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Chicken and Apple Parcels
- Slice open the chicken thighs, top each with a slice of apple and sage.
- Cook the chicken under the grill for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through.
- (Optional) Wrap each chicken breast in a rasher of bacon.
- Secure with cocktail sticks.
Serve with salad and tomato salsa or a bowl of steamed spinach or sweetcorn.
(Recipe courtesy of The Cook’s Choice)
Celeriac and Spinach Soup
Heat the oil in a large saucepan.Add onion and garlic and cook for around 5 minutes or until the onion is softened but not browned.
Add the celeriac, pour in the stock mixture, bring to the boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat and cover the pan.
Cook the soup gently for 10 minutes or until the celeriac is tender.
Add the spinach to the soup and stir well. Increase the heat and bring back to the boil then remove from the heat to cool.
When slightly cooled, puree in a blender until smooth and thick.
Reheat the soup if necessary, then stir in a little nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into warm bowls, swirl a spoonful of creme fraiche into each portion and garnish with fresh chives.
Serve immediately
Shepherd’s Pie Packed with Veg
1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the lamb and cook over a high heat for c 5 minutes, stirring well with a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Add the onion, reduce the heat and cook for c 10 minutes whilst stirring, until the onion is browned and softened.
2. Add the carrots, celery, leeks, dried mint and bay leaves. Stir well.
3. Add the tomato purée, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, stock and lentils and season with salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat and bring to the boil, still stirring frequently. Partially cover with a lid and leave to simmer for c 20 minute, stirring occasionally.
4. Whilst the meat and mixture is cooking, preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade and prepare the potato topping. Place the sweet potato and potato chunks in a saucepan of water, bring to the boil then reduce heat and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potato is very soft.
5. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan and add the milk and knob of butter. Mash until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Remove the meat and mixture from the heat, add the chopped parsley, season again if required and transfer to an oven proof dish. Top with the mashed potato and bake for c 20 minutes until bubbling and the potato topping is partly browned.
Serve with your favourite green vegetables.
Note: This dish is a great way of hiding vegetables in a meal for reluctant children by chopping them very small. You can experiment with your favourites, eg swap the leeks for frozen peas or add a couple of handful of spinach.
TOP TIP
Make extra quantities and freeze the mixture for quick ready meals. I prefer to freeze without the potato and add that fresh as required. You can also grate cheddar cheese on top of the mash for added flavour.
Ghoulish Kiwi Fruit, Mint and Apple Juice with Pomegranate Blood Drops.
Roughly chop the apples and kiwi fruit, add a handful of fresh mint leaves and blend until smooth.
Serve in a glass and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds for the blood drops
It’s as easy as that!
Note: To hide green vegetables, you can also add half a small cucumber or a handful of kale or spinach.
Very Green Pea and Mint Soup
1. Chop the onion whilst warming the oil in a pan.
2. Gently fry the onion over a low to medium heat for c 10 minutes; stirring occasionally to prevent from burning.
3. Add the stock and bring to the boil.
4. Pour in the frozen pea and boil for 3-4 minutes until the peas are cooked (but not soggy).
5. Add in a large handful each of pea shoots and fresh mint leaves.
6. Blend until smooth.
7. Return to the heat and season with black pepper to taste.
8. Serve and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Mango Madness Salad
The best way to keep a salad interesting is to experiment by adding different fruits, nuts and cheeses. One of my favourites this summer combines mixing a variety of salad leaves with grilled (or BBQ’d) chicken, sliced avocado, mango chunks, cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese and walnuts. Add basil or mint leaves for added flavours and dress with lime juice or a chilli garlic dressing,Delicious fat free garlic roasties
A delicious way to cook your roasties whilst avoiding adding fat to the meal. This recipe is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
1. Preheat oven to 230Cº/450Fº/Gas mark 8.
2. Put onion, garlic and vegetable stock into a shallow casserole dish large enough to hold potatoes in one layer. Place potatoes on top of onion slices.
3. Bake for 45-60 minutes until potatoes are golden and there is no stock left, turning potatoes over after about 30 minutes. Serve at once.
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