Satisfying the soul

Pearl barley and beetroot risotto. Wholesome and hearty.

This recipe serves 2 generously.

1 tblsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
200g Pearl barley
2 beetroot, peeled and grated
100ml white wine
1 ltr stock
100g frozen peas,
Basil, roughly chopped
Feta, crumbled

1) Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the Pearl barley and beetroot. Add the wine and let it bubble for a few minutes.

2) Add the stock a couple of ladles at a time. Cook for 35-40 minutes.

3) Stir in the peas and season. Cook for a further couple of minutes.
Serve topped with basil and crumbled feta.

I created ‘Indian pizzas’ tonight. My children’s and husband’s had mango chutney on the base topped with chicken tikka pakoras, onion bahjis, vegetable samosas, spiced cauliflower and topped with raita. Mine didn’t have the mango chutney or chicken pakoras. It was all accompanied with my lentil dal.

Simple but delicious. Flourless chocolate brownies. Definitely satisfying for the soul 😀.

Recipe below:

200g butter or margarine
250g dark chocolate, broken into chunks
225g caster sugar
3 eggs
100g ground almonds

1. Heat oven to 180c. Line a square tin (20cm by 20cm). Melt the butter and 200g of the chocolate in a bowl.

2. Set aside the melted chocolate mix and in a separate bowl whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and foamy. Pour in the melted chocolate mix and the ground almonds and fold everything together so there are no streaks of chocolate. Tip the mixture into the tin and scatter over the remaining chocolate chunks. Bake for 20-25 mins until there is a slight wobble in the middle.

Leave to cool for 20 mins and then cut into squares.

A couple of fairly impressive parsnips we grew (if I do say so myself 😊). I only need one to make four very hearty portions of curried parsnip soup.

Made some almond macaroons and then used up the egg yolks to make cheese straws.

Butternut squash, spinach and chickpea curry. I make a big batch of this and then freeze it in portions. Every time I eat it, I am amazed at how tasty it it. If I ever have leftover coconut milk from anything I have added that to it before too, but you don’t need it, it is super simple and tasty as it is.

Recipe below:

1 tblsp olive oil
1 butternut squash , diced (I leave the skin on)
1 red onion, diced
Several large gandfuks of fresh spinach
2 tblsp your favourite curry paste
300 ml vegetable stock
4 large tomatoes, chopped (could use half a tin if chopped tomatoes)
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tblsp Greek yogurt and bunch of fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
Rice (to serve)

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the butternut squash for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Add the onion and curry paste and fry for 3-4 minutes.

2. Pour over the stick, then cover and simmer for 15-30 minutes or until the squash is tender. Add the tomatoes, spinach and chickpeas and cook gently for 3-4 minutes.

3. Take off the heat and stir through the yoghurt and coriander (if using) and serve with rice.

Sprouting seeds I have grown. I grow them weekly. They are super nutritious and sooooo much cheaper than buying them. I buy my seeds from Amazon and I also bought my jar on Amazon. Any questions please do ask.

I adapted a Bosh recipe for a Mezze cake. It was made up of layers of flat bread, hummus, sweet chilli sauce, roasted aubergine, sun dried tomatoes, rice, roasted courgettes, tapenade and falafel mix. Unfortunately it did not cut in slices like a cake 😩 but it tasted delicious.

Cauliflower and lentil curried soup. I haven’t made soup using cauliflower before. I can’t believe how delicious and creamy it makes the soup.
Recipe below:
1 onion, chopped
1 small cauliflower, chopped
1 frozen block of garlic and ginger (because I had a clear out if the freezer and found them, otherwise a clove of garlic, crushed and thumb size piece of ginger grated).
1 handful red lentils
1 heaped tsp Garam Marsala curry powder
Stock(approx 500ml)

I have a soup maker so I just threw everything in, but otherwise I would fry the onion, garlic and ginger in a little oil, then add the cauliflower, lentils and spices, stir do everything is coated and then add the stock. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for. Approx 20 mins. Blend yo desired consistency with a hand held blender.

This is definitely satisfying for the soul 😀. My new log cabin burner came with incense made from the ‘rich tips of the Maine Balsam Fir Tree’. I love it.

Chilli cornbread made to go with our fajitas tonight.
Recipe below:
175g polenta
100g plain flour
1 tblsp caster sugar
1.5tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
2 medium eggs
300-350g buttermilk
100g margarine
1 chilli chopped into rings

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Whisk eggs & buttermilk together. Pour onto dry ingredients. Add margarine and half the chilli rings. Stir till ingredients are combined and smooth.
3. Pour mixture into a lined tray. Top with the remaining chilli rings. Bake at 180c for 25-30 mins.

Bulgar, aubergine and roasted pepper pilaf. I added fried chorizo slices to my husband’s. The recipe below fed 2 of us generously.

1 aubergine diced
2 tblsp olive oil
Half an onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tblsp tomato purée
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
240g bulgar
Stock (approx 400ml)
1 tsp ground cumin
Quarter tsp ground cinnamon
Quarter tsp chilli flakes
Fresh coriander
Natural yoghurt

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees c.
Add the oil and a good grinding of salt to the aubergine and mix so that all the pieces are coated. Place on a baking tray and roast for 20 mins.
2. Meanwhile add a little oil to a large pan (with a lid). Add the onion and garlic and fry for 2 mins. Add tomato purée, stir and then add chopped tomatoes, chopped pepper, spices and bulgar wheat. Add stock, season and bring to the boil. Then decrease the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 15 mins or until the liquid is absorbed.
3. Add the aubergine and gently mix through.
4. Serve topped with fresh chopped coriander and yogurt.

Super simple and scrumpy. I just made a batch of sugar cinnamon tortilla chips.

Recipe below:
3 soft white tortillas
30g butter
30g granulated sugar
Half heaped tsp cinnamon

1. Cut the tortillas into bite size pieces (I used a pizza cutter to do this).
2. Melt the butter (I did this in the microwave).
3. Add the cinnamon to the sugar and mix.
4. Pour the melted butter over the tortillas and then add the sugar mixture. Mix well so all the tortillas are coated in butter and sugar.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees c for 10 mins.

I made a batch of sunshine trail mix this morning. It is simply toasted coconut flakes, dried mango and dried pineapple. It is so much cheaper to make it rather than buy the ready made packets and snacking on a handful is like munching on a slice of summer 🙂

So simple and cheap and yet so delicious. Curried spinach and chickpea rice with cashew nuts and natural yoghurt. Fuel for the soul after yoga.

Recipe below:

1 tblsp oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tblsp curry paste (whatever one you like/have 😀)
250g rice (I used brown basmati)
450ml vegetable stock
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Handful of raisins
Lots of handfuls of fresh spinach
Handful of cashew nuts
Natural yoghurt (to serve)

1. Heat the oil in a pan that has a lid, fry the garlic and curry paste for 1 minute.
2. Tip in the rice, stock, chickpeas and raisins. Stir, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat, cover and cook until the rice is tender (tine will depend on whether you use brown or white rice).
3.Add the spinach (and a little more water if needed) until wilted. Add the cashew nuts (sometimes I toast them first, other times I forget 😂).
5. Serve drizzled with natural yoghurt.