A simple meal for two that can be something special or even a mid week meal – it is quick and oh so tasty!

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into wedges
1 tsp olive oil
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
A few thin slices of chorizo
2 skinless chicken breasts
A few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped, half tsp dried thyme

How to:
Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray, then toss with the oil, chilli flakes and seasoning. Roast for 10 minutes, then remove and reduce the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Lay half the chorizo slices over each chicken breast, overlapping so the chicken is covered, then tuck the edges underneath to secure. Lift onto the baking tray next to the wedges, scatter the wedges with thyme leaves, then roast for 20 minutes more, turning the chicken and wedges halfway until golden.
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Looking for ways to use up all that leftover turkey but nobody wants another cold meat buffet? Then why not try something completely different that is nutritious, cost saving and low fat but very very tasty. Here is a fantastic solution to all that leftover turkey; Turkey Korma.

Ingredients:

200 g skinless boneless turkey breast, cut into strips
clove garlic, chopped roughly
1 small onion(s), chopped
2 tablespoon skimmed milk
2 teaspoon polyunsaturated margarine
1 teaspoon curry powder, or korma powder
1 tablespoon almonds, ground
50 g half-fat creme fraiche
1 pinch salt, sea salt, season to taste
1 teaspoon pepper
5 teaspoon fresh coriander

How to:
Put the garlic, onion and milk in a food processor or liquidiser and process to make a paste. This is not essential but it does give the traditional texture of a korma. If you prefer, you can just chop the garlic and onion very finely.

Melt the margarine in a non-stick pan and gently sauté the turkey until just firm. Remove and set aside. Add the onion paste to the pan and cook gently for 2 minutes until softened.

Return the turkey to the pan and sprinkle in the korma spice powder and almonds. Season and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche and return to a simmer. Check the seasoning and serve, sprinkled with coriander sprigs.

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Christmas is hectic enough without trying to figure out a suitable menu for the whole family. It is Christmas Eve and you need something tasty, nutritious and seasonal to serve the family, here is a recipe that offers easy cooking and satisfied bellies!

Ingredients:
350g  couscous
100g dried cranberries
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
50g unsalted butter , diced
85g toasted pine nuts
small handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
small handful basil leaves , roughly chopped

6 x 140g skinless salmon fillets
25g butter, diced
zest 1 orange, juice of ½

To Serve

6 tbsp cranberry sauce
zest and juice ½ orange

How to:
Boil the kettle. Put the couscous, cranberries and spices in a large bowl. Dot with the butter and pour over 350ml boiling water. Cover immediately with cling film and leave for 5 mins to steam. Remove the film and fluff with a fork to loosen the couscous grains. Cool, stir in the pine nuts and herbs, then season to taste. Cut 6 squares of baking parchment about 30 x 30cm.

Season the salmon fillets, spoon the couscous in mounds in the centre of the parchment squares, then dot with a little butter. Top each with a piece of salmon, scatter with a little orange zest and drizzle with a little juice. Fold the sides of the paper over, then fold up the ends to make a parcel. Tie with string and secure with a bow. Stir together the cranberry sauce, orange zest and juice, then set aside in a serving bowl. The parcels can be chilled for up to 1 day. Be sure to remove them from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the parcels on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven and cook for 15 mins, or 20 mins if you prefer your salmon well done. Pop the parcels onto plates and let your guests unwrap their own supper. Serve with Garlic and feta broccoli and the cranberry & orange sauce.

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I love love love Christmas and it definitely can’t be celebrated without wonderful mince pies. Apart from the fact they are made and eaten at Christmas, they are possibly my favourite food EVER. So I had a search on the web and in my opinion, nothing beats my mums Christmas mince pies but here is a very close match!

Ingredients:
225g mincemeat
225g plain flour
100g butter , chilled and cubed roughly
3 tbsp light muscovado sugar
satsuma , grated zest and juice of
2 tbsp flaked almonds
1 tbsp stem ginger syrup
icing sugar for dusting

How to:
To make the pastry tip the flour into a large bowl and rub in the chilled butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and the satsuma zest.
Spoon out 4 tbsp of the pastry mixture and set aside. Add approximately 4 tbsp of the juice from the satsumas to the main pastry mix to make a fairly soft dough, kneading gently until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.

Lightly flour a surface and roll out the pastry to a £1 coin thickness. Using a 9cm fluted cutter, stamp out 12 circles of pastry. Gently press these into individual tartlet tins, the pastry should just protrude above the tins to allow for shrinkage when cooked. Spoon the mincemeat into the pastry cases being careful not to overfill.
Sprinkle the pastry crumble mix over the mincemeat to cover lightly, top with the flaked almonds and drizzle over the stem ginger syrup. At this stage you can cover them with cling film and freeze the whole tray ready for baking.

When you’re ready to bake the mince pies, heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Remove the cling film from the tray and bake the mince pies straight from the freezer for 25 mins until golden and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack and serve dusted with icing sugar. Bake unfrozen pies for 18-20 mins.

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Ingredients:

600 g potato(es), peeled thinly and cut into chunks
1 spray low-fat cooking spray
4 portion skinless boneless chicken thigh (85g uncooked), around 350g chicken in total
4 clove garlic
2 medium onion(s), quartered
3 teaspoon fresh or dried herbs, fresh mixed e.g. parsley, mint, rosemary, thyme
150 ml skimmed milk
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

How to:

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180°C/350°F. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 150ml (¼ pint) of the liquid.

Spray an ovenproof dish with oil and arrange the potatoes and potato liquor, the chicken, garlic and onions in it.

Mix together the chopped herbs and milk and pour over. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with greaseproof paper and bake for 45 minutes, taking off the paper for the last 20 minutes.

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Sausages with Winter Veg Mash

As I was looking around online to find something warm, yummy, quick and simple for dinner, I came across this lovely recipe. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

4 sausages, regular or reduced-fat
2 parsnips
2 or 3 medium potatoes
175g Brussels sprouts
4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

How To:

Grill the sausages for 10-12 minutes, turning frequently. Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the parsnips and potatoes, then cook in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes. Shred sprouts, add to the pan for the last 2-3 minutes and cook until all the vegetables are tender.

Drain and mash the vegetables, then beat in the milk and mustard with salt and pepper. Serve with the sausages.

If you are looking for a low-fat supper then replace the sausages with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, brushed lightly with a little olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.

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Ingredients

For the cake
300g self-raising flour
300g light muscovado sugar
3 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g sultanas
½ tsp salt
4 eggs , beaten
200g butter, melted
zest 1 orange
1 tbsp orange juice
500g (peeled weight) pumpkins or butternut squash flesh, grated

For drenching and frosting
200g pack soft cheese
85g butter , softened
100g icing sugar , sifted
zest 1 orange and juice of half

How to:

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 30 x 20cm baking or small roasting tin with baking parchment. Put the flour, sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda, sultanas and salt into a large bowl and stir to combine. Beat the eggs into the melted butter, stir in the orange zest and juice, then mix with the dry ingredients till combined. Stir in the pumpkin. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 mins, or until golden and springy to the touch.

To make the frosting, beat together the cheese, butter, icing sugar, orange zest and 1 tsp of the juice till smooth and creamy, then set aside in the fridge. When the cake is done, cool for 5 mins then turn it onto a cooling rack. Prick it all over with a skewer and drizzle with the rest of the orange juice while still warm. Leave to cool completely.

If you like, trim the edges of the cake. Give the frosting a quick beat to loosen, then, using a palette knife, spread over the top of the cake in peaks and swirls. If you’re making the cake ahead, keep it in the fridge then take out as many pieces as you want 30 mins or so before serving. Will keep, covered, for up to 3 days in the fridge.

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The nights are drawing in and I need something to keep me warm when I get in from work, but also something that is quick and easy to make. This soup fits all requirements!

Ingredients

2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch chilli flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
600g carrots , washed and coarsely grated (no need to peel)
140g split red lentils
1l hot vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)
125ml milk
plain yogurt and naan bread, to serve

How to:

Heat a large saucepan and dry-fry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas. Scoop out about half of the seeds with a spoon and set aside. Add the oil, carrot, lentils, stock and milk to the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and softened.

Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth (or leave it chunky if you prefer). Season to taste and finish with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted spices. Serve with warmed naan breads.

mmmm yummy!
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Something that looks a little naughty but won’t make you feel guilty for the pleasure, go ahead and give this great dessert a go.

Ingredients

3 1/2  cups  halved strawberries, divided
1/3  cup  sugar
1/3  cup  orange juice
2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
1  teaspoon  lemon juice
1 1/4  cups  all-purpose flour
3  tablespoons  sugar
1  teaspoon  baking powder
1/4  teaspoon  baking soda
1/8  teaspoon  salt
3  tablespoons  chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces
1/2  cup  low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
6  tablespoons  frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
Whole strawberries (optional)

How To:

Combine 1 cup strawberry halves, 1/3 cup sugar, orange juice, vanilla, and lemon juice in a bowl, and mash with a potato masher. Stir in 2 1/2 cups strawberry halves. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Pat dough into a 6 x 4-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 6 squares. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Split shortcakes in half horizontally using a serrated knife; place each bottom half on a dessert plate. Spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each bottom half. Top with shortcake tops; spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each top. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping; garnish with whole strawberries, if desired.

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Ingredients

300g  new potatoes
175g green beans , trimmed and halved
175g frozen soya beans
160g can tuna in water, drained well
good handful rocket or watercress leaves

Dressing ingredients

2 tsp harissa paste (we used Belazu)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil

How to: