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Barley Salad With Green Garlic and Snap Peas

Apr 14

Posted by admin in salad, the recipes, vegetarian | No Comments

“Here’s a spring salad that’s equally satisfying for a workday lunch or a weekend picnic. Light yet filling, it combines chewy, nutritious barley with two seasonal treats – young green garlic and crisp sugar snap peas.”

  • 1 cup hulled barley
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 stalks green garlic (white and light green parts only), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons toasted almonds
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • coarse sea salt or coarse kosher salt
  • 8 ounces sugar snap peas
  • 2 tablespoons torn mint leaves

Cook and cool barley: Combine barley and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool completely.

Make green garlic sauce: Blend green garlic, almonds, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender until smooth. If the mixture is very thick or dry, mix in 1-2 tablespoons of water.

Blanch sugar snap peas: Have ready a large bowl of ice water, a slotted spoon, and a plate lined with a cloth or paper towel. Bring a pan of water to boil over high heat. Add a tablespoon of salt and the snap peas and boil just until bright green and crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Quickly remove the snap peas with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the ice bath. When the peas are completely cool, remove them from the ice bath and drain on the towel-lined plate. Cut the snap peas lengthwise on the diagonal.

Assemble salad: In a large bowl, combine barley and green garlic sauce. Then mix in snap peas and mint. Season to taste and serve immediately or keep covered in the refrigerator.

Source : Adapted from thekitchn.com (only slight changes)

Servings/Yield : 4-6

Difficulty : Easy

Course : Main

Preparation Times : 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 hours

Note : Green garlic is much more mild than mature garlic and we like it just fine raw. However, if you prefer, it can be blanched first to mellow out the flavor.

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (No Ratings Yet)
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Hearty Chicken & Bean Soup

Mar 30

Posted by admin in chicken, soup, the recipes | No Comments

“A hearty bean and chicken soup, perfect for a cold winter night”

  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 400g chicken breasts, cut into chunks
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 carrots, finely chopped (or 2 large carrots)
  • 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
  • 2 thyme sprigs or ½ tsp dried
  • 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
  • 600ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • 800g canned haricot or cannellini beans, drained
  • chopped parsley, to serve

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the chicken, then fry until lightly browned. Add the veg, then fry for a few mins more. Stir in the herbs and stock. Bring to the boil. Stir well, reduce the heat, then cover and cook for 40 mins, until the chicken is tender.

Stir the beans into the pan, then simmer for 5 mins. Stir in the parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Source : Adapted from Chicken & white bean stew, Good Food Magazine February 2009

Servings/Yield : 4 Servings

Difficulty : Easy

Course : Main

Preparation Times : Prep 20min, Cook 1 Hour

Note : We tried the original recipe from Good Food Magazine, and found it too watery to be a stew; so we boiled it off to reduce the liquid content, and relabelled it as a hearty soup which it should have been called to begin with. Our hats off once again to Good Food for a great recipe to begin with.

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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One-pan Prawn & Tomato Curry

Feb 14

Posted by admin in curry, seafood, the recipes | No Comments

"This spicy, low-fat curry is sure to become a favourite. Swap the prawns for chunks of white fish or chicken to vary it"

  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 large onion , chopped
  • large piece ginger , crushed
  • 4 garlic cloves , crushed
  • ½ red chilli , finely chopped
  • 1 tsp golden caster sugar
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp malt vinegar
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 400g raw king prawns
  • small bunch coriander , chopped
  • basmati rice , yogurt, mango chutney and Carrot & cumin salad, to serve

Heat the oil in a deep-sided frying pan and cook the onion for 8-10 mins until it starts to turn golden. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for 1-2 mins. Stir in the sugar and spices for 1 min, then splash in the vinegar and tomatoes. Season with salt and simmer for 5 mins, stirring, until the sauce thickens.

Stir in the prawns, reduce the heat and cook for 8-10 mins until cooked through – if the sauce gets really thick, add a splash of water. Remove from the heat, stir though most of the coriander. Serve straight from the dish scattered with the remaining coriander and the rice, yogurt, chutney and salad in separate bowls.

Source : Good Food magazine, April 2010

Servings/Yield : 4 Servings

Difficulty : Easy

Course : Main

Preparation Times : Prep 10 mins, Cook 20 mins

Nutritional Information :  per serving: 217 kcalories, protein 22g, carbohydrate 16g, fat 8 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 3g, sugar 9g, salt 0.66 g

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Hearty Pasta Soup

Nov 9

Posted by admin in italian, pasta, soup, the recipes, vegetarian | No Comments

“Do something different with a pack of tortellini. This filling soup is full of fibre, low fat and full of veg. The perfect lunch or supper”

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 carrots , chopped
  • 1 large onion , finely chopped
  • 1l vegetable stock
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 200g frozen mixed peas and beans
  • 250g pack fresh filled tortellini (we used spinach and ricotta)
  • handful of basil leaves (optional)
  • grated parmesan , to serve

Heat oil in a pan. Fry the carrots and onion for 5 mins until starting to soften. Add the stock and tomatoes, then simmer for 10 mins. Add the peas and beans with 5 mins to go.
Once veg is tender, stir in the pasta. Return to the boil and simmer for 2 mins until the pasta is just cooked. Stir in the basil, if using. Season, then serve in bowls topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan and slices of garlic bread.


Try: Make it a bake Ricotta & basil bake: Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/ gas 6. Tip the pasta into a baking dish, season the tomatoes, stir in the basil, then spoon on top. In a bowl, combine the peas and beans, 250g tub ricotta and a handful grated Parmesan. Dot the mix over the pasta, scatter with more Parmesan, then bake for 20-25 mins until golden.

Alternatives: No basil – pesto will do Can’t get hold of fresh basil? If you’ve got a tub of pesto in the fridge, stir a spoonful into the soup just before you serve it.

Source : Good Food Magazine : March 2008

Servings/Yield : 4 Servings

Difficulty : Easy

Course : Main

Preparation Times : Prep 5 min, Cook 25 min, Ready in 30 min

Nutritional Notes : Per Serving : 286 kcalories, protein 11g, carbohydrate 44g, fat 9 g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 6g, sugar 11g, salt 0.88 g

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Oven-baked red pepper risotto

Mar 17

Posted by the editor in rice, the recipes, vegetarian | 1 Comment

“An easy version of the Italian rice dish, with none of the stirring. The leftovers are great too”

  • 1 tbsp. Oil
  • 1 Onion, Chopped
  • 300 g Risotto Rice
  • 100 ml White Wine, Optional, Or Use More Stock
  • 400 g Polpa, Can Chopped Tomatoes
  • 200 g Roasted Peppers, Frozen
  • 500 ml Vegetable Stock
  • 1 handful Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped
  • Parmesan, To Serve (Optional)

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan, then fry the onion for a few mins until softened. Turn up the heat, tip in the rice, stir, then fry for 1 min more. Pour in the wine, if using, stirring until absorbed, then pour in the tomatoes, peppers and 400ml of the stock. Cover and bake in the oven for 25 mins until the rice is tender and creamy.

Stir in the remaining stock and parsley, season and scatter with Parmesan, if you like.

Notes : Use up leftovers – Red risotto cakes with bacon

Chill risotto overnight, then shape handfuls into burger shapes. Dip into seasoned flour, then beaten egg, and finally breadcrumbs to coat. Fry in a little oil in a non-stick frying pan for 4 mins each side, then serve with crispy bacon and salad.

Source : Good Food : October 2008

Servings/Yield : 4 servings

Rating : 3 out of 5 Needs a kick of something that I haven’t figured out yet, go easy on the parsley as well.

Difficulty : Easy

Preparation Times : Prep: 5 Minutes Cook: 30 Minutes

Nutritional notes : Per Serving: 334 kcalories, protein 9g, carbohydrate 70g, fat 4 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 0g, salt 1.36 g

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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Honeyed Carrot Soup

Jan 22

Posted by the editor in russian, soup, the recipes, vegetarian | No Comments

“Kids love this rich, warming soup but it’s sophisticated enough for adults, too”

  • 2 tbsp. Butter
  • 2 small leeks, Sliced
  • 800 g Carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp honey
  • small Dried Chili Flakes, optional
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2.5 liters vegetable stock

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the leeks to the pan, then cook for 3 mins until starting to soften. Add the carrots, honey, chilli (if using) and bay leaf, then cook for 2 mins.

Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins. Blend the soup in batches, return to a clean pan, then season to taste. When ready to serve, bring back to a simmer, then ladle into mugs. Add a swirl of soured cream or yogurt and serve with garlic bread or bacon butties.

Notes : We love this soup with a fresh ftira (A typical Maltese bread) warmed in the oven, with lots of ricotta and fresh tomatoes.  Above we tried honey glazed fries in the oven as an extra treat.

Source : Good Food : November 2007 – Page 78 Recipe by Lesley Waters

Servings/Yield : 6 servings

Rating : 5 out of 5

Difficulty : Easy

Cuisine : European : Eastern : Russian

Preparation Times : Prep: 10 Minutes Cook: 35 Minutes

Nutritional notes : Per serving : 116 kcalories, protein 3g, carbohydrate 16g, fat 5 g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 6g, salt 0.59 g

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Butternut squash chilli with quinoa

Jan 21

Posted by the editor in the recipes, vegetarian | No Comments

“A low-fat, low-gi veggie supper that is packed full of flavour, and is quick to make too”

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • olive oil
  • 1 tbsp mild chilli powder
  • 1 kg butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 100 g quinoa, soaked in cold water for 10 minutes
  • 800 g tomato polpa
  • 400 g red kidney beans, drained
  • small bunch coriander, chopped

Cook the onion and garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft (about 7 minutes). Add the chilli powder, cook for a minute then add the squash, quinoa and tomatoes.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the squash and quinoa are tender and the sauce has thickened. Add the beans and heat through. Stir in the coriander and serve in bowls.

Notes : This was great, we used it in a make your own wrap dinner, in which I laid out Ricotta, lettuce, Jalepenos, etc.  The reason why this dish only received 3 out of 5 stars, was that it wasn’t easy on the stomach… the gas this stuff gives you is legendary.

Source : Olive Magazine : December 2007

Servings/Yield : 4 servings

Rating : 3 out of 5

Difficulty : Easy

Preparation Times : Ready in: 30 Minutes

Nutritional notes : Per Serving : 306 kcalories, protein 13.9g, carbohydrate 53.4g, fat 5.6 g, saturated fat 0.7g, fibre 10.1g, salt 1.2 g

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Bagels for Brunch

Dec 11

Posted by the editor in breads, breakfast, the recipes | No Comments

bagelsforbrunch

“Make a batch of these low-fat bagels to help stave off mid-morning hunger pangs”

  • 7 g dry yeast
  • 4 tbsp. Sugar
  • 2 tsp. Salt
  • 450 g bread flour

Tip the yeast and 1 tbsp sugar into a large bowl, and pour over 100ml warm water. Leave for 10 mins until the mixture becomes frothy.

Pour 200ml warm water into the bowl, then stir in the salt and half the flour. Keep adding the remaining flour (you may not have to use it all) and mixing with your hands until you have a soft, but not sticky dough. Then knead for 10 mins until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and put in a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1hr.

Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 10 pieces, each about 85g. Shape each piece into a flattish ball, then take a wooden spooon and use the handle to make a hole in the middle of each ball. Slip the spoon into the hole, then twirl the bagel around the spoon to make a hole about 3cm wide. Cover the bagel loosely with cling film while you shape the remaining dough.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and tip in the remaining sugar. Slip the bagels into the boiling water – no more than four at a time. Cook for 1-2 mins, turning over in the water until the bagels have puffed slightly and a skin has formed. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain away any excess water. Sprinkle over your choice of topping and place on a baking tray lined with parchment. Bake in the oven for 25 mins until browned and crisp – the bases should sound hollow when tapped. Leave to cool on a wire rack, then serve with your favourite filling.

Notes : poppy, fennel and/or sesame seeds to sprinkle on top (optional).  Can be frozen for future use.

Source : Good Food : November 2005

Servings/Yield : 10 Bagels

Rating : 4 out of 5

Difficulty : Moderate

Cuisine : European : Eastern

Course : Snack

Preparation Times : Prep: 30 Minutes Cook: 30 Minutes Rise: 1 Hour

Nutritional notes : 178 kcalories, protein 5g, carbohydrate 40g, fat 1 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 1g, salt 1 g

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15-Minute Chicken Pasta

Nov 18

Posted by the editor in chicken, pasta, the recipes | No Comments

chickenbroccoli

“Enjoy fast food with a mouthwateringly healthy chicken pasta – low in fat too”

  • 350 g Pasta Bows (Farfalle)
  • 300 g Broccoli, Cut Into Small Florets
  • 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 350g Chicken Breasts, Skinless Boneless, Cut into Bite Sized Chunks
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
  • 2 tbsp. Wholegrain Mustard
  • Orange Juice, Of 1 Large Orange (or 2 ounces of Orange Juice)
  • 25 g Flaked Almonds, Toasted

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Three minutes before the pasta is cooked, throw the broccoli into the pasta water and continue to boil.

While the pasta is cooking, gently heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Tip in the chicken and fry, stirring occasionally, until the chicken pieces are cooked and golden, about 8-10 minutes, adding the garlic for the last 2 minutes.

Mix the mustard with the orange juice in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the chicken, and gently simmer for a minute or two. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving 3 tablespoons of the pasta water. Toss the pasta and broccoli with the chicken, stir in the pasta water and the almonds, season well and serve.

Notes : Making it nut-free

Pine nuts are an ideal replacement for the almonds if you have a nut allergy, as they are in fact a seed from a variety of pine tree.

Source : Good Food : February 2002 (adapted from)

Servings/Yield : 4 servings

Rating : 4 out of 5

Preparation Times : Cook: 15 Minutes

Nutritional notes : per Serving : 531 kcalories, protein 43g, carbohydrate 70g, fat 11 g, saturated fat 1g, fibre 6g, salt 0.52 g

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Chicken Cacciatore

Nov 11

Posted by the editor in chicken, italian, the recipes | No Comments

ChickenCacciatore

“A tasty tomato and chicken dish to feed the family – serve with short pasta or a big bowl of roast potatoes”

  • 1 Onion, Finely chopped
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
  • 400 g Tomatoe Polpa, Tinned
  • ½ tub Ricotta (125g)
  • 1 handful Basil, Fresh
  • 450 g Chicken Breasts, Cut into Chunks

Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Fry the onion and garlic in 3 tbsp oil until softened but not coloured. Add the Polpa, season, then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thick and glossy. Take off the heat and stir in the Ricotta and half the basil, roughly torn.

Cut the chicken into large chunks, this makes for faster more thorough cooking, and easier for the kids.  Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the chicken until golden. Transfer to a baking dish and pour over the sauce. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Scatter over the rest of the basil.

Notes : Even though this was originally an ‘Olive Magazine’ recipe from the Good Food web site, We substituted a few of the ingredients to come up with the dish that it is now.  Unlike the picture attached (from Olive Magazine) we cut our chicken into large chunks.  Best Served with Mashed Potatoes.

Source : Olive Magazine : October 2005

Servings/Yield : 2 servings

Rating : 5 out of 5

Difficulty : Easy

Cuisine : European : Mediterranean : Italian

Course : Main

Preparation Times : Prep: 20 Minutes Cook: 30 Minutes

Nutritional notes : Per Serving: 312 kcalories, protein 35.2g, carbohydrate 6.9g, fat 16.1 g, saturated fat 5.3g, fibre 2g, salt 0.87 g – These calculations were based on the original recipe and never revised, however the only difference was the replacement of 4 tbsp mascarpone for 1/2 tub of Ricotta.  From my very rough calculations and common sense, this substitution has lowered that calorie content.

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