Every week without fail I have to make a batch of this glorious green sauce, those days not wanting to be in the kitchen and make a grand dinner after a long day at work and want something fresh, tasty and super easy to make, bomb, pop this bad boy at of the fridge, boil up some pasta combine the two great gods together and a sprinkle, well who am I kidding a lovely and very generous sprinkle of parmesan and the family dish just comes together in the most perfect way.
To start making this heavenly sauce, you got to toast up a cup full pine nuts until nice and brown, then toss into my blender.
I like to add 1 cup of olive oil.
Followed by 2 cup fulls of basil.
4 cloves of garlic
Juice of half a lemon
1 cup of grated parmesan, do not buy already grated parmesan the taste is completely different.
A pinch of salt and pepper, then give it all a whizz in your blender.
If you find that it is too thick a splash of water will loosen things up for you.
There is nothing more delicious than enjoying this, with family and friends and you know what the pesto's yet to come.
Lindsey
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These Lemon Pepper Chicken wings are mouth-wateringly sensational and jam-packed with flavour.
An important part for me to stay sane and get through this pandemic is by organising my days, be it homeschooling times, activities to do with Leanora and gardening, but most importantly lunch and dinner prep. We are all cooking a lot more, personally I think it’s great, my waist may not be feeling it, but we slot in our daily work out with Joe Wicks, so I don’t feel as guilty about all the bread and cake we’ve been making and I’ve been eating.
I’ve been craving for KFC, fried chicken is literally my thing, not all the time but I mean I’m more than happy to smash through a 15 box with Leanora. So as no KFC is open, I decided to bring some tied chicken to me. I wanted something fresh, fried chicken can be a bit heavy at times, so I decided why not cut through it with a bit of lemon. Never had we had it this way before, so with Leanora out in the garden playing and wanting to make one of our favourite dishes I decided to get to it.
I made these wings in advance from the night before, all set for frying the next day. If you can, always try to season your meat the night before, or if you can’t wait at least give the seasoning 30 minutes to an hour to marinade and absorb all that great flavour
Armed with a few fresh lemons, some oil for frying I got to making these Spring fresh crispy chicken wings.
Ingredients
1kg of chicken wings ( cut into wings and drummettes)
Zest of 3 Lemons
Juice of 1/2 lemons
3 tsp of crack black pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
2 cups of oil for frying
1 cup of flour
1kg of chicken wings ( cut into wings and drummettes)
Zest of 3 Lemons
Juice of 1/2 lemons
3 tsp of crack black pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
2 cups of oil for frying
1 cup of flour
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine chicken wings with the zest of 2 lemon, 2 tsp of black pepper and toss well. Set aside in the fridge over night, or leave for 30 minutes - 1hour for the marinade to blend. Once ready to fry take out of the fridge and leave for 20 minutes to take the chill off.
1. In a mixing bowl, combine chicken wings with the zest of 2 lemon, 2 tsp of black pepper and toss well. Set aside in the fridge over night, or leave for 30 minutes - 1hour for the marinade to blend. Once ready to fry take out of the fridge and leave for 20 minutes to take the chill off.
2. Pour enough oil to fry the chicken wings, I use a heavy dutch pan to fry. Heat oil up to 375F if you don’t have a thermometer, just drop in a small piece of bread or fresh herb, if it starts to fry and rises, you are good to go).
3. Get another mixing bowl or shallow dish, add the flour, 1 zest of lemon, 1 tsp of black pepper 1/2 tsp of salt.
4. Once the chill has come off from your wings and you are ready to fry, coat your seasoned chicken wings in the seasoned flour and add to your pot of hot oil. Do this in batches as to not over crowd the pot.
5. Fry for 3 - 4 minutes on each sides, once done place on a cooling rack or on a clean plate, lined with kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil.
Serve up with some salad, fresh green beans or some fluffy rice and enjoy!
If you make this dish, let me know what you think in the comments or below or share your snap with me over on Instagram.
If you are looking for other recipe ideas, check out my recipes section.
Lindsey
Rich slow cooked steak pie, nothing better on a cold night when you need a little comfort. Pie is the best form of comfort food hands down, it’s melt in the mouth good and hearty for the soul.
When handled with love it’s pure bliss. I’ve only recently started making my own, my first go of it was with my humble chicken pot pie and since then I’ve not looked back and never bought a ready made shop one.
Only a few ingredients are needed to make his slow cooked steak pie and with the kids on half term, there couldn’t be a better time to make this feel good pie.
After a wet weekend we will be venturing out the house today finally, off to the movies to watch Sonic. So I know with today looking the same as this weekend I’m looking forward to coming back home to this delicious pie. Thinking ahead and trying to be organised this week I’m making this hearty pie now before we set off for our day, saving my time by doing all he hard work now, so when we get home, simply got to re-heat and cook some veggies, giving me a lot more time to put my feet up and relax and spend a bit more time with L.
What I love is he fact that you can tweak this recipe, even get creative and vegetables to it, or for something more robust I would even recommend putting in some potatoes, but I like all of mine on the side, give me all the mash and green beans on the side please.
Let’s get to it shall, after all we’ve a busy day ahead to let’s get cooking.
If you make this dish, let me know what you think in the comments or below or share your snap with me over on Instagram.
Ingredients
1kg diced braising steak
1 large onion diced
3 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 beef stock cubes mixed with 600ml boiling water
1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg yolk, beaten
Directions
- Pre heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat half the oil in a large pot over a medium heat, brown the meat in batches, then set aside. Add the onions a drizzle of more oil, then cook on a low heat for 5 mins until coloured. Scatter over the flour, stirring until the flour turns brown and comes together with the onions. Tip the meat and any juices back into the pan along with the ketchup and give it all a good stir.
- Pour over the stock, and bring to a simmer. Pour the filling into a pie dish place in the oven for about 2 hrs, until the meat is tender.
- Unravel the pastry, drape over the dish and use a knife to trim and press the edges against the side of the dish.
- Brush the pie with egg yolk. Make a few little slits in the centre of the pie and bake for 40 mins until golden. Leave to stand for a few mins before serving.
Enjoy.
Lindsey
This wild mushroom with thyme pizza is flavoursome and pure perfection! It’s not your traditional red sauce pizza, oh no, it’s a lot more special than that! Here it’s covered with a tasty bechamel sauce, it is super quick to make, perfect for those days when you get home late and assembled with one of our top veggies, plus costs next to nothing to make!!
When it comes to pizza night, we like to keep things simple and make it easy for ourselves so pizza base is always bought, in fairness I’ve never made a pizza base from scratch, but I rather keep things simple for myself, plus when we make pizza at home we always get a gluten-free base, as I’m sure I have an intolerance to it.
We went for Wild Mushrooms for our pizza, a great selection from all over the world, plus I added a few chestnut ones in too for that extra nuttiness, with fresh thyme.
Now, if you don’t know, we have an obsession with mushrooms in this house, if we could have them every day it certainly wouldn’t be an issue, one of our favourite ways to have them is roasted with polenta, another great rich and hearty weeknight meal for these dark nights we are having. Another great recipe which always goes down well with the kids is my mushroom and lentil Bolognese, always a hit, trust me and they don’t even miss or ask for meat.
Ingredients
* 3tbs unsalted butter
* 3tbs all-purpose flour
* 1 cup (260ml of milk)
* 1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
* Salt
* freshly ground pepper
* 250 grams of mixed wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, shiitakes or oyster and chestnut mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
* A few springs of fresh thyme, chopped
Directions
1. Kicking off, pre heat your oven to 210c
2. In a small saucepan set over a medium heat, you are going to make your béchamel sauce. Melt your butter, then whisk in your flour add in your milk, oregano a pinch of salt and pepper and keep on whisking to make your sauce, when it covers the back of your spoon you know it’s done
3. Spread over your sauce on to your pizza base and a sprinkle over your chopped mushrooms and thyme
4. Place in the over for 10-12 minutes or until your pizza is crispy and golden
Serve with salad, crisp white wine for you juice for the kids and thank me later.
Don’t you just wish every night was pizza night!? If you fancy a meat pizza, then i highly recommend you try my fig, mozzarella and prosciutto pizza, say goodbye to Domino's.
Lindsey
Cosy and comforting, mushroom and lentils make for a simple supper the whole family will love! We've been cutting down on our meat intake and we have felt great and found we've had more energy, thanks to this hearty meal, with fresh herbs, loads of veggies and of course lashings of melty cheese and pasta.
With the holidays finally here, we all tend to eat a lot more and indulge, and I'll be the first to admit that I indulge big time, so it is nice to have something healthier and with the cold weather a hearty meal with pasta is the way to go. I am a big fan of pasta, but I've noticed that as soon as I have been eating it of late, I've been left feeling bloated and very uncomfortable, so I decided to try gluten free pasta and oh my gosh, it has been totally life-changing, the bloat has gone and I feel great after eating it! I may have been a bit naughty and had seconds, ok maybe a cheeky third's, but I have to say gluten-free is the way for me and my family and for those that feel bloated after eating a starch pasta dish, I recommend trying gluten-free pasta.
Leanora loves bolognese, so at first, I was a little worried about this dish but it was a hit and she did not even notice that it was jam-packed with vegetables, especially vegetables that she normally does not eat (mushrooms), she scoffed the whole lot and asked for another helping. This is the perfect cosy and hearty vegetable filled dish for the family, a smashing way to sneak in the 5 a day for the kids, plus it's a great way to get them to try new things such as lentils.
Growing up and now in my adult life, I never tried lentils so was a little bit worried about cooking them, even myself liking them, most likely due to fear of the unknown, but that is what is great about stepping out of your comfort zone and taking a risk and trying new things as it can pay off and it sure did.
I always thought you had to soak lentils, like some pulses you have to, but it is so easy to cook and popped it all into the same pot to cook out. I went for green lentils for this dish as I found that they have a more earthy stronger flavour and remain firm once cooked, therefore giving this dish a more meatier texture.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 carrot
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 sticks of celery
- 1/2 a bunch of fresh time
- 250g chestnut mushrooms
- olive oil
- 100g of green lentils
- 2 tbsp of tomato puree
- 1 tin of plum tomatoes
- 400ml vegetable stock
- parmesan cheese
- 400g of gluten-free pasta
DIRECTIONS
- Peel the onion, carrot and garlic. Trim the celery and roughly chop all veg. Heat up the oil in a large frying pan. Add all the vegetables, along with the time and cook for 10-15 minutes until soft.
- Blitz the mushrooms in a food processor or roughly chop into small pieces, add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stir and add the green lentils, tomato puree, plum tomatoes, and vegetable stock and pop on a lid and cook on a medium heat for 30 minutes until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.
- When the lentils are almost done cook pasta as per instructions on the packet.
- Drain the pasta once cooked, saving a little of the water it was cooked in, into a cup.
- Stir in the bolognese into the pasta and a little of the hotter saved in the cup to help it to stop sticking together. Sprinkle in the parmesan and if you like roughly chop some parsley and serve it on top of your bolognese.
This bolognese can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.
London Mumma
So, summer is drawing to a close and we prepare for Autumn weather, we are not quite there just yet, even though we may be having cold starts to the day, from mid-morning to early evening the summer sun is still shining bright and hotter than ever.
With temperatures on high it can be hard to decide on what to eat, whilst trying to be healthy and do not want to succumb just yet to a hearty lasagne, I've been finding comfort in Gazpacho, extremely surprising as it's a tomato based soup and I have to say I am not a fan, but this soup is served chilled and packs a punch in flavour and takes no time to whizz up at all in a trusty blender.
This bowl or a shot of soup is a perfect all-rounder served as a starter or with doorstop wedge of bread in a bowl and goes down a treat with the kiddos too as you know they can be a bit fussy.
Recently I've got in to batch cooking and this is ideal, I've actually stored it in my cookuts, Miam pancake maker, it's a great travel companion and have been taking it to work with me for lunch perfect to brave the hustle and bustle of the commute to work, which is great as I tend to go for the unhealthy options on my lunch break, like you do not like a fat Friday treat!! But knowing this is packed with vitamin c, as well as a helping of 2 out of my 5 a day, I feel good knowing that I am feeding my body and nourishing my soul, Leanora's too with the good stuff.
Honestly, this takes no time to make up, so great to prepare from the night before, or early in the morning, if you are having it later in the day. Depending on how strong your blender is you can just simply chuck in all your ingredients and zap, otherwise, it's simple as 1, 2, 3, chop and drop.
Ingredients
5 large ripe tomatoes
3/4 large cucumber, peeled, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded, roughly chopped
2 green onions, trimmed, roughly chopped, more for garnish
2 garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped
olive oil
1 lemon or large lime, juice of
Salt and pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
Fresh basil, stems removed, ripped or chopped
Instructions
1.Chop up your tomatoes, cucumber, celery, pepper, green onions, garlic, basil.
2. Place all other ingredients, along with your chopped ingredients into the blender, then blend at high sped for 10 seconds and then pulse your desired consistency.
3. Pour Gazpacho into a bowl, cover and leave to chill in the fridge, until ready to serve!
Enjoy, and have a soup-erb day!
So, will the gazpacho be making it into your weekly staple for you and the family? Also I here you can try this with different fruit too, let me know if you have and what you like!
London Mumma
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And so it begins, the weekend is finally here and I am celebrating the best way I know how, by slicing myself up with a tasty new treat.
As you know I do not normally cook on a Friday, who does, but with a beauty like this, it would be hard to resist to not cook, especially when it takes no time at all to make.
So, here is the thing I am trying to be healthy and now that I am working out and it being summer, I want to eat a bit better, whilst you may think pizza is not the way, it can so be with these pizza bases from Magioni.
We think pizza, we think a whole lotta of the good stuff in the form of cheese, loaded with meat and little veg, but it so does not have to be that way and why not start from the bottom up. Magioni who have recently launched here in the UK from Holland have a great selection of veggie pizza bases which you can find here and here.
Using a veggie pizza base is a great way to get in some extra goodness into our bodies and we can clock up in no time our 5 a day, plus it is a great way to fool the kids who are fussy about eating vegetables, as you really can not tell in the taste.
When thinking about toppings for pizza, especially when making it I like to think about what is in season, so I can get all its freshness and add something a little different and August is the perfect time of year for figs, they are big, woody and juicy, combined with mozzarella, prosciutto a drizzle of honey your tastes buds are literally blown away and it is one of my favourite pizza combinations.
With a few great ingredients, just 6! You do not feel like your slaving away, meaning more time spent with your feet up and catching up with loved ones, plus it is a great way to get the kids helping out in the kitchen, with adult supervision of course.
Ingredients
Magioni Courgette Pizza (or any you fancy)
2-3 large figs cut
5 Slices of prosciutto
1 tub of good tomato puree
250 grams of mozzarella torn or sliced
1 teaspoon of honey
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. Spread on your tomato sauce on top of your pizza base, stopping an inch away from the edge.
3. arrange your torn mozzarella on top, followed by your figs sliced and sliced prosciutto and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes, once out drizzle your honey over, slice up and share
How do you like your pizza served? Have you tried any of the Magioni pizza bases?
London Mumma
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You guys, this is the easiest, lightest, tastiest chocolate pud, that's not just dairy free, perfect for vegans and takes minutes to make, but it is pure perfection in a bowl.
Since we started cutting out dairy from our diet, I have to say, whilst I'm not a big chocolate fan, I do from time to time like a good chocolate pud, weird I know, so when I eat this I get my instant chocolate fix, plus it leaves me super happy knowing that it is a lot more healthier too. I know some people may be thanking Avocado! Avocado in a desert, you must be crazy, trust me I'm not, you can not even taste it I promise!
I was a little freaked out by using avocado, I think, well it's a veg, not something that should be in a desert, I mean I'm still coming to terms with pineapple being on a pizza, it's just wrong, but I'll face my fears one day and give it a go.
Most weekends, particularly after our family Sunday dinner, we like to put our feet up and lazily eat our desserts, with the temperature scorching, no more apple crumble and custard, instead we want something nice and light and hits that sweet spot. This dairy-free avocado chocolate mousse certainly tickles those taste buds and leaves you feeling content, knowing that it's dairy free and not too sugary, all you need is some essential items which you can easily find in your home, a great blender and you are all set.
The blender I can not live without is the Blendtec since it came into my life it has made blending all that much easier. I literally chuck in all my ingredients, hit a few buttons and my healthy chocolate pud is ready in minutes. I love that this one-pot wonder is just that, there is minimal mess, so I'm not stuck in the kitchen washing up mountains of stuff.
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
160ml of coconut cream
2 tsp of vanilla extract
2 tbsp of maple syrup
Directions
1. Pop all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides every now and then.
2. Pour out evenly into your ramekins/serving pots, (saving just a little extra for you for later) add your desired toppings, serve immediately and enjoy!
Truly these puddings are simply divine, you must make them this weekend, give it a go and let me know what you think.
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London Mumma
I can't lie I adore, no I love popcorn! Leanora too and when we were asked to make and bring in a treat for sports day we knew we just had to make white chocolate funfetti popcorn.
We are believers that popcorn solves everything, all you require is the finest ingredients to help bring it to life.
Whilst Friday and Saturday night is movie night, we always watch either Moana or Madagascar with a bowl filled with our favourite weekend treat, heck have it any day if the week if you fancy it, it never lasts and we find ourselves making a few batches of this moorish treat.
Leanora believes more sprinkles the better and I think she is right, funfetti is a real treat it's almost magical and bring so much fun to a snack.
Honestly, I never knew how quick it was to make popcorn, even quicker thanks to Exclusively Housewares recent event where I was gifted the SmArt popcorn machine. Gone are the days of microwave popcorn bags or waiting for it to pop in a hot pan, like a bunch of eager beavers.
Two large bars of white chocolate, one for me, the other for the popcorn, funfetti sprinkles, some trusty corn kernels and let the magic begin to make these fluffy white chocolate funfetti popcorn.
Honestly, this popcorn lasts no time in my house or at sports day, the kids will love you for it and the grown ups too, this is the perfect thing to bring to any occasion be it BBQ, pool party or family and friend get together.
Ingredients
10 cups of corn kernels
200g of white chocolate
4 tablespoons of sprinkles
Directions
1. If you do not have a popcorn maker, grab a microwaveable bag and zap as per its instructions. Once the popcorn is ready, pick out any kernels that have not manage to pop and place to one side.
2. Brake up your white chocolate and place into a microwaveable bowl and every 30 seconds, stop give it a stir until completely melted, then pour over you popcorn add your sprinkles and toss with a clean spoon, making sure that each popcorn is evenly covered.
3. Pour out your coated popcorn on to parchment paper and leave to dry for 20 minutes and enjoy!
Have a popping good day! x
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London Mumma
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