Tasty comfort food!

This is a great comfort food dish and perks up the regular cauliflower cheese with the addition of a strong cheese and walnuts.   I adore this dish and have to be restrained from eating the whole dish myself…I growl like a rabid dog if I have to share this…

I use Stilton as I like that strong cheese with walnuts, but if this is not for you, use Cheddar instead.   The walnuts give the dish an extra crunch and taste.

INGREDIENTS

1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

1 cup double cream

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup cream cheese

200g stilton

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 tspn mustard

salt and pepper

METHOD

• Place the cauliflower in a pan of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.  Drain.
• In another saucepan, heat the butter and cream until melted, then add the cream cheese.
• Season with the mustard, salt and pepper and stir until the cream cheese has melted.
• Add half of the stilton and stir until melted.
• Place the cauliflower into a oven dish.
• Spoon the cheese sauce over the cauliflower.
• Scatter the chopped walnuts and remaining Stilton cheese over the cauliflower.
• Place under a hot grill for 3-4 minutes until hot, bubbly and the nuts are slightly brown.
• Eat and enjoy!

These are great for canapes, a picnic, side salad or tasty snack.  The colour combination of the red tomato and green guacamole are bright and pleasing to the eye, let alone the flavour combination being pleasing to the taste buds.  I used cherry tomatoes as the balance between the amount of guacamole and tomato seemed to balance for my tastes but you could use large tomatoes.  To me, these were the perfect vessels for guacamole…I love the stuff and could eat it by itself with a big spoon!  This way feels a bit more elegant although they can be messy stuffing the tomatoes, but that might just be me…..

Feel free to use your own guacamole recipe to stuff the tomatoes too…some people have their own spin on it!

INGREDIENTS

15 cherry tomatoes

1 tblspn lime juice

3 ripe avocados

1 plum tomato, chopped (seeds removed)

2 tblspn spring onion, finely chopped

1/2 tspn fresh coriander

1 tblspn jalapeno chilli, finely chopped

1/2 tspn salt

METHOD

•  Cut a thin slice from the top of the tomato and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.  
• Pit and peel the avocados and mash the flesh in a bowl.
• Add the lime juice, tomato, onion, coriander, jalapeno, coriander and salt and mix well.
• Spoon the mixture into the cherry tomatoes.
• Eat and enjoy!

Every so often I get a real craving for spicy food with a chilli kick and this salad dish hits the spot.   I love the combination of textures, colours and flavours.   The almonds balance out the spicy flavour of the chilli flakes and sumac.   It’s a great salad and colourful too!    You could reduce the chilli flakes if you don’t want it too spicy.  I used almonds with their skin on but you could use blanched ones. 
It is also a great way to spice up green beans!  Green beans are good for you too…full of fibre, vitamins and minerals!

INGREDIENTS

1 large bunch of green beans, trimmed

15 cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 tspn red chilli flakes

1 tblspn olive oil

1/2 cup almonds

2 tspn sumac

salt and pepper

METHOD

• Toast the almonds in a large pan and add a dash of olive oil and salt.  Remove from pan and set aside.
• Heat the rest of the oil and add the pepper flakes and garlic.  Cook until the garlic is golden.
• Add the beans and tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.   Cover and cook until the beans are cooked.
• Gentle press the tomatoes to release the juices and add the almonds and sumac.   Toss all the ingredients well.
• Eat and enjoy!

Who needs flour when you have Ricotta!

Low carb pancakes that are just moreish and made out of Ricotta cheese, with added flaxseed to sneak a bit into your diet too!   The cinnamon and nutmeg add to the sweetness but this is something you could play around to flavour it to your own tastes.   Lemon would be nice with some blueberries served on the side.   Just so yummy…low carb has never tasted so good!

INGREDIENTS

1 egg

1/4 cup Ricotta cheese

2 tblspns ground flax seed

1/2 tspn baking powder

1 tspn ground cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1/2 tspn vanilla essence

2-3 tblspns erthyritol (or sugar substitute of your choice).

METHOD

• Beat the egg and then add the ricotta cheese and blend well.
• Add the other ingredients and mix well.
• Heat a couple of tablespoons of butter in a frying pan.
• Place a large tablespoon of the pancake batter into the pan.
• Cook until the edges are slightly browning, then flip over and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Makes about 3 pancakes.
• Eat and enjoy!!

Delicious salad!

The sweetness of the beetroot goes very well with the salty taste of the Halloumi.   This salad is best eaten as soon as it is ready too, otherwise the cheese will harden..it’s a lot nicer still warm and soft.    If you are having a bbq, you could cook the Halloumi and beetroot over the coals/gas.  Otherwise, this is just as nice under a regular grill. The colours are a great combination too…food should be pretty enough to eat! 

INGREDIENTS

250g green beans, topped and tailed

350g Halloumi cheese, cut into 5mm thick slices

2 x 250g pack cooked beetroot, sliced

3 tblspn olive oil

Dressing

3 tblspns olive oil

1 tblspns balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

METHOD

• Mix all the dressing ingredients and blend well.
• Blanch the green beans, then rinse in cold water.
• Pre- heat the grill (or bbq).
• Brush the Halloumi and beetroot with the olive oil, place on a baking tray and grill for 5 minutes each side until the Halloumi is golden and the beetroot is wrinkled. (Or place on the bbq).   I lined my tray with greaseproof paper to avoid the cheese from sticking.
• Place the beans, Halloumi and beetroot in a bowl and pour the dressing over.
• Eat and enjoy!

The spice of chilli goes surprisingly well with chocolate…it gives it a little kick but does not overpower it.  You do not notice the chilli at first bite, but it suddenly creeps up on you as a delicious surprise.   Chocolate is often added to chilli’s to give the flavour a bit of depth, so why not the other way around!  The lime topping is a nice contrast to the chocolate and spice taste too.

A chocolate topping would be lovely with these too if you wanted a complete chocolate experience!  Hmmm…good idea Diva…I may bake these again and try them slatered in chocolate..

INGREDIENTS

2 cups almond flour

2 tspn baking powder

1/4 tspn salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

4 eggs

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup erthyritol  (or sugar substitute of your choice…honey is nice, but not low carb)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tspn cayenne pepper

1/4 tspn cinnamon

Cream cream Topping

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup erthyritol, ground (or other sugar substitute)

2 tblspn coconut milk

zest and juice of 1 lime

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F degrees.
• Mix the almond flour, baking soda and salt together.
• In another bowl mix the butter, water, eggs, erythritol and spices.
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients together, and stir well.
• Pour the mixture into cupcake cases  in a muffin/cupcake tin.
• Bake for 20 to 23 minutes until firm.
• Whilst the cakes are cooling make the cream cheese topping
• Blend the butter, cream cheese and erthyritol in a bowl until smooth and creamy.
• Add the coconut milk a tablespoon at a time.
• Add the lime juice and half of the zest and blend until smooth.
• Smother (or pipe if you are neater) the topping over the top of the cupcakes.
• Sprinkle the remaining lime zest over the topping.
• Eat and enjoy!

A Semifreddo is a semi frozen dessert that has the texture of frozen mousse.   It is almost a smooth block of frozen cream.  Or some may say an ice-cream cake.    The taste of the lime really lifts this and it is a great summer dessert!   I liked the combination of the pistachio nuts too.  

Instead of sugar, I used my favourite sugar substitute, erythritol to keep it low carb.  For the spare egg whites…make an egg white omlette!  Add some spinach and tomatoes and yum!  Nothing should go to waste in your kitchen!

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup erythritol (or other sugar substitute)
1 3/4 cups double/thick cream, whipped
2/3 cup pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lime
200g fresh or frozen raspberries

METHOD

• Grease a 6cm-deep, 19cm x 9cm (base) loaf pan. Line with baking paper, allowing a 5cm overhang on both long ends.
• Place eggs, egg yolks and erythritol in a heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water over low heat .
• Whisk for 4 to 5 minutes or until thick and creamy. Remove from heat. Whisk for 4 to 5 minutes or until cool.
• ransfer mixture to a large bowl. Gently fold in cream, pistachio, lime juice and zest and the raspberries.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan. Cover and freeze overnight or until firm.
• Stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before turning out onto a plate.
• Eat and enjoy!

• Serves about 6 -8 hungry people!

Creamy fennel deliciousness!

I found this recipe on Epicurious and was rather curious about the flavours so had to have a try.  Plus it’s been a while since I have cooked with fennel so it jogged my memory about this vegetable.  Wow, there is no mistaking the aroma and taste of this soup..it’s definitely for fennel lovers.   Fennel has a mild aniseed taste.    The zucchini does not add to the taste but helps thicken the soup.   Who needs potatoes when you have zucchini!

The fennel bulb offers many nutritional benefits.  It has a healthy amount of fibre and is a good source of  vitamin C, folate and potassium.

INGREDIENTS

2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped

2 zucchinis (courgettes), chopped

1 onion, peeled and chopped

1/4 tspn fennel seeds

2 cups vegetable stock

1 tspn coconut oil (or oil of your choice)

salt and pepper

METHOD

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat.
• Add the onion and fennel seed and cook for 3 minutes.
• Add the fennel and zucchini and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Add the stock, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Blend the mixture until smooth and season to taste.
• Serve, slurp and enjoy!

Glorious cauliflower!

Yet another way to eat the versatile cauliflower!  This time the cauliflower is cut into four large slices and roasted. Then served with a tomato sauce and olive relish on the side. It can be a great supper dish or perhaps a starter? 

It can be served warm or at room temperature.  I munched it once it came out of the oven so cannot comment on the room temperature taste…and doubt it would last long enough to cool down in my house.  There is something about the smell of roasted cauliflower that I adore!  And the taste is just gorgeous.

INGREDIENTS

1 cauliflower head, leaves removed but core intact

1/2 cup pitted black olives

3 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

2 plum tomatoes, cored and quartered

1 tspn lemon juice

3 tblspns olive oil

2 tblspns flat-leaf parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F degrees.
• Cut the cauliflower into 4 large slices, and put aside any florets that will break loose and chop them finely.

Fat slices of cauliflower!

• Mix the chopped florets with the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tblspn oil, parsley and lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan.
• Cook the cauliflower slices until golden brown on each side.
• Place the cauliflower slices, garlic and tomatoes onto a baking sheet lined tray and bake for 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and place the roasted garlic and tomatoes into a blender and blitz until smooth.
• Place the tomato sauce over a plate, and top with the cauliflower slice.
• Add the olive and sun-dried tomato mix to the plate.
• Eat and enjoy!

A large plateful!

When the Chief Taster had finished this dish he confessed that he was not ashamed to admit that he had licked the plate to enjoy the last drops of this sauce.   High praise indeed, although it’s not behaviour I encourage!  The aroma of the spices cooking in this dish are just lovely and warmed the kitchen with their intoxicating smell.

This was very easy to make but it could be made in advance just to heat up for supper later.   I suspect it’s one of those dishes where the tastes improves after a few hours.  However, I am yet to find that out as this will not last long with the plate licker about!

INGREDIENTS

4 chicken breasts (no bone and no skin)

1 onion, peeled and diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

8 artichoke hearts (I used a tin)

1/2 cup pitted green olives

1 tspn tumeric

1/2 tspn ground cumin

1/2 tspn ground coriander

1/4 tspn red pepper flakes

1/4 tspn ground cinnamon

1 bay leaf

zest and juice from 1 lemon

2 cups chicken stock

1 tspn salt

3 tblspns olive oil

2 tblspns fresh mint, chopped

METHOD

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat and add the chicken.  Cook each side for about 3 minutes each side, until lightly browned.  Remove from the pan.
• Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes until soft.  Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
• Add the spices and bayleaf and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the stock into the spices and add the salt.  Cook for 3 minutes.
• Add the remaining stock, lemon zest and juice.   Cover and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes.
• Add the chicken, artichokes and olives and mix well.  Cook for a further 5 minutes.  Remove the bayleaf.
• Serve with the mint over the dish.
• Eat and enjoy!