One – Mix Carrot Cake with Orange and Cream Cheese Frosting

Caring for Mummy

When mummy is not feeling well I automatically take on the added responsibility of looking after her.   It is so worrying when she doesn’t feel good so making her a lovely cake is my way of saying get well soon.  Obviously I don’t bake cakes when her tummy is upset but this cake is lovely for a lazy day in when recovering from a headache. I did not make the cake batter too heavy and just focused on the sweetness of the carrots. The icing was a nightmare to get right but I did the best I could and it ended up okay.  I got to use another cookbook too which I recently purchased so was happy.  Hurrah!

This recipe was taken from John Whaite’s John Whaite Bakes (Headline Publishing Group, 2013).

Ingredients:

Cake: 220ml sunflower oil, 225g caster sugar, 4 eggs, 225g self – raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 200g finely grated carrot, 2 tsps mixed spice, zest one large onion, zest of one lemon.
Frosting: 80g butter, 450g icing sugar (sifted), orange zest, walnut halves to finish.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C.
2. Put in all the ingredients for the cake in a large mixing bowl.
3. Using a wooden spoon beat the ingredients altogether.
4. Divide between the 2 tins to bake for 30 – 40 minutes.
5. When golden brown and springy to the touch remove from the oven to cool on wire racks.
6. To make the icing put the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter as through you were making a crumble mix.
7. Add the cream cheese and orange zest to make a smooth frosting.
8. Using the frosting to sandwich the layers of the cake and as a topping.
9. Decorate with walnut halves.

Popeye’s Juice

Juicing

I am actually really enjoying this juicing thing.  I have been well and truly cheating and using only fruits and vegetables that I like.  However, it has been fun.  I have been adding more vitamins into my diet and when you make the juice it whizzes in the blender and the blitzing makes me happy.  Yeah such is my life.  Finding happy time wherever and whenever.  This juice is seriously tangy on the tongue.  The pineapple is a serious palette cleanser.  I would drink this alone because it’s going to be hard to taste your food after.

This recipe was taken from Fern Green’s Green Juices and Smoothies (Hamlyn, 2015).

Ingredients:

3 handfuls of spinach, 1/3 pineapple, 2 handfuls raspberries, 100ml coconut water.

Method:

Blend up and drink up

Turkey & Red Onion Sandwiches

Onion difference

Red onions taste completely different to white onions used for the bases of soups.  One does not simply use a red onion without acknowledging its distinct taste.  This is an awesome sandwich and cannot be used with any onion other than a red one.  It’s just forbidden.  And the onion has to be crunchy and still have a juiciness to it. The sandwich does not take that more effort and is more satisfying than an overpriced subway with no points.

This was adapted from Silvana Franco’s The Really Useful Ultimate Student Cookbook (Murdoch Books, 2007).

Ingredients:

2 tbsps olive oil, 2 red onions (thinly sliced), 1 garlic (peeled and chopped), seasoning, turkey strips, 60g mozzarella

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions and garlic and cook very gently.
2.  After a few minutes add the turkey and season well.
3. Add the the filling to sandwich between the bread and sprinkle cheese over the filling too let it melt.
4. Season to taste.

Coconut Kale

Coconuts and Beaches

Very soon I will be heading back to barbados and I wanted to start getting used to the taste of coconut water again.  It has this sickly taste if you drink to much.  Straight from the coconut the sap is just gooey and a little overwhelming.  This juice makes it easier to handle and it is full of vitamins.  It is super thick so add more coconut water to get a better consistency.

This was adapted from Fern Green’s Green Juices and Smoothies (Hamlyn, 2015).

Ingredients:

2 handfuls of kale, 1 banana, 1/3 pineapple, 300ml coconut water.

Method:

Blend all of the ingredients together.

Spinach Fritters

Quick Snack

This is a nice vegetarian snack it is easy, quick and gets rid of the wilted spinach you don’t want to use in a smoothie.

This recipe was taken from Silvana Franco’s The Really Useful Ultimate Student Cookbook (Murdoch Books, 2007).

Ingredients:

1 egg, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, pinch of nutmeg, 2 tbsps Parmesan cheese, seasoning, 350g spinach (chopped), 45g fresh breadcrumbs, olive oil for frying.

Method:

1. Beat together the egg, chilli, nutmeg, Parmesan and seasoning.
2. Mix with spinach and breadcrumbs and shape into round patties.
3. Heat a little oil in the frying pan and cook fritters for about 4 minutes on each side until crisp and golden.

Tropical Cabbage

Cabbage/ Pointless Salad

I hate pathetic pointless side salads.  Plate decoration is a waste of food and it tastes plain and pathetic! I hate side salad, always have always will.  If you are going to make a salad then make it worthwhile, grated carrot, raisins, seasoning, anything! Just a piece of cabbage with tomatoes! It’s just… arghhhhh! So I found a way to make use of cabbage and lettuce.  A use for leaves!  Vegetarians Unite!  We don’t have to eat crappy salad anymore!

This recipe was taken from Fern Green’s Green Juices and Smoothies (Hamlyn, 2015).

Ingredients:

1/2 small green cabbage (with the end bit cut off), 1/3 pineapple,  mangoes (peeled and de stoned), a thumb of ginger (peeled and chopped), 1 tsp honey, 100ml peach juice.

Method:

Blend everything together, the juice should be sweet enough without needing any extra honey.

Seabass

Cookery School

I have finally started cooking from how to books.  Masterchef has started again and I am more than determined again to start learning the basics.  I may be boring and seem tiresome,  but I am sure it is how I can be a better cook. With a good foundation anything is possible and this time I learnt how to make a perfectly cooked seabass.  It’s not the best meal in the world but it sure is tasty and satisfying.  Corrigan’s tip is that undercooking is better than over cooking.

This recipe was taken from Richard Corrigan’s Cookery School (Penguin Books, 2011).

Ingredients:

50g butter, 2 tbsps olive oil, 2 shallots (peeled and finely chopped), 2 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed), sea bass (skin on and scored).

Method:

1. Heat a large frying pan and put in 30g butter and 1 tbsp of oil.
2. Once hot add the shallots and cook over a low medium heat for 3 minutes.
3. When softened add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
4. Cook the sea bass on both sides for 3 minutes.
5. Serve with chosen sides.

Saffy’s Serving Suggestions:

1. Roast potatoes
2. Sauteed Mushrooms
3. Mash potatoes and wilted spinach.

Method:

Lentils Shepherd’s Pie

Heart of the Home

Nigella was absolutely right that the kitchen is the heart of the home.  Not only does food bring people together but it makes you feel better too.  My mummy has not been feeling very well and I couldn’t risk making anything that had too many different flavours and may unsettle the stomach.  This shepherd’s pie has a lot of good nutrients and has enough flavour to keep you satisfied but not overwhelm you.

This recipe was taken from Silvana Franco’s The Really Useful Ultimate Student Cookbook (Murdoch Books, 2007).

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 onion (finely chopped), 1 carrot (finely diced), 250g tinned browned lentils (drained, do not use dry), 450ml vegetable stock, 500g potatoes (peeled and sliced into chunks, trust me it’s worth the effort), 2 tbsps milk, small knob of butter, 1 tbsp mixed herbs, salt and pepper, 2 tomatoes (skinned and diced), 60g frozen peas, 1 tsp dried parsley.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat.
2. Fry the onion and carrot for 5 minutes until softened.
3. Add the lentils and stock, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes until tender.
4. In the meantime cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender.
5. Drain well and mash with the milk, butter and seasoning to taste.
6. Pre heat the oven to 220 degrees C.
7. Stir in the tomatoes, peas and parsley into the lentils and simmer together, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
8. Season to taste and spoon into an oven proof dish.
9. Top with the mash potato and smooth down with the back of a fork.
10. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown and heated through.

Hot Baked potato filled with Garlic Butter

Pure Garlic

Mummy wanted to roast a load of garlic and eat it because it is apparently good for you.  She says it’s delicious but I can think of better things to do with the garlic at dinner time,  which also involves using up some of the damn potatoes.  What is it with mothers and potatoes?  First Marge Simpson then my mummy.  How are they neat?

This recipe was taken from Silvana Franco’s The really Useful Ultimate Student Cookbook (Murdoch Books, 2007).

Ingredients:

1 hot baked potato, 30g butter, 2 garlic cloves (crushed), 2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method:

1. Cut a large cross into the potato and squeeze the potato to open it out.
2. Beat the butter with a wooden spoon to soften it then stir in the garlic, parsley, a little salt and black pepper.
3. When well mixed spoon the mixture inside the potato and serve.

Classic Baked Potato

Mummy and her potatoes

My mummy purchased a little more potatoes than expected on her shopping trip.  We had a bit of a potato frenzy and aside from Shepherd’s pie I was making roast potatoes, baked potatoes, potato soup.  Well… at least we were not hungry.  And grateful I am a good enough cook where it is impossible for me to mess up a potato.

This recipe was taken from Silvana Franco’s The Really Useful Ultimate Student Cookbook (Murdoch Books, 2000).

Ingredients:

1 large potato, a small knob of butter, salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

2. Scrub the potato in clean cold water and pat dry.

3. Pierce the potato a few times with a fork.

4. Place directly on the ove shelf and bake for an hour until soft.

5. Cut open and serve with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2.