Say Cheese!

Had a craving for fish curry, so we knocked up this creamy Sri Lankan fish curry. Meaty cod, creamy coconut milk, delish!

This recipe serves 2 people and only takes 30-45mins, ideal for a mid week meal 😋

Ingredients

• 250g cod, cut into large chunks
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 lime, juice of
• 1.5tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 red onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 small green chilli
• 16 cherry tomatoes
• 8 dried curry leaves
• 2 dried kafir lime leaves
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 250ml coconut milk
• Salt to taste
• Basmati rice, to serve

Method

1. In a bowl mix the lime juice, turmeric and a good pinch of salt, mix in the cod so it is well covered. Leave to marinate at room temperature whilst you prep the other ingredients
2. Finely chop the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and tomatoes (keep the tomatoes separate)
3. Heat a large pan over a medium heat with the veg oil. Add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds. Fry until they start to splutter and pop
4. Then add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli, curry leaves and kafir lime leaves. Fry for around 10 minutes until onion is golden brown. Be careful not to burn the spices, add a splash of water if you need to
5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and fry for around 5 mins until they broken down into the sauce
6. Then add the oyster sauce, coconut milk and a splash of water. Simmer for 10minutes to allow the flavour to infuse and sauce to thicken
7. Then add the fish to the sauce, and simmer until cooked, stir carefully so that you don’t break up the fish. You’ll know when it cooked when the fish is starting to flake, this will take less then 5 minutes.
8. Serve with the rice

Hope you enjoy! One of the best fish curries we’ve ever made, so we were pretty proud of it 😋🥘🌶

Looking for a quick but delicious dinner? Look no further, this is the best homemade pesto I’ve ever made and is super easy and healthy.

You can mix up the toppings for this one too, I’ve detailed the recipe I created for roasted tomatoes, but I’ve also done it with garlic mushrooms and also prawns before.

This recipe serves 2

Ingredients

• On the vine tomatoes (around 14 toms)
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic (2 thinly sliced, 2 crushed with back of a knife)
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 50g frozen peas
• 10g pine nuts
• 10g grated Parmesan cheese
• 20 fresh basil leaves
• 1tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tbs olive oil (for pesto)
• Dried spaghetti (approx. 150g)

Method

1. Start by preheating the oven to 180 degrees (fan)
2. Line a baking tray with foil and pop in the tomatoes on the vine. Scatter over the chopped red onion, sliced garlic. Drizzle over a good amount of olive oil an sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper
3. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20minutes until the tomatoes are nice and blistered
4. Now for the pesto. Cook the proven peas for 5mins in boiling water. Drain.
5. Add to a blender the cooked peas, basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, lemon juice, 1/2 tbsp olive oil, blend until smooth (you may need to add some water if it’s too thick). Season with at least two 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper, add more salt to taste.
6. Whilst the tomatoes are roasting, cook the spaghetti according to pack instructions
7. When everything is ready, add the pesto to a frying pan and cook out slightly for 1 min. Then add the spaghetti straight from the pan of water, adding some of the pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
8. Divide the pasta between two bowls and place the tomatoes and onions on top. Finish with a bit of grated Parmesan.

Being pescatarian for January has been great in making us explore more recipes, and this is one of them 😋 I’ll definitely be keeping my meat eating down even though January is over, it’s healthier and better for the environment and honestly a lot of the veggie dishes I’ve done over the past month have been way better than some of the meaty ones I used to eat regularly!

Anyway, enough of that, this recipe is actually not too complicated, will be ready in less than 30 minutes, and serves two people. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the miso cod 🐟

• 2 pieces of fresh cod
• 1 tbsp miso
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp honey
• 10ml fresh lime juice (roughly just less than half a lime)
• Some green bits of the spring onion for garnishing

For the spicy stir-fried broccoli 🥦

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 head of broccoli
• Pinch of dried chilli flakes, or fresh if you fancy
• 1 tsp of soy sauce or more of it needs more saltiness

Fried rice 🍚

• Small handful frozen peas
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 pack of pre cooked basmati rice (or you can cook your rice the day before and cool it down before frying it)
• Small white onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 spring onions, diced
• Dark soy sauce, 1-2tbsp (add gradually and taste to see)

Method

1. Mix the miso, soy, honey and lime juice in a small bowl. Put the cod on a plate and cover the in miso glaze you’ve just made, make sure it’s covered all over. Leave to marinade at room temperature for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 (fan)
2. Once the cod is marinated, prepare a tray with a wire rack on top. Place the cod on the rack and pour over any sauce that have stayed on the plate. Cook in the middle of the oven for 12 minutes
3. While the fish is cooking, heat a frying pan and fry the beaten egg, remove once cooked and cut into 3cm long thin strips and set aside.
4. Next add the broccoli florets to a steamer and steam for around 8mins.
5. Meanwhile add a splash of oil to the frying pan. Fry off the garlic and onion and spring onion (the white parts), after 3mins add the peas, cook for 5mins on medium heat.
6. Then add the rice and stir continually, add the sliced egg back in and also the soy sauce. Make sure it doesn’t burn – if it’s ready before the rest then set aside off the heat
7. In a separate frying pan, add the ginger and garlic for the broccoli, fry for 3min. Add the chilli flakes and fry for a minute of two. Add the broccoli and turn up the heat, and add the soy sauce. Season to taste.
8. Divide the rice and broccoli between two plates and top with the fish which should be nice and glazed with the sticky sauce. Top with the reserved green pieces of sliced spring onion

Almost 2 weeks into being a pescatarian for January, and it’s going well so far 😊 last week we made the most delicious meatless meatballs, honestly better than any beef ones I’ve ever made! Would highly recommend giving them a go.

This recipe serves 2 (10 meatballs in total) and you’ll need to create the meatball mix the night beforehand.

Ingredients

For the meatballs

• 250g chestnut mushrooms, super finely diced
• 1/2 tablespoon of butter/ flora
• 1 finely chopped red onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano

For the sauce

• Tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• Small handful of fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 tsp Worcester sauce
• 1/4 tsp red wine vinegar (or to taste)
• Red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 veg stock cube
• Grated cheese for topping

Method

1. Start by making the meatballs (the night before). In a skillet or large frying pan fry off the mushrooms at medium heat, adding a pinch of salt. Cook for 10minutes until all the water has evaporated.
2. Then add butter to the pan and cook for a further 5 mins until golden brown.
3. Add the onion to the mushrooms, cook for another 5 mins. The add the garlic and cook for 1 min.
4. Transfer the mushroom mixture into a mixing bowl to cool
5. Once cooled, mix in the oats, then add the breadcrumbs, parsley, half a beaten egg, and Parmesan, salt, pepper and oregano. Mix together with a fork
6. Then add the remaining half an egg and mix to combine. The mixture should loosely hold together when pressed
7. Cover and refrigerate overnight
8. The next day, use your hands to crest balls from the mixture, 10 in total and place on a lined baking sheet
9. Cook the meatballs for 15-20 minutes at 200 degrees C until golden
10. Meanwhile, make the sauce by frying onions and garlic in a skillet/ frying pan. When tender, add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, stock cube, Worcestershire sauce. And leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes
11. Then mix basil and red wine vinegar into the tomato sauce and adjust seasoning
12. Once the meatballs are golden, remove from the oven and add them to the sauce in a single layer.
13. Cover the pan with foil, or a lid if you have one, and cook gently for 15 minutes. This is also when you want to start cooking your dried pasta – I’d recommend tagliatelle, we used homemade fresh pasta but dried will work well too!
14. When you have 5 minutes to go, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the meatballs and replace the foil/ lid to allow the cheese to melt
15. Now you’re ready to plate up! Top each bowl of spaghetti with the sauce and 5 meatballs and sprinkle with a bit of the leftover chopped basil

Bon appetit! 😋🍅🍝

Happy New Year! Ollie and I have gone pescatarian for January and it’s going great so far 😁

This brunch dish is tasty and healthy, and super quick to prepare! The recipe below makes 6 fritters in total, serving 2 people.

Ingredients

• 50g plain white flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 medium egg
• 50ml milk
• 1 small can sweetcorn, drained
• 2 spring onions
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander
• 1 tsp harissa spice (more if you like it spicy)
• 1 large avocado
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 4 eggs for poaching
• Salsa
• 2 heaped tbsp Creme fraiche/ soured cream
• Pinch paprika

Method

1. Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add the egg, milk, sweetcorn, harissa spice, spring onions, and half the corriander. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Mist frying pan with cooking spray, add spoonfuls of the mix into the frying pan once it’s hot. Make 6 fritters in total, you may need to do two batches. Cook for around 2 minutes per side
3. Meanwhile, smash the avocado, red onion and remaining corriander. Mix in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper
4. Poach the eggs until they are soft centred
5. Place 3 fritters on each plate, top with the guacamole and place two poached eggs on top of each plate. Dollop salsa and creme fraiche over the top and sprinkle with a pinch of paprika

Hope you enjoy this yummy recipe! 😋

When we were in Brussels recently we discovered Stoemp, and it was utterly delicious! Mashed potatoes with other veg mixed in, yum! Great with any sort of stew or casserole, we’ve had it with lamb Irish stew 😋

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients

• 3 medium white spuds
• Half a carrot
• 1 leek
• 1 white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 100ml veg stock
• 2 tbsp butter
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• Milk (may or may not need depending on your consistency!)

Method

1. Peel the potatoes, cube them and put them on to boil until nice and tender (at least 20mins). After 10mins of cooking time, add the carrot
2. At the same time, fry thinly sliced leek and onion in a pan, along with the minced garlic. Cook until tender, around 10-15minutes.
3. Once the potatoes and carrot are cooked, drain and mash roughly (keep some lumps!). Then mash in the leek-onion mixture. Add the stock and butter. Add a dash of milk, and if the mix looks too dry just add a dash more
4. Mix in the grated nutmeg and season to taste

Bon appetit! 😋

The perfect dinner for a chilly Sunday! We slow cooked this hearty Irish stew made with lamb, and served it with Stoemp (Belgian mashed veg), the recipe for that is soon to come! ☘️

This recipe serves 2-3, and takes around 1hr 30mins from start to serve. Enjoy! 😋

Ingredients

• Approx. 400g diced lamb 🥩
• 4 rashers smoked bacon, diced 🥓
• 1 box of chestnut mushrooms 🍄
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small carrot chopped into large chunks🥕
• Fresh thyme and parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1tbsp Tomato puree 🍅
• 500ml beef stock
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup red wine 🍷

Method

1. Start by tossing the lamb in some seasoned flour and then cook until browned on the outside. Set aside
2. Fry the onions and garlic, once browned add the bacon and mushrooms and the wine. Cook off for around 5mins on a medium-high heat
3. Add the bayleaves, thyme, tomato puree, cook for 1min
4. Add the stock and carrots and return the lamb to the pan
5. Cook on a low heat for 1hr, do not allow the mix to boil or the lamb will go tough
6. After the hour of cooking, check the consistency and add some cornflour slurry to thicken the sauce if needed
7. Finish by mixing through the fresh parsley and serve with some mash potato or stoemp (recipe coming soon!)

The colder weather is here and its casserole season once again! ❄️

We made this delicious sausage casserole the other night, it’s adjusted from a recipe from the weight watchers app and is super delicious winter food!

This recipe serves 4 and will take you between 30-45minutes to make. Enjoy! 😋

Ingredients

• 8 reduced fat pork sausages
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 fennel bulb, finely diced
• Tin of chopped tomatoes
• 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• Beef stock cube
• Fresh parsley, sage and thyme
• 1 can butter beans
• 800g potatoes for mashing

Method

1. Cook the onion and fennel in a large frying pan/ casserole dish, until starting to soften
2. Add the fennel seeds and sausages. Cook until sausages are brown on the outside
3. Then add the tomatoes, beef stock cube, and 300ml water
4. Add the garlic powder, oregano, sage, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and paprika
5. Cook for around 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened, then add the drained butter beans and red wine vinegar, cook for a further 5-10minutes. (If the sauce is getting too thick, add a little water to loosen it)
6. Whilst the casserole is cooking down, boil the potatoes for the mash
7. Finish by adjusting the seasoning with salt and pepper, adding the fresh chopped parsley and serve with the mash potato

Hope you enjoy this warming winter recipe! 😋 🥘

This baked gnocchi is an easy mid-week, comforting dinner – what’s not to love?! It’s weight watchers friendly too, at only 9 points per portion.

This recipe serves 4. Hope you enjoy!😋🥓🧀🍴

Ingredients

• 500g fresh gnocchi
• 150g baby spinach, wilted and chopped
• 8 smoked bacon medallions, diced
• 250g Philadelphia lightest soft cheese
• 1/2 veg stock cube
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 250g mushrooms (chestnut or portobello)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 20g Parmesan grated

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c (fan) 🔥
2. Cook gnocchi until just cooked, drain and set aside
3. Mix soft cheese, stock and nutmeg in a jug and set aside, season to taste with salt and pepper
4. Cook your garlic, bacon and mushrooms in a frying pan until golden 🍄
5. Pour the gnocchi into a pasta dish, then mix through the bacon and mushroom mixture, along with the wilted and chopped spinach. Then mix in the cream cheese sauce. Scatter over the Parmesan cheese 🧀
6. Transfer to the oven, and cook for around 15 to 20mins until bubbling. We finished our off under the grill to crisp up the cheese on top
7. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for several minutes before serving 🥘

A simple but absolutely delicious recipe, which is sure to curb both your carb and cheese cravings 😜 Hope you give it a try and let us know what you think! 💭🍴

This slow cooked chicken tagine is delish, would definitely recommend as a tasty meal on a chilly day! We did it with chicken drumsticks, but it would work great with chicken thighs on the bone too! 🍗

We served it with giant cous cous, cooked with some garlic, lemon, onion, red pepper and fresh corriander, parsley and mint 🌿

This recipe will serve 4-5 people.

Ingredients

• 10 chicken drumsticks 🍗
• Can of chickpeas
• 1 red/white onion diced
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 fennel bulb finely diced
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes 🍅
• Harissa paste (1tbsp for tagine, 1tbsp to brush the chicken)
• Paprika 2tsp
• Ground cumin 2tsp
• Ground ginger 1tsp

• Tumeric 1tsp
• Ground corriander 2 tsp
• Ground cinnamon 1tsp
• Cardamom pods 10
• Pinch cayenne 🌶
• Chicken stock (500ml)
• Fresh mint 2 sprigs
• Fresh corriander (small handful)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C (fan)
2. Start by brushing each chicken drumstick with harissa paste, then brown the outside of each chicken breast to seal, set aside
3. Fry the onion, garlic and fennel in a large frying pan. Meanwhile add all of the ground spices in a small bowl and add around 2tbsp of water to create a paste. Add the paste to the frying veg once slightly softened. Make sure they don’t burn! Cook for 2minutes and then add the remaining harissa paste.
4. Pour this mixture into an oven safe casserole dish (ideally one with a lid). Rinse out the pan with a small amount of the stock and pour into the dish. Now add the cardamom pods, tomatoes, rest of the stock and chicken to the casserole dish and mix. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly and then add these to the dish too.
5. Pop on the lid and put the dish into the oven for around 2hrs. Then remove the lid and cook for a further 30minutes to reduce the sauce. We found that the sauce wasn’t a thick as we wanted so we mixed in some cornflour slurry to thicken it up!
6. Remove the tagine from the oven and mix in the chopped mint and corriander before serving with some cous cous.

Hope you enjoy making this yummy dinner, especially as the colder weather is approaching! ☺️ ❄️ 🥘