Moroccan Root Vegetable Stew (V)

I'm at it again with the slow cooker. Let combine this with something Vegetarian (also realised it's Vegan too). After mulling over I came up with this spicy yet fruity concoction. It's sure to warm you up in the cold nights. Key to cooking vegetarian is to utilise herbs and spices to amplify flavour. Should contribute to your 5 fruit and veg a day (So bonuses all round).

Serves 6

Olive Oil

1 Onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

½ tsp Ground Coriander

½ tsp Cumin

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Ground Ginger 

1 Cinnamon Stick

Few Strands of Saffron

1 Large Sweet Potato, peeled and diced

3 Medium Carrots, peeled and diced

3 Parsnips, Peeled and diced

Small Butternut Squash, peeled and diced

400g Can Chickpeas, drained

1.25ml Vegetable Stock

½ Mug Sultanas

3 tbsp Plain Flour

3 Handfuls Spinach

1. In a frying pan/removable pot in the slow cooker heat olive oil over a medium heat on the hob. Add the onion, garlic, flour and spices to the pan. Cook until the onions have softened.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients apart from the spinach and sultanas to the slow cooker. Give a stir. And leave for the following:

- Low - 7 - 8 Hours
- Medium -  5 - 6 Hours
- High - 3 - 4 Hours

3. An hour before the food is done add the sultanas and spinach to the slow cooker and give a stir then leave to cook.for the final hour. Then serve. 

Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi Bake (V)

I haven't done a Vegetarian recipe in a while and had the chance to test this recipe out. Went down a treat. Served with salad and garlic bread. It was bursting with flavour. 

Serves 4-6

500g Gnocchi
250g Chestnut Mushrooms, quartered 

1 Large Onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves Crushed

200g Spinach, washed

Knob of Butter

75g Mature Cheese, grated

Salt and Pepper

1 tsp Fresh Thyme

Sauce

25g Butter

2 tbsp Plain Flour

400ml Whole Milk

Sprinkle of Nutmeg

250g Ricotta Cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan assisted. 

2. Fry the onion and garlic on a medium to low heat for 3-4 minutes or until the onions soften. Then add the mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes, stir regularly. Then add the thyme and cook for a further minute. Take off heat.

3. In a large pan, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk the flour to create a roux. gradually add the milk while whisking. It should be a thick sauce consistency. If too thick add more milk. Then add the ricotta. Mix on a low heat until combined. 

4. Gradually add the spinach about a handful at a time. When wilted add more spinach until you have used the 200g. Then add the Gnocchi to the pan. And heat through for a couple of minutes.

5. Add the contents of the frying pan to the large pan, add salt and pepper and give a good mix. Then pour into an oven proof dish. Add the grated mature cheese to the top. Put in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. 

Garden Birthday Cake

So it was my partners birthday on Friday so I wanted to make a special Birthday cake for him.

Makes 1 Cake


Chocolate Cake
100g Dark Chocolate (Used 70%)
3 Eggs
300g Caster Sugar
250ml Sunflower Oil
25g Cocoa Powder
250g Plain Flour
Splash of Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Nutella

Spinach Cake
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Lemons, juice and zest
3 tsp Baking Powder
180ml Olive Oil
300g Plain Flour
250g Caster Sugar
200g Spinach, pureed

Filling
250g Mascarpone

50ml Double Cream

2 tbsp Icing Sugar

Splash Lemon Juice
Nutella

Decoration
Toothpicks
Food Colouring
250g Ready Roll Icing
Writing Icing
Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160 fan assisted. Line 20cm Square Cake tins.

Making the Chocolate Cake

1. Put a pan over water over a hob and heat til it boils and reduce to a simmer. Put a large bowl on top and add the dark chocolate and allow to melt. Take off pan and leave to cool slightly.

2. When cooled enough add the sugar and give a good mix til the sugar and chocolate are combined. Then add the eggs, then the oil and mixing throughout.

3. Then add the flour, cocoa powder and lemon juice and mix well. When combined add the nutella, mix then pour in the cake tin

Spinach Cake

1. Mix the eggs and sugar til combined and then add the lemon juice and olive oil, give another mix. Add the flour, baking powder, and spinach. Then finally the vanilla. Mix throughout this process. This can be done in a food processor. Pour in the cake tin.

Put both tins in the oven for 45 - 50 minutes. Take out of the oven leave to cool before taking out of cake tins.

Filling

1. For the filling whisk the mascarpone with the double cream, icing sugar and lemon juice. . Then have the chocolate cake on the base, layer with nutella, cream then the spinach cake.

Decorate

To make the dirt effect breakup some chocolate cake. For the sugarcraft make sure you have icing sugar if the icing gets too sticky.

Sunflower
For these you need ready roll icing, yellow, brown and green food colouring and some toothpicks. Colour the icing with each colour. Wrap the green icing round the toothpick. For the flower, make a large yellow circle. Using a spoon press into it lightly around the edge to make a petal looking design. Have a smaller brown icing circle in the centre and poke with a toothpick.



Carrot Tops and Cabbage
You need green food colouring and ready roll icing. Mix the two. For the cabbage; shape into a small ball and cut another piece into three small triangles and place below the balls. For the Carrot tops, make 3 small sausage shapes and wrap round each other. Cover with the cake dirt.





Flower
For the flower that dots the I you need red pink food colouring and ready roll icing. Mix the colouring and icing til combined. With the ball of icing shave bits off with the tip of the spoon. Then layer  and eventually create a circular design. Smooth the bottom. Write the message using writing icing or piped icing and place the flower over the i.

Chicken Pilaf

This dish may not look glamorous but is a great midweek meal, only need one pan and contains about 2 of your 5 a day. Healthy food and less washing up!

Serves 2

1 Medium Onion, finely sliced
2 Chicken Breasts, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp Korma curry pasta
1 1/2 Mug of Basmati rice, washed
2 Mugs of frozen vegetables
1 Mug of frozen spinach
2 Mugs of chicken stock
1 tsp dried coriander

1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Fry the onions until soft. Throw in the chicken and fry until the chicken changes colour.

2. Add the curry paste and the rice to the pan. Cook for a minute.

3. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling reducing the heat and let it simmer. Cook for 10 minutes then add the frozen vegetables. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the frozen spinach and coriander, cook for another 5 minutes.

3. The liquid should have reduced and the rice would have cooked. Make sure while cooking this that you stir regularly otherwise it will stick to the pan. Season and serve.