Bombay potatoes

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into largish cubes.
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp curry powder
1 red chilli (optional)
2 tsp olive oil

Boil potatoes on water and turmeric for 20 mind until cooked.

Meanwhile heat oven to 180 degrees.

Mix potatoes with tsp salt, mustard, curry powder, chilli and oil.

Lay on baking tray and cook for 40 minutes.

Creamed spinach

Serves 2

12g butter

1/2 small onion

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp plain flour

100ml whole milk

200g bag spinach

50ml single cream

40g cheddar

Salt and pepper

Finely chop onion and garlic and soften in butter over a low heat. Add flour and then add milk gradually until you have a roux. Allow to.thicken. Meanwhile, boil the kettle and poor over the spinach to wilt. Stir into roux mix along with cream. Poor into oven proof dish and top with cheese.  At this point you can refrigerate until ready to cook. When ready, heat in oven at 180 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Giant Yorkshires

Makes 4

8 tsp vegetable oil
225g plain flour, sifted
pinch salt
6 medium eggs, beaten
300ml skimmed milk

Makes 1

2 tsp vegetable oil
60g plain flour, sifted
pinch salt
1.5 medium eggs, beaten
75ml skimmed milk


Pre heat fan over to 200 degrees C, with cake tin brushed with oil.

Add eggs & milk to a well in the flower/salt & mix, leave to stand for 20 minutes.

Pour into hot tin & cook for 20 minutes.

Braised Red Cabbage

Serves 2-3

knob buter
1/2 red onion, finely chipped
1/2 red cabbage, roughly chopped
1/12 tbsp muscovado sugar
75ml balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp cranberry sauce

Soften onion in pan with a small amount of butter,


Tip in cabbage & saute until shiny ans well coated, add apple, sugar & vingear before reducing the heat to low and cooking for 30/40 minutes (covered & stiring occasionally)

Stir in cranberry sauce ans cook for a further 10/15 minutes.

Roasted Balsamic Sweet Potato

Recipe & Image taken from http://rufusguide.wordpress.com

¼ cup decent balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup butter

1 tsp salt

3-4 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into ¼” cubes

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In large skillet bring vinegar and sugar to a boil. Reduce till sauce starts to thicken. Add butter and salt. Over medium heat mix till even. Place potatoes in pan and toss with sauce. Spread mixture into a baking pan and roast stirring occasionally till potatoes are slightly browned on edges, about 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Artichoke Dip

Recipe & Image taken from http://www.joyfulabode.com

8 oz. Cream Cheese, warmed in the microwave for 2 minutes on 50% heat to soften it

1/3 cup sour cream 

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 cup of chopped spinach (either fresh, cooked, or frozen, thawed)

2 cans or jars of non-marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped

garlic salt

chili powder to taste

handful of shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix all ingredients in a baking dish, and sprinkle on a bit more mozzarella, then grill until the cheese is browned.

Pineapple Rice

Recipe & Image taken from http://www.cheekykitchen.com

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
3 cups sweet brown rice, cooked
3 tablespoons vegetable broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup peas, frozen
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1 cup roasted & salted cashews
1/2 cup scallions
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Heat the oils in a large wok. Add the garlic and red pepper. Cook the red pepper until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Toss in the rice, broth, soy sauce, and curry powder. Heat until the rice is sizzling Remove from heat, add the peas, pineapple, coconut, cashews, and scallions. Stir until well mixed. Top with cilantro and serve immediately.

Dauphinoise Potatoes

Image taken from http://www.reallynicerecipes.com

1k potatoes
150ml semi skimmed milk
142ml double cream
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
pinch nutmeg
25g parmesan
40g cheddar
butter for greasing

Heat oven to 160 degrees c.

Line a casserole dish with grease proof paper and butter.

Peel and slice the potatoes about 3mm thick and set aside.

Pour the milk and cream into a pan with the garlic and heat until boiling point.  Cool slightly and remove garlic.

Layer half the potatoes into the dish and pour over half the cream mix.  Add the remaining potato and cream mix and then sprinkle with the cheese & nutmeg before baking for 1hr 30 or until cooked through.

Leek, Potato & Bacon Pie

Recipe & Image taken from www.bbcgoodfood.com

600ml chicken or vegetable stock

1kg potatoes , thinly sliced

6 leeks , thinly sliced into rounds

25g butter

3-4 rashers streaky bacon , snipped

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Put the stock in a large pan, bring to the boil, then add the potatoes and the leeks. Bring back to the boil for 5 mins, then drain well, reserving the stock in a jug.

Meanwhile, butter a large baking dish. Layer up the potatoes and leeks higgledypiggledy, seasoning as you go, then scatter the bacon over the top. Season well, pour over 200ml of the reserved stock and cover with foil.

Can be made up to 1 day ahead and chilled.

Bake for 40 mins, uncovering halfway through so that the bacon crisps.

Grilled Aubergine

Recipe & Image taken from http://www.mazamag.com

4 Servings

1 large eggplant
3 large tomatoes, to match the diameter of the eggplant
0.4 lbs feta, crumbled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
juice of half lemon
2 garlic cloves
½ extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut of the eggplant crosswise into ½” thick rounds. Lightly season them with salt and leave them for 30 minutes on a side to let water to come out of the eggplant.

Once ready drizzle some olive oil on top of each slice and grill them on a lightly oiled grill rack for 2 -3 minutes each side.

Blend the basil leaves with 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt in an immersion blender until smooth.

Cut the tomatoes crosswise to 1/4” thick rounds.

Lightly oil the baking pan. Arrange 4 eggplant rounds side by side. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of the basil-garlic mixture on top of each one, then generously sprinkle feta crumbs.

Top each with tomato rings.

Add another layer of eggplant, basil spread, feta and tomato rounds and top with the rest of the crumbled feta.

Preheat the oven to 400F

.

Drizzle some olive oil on top of each stack and bake for 15 minutes.

Roasted Vegetables with Feta

Recipe & Image from http://www.slimmingeats.com

Serves 4

Extra Easy –  1 syn and 1 HEa per serving

2 large carrots, roughly chopped

2 large parsnips roughly chopped

1 large red onion, roughly chopped

2 fresh beets, (leaves removed, scrubbed and chopped)

mixed herbs

salt

2 teaspoons of olive oil (4 syns)

4x42g of Feta Cheese (4 HEa’s)

Preheat oven to 200c of 400f

Add all your vegetables to a large roasting dish

Sprinkle with mixed herbs and some salt

Drizzle over the top with the olive oil and roast in the oven until nice and caramelised.

Serve each portion topped with 42g of Feta Cheese (crumbled)

This is great as a side dish to many other recipes and is also great served on top of some pasta (for an Extra Easy or Green day)

Mexican Rice

Recipe & image taken from http://www.slimmingeats.com

Serves 2

Extra Easy – syn free per serving

3/4 cup (178ml) of long grain brown rice

1 cup (240ml) of passata

2 jalapeno peppers, (seeds removed)

1 small onion

2 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2.5 cups (600ml) of chicken stock

Pam or Frylight spray

1 cup (240mls) of tinned black beans

Add passata, tomato paste, jalapeno’s, onion and garlic to a mini food processor and do a couple of whizzes of the blade.

Spray a large sauce pan over a medium high heat with some Frylight or Pam spray and add this to the pan, frying for approx 5 mins until softened.

Stir in the rice and add the stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer until stock is almost absorbed. Remove heat, but leave covered for about 10 mins, the rice will continue to cook from the steam.

Preheat oven to 180c or 350f (gas mark 4)

Mix black beans into rice and add to an oven proof dish and bake for approx 15 mins.

Serve topped with fresh chopped coriander and some lime wedges.

Roasted vegetable and bean salad

Photo from taste.com.au

1 red pepper, thickly sliced
1 yellow pepper, thickly sliced
2 courgettes, cut diagonally into 1cm slices
100g button mushrooms, halved
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
250g cherry tomatoes
200g green beans, trimmed
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.  Place peppers, courgette, mushroom and onion in a large baking dish.  Combine oil, vinegar & garlic in a bowl.  Drizzle over the vegetables and toss to coat.

Roast for 20 minutes.  Add tomatoes and roast for 15 further minutes until vegetables are tender and tomatoes and starting to collapse

Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil, cook beans for 3 minutes or until tender.  Drain the beans and refresh in a bowl of iced water before patting fry with a paper towel.

Add beans to vegetable mixture, toss to combine and sprinkle with pine nuts.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.