Hey, everyone! Its one of ma favs today, a food post. I have cooked a few more new and different recipes and all have been successful which is a very good feeling. I hate that feeling you get when you really are looking forward to a meal your cooking, and it turns out a fail and you don't like it... its so sad.
I just really enjoy good food and especially since my transplant three years ago, I have really branched out and am no longer as fussy as I was with particular foods and its so weird seeing the massive change! A good one of course.
Sausage Rolls! A classic.
As with a lot of the food I share in my blog, most have been sourced due to lockdown and the need for having something to do, and for me that was food and making new dishes. Sausage rolls have always been a fav of mine but I always found that shop bought ones never were really that amazing and I more steered towards fast food ones which are obviously not good for you.
However, the idea came from my mum when I said I fancied some and she suggested that we get some sausage meat from the butcher and make our own, and that we did. We do not follow a recipe because they are quite simple to make and they just taste so much better. One, because they are fresher, but also because you know what is in them compared to the supermarket ones that can sometimes be full of crap. So it is a win win!
I gather that most will know how to make them, but if not, I do not add anything extra as I like mine plain and I just wrap the meat in the pastry, dab on a bit of milk, and they are done. Very basic but delicious and go nice with a salad of some sort.
Just a couple of tips: be careful when cooking as they normally take around 25-30 minutes but can brown really quickly, so just keep an eye so you can get that perfect golden brown colour. Secondly, to add a little crunch, we like to sprinkle on some sesame seeds :)
Haddock Salad.
This is an amazing dish and is perfect for the summer as it is so light and for me it just reminds me of holiday. The combination of the flavours work so well and it is also good because it is versatile, as you can really add whatever salad you want.
This recipe has also given me a salad dressing that I will use for life! I have always looked for one but never have come across one that would be a staple for my salads as I have them frequently. However, the one that goes with this recipe is absolutely scrum, it is not too rich or too much and I will use it going forward. The recipe is from BBC, many of my dishes come from there because there is such a variety and they are fairly easy: Smoked Haddock and Chorizo Salad.
A tip: when making the dressing I tend to just wing the amounts as I do prefer more lemon. On the other hand, be careful as if you do too much of one it can give a very strong taste which takes away from the meal itself.
Lemon and Chilli Potatoes.
I don't know about you but sometimes just basic potatoes are not something that I fancy with whatever dinner I am having. I included another type of potato dish on my last food post but this one is just something extra and definitely has a particular taste. I only have them with meals where there is not any other strong flavour, as they are quite rich but I feel they just complete a meal.
The recipe is from a book that I discovered on our cookery shelf in our kitchen, I think I mentioned this before but we rarely reached for the books and it was only me in the last year who made use of them. This specific recipe I cannot find online, so if you would like to try it I will include at the end of the post.
A couple of tips for this one: do not hold back on the coriander, we as a family love it and put in way more than what the recipe advises. It gives them a little zing and brings all the flavours together. It can also be quite spicy so it helps even out the spice which is always a good thing ( I am not too fond of spicy foods) . The story behind the book and the author is extremely interesting and educational, so if you would like to know more behind her recipes and learn her story, I don't think you will be disappointed. There is so much history within the book and its recipes and there are many I wish to try and may include in the future! As long as they turn out alright that is. Although, failing only leads us to success so despite the frustration, I will always try again.
Cashew Chicken Stir Fry.
I am a huge fan of nuts and especially recently, I have favoured cashews as they go well in many dishes and are an ingredient which will thicken up and provide the tastiest sauce, with a smooth consistency. This is the best dish I have cooked so far as stir frys are so simple and easy, that you can add things in and change things up, and it can be a completely different meal but with the same base.
It is another recipe that you can make if you are not totally confident in the kitchen because of how there are minimal steps and all the ingredients are commonly used ones that you basically just throw together in a pan! It can be made veggie also by just removing the meat and adding a substitute or just having it with the veg. If you are someone like me who does not always get their 5 a day in, I find this is the perfect way to do it and it just makes me feel healthy because I always ensure I throw in at least 3 veggies; the veg really soaks up the sauce which just makes it extra scrum. The recipe itself is BBC: Cashew Chicken Stir Fry.
A couple of tips! I home make the cashew butter and have found it difficult to source a recipe that makes a small enough amount. Instead I wing it ( something that does not always pay off ) and it gives rather a lot of sauce. If you are someone who likes minimal, just be careful when mixing it and maybe it would be more convenient to buy a store one, just to prevent the dish from being to rich and overpowering. Also, make sure that you cook the veg first before adding it to the chicken, as the first time I did not and among all the other textures and flavours, the veg was just hard so it did not turn out the best I could of made it. It recommended the use of a food processor for the butter but we used a Nutribullet so if you have a blender of some sort, that will still do the job.
Not a homemade dish.... but a delicious pudding that I love because I do not really like baking....
I love this pudding :0 As you all know, I stick to the same desserts and over lockdown I have made a couple but I discovered this baby a while back and let me tell you it became a staple.
It is the perfect consistency between the brownie and the runniness, I myself am not too fond of a lot of sponge in a pudding, nor when it is overflowing with chocolate sauce. I have now found the most heavenly dessert and let me tell you a little secret. I found this on Sainsburys during lockdown but now we are going out and about again, we rarely shop there so I lost out on this delicious creation. When I had the chance, I went to Sainsburys after a few weeks without it and I may have brought a few.... three to be exact. I am now rationing myself to one a week, am I ok? Along as I have it, all is good. The main reason why this is such a huge deal for me is because I never used to eat any store brought desserts and this the first one I have tried and loved!
I am also aiming to make a homemade version of this pudding as I think it may be better for me because the sugar content is high and I have to be careful due to my condition. It is so nice though so I really hope it turns out alright when I make it... I will let you know on the next post! I am manifesting deliciousness.
Having now cooked a of different meals and tried many new foods, I can say that I do not really ever go for packeted/frozen meals. Fresh food is the best food. Obviously, it depends on your circumstances as many do not have the means or the time so I in no way am saying that it is the best for all. For myself, I just prefer it that way and my body just feels the nicest and I have the most energy. Do what is best for you :)
I mentioned in one of my previous posts where we source our pork and beef, check the post out here: Food Inspiration.
I hope you all enjoyed and got some food inspo! Either that or I have made you really hungry lol.... Stay safe, Lucy xoxoxoxox
Me chomping
Potatoes from the Palestinian Cookbook by Yasmin Khan:
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