If you cant find inspiration here check out the recipe archive on the left hand side of this page

I felt this year 2022 it was right to produce some leftovers ideas to help stretch budgets and utilise every scrap of fresh food that you have.  So I hope you like my selection that follows ;

Lovely leftovers

You have done the hard work for the main meal, but there might be some leftovers so I have pulled together some ideas of ways to use them up.  Hopefully these will give you some “food for thought” to create some different meals with not too much preparation.  Most of the recipes will serve 4 but you can alter the amounts dependant on how much you have left or even how hungry you are! They are also adaptable enough to change ingredients around dependant on what you actually have to hand.  Main thing is enjoying the creativity and avoid any waste.  Nina

Cream of Cauliflower Cheese soup

Chop up your cold cauliflower cheese, pop into a large saucepan, add approx. ¾ pint of milk of your choice – you are looking to cover the cauliflower cheese by about 5cm.  Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 mins, remove from the heat and blitz using a stick blender, a masher or your blender.  Serve in a soup bowl with a sprinkle of paprika and some grated cheese on top.

NB you can do the same with leeks in cheese sauce leftover or broccoli in cheese sauce leftovers.

Cream of Roast Vegetable Soup with pesto

A good way of using all your vegetables up, roast boiled or cooked anyway.  Put your leftover vegetables into a large pan, cover with chicken stock, bring to a simmer.  Simmer for approx. 5 minutes until it is piping hot, remove from the heat and using your blender, masher or stick blender blitz to a smooth puree, if it seems too thick add a little more stock.  Stir into this mixture a couple of tablespoons of leftover cream if you have it if not, a splash of milk and mix together then serve.  This works well if you drop a spoonful of cream in the middle when serving and a little pesto on top, then you can mix it through when eating it. 

Bubbly Squeaky Bake

Rather than fiddle around making these into neat shapes, I roughly mash everything together adding a little leftover gravy if I have it to moisten in slightly, then in a lightly oiled oven proof dish, cover the base totally level off the top, sprinkle of black pepper and pop into the oven for approx. 20 to 25 minutes at Gas 4/180C/FAN 160C.  About 5 mins before the end of the cooking time you can either sprinkle some grated cheese on top and allow it to melt into it.  Or you can layer any pigs on blankets on top and pop back into the oven to ensure they are fully heated through.   Then remove from the oven and cut into thick slices and serve – makes an ideal lunch you can always use up any salad bits with it too.

Potato Gnocchi

I have given you some idea of quantities for this – mix together 300g cold mashed potato, 100g plain flour and 1 egg.  Using a wooden spoon beat well together, it should be rather like a bread dough – it should be light, not sticky but have a bit of elasticity in it.  Put this mixture onto a floured surface and roll out evenly to approx. 2cm thick – cut into strips about 5cm wide and then into small rectangles approx. 2cm x 5cm

Leave to one side while you bring a saucepan of salted boiling water to a rolling boil, carefully put in the potato pieces [ I use a draining spoon to lower them in] Reduce to a gentle boil and cook for approx. 3-4 minutes.  A tip to know if they are cooked is they float to the top of the saucepan.  Drain and fold some cranberry sauce, or pesto, or a tomato-based sauce if you prefer, through them then serve with turkey slices.  These can be prepared in advance but cook and serve immediately they will not re heat very successfully they tend to break up a little.

I like these personally with the pesto folded through them and a sprinkle of pine nuts! For a complete lunch preferable hot but they do work cold as a lunch

Cheese Stuffed Vegetable Cakes

Put your cold leftover vegetables into a bowl and mash together, add an egg to this mixture and ensure it is well mixed in.  Take a large spoonful and mould into a flat circle – I tend to put the mixture onto a board, press down and shape, take a spoonful of soft cheese and ½ teaspoon of cranberry sauce [ or you can use up your cheese with cranberries in it!] and place in the middle of the circle, the bring the edges up to close over the top of it.  You are in effect making a round cake with the cheese and cranberry in the middle.  Take a tablespoon of flour and put onto a flat plate, gently coat your vegetable cake in flour, and at this stage you can pop them flat onto a tray in the fridge until you want to cook them later.  To cook, heat a knob of butter or drizzle of oil in a frying pan, heat until gently sizzling on the hob, gently place the veggie cakes in and cook for 3 to 4 mins each side, gently turning over half way they will be golden brown and have a slight crispy coating from the flour.  These are perfect with a poached egg or with any leftover meats or salad….

Turkey Hash

Good brunch dish for the morning after the night before!

Peel and dice 500g of potatoes, boil for 8 minutes in salted water, Drain well

Take a tablespoon of oil put into a large fry pan over a medium heat and fry and sliced leek and a chopped onion, when it starts to soften after a few minutes add the potato and cook for a further 10 mins to start to brown the potato, turn the contents over from time to time to prevent burning.  Now drop into the pan your cooked turkey and you really need to ensure this is heated thoroughly through – I find about 10 minutes works well.  Serve sprinkled with a little smoked paprika and a fried or poached egg.

Turkey, cranberry and Vegetable Pie

This is my Boxing Day go to!  Take an ovenproof dish – I use an enamel round quiche tin, layer alternatively your roast vegetables [ a bit of everything!] and your cold bits of turkey – it is a good way of using up the smaller pieces of meat.  Finish up with a layer of turkey, pour over any leftover gravy with some cranberry sauce mixed into it. You don’t want to smoother but just keep the ingredients moist whilst it cooks.  Now you might have readymade pastry to roll into a pie lid.  If not, into a bowl put 150g of plain flour, rub into it 75 g of butter or cooking margarine whichever you normally use, rub in well until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs and has no lumps in it.  Stir in ½ teaspoon of salt and make a well in the middle and using a knife mix in a beaten egg and pull the mixture all together until you have one large pastry ball.  Ideally you could make the pastry and rest it for 20 mins in the fridge, but if not don’t worry, roll out to just slightly bigger than the top of your pie, place carefully on top, sealing it to the dish with a bit of water on your finger.  Trim off any excess and cut three slashes in the top of the pie. Place in your preheated oven, Gas5/200C/FAN180C cook for approximately 20 minutes, the pastry should be golden and slightly crispy to the touch and the pie steaming inside.  Serve a slice with some freshly cooked greens if you prefer or just on its own after all it has the meat and veg within it.  Makes a good TV supper or one that you can eat with a fork if you have a crowd of people.

Turkey Toasties

Making this with sourdough bread is one of my favourites, but you can use any good quality bread. Allow two slices of bread per person, lightly butter one side of the bread, put buttered side down onto your surface and put onto the “bare” side Sliced turkey, cooked red cabbage if you have some left! Slice of cheese.  If you don’t have red cabbage, use some cranberry sauce. Put the other slice of bread buttered side facing outwards on top, heat your frying pan and using a fish slice place your sandwich into the pan, cook for approx. 5 mins till it is sizzling and browning, then very carefully turn over.  If of course you have one of those electric sandwich toaster type grills you can cook it in there.  You are looking for a crispy outside and a soft melted cheesy filling….. delicious.

Turkey Broth with stuffing dumplings

You have also got the standard quick wins with Turkey broth [ carcass] added to water and boiled to remove every last bit of turkey from the bones, once simmered for approx. 1 hour then sieve and throw the bare bones away you now have a wonderful broth to add diced veg {carrots, onion, potatoes, parsnips and season with some Worcester sauce, salt and pepper, paprika] to and make a delicious soup.  I like to use it with some diced root veg and shredded turkey and some barley then put it in the slow cooker for the day, and return home to the warming smell of this broth.  You can do it on top of the stove too, the key is to make sure the vegetables are tender.  If you do have some stuffing left it is ideal to use it like dumplings and drop into the turkey broth just before serving to heat through fully [ slow cooker the last hour]

Turkey Pasta Bake

You just need some cooked pasta, tin of tomatoes flavoured with either barbeque spice, smoked paprika or ras el hanout spice, bit of cheese and some turkey for this. Feel free to add onion, celery etc if you have them in.  Mix your spice of choice into the tin of tomatoes, cook the pasta, mix together add in the shredded turkey and place in an ovenproof dish, sprinkle grated cheese on top and pop into a hot oven Gas4 /180C/FAN160C for approx. 25 mins.  Hey presto easy meal.

Turkey Curry

Lightly fry a diced onion in a little oil in a frying pan, add your curry paste and cook out for a couple of minutes, then add approx. 250ml  stock and mix the curried onion into the liquid, if you are making korma then you can add coconut milk instead of the stock.  Add in your cooked turkey, heat fully for approx. 15 mins then serve with plain boiled rice.

Nigel Slaters leftover Cheese Scone Ring

I can honestly say the best cheese scone recipe I have ever done is one of Nigel Slaters and is widely available on the internet.  It uses up any bits of cheese that have been left over from your cheese board.  His recipe uses 450g plain flour, baking powder x 4 teaspoons, 85g of butter and he rubs the butter into the flour till it looks like breadcrumbs, stir through the baking powder, add 350ml of milk and pull it together into a rough ball. Now crumble in a mixture of cheeses [blue works really well and smoked] and continue to pull together into a large mountain style circle.  Now line a baking tray with parchment and a little flour then put your rough round of scone mixture on top. It isn’t smooth it is a bit craggy! This is proper rustic dish and you just need to brush a little milk over it, score the surface into 8 pieces and believe it of not grate any hard cheese on top of it.  Place in your preheated oven [ Gas 4, 180C/FAN160C] for 30 minutes and the cheese scone is ready to serve.  You can serve it hot as a centre piece with chutney and a nice rustic vegetable soup [ tomato soup with this is lovely]

I have also done this and added bits of cooked crispy bacon, you know the bits you bought to put on the turkey but there were too many in the packet so you have a few left sitting in the fridge – just crisp them and break into bits and add with the cheese

Thank you, Nigel this is a great way, of using up little ends of cheese rather than waste them.

Toady Little piglets in Blankets

Make your batter put 200g of plain flour into a bowl add 1 teaspoon of salt, add 4 beaten eggs and 400ml of milk, make a smooth batter which will be the consistency of double cream [ it will coat the back of your spoon nicely] space your piggies in blankets in the bottom of your oven proof dish adding a little oil and swishing it round to stop anything sticking.  Put the oven proof dish into the oven at Gas 4/180C/FAN160C and cook for approx. 5 mins, then remove from the oven and gently pour the batter around the sausages, return to the oven for a further 30 to 40 mins until the batter is risen and browned and crispy to the touch. If you have any left-over you can drop in sausagemeat balls flavoured with dried thyme cook with the little piglets.

Discover the Benefits of Eating the Mediterranean Way

As you  know if you have heard me speak before I am very much influenced by the Greek Mediterranean Diet, not only because it has kept me off medication for many years but because I spend a lot of time there, however, what it does is it shares its principals and ethos of the rest of the Mediterranean.  I love Greece and her people, and their approach in the rural communities to the way their lifestyle and food reflects a general well-being.

This plant based nutritional approach suits me and it has been ranked one of the healthiest diets  in the world, proven to hep lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease and reduce the risk of many life changes illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and cognitive ones.

If you google “Mediterranean Diet”, you will find that today there are many versions available but most of them are a watered down, distorted version of what anyone at any point of time, ate in the Mediterranean area.  Unfortunately today you will start to find obesity is rising in the Med areas at rates not dissimilar to Western Europe and America this is because the culture has changes as more fast food is introduced and becomes readily available.

But look deeper into the rural/sea communities and you will find the traditional seasonal, local produce based diet and many fit older people living healthy long lives.  In fact the Greek island of Ikaria just 10 miles south of Samos is well known for the fact that on average people here live 10 years longer than the rest of Europe, around 1 in 3 live into their 90s, BUT they also have a much lower rate of cancer, heart disease, suffer less depression and dementia, maintain a sex life into old age and remain physically active.

Why, what are the doing differently in Ikaria?

Lots of wholegrains and beans, not too much meat or refined sugar, the locals feast on Horta? Wild greens some of which contain 10 times more antioxidants, red wine, herbal tea and small quantities of coffee.  They also take … an afternoon nap, and research  conducted extensively across Greece has proved that regular napping reduces occurrences of  heart disease by 40%.

Enter any house in Ikaria and you will be offered locally produced red wine and garden grown vegetables, possibly fish or a little meat – hospitality and warmth will greet you as the Telegraph reported this island isn't a me place its an us place.  Everything is home made from these local/seasonal ingredients.

So for this evening, join me on my own Greek Odyssey and lets investigate the nutrition behind some of the basic ingredients used in the traditional way of eating in the Mediterranean.

Having just spent a fortnight with our Greek friends, it is so obvious during conversations that food should be fresh and used on the day.  You see the local fishman, the veg and fruit vans daily in the remote villages.  Rural Greece has it right, as little processed as possible and cooking from scratch most of the time. In our visit Sept 2020 we noticed how many people are growing their own vegetables in soil without pesticides, letting nature nurture them.

Nina's Greek style oven potatoes

When theyare cooked, the liquid will have been absorbed and the potatoes will be golden in colour.

Persian influenced slow cooked Lamb

Greek Lemon Potatoes in the Oven

Lamb with lemon and potatoes

Chicken, Pepper and Chilli Onesie!

Budleigh Beef - serves 4 - 6 [ depends on the appetites of those you are serving!]

Called as such because I invented this during a  stay in Budleigh Salterton. 

CHICKEN AND CHORITZO STEW

A NEW GLUTEN FREE CAKE FOR YOU TO TRY;-

Cranberry, Almond and Polenta Cake

Quick Leek and Mushroom Bake

Spicy Parsnip and Apple soup

Very Easy Butternut Squash Soup

At a recent talk to Shifnal Townswomens Guild, we were discussing the benefits of not only seasonal vegetables but also of trying to include various colours of vegetables into the diet and a powerhouse of Vitamin A Beta Carotene is the delicious butternut squash and I had made a very easy soup so promised that I would share it via the website.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash - peeled, deseeded and cut into cubes

2 onions - peeled and chopped roughly

5 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped roughly

1.2 litres of stock [ chicken, or vegetable ]

2 tablespoons of olive oil

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil gently and add the vegetables, cover and soften for approx 5 - 19 mins without browning.  Add the stock and then simmer gently for about 20 mins until the butternut squash has softened.  Remove from heat and either liquidise or blend until smooth.  Fantastic easy soup, which has a velvety texture yet still lightweight so ideal as part of your lunch or a starter before dinner.

Potatoes in the oven [ cheats Daupinoise!]

I've been cooking this dish for a long time, I dont know how it came about but I do know its a very old  method of making what appears to be a creamy potato comfort food, yet there is no cream in it!  It is an incredibly easy dish which once prepared cooks itself alongside your roast and never fails to please.

The following Serves 4 - 5

700 to 900g potatoes - peeled and thinly sliced

450ml of milk [ of your choice I have even used soya!]

25g of butter or fat of your choice ie pure spread if you are dairy free

25g plain flour [ wholemeal, plain or spelt!]

1 medium onion, finely chopped.

OPTIONAL - 50G grated cheese.

You will need a large ovenproof dish, preferably with a lid but you can seal with foil if not.

Make the onion sauce first, melt fat in your pan, add onion and soften but dont brown.  Stir in the flour and cook out for a minute or so then add the milk, stirring all the time to prevent lumps.  It will take approx 2 mins to thicken then remove from the heat and stir in salt and pepper to taste.  Put to one side.

Now layer your potatoes in your ovenproof dish, overlapping the slices.

Pour over the sauce.

Cover and cook for approx 1and a half hours, until the potatoes are soft.

If you really want to be decadent you can uncover, then sprinkle on some cheese and return to the oven until the cheese melts.  This is great if you are serving it along side a plain pork chop.

Quick Chicken and Wild mushroom risotto

For a very simple quick meal for 2 try the following using at the moment any veg thats in season but this recipe works equally well at any time of the year with onions, leeks, peppers and mushrooms or simply one soft veg of your choice.  The underlined parts are the ingredients you will need to make this dish.

For 2 people - pop 1 chicken breast in a saucepan containing 500 ml of stock and simmer for approx 20 mins

In the fry pan, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of oil and lightly soften your choice of vegetables, I use at least 100g of mushrooms, and 100g of your seasonal veg to give it enough body.  When the vegetables are softening add 2 cloves of roughy chopped garlic.  Then stir in 75 g [ dry weight] of arborio rice and mix well together all the ingredients.

Remove the chicken from the stock and chop into 1/2 inch pieces, retain the stock and add about a third to your risotto veg mix, stir and then leave until its almost all absorbed, then add some more and continue until you are left with about two tablespoons.  This whole process takes about 25 mins to this point and the rice should start to become slightly creamy.

Stir in your chopped chicken and the rest of the stock, stir and when the mixture is still slightly wet, stir in 2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt or creme fresh if you have it, if not it really doesnt matter.  Put into two heated bowls and sprinkle some grated parmesan on top of each and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.  Enjoy!

Minty Spring Lamb marinade.

this marinade I mentioned in the June Seasonal food, the following amount will serve 4 - 6 people.  Just mix all the following together and marinade your meat for 24 to 48 hours before grilling it or barbequing it.

juice of one lemon, 

20g fresh mint leaves chopped

3 cloves of garlic chopped finely.

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

pinch of paprika

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

3 teaspoons of ground coriander.

Stuffed Peppers

This is a fabulous Low GL recipe, so not only is it good for your blood sugar release it is fairly low fat, full of healthy antioxidants and will either provide a starter or and accompaniment to a main course, it works especially well with the Morrocan Chicken recipe.  The amount serves 2 for a main course or 4 as a starter.  Should you not like peppers, it works equally as well with large field mushrooms although the cooking time is less.

INGREDIENTS

6 large field mushrooms OR

2 coloured peppers [ I tend to use two different colours and serve one of each ]

Small red onion - finely diced [ as small as you can get it!]

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley - flat leaf or curly and fresh is best

75g of green cooked lentils [ I tend to buy a large can and freeze the rest for the next time]

50g chopped almonds

50g of grated parmesan

olive oil to drizzle

Firstly make your stuffing mix by mixing onion, parsley, drained and rinsed lentils, garlic, almonds and parmesan and mix well together.

Cut your peppers in half length ways and put in an ovenproof dish [ if using mushrooms, remove stalks and discard or use in my risotto recipe!] .

Fill your chosen vegetable with the stuffing mix, pressing quite firmly to make quite a robust filled veg.  Drizzle with olive oil.  If you are making this in advance, just cover it now, pop in fridge and use within 2 days. If you are cooking straight away;-

Put some water into your dish, pouring carefully around your peppers/mushrooms making sure it doesnt come into contact with the stuffing mix. Place in your oven [180/Gas 4 or fan 160]  and bake for around 20 - 30 mins you are really wanting the vegetables to cook enough, the stuffing will be ready when the skins are soft!

Lemon, Almond and Blueberry Cake

You all know of my love of using Spelt flour, well this cake is made with spelt and it really is delicious.  Its an adaptation of a recipe I saw in a magazine, I experimented to enable me to use spelt, cut the sugar right down and generally make a cake that I think should be called the "disappearing" cake as it goes very quickly.

First line a 2lb loaf tin with a cake liner, or do it the hard way!

Preheat the oven to 180/Fan160/Gas Mark 4

Ingredients

250g spelt flour

2tspn baking powder

100g butter or for vegetarians the equivalent weight of  something like Pure dairy free margarine.

115g sugar [ I use brown unrefined although really caster would be fine]

1 lemon [ grate the zest finely and extract the juice]

2 large free range eggs

100g natural yoghurt

25g ground almonds

200g of blueberries [ you could use raspberries ]

50g of extra sugar for the topping.

    Cream the butter and 115g of sugar together for about 5 mins until it is fluffy and pale.  

Beat in the lemon zest and one egg.  Mix well then add 1 tablespoon of your flour/baking powder mix and the second egg, mix well together.

Now add the rest of the flour/baking powder mix alternatively with the yoghurt until all folded in well together.

Now fold in the ground almonds.

Cover the bottom of your lined loaf tin with this mixture, sprinkle some blueberries over and alternate until you have used all the mix up making sure you finish with a layer of blueberries.

Bake approx 50 mins until the cake is nicely browned, cover with foil [quite loose] and continue to bake for a further 25 mins.

Test the cake to see if it is cooked [ the skewer test is best-insert a skewer into the middle and if it comes out without any mixture sticking to it, the cake is done]

Stand the cake [ still in the tin] on a cooling tray and mix the 50g of extra sugar with the lemon juice and pour it over your finished cake.

After about 5 mins lift the cake from the tin and leave to cool thoroughly on your cooling tray.

Lentil, Barley and Tomato Soup!

Ok you've guessed it, another delicacy in the slow cooker.  I make enough for 6 portions then it either is used for lunches whilst this weather is cold or can be frozen.  As it contains lentils this is a good source of protein, magnesium, iron and folic acid.  It actually makes quite a complete lunch which can be easily transported either to work or should you be lucky enough to be on an adventure for a picnic.  Warming and comforting but it will do you good.

1 and half tablespoons of olive or rapeseed oil 

1 onion chopped finely

2 - 3 cloves of garlic chopped.

1 teaspoon of tumeric

shake of cayenne pepper [ the more you add the hotter the taste!!!]

1 teaspoon of curry powder - I quite like the delicate flavour of a korma powder but any will do....

So heat the oil gently, then soften the onion and garlic for a few mins, then add all the spices, mix well do not overcook but release the flavours.

Put this onion mix together with the rest of the ingredients into your slow cooker so here you go, this is what you need to add to the onion mix.

400g Tin of chopped tomatoes,

1.75 litres of cold water

Stock cube  [ vegetable low salt]

200g red lentils [ use this dried weight, just rinse and add]

100g pearl barley or pearled spelt

stir all the ingredients together, switch slow cooker to low, cover and leave for at least 6 hours.    Use and enjoy as you wish.... a truely nutritious meal.

Sheperds Pie with a difference

Chatting this week on how to cut down meat in meals and introduce different vegetables to ensure a good intake of nutrients made me think about this very easy recipe once again I use my slow cooker, but you could pop the slow cooker ingredients into a casserole dish and cook in the oven.  This is enough for 4, but can be frozen so you could split it into two.  You could also make it into a cottage pie by using minced beef instead of the minced lamb, either way by using the lentils it increases the fibre and cuts down the saturated fat from the meat, especially if you use a lean mince. By using the sweet potato in with the potato you are also giving yourself a boost of Vitamin A Beta Carotene.

Into your slow cooker put;-

1 chopped onion

2 diced carrots

250g lean lamb mince

1 tablespoon of flour [ I use spelt]

350ml of stock 

227g chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon of tomato puree

400g can of green lentils fully drained and rinsed

tablespoon of oregano

splash of worcester sauce.

cook this in your slow cooker for at least 5 hours on low! you could put it on in the morning and when you get home all you have to do is mash the topping and its all ready!  If you are using a casserole in the oven cook for approx 60 - 90 mins on 180/Fan 160/Gas 4 until veg is tender and meat cooked through.

TOPPING 

650g potatoes and 250g sweet potato, boiled and mashed together.  If you wish you can mix in 2 tablespoons of total greek yoghurt and a sprinkle of black petter.

Make your pie up, by putting meaty filling into your oven proof dish and cover with your mash.  If you want to freeze this is the time to chill, cover and then freeze.  To serve  I like to pop a sprinkle of parmesan on and then brown the top in the oven, obviousy if this has been previously frozen you can deforst and heat through thoroughly so steaming hot in the middle.

Spicy Beans and Vegetable Stew

Following a request from Sheila to try a meat free dish, this is a vegetarian delicious stew, it has protein from the beans and the spices give it a delicious flavour.  If you dont want the fiddle of following the recipe below, just throw everything into your slow cooker, switch it on and then several hours later the most delicious, aromatic stew will be waiting for you.

This recipe serves 3 hungry people or 4 light snack lunches!

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 onion - sliced finely

4 cloves of garlic - roughly chopped

1 aubergine - diced around 2 cm pieces

1 red pepper - diced around 2 cm pieces

1 green pepper - diced around 2 cm pieces

1 large leek - cut into circles 2 cm width

1 large courgetter - diced around 2 cm pieces

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

300g tin of butterbeans

200g tin of flagolet or pinto beans

tablespoon of tomato puree

2 x teaspoons of cinnamon

1 level teaspoon of allspice

freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan, gently soften the onion for a few mins, then add the garlic and all the other vegetables and the spices, almost steam cook them stiring occasionally to stop them sticking.  After approx 15 mins add the tomato puree, and chopped tomatoes , after a further 10 mins stir in the drained beans and heat thoroughly without boiling for approx 5 mins or until you are ready to eat it.  This high fibre/low saturated fat dish is now ready to eat.

This dish works well made one day and then reheated thoroughly the next day.  Or pop everything except the beans together in the slow cooker [ you can miss the olive oil out and leave on low for at least 7 hours! ] , stir in the drained beans to warm through and then enjoy - delicious.

You can alter the vegetables, dependant what is in season, you may wish during the winter/spring to use celeriac cubed or fennel, if you do then this will take a little longer to cook.

A Treacle Sponge that's lighter!

Ideal as a treat on a Sunday after lunch, serve this healthier version of a treacle sponge, especially nice with some home made soya milk custard!

This makes enough for 4, you will need a 2 pint pudding dish which you need to brush with 1/4 teaspoon of olive/rapeseed oil.Then place it onto an ordinary baking tray.  Put the oven to 180/160 Fan/Gas mark 4.

4 teaspoons of rapeseed oil

3 to 4 tablespoons of golden syrup

1/2 a lemon [ use the zest grated, and you will need 4 teaspoons of lemon juice]

100g of self raising floor

1 level tespoon of baking powder

50g of sugar

20g of ground almonds

1 medium egg - beaten

110g natural yoghurt

15g  melted butter [ or 2 teaspoon of rapeseed oil]

1] mix together the lemon zest, golden syrup, and lemon juice - pour into the bottom of your pudding basin.

2] In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and almonds - make a well in the middle and mix in the beaten egg, treacle, yoghurt and melted butter and the 4 teaspoons of rapeseed oil.  Using a metal spoon stir quite quickly to ensure it mixes well together do not over beat.  pour into your greased pudding basin. Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 mins till they feel firm to the touch.  Remove from oven and leave a few mins while you make your custard, then run a knife round the pudding basin, put a plate over and holding firmly turn out onto the plate.  All thats left is to enjoy this lower fat version of a favourite comfort food.  If you are Vegetarian replace the 15g of melted butter with 2 teaspoon of rapeseed oil.

Salmon in Lemon/Ginger Butter

I shared this idea recently with Fiona @'fishinaboxcouk .  It is a simple way to create a different salmon dish.  I thought it was a good time to put a Salmon recipe on as Wild Salmon comes into season from March and stays in season till September - a long season during which time you may wish to try a different way of flavouring it.

You can move the recipe up a level and envelope the ingredients in filo pastry to make a lighter, Salmon Wellington.  My Foodie Friend Elaine cooked this for us and it really was delicious.  Fiona at Fish in a Box down in Newport, Shropshire also is contemplating making a short crust pasty recipe with this filling as the base, guess we will have to wait and see and hopefully taste that in due course.

So today I am just giving you the recipe for the flavoured butter to cook your salmon in.

This makes enough flavoured butter to cook between 4 and 6 portions of salmon.

1] Finely chop 1/2 red chilli and 1/2 a green chilli [ I deseed to remove too much heat from them otherwise I feel they overtake the delicate flavours]

2] In a bowl put 50g softened butter, add the grated zest of 1/2 a lemon, add 1" of fresh grated ginger - mix together, form into a sausage shape, wrap in greaseproof paper and chill to harden.

3]In your oven proof dish place your salmon fillets, cut a disc of your flavoured butter, and place on top of your salmon fillet. gently sprinkle a mix of red and green chilli on top.

4] cover dish and place in oven 180/Fan 160/Gas Mark3 - until salmon is just cooked - dont over cook it,I find under 15 mins usually works for me, but it would depend on how thick your salmon fillet is.

Serve with a green veg, spinach or purple sprouting broccoli works well, and some small potatoes boiled or steamed in their skins.  

Then use the liquid from the fish to pour over the veg

I can smell it now, wow.  If any one wants to tweet me @ninanutrition and request the wellington part of the recipe I will add it on..........

Beef - OK this one is different!

I know you all have a recipe for this, but just this week I experimented as time was short and I want to share with you something that not only lowers the fat content, is ridiculously easy and saves time!!!  The amounts below serve 6, but is easily reduced or increased to suit your party size...  I have never before not browned my beef once I had coated it in flour, but time was against me so I did as follows and it really does work!

• In a bowl put 4 tablespoons of plain flour, sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper - drop into this your 1kg of cubed braising beef [ shin, stew or any of the cheaper yet lean cuts!] - mix altogether until all the flour is coating the beef.... put to one side while you prepare the following.
• Peel and thickly slice 5 carrots and 2 parsnips, 
• chop roughly 2 medium onions
• seperately mix together 500ml of dark beer/stout - I remember reading that Delia said she always picked the bottle with the nicest lable, I will leave it to you to chose your beer of choice, rest assured there is unlikely to be any left to drink unless you have altered the amount you are cooking, so yu are not going to be savouring it.  Add to the beer, 150ml of beef stock [ use a stock cube if you wish], also add 2 tablespoons of tomato puree, and 2 teaspoons of oregano [ or a mixed dry herb will work too]
• Now for the technical bit, Mix everything together and put into your slow cooker, switch onto low and leave for at least 6-8 hours.  I left mine on for over 12 hours.
• The resulting casserole is a thick, dark, deliciously flavoured tender casserole.

I would suggest serving with some form of mashed potato be it ordinary or sweet potato and should you wish a dark leafy green veg to really give you a good nutritious boost!

Spicy Moroccan Chicken

This has turned out to be a firm favourite in our household and is equally eaten in winter on a cold night or in the summer when you can actually barbeque it!  The different colours of the spices really enhance the look of this dish

For the purpose of this dish the spice mix is enough for two chicken breasts [ its easy to double it up if you are cooking for more, or even to reduce if you are cooking for one.]

Take One chicken breast [ skinless] per person.  Put into an ovenproof glass or ceramic dish.  Dont use plastic as you need this to marinade and the marinade is quite strong and could flavour your plastic container!]

Seperately mix together

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon of tumeric

1/2 teaspoon of allspice

2 x garlic cloves sliced

Now sprinkle your spice mix onto your chicken breasts.

Squeeze over the juice of 1/2 a lemon and gently pour over [ I often use about 50 ml of pomegranite juice if I dont have a lemon to hand!]

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Cover your dish with foil and leave for at least 12 hours - I usually leave it 24 hours 

Uncover and cook until tender in the ovenproof dish oven heat 180/ Fan 160/ Gas 4 [ usually takes about 35 - 40 mins]  Or Barbeque !!

Delicious served either hot or left to cool - perhaps with lentil stuffed peppers, or a mixed salad and plain potato wedges - The plainer the accompaniment the better so as not to detract from the delcious flavours of the chicken.

Nutty Flapjacks

Prepare a 18cm square tin - I use a non stick cake liner which saves having to use extra fat for greasing!  I have reduced the sugar down by a third and it still is sweet enough, it is perhaps a little crumblier but think of the calories saved and the health benefits

Oven Needs to be preheated to 180C/Fan oven 160C/Gas 4

Heat the following ingredients till they melt and mix together

100g butter - or pure cooking spread which is suitable for most vegetarians.

50 -75g demerara sugar

1 teaspoon of golden syrup this weighs approx 12g

In a seperate bowl weight out 225g porridge oats and add to your taste a handful of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and perhaps some chopped nuts - mix together [Itend to use 25g sunflower seeds and 25g of cranberries and 15g pumpkin]

Now add the melted mixture to the oat mixture and mix together well to ensure all the dry ingredients are coated, put into lined tin, spread evenly and press lightly down,.

Cook for approx 20 - 25 mins till golden brown.

Remove from oven, leave in tin and place on a cooling tray.

After a few minutes cut into 12 slices, it seems crumbly at this stage just press it down back into the tin and leave till totally cold - you will then find the flapjacks break cleanly into their pieces.  Biggest problem is not to eat too many at any one time!!!!

Slow Pot ideas for all seasons!

Lamb Hot Pot with a twist!

For 2 people use the following quantities  - I forgot to take a picture this week of this and it was gone before I had the chance!!!!

250-300g British lamb [ shoulder, leg or neck although neck can be a little fattier] - cut into small 3cm  pieces and well coated in 2 tablespoons of spelt flour seasoned with 2 tablespoons of dried mint and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

2 carrots - peeled and sliced in 1/2 cm slices

1 large parsnip - peeled and sliced in 1/2cm slices

Large leek, washed and sliced into 1/2 cm slices

200g potatoes, washed and thinly sliced [ leave the skin on for the fibre]

400 ml of stock of your choice I tend to use a beef one, with a few shakes of worcester sauce in it and 2 tablespoons of tomato puree and a further tablespoon of dried mint.

In your slow cooker, layer carrot, parsnip, leek and lamb and repeat at least twice more finishing with lamb.  Then layer the potatoes around the top of the slow cooker not leaving any gaps or a few as possible. Pour the stock over and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours [ or longer it wont matter if you are delayed]

The minty aroma and the tenderness of the lamb make this a different hot pot which is delcious served just as it comes out of the slow cooker.