simmer for 5 – 10 minutes before transferring to a preheated oven 375 F / 190 C/ Gas 5. Cook for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with boiled rice.

 

Beef Bolognese

Something wholesome, nourishing and belly-warming on this cold February evening...

 

 

Beef Bolognese

serves 4 – 6 

800g – 1 lb beef mince

2 onions (finely diced)

1 teaspoon oregano (dried or fresh)

Pinch sea salt and black pepper

2 cloves garlic (finely grated)

2 medium carrots (finely grated)

250g mushrooms (finely grated)

1 small red pepper (finely diced)

2 x 400g tinned tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

300ml water 

 

How to....

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium to high heat. Add the beef and cook for 5 – 10 minutes until browned, stirring continuously.

In a separate frying pan, heat some olive oil over a medium heat, add the onions, oregano, salt and pepper and sauté for 5 – 6 minutes.

Transfer the sautéed onions to the saucepan of beef and cook for 3 – 4 minutes.

Add the garlic, carrots, mushrooms and red pepper, stir well and cook for 4 – 5 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, ketchup and water. Stir well and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat and simmer with the lid off for 30 – 40 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken.

Serve with spaghetti and warm crusty bread.

This is also a great base for lasagne.

 

Bon Appetit!!

Banana and Pumpkin Seed Cookies

These cookies are a real treat! 
Something gorgeous and guilt-free to go with a cuppa anytime of day, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner!
They also make a great gift - Martha Stewart style, you'll be a culinary Queen, or King in your own underpants!! Go ahead, spoil yourselves, your friends, loved ones or anyone you feel like treating.....

Banana and Pumpkin Seed Cookies

 

 

Makes 8 – 10 cookies

3 medium sized bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey

200g dates (pitted and roughly chopped)

180g porridge oats

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

80ml / 3 fl oz sunflower oil

 

How to.... 

Preheat oven at 180 C / 350 F / Gas 4 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl with the vanilla extract and honey.

Add the chopped dates, oats, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and oil. Stir well and allow to rest for 10 – 15 minutes until the mixture becomes moist and sticky.

Space mixture into flat cookies with your hands, ensuring you make them as big or as small as you like before cooking, as they will not spread during cooking.

Place cookies onto the baking tray and bake for 10 – 15 minutes.

Remove cookies from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 

Nutritional Tip:

Oats are full of fibre, vitamins and minerals. They contain vitamins B and E as well as iron and magnesium, which when combined promote a healthy heart and nervous system as well as increasing your energy levels and overall stamina.

 

Bon Appetit!!

Molly's Brown Bread

So I was pottering about the kitchen this afternoon, feeling a little peckish, wondering what I might fancy to satisfy my hunger! Perhaps a nice wholesome sandwich I thought! Yes, I said, that's what I'll have, but having consulted my trusty bread bin, alas, I had no bread! There were two options- head to the shop to avail of a glutenous loaf of factory produced dough or quickly whip up a tasty home-made loaf of brown bread. Having a little time on my hands- I chose the latter- resulting in the below recipe.....

Molly’s Homemade Brown Bread

 

 

 

Makes 2 loaves

450g (1lb) wholemeal flour

50g (2oz) plain flour

50g (2oz) oatmeal

50g (2oz) sesame seeds

50g (2oz) linseeds

50g (2oz) pumpkin seeds

50g (2oz) wheatgerm

1 tsp salt

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 litre (1 ¾ pints) buttermilk

 

Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Grease two 2lb loaf tins with sunflower oil or line with non-stick paper. Mix together the dry ingredients and then sift in the bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Add the buttermilk to make a moist dough. Divide the dough mixture between the two tins. Bake for 10 minutes on high heat, then reduce the heat to 140°C/275°F/Gas Mark 1 and bake for 1 hour. Remove cooked loaves from the oven and allow to cool a little before turning out onto a wire rack. To test if they are cooked properly, tap the base of the loaf, it should make a hollow sound if cooked through.

Nutritional Tip:

Oatmeal is a rich source of soluble dietary fibre which is great for lowering cholesterol and high blood pressure. The soluble fibre also allows for considerable water absorption and consequently slows down your digestive process, i.e you feel full for longer. Therefore it can help you to control your weight. Oats are also a great source of proteins, carbohydrates and iron all important in the production of energy and stamina.

The Return of my Culinary MoJo!!

Hello Everyone,

So I lost my culinary mojo for a while!! We're all human!! But I'm back now to impart my, albeit, amateur culinary advice. Well, what I'm really trying to achieve is an offering of some easy to follow, good tasting and somewhat healthy recipes for you to add to your cooking repertoire!
So I thought I'd ease both you guys and myself gently back into the wonderful culinary sphere with this tasty and simple recipe......so here it goes.... allow your taste buds be tickled.....

 

Sticky Honey and Lemon Chicken Thighs

 

 

 

Here is what you'll need....

2 lemons (juiced)
2 tablespoons runny honey
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 red onion (finely sliced)
4 - 5 cloves garlic (whole and unpeeled)
1lb or 6 pieces chicken thighs


In a large oven proof dish, combine the lemon juice, honey, mustard seeds, dijon mustard, thyme and salt and pepper. Mix well.

Add the onions and garlic, followed by the chicken thighs and massage chicken with your hands until well covered with the marinade.

Place in a preheated oven 190 C/ 375 F/ Gas 5, and cook for 40 - 45 minutes, ensuring to turn the chicken at least once throughout.

Serve with boiled baby potatoes and green olives with a lemon marinade- delicious!

Green Olives with lemon marinade:
1 handful green olives (finely sliced)
1/2 lemon (juiced)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic (finely grated)
1 pinch sea salt and cracked black pepper

Place the olives in a jar and add the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper, shake well before pouring over the boiled baby potatoes.

Enjoy!!!!

Nutritional Tip:

Chicken thighs are packed full of protein and potassium, are low in fat, and contain no carbohydrates, therefore, they are an extremely healthy addition to our diet. All these components help maintain a healthy heart and strengthen the body’s muscles and bones.