Halloween Pumpkins

Halloween Festivals have become very popular throughout the country so why don’t you get into the spirit with pumpkins foods that are typically served through Halloween & Harvest Time thanksgiving...

There are so many varieties of pumpkins available, and many ways to use them, for example..

· Make a delicious soup - traditional heart warming pumpkin & potato soup variations sprinkling a little nutmeg or how about spicing it up with chilli, coriander & coconut milk...

· Roast pumpkin as a side dish – cut pumpkin in half scoop out the seeds, chop into large sized chunks drizzle with olive oil, pop onto a baking tray in a preheated oven for 15 mins or until tender.

· Creamy Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Mash – cut pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, quarter and peel. Chop into bite sized cubes. Peel sweet potato cut same sized as pumpkin, steam for 15 mins or until tender. Mash until smooth with 2 tbls of warmed cream & salt & pepper

· Make a delicious risotto w roast Pumpkin, fresh sage, mushroom & parmesan

· Add cubed pumpkin to a veggie curry in lieu of potatoes.

· Delicious in pasta, or risotto dishes, roast first in peeled cubes drizzled with olive oil..

· Small varieties include the Orange Minikin, Golden Nugget & Gem Squash are delicious roasted whole or stuffed with rice, nuts & spinach..

Baked pumpkin with penne & basil butter

Serves 4

1kg pumpkin

100g real butter

600g penne pasta

80g pinenuts

45g ¾ cup shredded basil

4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

1. Cut pumpkin into big bite size pieces, place on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and cook @ 220 until tender…

2. Meanwhile cook the pasta in lots of boiling ½ teasp of salted water until just al dente. Heat butter over medium heat in a small pan until foaming add garlic, cook for 2 mins then add pinenuts, cook till golden be careful not to burn

3. Remove from heat, add basil.

4. Drain pasta, add the basil butter, pumpkin & 2 tablespoons of parmesan combine and serve immediately… with the extra parmesan in a little bowl..

Butternut Squash Ginger & Coconut Soup

Serves 6

1 large butternut squash peeled and roughly chopped

2 medium sized potatoes peeled & chopped

2 garlic cloves chopped

2 inch piece fresh ginger grated

1 large onion chopped

1 litres veggie stock or about 5 cups

1 cup of coconut milk

1 tablespoon of peanut oil

pinch of nutmeg

salt & pepper to taste

Season with chopped coriander

1. Heat the peanut oil and pop in the onion & garlic cook until tender.

2. Pop in the squash, potatoes & half the grated ginger.. cook for a few mins.

3. Add ½ the veggie stock allowing the veggies to soak up the liquid then add the remaining stock and simmer until veggies are tender.

4. Blend soup and then gradually stir in coconut milk and pinch of nutmeg..

5. Season to taste and serve with scattered coriander on top..

Served with crusty bread…..

Warm Roast Squash Spinach & Feta Salad

1 medium butternut squash

1 red onion thinly sliced

2 large handfuls of baby spinach

2 tbls of pinenuts

1 orange juiced

1 handful of feta cheese cubed

1 tsp of paprika

2 tbls of olive oil

1. Slice the butternut in half scoop out the seeds, chop into cubes without the skin on. Heat the oven to 200 pop the squash on a tray and drizzle with olive oil.

2. Pop the pinenuts onto a baking tray and cook for about 5 mins until golden. Remove from tray pop on a plate.

3. Heat a pan with the remainder of olive oil and cook the onion for about 2 mins then add the paprika and pumpkin.

4. Leave to cool

5. Combine the butternut mixture with the spinach, transfer to a bowl

6. Scatter the pinenuts and feta gently thru the spinach.

7. Lastly, squeeze over the fresh orange juice

Take 4 Ingredients & its Dinner!

Salmon Parcels

Serves 2

2 Salmon Fillets

1 orange juiced

1 sheet of puff pastry

1 egg beaten with a little milk

Leave the salmon to marinate in the fresh orange juice for 30 mins.

Meanwhile cut the puff pastry into 2 pieces large enough to make parcels for the salmon

Lay the salmon on the sheet of puff pastry and make a parcel by pulling the ends together and pinching with a fork. Brush with the egg mixture and pop on a lined baking tray for 20 mins @ 180 or until pastry is golden in colour...

Tuna & Sweetcorn Cakes

Serves 2

1 Can of Tuna Chunks 400g

3 tablespoons of mashed potato

1 egg beaten

3 tablespoons of sweetcorn

Combine drained tuna, sweetcorn, mashed potato & beaten egg. Shape into cakes. Dust in a little flour and fry on a non stick pan with a little olive oil for about 4 mins each side until golden brown and heated through.

Serve with a tossed green salad

Asiany Inspired Tuna Cakes

Swap the egg for 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce and add some fresh coriander..

Honey Lemon Chicken

Serves 4

Marinade

4 tablespoons of lemon juice

3 tablespoons of honey

1 tablespoons of Dijon

4 chicken breasts … whole or cubed..

Pop all of the marinade ingredients into a bowl. Stir well to combine all of the ingredients .

Add the cubed chicken stir and coat with the marinade, allow to marinate, if possible for an hour..

Heat oven to 200 (400F) Gas 6) and place in a casserole dish covered for the first 10 mins.. Stir to combine chicken with marinade and cook for a further 15 mins.

This dish is delicious with baked baby potatoes, drizzled with olive oil & seasalt & cooked for 20 mins @ 200 & some steamed broccoli.

Sesame Chill Beef

Serves 4

500g beef strips

1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped

2 tbls of oyster sauce

1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

Heat a non stick wok and swirl with a little olive oil, pop the chilli on the pan for 30 seconds then add the beef strips, cook on a high heat for 1 min the add the oyster sauce, continue to cook until the sauce bubbles, add half the sesame seeds and combine. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds

Serve with steamed rice & a green veggie like steamed sugar snap peas.

Sesame Stir Fry Veggies

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients

1 red pepper sliced lengthways

1 yellow pepper sliced - lengthways

1 carrot sliced – Lengthways

8/10 mushrooms sliced

1 onion thinly sliced

8/10 sugar snap peas

3 handfuls of beansprouts

2 cloves of garlic bashed

2 tbls of soy sauce

2 tbls of sesame seeds

1 tbls of sesame oil

1 tbls of peanut oil

Begin by slicing the peppers & carrots lengthways around the same size.

Have all the other veggies chopped and ready to go.. (this is the key to good stir fries) About 8 mins before the end of the chicken being ready..

Heat the oil in a non-stick wok & add the garlic & onions cook for about 2 mins before popping in the carrots & peppers drizzle with soy sauce, cook for about 3 mins and then add the mushrooms… they will take about 2 mins to cook whereupon you now add the sugar snaps, remainder of the soy, sesame oil beansprouts & sesame seeds … cook for about another minute and you’re ready !!!

This is also a dish in its own right… serve with noodles or rice for a fantastic vegetarian option…

Sauces & Stocks

Sauces & Stocks

Basic Tomato Sauce

2 cans of tomatoes

Or 12 medium ripe tomatoes skinned

3 cloves of garlic chopped finely

1 medium red onion finely chopped

1 cup of red or white wine or veggie stock

1 teaspoon of sugar (optional taste)

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

Heat a little oil in a non stick pan, add the onion & garlic, cook over medium heat until the onion is soft, add the wine or stock and simmer under reduced, pop in the tomatoes, simmer uncovered for 20 mins or until it begins to thicken.

Season with salt & pepper, taste and if a little bitter add the teaspoon of sugar.

This sauce can be made in advance and stored, covered in the fridge for 1 week , it is also suitable for freezing.

Variations on this basic sauce are endless...

· Chilli Tomato Sauce, chop 1 red chilli and cook with the onion & garlic

· Tomato & Basil Sauce, tear 1 handful of fresh basil leaves, add half the basil leaves with the tomatoes and reserve the remainder until the seasoning stage.

· Tomato & Red Pepper, Grill 2 red peppers, remove their skin and chop finely add the peppers at the tomato stage.

· Creamy Tomato , add 3 tbls of fresh cream when the sauce has been simmering for 10 mins, continue to simmer for a further 15 mins or until the sauce has thickened. Add some fresh basil leaves for a great taste.

· Provencal Tomato Sauce, 1 handful of chopped black olives, 1 handful of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley. Add the black olives and flat leaf parsley when the sauce has been simmering for 10 mins.

· Pizza Sauce, add another 2 cloves of garlic and 1 tbls of tomato paste, continue to cook until sauce has thickened to a paste like consistency.

Basic Red Wine Sauce

30g butter

3 shallots finely chopped

1 clove of garlic finely chopped

1 ½ tbls of plain flour

1 cup of beef stock

1/3 cup 80ml of red wine

1 sprig of thyme (optional)

Melt butter in a non stick saucepan, add the shallots and garlic, cook until shallots are soft. Stir in flour for 1 min and then add the wine and stock. Stir over heat until sauce thickens. Pop through a strainer if you would like a smooth sauce.

Beurre Blanc

2 shallotts, finely chopped

2 tbls of fish or veggie stock

2 tbls of white wine vinegar

¼ cup ofdry white wine

250g cold butter chopped

Boil the shallots, stock , vinegar and wine in a small pan until reduced to 2 tbls. Strain and reserve the liquid. Return liquid to the pan, Whisk in the butter cube by cube over a low heat, until the sauce has thickened.

Here is another novel way to make this sauce - pour some boiling water into a Thermos flask to preheat and clean it. Pour the water away and then sieve the flavoured wine into the thermos, adding all of the butter. Put the lid on tightly, place a tea towel over the lid and shake the thermos around for a few minutes. Open it very carefully (in case of any hot steam escaping) and you should have a nice beurre blanc sauce. The best thing about this method is that you can keep it in the flask and it will keep warm until you’re ready to serve the food.

Stocks …

....are really easy and cheap to make to make you just need a little time!

Veggie Stock

1 large carrot, chopped

1 large parsnip, chopped

2 medium onions chopped

6 sticks of celery chopped

1 bunch of mixed herbs

1 tablespoon of black peppercorns

3 litres (about 12 cups) of water

Pop all of the above ingredients into a large saucepan, simmer, uncovered for 1 ½ hours, strain.

Stock keeps in the fridge for about 5 days, and is suitable for freezing.

Chicken Stock

2kg chicken bones

2 medium onions, chopped

2 sticks of celery chopped

2 medium carrots chopped

1 bunch of mixed herbs

2 teasp of black peppercorns

5 litres of water

Pop all of the ingredients into a large saucepan, simmer uncovered for 2 hours, strain.

Speedy Tuna Dishes ...

Lets Get Thrifty.....

Speedy Tuna Dishes ...

Tuna are ocean-dwelling fish and are extremely fast swimmers, can you believe they have been clocked at 70 kilometers per hour Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, tuna flesh is pink to dark red, which could explain their odd nick-name, “rose of the sea.”

Some of the larger species, such as the blue fin tuna, can raise their blood temperature above water temperature through muscular activity. This ability enables them to live in cooler waters and to survive in a wide range of ocean environments.

There are over 48 different varieties of Tuna , with names like Yellow Fin, Big Eye, Long Tail Tuna, Bullet Tuna, Bonito, Little Tunny, Slender Tuna

The main tuna fishing nations are concentrated in Asia with Japan Taiwan, Indonesia & South Korea floating the main fleets In Europe Spain and France are the biggest producers.

Tuna is very high in protein and is such an easy food to prepare whether you are using a fresh tuna steak or from a tuna from a tin, you can have a meal on the table in minutes, it is also an extremely cost effective!

Tuna is also an oily fish and therefore contains a high amount of Vitamin D.

There are many brands of tuna on the market, choose a well know reputable producer. It is also packed for example in Spring water, brine or olive oil. There are also premium brands on the market such as Ortiz which is produced in Spain.

The Ortiz company has been there for 5 generations and family members still run the company. The tuna is brought fresh from the ocean and straight to one of their many production units dotted along the coast of Spain. Ortiz use only bonito and yellow fin which are 2 of the top grades of tuna.

Bonito is white in colour, lower in fat and very delicate in flavour. Yellow fin is slightly pinky in colour and a little stronger in flavour.

All the tuna from Ortiz is caught by traditional fishing boats, the bonito being actually caught using rods and live bait, which is the most selective and ecological method, making it dolphin friendly and the one that brings in the highest quality fish.

Simple Tuna Ideas…..

All Using 1 tin of drained tuna & serving 3 to 4 people

· Toasty Tuna, grated mozzarella & red onion – pop on ciabatta bread and then under the grill until toasty

· Tuna sandwich filler – drained tuna, chopped cucumber, chopped onion,sweetcorn, ½ tbls of mayo & ¼ teasp of sweet chilli sauce. Make the night before and simply pop into sandwich bread next morning.

· Pitta bread top with drained tuna, mix with ½ tbls of mayo sweet corn and grated cheese – pop under the grill to melt...

· Tuna Salad w chopped celery, chopped apple, 1 handful of walnuts & 1 tbls of mayo

· Asiany Tuna salad, w 1 handful of beansprouts, 1 tbls of chopped coriander, 2 spring onion sliced thinly & 1 tbls of soy sauce

· Italian Tuna Pasta salad, 1 grilled red pepper sliced , 4 handfuls of cooked penne pasta, 1 large spoon of chopped sunblushed tomatoes, 1 handful of shredded basil leaves, drizzle of olive oil or a little basil pesto

· Nicoise Salad, drained tuna, 1 handful of cooked green beans, 2 hard boiled eggs, 4 handfuls of mixed leaves, 2 sliced tomatoes, olive oil & sprinkling of sea salt

Tuna pasta bake

1 tin of drained tuna, mixed with some chopped tomatoes (fresh or tinned) 2 tomatoes or half a can of tomatoes, 1 cup of fresh or frozen peas, fresh or frozen sweetcorn, mix ingredients together, pop into an oven proof dish topped with breadcrumbs and some grated cheese. CooK @ 180 for about 20 mins or until bubbly and light brown on top.

Tuna & Potato Cakes

Take 4 large spoons of mashed potato, 1 tin of drained tuna, finely chopped onion, 1 can of sweetcorn, 1 egg & a little flour to shape.

Combine mixture in a large bowl shape into 4 round potato cakes and fry on a non stick pan in a little oil and butter.

Back to School Already !!

Many of us forget about the food bit... so over the next few days its a good idea to dig out the old lunch boxes, drink bottles, flasks and actually see what you have for this school year ahead.

If you find you don’t have enough, its a good time to search out the many deals available around the country, and involve the kids.....

Or if its your child's first year, make it an occasion heading out to buy the lunch box, drink bottle, thermos flask, there are lots of lunch sets available at the moment from Thomas the Tank to Barbie and lots of great deals to be had..... this is also a good way of encouraging kids who aren’t keen on school lunches to get involved.

Start the day with Breakfast....

Give the sugary cereals a break ....... try instead:……

Banana or any fruit &Yoghurt

Toastie ham & cheese

Boiled, poached or scrambled Eggs on toast

Omelette with ham

French Toast

Porridge with honey or brown sugar

Baked beans on toast

School lunches

Kids spend the minimum amount of time actually eating lunch – with many distractions.... so bear this in mind when packing your child’s lunch, food needs to be easy to eat, packed in easily opened containers/packages and if possible doesn’t require peeling.

Include the kids in the planning process, so over the next few days start discussing lunch ideas and foods they have liked over the summer.

These simple chats can transform the school lunch box. For example the roast chicken they loved over the summer could now form part of their lunch....

Go shopping with older kids with lunch ideas in mind... if you can don’t do this with a large grocery shop, as they tend to loose interest. Many kids get very tired of lunches as they take the same thing each day and don’t want to change so use this as an exercise to break the monotony!!!!

Small kids don’t eat that much in one sitting, so make small sandwiches, small boxes of raisins, small drinks.

Maybe try some pineapple on little cocktail sticks

Think about the different options for sandwiches, pita, cracker, rice cakes, small bagels, tortillas, focacia raisin or cinnamon bread

Make up a sandwich mix , store in a plastic container in the fridge ready to make up fresh in the morning....

Chopped chicken, low fat mayo, cucumber

Tuna Sweetcorn low fat mayo

Chopped chicken, low fat mayo, sweet chilli sauce

ChickenTikka

Roast chicken & Stuffing (easy to make your own stuffing and keep in a covered container in the fridge)

Ditch the sandwich option....go for

Couscous, chicken, raisins, apricots

Tuna, iceberg, sweet corn, cucumber

Snacks could include, dried fruits, pretzels, baked cracker, unsalted nuts, cereal bars

There are now so many drinks available from the diluted bottles (which work out very reasonable) also have a look at the offers in the shops at the moment @ packaged drinks & snacks many of them are on special offers.

Bake at the weekend with kids... things like fairy cakes, rocky roads, rice krispies, caramel slices

....and cut into small squares for treats in lunch boxes...

Make a batch of soup on the weekend and store in the fridge ready to dispatch into flasks in the morning....

Try....

Tomato & pasta

Leek potato & bacon

Chicken & sweetcorn

Carrot & potato

The Versatile Egg

What a versatile Food.... Fresh Eggs!!!

Nutritious & Economical

Firstly let’s look at what kind of hen eggs are for sale in Ireland...

Battery Eggs,

These eggs which come from hens which are reared in battery cages, there have been many improvements in these cages over the years. However the hens are still in crowded conditions and do not have access to natural light and free movement.

Eggs with the label ‘Barn Eggs’ are eggs which come from hens which are bred in doors in sheds with large tiers of perches plus floor space, nest boxes are provided and there may be natural light, systems vary but can be crowded , however they are an improvement on the battery system.

Eggs with the label ‘Free range’ are eggs which come from hens which do have access to an outside area with vegetation. However this does not mean that these hens are fed on a natural diet...

Eggs with the label ‘Organic Eggs’ come from hens who are fed on a natural diet.. In addition the stringent standards of the Organic Standards are also met.

Eggs & nutrition..

Eggs are a concentrated nutritious source of good quality protein (especially Organic Eggs) They are easy to cook and can provide nutritious, economical meals in minutes for all the family.

2 Eggs provides nearly one third of the daily protein required by an average woman and almost one quarter of a man’s requirement.

Over the years there has been some concern that eggs increase cholesterol, however there have been many studies and one conducted by our own Trinity College has shown that this fear of cholesterol rising with eggs is unfounded and that 7 eggs a week or an egg a day can play an important role in achieving a nutritious diet in a healthy child or adult without having an effect on cholesterol levels.

Cooking Eggs....

Breakfast ideas.....

Simply scramble – add bacon, smoked salmon, chopped tomatoes, mushrooms, fresh herbs...

Boil – butter fingers of toast and simply dip in!!

Poach – crack egg into a small bowl, bring water to the boil, stir to swirl and slide egg in ....cook for 2 mins

Remove with a slotted spoon and pop on top of a toasted bagel.

Lunch – Dinner

Egg Salad hard boil the eggs – cool in cold water, peel slice in half – add to a salad of mixed leaves, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion & radish

Poach – and top on buttered bagels or brown bread

Add some spinach , mushrooms, bacon or smoked salmon...

Make an omelette – 2 eggs, 1 tbls water, salt & pepper... whisk – heat a non stick pan ... pop onto the pan and cook for 2/3 mins, fold over or pop under the grill to finish...

Fillings....

Tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, grated cheddar

Bacon, grated mozzarella & tomato

Spinach, mushrooms & grated mozzarella

Ham & mushroom

Quick Baked Eggs, mushroom & cheese

2 eggs

2 tbls of cooked mushrooms

2 tbls of grated cheese

Salt & Pepper

Pop a tbls of mushrooms into two ramekin dishes

carefully break an egg into each ramekin

Sprinkle over with salt, pepper & cheese

Place dishes into a shallow roasting dish or cake tin

Pour boiling water around them to cover half way up ramekin

Bake in a heated oven 170 c for 10 mins... until the white is just set and the yolk still a bit wobbly...

Serve with toasted brown bread..

Huevos Rancheros – Serves 4

Ranch Eggs….These tasty eggs are a traditional Mexican mid morning dish served to Ranch workers who had been working since day break. It’s very old traditional dish and every Ranch Kitchen would have had their own version. This recipe is an easy one for you to try.

4 flour tortillas

1 white onion finely chopped

1 green/red/or yellow pepper

2 red chillies, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic finely chopped

½ teasp of dried or 1 handful fresh oregano

1 can of chopped tomatoes

1 can of kidney beans drained & rinsed well

1 small cup of water

1 tbls of olive oil

8 eggs

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and pepper and cook for five mins until they are soft.

3. Add the chill & garlic and cook briefly.

4. Pop in the chopped tomatoes with the oregano and water, bring to the boil, turn down the heat, and simmer gently for 8-10 mins until the sauce thickens, then add the kidney beans heat for a further 2 mins.

5. Season with Salt & Pepper

6. Smooth over the top of the mixture and make eight hollows with the back of a spoon.

7. Crack the eggs into each hollow and pop the lid on the pan.

8. Heat the tortillas on the grill or in the oven and quarter when warm.

9. Cook the eggs for 5 mins or until they are set.

Scoop out 2 eggs serves per person with the tortillas served on the side. You can also serve on the side tomato salsa, sour cream, refried beans, avocado, & grated mozzarella cheese for a complete meal!!