Posh Nosh Fish & Chips

“I want to make him something interesting but not too out there that he will hate it.”

Dear Kamaria’s Kitchen,

My husband’s favourite food is fish & chips.  We have a really bad diet but I really want to make small changes so we can set a better example for our kids.  If it’s not fish & chips it’s Indian curries and pizza.  I would say we live on a popular British diet – cheap and cheerful, no posh nosh for us.  Please may I have fish and chips recipe that is healthy but not too far fetched.  I know that when we go to different restaurants he tends to stick to the basics and food that is familiar, pub grub that sort of thing.  Also could you please make the recipe something appealing to children as well.   

Dear Runaway Chippy,

I think it is noble that you are trying to set a better example for your children and it does not help when your spouse is a picky eater and not necessarily open to new things.  Small steps tend to lead to the greatest improvements and re inventing fast food meals are often the best way to cut down on fatty foods.  The recipe I have for you I think will work well for a weekday meal and I have made two variations one for your husband and another for your children (which is more delicate to their taste buds as it will lack the heat from the chilli).  You expressed an interest in spicy foods so I have incorporated some heat with the fish.  I have not strayed too far from the classic fish & chips and have suggested using less than 5% fat oven chips to eat with the fish as it will incorporate less fat and taste more like a “real potato”.  I have chosen a different kind of fish from the usual cod and have swapped the batter for a lovely home made crust.

I have included chilli in the crust for you and your husband, not only is the heat a nice touch but also supposedly helps to reduce weight loss.  Not to mention my fish will have way more flavour than a battered cod.  The fish I have chosen is fresh salmon, full of vitamins and the good fatty acids of Omega – 3.  I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe.

My food was so delicious I started eating before I took the picture. 

Recipe (serves 5):

1. Heat a tbsp oil in a frying pan.
2. Fry 1 large onion (chopped) until softened.
3. In a bowl mix 100g breadcrumbs with 1 tbsp of lemon juice, 3 tsps fresh parsley (chopped), 2 tsps fresh thyme, 1 tsp dried herbs.
4. Add the onion to the bowl.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. First divide the mixture into the necessary amount to top the fresh salmon fillets.
7.  Make your children’s fish first then place on an oven tray lined with tin foil.
8. Add 1 tsp paprika and 2 tsps hot chilli flakes to the remaining mixture.
9. Spread on top of the remaining fillets.
10. Place these fillets on the tray as well remembering which is which.
11. Drizzle a little olive oil over the fillets.
12. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 140 degrees C.

Saffy’s Salmon Tips:

1. You can buy the fresh salmon fillets at your local fishmonger pre boned and to the size of your choosing.
2. The salmon will be cooked when the meat is slightly flaked.
3. Keep a eye on your oven as a hot oven will cook the salmon very quickly.

Beat The Beetroot

“I really hate vegetables!”

Dear Kamaria’s Kitchen,

I have been challenging myself to eat different kinds of food because after watching this show called ‘Freaky Eaters’ and I honestly think I have a problem.  At university my diet was atrocious so now I want to try new things to see if I can give myself a bit of a range.  I don’t think it is fair that I should give up my fast food completely and  I am not a fan of cooking either.  Cooking is meant to be fun but so far I have been trying salads with my usual pizza and chips but I hate vegetables.  I really hate vegetables.  I have been looking at Kamaria’s Kitchen to try and find recipes which use vegetables but the thing is I don’t really want to taste the vegetables.  Veg like beetroot I want to know how to use but what I hate about that the most is when the juices run on the plate and touch the rest of my food.  At least other vegetables stay in one place.  So can you help me with my beetroot problem?

Dear Fast Junk Food Junkie,

I think it is fantastic you are daring to try new foods, especially by varying the types of nutrients you are eating.  Although fats are important for our diet, too much can really clog up your arteries and although you may not necessarily seem overweight the damage done to your inside is far worse as you may not be aware of the effects of a bad diet before it’s too late.  We all have our comfort food and I think you are absolutely right not to give up on what makes you happy.  I encourage you to search through my recipe archives to find some recipes that are agreeable with you, recipes which do not take you too far from your comfort zone to scare you aware but also teach you the basics of cooking.  I recommend my pasty recipes and my omelette recipes.  Both meals are great for packing in great ingredients plus you can add enough extras to enhance the flavours of the new found foods.  Beetroot is a very difficult vegetable but I do thank you for the challenge.  The only thing I like about beetroot is the colour, the taste is just disgusting.  However,  I have conjured up a recipe for you that I will you will enjoy.  You can also share this recipe with friends which will help reduce the fear levels of trying something new.  Cooking should be fun, it may not be your passion but I hope you do get some satisfaction from cooking your own food and knowing exactly what is in it.

The recipe I have made is a beetroot cake.  Cake is always a big hit and if I were you I would bake the cake and then challenge your friends or family to guess the main ingredient.  It will be a nice surprise and a good laugh. It isn’t nice that I am dissing beetroot so much because the health benefits are very good.  Beetroot contains potassium, antioxidants and effectively lowers your blood pressure and helps your blood flow.  Therefore, this vegetable would be very helpful to someone who has been on a high fat diet.  Search beetroot on Kamaria’s Kitchen to find more juices and beetroot recipes to make for yourself.

It looks like chocolate and tastes just as good as a quick chocolate sponge.

Recipe & Method:

1. Wash and trim 250g beetroot.
2. Put the beetroot in a large saucepan and cover with 2cm water.
3. Bring to the boil then cover and leave to simmer for 30 – 40 minutes until just tender.
4. Line a deep rectangular cake tin or a 9 inch round tin.
5. Sieve 50g dark cocoa powder, 175g plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder into a large bowl.
6. Mix in 200g caster sugar.
7. Drain the beetroot and blend in a food processor.
8. Put the beetroot in another medium bowl, break in 3 eggs and pour in 200ml sunflower oil.
9. Beat the wet mixture well until smooth.
10. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
11. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes at 180 degrees C.
12. Remove from the oven and set aside from 10 minutes.

Saffy’s Baking Tips:

• Make sure the temperature is not too low otherwise the cake mixture will be to doughy and/ or collapse.
• Do not leave the cake in the pan after baking for too long.

Tagliatelle with butternut & blue cheese

Robust Pasta

I had not had pasta in a very long time and I wanted my first pasta dish of the year to be a Nigella recipe.  Nigella’s pasta meals are wholesome, delicious and clever enough to share with guests.  It is all about balance with this dish, so keep tasting as it includes blue cheese which is extremely strong.  Also there is no heavy sauce so the seasoning must be added carefully.  The addition of pine nuts was a very nice addition, the only thing I changed was adding fresh basil and dried sage rather than fresh sage.  I think the dish was sophisticated but simple and easy enough for a weekday meal.

This recipe was taken from Nigella Lawson’s Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the heart of the home (Chatto & Windus, 2014).

Tagliatelle with butternut squash & blue cheese

Ingredients:

Sprinkle the blue cheese when pasta is complete and let it melt.

800g butternut squash (peeled & cubed), 1 large onion (peeled & chopped finely), 2tbsps olive oil, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1tbsp unsalted butter, 125ml water, salt to taste, 100g pine nuts, 500g tagliatelle, 6 fresh basil leaves, 125g soft blue cheese.

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil gently in a pan and then fry the onion until soft and golden.
2. Add the paprika to the onion.
3. Add the butternut squash and butter and mix well.
4. Once mixed well add the water.
5. When the pan comes to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes until tender.
6. Start cooking the pasta.
7. Briefly toast the pine nuts until dark gold on a pan.
8. Set the squash and onion aside.
9. Mix with the herbs and season to taste.
10. Drain the pasta and mix with the squash and then add the toasted pine nuts.
11. Add the blue cheese and toss like a salad.
12. Serve when well mixed.

Dream Diet Drink

“I’m addicted to fizzy drinks I need an alternative for partying.”

Dear Kamaria’s Kitchen,

I am a very social person and like to hold house parties and do a lot of “get togethers”.  My problem is that I am addicted to fizzy drinks,  I love them mixed with alcohol but I am on a diet which means I can’t take in as much fizzy drinks as I want.  I need to loose weight so I can fit into my super hot bikini but not too much because I like a bit of meat. Infact I have decided to give up fizzy drinks altogether this year can you mix up a party inspired drink or recommend any beverage that can combat my fizzy drink addiction?

Dear Ms Lady who wants to keep it popping without the fun stopping,

I have a great alternative to fizzy drinks which has all the good sugars and allows you to include alcohol.  I have gone for a tropical inspired drink as the ingredients are associated with an irie vibe and has a sophisticated after taste which will be a nice surprise to a standard smoothie.  You can serve this recipe as drinks to friends, which means you won’t feel left out if some decide to opt for a fizzy drink.  Not to mention this drink is sexy so at least your body will feel as good as you want it to be.

Feel free to be creative and come up with new combinations, but I must urge you to drink responsibly for though I am a fan of rum I am not one for abusing the body with too much of a likely dangerous substance, so please be aware that this particular drink is for special occasions.

Recipe & Method:

1. Get your blender out and put on some calypso!  This will make a good jugful
2. Chop up 2 bananas and plop them in the blender.
3. Wash a handful of basil leaves, chop them and scatter them in the blender in a really ostentatious way.  This isn’t a diet drink it’s a sexy drink!
4. Open up a can of 150g chopped peaches in their juice and add.
5. As the last of the juice drips down the blender do the same with half a chopped mango.  Make sure the skin is off.
6. Save the other half of the mango for a sexy eating game with friends or as a snack.
7. Add 2 tsps of water.
8. Get ready for it!
9. 3 tbsps of clear rum!  I said 3!
10. Put the cover on the blender… Just reminding you in case you took a swig and are feeling a little forgetful.
11. Blend all of the ingredients together.
12. Pour into a jug and serve chilled.

I like turtles.

Saffy’s Juicing & Dieting Tips:

• I recommend the juicing technique because it provides a lot of natural sugars BUT… the acids from acidic fruits such as oranges can cause further damage to the teeth like fizzy drinks so try drinking through a straw.
• Do not use juicing as a substitute for meals unless the smoothie or juice has the nutrients which make up for the recommended daily intake.  Vitamin C is great but what about the other vitamins? To loose weight you need a balanced diet and exercise.
• Juicing does not mean you should stop drinking water.  Add water to some of your juices to loosen them up and use vegetables like cucumber with a high water content.
• Last but not least, you declared that you wanted to give up fizzy drinks completely and though it is good to give up a bad habit making these sorts of decisions may be your downfall if you find it too difficult.  Take little steps and give up things weekly or monthly rather than an outright year otherwise it is all you’ll be thinking about.

Disclaimer:  The sender’s personal details have been withheld.  Their age and dietary requirements have been identified so the recipe is suited to them.  Please drink responsibly and seek medical advice before dieting.

Tiny Steps & Cupcakes

“I really really want to eat cupcakes but the butter scares me and the sugar.”

Dear Kamaria’s Kitchen,

I have always loved baking and I used to bake cakes with my mum but when I went to university my mum died and I became an anorexic.  Coping was so hard and I basically had to get away from everything and controlling my eating was basically a coping mechanism.  I am trying to get better but desserts and baking cake is the hardest thing still.  Do you have any recipes or techniques that could help me?  Whenever I look in a cookbook I am either happy or sad and can never bring myself to actually make anything.  My sister wants to help me but I start freaking out when she talks about baking.  Any help would be nice.

Dear Brave & Keen Baker,

First and foremost I would like to congratulate you on writing to  me and taking the right steps to getting better.  You have identified your struggle and you are seeking help which is absolutely amazing so well done you.  People do not realise how hard this is so I hope you are proud of this achievement.

The recipe I have made for you not only has a reduced amount of butter and sugar by incorporating fresh fruit,  but I have also added a fun element which will hopefully not make the butter seem so daunting.  Using fresh fruit is great because not only is it nourishing but it reduces the “sell by date”.  This means you do not have to worry about having cake around your kitchen for very long which may make you feel uncomfortable however, it will also encourage you and company to eat when ready.  I really hope you enjoy these making these cakes and I do hope you let me know how you get on.

Recipe & Method:

1. Mash up two ripe bananas to Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat IT’, or another funky song with the same sort of message.
2. Add 80g softened unsalted butter and 60g caster sugar.
3. Add 2 drops of food colouring in a wacky colour. Mix well so the butter, sugar and bananas are unrecognizable.
4. Sieve in 125g of self raising flour and a tsp of baking powder.
5. Mix well then add a splash of milk to loosen up the mixture.
6. The size of the cupcakes is totally up to you, just remember that the smaller they are the shorter the time it will take for them to cook. If you fill just over half of the cupcake holders (about 6 -7) in a cupcake tin this will take about 25 minutes to bake at 180 degrees C.
7. When firm to the touch wait for the cakes to cool.
8. Sit down with your sister and think about happy memories with your mother and new memories you will make in the kitchen during your progress.
9. Take as long as you want to eat the cupcakes, smile and enjoy.  Your body is wonderful and needs nourishment to survive.  Please take  comfort in knowing this homemade cupcake will do you more good than harm.  And… If you need to listen to some MJ again.  MJ always helps.

Cuppycakes

A few cooking tips for people suffering from anorexia.

• Cooking to music can help alleviate anxiety.  Try not to get too carried away though in Kamaria’s Kitchen cake batter always ends up on the floor when Afrobeats comes on the radio.
• Inviting loved ones to eat with you can encourage a less stressful atmosphere and help you get through the first few mouthfuls.
• Set aside a good amount of time, possibly an extra 30 minutes to the time allocated in the recipe books.  The extra time will allow you to focus on your positive attentions and allow you to take time out if you feel pressured.