Baked bean comfort soup

This week I have managed to chip a tooth and develop a sore throat. This makes chewing food is not so desirable at the moment! Feeling sorry for myself, I made soup, using the ultimate comfort food, Baked Beans!


Ingredients:

• A tin of baked beans
• One red onion chopped
• One carrot chopped
• Handful of pasta shapes
• Vegetable stock
• Salt & pepper to taste
• A little oil
• A generous squirt of tomato ketchup

In a large saucepan, lightly fry the onion, once soft add the vegetable stock. To this add the tin of beans, chopped carrot, tomato ketchup, pasta shapes & seasoning. Cover and leave to simmer. When the pasta is soft, it is ready to serve. Simples. Due to my sore throat I served this with super squidgy soft white bread (another guilty pleasure!).

Avocado & Mozzarella salad

Last week I bought a pack of 4 avocados, after waiting (for what seems like an age) for them to ripen, they are now super soft for eating. I'm now scratching my brain trying to think of uses for them, other than the traditional guacamole. The fridge was full of tomatoes today, so that led to this salad. It is very colourful and tasty!


Ingredients:

• Tomatoes
• Avocado
• Mozzarella
• Salad leaves
• Sweetcorn
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil

Firstly, roughly chop up tomatoes. I used cherry plum toms & some big beefy fellas. In a bowl add some olive oil and balsamic vinegar to the toms, and leave to settle for a little while.
On a plate arrange some salad leaves (I used a mixed salad leaf pack and fresh rocket). To this pile on the tomatoes, chopped avocado, mozzarella and a sprinkle of sweetcorn. Drizzle a little more oil & serve. Yum!

The mother of all grains

A list of 12 things you should know about quinoa got me thinking about that bag of quinoa lurking at the back of the cupboard, hidden behind the rice & pasta. So today I roasted some baby potatoes, butternut squash, red onion, red pepper & cherry tomatoes, having been drizzled with oil, paprika & chili powder. Into cooked quinoa I added sweetcorn and fresh mint. And all topped with some delicious & chewy grilled halloumi.
Although I couldn't wait for the halloumi to brown (I was too hungry!), it was still very moreish. Now what to do with the rest of the bag of quinoa???

Ps) The title of this post is what the Incas called quinoa. A little fact for you :)

Sunny Salads

Today is the longest day & the sun is shinning. Perfect for tasty salads. Firstly sprouting beans, carrot, red pepper, celery, cucumber & lettuce. Mixed with a little oil & balsamic vinegar. I love the colours - truly a feast for the eyes!
Secondly veggie chorizo, cherry tomato, pesto & cous cous. Very more-ish!
Served with a feta & olive pasty from the fantastic Grassroots.
Enjoy the sunshine :)

It's a bugs life...

I came across these cute little critters in the supermarket. How could I resist?

Adorable and full of chocolate, what is there not to love?
Look it's the Beatles!

Must stop playing with my food.

Cosy Crumble

Crumble is the ultimate comfort food. Sweet, warm and gooey. It even contains one of your five a day (though the added sugar might just cancel the nutritional benefits out!). Crumble apparently became very popular during rationing in wartime, as an alternative to making fruit pies - as less fat is needed. Apples, pears, plums, blackcurrants, rhubarb, peaches, gooseberries, raspberries and more can be transformed into a delicious dessert. A crunchy topping from a simple butter, flour and sugar mix. Chopped nuts, oats, dessicated coconut and spices can be added if you are feeling fancy.
Today some apples & pears that had seen their best were stewed, covered with a topping and sprinkled with cinnamon and cloves. The most important question, is what to serve it with? Custard, cream, milk, ice cream?

Kale, Kale, Kale!

Kale is a rather overlooked member of the cabbage family. A hardy veg, it becomes sweeter when exposed to frost - perfect for British weather. During WW2 Dig for Victory campaign, Kale growing was much encouraged, as it is easy to grow and nutritious.
Nowadays it seems to have been demoted to the back of the veg selection. One problem with kale is the stalks can be a bit tough. Fortunately I have two very helpful kitchen assistants who are more than happy to deal with any fibrous stalks!
Kale is great when stir fried, full of nutrients and its vibrant green is a feast for the eyes. Here is a recipe for a delicious stir fry using kale, carrots & tofu.

Ingredients:

• Kale
• Carrots - chopped
• Marinated tofu
• 2 garlic cloves - thinly sliced
• 1 inch fresh ginger - grated
• 2 red chili peppers - thinly sliced
• soy sauce
• oil

Heat a small amount of oil, add all the ingredients (except soy sauce). Stir until the garlic is golden, the kale bright green and the tofu cooked.
Add some soy sauce into the mix just before serving. Serve with brown rice & enjoy.
Beware, I made this quite hot! So adjust the chili content to taste.