chickpea tomato and bread soup

I've not had much luck with chickpea soup (Delia's version is one of the most unpleasant things I've ever made), but I like the sound of Yotam Ottolenghi's take on the soup....

Basic ingredients - bread, tomatoes, celery, carrots and chickpeas - come together to make something that sounds ultimately warming and cozy. I probably wouldn't use 120 ml of olive oil, but that's just me.

grilled lamb steaks on a bed of roasted sweet potatoes and tomatoes with chickpeas, harissa and rosemary

When in doubt, grill it: a healthy option, generally hard to mess up and a time saver (or saviour, depending on your viewpoint). Last night, I created this warming, rustic dish full of autumn colours and deep, savoury flavours.

(serves 2)

Preparation time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking time: 60 minutes

(for the lamb)

2-3 lamb leg steaks

Fresh rosemary

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp of harissa

5 sprays of olive oil

(for the sweet potato mixture)

2 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks

200 grams of the ripest tomatoes you can find (I used a mixture of cherry, pomodorino, and flavouripe), halved

Leaves of three stalks of rosemary

15 sprays of olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 can of cherry tomatoes in rich juices

1 tablespoon of harissa

1 tbsp of red wine vinegar

2 stalks of rosemary

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Combine the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, olive oil, rosemary and salt and pepper in a foil-lined roasting tin. Roast for 45 minutes.

About 15 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done, combine the can of cherry tomatoes with juice, the red wine vinegar and the can of drained chickpeas to a large sauté pan. Bring slowly to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Prepare the lamb steaks by seasoning with pepper and sticking a part of a sprig of rosemary into the centre of the steak (use a knife to cut a small slit). Smear a small amount of harissa onto the top of the meat.

Once the sweet potatoes/tomatoes are ready, remove from the oven and allow to rest.

Change the setting from the oven to the grill and allow the grill to preheat to medium. Once it is ready, place the lamb steaks under the grill for about 4 minutes on each side.

Add the entire contents of the roasting tin to the chickpea mixture and add a tablespoon of harissa and the 2 stalks of rosemary. Mix the contents gently, then cover and allow the flavours to infuse until the lamb steaks are finished.

Spoon generous helpings of the mixture on to a place, piling high near the centre. Gently rest the lamb steak on the top of the mixture. Serve with the jar of harissa to the side should some want a bit of extra heat.

As it was only my second venture into cooking with lamb, I was particularly pleased with the outcome. The aromas of rosemary permeated the flat, but very delicately infused the meat. The addition of harissa was a crucial one: it added a spicy, earthy layer to the dish (I even added a bit more during the meal, and would consider marinating the lamb in harissa for a few hours prior to cooking next time).

As always, the sweet potatoes were deep and sweet, having soaked the tangy addition of tomatoes and vinegar. I am keen to seek out the original flavour from lamb: thus far, for me, it has been more about what is added to accompany this sweet, fatty meat rather than the meat itself. For fish, I find the complete opposite is true. On to the next stage of experimentation, then...

learning to lamb

Despite the sheer amount of cheese in my refrigerator from my trip to the British Cheese Festival yesterday, I'm not using any for dinner tonight. Instead, lamb is on the menu. I will admit, lamb is not one of my preferred meats. I can count on one hand the number of times I have eaten it. But, as a thank you to my husband for driving me to said cheese festival yesterday, I will be cooking lamb.

(Oh, and there's the other reason - I have been reading about the gastronomic virtues of autumn lamb, which is evidently much tastier than the young spring meat - but I'll let my husband believe it is only the former point that tipped the scales in his favour.)

Truth be told, I am properly excited. As I cook, on average, 6.5 nights out of 7, it can feel as though I have lost that exhilirating feeling of experimentation. Gone are the days of learning simple techniques. What I am not saying is that I have learned everything - what I am saying is that some of my novice excitement has matured somewhat (a bit like the autumn lamb).

So tonight, full-on experimentation will be happening in my kitchen. I have yet to consult a cookery book for lamb - those pages in my recipe books are wholly untouched and not at all stuck together, unlike the fish section, glued together by repeated usage.

But knowing what I do about lamb, I know flavours earthy, sweet, and tangy work well. Here is what I'm thinking - sweet potatoes, chickpeas, rosemary, harissa paste. It has probably been done before, as it is quite a Mediterranean-inspired combination. I am flying blind here: wish me luck.

comparing carbohydrates

Since diets such as Atkins and the South Beach became popular, a widespread anti-carbohydrate movement has been brewing. I think some of this unfounded.

Sure, toss out crisps and cakes. But many starches and grains are quite good for you and help to fill your stomach. Comparing calories is a useful exercise.

carbohydrate	Average serving size	Calories*	Calories per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Potatoes, uncooked	150	112.5	75
Sweet potatoes, uncooked	150	139.5	93
White pasta, uncooked	100 g	352	352
Wheat pasta, uncooked	100 g	315	315
Brown rice, uncooked	50 g	176	352
Bulgur wheat, uncooked	50 g (1.75 oz)	179.5	359
Couscous, uncooked	50 g	182.5	365
Quinoa, uncooked	50 g	270	360
Chickpeas, dry weight, uncooked	50 g	167.5	335
Butter beans, dry weight, uncooked	50 g	145	290
Chickpeas, canned, cooked	¼ can (60 g)	71.5	119
Butter beans, canned, cooked	¼ can (60 g)	59	98

*calories are estimated based on varieties available at a local supermarket and should be used only as a general guideline

Many find it surprising that potatoes are actually LOW in calories. But consider the fact that most people, when eating potatoes, consume much more than one serving, sometimes wolfing down two or three.

Also, whereas brown rice, couscous, and bulgur wheat are often eaten without any extra additives, potatoes – and pasta – often receive a buttery treatment. The calorie amounts listed above refer to the plain carbohydrate in question that is boiled and served.

The overall message in my opinion is clear: carbohydrates are not bad, in fact they are very good. But eat the recommended portion size and refrain from loading the carbohydrates full of fats – instead complement them with vegetables. (They'll be flattered.)

another summer salad

I humbly present yet another salad for your consideration. The thing is, although many eschew the salad as rabbit food, I really enjoy salads. And it’s not just a former-vegetarian-aching-to-return thing, as others enjoy salads too. Even men, and even my husband. The trick is (surprise, surprise) to make it full of flavour and have loads of complimentary ingredients.

This one was inspired by the leftover olives from the penne puttanesca night. Here’s a quick and tasty greek salad, which, if the fridge is kept stocked of its staple ingredients, should be a flash to prepare:

greek salad
(serves 2 equally)

10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red pepper, chopped
10 sprays of Fry Light olive oil spray
100 g cucumber, sliced lengthways
10 black olives, chopped
Fresh parsley, chopped
50 g (2 oz) reduced fat feta, crumbled
½ a tin of chickpeas
Lemon juice, to taste
Seasonal salad leaves

To prepare, just add all of the ingredients in a bowl. If you have a bit of time ahead, marinating the peppers in the olive oil and lemon is nice, but if you don’t it’s still great.

Serve with fresh fruit if you desire (I used plums – they’re just starting to come into season. But strawberries are a great June choice as well.

Calories (per serving): 273.

A quick note: the protein in the cheese and chickpeas is vital to this lunch dish holding you over until the late afternoon.

eating lunch at work

For some, a weekday lunch is the most dangerous meal of the day. Often there's not time for much of a lunch. Or there's only time for lunch at the desk. Or you're meeting friends for lunch. Or colleagues.

It's safest, if you are able to take time for lunch at work, to bring a salad or some leftovers. Sandwiches are gone too quickly. A salad is a good way to get 5-a-day, or even more. I used to vary my salads, but once I found my favorite, it became my stalwart. There's always room for a variation or two:

everyday lunch salad
(serves 1)
50 g baby spinach
5 cherry tomatoes, halved (or 2 tomatoes-on-the-vine, chopped)
1/2 a large carrot, sliced into matchsticks or chopped (approximately 70 g)
2-3 inches of cucumber, chopped or sliced (approx 75 g)
1/4 tin of chickpeas
25 g reduced fat feta
red wine vinegar

Rinse and prepare all the ingredients and combine into a tupperware container.

Calories: 170, which leaves room for a few pieces of fruit as a snack during the day.

Tips for this lunch:
-Add more vegetables if desired, to bulk the salad further - this will help to increase satiety. But CONTROL the portions of cheese and chickpeas. The cheese is a treat, and the chickpeas are there to sustain energy levels for the rest of the afternoon.

-The red wine vinegar is a substitute for an oil-based dressing. With the vegetables, as well as the cheese, there's plenty of flavor there already.

-Substitutes for chickpeas: butter beans, sliced chicken

-Open a tin of chickpeas on Monday: rinse and put into a small tupperware in the refrigerator. Use 1/4 of it each day and the tin will last you most of the week.