Banana and Blueberry Smoothie

Healthy Kick

My smoothies are great for a pre or post workout snack.  They can be drunk at any time of the day and they taste delicious.

Ingredients:

A handful of blueberries, a banana and 3 large dollops of yoghurt (alter yoghurt quantity depending on how runny or fruity you want it).

Method:

1. Blend all of the ingredients together, then pour into a glass.

Banana and Sunflower Seed Cereal Bars

Travelling

I have always loved travelling and during my weekend break to Liverpool  I decided to make some cereal bars.  They make great filling snacks and they save you a bit of money and time.  This way you can do more sightseeing and cutural trips with a bit more money. 

This recipe was adapted from Morrisons Magazine Jan/ Feb 2012

Ingredients:

Roughly 45g sunflower seeds, 25g desiccated coconut, 2 medium bananas, 160g oats, 100g olive oil margarine, 3 tbsps honey, a little flour to line baking tray.

Method:

1. Put the seeds, coconut, oats in a large mixing bowl.
2. Blend the banana till its nice and mushy then add it to the bowl.
3. Mix all of these ingredients up. 
4. Heat up the margarine and honey in a pan, stir until everything is melted.
5. Mix the margarine and honey with the oat mix.
6. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 Degrees F/ Gas 4.
7. Grease a baking tray with a little margerine and then sprinkle a little flour over it.
8. Spoon the mixture into the tray and press down until the oat mix is even.
9. Bake this for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
11. They can be kept in an airtight container for about 3 days.

Saffy's Top Tip

If you want to give it an extra boost of flavour try adding some dried ginger and cinnamon. 

Amazing Chocolate Mayo Cake and Fudge Icing

So Proud

I was having a bad day and making this chocolate cake really cheered my spirits. This cake tastes absolutely fantastic and is one of the best things I have ever made.  I also surprised myself as it was the first chocolate cake I ever made and what made it super special was because I made it for my partner to celebrate our 2nd year anniversary.  He loved the gesture and gave this cake a very high score in fact he gave it as much as the Ghana cake which was a huge compliament. :) Go Saffy! Go Saffy!

Weird Ingredients:

Sam Stern simply called this cake the 'Amazing Chocolate Cake' but I thought this was a little big headed until I saw the ingredients.  He used Hellmann's mayonnaise as his main binding ingredient! And the end results definately confirmed it's amazingness! Trust me the mayonnaise is a brilliant idea and you barely taste it. I love food with a twist.

Decorating Cakes

I brought some flower sugar decorations to make it all pretty but my partner brought me all this decoration equipment and cake decorating stuff for my birthday, so I am going to try and be more creative and even buy cake mixes just to practise the decorations etc.  I only used a few simple decorations.  Avoid using so many hard sugar decorations because they are tough to eat and I wanted to make it look elegant though it tastes so damn comforting. 

This recipe was taken  from Sam Stern's Student Cookbook (Walker Books, 2009)

Ingredients for cake:

275g/ 10oz white self - raising flour, 1 1/2 tsps baking powder, 225g/ 8oz sugar, 200g/ 7oz Hellmann's mayo, 225ml boiling water, 4 tbsps cocoa powder, 1tsp vanilla extract

Method for cake:

1. Sift flour, baking powder and sugar into the bowl.
2. Beat in the mayo with a wooden spoon for a lumpy mix.
3. Pour in a separate bowl boiling water, cocoa and vanilla extract then stir to dissolve.
4. Beat into the main mix until the whole thing is soft and creamy.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F/ Gas mark 4.
6. Tip the mix into the tin and bake for 40 minutes until the skewer comes out clean.

Icing Ingredients:

275g/ 10oz icing sugar, 25g/ 1oz cocoa powder, 110g/ 4oz butter, 3-4 tbsps water

Method:

1. Sift sugar and cocoa together.
2. Gently heat the butter and water without boiling.
3. Beat gradually into the sugar till smooth and not runny.
4. Wait until the cake is cool before pouring on the icing and decorating.

Tip

It is okay to leave the icing for a little (roughly 15 - 20 minutes) and stir occasionally once it has been made. If the cake is slightly warm the icing will be a little goey, the fudgyness and moistness just helps to make it all the more perfect.

Basic Brownie

Quest for the Perfect Brownie

I am now on the quest the perfect brownie recipe.  I've always wanted to learn how to make them, I was told they were easy and apparently my neighbour did a pretty awsome job so I thought I should give it a go. Whilst learning how to make brownies I was overwhelmed by the variety of ways in which you could make the popular treat.  My first attempt did not go too well, and though Sam Stern has some great recipes in his student cookbook this one failed to deliver.  As I am on quiet a strict diet I decided I wanted to use gluten free flour, it was the first time I used it and it felt better to know the brownies were a little healthier.  To up the chocolate taste I also made my own chocolate fudge icing.



This recipe was adapted from 'Sam Stern's Student Cookbook' (Walker Books, 2009)

Brownie Basics Ingredients:

75g soft butter, 75g castor sugar, 1 large egg (beaten), 100g gluten free flour, 1/4 baking powder, 75g plain chocolate ,2 tbsps milk (usually 1 tbsp but used 2 because more liquid is needed when using gluten free flour), 5 drops vanilla extract

Icing Ingredients:

As I used leftover icing the measurements are very varied.  Make to taste, but use only a small bit of cocoa powder and use 3x as much butter and 10x as much icing as the cocoa and as much water until it is the right consistency.

Icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter, water

Basic Brownie Method:

1. Grease or line base of 20.5cm/ 8in square tin or similar.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until it is very light and creamy.
3. Beat in the egg
4. Sift flour in and mix.
5. Add baking powder and beat the whole mix well.
6. Let the chocolate melt in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.
7. Stir chocolate into the mix with milk and vanilla extract.
8. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F/ Gas Mark 4.
9.  Pour the mix into the tin and when the oven is hot bake for 25 minutes.
10. The brownie is done when the skwer comes out clean.
11. Make sure you cool before adding icing or cool for 5 - 8 mins before eating.

Icing Method:

1. Sift sugar and cocoa together.
2. Gently heat butter and water without boiling and gradually beat into the sugar.
3. Mix until mixture is smooth and not too runny.
4. You can leave it for a few minutes to thicken.

Saffy's Top Tips

1. Make sure milk is not heating with chocolate otherwise skin will form at the top of the chocolate milk and will ruin the texture of the cake.
2. Keep cooking brownie until it has that fudgy brownie texture.

Tasty Tuna and Sweetcorn Pasta

Back To Basics

After a very stressful long day it's very tempting to buy fast food or quick fixes.  The problem is that these foods are not necessarily the best quality and can be quite unhealthy and unsatisfying.  I decided to go back to basics by cooking a very very super simple pasta student dish.  It may not be fine dining, but it tastes good and its filling.  So for all the students out there who can't boil water, learn how to cook quick and easy food fast. Otherwise you won't have any brain power from all the unhealthy food and you will be out of pocket.

This recipe has been rekindled by 'Asda's Fit For Life' campaign recipes.

Ingredients:

wholemeal spaghetti or pasta shapes, 1 tsp olive oil (for frying), 1 medium red onion, 1 garlic clove (crushed), 400g chopped tomatoes, 1tbsp tomato puree, 150g sweetcorn (drained if canned), 2 tsp dried basil or dried mixed herbs, 2 small tins of tuna.

Method:

1. Chop onion into small bits.
2. Cook pasta.
3. While pasta is cooking heat olive oil in a seperate pot and onion and garlic and cook gently until soft.
4. Add the vegetables and herbs then stir, cook for 5 - 8 minutes.
5. Add the tuna and stir through gently.
6. Drain the pasta and serve with tuna, sweetcorn mix.

Saffy's Top Tips:

 
1. Change up the fish if you are not in the mood for tuna. If your're using mackrel you do not need to use as much oil for frying.

2. Try this with crumbled feta cheese.

3.  Pack this up with some grated cheddar and salad vegetables for a lovely tuna pasta salad.

 

Querky Quorn Bolognese

Querky?

I named my dish Querky because I wanted a word that began with Q and it vaguely means indifferent, (kind works as an alternative to beef). And... I made the bolognese whilst watching 'Star Trek'... Say Something!

This recipe was inspired by the 'Asda Fit For Life' recipe ideas.

Ingredients:

400g minced quorn, 1 large onion, 2 small garlic cloves, 400g of peeled plum tomatoes blended (if you have chopped tomatoes you do not need to blend them), 2 tbsps tomato puree, a handful of basil, 1 tbsp dried rosemary, 3 -4 handfuls of spinach, 200g sliced mushrooms, 2 small carrots, 1ooml vegetable stock, wholewheat spaghetti, extra seasoning to taste, oil for frying.

Method:

1. Heat a little oil in a large saucepan and add onions to fry for 2 minutes.
2. Add quorn and stir and cook until cooked through.
3. Add the tomatoes.
4. Put on another saucepan of boiling water and start the pasta cooking process.
5. Add the rest of the vegetables to the "quorn stew" apart from the herbs.
6. After 6 mins add the herbs and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
7. Season bolognese to taste and serve with drained cooked pasta.

Saffy's Top Tip

This recipe is too easy for you not to try out different vegetables to see what works.  Add mroe vegetables and change some around.  You could even try yummy snake beans or spice it up with chilli and hot pepper sauce!

Apple and Cinnamon Bread and Butter Pudding

High School

This is one of the first desserts I ever made.  I was taught how to make it at my high school during home economics.  I made it for my mum a few times after learning the basic recipe.  I would put in a variety of dried fruit and experiment with different breads as I was always a bigger fan on wholemeal and seeded breads.  This dessert is really comforting especially when served hot with a creamy hot custard. 

This recipe was adapted from 'fitnessmagazine.com'

Ingredients:

10 slices of bread (take off top part of the crust and cut into triangles or any shape you prefer to layer dish with), 3 tbsps unslated butter melted (or you can use a low fat margerine), 3 tbsps dark brown sugar, 2 tsps cinnamon, 3 large eggs lightly beaten, roughly 300ml milk, 1 tbsp maple syrup, a tiny bit of vanilla from a vanilla pod (so much better than vanilla flavouring, the real thing smells so beautiful!), 2 small apples chopped and diced.  (Make sure you have extra of all of the ingredients because you may feel like a little more sweetness and it may not cover your entire dish as you may have larger slices of bread.)

Method:

1. Combine melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
2. Layer first layer of bread in a lightly greased dish and drizzle some of the butter mixture of it.
3. The sprinkle some apple pieces.
4. Continue to do until you have 3 layers or you desired amount.
5. Sprinkle more apple over the top.
6. Beat the eggs, milk, maple syrup and vanilla.
7. Preheat oven to 320 degrees C.
8. Pour the mixture all over the bread and apple until the bread has absorbed the mixture.
9. Bake for 30 minutes.
10. Or you can place dish in a roasting tin which is filled halfway with very hot water.
11. The dish is done after the knife or fork test when the cutlery comes out clean.

For the healthy people

Eat the pudding with some low fat plain yoghurt rather than cream or custard. 

Super Birdspeed Quick! Blue Dragon Chicken Curry

Long Green Beans

I haven't had long green beans (snake beans) in such a long time, this is definately in my top favourite vegetables!  If you like okre you will love this dish. There is something about the mushy texture that  reminds me of good home cooking.  The curry itself is really easy, it pretty much tastes like a quick korma and tastes great on rice drizzled with a bit of lemon.



This recipe was adapted from 'the 'Blue Dragon' range recipe suggestions.

Ingredients:

4 kaffir lime leaves, 4 tbsps red curry paste, 200ml coconut milk, sunflower oil for frying chicken, 2 chicken breasts, 1/2 can of long green beans.

Method:

1. Wash and prepare the chicken and slice into pieces.
2. Fry the paste in a little sunflower oil for 2 minutes max!
3. Add the coconut milk and mix with the paste.
4. When the coconut milk is hot then add the chicken and let the chicken cook.
5. When the chicken is almost done and the kaffir lime leaves and any other seasoning to taste.
6. Add the green beans until they are beautiful and soft.

Blue Dragon Tip:

Use aubergine as the vegetable and slice it thinly.

Reggae Cheese on Toast

Cheese On Bread

Everyone knows that my number one saying is 'Cheese on Bread', which to me means hard times and humble beginnings (something along those lines).  Cheese on bread is the ultimate poor man's snack, but I am always looking for ways to jazz up classic easy nostalgic  food.  Levi Root's shared this cool idea to add mayonnaise and sauce onto cheese on toast. I'm not really a fan of too much sauce so I only added a little bit then what was recommended, nonetheless it was really nice.

This recipe was adapted from 'Levi Root's Reggae Reggae Cookbook' (Collins, 2008)

Ingredients:

2 slices of wholemeal bread (I use soya and linseed which is great for my diet), reggae reggae sauce, any cheddar cheese you like and chili mayonnaise ( I wanted an extra kick).

Method:
1. Grill bread on just one side.
2. When the first side is done spread the other side with reggae sauce, then mayo then cheese to taste.
2. The grill cheesy side.
4. Eat with a salad or as it is with some refreshing fruit juice.

Saffy's Top Tip

You can use the ingredients as a filling to make a toastie with tomatoes and chicken or bacon.

Coronation Chicken Salad

Awesome Salad

I do not usually hear people raving about salads, but this one was just great. According to Sam Stern it was made for the Queen for her 1953 coronation, so as Caribbean royalty I thought I'd put this dish to the test. The mix of fruit and spicy ingredients in  the salad  is definitely a crowd pleaser and proves that salads so not have to be boring.  So stop giving salads a bad rep!

Recipe was adapted from 'Sam Stern's Student Cookbook' (Walker Books)

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts, apple (chopped into bits), a few grapes, 2 spring onions, 1/4 red onion, rocket, 1tsp curry paste, 2 tsps mango chutney, tsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp plain yoghurt, 4tbsps mayonnaise, 1 clove of creushed garlic.

Method:

1. Wash and prepare the chicken (cut into chunks as well).
2. Then fry with a little oil in the wok.
3. Chop up the onions and spring onions.
4. When chicken is white and is beginning to cook through add onions and garlic.
5. When chicken is nearly cooked add spring onions, curry paste and mango chutney.
6. While chicken is cooking prepare salad.
7. Slice a few grapes in half and put into a salad bowl with 2 handfuls of washed rocket.
8. Chop up apple into small pieces and add into bowl as well.
9. Mix in the yoghurt, mayonnaise and a little lemon juice. Mix well.
10. Serve chicken on top of the salad.

Top Tip's

1. The chicken salad can be served cold for a quick snack.
2. To make a spicy dressing add the curry paste and mango chutney and garlic to the yoghurt mix.  Then you can make any salad with the dressing like a cold turkey salad.

Broccoli and Bean Soup

Healthy Leftovers

As a student it is very important that I know how to use up the leftover food in my kitchen.  This way I can make healthy and cheap food during what student's like to call "Empty Pocket Month".  Soup is one of the best dishes to achieve this and you might even invent a new soup recipe.  I decided to use only a few ingredients as I wanted something light.



Ingredients:

1/4 of a medium brocolli (cut into chunky bits), 1 green chilli (chopped), 1/4 of a red onion (chopped into small pieces), 2 gloves of crushed garlic, 1 can of mixed bean salad, 1/4 red pepper, 1.2 litres vegetable stock.

Method:

This dish was inspired by 'End - of Term Pasta & Bean Soup' in Sam Stern's Student Cookbook, (Walker Books)

1. Heat oil in a pot and fry garlic and onion until they are soft.
2. Then add broccoli, beans, chilli and red pepper and stir for 4 minutes.
3. Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add lemon juice and seasoning to taste.

Saffy's Top Tips

1. Add potatoes or pasta to make it more filling.
   2. You can grate cheese on the top if you feel you're missing something.
   3. Eat with some thick toasted bread.
   

Reggae Reggae Spicy Chicken Pizza

Winter Nights, Winter Feasts

On a cold snowy night a spicy chicken pizza really hits the spot.  Making your own pizza means you can be as creative as you want and you never need to wonder if the pizza chain or restaurant will give you value for money.  My reggae chicken pizza was a real treat and I even made my own garlic and rosmary dough, not bad for a new cook.




This dough method was adapted from 'Sam Stern's Student Cookbook' (Walker Books, 2009)

Dough Ingredients:

450g strong white bread flour, 1tsp salt, 1tsp castor sugar, 2 x 7g satchets fast action dried yeast, 3 tsp garlic granules, 4 tbsp rosemary, 300ml/ 1/2 pint warm water, 2 tbsp olive oil.
Dough Method:

1. Sift flour, salt into a large bowl.
2. Add sugar, yeast water, garlic, rosemary and oil. (Do not use boiling water wait until it is warm.)
3. Work into a soft dough add more water if dry and more flour if dough is too sticky.
4. Knead dough on a flat surface for 25 - 30 minutes until soft and elastic. 
5. Put dough ball into a bowl and cover witha tea towel.
6. Leave dough to double in size in a warm place for an hour.

Saffy's Dough Tip

1. Try making a spicy pizza dough with paprika :)

Topping Ingredients:

Chicken breasts (cut into small chunks), red onion, cheddar cheese, reggae reggae sauce, red chilli (deseeded, chopped into small pieces) 1/2 jar tomato pasta sauce, garlic, tomato pur'ee, garlic granules, paprika, all purpose seasoning, 1/4 red pepper (chopped into small pieces), rocket, basil, grated parmesan and a handful of black olives.

Method to cook pizza:

1. Wash and prepare chicken then cut into small chunks. Then marinate in a separate bowl with 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic and 1tsp all purpose seasoning.  Then leave to the side.

2. Mix pasta sauce, tomato puree, 1/4 bottle of reggae reggae sauce and chopped red chilli into another bowl.
3. Pre-heat oven to 230 degrees C/ Gas 6.
3. Roll out the dough and leave to rise for roughly 10 minutes. (Sam suggest's to cover with a carrier bag).
4. Heat a little olive oil in a wok for frying chicken.
5. Spread sauce over the dough.
6. Layer the pizza with the toppings (except the parmesan and basil).
7. Start frying the chicken.
8. Bake for 15 mins.
9. Once the chicken has been cooked, spread the chicken pieces onto the pizza with a sprinkling of parmesan and basil leaves over the top.
10. Bake for a further 5 minutes, the base should be crispy, the dough should be soft and the top should be bubbling.

Tuna, Rocket and Olive Pizza

 Pizza!

When I hear the word "pizza" in a takeaway I usually think of greasy lovely cheesy stuff piled on dough, but in Italian restaurants where everything is cooked fresh I have completely different connotations.  The best thing about making your own pizza is that you can make one healthy and authentic or indulgent... and it's cheap.  Also I hate it when pizza chains are stingy on the toppings, so this is a chance to have your perfect pizza!

This dough method was adapted from 'Sam Stern's Student Cookbook' (Walker Books, 2009)

Dough Ingredients:

450g strong white bread flour, 1tsp salt, 1tsp castor sugar, 2 x 7g satchets fast action dried yeast, 2tsp garlic granules, 300ml/ 1/2 pint warm water, 2 tbsp olive oil.

Dough Method:

1. Sift flour, salt into a large bowl.

2. Add sugar, yeast water, garlic and oil. (Do not use boiling water wait until it is warm.)

3. Work into a soft dough add more water if dry and more flour if dough is too sticky.

4. Knead dough on a flat surface for 25 - 30 minutes until soft and elastic. 

5. Put dough ball into a bowl and cover witha tea towel.

6. Leave dough to double in size in a warm place for an hour.

Saffy's Dough Tip's

1. Put on some music and knead the dough and create your own workout.  Kneading dough is great for your arms muscles.

2. Wet the tea towel and rinse to make it damp before you use it to cover the dough. Make sure that the dough is in a big bowl this is to ensure the wet tea towel does not touch it and the dough has room to rise.

Topping Ingredients:

1/2 jar tomato pasta sauce, 2 tbsp tomato pur'ee, 2 cloves crushed garlic, a handful of black olives, rocket, sliced mozarella, grated parmesan, olive oil to drizzle, 1 can of tuna chunks, red pepper.

This cooking method was adapted from 'Sam Stern's Student Cookbook' (Walker Books, 2009)

Method to cook pizza:

1. Mix garlic, pasta sauce and tomato puree into a bowl.

2. Pre-heat oven to 230 degrees C/ Gas 6.

3. Roll out the dough and leave to rise for roughly 10 minutes. (Sam suggest's to cover with a carrier bag).

4. Spread sauce over the dough.

5. Layer the pizza with the toppings, ending with a sprinkling of parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

6. Bake for 15 - 20 mins the base should be crispy, the dough should be soft and the top should be bubbling.

Saffy's Top Tip

Try sectioning the dough slightly with a knife and make four different toppings. This also helps if you are cooking for someone who prefers alternative toppings to yourself.

Fried Tomato, Bacon and Cheese Sandwich

American Diner

My first experience of going to an American diner was quite intimidating.  The portions were monstrous, I tried some of the dishes like 'Egg's Benedict' for the first time and a fried breakfast but I failed to conquer.  I am not a fun of oily, sweaty and buttery food but though one bite is enough I understand why so many people love the American fry up.  I had planned to go to lunch to an American Style Diner with my hubby but unfortunately the snow stopped our efforts, so I made him this awsome fried sandwich for lunch. 

Ingredients:

2 slices of soft white bread, 2 slices of bacon, 2 handfuls of grated cheddar cheese, a handful of rocket, 2 small tomatoes chopped into slices, butter or margarine, tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp mayonnaise.

Method:

1. Grill the bacon to your satisfaction.
2. Butter the slices of bread on just one side each.
3. Lightly oil a frying pan with sunflower oil or butter and heat.
4. Put the bread (butter side up) on the frying pan when hot and layer with half of the cheese, bacon, tomatoes, rocket, black pepper and then more cheese and then the other slice of bread with the buttered side facing upwards.
5. After 2 -3 minutes or until the bread has a golden brown colour and cheese begins to melt, flip the sadwich and fry other side.
6. When both sides are golden and cheese has melted, serve on a plate and add some mayonnaise and other relishes for your satisfaction.

British Smores

Summer Camp

I once worked as a camp counsellor at a summer camp in Pennsylvania, USA.  I had never cooked on camp fire before this experience and this easy dessert reminds me of sleeping under the stars in the forests.  Though it will be a while before I next camp outside in the cold in danger of being attacked by bears, lions and insects (which luckily never happened) it does not mean I can't recreate the traditional American camp food. 

 Within Reason

Though the smores do not actually need to have so much chocolate or marshmellows I really can only eat one.  In America the kids and adults ate 6 - 10 in one meal, to me this was ridiculous but it all depends on how much chocolate and marshmallows you actually put on.

Ingredients:

digestive biscuits, marshmellows, chocolate drops or bars (I used milk chocolate), raspberry jam (if you want to add a little sweetness).

Method:

1. Put a few chocolate drops in a heatproof bowl, then put on top of a saucepan with a little water in. Let the water simmer to heat the chocolate.

2. Put on the grill
2. Spread jam on digestives if using.
3. Place marshmellows on digestives.
4. Grill biscuits for 5mins.
5. When marshmellows are toasted and chocolate has melted spoon as much chocolate as you like onto the toasted marshmellow digestives.

Saffy's Top Tip's

1. Try Rich Tea Biscuits, these work well too if you don't feel like eating digestives.

2. If you don't want to use jam chop up some berries and put them on top of your roasted marshmellows.

Reggae Reggae Beans on Toast

Simple Comfort Treats

Beans on toast reminds me of lazy days so I decided that for lunch on a day full of work I would make some beans on toast with a sweet twist.  Accompanied with some good bread and butter this simple lunch put me in good spirits for a 5 hour study session.



This recipe was adapted from 'Levi Root's Reggae Reggae Cookbook' (Collins, 2008)

Ingredients:

Reggae Reggae Sauce, 1/2 can baked beans, 2 slices of toast, enough margerine to cover toast.

Method:

1. Heat up beans in a saucepan.
2. As the beans are heating up put toast in toaster.
3. Add some Reggae Sauce to the beans to taste.
4. When the toast is done butter it slice it and when the beans pour over toast.
5. Eat when nice and hot.

Saffy's Top Tip

To keep it healthy I used weight watcher's baked beans, soya and linseed bread and olive oil margerine.

Vegetable Egg Fried Rice

Chinese Fresh Food

I felt like having chinese food, but rather than going to the buffet or the restaurant I decided to make my own Chinese inspired meal.  My farourite part of cooking this dish  was frying all of the beautiful green vegetables.  I hadn't had broccoli in sucha long time and I also made a new omlette recipe while I was cooking this dish.  See my tips for 'Saffy's Sweet Pea Omlette'.



This recipe was taken from Morrison's Magazine Jan/ Feb 2012

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 eggs lightly beaten, pinch of black pepper, 2 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped), 150g broccoli cut into small pieces, 4 chopped spring onions, 100g frozen peas, 400g brown rice (cooked and cooled), 2 tbsp soy sauce, sesame oil for tatse.

Method:
1. Fry eggs in wok with a little olive oil and season with black pepper.
2. Keep stirring eggs for 1 - 2 minutes until the eggs are cooked and lightly browned.
3. Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside.
4. Wipe the pan with a paper towel then add some more oil and bring to the heat.
5. When hot addd the garlic and broccoli and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add the spring onions and peas then cook 2 minutes.
7. Add the rice and stir in until the rice is piping hot.
8. Add the scrambled eggs back into the pan and stir in then add soy sauce and sesame oil to your taste.
9. Stir fry for another minute or two then serve while it is hot.

Saffy's Sweet Pea Omlette

1. Heat oil in a pan and add a handful of chopped  frozen peas and if you like 1/4 of a chopped onion, (you can even add mushrooms ... yum) then after a minute add chopped tomatoes.
2. Whisk 1 egg and add into the pan.
3. When the egg is set at the bottom and just a little runny at the top sprinkle on spinach and a few leaves of basil.
4. Fold the egg and continue frying until cooked as you would make an everyday omlette.
5. Serve and sprinkle with parmesan.

Lemon Posset

Easy Peazy Lemon Squeezy

I never knew desserts could be so easy, apart from my usual desserts of fruit and yoghurt of course.  I actually quartered the recipe because the standard amount of ingredients is way too much sugar and cream for my liking.  This is a nice treat and citrus fruits are great for keeping healthy and this is a good dessert to share.  I added strawberries because I wanted extra fruit and don't think I would have been able to eat just the lemon mixture.  

Ingredients:

 300ml double cream, 75g castor sugar, 2 lemons, strawberries!

Method:

1. Remove zest from 1 lemon and the juice of both.  (You really do not need to include the zest if you don't want your posset that bitter, however i have been informed this is the traditional way.)
2.  Put the zest and juice in a saucepan with cream and sugar.
3. Heat gently stirring ocassionally and gently boiling.
4. Let it simmer and stir for roughly 3 mins.
5. Put strawberries on the bottom, sliced and placed.
6. Pour into glasses then chill them until they are set.
7. After a few hours when they have set put some more berries on top.

Saffy's Top Tip

Be adventurous with the fruit try some fruit you have never had before like guava or peach and pomegranate seeds.