Category: Food

What to do with leftover chicken and turkey: red Thai curry

1 Comment

The best leftover recipes don’t taste like leftovers. This recipe totally exceeded my expectations. I think the secret is poaching the chicken at the end very gently just to warm through. It actually tastes better than the curry I make from raw chicken, as the meat is very soft.
Red Thai curry
Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1.5 tbsp red Thai curry paste
  • Can of coconut milk
  • 2 lime leaves
  • 1 stick dried lemongrass
  • 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • Leftover chicken

Method

  • Finely chop the ginger and garlic.
  • Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the garlic and ginger. Fry for a couple of seconds and then add the Thai curry paste.
  • Allow to cook for about a minute, then add the rest of the ingredients except the chicken.
  • Allow to simmer for 20 minutes until the texture is slightly thicker.
  • Dice or shred the chicken, then add to the curry and poach on a simmer for five minutes.
  • Serve with Thai jasmine rice.

A decadent diet dessert

Leave a comment

When you’re on a diet, sometimes all you can think about is what you can’t eat. Sugary treats, cream – desserts in general, really. Low-calorie puddings tend to consist mostly of jellies, fruit, frozen yogurt, or cake bars – which are okay, but not always the sort of thing that sends you to that comforting, cozy, little sugar-high paradise that you seek when you’re feeling deprived. However, it is possible to find some low calorie desserts in the supermarket that definitely taste like a treat, and look like one too – and better yet, they don’t break the bank. I’m talking, of course, about toffee cream meringues! UntitledChocolate, cream, toffee, and a heck of sugar, all for 130 calories? Yes, please! These cost £1.09 for two at Tesco, and you can also buy a similar product from Marks and Spencer (which tastes better – crispier meringue – but naturally, costs more). Since I discovered these, I’ve scoffed my way through one every night for four days, and I’m not sorry at all – they are delicious. Separate the delicious halves of the shell and eat them like buttered toast, with a cup of tea, in front of the telly. The best post-workout snack I know…*

* I don’t know much about post-workout snacks. But hey, toffee cream.

Happy birthday to me!

Leave a comment

It’s my 30th birthday today, and yesterday my husband took me to Heston’s restaurant in London, Dinner By Heston! It’s located in an extremely posh hotel – but that was fine by me, because I was wearing my extremely posh outfit, so I felt more than prepared to meet the challenge! Heston actually says there should be no dress code to enjoy his food – which is a nice sentiment, but generally it feels good to wear something that feels appropriate to the price tag, which in this case was fairly astronomical. Untitled

The dining room is fairly cozy and not too intimidating – you can see right into the kitchen, which is a great touch! You can even see the pineapples for one of the puddings turning on a spit (although, not really in this photo. Clever me). Untitled

In this pretty awful photo you can see that the lights are actually formed of jelly moulds, which is another neat nod to the culinary arts. The dark wood floors, leather chairs and panelled walls create a very masculine atmosphere, like an old boys’ club or something, which suited the very traditional and ‘meaty’ menu on offer. Before you start, though, you’re given some exceptionally crusty bread to nibble on! Untitled

Delicious – I sometimes reckon all I’d need for a great meal would be a loaf of good bread and some butter – but of course, I always find a way of complicating even that, ha… DinnerbyHestonstarterThis is the sort of menu on offer. Sounds intriguing, no? Untitled

This is what the Mr. had – Rice and Flesh – and very delicious it was too! Although, very filling, because he really couldn’t eat much else after this! Untitled

This was mine: Salamugundy. Very tender and subtle, and not too filling. This part was important, because… UntitledThis was our main! A giant steak served with chips! Very delicious – I am a huge carnivore, so I was pretty pleased. I’d already tried the triple cooked chips at The Hind’s Head, and these weren’t really much different – crispy and moreish. The sauces were great, although the mushroom ketchup was served cold (as I expected), but in a small saucepan…? Untitled

Here’s a better look at that meaty bone! Droooool. DinnerbyHestonpuddingI have to say, though, the meal ended on a bit of a downer for me. I picked the Brown Bread Ice-Cream, as I’ve had that before at home and really liked it. The malted yeast syrup totally spoiled the dish for me, though, and I saw someone else eating the same thing making similar faces…
Untitled
It looked pretty enough, though! UntitledThere was also a pretty little chocolate pudding to finish off with.

I definitely enjoyed my trip to Dinner, and the food was amazing. If you’re a fan of Heston, you’ll definitely enjoy eating at his latest restaurant. I’m going to be a bit controversial here, though, and say that if you’re not going for the set menu, you can definitely get the same quality food elsewhere for the same or lower prices. That said, the set menu is a bit of a bargain, at £36 a head for weekday lunches. However, there are only two choices for each course, which you might find limiting…

The one remaining Heston restaurant I’d like to visit is, of course, The Fat Duck. However, I’m fairly sure this is off the menu (ha) until we win on the scratchcards or something… I guess I’d have to buy some first though!

Hunger Games: Plum Stew for Katniss – An Alternative!

Leave a comment

I loved reading the Hunger Games – I think if you’re a foodie, you’ll really enjoy the descriptions that author Suzanne Collins put into her books. One of the dishes that stands out is the lamb stew that Katniss enjoys so much from the Capitol, and I’ve seen loads of recipes online which replicate it. However, I’m not a huge fan of sweet and savoury mixed together – unless there’s a whole bunch of spice added in! With that in mind, I really wanted to try a tagine version of this, since lamb and prunes is a fairly common combination. But then I was flicking through 50 Great Curries of India by Camellia Panjabi, and found a plum and lamb curry! Now, this is made with fresh plums, not dried, but the flavour is so delicious that I don’t think anyone will be complaining about accuracy! Here is the recipe, which I have adapted slightly to reduce the calories. The original called for more oil, more lamb, and more plums – I think it would be better with less, hence my changes.

This stew is spicy and rich, and the sharp, sour taste of the plums really balances against the savouriness of the lamb. You can eat this with rice, or naan bread if you prefer. I’m planning on serving this at a Hunger Games-themed party I’m having next month, but you don’t really need an excuse to eat this – it’s great, and not too high in calories, either! Just make sure that you go easy on the oil, and that the lamb is very lean and trimmed of all excess fat.
Untitled

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 x 1/2 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 3 cloves
  • 4 green cardamoms
  • 1 inch piece cinnamon
  • 3 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 500g lean stewing lamb
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3/4 to 1 cup finely chopped ripe plums with skin on
  • 3 tbsp coriander leaves
  • 225ml lamb stock

METHOD

  • Heat oil in a deep pan and add the onions, frying until they’re golden brown – around 10-15 mins. Add the garlic, ginger, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, and green chillies. After one minute, add in the turmeric, coriander and chilli powder, and stir well.
  • Add the lamb to your spiced, aromatic mixture, and fry for five minutes. Then, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the lamb is semi-dry. Stir well to make sure everything is coated and beginning to go golden brown.
  • Add the plums and stir. Follow with 2 tbsp of coriander leaves, and the lamb stock, then simmer on low for 30 minutes.
  • Serve sprinkled with additional coriander, and serve with rice.

You can freeze this recipe, which serves four! The calories work out at 312 per serving.

Courtyard Deli, Falmouth

Leave a comment

One of my favourite places when I went to Cornwall this year was the Courtyard Deli in Falmouth. A hidden gem, this gorgeous deli provided me with two of my favourite meals on holiday. (Who am I kidding, I didn’t eat anything that wasn’t amazing on holiday this year!). One was a lovely picnic, which I’ll discuss in a later post, and the other was a lovely tapas meal that we enjoyed on our final evening.
IMG_4963
The deli is off the main road in Falmouth, but is easy enough to spot thanks to this cool little sign. Once you turn up the narrow alleyway, you’ll be greeted by a pretty sight: IMG_3922

Inside, it’s just as beautiful, because there are shelves stacked with all manner of amazingly gorgeous foodstuffs. IMG_3923Check out those delicious bowls of juicy olives! I promise, I did not steal any of them… IMG_4978

The Deli does tapas three nights a week, and it was incredibly quiet when we went on the Friday night – so quiet we were the only ones there for most of the time. Usually, this would be a sign of bad food, but I am pleased to report that this was certainly not the case! They definitely deserve to have people knocking the door down to get in, so if you’re local to the area, make sure to plan a visit, you won’t be disappointed!

As my husband is a massive carnivore, we decided to start off with a meat sharing platter. To be honest, I thought this would be a little bit boring – I do love cured meats, but it’s very simple to make something like that yourself, and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much. So, I was pretty pleased when it arrived, and was utterly delicious! IMG_4974The potatoes were waxy and fresh, and the chorizo was a real standout – juicy, tender, salty and crisp. I’d never enjoyed chorizo as much as I enjoyed this simple, fried offering, and I’m a pretty big chorizo fan anyway! IMG_4982I also had some garlic prawns, because I made a pledge to myself I would eat seafood every day while in Cornwall. I love seafood but my husband hates it, so I never really get to eat it that often. Hooray for holidays! IMG_4983Om nom nom – this was halloumi cheese and strawberries – a weird combo that tasted oh so right! The salty, squeaky cheese went perfectly with the soft, sweet strawberries. I’ll have to try this at home! IMG_4967

We also had a pretty standard bread platter (although, no white bread? Strange…), and I enjoyed a deliciously sweet blush cider.

I would definitely recommend a visit to the Courtyard Deli – friendly staff, great food – what else do you need?! IMG_2078

Tomatillo Salsa Verde kit from Riverford

Leave a comment

I recently tried a tomatillo salsa verde kit from Riverford.co.uk – it’s an organic veg box scheme which I’ve been subscribed to for just over a year now. I love Riverford’s ultra foody approach, and of course, I love trying new things – so when they offered a kit for £4.95 to make your own tomatillo salsa, I jumped on it!

Untitled

Tomatillos aren’t common here (I had only ever seen one once before I got this kit!) but they’re an important ingredient in Mexican cooking. They look like green tomatoes with papery skins.

Untitled

The kit came with a head of garlic, a punnet of tomatillos, a red onion, coriander, chillies, and a lime. Everything you need to make this recipe minus the sugar and salt!

Untitled

The kit was amazingly good value, and a great way of trying out tomatillos. I’ll definitely buy them again if I get the chance – and it sounds like the crop was successful, so hopefully they’ll be growing some more next year!

If you want to purchase organic vegetables and support eco-friendly farming, check out http://www.riverford.co.uk/. Find the kit here.

Like my posts? Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Polyvore for even more content!

Square logo initials

Pitcairn Honey: A Review

2 Comments

I’ve been fascinated by Pitcairn honey for a while. I have no idea how I first heard about it, but once I had, I was hooked on the concept. This honey is produced in very small quantities, and is one of the rarest honeys in all the world. It’s only produced on Pitcairn Island, which is where the survivors of the mutiny on the Bounty now live. Now, to me, that’s amazing. This tropical island, near New Zealand, received a grant from the UK government in 1998 in order to fund beekeeping on the island, and I think it was money well spent! Untitled
This honey is pretty hard to get hold of. You can order it directly from the island, but the shipping is expensive, and it takes a long while to turn up. I’m the only person who eats honey around here, so the idea of bulk buying honey from a tropical island seemed a bit insane, even by my standards, so I’d pretty much given up on getting any – until I found a pot in Fortnum & Mason last year! My lovely friend Lorraine bought me a pot for my birthday – and it was pretty steep, at £10.95. For novelty value (and because I wasn’t buying it…!) I thought it was a good deal – and then I tasted it.

My goodness.

This is the best honey I’ve ever had in my life.

I’m not a honey expert, but I do love eating it. My favourite kind of honey is the set type, on toast, but I love runny honey on yogurt, as a sweetener – I even love honeycomb. I’ve tried manuka honey, local honey, lavender honey – I’m a fan of honey, let’s just say that. But this honey is like honey made by the gods. It’s got a very weird texture – it’s grainy, and neither very clear, not set – and I think by the time it’s arrived in the UK, it’s slightly fermented as well, but the taste of it is just amazing. There’s a definite tang of tropical paradise in there – you can really taste the blossom of the island’s mango, guava and passion-flower trees. I even love the strange texture – it’s especially good on hot toast! To be honest, I’d never tasted a honey before with such a distinctive taste and personality – there’s no way I’ll ever forget the taste of Pitcairn honey. It’s a shame it’s so expensive, but then again, I’d happily pay £10.95 again for such a gorgeous product! Untitled

My Holiday to Cornwall: or, How To Put On A Stone in a Week

Leave a comment

So, I went to Cornwall for the first time in my life about two weeks ago. I had a blast, visited some amazing places, ate some amazing food, but in the process I destroyed my bank balance and my waistline! The next month is going to involve some serious recovery… IMG_4005

Lunch for under 200 calories

1 Comment

It’s always tough to find low calorie breakfasts and lunches when you’re dieting… Actually, scratch that. It’s tough to find low calorie breakfasts and lunches that will keep you full when you’re dieting. But, if you focus on protein (which has been proven in study after study to keep you feeling full for longer than carbs), you’re onto a good start to constructing a great, filling meal. Yogurt is a great start for breakfasts, and eggs are a great start for lunches.

I have to admit, I was a little snobby about separating out egg whites and discarding yolks. First of all, it feels like a waste, and secondly, the white not only has no taste, but it actually seems to smell more ‘eggy’ than the yolks! But, I had a go on Jillian’s quick fix diet from Making the Cut, which involves eating six egg whites with spinach every morning (seriously, blegh), which inspired this lunch. Basically, it’s a simple omelette made with one whole egg and one egg white, filled with low calorie, tasty veggies. It’s simple to make, it comes out at under 200 calories, it’s good for you, and it’s filling. That’s a lot of win… Untitled

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 100g mushrooms
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 50g frozen spinach
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg white

METHOD

  • Chop the mushrooms and tomatoes.
  • Heat half the oil in the pan, then fry the mushrooms. Halfway through the cooking, add the tomatoes.
  • Meanwhile, defrost the spinach in the microwave.
  • Add the spinach to the pan, and heat through together. Turn the mix onto your plate.
  • Rinse the spinach bowl and whisk the eggs together.
  • Rinse the pan and heat the rest of the oil.
  • Add the eggs, allow to set at the base, then push the edges to the middle, sliding the eggs back to the edge, as you make a normal omelette.
  • When you’re done, add the filling, then turn out onto a plate.

CALORIES: 183 per omelette