Midnight Fruit Cake

I seriously pick the weirdest time to do things. While listening too Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1, i felt the need for cake and so… i baked one.

I was going to bake on anyway tomorrow but couldn’t wait so got out my baking things and set too.

Ingredients:

300g Mixed dried fruit

100g Flaked almonds

200g White rice flour

1 tbs of baking powder

1 1sp of Xantham gum

50g soya butter

1/4 pint of water (could use orange juice)

2 eggs

 

Simply combine all the ingredients and bake on a medium temp for about 20 minutes. Done. I could go into exacting detail but it really is that easy and it’s midnight lol

 

Salmon Delight!

This has to be the best meal ever to eat after working out and the simplest one to make. I’ve just been on a moderate 5 mile bike ride which doesn’t seem very far however to those who know Nottingham, you will understand the perilous hills which intersect our fair city.

My gym is closed at the minute and thus for a next couple of days im going to hit the pavement and put my bike to far better use then i have been. It was great to get out on the road and after having a massage yesterday it was almost easy.

Anyway, after i returned home i was naturally famished and needed to foody goodness. On my journey i popped to the supermarket and picked up a few bits and one of these was asparagus. I have had this many times before and enjoyed it but never myself cooked it. I knew i had some salmon at home and banged the two together.

I lightly boiled the asparagus for about 8 minutes, microwaved my salmon in a bowl with a little water so it was almost poached (which seriously is the best way to cook it) and after the asparagus was done i plated it up using the water to poach (badly) two eggs from my uncles chickens! Rock salt, cracked black pepper… BOOM! Blooming delicious, full of protein and the perfect post workout meal!

 

Butterbean Bake

I can’t take all the credit for this one. My friend Kerry got my onto this and I’ve been addicted since. SO easy to make, tastes amazing, is cheap and is your 5 a day in 1!

Ingredients:

2 cans of chopped tomatoes
1 can of butter beans
1 small sweet potato
1 large onion (red or white)
Hand-full of mushrooms (any verity)
1 green chilli
1 courgette
1 tbs of dried sage
1 tbs of dried basil
Grated cheese for the topping

Simply chop all the veg into bite size pieces, mix in a bowl with the toms, butter beans and herbs.

Add to baking dishes and bake on a medium heat for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes top with grated cheese and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Serve either on it’s own, with salad or if your feeling naughty with some garlic bread!

My two smaller ones I’ll use for lunch at work!

Enjoy!

Thats my lunch right there!!! Amazing!

Thai Noodle Soup

This is a simple soup made from the left overs of my lime and lemongrass roast chicken.

Ingredients:

2 roasted onions

4 roasted garlic cloves

3 spring onions

1 hand full of sugar-snap peas

1 fresh red chilli

100g fresh ginger

5 small mushrooms

125g fresh rice noodles

100g chicken

1 pint of chicken stock (fresh or from cube)

(My stock was infused with lime and lemongrass from my lime & lemongrass roast chicken. If you are making this without having roasted the chicken then add the juice of 3 limes and crush the stems of 3 lemongrass shoots. The lemongrass shoots should be removed from the pan before eaten. You just want to allow the flavor to infuse the dish)

Step 1:

Fry off the onions, garlic, spring onions, mushrooms, chili and ginger in a small amount of oil.

Step 2:

Add the chicken. Iif uncooked then cube, add to the pan and cook off for 3-4 minutes. I used some from my roast chicken.

Step 3:

Add the stock, bring to the boil and add the noodles/ sugar-snap peas. Let this simmer for 2-3 minutes and your done!

6 Minute Soup

This 6 minute soup is so delicious that you will wonder why you ever buy soup in the supermarket at all!

Ingredients:

1 Large flat mushroom
1 onion
1 red chilli
1 hand full of sugar-snap peas
50g fresh ginger
Half a bag of microwave brown rice
Chicken stock cube (either shop bought or homemade)
1 pint of boiling water
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1 chicken breast diced (small)
Juice of 1 lime
2 cloves of garlic

Fry off the chicken in a little rice bran oil adding the chopped garlic, ginger, onion, mushroom and chilli. This should only take 4 minutes (ish) depending on the chicken. Just make sure that is fully cooked.

Add in the sugar-snap peas, rice, lime juice, water and stock cube. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Individual Ginger & Lime Cakes

This has been quite the week for baking. Banana muffins, blueberry muffins and now Ginger & Lime cakes!

I wasn’t too sure how these were going to turn out as I totally made the recipe up lol but I gotta say… They are amazing! Even if I do say so myself.

So easy easy to make, taste delicious and as always wheat & gluten free!

Ingredients:

225g rice flour
100g wheat free oats
1 heaped tbs of baking powder
2 tbs of honey
2 tbs rice bran oil (vegetable oil would be fine)
50g of chopped dried pineapple
3 tbs of dried ginger
80 – 100g of fresh ginger (grated)
1 egg
1/2 pint water
1 tbs of vanilla extract

For the frosting:

250g mascarpone
150g cream cheese
2 limes (juice and rind)
1 lemon (juice and rind)
3 tbs of sweetener (not essential)
Crystallised ginger (for decoration)

Step 1

Combine all the dry ingredients including the fresh ginger and pineapple. Then add the egg, oil and vanilla mixing until everything is combined.

Step 2

Add the water in stages. A little at first then keep adding until the mixture resembles a thick batter. The whole half pint may not be needed.

Step 3

Spoon into muffin cases or as I did here, I bought some square cardboard cake cups. It’s Easter and I was feeling fancy!

You wanna bake these for about 15 – 20 minutes on gas mark 4, 350 fahrenheit or 180 celsius.

Step 4

While these are baking mix together the cream cheese, mascarpone, juice of two limes, 1 lemon and the rind of both.

You can add sweetener or even icing sugar to sweeten it up but I haven’t and don’t think it’s essential.

Step 5

Once the cakes are cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Once cooled, lather with the frosting, grate over some lime rind and top with a piece of crystallised ginger!

Cuppa tea and your good to go!

Blueberry Muffins

When I was at Uni two of my housemates Sam and Kev had a crafty nack of getting me to cook them all manor of meals and desserts at the drop of a hat.

‘Betting’ that I wouldn’t be able to make a whole list of things they knew I would prove them wrong lol Frankly they lived like kings haha

Obviously I loved it, however I fear they have imparted this canny method to my work colleagues. I took some of my banana muffins in to work today and they were curious as to what tomorrows batch should be lol Blueberry or lemon and poppy seed were their preferences. I had some blueberries needed using up… So, here we are!

These literally took me 5 minutes to throw together and 15 to bake.

Ingredients:

1 tub of blueberries
225g brown rice flour
100g wheat free oats
2 tbs of honey
1 heaped tbs of baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup of water or orange juice
2 tbs of rice bran or vegetable oil

Combine all the dry ingredients, add the honey, egg, oil and the water. Mix well and the blueberries.

When adding the water be cautious not to add too much. You don’t want the mixture too runny.

Spoon into cake cases, sprinkle with a few more oats and bake for 15 minutes.

Turkey Chilli

Yet another simple, quick and healthy meal to end the day.

This recipe makes rather a lot lol enough for 2 meals and then at least 2/3 lunch’s for the rest of the week.

Ingredients:

630g Turkey mince
2 medium onions
10 button mushrooms
2 small red peppers
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
2 tbs of tomato purée
1 small red chill
2 tbs of chilli powder (or as much/ little as you like)

A bunch of lettuce leaves instead of tortilla wraps (though you could use them, but as I’m on a wheat and gluten free diet lettuce leaves are great for wrapping).

Cheese and sour cream for toppings.

Step 1

Simply chop up all the veg and fry in a little oil. Once softened, add the turkey mince and cook till browned.

Step 2

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and cook for about 5/6 minutes.

Plate up with lots of lettuce and created cheese! BOOM! Enjoy.

Quick Lunch

How something so simple can be so tasty is beyond me. This meal took me all of 60 seconds to prepare, 20 minutes to cook and about another 60 seconds to eat lol

Simply quarter 3 small sweet potatoes, drizzle over a little oil (I’m on a rice bran kick at the minute), pinch of sea salt, pepper, mixed herbs and bake along side your meat of choice.

I had some thin turkey fillets but salmon or cod would be perfect. Season and bake the whole lot for about 20 minutes.

Serve simply as it is with a table spoon of pesto on top on your meat. I had some of my home made pesto left over from yesterday which was seriously delicious… Even if I do say so myself!

… Make extra and take it to work for lunch tomorrow! Enjoy!

Pastry Free Quiche

Sometimes it’s such a chore to make breakfast. All you wanna do is grab something quick and be on your way. On a high protein diet I don’t always have time to make an omelette or scrambled eggs. Though both quick you still have to chop, whisk, fry… and at 6 in the morning this is just a chore!

These tarts or pastry free quiches are simple, tasty and packed with protein. If not for breakfast then you could eat two for lunch with some salad or even take them on a picnic… When summer finally arrives lol

Ingredients:

6 large eggs
1 large chicken breast
1 red onion
5 mushrooms

Step 1

Chop the chicken, onion and mushrooms into small pieces. Fry in a little oil until cooked.

Step 2

Whisk up your eggs until nice and fluffy.

Step 3

Add the cooked mixture to a tart tray, cover with the whisked eggs and season with plenty of cracked black pepper!

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the egg is firm and your good to go!

As a quick tasty snack, breakfast on the go or with salad for lunch, this is the perfect quick fix!