Also basics so you can reduce the cost of your shopping bill.
Quick Bread
This bread is really quick and easy to make – one 5 min knead and rise.
500g plain flour ( I usually mix 300g wholemeal to 200g white)
10 fl oz warm water (not boiling as the yeast won’t work)
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons of dried yeast
Optional:
100g of either sunflower seeds or dried fruit (tip - if you grind half the sunflower seeds into a flour it fills the bread with taste)
Dried herbs (rosemary is really nice especially if you sprinkle a little sea salt on the top of rolls)
- Add sugar to warm water – stir in the dried yeast and leave for 10 mins to ferment.
- Place the flour and salt in a bowl with any of the optional extras and mix together.
- Make a well in the middle and pour the olive oil in – add the yeast mix and stir in.
- Knead for 5 mins or longer based on your preference. Place in a floured covered bowl and leave to rise for 1-2 hours.
- Remove from bowl and shape into rolls. Place on backing sheet and cook for 20 mins or so on 180 degrees. (higher if you want a crusty roll) You can tell they are cooked when you tap the bottom and they have a slightly hollow sound.
This is my good old standby in case I get carried away and forget to put dinner on. It cooks as quickly as your rice does.
Salmon
Zebra Rice (mix white basmati, brown/wholegrain basmati and wild rice in equal parts)
Peas
Sweetcorn
Mixed herbs or Salt and Pepper to taste
- Put rice on to boil
- Steam fish and vegetables (can be done in a microwave or steamer)
- Drain cooked rice, rinse and stir in flaked fish and vegetables.
- Season to taste.
This is at its best when made with dried soaked beans and cooked for a couple of hours in a slow cooker - but I am very rarely that organised.
I discovered that it is very good and quick when made with tinned beans
2 tins of beans (chick peas, aduki, soya, black eye, butter beans - anything you have in the cupboard)
1 tin of tomatoes
1 onion
clove of garlic
1/2 a stock cube in 125ml water
Olive oil
1 chopped carrot
1 small red pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 a tsp of nutmeg
2 tsp tomato puree/paste
1 cup sweet corn or peas
optional chili powder
- Heat oil in a large pan and cook onion & garlic until soft - add cumin, nutmeg (& chili powder) and heat gently.
- Add carrot & pepper and cook for a couple of mins
- Add beans and stir in stock then add tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Simmer gently for 5 mins then add sweetcorn / peas and simmer for 2 mins.
- Serve and enjoy - this is great with rice or a jacket potato or as burrito filling
Make your smoothie spectacular with delicious spring fruit. It's an easy way toward your 5 a day - and it's tasty too - especially when you add tasty Actimel to the mix (or just yogurt if you prefer)
These are fabulous. The natural antioxidants in the fruit will help protect you from seasonal bugs and bring a healthy glow to your skin. Enjoy!
Recipes below serve 2-3 - simply dice the fruit, pop in a blender then add the Actimel and orange juice.
Spring Passion
3 passion fruits
1/2 pineapple
2 kiwis
1 banana
1 bottle of original Actimal
Splash of freshly squeezed orange juice (to taste)
Berry Tasty
1 handful of raspberries
1 handful of blueberries
3 kiwis
1 banana
1/2 pineapple
1 bottle of original Actimal
Splash of freshly squeezed orange juice (to taste)
Tortilla
2 cups plain flour (white, wholemeal or combo)
1tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup warm water
- Mix flour, salt and baking powder
- Stir in oil until the flour forms pea-sized balls
- Slowly add warm water and mix until the dough is soft and pliable.
- Knead for 2 mins then cover and allow to rest for 30 mins.
- Roll out very thin rounds
- Cook in hot frying pan and flip when bubbles form (do not oil the pan) - takes about 20 sec each side.
- Cover cooked tortillas to keep them soft.
