Apricot sauce for porkchops

1 Tbsp apricot jam
2 tsp sherry
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 small garlic clove, crushed
knob butter
salt

Pumpkin curry

2 BIG serves:
1 Tbsp garam masala

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tin tomatoes

165ml tin coconut milk

Salt

1 tin chickpeas

1/4 kent pumpkin, roasted w chilli & cumin seeds
1/4 cauliflower, riced

1. Heat a little oil in a medium frying pan. Add spices and cook for about 20 seconds.
2. Add tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce has reduced a little.
3. Stir in chickpeas and coconut milk. Taste and season.
4. Add butternut chunks and bring back to a simmer.
5. Serve on bed of steamed cauliflower rice

"Bounty" granola

35g coconut oil
1.5 tablespoons rice malt syrup
2 x 20ml Tbsp cocoa powder
75g coconut flakes
125g chopped nuts

1. Preheat your oven to 150C
2. Melt butter or coconut oil in a small saucepan. Add rice malt syrup and cocoa powder. Stir.
3. Combine coconut and nuts in a bowl. Stir in the cocoa syrup mixture until the flakes are just coated.
4. Spread mixture on a baking tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Stop when the coconut is well browned (which can be difficult to tell through the cocoa) or everything tastes roasted and yummy.
5. Cool and transfer to an airtight container. Will keep for a few months at room temperature.

Fish stew

For 4:
2 brown onions, diced
1 fennel bulb, sliced
1 500ml jar pasta sauce - eg Arrabiata
1.5 cups water
350g white fish fillets, diced
1/2 can white beans
(optional pinch saffron if sauce is neutral)

1. Heat a generous glug of oil in a large pot. Add onions and cook over a medium low heat, covered for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the fennel and continue to cook, covered and stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until the onion and fennel are soft but not browned.
3. Add the pasta sauce, 1 1/2 cups water (and saffron if using). Bring to a simmer.
4. Add fish and cook for about 1 minute. Then remove from the heat. Cool, add beans and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve (will keep for 3-4 days, possibly longer).
5. To reheat, bring back to a gentle simmer and cook until fish is cooked through. Taste & season.

Serve with crunchy green salad.

Muffin-so-close!

180ml (3/4 cup) of wholemeal spelt flour

100ml  oats

30ml Tbsp hemp hearts

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/8 tsp clove

1 teaspoons of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of baking soda

30ml psyllium husk

1 egg

1 banana, mashed

blueberries, defrosted

50ml of olive oil

zest and juice of 1 orange

1/2 cup of yoghurt

 

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees celsius and oil a muffin pan.

2. Whisk to combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. In a separate jug combine wet ingredients really well. Add to the flour and mix until just combined.

4. Divide the mixture between the prepared muffin tin, adding blueberries between two layers of batter. (Could sprinkle with more oats.)

5. Bake for 22 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

 

Next time:

• Needs salt!
• OK to up the cardamom a bit more.
• Try rice bran syrup for sweetness? Or up to 2 oranges? Maybe needs more oats if so...

Spiced lamb with hummus

ENOUGH FOR 3
2 onions, peeled & diced
500g minced beef
2 teaspoons baharat
handful pine nuts
8 large tablespoons hummus

1. Heat a generous glug of oil in a large frying pan. Cook onion over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, until starting to soften but not brown.

2. Add beef and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring often until the beef is well browned all over.

3. Add the baharat and stir fry for another minute or so. Taste, season.

4. Served on a bed of hummus, with a piece of barley wrap underneath and pine nuts & chilli oil sprinkled over the top, with a lemony green salad.

Hearty veg soup

serves 4-6

250g (1/2lb) soup mix
3 carrots, diced
1 stick celery, diced
1 bulb fennel, diced
1 can tomatoes (400g)
2 onions, diced

1L stock, optional

1. Place soup mix, carrot, fennel, celery, tomato, onions and 1L water or stock in a slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 11-12 hours or until the veg are all tender.
4. Taste & season with soy sauce.

 

Balsamic beef cheeks (or ribs or shins)

For 2:
2 red onions, peeled & quartered
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 beef cheeks
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

Cook on low for 10 hours. Season.