Strawberries and Cream Scones (V)

I am here with a Summery baked good which can be enjoyed with tea or a nice cold glass of lemonade. Remember to stay hydrated this Summer.

Makes 10
400g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
100g Butter
200ml Milk
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Egg, beaten
Pinch of Salt
3 tbsp Icing Sugar
3 tbsp Caster Sugar

Filling
150ml Double Cream/Clotted Cream
200g Strawberries
Strawberry Jam

1. Preheat the oven to 220c/200c Fan assisted. Put a greaseproof paper on a baking tray. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix. Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar

2.  Make a well in the middle of the bowl. Warm the milk over the hob (Don't let it boil). Gradually mix the milk with the crumbs. If too sticky add more flour and if too dry add more milk.

3. Sprinkle flour on the work surface, rolling pin and hands. Then cover the dough with flour and begin to roll and then fold the dough over. Do this about 3 times so that dough is smooth. Then finally roll out the dough so its thick (probably about 3-4 cms).

4. Take a cutter, about 5-6cm in diameter (if you don't have one, use the rim of a large glass/wine glass). Cut them out and once you have cut as many as you can out roll the dough out again and repeat the process until you run out of dough.

5. Place the dough onto the baking tray with the greaseproof paper. Brush each of the pieces of dough with the beaten egg.

6. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes. The crumpets will have risen and will be golden on the top.

7. While leaving to cool, if using double cream, whisk the double cream until thick and add 2 teaspoons of icing sugar. Slice the strawberries into quarters.

8. When assembling a scone you the scone in half and layer with cream, strawberries and jam. Then sprinkle with icing sugar. Serve. 

Chicken and Pepper Stir Fry

Another quick and easy recipe, full of vegetables and plenty of flavour. Also has a bit of a kick to it. If you aren't into spicy food take the chilli out.

Serves 4

2/3 Chicken Breasts, cut into strips
1 Red Pepper, sliced
1 Green Pepper, sliced
1 Red Chilli, finely sliced
1 Broccoli, each florette quartered
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
4 Spring Onions, cut lengthways
6 Mushrooms, sliced
1 Onion, sliced
4 Nests of Medium Noodles
5 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Sesame seed oil
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Olive Oil

1. Add the olive oil to the Wok and put on a medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until the chicken is white on the outside, then add the peppers, garlic, broccoli, onion and mushrooms to the pan. Cook these until softened.

2. While this is being done, boil a pan of water and put the noodles in. Drain once they have cooked through.

3 Add the chilli and spring onions to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes. In a bowl add the soy sauce, sesame seed oil, cumin, ground coriander and stir.  Pour this into the wok and stir thoroughly so everything is covered and is heated through.

4. Add the noodles to the pan and stir thoroughly. Serve.

Greek Lamb Burgers

Easy to make and very tasty. They don't need any binding, just form it in the hands, fry and stack.


Makes 8 Burgers

600g Minced Lamb
6 Crusty Rolls
Wild Rocket
1 Red Onion, finely sliced
2 Tsp of Dried Lamb/Handful of Fresh Mint
75g Feta Cheese, crumbled
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

1. In a mixing bowl and mix the mint, seasoning and lamb in a bowl. Form into patties and place on a plate. They can be left overnight or frozen.

2. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Do the burgers in batches of 2. Fry on each side for about 5 minutes or until brown all around the burger. If you want a well done burger fry for longer.

3. Cut the rolls in half. Stack with the rocket, burger, feta, and red onion. Serve with salad and chips.

Banana Bread (V)

Here is a sweet one for you to sink your teeth into. Not much of a bread and more of a cake but all the same tastes delicious.

Makes 1 Loaf

140g butter , softened, plus extra for the tin
3 tbsp Golden Syrup
75g Macadamia Nuts
75g Caster sugar
2 large eggs , beaten
150g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 very ripe bananas, 2 mashed and 1 sliced


1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan. Butter a 2lb loaf tin and line the base and sides with baking paper

2. Cream the butter, sugar and golden syrup until light and fluffy. Add eggs with a little flour. Fold in the remaining flour, baking powder, bananas and nuts.

3. Pour into the tin and add sliced bananas on top of the mixture. 

4. Bake for about 30 mins until a skewer can come out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then remove to a wire rack. Then leave to cool for a further half an hour.

Italian Bread (V)

I haven't baked much bread before so I thought I would give it a go. I wanted to make this one a bit different. I had some olives and Sundried tomatoes left over and thought they should go in and eventually it turned into something delicious.

Makes 1 Loaf

500g Strong White Flour
2 Sachets of Yeast
300ml Warm Water
75g Sundried Tomatoes, quartered
100g Green Olives, quartered
100g Black Olives, quartered
Drizzling of Olive Oil
Few Sprigs of Rosemary
Salt and Pepper

1. Add the flour, yeast, salt and pepper to the bowl. Stir it all together. Create a well at the bottom of the mixing bowl.

2. Gradually add the water into the well in the mixing bowl and stir as you go along. It will become doughy then you will be able to kneed the dough. If the dough is too dry; add more water and if its too wet; add more flour.

3. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Personally I find it quite relaxing and is a good way to relieve stress. Put cling film over the bowl and leave for about an hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 220/200 fan assisted. After leaving the dough to rise its time to add the olives, tomatoes and olive oil. You begin by flattening the bread out and putting about a third of the olives and tomatoes onto the dough. Then you begin to knead so the ingredients mix into the dough. Continue doing this until your out of olives and tomatoes.

5. Add olive oil to the dough and knead in. Begin to shape the dough into a long cylinder shape (See below). Add the rosemary sprigs to the top of the dough and make 3 cuts along the top. Sprinkle with a bit of flour and put in the over for 35 minutes.

Tip:

• Dip in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
• Want to give your bruschetta that bit more depth, toast the bread and top with the tomatoes, red onions etc.
• Makes lovely bread for sandwiches and adds that extra flavour. 
• The oil from the olives and Sundried tomatoes can be used on the bread instead of using olive oil. 

Spicy Bean, Mushroom and Pepper Quesadillas (V)

2 Vegetarian Dishes in a row.... Wow I am on a roll. This one is Mexican in origin with plenty of spice and flavour. Have it as a main meal with some rice, guacamole and sour cream or for lunch

Serves: 4
Dash of Olive Oil
1 Onion, finely sliced
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
1 Red Pepper, diced
5-6 Mushrooms, sliced
Coriander, roughly torn
100g Cheese
Can of Red Kidney Beans
Can of Pinto Beands
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Chilli Powder
8 Tortillas
Salt and Pepper
200ml Salsa, Plus Extra
Guacamole (Or Make Own Here)
Sour Cream

1. Heat the oil in the frying pan. Fry the peppers and mushrooms in the pan for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2.  Add extra oil if it needs it. Add the onions and garlic to the pan until they begin to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the paprika, cumin and chilli powder and stir in. Add the beans with a dash of water and heat through for about 5 minutes. Get a masher and mash the beans, onions and garlic together. Taste and Season. Mix with the pepper and mushrooms.

3. Take a tortilla and spread the bean mix on the tortilla. Add a bit of salsa to the top. Add the cheese and coriander. Top with another tortilla. Wipe the frying pan and dry fry the tortilla on each side for a couple of minutes. Repeat this 3 times. Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Root Vegetable and Lentil Curry (V)

So I am in this expert patient programme and one of the task I set myself was to cook healthier this week. So here it is a curry with I don't know how many of my fruit and vegetables for the day.

Serves 4

Vegetable Oil
600g Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into chunks
3 Parsnips, peeled and sliced
3 Carrots, peeled and sliced
750ml Vegetable Stock
1 Onion, finely sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
250 g Low Fat Yoghurt
1 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tbsp Curry Powder (strength- Personal preference)
Naan Bread
150g Red Lentils
Fresh Coriander

1. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until softened. Add the carrots, parsnips and sweet potato to the pan and fry for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the curry powder, turmeric, ground coriander and ginger to the pan and stir in. Continuously stir over the heat for about 2 minutes. Add the stock and lentils to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat. Cover and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. The sauce should reduce and thicken and the vegetables should be tender.

3. Add the yoghurt to the pan and heat through for about 5 minutes. Stir in the coriander and serve with the naan bread.