You can check it all out here, on Yahoo! Lifestyle’s Food Glorious Food blog: http://yhoo.it/14xGHlH
Thursday, 28 March 2013
My Easter Treat Recipes on Yahoo! Lifestyle…
If you’re looking for Easter treats for a party tea, Easter egg hunt, or just for the sake of it, then head on down to Yahoo! Lifestyle where you’ll find three of my Easter egg hunt recipes. They include some carrot cake balls that look like hot cross buns (carrot cake surely being the Easter bunny’s favourite), some cute little bunny cookies and ‘chick’ inspired Easter cupcakes, which are really easy to make.
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
10 Elimination Diet Comfort Food Recipes
Elimination diets, right now, seem to be making big news. Gwyneth Paltrow’s second book It’s All Good, focuses on one, for a start. But what is it? Well, if you suffer from inflammatory conditions like psoriasis, arthritis or recurrent muscle pain, it might help ease your symptoms. The idea is that certain foods can trigger an allergy-like response in the body, causing inflammation as your immune system tries to get it under control. Foods like nightshade veggies, beef, pork, fried foods and refined white flour and sugar have all been blamed for this.
The idea of the elimination diet is to avoid a long list of these foods for a month – you go back to basics eating only wholegrains, brown rice, no dairy products and lots of fresh, leafy greens and drinking herbal teas. Then, gradually and slowly, you start to reintroduce these foods back into your diet, to see if you experience a flare up. This will help identify what caused them in the first place.
I followed the elimination diet for one month and firstly lost the best part of 6kg (nearly a stone) but secondly noticed that my skin looked clearer and I felt much healthier and had more energy. I suffered from recurrent flare ups of psoriasis too, and that calmed down a lot. It’s a slow process, finding out which foods are your triggers, but at least you know what you’re dealing with when it’s all over.
When you first look at the list of foods you can’t eat, you wonder what the heck you are going to eat. For the first week I think I lived on wholegrain toast, cabbage and brown rice. And then I started to try some recipes that were tasty to eat and provided some level of comfort, too (always good in my book).
So I put together these recipes, which were all suitable for the elimination diet that I was on, and are rich in things like wholegrains, oily fish and greens. I’m not a doctor, as you know, but if you’re doing this yourself and struggling for things to cook, then have a look at these. Your personal dietary requirements will vary, depending on your own trigger foods and also depending on which stage of the elimination diet you’re on, so check the ingredients first. It’s a list I wished I’d had when I first started. Click on the titles to view recipes…
Mushroom coconut lentil curry
This curry is dairy-free and those mushrooms are full of vitamin D. Lentils are a good source of iron – some people find beans and lentils a trigger food, but if you don’t, try this light and fresh-flavoured curry served with brown Basmati rice. And sprinkle with lots of fresh coriander, if you can – coriander is thought to reduce inflammation in the body.
Roasted mushrooms with gluten free penne
Mushrooms seemed to be my golden ingredient when I started on the diet, because they’re packed with a deep, savoury flavour that I missed from not eating meat. This is intensified when you roast them in chunky slices and then toss with chopped garlic and gluten-free penne pasta.
Brown basmati rice, salmon, chives and soy sauce
Salmon is another food thought to reduce inflammation – and it’s full of omega-3 oils which are thought to be good for problems like arthritis. I poached the salmon and just finished it off with a snip of chives and a trickle of soy sauce for flavour. Some versions of the elimination diet also eliminate soy though, especially for the first 21 days, so use it if you’re later on in the diet and have confirmed that soy isn’t a trigger for you.
Buckwheat pasta with leeks
Buckwheat pasta when you first try it, can have a strange texture. Cook for a minute too long and it’ll go soggy and break up. But cook it just right and it’s tasty and hugely good for you – gluten free, too – and contains minerals such as riboflavin and magnesium, higher than in regular spaghetti. I cooked some leeks gently in a little olive oil and tossed with garlic before combining with the cooked pasta.
Carrot and Spring Onion Soup
Carrots are a good source of vitamin A and they’re thought to reduce inflammation too. All good…
Garlic mushroom burger with polenta fries
Part of the elimination diet that I was on, meant that I had to eliminate nightshade veggies (they’re thought to make psoriasis worse. It’s thought that it might be to do with undigested parts of the nightshade veggies leaking through the stomach into the bloodstream). So I got my chip fix from polenta fries. The burger’s ok because it’s made using a wholegrain bread roll (some diets eliminate wheat completely, so you could look out for a gluten-free roll), a handful of salad and a big, firm flat mushroom cooked with garlic. Check out how I make polenta fries here…
Anti-inflammatory green smoothie
Making smoothies is one of the easiest ways to get the benefits of a whole lot of veggies and fruits, quickly. And it’s a good job, because I had to forego my usual tall, hazelnut milkshakes drizzled with toffee. This one is made using a couple of peeled kiwi fruits, a cored and peeled apple, a tablespoon of chopped ginger and a handful of fresh coriander leaves… Much nicer and healthier than a milkshake, really…
Romaine, aduki beans, brown rice, avocado, coriander and lime juice
I missed burritos too much. So although you can eat lean (white) chicken, and I believe, lamb, on the elimination diet, I restricted this to a couple of times a month. And for the other days, this was how I curbed my burrito cravings. A filling salad – sprinkle with coriander and a squeeze of lime juice. Avocado contains vitamin E, which is good for the skin, and the beans and brown rice provide fibre, as well as other nutrients.
Avocado spaghetti
This recipe I found on The Londoner blog – and while I thought blended, warm avocado would be the last thing I’d want to eat, I found this absolutely lovely. The predominant flavour is from the garlic, basil and lemon – I squeezed lots of lemon juice into mine – and the avocado is creamy. I used wholegrain spaghetti for mine, and sprinkled a tiny bit of Grana Padano over at the end, but if you need to avoid dairy you can just leave this out, although you might want to add a little more salt. This is also great with a mixed rocket salad with a bit of balsamic vinegar dressing over (it’s how I ate mine) which is also recommended on the blog. If you’re avoiding wheat completely, wholegrain or not, make it with a gluten-free pasta.
Kale and Mushroom Wholewheat Spaghetti
When you’re not eating or drinking anything with cow’s milk, kale is a good source of calcium. And there are those mushrooms again… Just chop the kale and add to the pan with the spaghetti in 3-4 minutes before it’s done, while you pan-fry chopped mushrooms and garlic in a little olive oil. Drain the pasta and kale and toss everything together in the mushroom pan, to pick up all those lovely juices.
Important: Always check with your doctor before changing your diet.
Have you tried an elimination diet for a specific condition, or for general health? Do any of these recipe ideas help?
The idea of the elimination diet is to avoid a long list of these foods for a month – you go back to basics eating only wholegrains, brown rice, no dairy products and lots of fresh, leafy greens and drinking herbal teas. Then, gradually and slowly, you start to reintroduce these foods back into your diet, to see if you experience a flare up. This will help identify what caused them in the first place.
I followed the elimination diet for one month and firstly lost the best part of 6kg (nearly a stone) but secondly noticed that my skin looked clearer and I felt much healthier and had more energy. I suffered from recurrent flare ups of psoriasis too, and that calmed down a lot. It’s a slow process, finding out which foods are your triggers, but at least you know what you’re dealing with when it’s all over.
When you first look at the list of foods you can’t eat, you wonder what the heck you are going to eat. For the first week I think I lived on wholegrain toast, cabbage and brown rice. And then I started to try some recipes that were tasty to eat and provided some level of comfort, too (always good in my book).
So I put together these recipes, which were all suitable for the elimination diet that I was on, and are rich in things like wholegrains, oily fish and greens. I’m not a doctor, as you know, but if you’re doing this yourself and struggling for things to cook, then have a look at these. Your personal dietary requirements will vary, depending on your own trigger foods and also depending on which stage of the elimination diet you’re on, so check the ingredients first. It’s a list I wished I’d had when I first started. Click on the titles to view recipes…
Mushroom coconut lentil curry
This curry is dairy-free and those mushrooms are full of vitamin D. Lentils are a good source of iron – some people find beans and lentils a trigger food, but if you don’t, try this light and fresh-flavoured curry served with brown Basmati rice. And sprinkle with lots of fresh coriander, if you can – coriander is thought to reduce inflammation in the body.
Roasted mushrooms with gluten free penne
Mushrooms seemed to be my golden ingredient when I started on the diet, because they’re packed with a deep, savoury flavour that I missed from not eating meat. This is intensified when you roast them in chunky slices and then toss with chopped garlic and gluten-free penne pasta.
Brown basmati rice, salmon, chives and soy sauce
Salmon is another food thought to reduce inflammation – and it’s full of omega-3 oils which are thought to be good for problems like arthritis. I poached the salmon and just finished it off with a snip of chives and a trickle of soy sauce for flavour. Some versions of the elimination diet also eliminate soy though, especially for the first 21 days, so use it if you’re later on in the diet and have confirmed that soy isn’t a trigger for you.
Buckwheat pasta with leeks
Buckwheat pasta when you first try it, can have a strange texture. Cook for a minute too long and it’ll go soggy and break up. But cook it just right and it’s tasty and hugely good for you – gluten free, too – and contains minerals such as riboflavin and magnesium, higher than in regular spaghetti. I cooked some leeks gently in a little olive oil and tossed with garlic before combining with the cooked pasta.
Carrot and Spring Onion Soup
Carrots are a good source of vitamin A and they’re thought to reduce inflammation too. All good…
Garlic mushroom burger with polenta fries
Part of the elimination diet that I was on, meant that I had to eliminate nightshade veggies (they’re thought to make psoriasis worse. It’s thought that it might be to do with undigested parts of the nightshade veggies leaking through the stomach into the bloodstream). So I got my chip fix from polenta fries. The burger’s ok because it’s made using a wholegrain bread roll (some diets eliminate wheat completely, so you could look out for a gluten-free roll), a handful of salad and a big, firm flat mushroom cooked with garlic. Check out how I make polenta fries here…
Anti-inflammatory green smoothie
Making smoothies is one of the easiest ways to get the benefits of a whole lot of veggies and fruits, quickly. And it’s a good job, because I had to forego my usual tall, hazelnut milkshakes drizzled with toffee. This one is made using a couple of peeled kiwi fruits, a cored and peeled apple, a tablespoon of chopped ginger and a handful of fresh coriander leaves… Much nicer and healthier than a milkshake, really…
Romaine, aduki beans, brown rice, avocado, coriander and lime juice
I missed burritos too much. So although you can eat lean (white) chicken, and I believe, lamb, on the elimination diet, I restricted this to a couple of times a month. And for the other days, this was how I curbed my burrito cravings. A filling salad – sprinkle with coriander and a squeeze of lime juice. Avocado contains vitamin E, which is good for the skin, and the beans and brown rice provide fibre, as well as other nutrients.
Avocado spaghetti
This recipe I found on The Londoner blog – and while I thought blended, warm avocado would be the last thing I’d want to eat, I found this absolutely lovely. The predominant flavour is from the garlic, basil and lemon – I squeezed lots of lemon juice into mine – and the avocado is creamy. I used wholegrain spaghetti for mine, and sprinkled a tiny bit of Grana Padano over at the end, but if you need to avoid dairy you can just leave this out, although you might want to add a little more salt. This is also great with a mixed rocket salad with a bit of balsamic vinegar dressing over (it’s how I ate mine) which is also recommended on the blog. If you’re avoiding wheat completely, wholegrain or not, make it with a gluten-free pasta.
Kale and Mushroom Wholewheat Spaghetti
When you’re not eating or drinking anything with cow’s milk, kale is a good source of calcium. And there are those mushrooms again… Just chop the kale and add to the pan with the spaghetti in 3-4 minutes before it’s done, while you pan-fry chopped mushrooms and garlic in a little olive oil. Drain the pasta and kale and toss everything together in the mushroom pan, to pick up all those lovely juices.
Important: Always check with your doctor before changing your diet.
Have you tried an elimination diet for a specific condition, or for general health? Do any of these recipe ideas help?
Monday, 25 March 2013
Roasted Mushroom Pasta
There’s one way to turn a run of the mill flat mushroom into something really quite glamorous and full of flavour. And that’s to roast it. I discovered roasted mushrooms when I had a stray couple of flat mushrooms in the fridge that needed using up. I was bored of pan-frying them, and didn’t fancy grilling them, so I wondered what they’d be like roasted.
The mushroom slices darken in the oven and their flavour really intensifies. It was one of the best dinners I’d had in a long time and I couldn’t wait to share it with you. Here’s the recipe:
Roasted Mushroom Penne
Serves 1
Ingredients
2 flat mushrooms (about 100g)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, chopped
100g dried penne pasta
Method
Wash the mushrooms and remove the stalks. Cut into 5mm thick slices and spread out on a clean baking tray, drizzling over the olive oil and tossing gently so the mushrooms are well coated. Roast for 20 minutes in a 200ºC oven.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, slightly salted water until tender. Drain, reserving half a mugful of the starchy cooking liquid. Once the 20 minutes are up, take out the hot tray of mushrooms and immediately sprinkle in the chopped garlic clove and let it soften slightly in the residual heat for a couple of minutes. Tip in the drained pasta, along with the reserved cooking water and toss together. Tip onto a plate and serve.
Mushrooms: how do you like yours?
The mushroom slices darken in the oven and their flavour really intensifies. It was one of the best dinners I’d had in a long time and I couldn’t wait to share it with you. Here’s the recipe:
Roasted Mushroom Penne
Serves 1
Ingredients
2 flat mushrooms (about 100g)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, chopped
100g dried penne pasta
Method
Wash the mushrooms and remove the stalks. Cut into 5mm thick slices and spread out on a clean baking tray, drizzling over the olive oil and tossing gently so the mushrooms are well coated. Roast for 20 minutes in a 200ºC oven.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, slightly salted water until tender. Drain, reserving half a mugful of the starchy cooking liquid. Once the 20 minutes are up, take out the hot tray of mushrooms and immediately sprinkle in the chopped garlic clove and let it soften slightly in the residual heat for a couple of minutes. Tip in the drained pasta, along with the reserved cooking water and toss together. Tip onto a plate and serve.
Mushrooms: how do you like yours?
Friday, 22 March 2013
Vanilla Bacon Pasta Carbonara
Ever since I tried the vanilla back bacon from Waitrose, I’ve been trying to think of different recipes to cook with it. And constantly, one kept coming back into my head: vanilla bacon Carbonara. It was something about the musky-scented bacon, the soft pasta and eggy, creamy sauce that told me this would work so well. And it did. The vanilla flavour is subtle, it’s not a sweet dish – but it’s there, and just takes you up another level in the comfort food stakes.
If they did streaky bacon cured with vanilla I’d be more tempted to use it in recipes – the fat doesn’t melt down as easily so you have to cut it off before you start. So there you have it: vanilla bacon – not just for sandwiches.
Vanilla Bacon Pasta Carbonara
Serves 4
Ingredients
350g dried pasta
150g Waitrose (by Heston) Vanilla Back Bacon
1tbsp olive oil
2 egg yolks
150ml single cream
40g Parmesan, grated (plus more to serve, if you like)
Method
Put the pasta on to cook in slightly salted, boiling water. It will take about 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a pan and then cut the bacon up into bite-sized snippets and remove any large chunks of fat or rind, if there are any. Cook the bacon until just starting to get crisp.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cream and cheese.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving about half a mugful of the starchy cooking liquid, and toss into the hot pan with the cooked bacon. Immediately turn off the heat and then tip in the eggy cream mixture, tossing it around to coat the pasta. Add a little cooking water to make a silky sauce.
Serve hot, with extra Parmesan cheese, if you like.
Would you try this? How would you cook vanilla bacon?
If they did streaky bacon cured with vanilla I’d be more tempted to use it in recipes – the fat doesn’t melt down as easily so you have to cut it off before you start. So there you have it: vanilla bacon – not just for sandwiches.
Vanilla Bacon Pasta Carbonara
Serves 4
Ingredients
350g dried pasta
150g Waitrose (by Heston) Vanilla Back Bacon
1tbsp olive oil
2 egg yolks
150ml single cream
40g Parmesan, grated (plus more to serve, if you like)
Method
Put the pasta on to cook in slightly salted, boiling water. It will take about 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a pan and then cut the bacon up into bite-sized snippets and remove any large chunks of fat or rind, if there are any. Cook the bacon until just starting to get crisp.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cream and cheese.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving about half a mugful of the starchy cooking liquid, and toss into the hot pan with the cooked bacon. Immediately turn off the heat and then tip in the eggy cream mixture, tossing it around to coat the pasta. Add a little cooking water to make a silky sauce.
Serve hot, with extra Parmesan cheese, if you like.
Would you try this? How would you cook vanilla bacon?
Thursday, 21 March 2013
Garlic Mushroom Burger with Polenta Fries
This is, basically, a mushroom sandwich. But it’s absolutely gorgeous and makes a great change when you don’t fancy beef or lamb in your burger. The thick, flat mushroom is unexpectedly meaty in texture, and when lightly pan-fried with garlic and parsley, it’s ready in about 5-6 minutes. Just pop between a split bread roll and serve with some chips – or polenta fries if you’re holding back on potato, too.
Mushrooms are also a great source of B vitamins and also contain Vitamin D, which is great for us at this time of year when there’s not that much sunlight around yet. Enjoy this much lighter version of burger night, if it takes your fancy.
Garlic Mushroom Burger
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 wholemeal bread roll
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large, flat mushroom, de-stalked and cleaned
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp chopped parsley
handful of pea shoots or watercress
Method
Heat the oil in a small frying pan and lower in the mushroom, dark side up. Let it sizzle slightly and then leave to cook for about 3 minutes. Throw in the garlic and the parsley and gently fry for another minute or two, just until the garlic becomes aromatic and softens a bit. Turn over the mushroom and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. Meanwhile, split the bread roll, arrange the greens over the bottom half and then top with the hot, garlicky mushroom. Top with the other half and eat.
Mushrooms are also a great source of B vitamins and also contain Vitamin D, which is great for us at this time of year when there’s not that much sunlight around yet. Enjoy this much lighter version of burger night, if it takes your fancy.
Garlic Mushroom Burger
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 wholemeal bread roll
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large, flat mushroom, de-stalked and cleaned
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp chopped parsley
handful of pea shoots or watercress
Method
Heat the oil in a small frying pan and lower in the mushroom, dark side up. Let it sizzle slightly and then leave to cook for about 3 minutes. Throw in the garlic and the parsley and gently fry for another minute or two, just until the garlic becomes aromatic and softens a bit. Turn over the mushroom and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. Meanwhile, split the bread roll, arrange the greens over the bottom half and then top with the hot, garlicky mushroom. Top with the other half and eat.
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
Bacon Connoisseurs Week… The Great Bacon Revolution Awards Shortlist
It’s often said that the one thing people miss the most when they start a vegetarian diet is crisp, salty bacon, straight from the grill pan, still sizzling, pressed between two heavily-buttered slices of cheap white bread. And although my vegetarian stepdad gets round this by making himself a Frazzles sandwich (yes, the crisp), it really isn’t the same.
Bacon makes up many of our favourite dishes: it’s slipped into burgers, laid out as part of a Full English breakfast, tossed into pastas, salads, on pizzas and then of course there’s the good old bacon butty.
Dry cured at Oakly Park Estate in Shropshire, this is one unusual bacon. It was a finalist in the ‘butchers’ category of the awards and has a nice pinkness to it, which you notice straight away, thanks, of course, to the beetroot. The black pepper isn’t overpowering and the beetroot gives the bacon a slight sweetness. The texture of the pork is firm and not brittle after grilling. This was my personal favourite. If I’d had any more of it I’d have grilled it and snipped it into a salad, with lots of green salad leaves and perhaps some goat’s cheese or Wensleydale crumbled in, too.
This bacon, speckled with red chilli, was my husband’s favourite of the four and was a finalist in the ‘food service’ category. You expect it to be quite spicy, but it isn’t. The sweet chilli just gives a freshness to the bacon, kind of like a sweet pepper; rather than the spiciness of a chilli. Great to perk up a bacon sandwich or alongside some scrambled eggs for breakfast.
We’ve tried this before, in another post. And, as before, the bacon rashers have a musky sweetness, a bit like when you walk between the candy floss stall and the hot dog stand at a fair – it’s a combination that, unexpectedly, works. And that vanilla-scented bacon is right at home in a creamy Carbonara sauce, tossed with pasta.
This product won gold at the Great Taste Awards in 2012. It’s firm and quite thinly-sliced and is rubbed with sea salt before being matured and smoked over beechwood. A really good all-rounder for any day of the week.
Have you tried any interesting flavours of bacon, cured with unusual ingredients? Which flavours work best with bacon, do you think?
Bacon makes up many of our favourite dishes: it’s slipped into burgers, laid out as part of a Full English breakfast, tossed into pastas, salads, on pizzas and then of course there’s the good old bacon butty.
And so it was no surprise when I discovered that Bacon Connoisseurs’ Week has been launched. And the organisers sent me a selection of bacon products that recently made the shortlist in The Great Bacon Revolution Awards. The whole point of the week is to challenge old attitudes about bacon and showcase some of the more unusual recipes and products out there. Here’s a run down of some of the shortlisted products I got to try…
Ludlow Food Centre’s Gloucester Old Spot and Black Pepper Bacon
Dry cured at Oakly Park Estate in Shropshire, this is one unusual bacon. It was a finalist in the ‘butchers’ category of the awards and has a nice pinkness to it, which you notice straight away, thanks, of course, to the beetroot. The black pepper isn’t overpowering and the beetroot gives the bacon a slight sweetness. The texture of the pork is firm and not brittle after grilling. This was my personal favourite. If I’d had any more of it I’d have grilled it and snipped it into a salad, with lots of green salad leaves and perhaps some goat’s cheese or Wensleydale crumbled in, too.
Wiltshire Cured Back Bacon flavoured with Sweet Chilli
This bacon, speckled with red chilli, was my husband’s favourite of the four and was a finalist in the ‘food service’ category. You expect it to be quite spicy, but it isn’t. The sweet chilli just gives a freshness to the bacon, kind of like a sweet pepper; rather than the spiciness of a chilli. Great to perk up a bacon sandwich or alongside some scrambled eggs for breakfast.
Heston from Waitrose Vanilla Back Bacon Rashers
We’ve tried this before, in another post. And, as before, the bacon rashers have a musky sweetness, a bit like when you walk between the candy floss stall and the hot dog stand at a fair – it’s a combination that, unexpectedly, works. And that vanilla-scented bacon is right at home in a creamy Carbonara sauce, tossed with pasta.
Denhay Dry Cured by Hand Traditional Bacon (Smoked)
This product won gold at the Great Taste Awards in 2012. It’s firm and quite thinly-sliced and is rubbed with sea salt before being matured and smoked over beechwood. A really good all-rounder for any day of the week.
Other notable shortlisted bacon products included: Gabbot’s Farm Cherry Smoked Bacon, Tulip’s Unsmoked Cooked Maple Cured Bacon and Morrison’s Old Fashioned Cure British Back Bacon: Cured with ingredients including juniper, cloves and muscovado sugar.
Have you tried any interesting flavours of bacon, cured with unusual ingredients? Which flavours work best with bacon, do you think?
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Bacon Recipes for Bacon Conoisseurs Week 18-24 March 2013
Bacon. It’s a tough one. We’re being told that we shouldn’t eat too many processed meats like bacon, sausages, chorizo and ham. And yet it seems to constantly exist on menus, in our homes and at bed and breakfasts up and down the country. For me, when I’m in the UK, it doesn’t really feel like a ‘holiday’ until you walk into the breakfast room and smell freshly-grilled bacon ready and waiting for you to schnaffle down as part of a Full English.
But I think part of the problem is that we’re eating too much of it. In the news the other week there was concern over the amount of processed food people are eating. The government advice currently stands at 70g per day. Researchers reckon that it would be better if we were eating 20g per day. They haven’t said we actually, really, need to avoid it altogether.
I’ll be honest – I don’t use loads of bacon in my cooking, all the time. I buy it probably once a month and then it’s used in little snippets in meals like Spaghetti Carbonara or Pasta e Fagioli, a few rashers at a time, feeding all of us. So, bearing this news in mind, and also the fact that this week is Bacon Connoisseurs Week, I thought I’d share with you ten of my favourite bacon recipes. They don’t use loads of it either, so many of them are a good way to get your bacon fix while at the same time not over-doing it.
Have a look at these… (click on the title of each one to go to the recipe)
Bacon and maple syrup cupcakes
Bit weird, yes. Rich, also. But worth a try, especially if you like the saltiness of bacon along with the sweetness of maple syrup and the eggy cake.
Bacon and cabbage potato cakes with fried egg
Another recipe I did for the same article and one of my favourite ways to use up leftover mashed potato. The cabbage has a real earthiness along with the salty bacon. I love the rich Cotswold Legbar egg yolk with it too.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
You just can’t beat a good, old-fashioned spaghetti alla carbonara. I’ve tried making it without the bacon, but it just isn’t the same. Feeds a family of four for only just over £5. You can grate in some courgette too, if you like.
Bacon and cabbage pasta
Bacon and cabbage, again. This is a really quick pasta dish and my girls love it.
Bacon-wrapped asparagus
Things wrapped in bacon always seem to gain interest and this one’s no exception. I’ve toyed with the idea of doing the same to purple sprouting broccoli but not yet got round to it. The fresh, green asparagus spear seems to invite richness, whether that’s being wrapped with a slice of streaky bacon or the silky, deep-yellow yolk of a duck’s egg.
Maple glazed bacon
I went through a stage of enjoying sweet bacon. The maple glaze is easy to achieve, just drizzle over a drop as the bacon has its last couple of minutes of grilling. Great in sandwiches and also in beefburgers.
Best bacon sandwich ever
The photo’s not great (it was before the days of my posh camera), but the recipe really is. It’s bacon and mushrooms pressed between two eggy halves of a muffin. Like a full English breakfast in sandwich form.
Storecupboard pasta e fagioli
Another cheap dish to make, and great for using up any leftover rashers of bacon you have in the fridge – you don’t need that much of it for it to give its flavour to the beans and pasta.
Bacon-wrapped scallops with pea puree
Another recipe from my bacon-wrapping stage, this time sweet, virtuous scallops. Wrapping them in bacon seemed almost sinful – but the pea puree lifts the whole dish. Loved this one.
Full english breakfast pasties
Bacon, sausages, beans… the idea from this came from a pie I was sent by Pieminster during the rugby one year. So I made one myself and we totally enjoyed it. Great for breakfast, or any time of the day, to be honest.
What are your favourite bacon recipes?
But I think part of the problem is that we’re eating too much of it. In the news the other week there was concern over the amount of processed food people are eating. The government advice currently stands at 70g per day. Researchers reckon that it would be better if we were eating 20g per day. They haven’t said we actually, really, need to avoid it altogether.
I’ll be honest – I don’t use loads of bacon in my cooking, all the time. I buy it probably once a month and then it’s used in little snippets in meals like Spaghetti Carbonara or Pasta e Fagioli, a few rashers at a time, feeding all of us. So, bearing this news in mind, and also the fact that this week is Bacon Connoisseurs Week, I thought I’d share with you ten of my favourite bacon recipes. They don’t use loads of it either, so many of them are a good way to get your bacon fix while at the same time not over-doing it.
Have a look at these… (click on the title of each one to go to the recipe)
Bacon and maple syrup cupcakes
Bit weird, yes. Rich, also. But worth a try, especially if you like the saltiness of bacon along with the sweetness of maple syrup and the eggy cake.
Bacon and cabbage potato cakes with fried egg
Another recipe I did for the same article and one of my favourite ways to use up leftover mashed potato. The cabbage has a real earthiness along with the salty bacon. I love the rich Cotswold Legbar egg yolk with it too.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
You just can’t beat a good, old-fashioned spaghetti alla carbonara. I’ve tried making it without the bacon, but it just isn’t the same. Feeds a family of four for only just over £5. You can grate in some courgette too, if you like.
Bacon and cabbage pasta
Bacon and cabbage, again. This is a really quick pasta dish and my girls love it.
Bacon-wrapped asparagus
Things wrapped in bacon always seem to gain interest and this one’s no exception. I’ve toyed with the idea of doing the same to purple sprouting broccoli but not yet got round to it. The fresh, green asparagus spear seems to invite richness, whether that’s being wrapped with a slice of streaky bacon or the silky, deep-yellow yolk of a duck’s egg.
Maple glazed bacon
I went through a stage of enjoying sweet bacon. The maple glaze is easy to achieve, just drizzle over a drop as the bacon has its last couple of minutes of grilling. Great in sandwiches and also in beefburgers.
Best bacon sandwich ever
The photo’s not great (it was before the days of my posh camera), but the recipe really is. It’s bacon and mushrooms pressed between two eggy halves of a muffin. Like a full English breakfast in sandwich form.
Storecupboard pasta e fagioli
Another cheap dish to make, and great for using up any leftover rashers of bacon you have in the fridge – you don’t need that much of it for it to give its flavour to the beans and pasta.
Bacon-wrapped scallops with pea puree
Another recipe from my bacon-wrapping stage, this time sweet, virtuous scallops. Wrapping them in bacon seemed almost sinful – but the pea puree lifts the whole dish. Loved this one.
Full english breakfast pasties
Bacon, sausages, beans… the idea from this came from a pie I was sent by Pieminster during the rugby one year. So I made one myself and we totally enjoyed it. Great for breakfast, or any time of the day, to be honest.
What are your favourite bacon recipes?
Monday, 18 March 2013
Walkers Launch All British Flavours for Their Crisps
This month, Walkers announced what they called their ‘biggest flavour news for ten years.’ It was that Walkers flavours now include ingredients sourced from Britain. They’ve already been using 100% British potatoes, but now they’re using foods such as tomatoes from the Vale of Evesham, British Worcester sauce and Cheddar cheese from Somerset. Even their roast chicken flavoured crisps are made from free-range Devonshire chickens. Gary Lineker’s also been driving round with his greengrocer Dad, checking all these ingredients out and there’s a video to prove it.
The people at Walkers sent me a batch to try, along with some of the foods that have inspired these new, fully British flavours. The flavours are basically the same, although tasting a slice of the Somerset Cheddar and then trying the cheese and onion crisps, you can taste the unique flavour of that Cheddar coming through in the crisps, rather than just a generic ‘cheesy’ flavour.
Even the mouth-curling pickled onion flavour uses British vinegar, as does the salt and vinegar pack – and Ready Salted proclaims on the pack that the salt comes from Cheshire. Incidentally, Walkers have also reduced the salt in their salt and vinegar crisps by 17%. I loved these flavours. They seemed stronger, tastier and they could be quite addictive. But then I am a massive crisp fan anyway.
According to PepsiCo’s consumer trials, customers like to see ‘regional provenance’ in their food – knowing where it comes from and being proud that what they’re eating is sourced from Britain – even if it’s a packet of crisps. But what do you think? Do you mind where the flavours in your crisps come from? Do you think it’s a good idea that they’ve made the flavours, as well as the crisps, fully British?
Let me know in the comments below…
The people at Walkers sent me a batch to try, along with some of the foods that have inspired these new, fully British flavours. The flavours are basically the same, although tasting a slice of the Somerset Cheddar and then trying the cheese and onion crisps, you can taste the unique flavour of that Cheddar coming through in the crisps, rather than just a generic ‘cheesy’ flavour.
Even the mouth-curling pickled onion flavour uses British vinegar, as does the salt and vinegar pack – and Ready Salted proclaims on the pack that the salt comes from Cheshire. Incidentally, Walkers have also reduced the salt in their salt and vinegar crisps by 17%. I loved these flavours. They seemed stronger, tastier and they could be quite addictive. But then I am a massive crisp fan anyway.
According to PepsiCo’s consumer trials, customers like to see ‘regional provenance’ in their food – knowing where it comes from and being proud that what they’re eating is sourced from Britain – even if it’s a packet of crisps. But what do you think? Do you mind where the flavours in your crisps come from? Do you think it’s a good idea that they’ve made the flavours, as well as the crisps, fully British?
Let me know in the comments below…
Friday, 15 March 2013
Crispy Polenta Fries with Rosemary
Recently, in a bid to eat less potatoes (they’re great, but sometimes you just want a change) I’ve discovered polenta fries. And I love them. They’re crunchy, soft in the centre and full of flavour. I don’t know why it took me so long to make them.
They’re so easy and quick to make, and seem much lighter than potato fries. I use the ready-made polenta which speeds up the cooking time even more, and ensures you have polenta the right consistency to begin with.
The polenta is already seasoned, so you don’t need to add any salt, but I do love them hot, sprinkled with some freshly chopped rosemary.
Crispy Polenta Fries with Rosemary
Makes 1 portion
You will need a block of ready made polenta (check out the dried pasta section of the supermarket). Unwrap it, and cut three slices from it, about 2cm thick. Wrap the rest back up and keep in the fridge, using it within a couple of days. Put your oval slices of polenta flat onto a board and cut vertically into three again, so you end up with little skinny-ish chip shapes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium-sized non-stick pan.
Once the oil is hot, gently lower the fries into the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, on a medium heat, until slightly crisp on the bottom. Don’t over-crowd the pan and don’t move them around too much or they’ll break up quite a bit. The instructions on the pack told me to cook for a couple of minutes on each side, but mine took longer to crispen up. Check for golden crispiness, don’t watch the clock for these, and don’t leave them – the first time I tried them they went from golden yellow to black in just a few minutes.
Once they’re crisp on the bottom, gently flip them over to cook on the other side, while you rinse and chop up the leaves from a sprig of rosemary. Cook for another 5-6 minutes again (until crisp) and drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot, with the rosemary scattered over.
Ever tried this? What do you reckon? What are your favourite polenta recipes?
They’re so easy and quick to make, and seem much lighter than potato fries. I use the ready-made polenta which speeds up the cooking time even more, and ensures you have polenta the right consistency to begin with.
The polenta is already seasoned, so you don’t need to add any salt, but I do love them hot, sprinkled with some freshly chopped rosemary.
Makes 1 portion
You will need a block of ready made polenta (check out the dried pasta section of the supermarket). Unwrap it, and cut three slices from it, about 2cm thick. Wrap the rest back up and keep in the fridge, using it within a couple of days. Put your oval slices of polenta flat onto a board and cut vertically into three again, so you end up with little skinny-ish chip shapes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium-sized non-stick pan.
Once the oil is hot, gently lower the fries into the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, on a medium heat, until slightly crisp on the bottom. Don’t over-crowd the pan and don’t move them around too much or they’ll break up quite a bit. The instructions on the pack told me to cook for a couple of minutes on each side, but mine took longer to crispen up. Check for golden crispiness, don’t watch the clock for these, and don’t leave them – the first time I tried them they went from golden yellow to black in just a few minutes.
Once they’re crisp on the bottom, gently flip them over to cook on the other side, while you rinse and chop up the leaves from a sprig of rosemary. Cook for another 5-6 minutes again (until crisp) and drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot, with the rosemary scattered over.
Ever tried this? What do you reckon? What are your favourite polenta recipes?
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Lentil, Mushroom and Coconut Curry
Although I love a dark, spicy lamb curry mopped up with garlic and coriander naan bread, sometimes I’m in the mood for something lighter, more mild, and fragrant. And so one rainy night, this dish was born: lentils and mushrooms in a slightly creamy coconut-based sauce. And it’s healthy on many levels. For a start, it’s vegan – it’s also dairy-free and gluten-free. I love it with a pile of brown Basmati rice. Eating it feels indulgent, but still healthy.
Lentil, Mushroom and Coconut Curry
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
quarter teaspoon of turmeric
quarter teaspoon of ground cumin
quarter teaspoon ground coriander
4-5 medium-sized chestnut mushrooms, quartered
one 400g tin green lentils
200ml coconut milk
half teaspoon garam masala
salt, to taste
fresh coriander leaves, to serve
Method
Heat the oil in a medium-sized frying pan and cook the garlic until just softened (but not coloured). Add the turmeric, ground cumin and the ground coriander and stir, cooking, until fragrant. Throw in the mushrooms and then drain the lentils and add to the pan. Stir well, and cook for about 5 minutes, until everything is warmed through. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Once everything’s hot, stir in the garam masala and season with salt and serve with the coriander leaves scattered over.
What are your favourite veggie curries?
I’ve entered this recipe into the Gluten Free Wednesdays Linky hosted by Gluten Free Homemaker.
Lentil, Mushroom and Coconut Curry
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
quarter teaspoon of turmeric
quarter teaspoon of ground cumin
quarter teaspoon ground coriander
4-5 medium-sized chestnut mushrooms, quartered
one 400g tin green lentils
200ml coconut milk
half teaspoon garam masala
salt, to taste
fresh coriander leaves, to serve
Method
Heat the oil in a medium-sized frying pan and cook the garlic until just softened (but not coloured). Add the turmeric, ground cumin and the ground coriander and stir, cooking, until fragrant. Throw in the mushrooms and then drain the lentils and add to the pan. Stir well, and cook for about 5 minutes, until everything is warmed through. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Once everything’s hot, stir in the garam masala and season with salt and serve with the coriander leaves scattered over.
What are your favourite veggie curries?
I’ve entered this recipe into the Gluten Free Wednesdays Linky hosted by Gluten Free Homemaker.
Monday, 11 March 2013
Smoked Salmon Farfalle with Peas and Chives
Pasta is all very well, but sometimes you need a break from all those creamy, cheesy sauces and that shouldn’t have to mean that there’s just tomato sauce left. One of my favourites is this: flaked smoked salmon fillets tossed in butter, chives and cooked frozen peas.
Smoked Salmon Farfalle with Peas and Chives
Serves 4
Ingredients
350g farfalle pasta shapes
1 small garlic clove, chopped
knob of butter (about 1-2 tablespoons worth)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 smoked salmon fillets, cooked (you can buy these in the supermarket, already cooked and ready to flake)
100g frozen peas
small handful snipped chives
Method
Put a pan of slightly salted water on to boil and cook the pasta for about 10-15 minutes, until tender. In a medium sized frying pan, start by melting the butter and add the chopped garlic. Drizzle in the olive oil and fry the garlic until softened, but not coloured. Flake in the salmon and peas and toss them in the butter. When the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving an espresso cupful of the cooking water and mix the farfalle into the salmon mixture. Add the pasta water so you get a silky, buttery sauce that coats the pasta. Scatter in the chopped chives and serve, with or without grated Parmesan cheese (I know fish and cheese together is a bit of a faux pas but I’ve never let that get in the way)…
Smoked Salmon Farfalle with Peas and Chives
Serves 4
Ingredients
350g farfalle pasta shapes
1 small garlic clove, chopped
knob of butter (about 1-2 tablespoons worth)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 smoked salmon fillets, cooked (you can buy these in the supermarket, already cooked and ready to flake)
100g frozen peas
small handful snipped chives
Method
Put a pan of slightly salted water on to boil and cook the pasta for about 10-15 minutes, until tender. In a medium sized frying pan, start by melting the butter and add the chopped garlic. Drizzle in the olive oil and fry the garlic until softened, but not coloured. Flake in the salmon and peas and toss them in the butter. When the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving an espresso cupful of the cooking water and mix the farfalle into the salmon mixture. Add the pasta water so you get a silky, buttery sauce that coats the pasta. Scatter in the chopped chives and serve, with or without grated Parmesan cheese (I know fish and cheese together is a bit of a faux pas but I’ve never let that get in the way)…
Friday, 8 March 2013
Dominos Launches Hot Dog Stuffed Pizza
Remember this?
The hot dog stuffed pizza in this Pizza Hut advert is from Japan, but they released a British version in restaurants last year. And it seems to have done well. Oliver Thring even wrote last year, in the Guardian: ‘how, in its own filthy way, could it be anything other than delicious?’.
Well, now Domino’s have launched their version. Hot dogs, stuffed into a pizza crust, with the topping oozing with cheese? But would you dip it in creamy garlic dressing? Or mustard?
Simon Wallis, the sales and marketing director at Domino’s, said of the launch: ‘we’re very excited about Domino’s Hot Dog Stuffed Crust… it’s a real fun concept and one we’re sure pizza lovers and hot dog fans will love.’
The pizzas first appeared on Domino’s menus on February 18th 2013 and it’ll be interesting to see if they make it a permanent addition.
What do you think? Pizza/Hot Dog heaven or fast food gone too far?
The hot dog stuffed pizza in this Pizza Hut advert is from Japan, but they released a British version in restaurants last year. And it seems to have done well. Oliver Thring even wrote last year, in the Guardian: ‘how, in its own filthy way, could it be anything other than delicious?’.
Well, now Domino’s have launched their version. Hot dogs, stuffed into a pizza crust, with the topping oozing with cheese? But would you dip it in creamy garlic dressing? Or mustard?
Simon Wallis, the sales and marketing director at Domino’s, said of the launch: ‘we’re very excited about Domino’s Hot Dog Stuffed Crust… it’s a real fun concept and one we’re sure pizza lovers and hot dog fans will love.’
The pizzas first appeared on Domino’s menus on February 18th 2013 and it’ll be interesting to see if they make it a permanent addition.
What do you think? Pizza/Hot Dog heaven or fast food gone too far?
Thursday, 7 March 2013
Heart-Shaped Crumpets with Raspberry and Vanilla Butter
Ah, Mother’s Day. It’s always good to treat your Mum, and you can start with breakfast in bed. And not just any breakfast, but something unusual, fragrant, sweet and colourful. Like these heart-shaped crumpets with a squishy raspberry and vanilla butter to melt on top.
You can buy these crumpets in Asda stores in the run up to Mothering Sunday – they’re quite big, but I can’t work out whether it’s a regular-sized crumpet formed into a different shape or if they’re just actually bigger. If you’re making the raspberry and vanilla butter using fresh raspberries, then you can also freeze it. Chill and then slice up (it will probably crumble a bit but that’s ok) and freeze wrapped in cling film.
Raspberry and Vanilla Butter with Heart-Shaped Crumpets
Makes about 8 servings
Ingredients
40g raspberries (fresh of frozen, but use fresh if you’re planning to freeze the butter)
70g unsalted butter, softened
half a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
Method
Lay out a square of cling film, about 35-40cm wide. Put the butter on the cling film. Chop up the raspberries and add these to the butter, along with the vanilla bean paste. Using the edges of the cling film square, push the butter and mash the ingredients together, until you get a pink butter, speckled with black vanilla seeds but it will be a little lumpy. Roll up in the cling film and leave in the fridge to firm up.
When you’re ready, toast a couple of crumpets and, while hot, top with a slice of the raspberry and vanilla butter. For a little extra sweetness, you can also drizzle with a little honey or agave syrup.
What will you be making Mum for Mother’s Day?
You can buy these crumpets in Asda stores in the run up to Mothering Sunday – they’re quite big, but I can’t work out whether it’s a regular-sized crumpet formed into a different shape or if they’re just actually bigger. If you’re making the raspberry and vanilla butter using fresh raspberries, then you can also freeze it. Chill and then slice up (it will probably crumble a bit but that’s ok) and freeze wrapped in cling film.
Raspberry and Vanilla Butter with Heart-Shaped Crumpets
Makes about 8 servings
Ingredients
40g raspberries (fresh of frozen, but use fresh if you’re planning to freeze the butter)
70g unsalted butter, softened
half a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
Method
Lay out a square of cling film, about 35-40cm wide. Put the butter on the cling film. Chop up the raspberries and add these to the butter, along with the vanilla bean paste. Using the edges of the cling film square, push the butter and mash the ingredients together, until you get a pink butter, speckled with black vanilla seeds but it will be a little lumpy. Roll up in the cling film and leave in the fridge to firm up.
When you’re ready, toast a couple of crumpets and, while hot, top with a slice of the raspberry and vanilla butter. For a little extra sweetness, you can also drizzle with a little honey or agave syrup.
What will you be making Mum for Mother’s Day?
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
Hot Dog of the Month: Barbecue Coleslaw
I make coleslaw at home quite regularly; it’s useful for packed lunches, jacket potatoes, salads and just to have on the side at an evening meal. And it was inevitable that one day I’d try and top a hot dog with it. I tried it on its own and it lacked something, which I later found out was smoky barbecue sauce. The two are great together – smoky, dark sauce along with crunchy, creamy coleslaw and then the smoky-sweet pink frankfurter. I love this hot dog variation – I hope you do too.
Barbecue Coleslaw Hot Dog
First, make your coleslaw. I make mine by peeling and grating a medium-sized carrot and then chucking it into a bowl with two washed and quite finely-sliced spring onions. Then I tear 2-3 leaves off a Savoy cabbage and slice them into very thin strips, cutting these again in half lengthways just so you don’t end up with long strands of cabbage in your coleslaw. Stir in a couple of heaped tablespoons of mayonnaise just to coat it and then put it to one side. Next, get your frankfurter into a hot pan and cook in a little oil and split the hot dog bun with a knife. In the last few minutes of cooking squeeze a little barbecue sauce into the pan to coat the hot dog. This will make it sticky and sweet on the outside. Once the frank is piping hot all the way through and golden browned and sticky on the outside, lift with tongs and place into the hot dog bun. Top with more smoky barbecue sauce and then the crunchy coleslaw.
Fancy trying this? What’s your favourite way to eat hot dogs?
Barbecue Coleslaw Hot Dog
First, make your coleslaw. I make mine by peeling and grating a medium-sized carrot and then chucking it into a bowl with two washed and quite finely-sliced spring onions. Then I tear 2-3 leaves off a Savoy cabbage and slice them into very thin strips, cutting these again in half lengthways just so you don’t end up with long strands of cabbage in your coleslaw. Stir in a couple of heaped tablespoons of mayonnaise just to coat it and then put it to one side. Next, get your frankfurter into a hot pan and cook in a little oil and split the hot dog bun with a knife. In the last few minutes of cooking squeeze a little barbecue sauce into the pan to coat the hot dog. This will make it sticky and sweet on the outside. Once the frank is piping hot all the way through and golden browned and sticky on the outside, lift with tongs and place into the hot dog bun. Top with more smoky barbecue sauce and then the crunchy coleslaw.
Fancy trying this? What’s your favourite way to eat hot dogs?
Tuesday, 5 March 2013
Hotel Chocolat Easter Egg Giveaway
The sun is shining (well, it is as I write, anyway), the birds are singing and Easter is now just around the corner. And Hotel Chocolat have contacted me with a real treat for you – a chance to win this beautiful Easter egg, from this year’s collection:
The ‘Beau Bunny’ chocolate egg is hollow and printed with a natural cocoa butter transfer, and you also get six little mini eggs filled with praline and caramel along with it too. The egg is suitable for vegetarians, and the chocolate is ethically sourced. Please view the product information on Hotel Chocolat’s website for any further details.
Conditions:
How you can earn entries:
Compulsory: leave a comment on this blog post, telling me what would be your dream Easter egg (it doesn’t have to be chocolate, if you don’t want it to be!)
Optional: you will receive extra entries for sharing the giveaway on Facebook and Twitter and liking the relevant pages. You must click on the Rafflecopter icon below to start and log your entries. I will check all entries so please don’t click that you’ve liked or followed if you haven’t.
So, what are you waiting for? Click on the form below and get started! Good luck xx
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The ‘Beau Bunny’ chocolate egg is hollow and printed with a natural cocoa butter transfer, and you also get six little mini eggs filled with praline and caramel along with it too. The egg is suitable for vegetarians, and the chocolate is ethically sourced. Please view the product information on Hotel Chocolat’s website for any further details.
Conditions:
- Delivery to the UK mainland only, please
- All entries to be received by Friday 22nd March, 2013. At midnight on this date (UK time) the giveaway will be closed and one winner will be randomly drawn via Rafflecopter.
- The egg will be sent directly to the winner by Hotel Chocolat and their decision is final.
- I will contact the winner by email or social media on the 22nd March, but if there is no reply after 48 hours, I will draw another winner.
How you can earn entries:
Compulsory: leave a comment on this blog post, telling me what would be your dream Easter egg (it doesn’t have to be chocolate, if you don’t want it to be!)
Optional: you will receive extra entries for sharing the giveaway on Facebook and Twitter and liking the relevant pages. You must click on the Rafflecopter icon below to start and log your entries. I will check all entries so please don’t click that you’ve liked or followed if you haven’t.
So, what are you waiting for? Click on the form below and get started! Good luck xx
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Monday, 4 March 2013
Book Review: Fast Food Vindication
 |
| Fast Food Vindication by Lisa Tillinger Johansen |
Obesity, kids eating more salt, portion sizes getting bigger. You only have to open the pages of a national newspaper to see that our fast food companies are generally held up to blame for all of this. But author Lisa Tillinger Johansen argues that fast food companies are actually doing a number of good things and shouldn’t be solely held to account for our obesity epidemic. And she’s also a nutritionist.
She talks about our modern fast food culture – and how attempts made in the past to banish fast food from our streets (a knee-jerk reaction to solve the crisis) isn’t the answer. She says that fast food has become ingrained in our society and we just don’t have the time to grow veg and cook all our meals from scratch nowadays. She also argues that the calories we consume in fast food joints is ‘often no worse’ than in sit-down restaurants where we’re constantly asked if we want additional sides, top up drinks and desserts (waiting staff are, she says, essentially salespeople at the end of the day).
‘But I’ve seen SuperSize Me’, I hear you cry, the film where Morgan Spurlock ate all three meals at McDonald’s each day and found he gained weight along with other unhealthy symptoms. But Spurlock is criticised here, in that he only chose higher calorie items instead of lighter meals, and the public, generally don’t eat at one fast food restaurant the whole time, for every meal. Tillinger Johansen also argues that instead of damaging McDonald’s, the film actually sparked a series of McDonald’s-only diets, with some people actually losing weight (not something she advises doing, but it did show the flipside to the film.)
Yes, fast food chains are constantly serving up bigger portion sizes, offering french fries with every side and huge cups of sugar-laden fizzy drinks. But she argues that when people overeat, it’s done at home and in sit-down (non fast food) restaurants more often than in fast food restaurants. She gives the example of her husband snacking on a bag of walnuts during a telephone conversation, a small snack which amounted to 2,000 calories – an entire day’s worth.
The book also talks about the things fast food companies have done to improve society and life for their customers. They’ve actually lowered the salt content in foods, ditched the fries for a bag of fruit in kids’ meals and made calorie and other nutritional information public. They’ve also contributed to society by employing huge numbers of culturally diverse people (McDonald’s employs more people than any other firm in the US), investing them and sending them on management courses, as well as providing English lessons for their staff and also free meals (I never even got that working in a country pub on split shifts for 12 hours on a weekend – I had to go home and grab something to eat at half time).
Although the book does, at times, feel like an advertisement for the fast food industry, at some point you do realise that society loves a scapegoat, while it continues to happily munch down lunches that amount to 3,000 calories, whether at home or in restaurants. You also realise that the fast food industry has indeed given a lot of positive things back to society. And while it’s true that this has also generated publicity for them, Tillinger Johansen says that most of this is done ‘outside the spotlight.’
If you’ve ever condemned the fast food industry for the wrongs of our society, then you owe it to yourself to read this book. You’ll soon see that it’s not as clear cut as you might have previously thought. I still think fast food companies have obligations to fulfil (and automatically up-selling giant bags of fries and huge cups of sugary drinks isn’t one of them) but at the end of the day, we choose what to eat, and just because we’re asked if we want a 390-calorie milkshake alongside our 890-calorie burger and 330-calorie fries, it doesn’t mean we have to say yes.
(affiliate link)
Friday, 1 March 2013
Aromatic Roast Chicken with Leeks, Lemon, Garlic and Herbs
You can’t beat a good roast chicken, especially one that sends the aromas of not just chicken, but leeks, white wine, garlic and lemon wafting through the house.
For me this feels much more like a spring or summer roast, when compared to dark, rich meats like beef or lamb, but obviously it’s great at any time of the year. I love it with greens and crisp sweet potato chips.
The leeks turn beautifully soft and are infused with the flavours of the chicken and wine, so don’t waste them, spoon them onto the plate and serve them alongside.
Aromatic Roast Chicken with Leeks, White Wine, Lemon and Garlic
Serves 4, with leftovers
Ingredients
1 free-range chicken, weighing approx. 1.3kg
2 large leeks
small bunch of thyme
1 small bulb of garlic, lightly crushed
salt and pepper
olive oil and 1 tbsp butter (or use a mild, flavourless coconut oil or ghee if you’re on AIP or haven’t reintroduced butter)
1 lemon
about a quarter of a bottle of white wine
Method
For me this feels much more like a spring or summer roast, when compared to dark, rich meats like beef or lamb, but obviously it’s great at any time of the year. I love it with greens and crisp sweet potato chips.
The leeks turn beautifully soft and are infused with the flavours of the chicken and wine, so don’t waste them, spoon them onto the plate and serve them alongside.
Aromatic Roast Chicken with Leeks, White Wine, Lemon and Garlic
Serves 4, with leftovers
Ingredients
1 free-range chicken, weighing approx. 1.3kg
2 large leeks
small bunch of thyme
1 small bulb of garlic, lightly crushed
salt and pepper
olive oil and 1 tbsp butter (or use a mild, flavourless coconut oil or ghee if you’re on AIP or haven’t reintroduced butter)
1 lemon
about a quarter of a bottle of white wine
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Wash and trim the leeks and then slice into fairly thick chunks. Arrange onto a roasting tray, so they form a trivet for the chicken. Place the chicken on top of the leeks.
- Wash the thyme and strip the leaves off a couple of the stems, scattering them over the top of the chicken. Rub in with the butter and add a trickle of olive oil (or use coconut oil or ghee if you prefer). Season with salt and pepper.
- Cut the lemon in half and push lightly into the cavity of the chicken, along with the bulb of garlic and the rest of the thyme stalks.
- Pour the wine into the dish, and then top up with water, so that it just about covers the leeks. Roast for about one and a half hours, or until the chicken is cooked through completely and the skin is crisp and golden.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
