Recipe: Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

• 1.5l chicken stock
• 1l pumpkin puree
• 2 chopped onions
• 1 clove garlic
• 250ml creme fraiche
• seasoning
• parsley
• thyme

Instructions:
1. Heat all of the ingredients except the creme fraiche together.  Bring to the boil and then simmer over a low heat for thirty minutes.
2. Puree the soup using a hand mixer.
3. Simmer for another thirty minutes before stirring in the creme fraiche and serve with fresh parsley.

Recipe: Apple Pie

Ingredients:
(For the base:)

• 500g flour
• 250ml milk
• 75g butter
• 75g sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 packet dry yeast
• 2 eggs

(For the topping:)

• 275g flour
• 175g butter
• 150g sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 egg yolk

(For the filling:)

• A bag of apples
• Raisins
• Cinnamon 

Instructions:
1. Mix the ingredients for the base and knead well. (15 - 20 minutes) Then let in rest in a warm place for forty minutes.
2. Chop the apples.
3. Knead the dough for the base and let it rest for another ten minutes.
4. Prepare the ingredients for the topping.  Knead well.
5. Prepare a baking tray and spread the dough for the base.  Put it in a warm oven for ten minutes.
6. Add the filling, followed by the topping.  Bake at 140 for an hour or until brown on top.  

Recipe: Creamy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 broccoli
• 1 apple
• 200g chestnuts
• 200ml coconut milk
• 500ml stock
• Seasoning to taste

Instructions:
1. Cut an x into the chestnuts and roast them in the oven at 180 degrees for fifteen minutes.  Peel them immediately.
2. Boil the broccoli for ten minutes.
3. Warm the stock.  Add the coconut milk and the broccoli.  Chop half of the apple and add it to the pan along with 2/3 of the chestnuts.
4. Puree the mixture.
5. Chop the remaining apple and chestnuts finely and add to the mix along with seasoning.

Recipe: Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients:

• 15 cabbage leaves
• 600g mince
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 2 onions
• 5 dried tomatoes
• 1 tbsp capers
• Parsley
• Seasoning
• 400ml stock
• 1tbsp tomato puree
• Paprika

Instructions:
1. Blanch the cabbage leaves.
2. Combine the mince, egg, mustard, one onion, tomatoes, capers, parsley and seasoning in a bowl.
3. Form balls from the mixture, wrap each one in a cabbage leaf and secure with one or more toothpicks.
4.  Brown the rolls in a pan on all sides.
5. Using the same pan, brown the remaining onion, add the puree and paprika.  Add the stock.
6. Place the rolls in the sauce, cover the pan and simmer for thirty minutes.

Recipe: Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp lemon juice
• Salt
• Oregano
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Chilli
• Paprika
• Onion
• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 peppers
• Wraps
• Lettuce
• Mayonnaise

Instructions:

1. Chop and brown the onion and chicken.

2. Add the lemon juice and spices. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Serve on a wrap with mayonnaise and lettuce.

Recipe: Honey and Mustard Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp mustard
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Seasoning

Instructions:

1. Combine the ingredients and use to marinade the chicken for at least two hours before cooking.

2. Cook at 180 for 35 to 45 minutes.

Recipe: Paleo Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• Four courgettes
• One red onion
• Two onions
• Four carrots
• One head of broccoli
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Seasoning
• 1 litre stock

Instructions:

1. Chop the vegetables and brown in a pan.

2. Add the stock and seasoning.

3. Puree with a hand blender.

Recipe: Avocado Meatballs with Salsa

Ingredients:

• 500g minced beef
• 1 avocado
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp mustard
• Seasoning
• Parsley
• 2 tomatoes

Instructions:
1. Cut half of the avocado into twelve cubes.
2. Combine the mince, onion, garlic, eggs, mustard, parsley and seasoning in a bowl.
3. Form the mixture into twelve balls, placing a cube of avocado at the centre of each and fry for about ten minutes.
4. Meanwhile chop the tomatoes and the second half of the avocado to make a salsa side.

Recipe: Spring Roast Salmon

Ingredients:

• 400g potatoes
• Olive oil
• Handful asparagus
• 2 handfuls, cherry tomatoes
• Balsamic vinegar
• 2 salmon fillets
• Basil leaves

Instructions:

1. Roast the potatoes in the oil for 20 minutes at 220℃.

2. Add the asparagus and roast for a further 15 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, salmon and more oil and return to the oven for a further fifteen minutes.

4. Sprinkle the basil over and serve.

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Recipe: Asparagus Omelette

Ingredients:

• Asparagus
• 6 large eggs
• Small jar of green pesto
• 50g mixed seeds.

Instructions:

1. Fry the asparagus. Remove half of it from the pan.

2. Mix half of the pesto with the eggs and pour half of the mixture

 over the asparagus in the hot pan.

3. Cook the eggs through and finish off under the grill. Repeat with the other half of the ingredients.

4. Serve topped with the seeds and remaining pesto.

Recipe: Chicken and Courgette Kebabs with Almond Dip

Ingredients:

• Chicken
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• Italian herbs, salt, pepper
• 4 tbsp oil
• 2 courgettes
• 100g ground almonds
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar

Instructions:

1. Marinade the chicken in the oil, mustard, lemon juice, 2 clove garlic, herbs and seasoning for at least an hour.

2. Dry fry the almonds, being careful not to burn. Add 150ml water, the honey, vinegar, garlic clove and seasoning. Set aside to cool.

3. Slice the courgettes in long strips. Roll them and skewer alternately with the chicken pieces. Fry for about four minutes on each side until cooked through. Alternatively you can grill the skewers.

Recipe: Salmon Rolls

Ingredients:

• Pancakes
• Smoked salmon
• Lettuce
• Creme fraiche
• Horseradish sauce
• Lemon juice
• Seasoning

Instructions:

1. Mix the creme fraiche, horseradish sauce, lemon juice and seasoning.

2. Spread the sauce on the pancake. Top with lettuce and salmon. 

3. Roll up and enjoy.

Recipe: Chorizo Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1.5 cups risotto rice
• 150ml red wine
• 1l stock
• 150g chorizo
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 100g frozen peas
• Handful of rocket
• Parmesan
• Seasoning

Instructions:

1. Fry the onion and garlic for five minutes. 

2. Add the rice and chorizo, followed after five minutes by the wine and then tomatoes.

3. Add the stock, ladle by ladle until absorbed, stirring regularly.

4. With the last ladles, add the peas and rocket and check the seasoning.

5. Serve with parmesan.

Recipe: Albondigas (Spanish meatballs)

Ingredients:

• 500g beef mince
• 2 eggs
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• Seasoning
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Fennel
• Olive oil
• Tomato puree
• Chopped tomatoes
• Rice to serve

Instructions:

1. Combine the mince, eggs, 1 onion, garlic, seasoning and herbs in a bowl. Form into balls and fry in the oil for about ten minutes

2. Fry the second onion with the tomato puree until brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for ten minutes.

3. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and cook for a further ten minutes.

4. Serve with the rice.

Recipe: Asparagus and lemon risotto

Yesterday we had this yummy risotto for tea. I love risottos but this was new in that I've rarely cooked with asparagus. I really liked it but I would cut it smaller next time.

You can find the recipe here.

My favourite crock pot recipes so far.

We recently bought a crock pot and it is so practical! I love that I can get dinner, or a dessert, ready on a morning and be more relaxed in the afternoon. Here are some of my favourite recipes so far:

Chilli

I remember my Mum doing chilli in the slow cooker when we were little. This one is full of veg and healthy goodness and we made enough for two meals.

Apple crumble

I love that it's just as easy to do a warm, hearty dessert, although this wasn't as crispy as I would have liked.

Chicken curry

This isn't the exact recipe I tried but it incorporates the changes I would make. The only downside is that it doesn't keep for the next day.

Recipe: Apple Crumble

We recently bought a slow cooker and I love it! While it will be more useful when I go back to work, it's quite practical to prepare meals early as Joshua tends to be fussier on an afternoon.

Last week I tried this apple crumble recipe as a nice warming dessert. I loved it and ended up eating most of it. I love fruity desserts.

On the downside, the crumble top is not as crisp as you get in the oven. I'd like to try a traditional fruit crumble in the oven.

However, it did work as a gluten free recipe an I enjoyed the addition of walnuts.

Recipe: Veggie burgers with bean salad

This is a recipe we recently revived after forgeting about it for a couple of years.

The burgers are made from grated carrots, grated courgette, tofu, sweetcorn, coriander and seasoning.

We served it with a salad made from feta, white beans, parsley, olive oil, seasoning and lettuce. Delicious and very healthy.

Recipe: Turkey curry

Ingredients:
-250g turkey
-onion
-red pepper
-tin chopped tomatoes
-red curry paste
-salt
-curry powder

Brown the turkey in oil. Add the onion. Cool the mix with the tomatoes and lower the heat. Add the pepper, paste and seasoning. Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes.

We like it with rice and I love that Isabella polished hers off last night!

Recipe: Roast Goose

Last night we had roast goose for dinner. Nico spotted it in the frozen aisle at the supermarket on Saturday and we decided to go for it.

It takes a long time but it wasn't difficult and it was delicious - absolutely worth waiting for.

We had bought a crown and defrosted it before Monday afternoon. I slow roasted it over a baking dish on 175 for about two and a half hours, checking and brushing over beer and the juices every twenty minutes or so.

Nico whipped up a tasty sauce and I added a bit of veg - absolutely something we can do again.