Monday night stir-fry

Monday nights are always a bit frantic.  First day of the week, back at work, tired, grumpy children ...  needing a quick easy tasty dinner and here it is...

Ingredients
1 red onion chopped
4 teaspoons crushed garlic
4 teaspoons crushed ginger
handful chopped beans (blanched in boiling water 1 minute)
1 chopped red pepper
handful bean sprouts
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 roast chicken breast shredded

1 packet cooked udon noodles
chilli oil

coriander

Method
Stir fry onions, garlic, ginger in a litte oil for 4 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir fry for another 4 minutes.  Serve up steaming in your favourite noodle bar with some chilli oil and coriander.

How did you get so Fat?

Yesterday we took a long drive in the pouring rain to look at cars as mine is getting a bit old and knackered.  On the way to a viewing we happened to pass this French patisserie where we have had the odd brunch before.  Unfortunately temptation took it's toll and we ended up popping in for some afternoon tea.  I enjoyed a cappucino and a slice of lemon tart (a weakness of mine that goes way back) and my partner had plum tart and a hot chocolate.  I decided not to beat myself up and enjoyed every taste because life is for living.  As long as I am good 80% of the time, I should be able to stay on track to reach my goal.

Plum Tart and a Hot Chocolate

Lemon Tart and a Cappucino

Bacon and Eggs without adding too much junk to the trunk

Every Saturday morning I get woken up to the phrase 'can we have bacon and eggs for breakfast'?  We all love bacon and eggs, but it can end up being quite a calorific meal.  What I do is eliminate bread and all the extra's from my plate, and just have the bacon and eggs.  To make it healthier, I eat low-fat chicken bacon, which doesn't taste that far off the real thing.  On the weight watchers pro points program, this bacon contains 1 point for 2 slices.  And if you add an egg, that equals 3 points for your entire meal.  Not bad really.

Low-fat chicken bacon

 

Fry in a non-stick frying pan with a quick spray of canola oil

Home-made Hummus

Supermarket hummus is great as there are so many varieties these days.  It's instant,  perfect for picnics, parties or to keep in the fridge at work to eat with rice cakes for lunch.  My only problem is the fat content.  Certainly the popular brands of hummus at my local supermarket are quite high in fat.  Don't get me wrong, supermarket hummus is often spotted on my shopping list, but I try and make my own when I can, as it costs less, is low in fat and my son just loves it.  He's not into the flavoured varieties, he likes plain old hummus.

My home-made Hummus Recipe

Ingredients
1 can chickpeas
1 roasted garlic (see below) squeezed out of it's skin
juice of 2 lemons
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 heaped tablespoon lite greek yoghurt
salt and pepper

I use my kitchen whizz to make hummus and it literally takes 5 minute if the garlic was roasted the night before(or when I last cooked in my oven).

Place all ingredients in a bowl and blend until you get the right consistency. 

My son's favourite accompaniment to hummus is brown rice crackers.

How to Roast a Garlic

How to roast a garlic

 

Cut the top off a garlic.  Drizzle olive oil over the top.  Wrap in foil.

Roast in oven for about an hour or until soft.

Catalan style Chicken dishes....

I think there is something so appealing about Mediterranean cooking, especially Chicken catalan style.  My favourites include Delia's Chicken Basque(http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/poultry-and-game/chicken/chicken-basque.html) which incorporates those ingredients that make this style delicious like olives, paprika and chorizo.  Also just doing a simple chicken casserole like the one I cooked last night ticks all the boxes.  As a friend commented 'it makes your house smell so welcoming'

Recipe

Ingredients
4 large skinless chicken thighs on the bone
olive oil for browning
1 red onion
2 red peppers
1 clove garlic
50g sliced chorizo sausage
600g pototoes suitable for casseroles cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
1 glass wine
2 bayleaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
handful olives
salt and pepper

Method
Brown the chicken in a pan and set aside.

Fry the onion, garlic, chorizo and red peppers until soft. 

Add the can of tomato, tomato paste and paprika and simmer for another minute.

In a casserole place the potatoes on the bottom, cover with the soft vegetables, top with chicken, and pour over the stock and wine.

Season with salt and pepper, scatter over the olives and add the bayleaves.

I then cooked this for 2-3 hours in a 170 degree oven until the potatoes were soft.  It would also work well in a slow cooker.

My thoughts on herbs....

The other night at book club conversation drifted to the topic of herbs, specifically dried mixed herbs.  My cousin announced that it's the only herb she uses, and she uses it on everything.  Whenever she's unsure of what to add to a dish, she whips out her jar of dried mixed herbs and sprinkles it over that days offerings.  Oh dear I thought to myself, but in the same token, good for her for consistenly using herbs in her cooking.

I definately do not have green fingers.  Every plant in my garden falls into the category of  'no maintenance'.  When I have attempted 'slight maintenance' or stupidly thought I might be up for 'high maintenance' the results have been catastrophic.  I do however think even the worst gardener in the world is capable of planting some hardy herbs in their garden.  Seriously people, it is not that difficult.  Fresh herbs as opposed to dried herbs can really make food taste great, especially winter casseroles and roasts.

Rosemary, Thyme and Oregano

In my garden, in a pot, positioned right next to my ranch slider door so that I don't even have to go out into the rain to get my herb supply, I have a variety of winter herbs.  Rosemary, thyme and Oregano.  The oregano I tried keeping in my kitchen, but it started suiciding on me, so I planted it along with it's friends outside, and it seems much improved, even though I never water these plants.  Living in New Zealand where it rains a lot, especially in Winter, I can get away with this.  These herbs are great in winter casseroles and stews, any meat sauces really and on home-made pizza.  Come on people, how hard could it possibly be?

In Summer I plant parsley and once again just let it do it's thing.  Basil is my goal for next Summer, my favourite herb to eat but with which I have had little success growing, but am determined to master.