Category: 30 minute meals

My easy, tasty and good Baked Chicken Meatballs
Alliyah Dawud
June 14, 2019

Baked Chicken Meatballs…like are they a thing?

Quick, easy, healthier than a lot out there…ladies and the odd gent I present to you Chicken ‘Meatballs’.

Give me a Kofta Curry and I’m happy. Give me some Kefta Kebabs and Naans and I’m also happy. Give me a meatball sub with some extra hot sauce and I’m happy….I love a good meatball.

As you know we are constantly being encouraged to focus on healthier recipes. Focus on reducing fats, salts and sugars in our diets. We are also encouraged (and quite rightly so) to get our children eating healthier from a young age so it’s a habit and lifestyle rather than a chore.

Recently I got playing in the kitchen and with Chicken mince being around £2.69 per KG at my local Butchers I decided I would make some ‘meatballs’.

Cheaper meat, leaner too. And if I play my cards right I can bake them off in the oven and reduce the fat too.

And believe it or not I’ve created a meatball the girls actually adore. And I’m happy because a simple bit of prep work means I can create, bake and freeze a few meals in next to no time…

To make these awesome meatballs (enough for 3-4 or more depending on the age of those you are feeding) servings you will need:

  • 500 grams chicken mince
  • About 16 olives chopped
  • Zest of 1 lemon finely chopped
  • 1 tsp salt (or to your taste)
  • 1/2 TSP dried thyme (leveled spoon not heaped)
  • 1/2 TSP dried oregano (leveled spoon not heaped)
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 heaped TBSP breadcrumbs
  • OPTIONAL flavourings:
  • 2 sun dried tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of crumbled feta (if you do decide to add feta reduce the salt intake).
  • Chili Flakes-if you want some need.
  • To bake:
  • Spray oil ( 1 Cal spray works, as do other varieties)
  • Baking trays (1 large pan will be enough or two smaller ones)
  • Kitchen Tongues
  • Greaseproof paper

1) Line the baking trays to keep cleaning to a minimum. Preheat to oven to 170 (160 on a fan assisted oven).
2) Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and with your hands mulch it all together. Yes it’s a messy job but dammit it will create awesomeness in the form of springy healthy meatballs!
3) Once you’ve mixed all the ingredients together take a tablespoon amount of meat mixture and form into a meatball using wet hands. Place on the greaseproof sheet. Leave a gap between the meatballs.
4) Repeat the process until you’ve used all the mixture.
5) Spray each meatball once with the oil.
6) Now bake for 10 minutes.
7) Remove from the oven and carefully turn the meatballs over using the tongues. Spray the other side of the meatballs with oil. Place back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off.
8) Allow to meatballs to ‘rest’ for 2/4 minutes and then serve. I add my meatballs to a simple sauce which I have featured before here:

To make this recipe extra healthy you can serve the meatballs with wholemeal spaghetti.

NOTES: If your meatballs release any liquids do not panic. This is a normal part of the cooking process. The amount you find really does depend on many factors so don’t worry yourself too much on the science. Think of the flavour.

Mini meatballs make great canapes.

Making meatballs can be fun and messy for younger children.

Meatballs can be cooked, cooled and frozen successfully for up to 3 months without losing texture etc.

Chicken Chapali Kebab
Alliyah Dawud
May 8, 2019

Chicken Chapali Kebabs

Mutton Chapali Kebabs are associated with the NWFP area of Pakistan. Coming from what can only be described as a bag of pick and mix I do have a little Pathan in me.

Chapali Kebabs are tangy but not spicy. You can find them being sold by the Road side across Pakistan and other Asian countries too…..

What I also have in me thanks to my Pathan blood is impatience.

To make the recipe quicker, and healthier I decided to replace the Mutton mince with Chicken (leaner) and as its Chicken it cooks quicker.

This recipe also works out cheaper (Chicken Mince costs £2.59 per KG at my local Butcher). So it’s healthier, quicker and economical. Bonus.

This recipe is a blend of what I’ve picked up from many family members. My thoughts on family variations of classic recipes is if we didn’t have variation then you haven’t eaten them enough…..

To make enough Kebabs to serve 4 you will need

  • 500 grams chicken mince.
  • 2 TBSP cornmeal
  • 1/2 TBSP salt
  • 1 TSP chili powder
  • 1 TSP coriander powder
  • 1 tsp whole dried pomegranate seeds
  • 1 TBSP pomegranate seed powder (I buy a bag of seeds and grind some down to make the powder).
  • 2 green chilis minced (finely chopped will also do!)
  • 1/2 a tomato chopped finely
  • 2 TBSP coriander leaves and stalks chopped finely
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped

To finish off (optional)
1 tomato thinly sliced
2 TBSP cornmeal

The quick chutney:

  • 3 green chilies
  • salt (to taste)
  • around 16 mint leaves
  • 2 TBSP (heaped) of coriander and leaves and stalks chopped
  • 2 TBSP dried pomegranate seed powder
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 medium tomato

To cook:
Oil to Shallow Fry

1) Mix all the kebab ingredients together.
2) Take a TBSP of the mixture and with wet hands shape them into oblong kebabs.
3) OPTIONAL step: lightly press on the thin tomato slice and sprinkle on some cornmeal.
4) Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat.
5) Fry the kebabs until golden brown on both sides (mine took 3 minutes on each side-just remember if the kebabs are thick you need to cook them all the way through). Don’t overcrowd the pan. It will make sloppy greasy kebabs.
6) Drain the kebabs on kitchen paper and serve with Naans and Kebab Chapali Kebab chutney (it’s tangy as its got even more pomegranate in it).

To make the chutney: blitz all the ingredients together. You’ll end up with a ‘rough’ looking chutney but that’s what you are looking for. To make the pomegranate powder you just need to blitz the seeds in your spice grinder or coffee bean grinder.

These Kebabs can be frozen successfully and used with 3 months.
The chutney doesn’t freeze well.

Coriander and Lemon Potato Curry
Alliyah Dawud
May 3, 2019


I’ll be frank with you. I love curries but I get bored of the same old same old situation.
When the (former) Boss and I decided to have Lunch at mine I created what I would consider a Vegetarian Banquet. I absolutely love vegetarian curries. I believe they showcase how awesome and easy vegetables are to work with. Plus with my healthy food kick I am always looking at healthier meals. It helps that I love daals/pulses!

One of the curries I created was this one. Its a simple, frugal curry I believe is perfect for Spring and Summer as it’s lighter than other curries. There’s no tomatoes in this curry and that’s why it wouldn’t look like a standard red curry.

I serve this curry with plain boiled rice. It also tastes equally awesome the next day. It cooks in less than 30 minutes and children love it too.

This recipe is actually VEGAN. So to my vegan readers I hope this is music to their ears.

To serve 4-6 people (depending on curry portion sizes)

400 grams (baby potatoes work, as do standard potatoes cut into rounds that are pound thickness).
2 RBSP rapeseed oil
1 large onion sliced thinly
5 cloves of garlic-crushed
4 TBSP fresh coriander (including stalks) chopped finely
2 lemons-juiced
1 TBSP coriander seed powder crushed
1 TBSP cumin powder
Salt-to taste
OPTIONAL: 1 TSP chili powder or 1 TSP chili flakes.
1500-2000 ml water (plain stuff from the tap)

To serve:
Lemon wedges (optional)
Yogurt (vegan to keep the recipe vegan)-optional
Plain boiled rice ( I use Basmati).

I assume you guys have prepared the ingredients as above…lets get cracking.

1) Heat the oil in a large pot on a medium heat. Add the sliced onion and fry until onions are soft NOT browned.
2) Add the potatoes and stir well. ‘Fry’ for 5 minutes stirring to ensure the potatoes don’t stick.
3) Now add the garlic and fry for one minute. You’ll be ‘hit’ with a shot of garlic scent. That tells us we are ready for the next step.
4) Now add the salt and dried spices. Stir well to coat the potatoes. If the spices start to ‘burn’ or the mixture starts to stick add 2 TBSP of water to the potatoes.
5) Add HALF the coriander. Stir well.
6) Now add 1500 ml (1.5 litres) to the potatoes. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and cover the pan. You need to cook the potatoes until tender. Now this will vary depending on which potatoes you are using. So after 8 minutes ‘test’ the spuds. I usually do this by carefully inserting a sharp knife tip into the potato. If it starts to fall apart its done. It its hard as nails you need to cook it more. I found my standard potatoes took 18 minutes too cook. Now you will be thinking why do you have water left over? Answer: if you want a more ‘runny’ curry you need to add all the liquid. If you prefer a drier curry stick to 1500 ml. Always remember that if water evaporates too quickly the potatoes won’t cook and you need to add more. It’s that simple.
7) Once the potatoes are cooked turn off the heat. Now add the remaining coriander and lemon juice. Stir through.
8) Serve!

I served with rice but you can serve the curry with Naans or maybe Parathas.

Store leftovers in the fridge and warm through thoroughly before serving.

Delicious.

Quick & Easy Chicken Con Carne
Stylemesisteradmin
December 7, 2018

 

Speedy Chicken Mince Con Carne.

Sometimes we need to get dinner on the table asap and I’m no exception to that. My girls love meat. As much as I would love them to eat more lentils, pulses and vegetables red meat always wins.

I serve this awesome family favourite with basmati rice, minty yogurt and a few other trimmings.

The key to the speed of this meal is the fact the protein I am using is chicken mince. It’s healthy, quick to cook and also cheap.

To make a speedy Chicken Mince Con Carne for 4-6 you will need the following ingredients:

500 grams chicken mince
2 small onions sliced
5 cloves of garlic-crushed or 1 tsp garlic granules
2 TBSP rapeseed oil
1 400 grams tin of chopped tomatoes
1 400 grams red kidney beans rinsed and drained

Herbs & Spices:
1 TBSP oregano
1 TBSP cumin powder
1 TBSP coriander seed powder
1 heaped tsp of dried coriander leaves (feel free to use fresh if you have them as I keep dried herbs as they are easier to keep on hand).
1 TBSP salt
1/2 TSP red chili powder
1 TSP paprika
NOTE: for those looking for a real fast meal replace all the herbs and spices for half a sachet (check how much protein the recipe calls for on the packet. If it says 1 kg use half the pack. If it says 500 grams just use the whole pack) of any of the following spice mixes: Fajita/Taco/Chili Con Carne.

To serve (use what you have available this list is just a suggestion):

Cooked rice (boil the rice alongside the Chili cooking to save yourself time)
Tortilla chips
Chopped tomatoes
Sliced tomatoes
Jalepenos
Sour cream
Grated cheese
Sliced radishes
Shredded lettuce
Wedges of lime

Minty yogurt:
To make minty yogurt place 250 ml of low fat yogurt, a pinch of salt (or more if that’s what you use) juice of 1 lime and 8-10 mint leaves in a processor with a jug attachment (I use my smoothie maker as I often use it to make myself lassi-it’s about making equipment work hard not making you work harder). Whiz the ingredients and voila! Minty yogurt.

1) Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and fry for two minutes. Now add the chicken and fry for 5 minutes. Add the garlic.

2) Whilst the chicken is frying place the kidney beans on a chopping board and chop them up.

3) Add the chopped up kidney beans to the mince mixture. Fry for a minute. Add the herb and spice mix. Fry for a further one minute. If the mixture starts sticking to the pan and if that happens add 3 tablespoons of water.

4) Now add the chopped tomatoes. Stir well. Bring it to the boil and then turn the heat down.

5) After 20 minutes cooking time your chili con carne is ready.

6) Serve!

Additional notes:
Leftover mince can be served with Tacos or as filling for enchiladas.
If you like extra heat add another 1/2 spoon of red chili powder
Like a smoky flavour? Add liquid smoke to the chili
Fresh herbs can be used instead of dried. Fresh herbs are less intense in flavour so you’ll need double the amount of fresh ingredients compared to dried.
As long as you use fresh mince (and not pre-frozen) this recipe freezes well for up to 3 months.
For fussy eaters BLITZ the red kidney beans to a pulp and add them to the mince. This is a great way to get fussy eaters to eat more beans (it works on my 5 year old and if you end up reading this; Mama loves you Boo).

Meatfree Monday…Carrot Burgers
Alliyah Dawud
October 23, 2017

Carrot Burgers (Meat free Mondays)

The humble carrot. Apart from being a key player in Carrot cake (and being served in sticks with hummous) does it really get the press it deserves?

So here I present to you….Carrot Burgers. A great vegetarian alternative to the soya mince burgers. You could make a batch and freeze them (post frying) for a quick midweek meal option.

Ingredients:
4 medium carrots peeled & coursely grated
1 egg (whisked)
1 heaped tablespoon chickpea flour
1 TSP ground coriander seeds
1 TSP ground cumin seeds
1 small onion (I used red) diced
1 TBSP yogurt
1 TSP garlic salt (or plain salt if you don’t have it to hand)

Oil-for shallow frying .

1) Place the carrots in a large bowl. Add the onion and stir through.
2) add the salt, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and stir to distribute through the carrots.
3) Add the egg and yogurt and stir to blend all the ingredients together.
4) Add the chickpea flour. Stir it in. You should now have a gooey mixture.
5) Heat the oil in a pan.
6) With wet hands divide the mixture into 4 and create burger patties.
7) Shallow fry for 3/4 minutes on each side.
8) Drain on kitchen paper.

Note: I’ve had no problems with the formation of these burgers. Some may prefer to form these burgers and then place them in the fridge for an hour before frying. However the egg and chickpea flour are very bindings.

To serve:

Burger buns
Lettuce
Sliced Cheese
Fried mushroom slices (optional)
Sweet potato fried (optional)
Fries (optional)
Relish or Ketchup
Fried Egg (optional)

To assemble the burger:

Warm up the burger buns. Add some ketchup or relish to the burger buns. Add the burger fillet and the slice of cheese. If you like your cheese melted you can zap the burger in the microwave for 20 seconds. Add the sliced mushrooms (if using) and the lettuce. Place the burger bun top on top and serve with fries (or a side of your choosing).