My first two meals at the new digs (recipes included)

I'm still too embarrassed to show you pics of my new kitchen, cluttered as it is. You'll have to wait for those. But I will divulge my first two Clapton creations in the meantime, and perhaps you can look forward to a kitchen pic at the end of the weekend. Perhaps.

Things didn't quite go as I'd planned them for dinner, but close. As I said in my last post, I was planning a herby pea soup for dinner one night and salmon w/ Ottolenghi's asparagus and salsa (sans crumbly cheese) for the other.

That might have gone to plan, but a mixture of forgetfulness and Tesco let me down. First, I left frozen peas off my shopping list - KINDA important for pea soup. Second, no English asparagus to be had in the horrors of Hackney Central's Tesco, despite its bang-on seasonality at the moment.

It's okay, don't worry, I regrouped. For Monday, I went with green bean soup with parsley, mint, dill and basil, using green beans out of the freezer, with some rather yummy freshly-baked (but not by me) cheese rolls.

Here's that recipe:

Green bean soup with herbs
(serves 2)

400 g frozen green beans
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large handful of parsley, chopped
1 small handful of mint, chopped
1 small handful of dill, chopped
5-10 basil leaves, chopped OR a spoonful of pesto
1 tbsp bouillon powder + 1.5 litres of freshly boiled water
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in the pot, and add the green beans and garlic. Saute for about 6-8 minutes. Add the bouillon/water, bring to the boil, then allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.

Add half the chopped herbs before blitzing with a hand blender. Then stir through the other half of the herbs before serving. I put a dollop of low-fat Greek yogurt on top and served with those cheese rolls.

It was really yummy and no doubt less than 250 cals (minus the cheese rolls). Very filling too.

Moving on. Lack of asparagus threw a spanner in the works for my idea of baked salmon with Ottolenghi's asparagus and salsa recipe. I still had all the ingredients for the salsa, though, so decided instead to have baked salmon with tomato-mint-dill-cucumber-onion relish (salsa, though technically correct, is misleading here) and yogurt, served with boiled baby new potatoes and a baby gem salad. It was damn tasty too.

Here's that recipe:

Salmon with tomato-dill-onion-cucumber-mint relish and yogurt, served with potatoes and salad
(serves 2)

2 fillets of skinless salmon (140 g each)
1 tsp olive oil to coat

4 medium tomatoes, chopped well
75 g cucumber, chopped fine (about an 1 inch portion)
1/2 medium red onion, chopped fine
2 tsp red wine vinegar
small handful of parsley, chopped fine
3 sprigs of dill, chopped fine
3 sprigs of mint, chopped fine
salt and pepper

2 tbsp low-fat Greek yogurt (optional)

400 g baby new potatoes
1/2 head of baby gem lettuce or round lettuce

Bake the salmon in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. While that's cooking, prep the relish - keep everything as finely chopped as possible. When the salmon's done, spoon a generous portion on one side, and drizzle the yogurt over. Serve with freshly boiled new potatoes and a handful of baby gem lettuce on the side (the generous amount of relish will go well with the lettuce).

This was again really easy to make (done in under 30 minutes) and very tasty. Don't know the cals on it, but you could easily cut them down by swapping the potatoes for asparagus, if you're lucky enough to have a bleeping grocery store that stocks seasonal produce. (Grrr.)

I'd recommend both to a friend, and will happily make it again (especially that salsa, which reminded me of my favourite dish in the world, tabbouleh). I was a little worried about how the dill would go down (especially two nights in a row, considering that Pete's often not crazy about my liberal use of the herb), but he was very happy with both - I think the other herbs tone it down, especially in the salmon recipe, where the red onion all but knocks it out.

Don't knock it til you've tried it... Tomato-ginger soup

I know this isn't going to be my most popular post - the two comments I had on Facebook to this soup were 'yuck' and 'ew, pregnancy does give you weird cravings'.

But let me state officially for the record. I liked this LONG BEFORE I became pregnant. And it's yummy. If you like any sort of Indian food, you'll like this. And even if you don't like Indian food, I think you'll like it, as in my mind it has more of a European feel to it than anything else.

I first tried this back in 2005, when I found a recipe for tomato-ginger soup paired with grilled cheese and fennel sandwiches with curry mayo. I was very intrigued by the combination, and found I loved it - with or without the always wonderful grilled cheeses.

The second time I had it was in Provence in the summer - after picking lovely ripe wonderful tomatoes from the garden, we wondered what we could do to give a tomato soup a bit of oomph - and my mind raced back to the warmth that the ginger brought to the soup.

Years later, in the late months of winter, I think this soup has its merits - it's so easy to make, it's healthy and it's really tasty. And you can use those tins of basic chopped tomatoes from the supermarket that cost only 31p a go to make a fantastic soup. I made a huge batch and freezed some in individual portions.

Tomato-ginger soup

serves 2

2 tins chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium red onion, finely sliced

fresh ginger - about 1 inch, peeled and chopped

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of paprika

pinch of curry powder or garam masala

salt and pepper

cracked dried red chillies

optional: reduced-fat sour cream

Okay, this is almost too easy: heat the oil in the pot. Saute the onions over medium-high heat until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and saute for a few more minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about half an hour, checking the seasoning along the way and adding more salt/pepper/water to the mixture if needed.

After half an hour, use a handblender to puree the soup. Serve immediately or allow to cool and serve later. 

Lovely with a dollop of sour cream on top if you want a cool aftertaste to all that lovely warm ginger.

Calories: I don't have the exact figure, but each serving is easily less than 250 calories, including the sour cream. Would be good with a slice of bread to (or those grilled cheese sandwiches...)


So tell me your thoughts - would you try it? Do you think it sounds disgusting? Or would you only eat it with the divine grilled curry and cheese sandwiches?!

Recipe for pumpkin, cannelini bean and tomato soup with bacon

There needs to be a rule in October and November: one must incorporate pumpkin into your meals and daily activities at least once a week. Roast seeds? Check. Carve jack-o-lantern? Check. Make soup, curry, cannelloni, and whatever else you can extract from that big and beautiful orangeness? Check.

The latest adventure with pumpkin is soup-based, but the pumpkin is roasted first. I think this is pretty important, actually – like marrow, pumpkin can be a little flavourless if not infused with the right, well, flavours.

So a little pumpkin, acidified with a few tomatoes, proteined-up with some cannellini beans, and made meaty with a few rashers of bacon, was rather nice in my opinion. (And by the way, the bacon is completely optional, should you choose to eschew it.)

Pumpkin, cannellini bean and tomato soup with bacon

(serves 3)

1 kg raw pumpkin (skin on is fine), in slices

2 tsp + 1 tsp olive oil

200 g leeks, chopped

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 tin of cannellini beans, drained

1 tbsp of bouillon powder mixed with 1 litre of freshly boiled water

a few stalks’ worth of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme

4 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Add the pumpkin and 2 tsp of oil to a foil-lined roasting tin and roast for 1 hr, turning halfway through. (This can be done ahead of time if you like.)

Add the final tsp of oil to a pot, and gently fry the bacon until slightly crispy, then remove and set on a piece of kitchen roll to soak up excess oil.

Add the leeks to the pot and saute them for a few minutes, before adding the cannellini beans and thyme. Season and stir, then add the hot stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.

When the pumpkin is ready, remove the skins if they seem too tough, then chop the roasted pumpkin into bite-size cubes. Add to the pot, along with the chopped tomatoes. Season again, then allow to simmer for another 20 minutes before serving in big bowls – top with the bacon, if you want it, or you could add a dollop of crème fraiche or set yogurt. Give it a final crack of black pepper and a pinch of sea salt and you’re sorted.

I’ve found 1 serving works for me, though my husband’s stomach wants something more like 2 servings (plus bread, of course). But the protein in the beans and the carbs in the pumpkin will sustain you easily throughout the evening.

The bottom line…

One serving, without bacon: 227 cals

One serving, with bacon: 292 cals

Double serving, without bacon: 454 cals

Double serving, with bacon: 584 cals

I really like how versatile this soup is –you can easily add things at the end to make it more appealing to someone with hungry eyes (and stomach). The only thing I’d do differently next time is chop the pumpkin into smaller pieces (given feedback from the husband). But despite this, he left not a drop of his double serving with bacon …

Courgette and potato gratin

Okay, so the husband is off watching the Ashes in Regents Park, and I'm settling in to some Saturday afternoon cooking - one of my favourite things to do.

First things first - roasted some green and orange peppers for cream cheese and pepper sandwiches next week.

Now, down to the real stuff - making use of the wonderfully cheap courgettes on offer at the moment. I'm going to cook up a gratin with them - half of it will go with some pork chopss we'll have tonight (husband's request). I'm not quite sure how keen I am about pork chops - but the thought of having the gratin on the side has convinced me. It makes both a great side dish to go with grilled meats as well as a lovely light main course, with a bit of salad on the side.

courgette and potato gratin

(serves 4)

500 g potatoes

500 g courgettes

1 pint skimmed milk

100 g onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp nutmeg

10 g oil

dab of butter or spread

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).  Boil the potatoes, then peel and allow to cool. Meanwhile, slice the courgettes thinly on a bias, then chop the onion and the garlic.

When the potato is cool enough to slice, start slicing thin layers off. Go back and forth layering courgettes and potato in a casserole dish. Be sure to season each layer. After each set of layers, sprinkle a few onions across, making sure to reserve some for the sauce. Start on a layer of courgette and end on potatoes.

There are many ways to make a sauce, so don't feel you have to follow my version - I've just gone with what I have to hand and what I know won't be too rich. Add 10 ml of oil to a saucepan and lightly saute the garlic and onion - but don't brown them. In a little ramekin, combine the cornflour and about 50 ml of skimmed milk and whisk with a fork into a smooth consistency (this will ensure you don't get lumps in your sauce). Pour the remainder of the skimmed milk in little by little as well as some salt, pepper and nutmeg and bring to a simmer. Then slowly whisk in your cornflour mix. You'll see it thicken within seconds. Remove from the heat and whisk to ensure it's nice and smooth.

Pour the sauce over the layered vegetables, ensuring it seeps down the sides and through the cracks of between the courgettes and potatoes. Top with little dabs of butter or spread (I've used an olive oil spread)and a last crack of black pepper. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes turning on the grill/broiler for the last five minutes or so to brown the top.

You can serve right away - or allow to cool to reheat later or freeze for another time.

Calories: 240 per serving. 

It's cooking away right now and the smell of potato, courgette, garlic and nutmeg is divine. I can't wait for dinner!

tomato, fennel and butter bean “bisque”

Speaking of eating your water, here’s a lovely new soup recipe I’ve come up with. I made it a few weekends ago, when I had an extra bulb of fennel lying around, but then I froze it.

Last night, arriving home and in no mood for a long kitchen session, this soup did the trick. Served with some toasted bread, this bisque of sorts was really lovely. Though there was no pureed seafood (unfortunately) the thick, creamy, tomatoey consistency was quite filling, especially for a vegetarian soup.

Tomato, fennel and butter bean “bisque”
(serves 4 as a first course or 2 generously)

1 can of cherry tomatoes
1 small can of tomato paste
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 can of butter beans
100 g leeks, chopped
1 large fennel bulb, sliced
1 tbsp bouillion powder such as Marigold mixed into 750 ml of freshly-boiled water
4 tbsp single cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sautee the leeks and the fennel in olive oil over medium heat until translucent – about 7 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and sautee for another 3 minutes. Rinse the butter beans and add to the pot. Then add the stock mixture slowly. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste spoon by spoon and distribute well through the soup. Season.

(If you’re going to freeze the soup – stop here. The cream can be added on the day of serving.)

If you’re serving on the day, stir through 4 tbsp of single cream and season further to taste.

Serve with toasted bread – and maybe some fresh basil leaves on top.

Calories: 194 calories for a first-course serving (very low for such an indulgent-tasting concoction!). The “large” serving is 388, so still not very much at all. Of course, bread (and a glass of wine, which would go down nicely) would add to it, but given how healthy the soup is, I wouldn’t think that’s a problem.

Enjoy!

my new favourite salad

Twice. Twice in a row I've had this salad for lunch this week. And liked it. It's a sign.

I don't take salads lightly. It's not as though I cast them off when a new, more exciting salad comes along. A salad is for life. It's like an old acquaintance - maybe you move away, but every time you visit, it's just like old times.

What I really like about this salad, which I've been bringing to lunch, is that it's a year-round, cupboard-loving salad. Chances are, you have most of these ingredients. If you don't, it's cheap and easy to stock up. It's filling, it's healthy - and - wait for it - it transfers really well to a sandwich, ideal for those few salad-avoiding men who feel that too much lettuce negates their masculinity.

Tuna and butter bean salad
(serves 2)

1 tin of butter beans, rinsed and picked
1 small tin of sustainable yellowfin tuna in spring water
1 tbsp of light mayonnaise
1 lemon, sliced
2 stalks of celery, rinsed and chopped
1 small bag of lamb's lettuce (or chopped romaine)

Mix the butter beans, tuna, mayonnaise, celery and seasoning in a bowl. (If using half of the mixture for the next day, ideally use a bowl with a cover.)

Spread the lambs lettuce on a plate and top with half of the mixture. Serve with lemon wedges.

For those who prefer a sandwich, just add the mixture and salad leaves between two slices of wholemeal bread. And voila! Makes a great Saturday lunch too.

how to enjoy cherry tomatoes...in the dead of winter

Last night, all by myself, I could eat as a pleased. No worries of what my other half would think. I wanted simple. I wanted clean, I wanted fresh. I wanted tomatoes.

But January isn’t exactly the best month for tomatoes. Fresh ones, that is. For tinned tomatoes, however, it’s a different story. And if you’re lucky enough to have a local shop that carries tinned cherry tomatoes, there’s a delicious dinner just waiting to be heated up.

This recipe is actually much easier in winter than summer, when I’d prefer to use fresh tomatoes, which need more preparation.

Cherry tomato and courgette soup
(serves 1 generously)

1 tin of cherry tomatoes with juice (Tesco’s Finest and La Belinda are good brands)
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 courgette, sliced into rounds and quartered
1 healthy-sized clove of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
5 sprays of olive oil
water

Heat a medium saucepan. Spray with the olive oil and add the onions and courgettes. Add the splash of water to keep them moist. Then sauté for about 5 minutes, turning down the heat if necessary to prevent burning.

After 5 minutes, add the garlic and sauté for a further minute. Add the cherry tomatoes with juice and season well. Add another half tin of water (some of it will boil off). Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to bubble away for about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Bang – it’s ready so quickly! That’s what I love about simple suppers.

What’s more, it’s under 200 calories. But should you want to jazz it up, here are some of my favourite ways to do so:

• add a tablespoon or so of parmesan to the top
• should you need a protein boost, chickpeas are fabulous in this soup – I often add them.
• for a fiery kick, add a chilli to the mix or creole seasoning
• during the summer, freshly torn basil leaves bring the soup alive.
• add other Italian seasonings, such as oregano (your soup will taste like pizza!)
• a dollop of reduced fat crème fraiche never hurt anyone

mustard chicken

Tonight – here’s another healthy dish that’s full of flavour. If you’ve got a George Foreman grilling machine, use it – if not, grill/broil it in the oven. Either way works well; I just love the grill marks that the George Foreman leaves on the chicken.

I’ve chosen Dijon mustard, because I’m in the mood for it – but French mustard, Colman’s (albeit sparingly), American mustard, or any other type you like will work just fine.

Serve with freshly steamed vegetables of your choice.

Grilled mustard chicken with sautéed shallots and steamed broccoli
(serves 2)

2 free-range chicken breasts (about 130 g each, give or take)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium to large head of broccoli, chopped

About 8 shallots, peeled and sliced
Olive oil, about 20 sprays

Preheat the grill. Coat the chicken breasts with mustard and season. Add the chicken breasts for about 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the shallots. Keep them moving in the pan so as not to burn. Reduce heat to medium, and if more moisture is needed, add a sprinkle of water.

Bring the water to boil in a steamer and put the broccoli (with a sprinkle of salt) on for about 6 minutes.

Check that the chicken is done; if so, serve immediately.

This dish is super healthy and comes in at under 250 calories. I try not to have a starchy vegetable every single night, and this is my “off night” – but if you want one, a bit of steamed squash would be lovely, or, perhaps about 50 g of couscous, seasoned with some thyme or oregano.