Trying to get away from winter’s stodgy comfort food, doesn’t mean giving up on flavour.
This salad is jam packed with flavour and texture and takes 10-15 minutes to knock up. It’s also gluten free and vegan and makes a great lunch box filler if you’re fed up with sandwiches.
Ingredients
500 Grams Dried rice noodles
1/4 Red cabbage (finely sliced)
3 Scallions/spring onions (finely sliced)
2 Small carrots (grated)
1 Red pepper (finely sliced)
2 Tbsp Coriander (finely chopped)
2 Tbsp Mint (finely chopped)
Dressing
2-3 Tbsp Peanut butter
1 Tbsp Sesame oil
1 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 Tbsp Grated ginger
1 Tsp Maple syrup or Honey if you’re not vegan
1 Tsp Chilli flakes
1 Tbsp White wine vinegar or lemon juice
Topping (option)
2 Tbsp Pumpkin seeds
100 Grams Cashew nuts/peanuts (toasted)
Method
Toast the nuts in a hot frying pan and set to one side and allow to cool.
Cook the rice noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the noodles and add to a bowl of ice water to stop them over cooking.
Add all the dressing ingredients to a bowl and mix well. You might need to add some hot water to loosen up the dressing if its too thick.
Drain the cold noodles and add to a large bowl. Stir in the vegetables and dressing and mix well.
This dish was would have traditionally been made with duck (which I think would be too rich), and is now usually made with chicken. I have also made a vegan version with aubergines and I have to say I think it was my favourite.
This is quite a rich dish and the use of pomegranate molasses (available from most big supermarkets or Asian grocers) gives the stew a tangy sweet and sour flavour.
I call this a weekend recipe, meaning its something that requires low and slow cooking and you aren’t going to try and do for a quick weeknight dinner.
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 Chicken thighs (bone in, but skin removed), or 2 large aubergines (cut into bite sized chunks)
1 Tbsp. Tomato Puree
250 Grams Walnut pieces
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Black pepper
125 Mil Pomegranate molasses
1 Tsp Sugar (or more to taste)
Pomegranate seeds to decorate (optional)
Method
Add the walnuts to a food processor and whiz until they become fine crumbs and start to stick together in a paste
Move the walnuts to a large pot with a lid, and add 1 litre of cold water to the walnuts. Bring to the boil for a couple of minutes, and then reduce the heat and cover with a lid simmer for 2 hours.
Add the chicken thighs or aubergine chunks to the pot and cover with the lid again and simmer for a further hour. Remove the lid and simmer for another 10-15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds if using just before serving rice or flat breads
I know I harp on about it, but I hate food waste. So when I found some discounted tomatoes in the supermarket that were too soft for salads I decided to make soup.
Tomatoes are roasted with some onion in the oven to bring out their flavour. I always try to cook more than one thing at a time so using the oven is more cost effective, so it’s the perfect excuse to whip up a cake too if feeling like it (I always feel ready for cake)
For the best lunch ever, team it up with a grilled cheese sandwich
Ingredients
500 Grams tomatoes
2 onion (cut into quarters)
2-3 Cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp Oil
500 ml Vegetable stock (I used a stock cube dissolved in 500ml of boiling water)
1-2 Tbsp Basil leaves
1 tsp Cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)
Add the tomatoes, oil, and onion to an oven proof dish and roast for 30-40 minutes or until the tomatoes have blistered. Remove and discard the skin from the garlic
Add all the ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
I love any type of dumpling, but have been over indulging lately, so needed something that tasted great but needed to be good for me. These are so delicious you won’t even like you’re being healthy.
I make a big batch of these and freeze them, as they make a really quick week night dinner, they’re also much nicer and cheaper that the frozen ones you can buy. You can use any dipping sauce you like (I just used a bottle of sweet chilli sauce I had in a cupboard).
Like most batch cooking if you can rope in friends or some child labour (kids love making these) it gives you a chance to kick back and give orders. Chop the vegetables fairly finely, as it will be easy to stuff the dumplings.
I came up with these mainly to use up vegetables that had been hanging about my fridge and a packet of wonton wrappers that had been in my freezer since my last visit to the Asian supper market. Traditional pot sticker dumplings are usually made with a dough, so these are a bit of a cheat, I think they work well and saves you time.
Ingredients
1/2 Small head of cabbage (finely chopped)
1 Red pepper (finely chopped)
200 Grams Mushrooms (finely chopped)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
3-4 Scallions/spring onions (finely chopped)
1 Tbsp Garlic (minced/crushed)
1 Tbsp Ginger (grated or finely chopped)
1 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 Tsp Chilli flakes, or 1 fresh chilli (finely chopped)
1 Tbsp Sesame oil
1 -2 Tbsp Sunflower oil (plus extra to fry the dumplings)
1 Pack Wonton wrappers
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil to a large frying pan and add the chopped vegetables, chilli garlic and ginger, cook for about 5 minutes, there should still be a bit of bite, but the onion should be cooked through.
Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and allow to cool completely
Set up a little work station for yourself, you should have your bowl of the dumpling filling, a small bowl of water to wet the edges of the dumplings and if you are making some to freeze you should have a tray lined with foil that has had a small about of oil rubbed across it so the dumpling don’t stick to it while they’re in the freezer
Open your packet of wonton wrappers and wrap in a slightly damp tea towel to stop then drying out as you work
Lift a wonton wrapper and put a teaspoon of the filling in the centre. Wet your finger and wet all the edges of the wrapper and take one corner to meet the opposite corner to make a triangle. Make sure that the edges of the dumpling is properly sealed. Set on your tray and move onto make the next dumpling, keep going until you have run out of filling or wrappers.
If you’re freezing some of the dumplings, freeze them on a tray and then transfer into freezer bags
When you’re ready to eat the dumplings, spray a small amount of oil in a non stick frying pan (you’ll need a lid or some way to cover the pan) and heat over a high heat. Boil the kettle.
Place your dumplings in the pan (don’t try to squeeze too many in the pan at once). Cook for 2 minutes or until the bottoms have started to brown, then add a couple of tablespoons of boiling water (the pan shouldn’t be swimming in water), and cover with a lid and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until the water has been absorbed
Serve with your favourite dipping sauce (they’re also amazing washed down with a cold beer)
Classic dauphinoise potatoes are loaded with cream and sometimes cheese, and are one of my favourite things to eat.
The first time I made this I had spuds but no cream, so these were basically an experiment. But it was a really yummy one. It’s also nice to mess with the classics sometimes.
I could eat a massive bowl of this on its own, but it’s works really well as a side dish to marinated tempeh or chicken or fish if you’re a carnivore. This is full of creamy, garlicy, chilli gorgeousness.
Left overs are also great heated up with a fried egg on top.
1Kg Potatoes
400ml Tin of Coconut mik
3-4 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
1Tsp Chilli flakes
1 Tsp Ground ginger
1Tsp Tumeric
Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)
Peel and slice your potatoes as finely possible. Some people use a mandolin, but I’ve never been able to use one without cutting myself, I just use a kitchen knife
Add the coconut milk, garlic and spices to a saucepan and heat over a gentle heat, add the sliced potatoes and simmer very gently for 10 minutes
Line a baking dish with parchment paper (you don’t have to this, but it does make it easier to clean the dish afterwards)
Add the potatoes to the dish and spread evenly before putting in oven for 40-45 minutes. Test with a fork to make sure the potatoes are soft
Sometimes if you’ve been overindulging your body tells you to eat something healthier. When that happens, this what you should be eating. Packed full of flavour and protein these little falafel are great as the protein element of a main meal or in wraps for a tasty and filling packed lunch. These falafel are baked rather than fried, which helps make them even healthier.
I made these with cannelini beans, (I thought I had chickpeas in the cupboard, but you could probably use any type of tinned beans). These are also gluten free and suitable for vegans.
Ingredients
400 Gram Can of cannelini beans or chickpeas
2 Tablespoons Porridge oats
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 Tablespoon Tahini
2 Cloves of garlic (roughly chopped)
100 Grams Spinach
1 Teaspoon Salt
Handful of Coriander or parsley (toughly chopped)
Tablespoon Sesame Seeds (optional)
Oil for spraying
Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees (Celsius)
Add all ingredients (except the sesame seeds) to a food processor and blend until you have a smooth mix
Line a baking sheet with parchment, the falafel mix should be quite soft, so I used a tablespoon to scoop the mix on the baking sheet.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you are using them and bake for 15 minutes before turning them and bake for another 15 minutes
My brother made this soup for me and I loved it. He only gave me the recipe on condition of a name check, so thanks Michael.
This is proper comfort food, and while the recipe is Vegan friendly it’s a really hearty stick to your ribs meal in a bowl.
I’m not vegetarian, so I topped the soup with some bacon I had left. But in fairness it’s equally delicious with out it.
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
400 Gram Tin of cannelini beans
2 Stalks of celery (fine chopped)
2 Carrots (grated)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 Vegetable stock cube (or tablespoon of buillion powder)
2 Cloves of garlic (crushed or very finely chopped)
1 Tbsp Oil
500 ml Boiling water
Method
Add the oil to a deep sauce pan and heat over a medium heat
Add the onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until the onion softens but doesn’t colour
Then add the carrot and celery and cook gently for an other 10 minutes
Stir in the garlic and beans (including half the water they came in), crumble in the stock cube, add the boiling water and stir well. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if you feel it needs it
Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the the vegetables are soft and then serve with crusty bread
Potato salad is lovely summer dish, but not everyone is a fan of mayonnaise.
Herby dressing, just waiting for the spuds
This version is a little bit lighter and can be enjoyed by vegans too.
Waxy potatoes are probably best, but either is fine. This is such a great side dish, it goes with virtually everything.
Ingredients
750 Grams Potatoes (cut into 4-5cm chunks, I like to leave the skins on but peel them if you prefer)
1 Tsp Salt
1/4 Red onion (finely sliced)
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp White wine/cider vinegar
1 Tsp Mustard (I like to use grain mustard but Dijon mustard is fine too)
4 Tbsp Chopped herbs (I used coriander and parsley because it was what I had, but dill or mint or a mixture will also work)
Salt and pepper
Method
Add the potatoes and salt to a pot and add enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are soft, and drain the cooking water (Hold back 2 Tbsp of the cooking water)
In a large bowl add the onion and sprinkle with the vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes (this will help stop that harsh raw onion flavour). Add the oil, mustard, herbs, and cooking water you held back from the potatoes and stir
Add the potatoes while they are still slightly warm to the bowl and mix well to ensure they are coated with the dressing, this will allow them to help soak up the flavour
Do you ever get a bit over zealous when shopping and have stuff hanging about the fridge that you forget about. I do this more often than I should. I recently found a tub of cherry tomatoes that I had forgotten about and were starting to go a bit soft. I decided to cook these long and slow and they tasted fantastic.
I used these as a side dish, but they would be fantastic stirred into some freshly cooked pasta, or served cold in salads or on some crusty bread with some soft cheese. These are every bit as tasty as sun-dried tomatoes. I made quite a small batch of these (because it was a small tub of tomatoes), but I’m definitely going to make bigger batches next time. These can live in your fridge for 3- 4 days in an air tight jar.
All the ingredients combined together and ready for the oven
Ingredients
250 Grams Cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 Tsp salt
2 Cloves of garlic (roughly chopped)
3-4 Sprigs of thyme or 1/2 Tsp dried thyme
Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees
Place all the ingredients on a baking sheet and mix well to ensure the tomatoes are coated in the oil. Bake for 20 minutes
Reduce the heat to 140 degrees and cook for a further 30-40 minutes, until the tomatoes start to look wizened up and starting to char
It’s barbeque season and although I do love meat, the side dishes can take your barbeque to a whole other level.
I first had this years ago in a restaurant with barbecued pork and I fell in love. It’s one of those Summery side dishes that goes with pretty much every thing. I use it in wraps, in salad and rice bowls and could eat a bowl of it on its own.
I use fresh pineapple in this recipe, but if you can’t find it, canned pineapple will also work. This takes 5 minutes to make, but I like to leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the acid in the pineapple to help soften the raw onion flavour which works well. You can leave the out or increase the chilli depending on your taste.
Ingredients
500 Grams Pineapple (cut into 2cm chunks)
1/2 Red pepper (cut into 2 cm chunks)
1 Red chilli pepper (seeds removed and finely sliced)
1/4 Red onion, or 2-3 scallions/spring onions (finely sliced)
2 Tbsp Coriander (mint also works well)
Juice of 1/2 Lime
Method
In a bowl combine all the ingredients and stir well. Chill for 30 mins before serving.
This will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days
Seaneen's Sunnyside Kitchen 