Monday, 16 August 2010
Saving the planet and Squishy Oat Flapjacks
Meanwhile, Luke and I rustled up some delicious flapjacks this afternoon. Perfect for that mid-afternoon slump.
Luke's Verdict: 'They're not flapjacks they're porridgey bars!'
Recipe:
250g oats
150g unsalted butter
75g golden syrup
75g brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 175 Degrees( Celsius/350 Farenheit/Gas Mark 4) and line your baking tray with greaseproof paper. Put the butter, syrup and sugar into a pan and melt, then add the oats. Stir together and pour onto the baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes or until olden brown.
Monday, 9 August 2010
Sunday Roast
Luke's Verdict: I love Sundays!
Recipe
Nut Roast
Prep: 10 minutes/ Cooking: 40 minutes/190c, 375f, gas mark 5/Serves: 4
150g chopped mixed nuts
75g wholemeal breadcrumbs
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp lemon juice
25g butter or margarine
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp yeast extract
2/3 cup water
Method
Thoroughly mix together all the ingredients except the yeast and water.Dissolve the yeast extract in the water, and then add it to the rest of the mixture, mix thoroughly.
Press into a greased loaf tin or baking dish.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes until crisp on top and hot in the middle.
Serve in slices.
Roast Vegetables
Prep: 5 minutes/ Cooking Time: 1 hour/ 190c, 375f, gas mark 5/Serves: 4
3oog new potatoes
6-8 cloves garlic
2 red onions, quartered
4 parsnips, sliced lengthways
4 carrots, sliced lengthways
olive oil
sea salt.
Method
Place the vegetables and garlic cloves in a roasting tray and sprinkle with a little olive oil and sea salt. Cook for an hour or until the vegetables become nicely crisp and browned.
Onion Gravy
3 large onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 oz plain flour
3 fl oz vegetarian gravy browning
18 fl oz vegetable stock
Method
Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onions, garlic and sugar over a low heat until golden. Sprinkle on the flour and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the gravy browning and stock and bring to the boil. Season, then simmer for at least 20 minutes.
Friday, 6 August 2010
Cowboy Casserole
Luke's Verdict: Can my horse have some too?
Recipe
Cooking Time: 20 minutes/ Serves: As many cowboys as you like!
Olive oil
Vegetarian sausages ( 2 per child)
1 onion ( finely chopped)
1 400g can cannellini beans
1 400g can tomatoes
1 tbsp golden syrup or dark brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Fry the sausages in the oil in a heavy based frying pan, then take them out while you cook the onions in the remaining oil until they're golden. Add the beans (rinsed), tomatoes, syrup/sugar, the Worcestershire sauce and 150ml of boiling water. Cook for a few minutes and then put in the sausages and bring to a bubbling, ranch style crescendo.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Courgette Cheddar Muffins
Luke and I had planned on having a picnic today but the rain had left the ground all damp so we had an indoor picnic instead. These delicious muffins are simple to make and are ideal for packing into a picnic basket. The end result is a light but moreish savoury snack that lends itself to any vegetable - carrots, spinach or sun dried tomatoes work just as well as the courgette.
Luke's Verdict: 'Mmm deeelicious! Bit more?'
Recipe:Prep/5mins Cooking/25 mins Serves:6-12
2 large eggs
100ml cold milk
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
275g grated mature cheddar
1 large courgette (about 275g), grated
275g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder tsp paprika
In a large bowl, beat the eggs well, then stir in everything except the flour and baking powder, and mix. Place muffin papers in the pockets of a 12-hole muffin tray and heat the oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted)/390F/gas mark 6.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the mix in the bowl, fold through gently, then spoon into the prepared cases almost to the top. Bake for about 25 minutes until puffed and golden.
Monday, 2 August 2010
Omelette cannelloni with curly kale filling.
The result was a delicious, creamy yet surprisingly virtuous supper dish oozing with flavour.
Luke's Verdict: 'I like rolling the parcels!'
Recipe:
Prep: 20 mins/ Cooking: 40 mins/ Serves 4
750g curly kale/ spinach/ or spring greens
125g low fat soft cream cheese
8 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
grated nutmeg
4 eggs
2 tablespoons of water
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1. Put the curly kale into a pan, cover with boiling water and cook for 6-7 minutes. Drain well.
2. Add the cream cheese to the spinach along with 4 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Mix well and season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. Set aside.
3. Whisk the eggs with water, add salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a frying pan and pour in 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture to make a small omelette. Cook for a few seconds until set, then lift out onto a plate. Repeat until you have about 8 omelettes.
4. Spoon a little of the curly kale mixture onto the edge of one omelette, roll it up and place into a gratin dish. Repeat with the remaining omelettes and place them said by side in the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake in a pre-heated oven, 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit), Gas Mark 5, for about 25 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown on top.
(Source: Rose Elliot 'Vegetarian Supercook')
Welcome
I'm Nuala, a thirty one year old freelance writer and mammy to the amazing Luke who is three years old. I am busy working on my first novel Soho 4am and am half way through a Masters in Creative Writing.
My very favourite thing, apart from Luke and writing, is to spend hours poring over cookery books and experimenting in the kitchen. I love cooking and discovering new tastes and combinations. As a veggie, I have made it my mission to make sure we never miss out on variety, excitement and deliciousness when it comes to mealtimes.
My little boy Luke appears to have inherited this love for cooking and has progressed from being quite a fussy eater to a real adventurous little gourmet. He can identify all the spices in the cupboard ( his favourite is cumin), absolutely adores picking tomatoes, potatoes, green beans and shallots from Grandad's garden and chives and courgettes from our own little patch, and is my right hand man in the kitchen when it comes to stirring, whisking, sprinkling and best of all tasting!
At the moment Luke loves:
1. Peanut Butter
2. Stewed Rhubarb with Custard
3. Avocado
4. Boiled Eggs and Soldiers
5. Cheese and Onion Souffle
6. Cowboy Casserole (Veggie sausages and beans)
7. Kidney Beans ( we have to make double the amount when cooking Chilli)
8. Spicy Aubergine Curry
9. Brioche
10. Falafel Packed Pittas
Each day will feature recipes, meal ideas, tips and advice on creating wholesome, delicious veggie dishes that are affordable and simple to prepare.
Enjoy xxx