Spinach Frittata
225g Waxy potatoes, cut into small cubes (keep skin on)
85g fresh Spinach
1 large red onion finely chopped
4 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons semi-skimmed milk
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (freshly grated is better)
salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil

1. Boil potatoes until just tender. Drain well.
2. Cook spinach until just wilted, squeeze out excess liquid and chop roughly
3. Beat the eggs and milk in a large bowl, then stir in spinach, potatoes and parmesan. Season to taste.
4. Heat the oil in a small frying pan. Pour in the egg mixture and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until the eggs are almost set.
5. Place the pan under a pre heated grill and cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until completely set.
6. Allow to cool slightly then cut into slices and serve with (or without) a tomato salad.

This could be used as any meal.

Use only the best dark chocolate you can buy with at least 70% (minimum) cocoa solids.

40g (1.5 oz) plain very dark chocolate
2 tablespoons hot water
4 tablespoons fromage frais
a handful of toasted chopped nuts

Melt the chocolate over a saucepan of boiling water. Simmer the water until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the water, making a thick paste. Allow to cool.
Stir in the fromage frais

Scoop into two espresso cups and chill in refrigerator.

Toast the nuts in a heavy bottomed pan for a few minutes. Just heat up the dry pan and toss nuts in it, adding no oil at all.
When chocolate is chilled, sprinkle some nuts on top and serve.

Humous

1 400g (13oz) tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Cloves Garlic
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 \tablespoons soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper

Put all ingredients in food processor and blitz until smooth.
add additional pepper, soy or lemon juice to taste

As a variation you could add either 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds or 1-2 tablespoons of tahini.

Serve in a bowl with a little olive oil drizzled on top and a sprinkling of chilli powder or paprika.
Eat with crudities, spread on oatcakes, wholemeal toasts or wholemeal crackers.

Heat oven to 180 degrees.

While this is happening, take a square of foil that will be big enough to wrap your salmon in.

In the middle of the square, lay down some veg, whatever you want, but I find thinly sliced carrots, leeks, fennel, cucumber, courgette as nice options (you don’t have to use all - vary it for different meals).
Lay your salmon on top of the veg, season it, lay a slice of lemon on top of the fish and drizzle some olive oil over the top. Then fold the two opposite ends of foil towards each other and wrap it up. Then take the other ends, fold them up and crunch them up so that any fluid won’t leak out.

By now, the oven should be warm, slide the foil parcel onto a baking tray and into the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Open the foil carefully and serve the salmon with the veg in the parcel with some more side veg, potatoes, rice.
Delicious and in less time than you can go and get a take-away!

This method for grilling fish uses a banana leaf to hold the fish together, steam it to perfection, while allowing the flavor to gently soak into the package. This is a great way of grilling fish that is delicate because the banana leaf holds it all together and lets you add anything you want to the packet. You can buy banana leaves from Asian or Caribbean food shops.
Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pounds snapper
2 tablespoons fresh coriander root, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, crushed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 large banana leaf
vegetable oil

Preparation:

Combine garlic, black pepper, coriander root and ginger in a blender or food processor. Mix into a paste. Add soy sauce and continue blending until well mixed. Set aside. Clean and pat dry the snapper with a paper towel. Rub mixture over the surface of the fish. Set aside for about 30 minutes. Preheat grill. Take a banana leaf large enough to wrap the fish (you can cut up the fish if you can’t find a large enough leaf) and wash it thoroughly. Blanch the banana leaf in hot water for a few seconds to soften it. With a knife or scissors remove the thick spine from the leaf and place it on a working surface shiny side down. Brush vegetable oil over the part of the leaf the will be in contact with the fish. Place the fish on the banana leaf and fold leaf to completely enclose the fish. Secure with toothpicks or skewers.
Place the package on a medium hot grill and cook on each side for about 8 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent the banana leaf from burning. It will blacken in parts but it shouldn’t be allowed to burn through. After about 16 minutes remove the packet from the grill to a place where you can work on it and gently open enough to test the fish for doneness. The fish should flake easy with a fork and have an opaque appearance through to the center. If the fish isn’t done, secure the package and return to the grill. When the fish is done transfer it to a serving platter and serve. It’s more dramatic if you open the banana leaf at the table

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking Time: 20 Minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 ounces raisins
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound ripe tomatoes, diced
10 green olives, pitted and minced
2 ounces pine nuts
1/4 cup capers
2 pounds swordfish steaks
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Soak raisins in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or skillet over high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in raisins, tomatoes, olives, pine nuts and capers. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes.
Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish and cover with the cooked sauce. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until steaks are firm.

Quinoa With Toasted Almonds & Dried Cranberries

Quick & Easy!

This quinoa stove top casserole recipe is delicious by itself, and goes well with moist curry dishes, or stews and casseroles

Not boring! Quinoa has lots of flavor, and the veggie cube, cinnamon & bay leaf, almonds and cranberries add even more flavor. And, of course quinoa is always gluten free.

4 - 6 Servings: This quinoa stove top casserole cooks quickly because the almonds and quinoa are roasted, and then boiling water is added. The quinoa should be drained well before roasting.

——————————————————————————–

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds
1 tsp light olive oil
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 vegetable stock cube
1/2 tsp salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
1.Soak the quinoa 15 minutes in cold water
2.Stir the quinoa with your hand, pour off most of the water and drain through a fine mesh strainer
3.Shake dry in the strainer, then set the strainer over a bowl.
4.Heat a wide bottomed pan on medium heat and add the light olive oil
5.Stir and toast the sliced almonds until golden, then remove from pan
6.Add the quinoa. Stir and toast until dry and turning color
7.Add boiling water, veggie cube, salt, bay leaf and cinnamon stick, and dried cranberries
8.Bring back to boil, cover, turn the heat to simmer, cook for 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed
9.Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with the lid on
10.Fluff gently with a fork and serve

Use a wide, shallow casserole or baking tray so that the vegetables roast evenly.
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C (340 degrees F)

3.5 oz (100g) leeks diagonally sliced
3.5 oz (100g) parsnips
5 oz (150g) Sweet potato
5 oz (150g) celeriac
7 oz (200g) thinly sliced red onion
3.5 oz (100g) carrot
3.5 oz (100g) beetroot
4 whole cloves of garlic (keep skin intact)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
5 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1x 13 oz (400g) tin chick-peas, drained and rinsed
Drizzle of lemon juice and olive oil

Cut all the vegetable except the onion an leeks into even sized chunks.
Put them into the casserole/baking tray with the garlic and the caraway seeds.
Toss them in the olive oil to coat them and season with the black pepper.
Roast for about 1 hour, turning occasionally.
When almost done, fold in the rinsed and drained chickpeas and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Before serving, drizzle with a little more olive oil and lemon juice to taste and serve.

4 eggs
2 heaped teaspoons of Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
Freshly ground black pepper
1 x 200g (7oz) can chopped tomatoes
Spray of olive oil or any other non stick spray
1 x 200g (7oz) can flageleot or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed if you don’t have beans use tinned fish, or crumble in some cheese.

Whisk eggs in bowl with mustard, herbs and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes.

Heat a small frying pan and spray lightly with olive oil (or non-stick spray)
Pour in egg mixture. Scatter beans over the top and cook until bottom is turning light brown. Place under hot grill for 3-4 minutes until top is set and golden brown.
Serve with a slice of wholemeal or rye bread and some salad. This will serve 2

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
8 egg whites
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
Blend ingredients in food processor.
Pour onto heated pan by the 1/4 Cup, cooking 2-3 minutes per side.