Month: October 2024

Halloumi Meatballs

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I make a big batch of these and freeze them, so feel free to reduce the amount of ingredients if you want to make a smaller batch.

These were baked in the oven, but you could cook them in an air fryer or fry in a pan if you find this easier.

I used a mix of minced beef and pork, but lamb works well and you can also swap out the herbs for what you have (parsley and dill are nice combo to use).  Breadcrumbs soaked in milk help keep these moist, and I’m going to say it again, but always have a bag of breadcrumbs in the freezer.  It makes recipes like this super quick and easy.

These are great with sweet potatoes/rice and veggies if you’re doing meal prep, or in meatball subs.

Ingredients

800 Grams Minced Beef

500 Grams Minced Pork

75 Grams Breadcrumbs

150 Mls Milk

3 Cloves of garlic

1 Tsp Black pepper

1 Tsp Smoked paprika

1 Egg

2 Tbsp Mixed herbs (I used mint and oregano)

Method

  • Line 2 large baking trays with tin foil or bsking parchment
  • Add the milk to the breadcrumbs and allow to soak in
  • Add all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands until all the ingredients are well combined
  • Lift enough of the mix to make a meatball about the size of a golf ball and set on the lined tray.  Continue doing this until you have used up all the mix
  • Put the trays into the fridge and chill for 20-30 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
  • Bake meatballs for 25-30 minutes (or until cooked through).  If you are freezing some of these allow to cool complete before freezing

Cranberry and Hazelnut Muffins

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Trapped at home on rainy miserable Saturday with a shitty cold I wanted something sweet but couldn’t face going out and having change out of my oodie (if don’t have one yet, get one they are fantastic in cold weather (I’m not advertising, but if any oodie makers would like to send me one I wouldn’t say no).

Anyway, after raiding the cupboards this is  what I came up with and they were delicious. I used Greek yoghurt because I has some that needed to be used up but could also use milk instead.  If you’re lactose intolerant you could swap the dairy for the same volume of stewed apple or mashed banana.  I’d also recommend toasting the hazelnuts in a dry pan first.  Its not mission critical if you’re pushed for time (or just can’t be arsed) but it does make them even tastier.

Makes 12

Ingredients

200 Grams Self raising flour (or 200 Grams of plain flour qnd 2 teaspoons of bsking powder if you don’t have self raising flour)

100 Grams Sugar

2 Eggs

200 Grams Yoghurt

50 Grams Hazelnuts

50 Grams Dried cranberries

100mil Oil or Melted butter

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and line a muffin tin with muffin cases
  • Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl
  • Mix all the wet ingredients together and mix well until fully combined
  • Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well making sure that the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed throughout the batter
  • If you have one of those fancy ice cream scoops you can use it to evenly distribute the batter into the muffin cases.  I dont have one. So I just used 2 dessert spoons to scoop and then scrape the batter in the cases.
  • Bske for 20-25 minutes and allow to cool.

Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon

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I had this in a restaurant a couple of months ago and couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I had to make my own.  I originally had this made with tagliatelle, but I only had spaghetti at home, so use what you have.

Serves 2

100 Grams Spaghetti (dry weight, cook according to the instructions on the packet)

100 Grams Smoked salmon(roughly chopped, or many supermarkets sell smoked salmon trimmings, which is ideal for this and mucu cheaper)

1 Tbsp Tomato puree

1 Clove of garlic (finely chopped)

Knob of butter or 1 tbsp of oil

100mil Double cream

Black pepper

Method

  • Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet
  • In a large pan, heat the butter/oil and add the garlic, cook for 20-30 seconds (do not allow to brown)
  • Add the tomato puree to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes before adding a  ladleful of the starchy water the pasta is cooking in to the pan and stirring well.
  • Pour the cream into the pan and stir well, cook for another 2-3 minutes until the cream starts to thicken.
  • Stir in the smoked salmon to warm through, before adding the drained pasta and stir into the sauce
  • Serve immediately topped with a couple of grinds black pepper

Easy Autumn Granola Pots

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Spiced apple is the taste of autumn for me, but if its not your thing, you can swap it for other fruit.  If you’re vegan you can swap out plant based yoghurt for Greek yoghurt.

I’m always shocked at how much fancy coffee shops charge for those individual pots many of us grab for a quick breakfast on the way to work .  This recipe makes 4 generous portions for less than the cost of one of the granola pots you buy at well known coffee shops.  A bit of time at the start and you have tasty, healthy, grab and go breakfasts for during the week at a fraction of what you’d pay in a chain cafe

Make 4 portions

For the spiced apple layer

4-6 Dessert apples, (peeled, cored, and chopped into 2cm chunks)

1 Tsp Ground cinnamon

1 Star anise

For the yoghurt layer

2 Tbsp of Greek yoghurt per person

For the granola

50 Grams Porridge oats

15 Grams Desiccated coconut

15 Grams Pumpkin seeds

20 Grams Hazelnuts

1Tbsp Oil

1Tbsp Maple Syrup

25 Grams Dried fruit (use any type you like)

Method

Put the chopped apples and spices in a large pot with a splash of water and simmer until the apple starts to break down (I like to keep a bit of texture). Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (Celsius)

While the apple is simmering, mix all rhe ingredients for the granola in a bowl (except the dried fruit, I add this when this when the granola comes out of the oven, or else I find it gets tough and can burn easily)

Transfer the granola to a baking sheet and bake for minutes, stir well as the outer edges will brown more quickly and return to the oven another 5 minutes.  When toasty and golden brown remove from the oven allow to cool.

To assemble each pot, put a quarter of the cooked apple in a jar/container, top with 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt and the sprinkle the granola mix on top