Sunday, September 18, 2016

Weekend Cooking: Mini strawberry tarts

I am feeling very pleased with myself today! I did something today that I have never done before which is make a version of jam,  and it turned out amazing. A-MAZE-ING!!

One of the things that I do quite regularly when I am feeling relatively strong mentally in relation to eating properly is spend time looking through cookbooks and magazines, specifically the ones that are for weight loss or have a focus on being diabetic friendly. Often I am looking at the recipes and seeing all the same ones I have thought I might try but every now and again a new one jumps out. In this case, it not only jumped out but I also got a hankering to actually make it and make it soon. This recipe comes from the September/October 2015 issue of Diabetic Living.

The only problem was that when I did go to make the recipe I realised that I didn't buy enough strawberries and I didn't have any lime so in the end I had to improvise a little. So instead of using all strawberries I used half strawberries and half blueberries, and I used juice from a lemon I just picked off the tree.  And oops!! I also used the puff pastry I had in the freezer rather than shortcrust pasty. Only just realised this!

The other issue I had is that I have only got a mini muffin tin and a muffin tin, not the patty cake/small cup cake tin mentioned so my pastry cases were a bit littler. I think next time I am going to use bigger circles from the pastry so that I can get a more gently curved larger pastry cases. And I will be doing it again. I think I will be making these to take to work for morning tea in a couple of week's time.

The jam is actually so good, not only did I use it for this recipe, but we also had it on pancakes this morning, served with vanilla flavoured greek yoghurt. I am also thinking it will taste really good stirred through oats or through yoghurt for breakfast. The last week I have been having roasted rhubarb with oats or yoghurt. This week, it will be this jam. Luckily, there is a lot left over.



Mini strawberry tarts


1 sheet 25% reduced fat shortcrust pastry
1 1/2 Tbspn vanilla bean yoghurt, to serve

Quick strawberry jam

375g strawberries, chopped
3/4 cup Equal Spoonful (sugar replacement)
80ml (1/3 cup) water
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 large lime

To make quick strawberry jam, put strawberry, Equal Spoonful, water and lime juice in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a simmer over a high heat. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove lid and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 20 minutes or until mixture has reduced and thickened to a jam-like consistency. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C (fan-forced). Lay pastry sheet on a flat surface. Using a 6.5cm round cutter, cut 12 rounds from pastry sheet, discarding excess pastry. Use rounds to line 12.30ml (1 1/2 Tbspn) patty pans. Prick bases using a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, to chill. Add to oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cook for 10 minutes.

To serve, spoon strawberry jam evenly between pastry cases. Top each tart with 1/2 tspn of the vanilla bean yoghurt. Serve.



Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. For more information, see the welcome post.


Monday, September 12, 2016

Party time

I finished a book!!!! Actually, I have finished two in the last 10 days. And started two more.


That is all!

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Weekend cooking: Chicken Burrito Bowls

I am always looking for new ideas for lunch. Whilst I can live with eating the same thing most days for breakfast, I am not so good at eating the same thing over and over for lunch and dinner. Most of the time I will have chicken and salad sandwiches, or chicken and salad, or tuna and salad or leftovers. Rinse and repeat. So when you see something that is advertised as a lunch box idea I certainly pay attention. So it was this week when a friend shared this recipe on Facebook.


 

Not only does it look tasty, I made it today and I confirm that it was actually really easy. I had a friend around for lunch and they went away saying that they were going to try and make it themselves! I call that a winner.

I think that the idea is that you eat this cold but if you don't put the cheese in until last I am thinking that it is easy to reheat and eat warm as well. And while we are at it, there's no reason why this can't be a dinner meal. Tasty, pretty quick and pretty healthy.

I do wonder how it can be a burrito without, you know, the burritos, but whatever!!

Chicken Burrito Bowls 

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 bell peppers, any colour, sliced
1 large red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
Salt and pepper
1 jar salsa
3 cups cooked brown rice, divided
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 lime, sliced into wedges
Fresh cilantro (coriander) to garnish

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil.
3. Place the chicken, peppers, and onions onto the baking sheet and drizzle with oil.
4. Sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
5. Salt and pepper the peppers and onions, tossing to coat.
6. Top each chicken breast with a generous pour of salsa.
7. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. 
8. Rest chicken for 10 minutes, before slicing into strips.
9. Add a base of brown rice to 4 food storage containers. Top each with a scoop of black beans, corn, additional salsa, cheddar cheese, cooked peppers and onions, and sliced chicken. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.
10. Store in the refrigerator (and enjoy any extras immediately). Can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.


You can find the original recipe here.


Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. For more information, see the welcome post.

Sunday, September 04, 2016

Weekend Cooking: Curried Sausages with Herbed Mash

I don't know why it is, but every time I say I am making this recipe the reaction I get from whoever I am talking to is I love curried sausages but I haven't had it for ages. And, to be fair, it was the same for me. I first made it and enjoyed it just over a year ago and then completely forgot about it. It was only after I spent some time going through all the magazines I had that I rediscovered the recipe and made it again Now, I want to share it here so that I can find it easily when I want to in future.


I have actually shared a couple of recipes from this particular issue (Pulled Pork Ragu and Green Chicken Curry Pie which is one of my regular dishes now). Just like with the pulled pork my son wasn't all that keen on the posh mash potato but it still tastes good with normal mash

Curried Sausages with Herbed Mash


2 tspns olive oil
1 brown onion, cut into thin wedges
375g packet of low fat beef sausages
2 tspn curry powder
1 tspn salt reduced chicken stock powder
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
1/2 x 400g can no-added salt tomato puree
200g carrots, halved lengthwise, diagonally sliced
8 brussel sprouts, trimmed, halved or quartered**


1kg low GI potatoes, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
130g (1/2 cup)low-fat Greek-style plain yoghurt
2 tbspn chopped chives
2 tbspn chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbspn chopped dill
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon


** I can't stand brussel sprouts so I generally use broccoli cut into florets



Preheat oven to 180C (fan-forced). Heat oil in a large heavy based stoveproof and ovenproof dish over a medium heat. Add onion and sausages to pan and cook, stirring often for 4-5 minutes or until sausages are browned. Add curry powder and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes

Add combined stock and water, tomato puree, carrot and brussel sprouts to pan. Cover and bring to a simmer. Add pan to oven and cook for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender

Meanwhile, to make herbed mash, put potato and garlic in a large saucepan. Cover with plenty of cold water Cover and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until potato and garlic are tender. Drain. Mash until almost smooth. Add yoghurt, herbs and lemon zest. Beat with a wooden spoon until well combined

Divide mash between serving plates. Add sausage mixture. Serve.

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. For more information, see the welcome post.

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