Thursday, May 31, 2007

Dinner Thursday 31 May - Sea Spiced Aubergine


Sea Spiced Aubergine
225g aubergine
5 ml sunflower oil
1 thumb ginger, peeled & grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
mixed red & green chilis, to taste
3 tablespoons yellow bean paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
150 mls water
1 tablespoon cornflour
4 spring onions, sliced
50g ho fan noodles, cooked

Cut the aubergine in half length wise, then cut it into slices about 2cms thick. Sprinkle with salt and leave to stand for 1 hour.

Squeeze any excess moisture from the aubergine with your hands.

Spray a non stick skillet with some oil and saute the aubergines on either side until browned.

Heat the oil in a wok and saute the ginger, garlic & chilis for a few minutes. Add the yellow bean paste, soy sauce and water. Mix well, then add the aubergine slices and cook for a few minutes. MIx the cornflour with a little water and add to the wok. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the spring onions and serve over the ho fan noodles.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 431.1
Carbohydrate (g) 78.7
Protein (g) 11.9
Fat (g) 8.1
Fibre (g) 5.7

Lunch Thursday 31 May - Tofu Spread with Celery & Salad


Tofu Spread with Celery & Salad
Millennium Tofu Spread
200g Santini tomatoes
100g cos lettuce
3 ribs celery
Snipped chives to garnish

Nutrition Summary
Calories (kcal) 160.7
Protein (g) 12.0
Carbohydrate (g) 17.0
Fat (g) 5.5
Fibre (g) 5.0

Breakfast Thursday 31 May - Raspberries & crisprolls


Breakfasted on raspberries, coffee & Viktoria Swedish crisprolls from Ikea.

Not my picture, but amazing what you can find online...

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Dinner Wednesday 30 May - Swordfish Steak with Roasted New Potatoes & Asparagus




Swordfish steak with Roasted New Potatoes & Asparagus

1 swordfish steak
100g asparagus, steamed
200g new potatoes, boiled
1 pat Herb Butter
sprigs thyme

Who needs a recipe?

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 372.7
Carbohydrate (g) 31.1
Protein (g) 30.2
Fat (g) 14.9
Fibre (g) 4.4

Lunch Wednesday 30 May - Japanese Style Simmer Aubergine


Japanese Style Simmered Aubergine & Soba in Miso & Ponzu Sauce
1 medium aubergine
1 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
500 ml dashi
1 teaspoon sugar

50g soba noodles, cooked & refreshed in cold water
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon Ponzu sauce

100g lettuce, shredded
handful fresh coriander
handful fresh mint
4 spring onions, sliced
7 Spice Pepper

Score the aubergine skin in a cross-hatch all over. Make the scorings fairly close together - about 1 cm apart.

Cut the aubergine in half length wise, then cut it into slices about 2cms thick. Sprinkle with salt and leave to stand for 1 hour.

Squeeze any excess moisture from the aubergine with your hands.

Spray a non stick skillet with some oil and saute the aubergines on either side until browned.

Simmer together the dashi, mirin, soy and sugar. Add the aubergine slices and simmer until most of the liquid has either been absorbed by the aubergines or evaporated. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Mis the cooked soba with the miso & ponzu sauce.

Toss together the lettuce, herbs and spring onions, reserving some spring onions for garnish. Use this mixture to libe a serving plate.

Arrange the soba and aubergines on the salad & garnish with the reserved spring onions and 7 Spice Pepper.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 299.0
Carbohydrate (g) 45.8
Protein (g) 14.0
Fat (g) 5.1
Fibre (g) 6.7
Alcohol (g) 1.1

Breakfast Wednesday 30 May - APPLESAUCE!

Made some fresh apple sauce with cinnamon which I had for breakfast. Went Googling for a suitable pic (as I did not take one) and ran across this from Ninja Burger:


Pretty cool! although I am not quite sure WTF Ninja Burger is all about...

Ninja Burger
"Guaranteed delivery in 30 minutes or less, or we commit Seppuku! "

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Dinner Tuesday 29 May - White Radish Cake with Prawns & Bean Sprouts




White Radish Cake with Prawns & Bean Sprouts
1 portion white radish cake
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 chilis, sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
100g prawns
190g bean sprouts blanched
1 egg, beaten
3 spring onions, sliced
handful fresh coriander leaves

Cut the white radish cake into cubes. Spray a non-stick skillet with a little oil and fry to radish cake until it is lightly browned. Add the garlic, chillis, sugar, soy sauce & fish sauce. Saute for a minute or two, then add the prawns and bean sprouts. Heat everything through, then pour over the beaten egg and cook until just set. Add the spring onions and coriander & serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 438.8
Carbohydrate (g) 52.3
Protein (g) 39.1
Fat (g) 9.7
Fibre (g) 6.0

Lunch Tuesday 29 May - Noodles with Bean Sprouts, Sugar Snaps & Sweet Pepper in Oyster Sauce


Noodles with Bean Sprouts, Sugar Snaps & Sweet Pepper in Oyster Sauce 1 thumb ginger, peeled & grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 chillis, sliced
1 sweet, pointed red pepper, blanched (about 80g)
120g sugar snap peas, blanched
160g bean sprouts, blanched
100g oyster sauce
50g ho fan (what was left in the pack)
3 spring onions sliced
handful coriander leaves

Spray a non-stick skillet with a little oil and cook the chillis, ginger and garlic for a couple minutes.

Add the blanched vegetables and stir fry for 2-3 minutes, until hot.

Add the cooked noodles, oyster sauce, coriander and spring onions. Toss briefly together to mix all ingredients and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 447.4
Carbohydrate (g) 89.8
Protein (g) 23.5
Fat (g) 1.1
Fibre (g) 8.8

Breakfast Tuesday 29 May - Pineapple Cottage Cheese

Nothing fancy, just a pot of low fat cottage cheese with pineapple and a pot of coffee.

Finally feeling well enough again to try the gym out, so off I go to do some cardio.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Dinner Monday 28 May - Fusilli with Prawns, Spinach & Tomatoes


Fusilli with Prawns, Spinach & Tomatoes
50g wholewheat pasta, cooked
1 clove garlic
115g raw spinach
200g Santini tomatoes, halved
100g prawns
1 teaspoon Marigold vegetable stock powder (I use the low sodium one)

Spray a skillet with a little oil and cook the garlic for a minute or so. Add the hot pasta with a little of the cooking water. Stir in the spinach, Marigold, tomatoes and prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes, until spinach is wilted and everything is heated through.

Give it a good grating of black pepper and a sprinkle of nutmeg & serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 331.3
Carbohydrate (g) 46.8
Protein (g) 29.1
Fat (g) 4.0
Fibre (g) 9.3

Lunch Monday 28 May - Potato Methi


One of the things that looked good in Chapel Market yesterday was methi; fresh fenugreek leaves. Anyway, I bought some, so decided to make:


Potato Methi
10g ghee
80g shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon turmeric root, grated
1 teaspoon cumin seeds. toasted & ground
1 teaspoon coriander seeds. toasted & ground
handful curry leaves
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 tomato, chopped (about 100g)
100g fresh fenugreek leaves (methi)
200g potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks
handful fresh coriander leaves
juice 1/2 lemon

Melt the ghee in a heavy skillet and add the cumin, coriander mustard seeds and chilli. Saute for a couple of minutes, until the mustard begins to pop.

Add the garlic, shallots, turmeric and chilli powder and saute over low until the shallots are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped tomato, potatoes and 200mls water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Stir in the methi and cook for a further 1 minutes, until the mehti is wilted.

Finally, add the lemon juice & coriander just before serving.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 387.0
Carbohydrate (g) 23.0
Protein (g) 36.2
Fat (g) 16.7
Fibre (g) 5.5

Breakfast Monday 28 May - Strawberries & yoghurt



Just a big old punnet of strawberries and some M&S plain, probiotic yoghurt. With coffee, of course.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Dinner Sunday 27 May - White Radish Cake with Sugar Snaps & Bean Sprouts


1 portion white radish cake
100 mls dashi
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoon mirin
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2-3 red chillis, sliced (to taste)

100g sugar snap peas, blanched & sliced
100g bean sprouts, blanched

2 spring onions, slivered
handful fresh coriander leaves


Fry to white radish cake in a little spray oil until hot, crispy and browned.

While the cake is frying, make a sauce by simmering together the dashi, mirin & brown sugar. Add the chillis and the fried white radish cake. Turn the cakes in the sauce once, then remove them to a serving plate.

Garnish plate with blanched sugar snaps & bean sprouts. Pour over the reserved sauce, garnish with spring onions and coriander and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 502.4
Carbohydrate (g) 92.7
Protein (g) 20.5
Fat (g) 3.4
Fibre (g) 6.2

Lunch Sunday 27 May - Miso Soup


Miso Soup
1 pint dashi
10g dried wakame seaweed, cut into bite sized pieces
50g tofu, diced
10g leeks, sliced thinly
50g white miso paste
Simmer the wakame in the dashi for 5 minutes or so. Add the leeks & tofu and warm through. Add a little hot dashi to the miso paste and mix well to loosen the miso. Then add the miso to the hot stock and stir well to combine.
Do not boil the miso or you will kill it.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 193.2
Carbohydrate (g) 20.1
Protein (g) 13.2
Fat (g) 5.5
Fibre (g) 6.0

Breakfast Sunday 27 May - Strawberries

Munched my way through a big box of strawbs for breakfast. Woke up feeling like shite, so went back to bed and had a lie in until nearly noon, then went up to Chapel Market to see what looked good.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Dinner Saturday 26 May - White Radish Cake with Prawns, Baby Corn & Broccoli


White Radish Cake with Prawns, Baby Corn & Broccoli

1 serving white radish cake
100g prawns
125g broccoli, separated into florets
50g baby corn

3 cloves garlic, crushed
5 mls sunflower oil
100mls fish stock
50mls Shao Shing
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Nam Prik Pow
3 spring onions, sliced
handful fresh coriander

Add the oil to a wok or skillet and dry the white radish cake until browned. Remove and reserve. While the cake is frying, steam the broccoli & baby corn together

Fry the garlic in the same pan for about 1 minute, then add the fish (or vegetable) stock, Shao Shing, fish sauce, sugar and Nam Prik Pow. Bubble together for a minute or so, then add the prawns and white radish cake.

Arrange the white radish cake and prawns on a plate. Add the steamed veggies, spring onions and coriander to the skillet with the sauce and toss together. Arrange around the white radish cake & prawns and serve.

Nutrition Data for meal
Calories (kcal) 411.7
Carbohydrate (g) 43.2
Protein (g) 30.8
Fat (g) 13.0
Fibre (g) 6.5

Well, I said back in late April that had forgotten how much I enjoyed white radish cake and I must try making it at home, so this was first attempt.

It came out pretty damn tasty! I added the Maggi cube because they always remind me of Indonesia and Thailand. Some ruminations about Maggi cubes here .

White Radish Cake
450g white radish (also called mooli or daikon)
125ml water
1 Maggi stock cube
10g dried Shrimp

120g brown rice flour
30g plain white flour
200mls water

1 tablespoon unrefined sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper

Peel & grate the mooli. Combine with the water, stock cube & dried shrimp in a non-stick pan. Simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until radish is soft and the liquid has evaporated.

Mix together the flours and the 200mls water to form a paste. Add to the cooked mooli and simmer together over very low heat for 5 minutes or so, until a thick mixture is formed. Watch carefully so it does not burn.

Add the sugar & seasoning and stir the mixture well.

Turn the paste into a greased 20cm square cake tin. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Place it in a steamer and steam over high heat for 35 to 45 minutes, until firm. The cake will firm as it cools, but it should be pretty well set before you stop cooking - no liquidy or excessively jiggling centres!

Allow it to cool thoroughly - overnight is best. Cut into slices and pan fry before serving with a sauce of your choosing. This recipe adapted from one found in The Star newspaper (Kuali), Phillipines (online). You can also add sauteed shallots and/or dried sausage (for meat eaters) to the mix.

Makes 4 servings
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 169.5
Carbohydrate (g) 33.2
Protein (g) 5.4
Fat (g) 1.7
Fibre (g) 1.8

Lunch Sat 26 May - Thai Red Curried Tofu with Sugar Snap Peas


Thai Red Curried Tofu with Sugar Snap Peas
I tend to keep homemade green, red and massaman Thai curry pastes about. Whenever I get some nice coriander with the roots still intact, I save them in the freezer for Thai curry pastes which tend to use the coriander roots rather than leaves.

Anyway, I had some Thai red curry paste to hand, so decided to make a sort of a red curry.

Fry a tablespoon of red curry paste until fragrant. Add water, creamed coconut (the block stuff), fish sauce and sugar. Simmer together for a couple minutes, then add the tofu and sugar snaps. Simmer until the sugar snaps are cooked - this will only take 2-3 minutes at most.

Stir through the spring onions and serve. The tofu tends to soak up most of the sauce, making this a fairly dry curry.


Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 489.9
Carbohydrate (g) 27.6
Protein (g) 35.1
Fat (g) 27.2
Fibre (g) 4.0

Thai Red Curry Paste
8 dried, long, red chillis
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoon chopped garlic (about 4 fat cloves)
2 stalks lemon grass, chopped
3 coriander roots/stems
1 teaspoon finely chopped kaffir lime leaves
1 inch piece galangal
2 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoon sunflower oil

Process all ingrediants together into a smooth paste using either a mortar & pestle or food processor. This will keep for ages in the fridge.

This makes enough for about 4 curries/4 servings.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 81.9
Carbohydrate (g) 8.5
Protein (g) 3.1
Fat (g) 4.2
Fibre (g) 5.1

Breakfast Saturday 26 May - Molasses Rye & Coffee

Back to the old molasses rye loaf, toasted with some Marmite & a pot of coffee.

Still not feeling very well - I seem to have been sick most of May!

Friday, May 25, 2007

Dinner Friday 25 May - Veggie Sausages, Parsnip & Potato Cakes, Minted Peas


Parsnip & Potato Cakes
160g baby parsnips
160g baby Jersey Royal potatoes
30g green pepper, chopped fine
2 spring onions, sliced (20g)
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Boil together the parsnips & potatoes until soft. Mash together.

Add the finely chopped green pepper, spring onions, chilli flakes & cumin and allow to cool.

Form into 4 cakes. Fry in a non-tick skillet sprayed with a little olive oil until piping hot & browned on either side.

Served with:
2 Cauldron Foods cherry tomato & basil vegetarian sausages
80g petit pois with fresh mint

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 418.9
Carbohydrate (g) 67.0
Protein (g) 19.2
Fat (g) 9.4
Fibre (g) 16.2

Lunch Friday 25 May - Linguine with Mushrooms & Prawns in a Creamy Lemon Sauce


Linguine with Mushrooms & Prawns in a Creamy Lemon Sauce
150g tiny button mushrooms
100ml vegetable stock
grated zest 1/2 lemon
10g cornflour
juice 1/2 lemon
30ml single cream
2 spring onions, sliced
50g linguine, cooked
100g prawns
Cover the mushrooms with the vegetable stock and add the lemon zest. Simmer over low heat until the mushrooms are cooked, about 10 minutes. Combine the lemon juice and cornflour and add to the mushrooms; cook until thickened. Add the cream and season with salt and fresh black pepper.

Stir in the spring onions, prawns and cooked linguine and stir until everything is heated through.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 377.5
Carbohydrate (g) 48.6
Protein (g) 28.0
Fat (g) 8.2
Fibre (g) 2.5

Breakfast Friday 25 May - Blueberries & Peaches again

Started the day with an instant repeat of yesterday's breakfast - blueberries, peaches & coffee.

Still feeling fairly under the weather.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Dinner Thursday 24 May - Cod with Herb Butter & Purple Asparagus




Cod with Herb Butter & Purple Asparagus



Marks & Spencer were selling British "purple" asparagus, so I thought I would give it a try. It is pretty purple when raw, but when cooked, it just turned a very dark green! Oh well, it is British asparagus anyway, and therefore the BEST IN THE WORLD!

This is a pretty simple affair - steamed Anya potatoes, steamed baby carrots, steamed asparagus and steamed cod loin with a part of Herb Butter.

Ta-da!
Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 317.0
Carbohydrate (g) 29.2
Protein (g) 27.7
Fat (g) 10.5
Fibre (g) 6.0

Lunch Thursday 24 May - Cous Cous Salad


Cous Cous Salad
50g cous cous
5ml macadamia nut oil
1 clove garlic
2-3 green chillis
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 spring onions, sliced (20g)
70g cucumber, quartered & sliced
handful fresh mint
handful fresh coriander
100g artichoke hearts
100g cos lettuce
160g Santini tomatoes
Add the cous cous, oil, crushed garlic and chopped chillis to a bowl and stir to combine. Pour over 100ml boiling water, cover and leave to stand until cous cous is plumped up and water is absorbed.

Add the slice celery, spring onions & cucumber along with a handful each fresh mint and coriander. Combine well.

Line a plate with the lettuce. Pile the cous cous on top and garnish with the cherry tomatoes and artichoke hearts

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 495.4
Carbohydrate (g) 54.3
Protein (g) 26.3
Fat (g) 20.0
Fibre (g) 14.8

Breakfast Thursday 24 May - Blueberries and Peaches


I do love my summer fruit... started the day off with couple of peaches and a punnet of blueberries.
Yum.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Dinner Wednesday 23 May - Tofu with Mushrooms & Bean Sprouts in Oyster Sauce


Tofu with Mushrooms & Bean Sprouts in Oyster Sauce
1 thumb ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
100g Shanghai style deep fried tofu
190g bean sprouts
125g mushrooms, sliced
70g mange tout
50g ho fan noodles
2 tablespoons soy sauce
80g oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cornflour
100ml water
1 tsp sesame oil
3 spring onions, sliced
Stir fry the ginger & garlic with the slivered mushrooms in a non-stick wok sprayed with a little oil. Add a little water, a tablespoon or so at a time, if needed.

When the mushrooms are cooked to your liking, add the mange tout, bean sprouts, tofu, soy sauce and oyster sauce and combine well.

Add the water mixed with the cornflour and sesame oil and cook over high heat until thickened and everything is coated with sauce,

Add the cooked noodles and spring onions and combine quickly - do not overcook or the noodles will turn to mush. Serve at once.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 634.7
Carbohydrate (g) 88.6
Protein (g) 39.4
Fat (g) 15.2
Fibre (g) 8.2

Lunch Wednesday 23 May - Runner Bean, Artichoke & Tomato Salad


Runner Bean, Artichoke & Tomato Salad
20g Manuka honey
10ml olive oil
2 teaspoons mustard
juice 1/2 lemon
100g canned artichoke hearts
150g runner beans, cooked
160g Santini tomatoes
2 spring onions, sliced
handful parsley
50g cos lettuce
Again, there is no real recipe here. Just make a dressing of the honey, oil, mustard and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Combine the runner beans, artichoke hearts, spring onions and tomatoes. Add the dressing & parsley and combine. Pile on a bed of shredded romaine lettuce and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 348.4
Carbohydrate (g) 28.7
Protein (g) 6.8
Fat (g) 23.4
Fibre (g) 9.9

Breakfast Wednesday 23 May - Strawberries and coffee


Had a small punnet of strawberries and some coffee for breakfast. Still feeling rather crap.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Dinner Tuesday 22 May - Mushroom & Cheese Omelette


Mushroom & Cheese Omelette
125g mushrooms
1 pat herb butter
2 eggs
40g half fat cheddar (I used some of the Leskol cheddar)
15ml single cream
few sprigs parsley, chopped
Saute the mushrooms in the Herb Butter until softened and cooked. Add the cream & the parsley.
Spray a non-stick skillet with a little olive oil and make a two egg omelette. When just starting to set, fill the omelette with the cooked mushrooms and cheese. Cook until as set as you like your eggs and serve with a few cherry tomatoes.

Nutrition Summary
Calories (kcal) 392.7
Protein (g) 28.1
Carbohydrate (g) 1.2
Fat (g) 30.4
Fibre (g) 1.5

I like my omelettes browned and puffy, so I usually cover them and cook over low heat for about five minutes after adding the filling. The cover makes them rise and puff up.

I know that most people will tell you that eggs are to be just barely set, but I say cook them how you like them. I don't like rubbery eggs, but I don't like them slimy either.

Lunch Tuesday 22 May - Fusilli with Santini Tomatoes & Prawns


Fusilli with Santini Tomatoes & Prawns
75g wholewheat fusilli, cooked
5ml olive oil
2-3 red chillis, chopped
1 garlic, crushed
5ml olive oil
150g red & yellow mixed Santini cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
90g prawns
handful fresh basil leaves
Add the olive oil to a non-stick skillet. Cook the garlic and chillis for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and cook until they are heated through and starting to soften; about 5 minutes.

Add the prawns and cooked pasta and heat through. Stir in the freshly torn up bail leaves and season to taste with salt & fresh black pepper.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 419.3
Carbohydrate (g) 58.2
Protein (g) 28.5
Fat (g) 8.0
Fibre (g) 10.4

Breakfast Tuesday 22 May - Peaches, strawberries and coffee


Had a couple of peaches sliced up with a small punnet of strawberries. Still feeling pretty shite with this cold/flu thing, but soldiering on anyway.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Dinner Monday 21 May - Vege-0-Rama with Cheese Sauce


Vege-0-Rama with Cheese Sauce
160g Anya potatoes
160 runner beans, steamed
160g broccoli, steamed
1 serving Veloute made with Leskol cheese
Another meal with no "recipe" involved; just steamed veggies and potatoes steamed then roasted with a little spray oil until browned.

The Leskol "cheese alternative" is another of those "I had a coupon..." purchases. It is not bad and has reasonable melting properties, unlike a lot of lot fat cheeses.

Leskol Veloute
250ml vegetable stock
30ml extra thick single cream
1 tablespoon cornflour (about 15g)
50g Leskol Half Fat Mature Cheddar style
sprig parsley

Combine the cold veggie stock and cornflour. Cook over low heat until thickened, then stir in the cream and cheese and stir until cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt & pepper and add a sprig of parsley, chopped fine.

Makes 1 serving
Per Serving
Calories (kcal) 265.1
Protein (g) 18.4
Carbohydrate (g) 14.9
Fat (g) 14.2
Fibre(g) 0.2

Nutrition Data for meal
Calories (kcal) 477.3
Carbohydrate (g) 51.0
Protein (g) 33.0
Fat (g) 16.2
Fibre (g) 8.7

Lunch Monday 21 May - Ho Fan Noodles with Prawns




Ho Fan Noodles with Prawns

1 thumb ginger, grated
3-4 chillis, sliced
1/2 jar Wagamama Chili Men sauce
100g mange tout, blanched
190g bean sprouts, blanched
50g ho fan noodles, cooked & drained
90g cooked prawns
2 spring onions, sliced
Discovered the other half a jar of Wagamama Chilli Men sauce in fridge and it still seemed OK, so decided to use it up.

Stir fry the ginger and chillis for a couple of minutes. Add the blanched mange tout & bean sprouts along with the prawns & cooked noodles and stir fry until everything is hot.

Add the sliced spring onions and stir fry and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 500.3
Carbohydrate (g) 76.8
Protein (g) 35.1
Fat (g) 7.5
Fibre (g) 7.7

Breakfast Monday 21 May - Molasses rye & coffee

Still not feeling brilliant - this cold thing is lingering. Breakfasted on Molasses Rye & coffee

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Sunday 20 May - Brunch at The Landmark Hotel


It has become a bit of a tradition that L. and I celebrate our birthdays with a Landmark Jazz brunch. Things have gotten put off a few time this year, but today we are finally having a (belated) celebration.
The Landmark is a five star hotel in Marylebone with an excellent jazz brunch every Sunday in the Winter Garden.,

It is a great venue; just wish I was feeling a bit better! But I made a valiant effort to EAT!

So, started off with a spot of breakfast - scrambled egg (they do lovely scrambled eggs - no doubt full of butter & cream!), grilled tomato, hash brown and a rather nice seeded roll.

Then on to more "lunch-y" sort of items - a huge portion of lovely smoked whitefish and some asparagus.

Next up, a nice bit of a goat's cheese terrine, some bean salad and more asparagus. The terrine was lovely - goat's cheese, vegetable mousseline, apple & pine nuts in a very thin roasted aubergine wrapper.

So, on to the hot entree - sea bass for me, with spinach, mixed veggies and roasted potatoes. Then, a few four cheese tortellini, some hearts of palm and - more asparagus!

For afters, I had some blue cheese, but must say the cheese board was rather a let down this year - a bit of Stilton, some Cheddar and not a lot else to choose from .

For sweets, I picked at a couple of profiteroles, a slice of Gâteau St. Honoré, a bit of a chocolate mille-feuille and a few strawberries.

All washed down with many, many glasses of champagne.

We then retired to the Mirror Bar at the hotel, were a couple of martinis were called for and I some how managed to find space for some roasted nuts with rosemary - sort of like the Union Square Cafe nuts.

Needless to say, no further meals were required today!





The Landmark Hotel

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Sat 19 May - Arggh! Sick again

Damn. Woke up at 08:00 feeling awful again - cold/chest infection thingy rebound. I am bunged up, have a sore throat, nasty phlegmy chest and ache all over like flu.

Just when things were getting better. Maybe I over did it going to the gym....

Anyway, dosed myself up with Lemsips and went back to bed until midday, so no breakfast. Made some hashed potatoes and fried egg at midday.
Hashed Potatoes
235g potatoes, boiled & diced
1/2 green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon olive oil
No real recipe here; just saute the potatoes in a non stick skillet until they are just starting to get golden, then add the garlic and peppers (as they will cook faster) and continue to saute until all nicely browned.

Serve with
1 egg, fried
1 tomato, sliced
"Cool Chile" Chipotle catsup

Nutrition Data for meal
Calories (kcal) 391.0
Carbohydrate (g) 56.6
Protein (g) 15.6
Fat (g) 12.5
Fibre (g) 6.6

For dinner, I made a sort of fried rice with prawns & veggies and lots of broccoli.

Prawn Fried Rice
1 egg, well beaten
1 clove garlic
60g brown basmati rice, cooked
100g mange tout, sliced
1 carrot, slivered
4 spring onions, sliced
90g prawns
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Spray a non-stick skillet or wok with a little oil and heat. Pour in the egg and cook until set. Remove from wok and shred.

Add the garlic, carrot, mange tout and rice to the wok. Stir fry until the veggies are cooked, about 3-4 minutes. Add the prawns and continue stir frying for a further minute, until they are heated through. Finally, add the spring onions, soy sauce & oyster sauce and mix well. Garnish with
200g broccoli , steamed
and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 550.9
Carbohydrate (g) 67.7
Protein (g) 44.5
Fat (g) 11.6
Fibre (g) 10.0

Friday, May 18, 2007

Dinner Friday 18 May - Salt Cod with Tomatoes & Peppers


Well, as I am always mentioning about Herb Salad, I thought I would show you a picture of a nice selection of washed herbs for salad. Here we have flat leaf parsley, dill, basil, mint, coriander, chives and I think some tarragon, too. I toss the herbs together with a mix of other leaves - usually Romaine, spinach & rocket, but sometimes radish leaves or whatever I have. Then I layer it all up in a big bowl with spritzes of olive oil and balsamic vinegar in between. Gorgeous.



Salt Cod with Tomatoes & Peppers
10 ml olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 onion, sliced (90g)
1/2 red pepper, sliced (80g)
1/2 green pepper, sliced (80g)
1 can chopped tomatoes in juice (390g)
1 bay leaf
handful chopped basil
2 tablespoons capers
25g green & black olives
125g salt cod, refreshed and cooked
handful fresh parsley
Saute the onion, peppers and garlic in the oil until beginning to soften. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf & basil and simmer until the tomato juice is reduced by half.

Then add the capers, black olives and flaked salt cod. Season well with pepper - you probably will not need any salt - and simmer for a further 10 minutes, Finally, add the parsley and serve.

Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 671.2
Carbohydrate (g) 32.4
Protein (g) 87.4
Fat (g) 18.4
Fibre (g) 9.0

Lunch Friday 18 May - Chilli Udon with Prawns and Bean






Chilli Udon with Prawns and Bean
1 thumb ginger, peeled & finely chopped
2 red chillis, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 spring onion, sliced (40g)
110g prawns
120g broad beans, cooked
100g mange tout
1 pack Japanese udon noodles with with dashi
Spray a non-stick skillet with a little oil & saute the garlic, ginger and chillis until fragrant.



Cook the noodles in boiling water according to pack instructions. Add the mange tout, broad beans and prawns in the last minute or heat through/ cook. The mange tout literally only need 60 seconds or so.



Drain off most of the water and add the noodles, prawns and vegetables to the skillet. Season with the instant dashi packet from the noodles and add the spring onions. Combine well and serve.


Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 529.7
Carbohydrate (g) 87.7
Protein (g) 38.0
Fat (g) 3.2
Fibre (g) 11.3



I used some Shirakiku fresh udon noodles, but I am sure any would do.

Breakfast Friday 18 May - Scrambled egg and molasses rye toast


Now that I am feeling better and back into more "normal" cooking, I will go back to blogging each meal, I guess.

So today's breakfast was one egg and one egg white (leftover from the salt cod cakes) scrambled with tarragon and served with two slices on molasses rye bread.

Off to the gym!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Thursday 17 May - Bean Salad, Salt Cod Fish Cakes

No breakfast today - bad me. But up fairly late, so just coffee to start.

For lunch, I made a:

Bean & Potato Salad
10ml olive oil
15g Manuka honey
juice 1/2 lemon
175g Anya potatoes, sliced and steamed
100g fine beans, steamed
120g broad beans, steamed
50g spring onion, sliced
100g Romaine lettuce
handful fresh parsley
100g cherry tomatoes

Make a dressing of the oil, honey and lemon juice. Season with salt & plenty of pepper (I used some Montreal Steak Seasoning).

Steam the potatoes and when done, add them hot to the dressing so they can absorb the flavours. Add the beans and spring onions and allow to cool.

Line a plate with the lettuce and parsley. Pile to salad on top and garnish with cherry tomato halves.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 356.7
Carbohydrate (g) 61.7
Protein (g) 15.4
Fat (g) 6.6
Fibre (g) 14.1

I bought some salt cod recently from the local "Continental provisions" shop, Olga Food Stores, and I decided yesterday to use it. So, it soaked for 24 hours in several changes of fresh water. This afternoon, I simmered it in water with a few black pepper corns and a bay leaf for 10 minutes or so, until it was flaking. Tonight's dinner:

Salt Cod Fish Cakes
125g salt cod, refreshed and cooked
200g potatoes, boiled & mashed
30g spring onions, sliced finely
handful fresh parsley
1 egg yolk
Combine the flaked salt cod, potatoes, spring onions, and parsley. Add the beaten egg and mix lightly; try not to break up the cod flakes too much.

Form into cakes and fry in a non-stick skillet sprayed with oil for about 10 minutes either side, until golden brown.

Makes 1 serving (2 cakes)
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 593.7
Carbohydrate (g) 35.0
Protein (g) 86.6
Fat (g) 10.4
Fibre (g) 3.2

I had these with
150g asparagus
100g cherry tomatoes
Tartar Sauce (just mayonnaise with capers, parsley, pickle and lemon juice/zest)

Nutrition Summary for full meal
Calories (kcal) 643.5
Protein (g) 91.5
Carbohydrate (g) 40.6
Fat (g) 11.6
Fibre (g) 6.7
I love salt cod; the texture is great. Shame it is so calorific - and so under threat. Wonder if they do salt pollock? Salt coley?


The Olga Stores
30 Penton Street , London, N1 9PS
Tel: 020-7837-5467

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Wednesday 16 May - Getting back into the groove.

Such a relief to feel like this damned cold/infection is finally clearing! Up late, so just coffee for breakfast.

Lunch was a repeat of Sunday - VegeSteak Stroganov and Mezzani pasta.

For dinner, I made

Linguine with Fresh, Creamy Tomato Sauce
75g linguine, cooked
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
100g Santini tomatoes , halved or quartered
30ml single cream
handful fresh basil
handful fresh snipped chives
15g Parmigiano Reggiano
Cook the linguine in plenty of boiling, salted water. While it is cooking, rustle up the sauce.
Saute the garlic in olive oil for a few minutes, until softened and fragrant. Toss in the tomatoes and saute for a few minutes until they are softening, then add the cream and herbs.
Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce; check the seasoning and add salt & black pepper to taste. Scatter the Parmesan across the pasta and serve.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 451.4
Carbohydrate (g) 60.7
Protein (g) 17.4
Fat (g) 15.8
Fibre (g) 1.2

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Tuesday 15 May - By God, I think I am getting better

Feeling not to bad today - chest lurgy seems to be clearing.

Breakfasted on some Molasses Rye & coffee, then polished off the rest of yesterday's Baked Succotash for lunch.

Had another pass at the gym, doing weights programme and so far, so good.



Dinner was
125g hot smoked trout
100g fine beans, steamed
1 carrot, steamed
and

Potato Cakes
265g potatoes
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1 quails egg
Boil and mash potatoes. Add finely chopped spring onions, mustard and egg (I only used quails egg for size; a whole chicken's egg would have been too much for this quantity of potatoes).

Mix well, form into cakes and fry in a non-stick skillet sprayed with a little olive oil until browned, about 10 minutes either side.

Makes 1 serving
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 228.7
Carbohydrate (g) 43.7
Protein (g) 7.7
Fat (g) 3.0

Nutrition Data for full meal
Calories (kcal) 531.5
Carbohydrate (g) 55.4
Protein (g) 40.6
Fat (g) 17.2
Fibre (g) 9.7

Monday, May 14, 2007

Monday 14 May - Am I feeling a bit better?

Can it be that I am getting better? May the antibiotics are finally kicking in. Anyway, not feeling quite so rubbish this AM.

Had a quick breakfast of coffee and banana and went to the gym for the first time since I am home from California. Did my cardio workout, but gently - some exercise, but not to strenuous.

Lunch was a baked succotash. First time I have ever made this - I was browsing around on line for inspiration for what to so with lima beans and okra. I always see to do the same okra dishes over and over, so I thought I would try something new.

I am the first to admit this does NOT look particularly delicious:


But it actually tasted pretty decent. Not sure I would make it exactly this way again, but it was something different anyway. Most of the recipes seemed to call for cream/butter or evaporated milk, but I just made this with thickened vegetable stock as a sauce.

Baked Succotash
1 onion, chopped fine (140g)
125g okra
1 can sweetcorn, drained (272g)
1 can lima beans (240g)
2 spring onions, sliced (20g)
100g cherry tomatoes

400ml vegetable stock
30g cornflour

75g breadcrumbs
25g cheddar cheese

Combine the vegetables. Mix together the stock and cornflour, then cook over low heat until thickened. Pour over the vegetables and mix well. Turn into a casserole dish. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red chillis (if liked).

Mix together the bread crumbs and cheese and sprinkle over the top. Bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour.


Makes 2 large servings or 4 small servings


Nutrition Data per serving (for 2)
Calories (kcal) 481.3
Carbohydrate (g) 73.0
Protein (g) 19.0
Fat (g) 12.6
Fibre (g) 10.2

Dinner was a nice, light and simple composed salad again, after the succotash tonnage at lunch.

Composed Salad
3 quails eggs, hard boiled
100g pickled beetroot
100g fine beans, cooked
2 tomatoes, sliced
50g smoked mackerel
50g hot smoked salmon

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 419.5
Carbohydrate (g) 19.2
Protein (g) 28.5
Fat (g) 25.2
Fibre (g) 4.2

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Sunday 13 May - I give up....

OK, I am destined to be ill the rest of my life. May as well accept it.

Lolled around in bed until 10:30 then just had coffee on rising. Spent a few hours working, then made:


Vegesteak Stroganov
250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced (180g)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
400ml vegetable stock
1 glass white wine
3 tablespoons cornflour (30g)
60ml single cream
250g RealEat Vegetarian Steak
salt, pepper, fresh nutmeg
small handful fresh parsley

Place the onions, garlic & mushrooms in a sauce pot and over with the vegetable stock and white wine. Cover and simmer over low heat until onions are well cooked and liquid is reduced by about half (30-40 minutes). Add the vegesteak and heat through.

Mix the cornflour with a little cold water and use the paste to thicken the sauce. Add the cream and cook a minute or two further.
Season well with salt, pepper and a little grating of nutmeg. Garnish with a little parsley.

Makes 2 servings
Nutrition Data per serving
Calories (kcal) 474.7
Carbohydrate (g) 40.4
Protein (g) 41.0
Fat (g) 16.7
Fibre (g) 8.4

Had this with 75g of Mezzani pasta from the Turkish shop near L. in Welling. Keep meaning to use this pasta to line a mould and fill it with veggies or mousse or something. I think it would look nice; a mould lined with these tubes...

Nutrition Summary for meal (with 75g pasta)
Calories (kcal) 731.2
Protein (g) 50.2
Carbohydrate (g) 95.9
Fat (g) 17.8
Fibre (g) 10.8

In the evening, I was rummaging through the frozen food hoard and decided to have a go at some Thai style prawns I used to get at an old Enron local, The Paviours Arms pub. Not sure if it is still there or not; conflicting view on-line, but it used to be on Page Street in Pimlico and did Thai meals. I used to get the prawns with chilli and basil - dead simple, it was just prawns, onions, chilis (good & hot!) some sort of stock, fish sauce and basil on rice. They always swore to me it was not chicken stock (and I believed them).


Anyway, I felt like something spicy to clear all the gunk from my head and chest, so I had a go at recreating the Paviours Arms prawns. Not a bad effort.

Paviours Arms Prawns
170g raw prawns
1 small onion, sliced thinly
100mls vegetable stock
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
4 chillis, sliced (or to taste)
handful fresh basil
60g Thai fragrant rice.

Cook the rice. While the rice is boiling , prepare the rest of the dish.

Spray a non-stick skillet with a little oil and saute the onions over low/medium heat onions until soft and slightly coloured. Turn up the heat and add the chillis, stock & fish sauce. get it all good and hot, add the prawns and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the prawns are just cooked. Add the basil, stir through to wilt and serve over the hot cooked rice.

Nutrition Data
Calories (kcal) 398.8
Carbohydrate (g) 57.8
Protein (g) 34.8
Fat (g) 3.3
Fibre (g) 3.9

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Saturday 12 May - Still feeling awful

Well, the antibiotics don't seem to be touching this thing.

Woke up OK, but felt exhausted so went back to sleep until midday when I finally got up and ate some blueberries with coffee.

Did a few hours work then had a composed salad lunch, followed by a big herb salad

Composed Salad
50g smoked mackerel
50g smoked trout
3 quails eggs, hard boiled
100g pickled beetroot
2oog cherry tomatoes, sliced


Nutrition Data (without salad)
Calories (kcal) 372.0
Carbohydrate (g) 18.5
Protein (g) 28.0
Fat (g) 20.5
Fibre (g) 3.8


Did a bit more work and lolled around feeling grisly before dinner which was
Crispy Baked Okra and Stewed Tomatoes


I have made this before; you can find the recipe here


Nutrition Summary
Calories (kcal) 444.0
Protein (g) 20.9
Carbohydrate (g) 66.6
Fat (g) 12.9
Fibre (g) 18.2