Smoked Salmon and Green Bean Pasta

Yesterday we got our new cooker yay... time for nicer food at dinner :) I had saved the salmon for my mum and dad coming over but they'd already had a full cooked breakfast ( dad did) typical. So I decided to make a nice meal for Jace and I's dinner. Mum brought us a forest for the house ... well a parsley, chilli, cactus and what I call a butterfly plant. We will have green fingers in no time!

Ingredients

• Smoked Salmon (small packet diced)
• Chilli (1 large, 2 small diced) 
• Garlic (3 cloves diced) 
• Creme Fraiche (1tub) 
• Cheese (2 inch cubed grated)
• Green Beans (packet chopped)
• Lemon (juice of 1)
• Pasta (enough for 4)
• Handful of flatleaf parsley

Method

1. Put the pasta on to boil.
2. Add the chillis and garlic into a pan a simmer
3. Add the green beans and the juice of a lemon and leave to simmer for around 5 minutes .
4. Add the chopped parsley
5. Add the smoked salmon and simmer for 5 minutes
6. Add the cheese and smoked salmon and leave for a further 5 minutes
7. Drain the pasta and add the sauce.

Photographs

 

New Parsley Plant

New Chilli Plant

Green bean, garlic, chilli, parsley and lemon mix

yum yum smoked salmon

Green bean and salmon mix

The finished product

 

 

This was a nice with a hint of heat and zing from the chillis and lemon. I had cooked far too much so was able to cool the rest down and keep for lunch tomorrow.

Ease: (8/10)

Taste: (8/10)

Look: (6/10)

Overall: (22/30)

 

This was a fairly simple meal and packed a punch in the flavour department - extremely good if you like strong flavours, if you don't I would half the chillis, garlic and lemon.

Smoked Salmon and Feta Cheese Bagel

Went shopping today - yay... We went to Tesco and the smoked salmon is reduced to under £2 so that was a must have as I am a big fan. This was a nice lunch time meal.

Ingredients

• Smoked Salmon (2 slices)
• Feta Cheese (3 inches cubed) 
• Chilli (half a small 1 and chopped finely)
• Iceburg Lettuce (handful)
• Bagel (1)
• Lemon Juice (half a lemon)

Method

1. Crumble the feta cheese and add the chilli and juice of  lemon and mix.
2. Cut the bagel in half, add the feta cheese mix.
3. Add the salmon and the iceburg lettuce.

Photographs

 

The Final Product

This was a great lunchtime meal especially as it is such a nice day.

Ease: (10/10)

Taste: (8/10)

Look: (6/10)

Overall: (24/30)

 

Very nice and if you do not like feta cheese (like Jace) swap it with philadelphia.

Summer Salad

For my first healthy meal it has to be a salad...yes sounds boring I know but was actually quite tasty...although I shouldn't have put chillies in it bleh....so I will list the ingredients minus the chillies. Also its kept pretty simple because this is all I had in the fridge.

 

 

Ingredients

 

• Carrots (2 - peeled and chopped into cubes)
• A handful of new potatoes (6-8)
• Green Pepper (Half - Cubed)
• Iceburg Lettuce (handful)
• Apple (1- chopped into cubes)
• Raisins (handful)
• olive oil (teaspoon)

Method

1. Boil the new potatoes skin on until ready
2. Add all other ingredients into a bowl and stir
3. Chop potatoes into cubes and add
4. Add a tablespoon of mayonaise and salt to taste

Photographs

  

The Basic Ingredients

The Final Product

 

 

This meal was suprisingly tasty for such a simple and quick meal. It was uber healthy and I am actually feeling satisfied (strange for me).

 

Ease: (10/10)

Taste: (6/10)

Look: (6/10)

Overall: (22/30)

 

Great for summer nights or even just a side salad. The mixture of fruit and veg made it extra tasty.

 

Laura xo

Lets get back to it!

Hey everyone!

Apologies for the minimal posts...I know it has been a while!

Guess what though?!?!

I have got a grown up job! My job title is: Media Builder and Forensic Assistant. The job is perfect...it incorporates everything I have learned at uni and allows me to expand my skill set. The people are all really friendly and it is a very relaxed, friendly office atmosphere (always good). If you would like a wee look at where I am working or just want to find out more... here is the website: http://www.r2s.co.uk/

Anyway since that is me all sorted, I get my weekends free to do what I want. This should allow me time to start cooking more!

I have also decided I NEEEEED to get fit... its getting rediculous... but for the past 2 weeks I have managed 3 gym sessions a week! I just need to start controlling my portions and watching what I eat.

There is however a slight hinderance to wanting to do all these new recipes.... Our oven is broken! (sob) So will be aiming to have that fixed by the end of the month. (I hope).

More Life Updates....

I moved in with the wonderful Jace and we are trying to get the house all sorted.

I graduated with a 2.1 in Forensic and Analytical Science (Hons)


P.S ... if anybody has any getting fit tips please let me know!

Laura xo

Ahh just found out I am lactose intolerant....but I love milk and cheese!

Hey guys, sorry it has been a while since my last update, so much on at the moment.

But but but, for the past week everytime I drink my usual glass of milk I have the worst guts imaginable (nice I know). So was speaking to my friend who is lactose intolerant and she said she had the same symptoms!

I love anything dairy so it is going to be a struggle for me at first, so if anyone out there has any good hearty recipes for people who are lacto free get in touch :)

I will try and post up another recipe or two this week.

Laura xo

Admitting Defeat, New Beginnings and Photos

Haha so mum was right (as usual)

There was no way I could keep this up once I'd gone back to uni etc. So I propose to update recipes here when I think they are good enough for you lovely viewers :)

They should all (hopefully) be healthy from now on as I do not want to keep piling on the pounds.

oooo and heres a few photos from the photoshoot that I was telling you all about :)

Laura xo

22nd - Pancakes with strawberries and lemon

Pancakes are always a winner, a variety of tasty options for the fillings, I went for the healthy option for once.

Ingredients

• Self-raising flour (8oz)
• Milk (7 floz)
• Sugar (3oz)
• eggs (2)
• pinch of salt
• olive oil
• lemon (squeezed)
• sugar (4tsps)
• Strawberries (handful, Chopped)

Method

1. Mix flour, milk, sugar, eggs and salt well and leave to settle
2. Add oil to pan and pour in batter mix
3. Leave on a medium heat and flip once bubbles appear on the surface
4. Cook until brown
5. Do this until all the mix is finished
6. mix lemon, strawberries and sugar and add to pancakes
7. Enjoy

Photographs

In the frying pan 

 Flower shaped case (not ideal for cooking)

 All the pancakes

NomNomNom

Ease:       (8/10)

Taste:      (8/10)

Look:      (8/10)

Overall:    (24/30)

Other options for fillings could include, cream, nutella, other fruits or ice cream yum.

Laura xo

21st - Thai Style Chicken Stir Fry

This was very quick and easy but I had a little cheat with a pre made sauce as it was cheaper in ASDA. 


Ingredients

• 1 bag of egg noodles
• Chicken breast (2 - diced)
• large red chilli (chopped into slices)
• ASDA Thai Sauce
• Mixed vegetables - butternut squash, carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, mange tout
• Olive Oil (splash)

Method

• Mix the chicken and chilli and cook in a large frying pan until chicken is fully cooked
• add mixed vegetables and cook for a further 3 minutes
• add noodles and cook for another 2 minutes
• add thai sauce and cook for another 2 minutes stirring well.
• Plate up

Photographs

Chilli Chicken

Noodles

My Wee Cheat

All the ingredients without the sauce

Heating in the pan

Finished product

This was a good meal, yet another chicken dish, what can I say I'm a lover. The crunchy vegetables made a good texture change from the noodles.

Ease       (9/10)

Taste       (8/10)

Look        (6/10)

Overall:    (23/30)

Laura xo

20th - Black Pudding, Apple and Smoked Cheese

I was a bit sceptical about this one, put Jace said he had had something similar when he was younger and yet again, I was lucky I trusted his judgement...all I can say is this may of been the best meal yet. P.S photoshoot went well but by god it is VERY expensive to get pictures from it.


Ingredients

• Cider (decent swig)
• Black Pudding (4 normal sized slices)
• Cooking Apple (sliced into segments)
• Oil (enough to cover pan)
• Smoked Cheese (2 slices)

Method

1. Cook black pudding and set aside in oven to keep warm
2. Add apples to the same pan and cook until browned set aside - also in oven
3. Add cider to the same pan and reduce
4. Serve black pudding and apple and add the smoked cheese
5. Pour over the reduced cider
6. Enjoy

Photographs

 Simplistic ingredients

Yummy Finished Product

This meal was so good and would make for a nice change to a starter (mum - for your dinner parties) yet again, good call Jace.

Ease:        (10/10)

Look :      (9/10)

Taste:       (10/10)

Overall:     (29/30)

This will definitely be a hard one to beat!

Laura xo

 

19th - Chicken Tikka

So today has been a mad rush also, I'm away to a photoshoot with my friends Elaine and Louise for Elaine's 21st. Trust me to have a cracker of a spot which makes me look like I've been in a boxing match oh the joys. Anyway I will upload some of the resultant shots here once we have them :)


This meals is one of my favourite curry meals as it is very simple to make and uber scrummy.


Ingredients

• Chicken breasts ( 2 - diced into cubes)
• Tomato Passata (such a handy ingredient)
• Tomatoes (3 cut into 1/6ths)
• Pattaks Tikka Masala Curry Paste (Half Jar)
• Onion (1 large)
• Chilli (2)
• Ginger ( thumb of)
• Coriander (small bunch)
• Honey (2tbs)
• lemon (half)
• balsamic vinegar (1tbs)
• Rice (for 2)
• Butter (knob)
• Olive Oil (2tbs)

Method

1. Boil enough rice for 2
2. Cook off the onions, ginger, coriander and chilli in a pan with the oil and butter.
3. Add the chicken and heat until meat is sealed
4. Add curry paste, balsamic vinegar, honey and stir well
5. Add the tomato passata, tomatoes and lemon and simmer for 40 minutes
6. Salt and Pepper to season
7. Serve hot

Photographs

NomNom the finished product

This meal was so tasty - I do love a curry and wasn't too hot. I also like the fact that home made curries are considerably more healthy than take outs - and pre made micro meals.

Ease:          (8/10)

Look:           (8/10)

Taste:         (10/10)

Overall:       (26/30)

Anyway I better go and finished getting all  my clothes together, and then I have work after *sigh*. Tomorrow I've decided is dedicated upload day, so get ready for a lot of meals :)

Laura xo

18th - Tuna Fish Cakes, Cous-Cous and a Tomato Sauce

 This meal takes a bit of preparation but is extremely filling and very nice.

Ingredients

• Parsley (handful finely chopped)
• Tuna (2 tins)
• Potatoes (10oz, washed and diced)
• Butter (1tbs)
• 2 eggs (beaten
• Chicken Stock Cube
• CousCous (for 2)
• Lemon (half the juice)
• Boiling Water (enough to cover couscous)
• Red Pepper (cut into squares)
• Tomato Passata

Method

1. Boil and mash the potatoes
2. Add butter, tuna, egg, lemon and parsley and mix well.
3. Put mixture into fridge to cool for 30 mins
4. Place cous cous in a bowl and add boiling water (add stock cube to boiling water)
5. Cover in cling film and place in microwave for 3 minutes
6. Once cooked add the peppers
7. Take mixture out of the fridge and shape into patties
8. Cover in bread crumbs
9. Fry to seal, grill until cooked through
10. Heat up tomato passata until hot
11. Plate up cous cous, fish cakes and add tomato passata to taste

Photographs

Tomato Passata

Cous-Cous with red pepper

Fish Cake Patties

Fish Cakes Frying

Final Dish

This meal was surprisingly tasty , although I do have to work on my plating up skills.

Ease:          (6/10)

Look:           (7/10)

Taste:         (10/10)

Overall:       (23/30)

Anyway got to scoot to go and pick up Jace's wee sis, so won't be putting up another meal (curry) until I get home from work at 2am :S oh the joys.

Laura xo

17th - Leek and Potato Soup

This meal is very easy to make, with only 4 ingredients. Although it takes a while to cook, you can do other things when it is. Great when you have a million things to do, as I always do.


Ingredients

• Leeks (3 large, washed and chopped)
• Butter (2oz)
• Potatoes (12oz, washed and diced)
• Chicken Stock Cubes (2)
• Boiling Water (850mL)

Method

1. Add half the butter and the leeks to a large pan
2. Cook for 10 mins on a low heat stirring occasionally
3. Add the potatoes
4. Add the stock cubes to the boiling water and mix well
5. Add the mixture to the pan and bring to the boil
6. Leave simmering for 30-40 mins, stirring every now and again
7. Either blend, mash or leave as whole chunks
8. Add the rest of the butter
9. Add salt and pepper to taste
10. Plate up

Photographs

Leeks cooking in the butter

Once everything has been added

The final product - not the most appealing looking but very tasty.

I made this originally as a starter but it was so filling that it done as a main meal. Have with crusty bread as an extra. 

Ease:          (9/10)

Look:           (5/10)

Taste:         (8/10)

Overall:       (22/30)

Laura xo

16th - Red Pepper, Tuna and Cheese Pasta.

Nice and simple meal here... as you have probably guessed I am a pasta lover. I also had work this day so was in a  rush so quickest = best.

Ingredients:

• Pasta for 2
• Pepper (diced into squares)
• Tuna (1 tin)
• Mayonnaise (2tbs)
• Tikka Curry Paste (1tbs)
• Cheese (grated, handful)

Method:

1. Cook pasta
2. Add pepper, tuna, mayonnaise and curry paste.
3. Mix well and serve.

Photographs

 Peppers - one of my favourite vegetables

 All the ingredients added to the pan

The final dish

This is a very simple dish and the curry paste adds a different flavour. I like the peppers raw as it adds a different texture to the dish.

Ease:          (10/10)

Look:           (6/10)

Taste:          (8/10)

Overall:       (24/30)

Laura xo

Hello Again ... I'm Back (non stressed)

Hello again,

I thought I better write a little update, just incase you all think I've disappeared. Exams are finally over, all hand ins are in, and now its just the wait to see if I have passed eeeek.

A few people have asked over the past few days where are all the recipes. Well I have all the pics ready from the past few weeks I just have to upload them all.

So I will try and upload at least 2 per day, more if I can manage - with uni and work etc.

Laura xo

15th - The Hangover Cure

This was made as Jace had went out the night before and needed his belly filling with some good hearty food. Just a quick 10 minute job and I ate breakfast for once also.

Ingredients:

• Double yolked egg
• Smoked back bacon (3)
• Seeded Bread (2 slices)
• Tomato Ketchup
• Cup of Coffee (made to your desire)
• Glass of apple and mango juice

Method:

1. Fry the egg (starting from a low heat baste the oil over the egg so that you get no crusty bits)
2. Grill the Bacon (cut of fat before if you’re fussy like me)
3. Then make a sandwich with plenty tomato ketchup.
4. Cup of Coffee and a Glass of Juice to finish.

Photographs

The layered sandwich phases

This was quick and easy to make, did its purpose and made Jace feel better. Also because it was fast it allowed me to get more of that blasted Chapter 1 completed.

Ease:          (9/10)

Look:         (7/10)

Taste:         (10/10)

Overall:       (26/30)

Laura xo

14th Bacon and Pea Pasta with Crème Fraiche

This was an alteration on one of Jamie Oliver’s dishes and was absolutely  amazing to say the least. I’d never had crème fraiche before so was a bit dubious but Jace said it was really good and I’m glad I listened .

Ingredients

• Pasta (enough for 2)
• Frozen Peas (74 haha just joking 2 small handfuls)
• Smoked Back Bacon (3 rashers)
• Chilli (1 small chilli)
• Crème Fraiche (250-300g)
• Cheese (50g grated)
• Garlic (1 clove finely chopped)
• Chicken Stock Cube
• Butter (a knob)
• Olive Oil (splash)

Method

1. Cook Pasta
2. Add olive oil and butter to a pan. Heat until butter is melted
3. Add peas, garlic, chilli and bacon to the pan
4. Cook until bacon is fully ready
5. Add crème fraiche
6. Stir until sauce is simmering
7. Add cooked pasta
8. Serve with garlic ciabatta and garnish with parsley.

Photographs

 The mixture in the pan

The Final Product Close Up

My Now Favourite EVER pasta dish

This was quick, easy and tasted sooo good could have kept on eating it if there had been more (and we had generous servings). Will definitely be using Crème Fraiche again, so if anyone has any recipes that use it please let me know.

Easy:      (9/10)

Look:     (8/10)

Taste:     (10/10)

Overall:  (27/30)