Tag: #frugalfood

Pimped up Rice…(Meat Free Monday).
Alliyah Dawud
August 12, 2019

Meat free Monday

My pimped up leftover Rice (using store cupboard ingredients)

Double carbs; everyone loves them but boy are they hard to get ‘rid’ of when it comes to excess weight.

I use rice quite a bit….and can sometimes cook too much rice. Well apart from serving it with daals or using them in a rice bowl or salad what else can I do with it?

A few days ago I had a bit of a ‘OMG that will work’ moment. As a rule I don’t serve double carbs (but remember from my childhood being served Mashed Potatoes and Chips in the same meal) however in this recipe it works! Just trust me.

So when you have leftover rice, a tin of potatoes, some cumin seeds and a pack of fried onions you end up with this recipe (which also works well with a fried egg on top if you have any around).

This recipe in my opinion can be served for a Brunch, Lunch or even Supper. It’s quick and easy and uses up leftover rice. And with a dollop of yogurt or a fried egg it’s got a big personality in a bowl.

To make two big bowls of my Pimped up double carbs sorry-not-sorry Rice you will need:

2 bowls pre-cooked Rice (mine were Basmati)
2 TBSP oil
2 heaped TBSP fried onions soaked in water and drained
1 heaped TBSP garlic paste
1 TBSP cumin seeds (whole)
1 heaped TBSP ground coriander seeds
1/2 TSP chili powder (for a spicier rice go up to 1 TSP)
Cooking salt-to your own requirements

Additional stuff:
2 eggs-fried
Additonal fried onions (not soaked)
1 lemon cut in half
Chili sauce-to drizzle over

1) Heat the oil in a large wok or similar pan on a medium heat.
2) Add the cumin seeds and allow to splutter.
3) Add the onions and fry for 1 minute. Keep stirring to avoid sticking/burning them.
4) Add the garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds.
5) Add the potatoes and fry for 3 minutes stirring so things don’t burn.
6) Add the salt and spices and fry for one minute.
7) Add the rice and stir/turn the rice to coat it in the spicy onion mix.
8) Tip into two bowls and serve.

Additional ingredients are a suggestion only.
Apply to face/stuff your face and enjoy.

Quick and easy desi style fried eggs
Alliyah Dawud
August 8, 2019

Eggs must be the original fast food. They cook quickly, are an affordable protein and eaten as part of a healthy diet will not cause too many problems in the fat department. Yet as a nation we notice periods of TV campaigns to get us enjoying eggs (remember the Mummmmmmm there’s nothing to eat in the Fridge adverts) and the Lion Eggs adverts. It seems we have a lot of negative press one year and good the next.

I love eggs. I enjoy them in salads, with Turkey Bacon (have you tried smoked Turkey Bacon), in crustless quiches and on and on.

But this recipe is more of a hommage to my heritage as a desi person.

These eggs are tangy, spicy and hit the spot for Breakfast, Brunch or even a late Supper. Enjoy on buttered toast or even as a Breakfast Burrito filling.

To serve one person here’s what you will need:

2 large eggs beaten
4 TBSP chopped tinned tomatoes
1 small onion diced finely
1 TSBP oil
Cooking salt-to your own requirement
1/2 TSP ground coriander powder
1/2 TSP ground cumin powder
Freshly ground black pepper (to your taste)
1 TBSP fresh coriander leaves chopped finely
1 fresh green chili finely chopped (optional if you want extra heat)

1) Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat.
2) Add the onions and fry until the onions soften (not brown). Add the green chili if you are using it.
3) Add the salt and spices and fry for about 30 seconds (generally we do this to cook out the spices. Raw spices taste bitter and well harsh on the tongue).
4) Add the tomatoes and fry for one minute.
5) Add the coriander and stir well.
6) Now pour in the eggs. Do not start stirring straight away. Wait about 15 seconds and then gently stir it. The aim is to product ‘clumps’ of fluffy egg.
7) Keep an eye on the heat and stir the egg. It will soon be clumpy. Cook for 2/3 minutes.
8) And voila your eggs are ready. If you have some lemons or lime on hand (or in the fridge looking sorry for itself) give it a squeeze over the eggs. Lemon does something awesome to tomatoes which makes it taste even more amazing.

Enjoy!

Note: you could make this recipe with just egg whites too. Just in case anyone was wondering.

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.

My Green Lentil Bolognese (with hidden vegetables).
Alliyah Dawud
June 12, 2019

Make meat free VEGETARIAN meals AWESOME!

Green Lentil Spaghetti Bolognese with hidden vegetables

I have to admit that when I find/create a recipe I love and the family are happy to have seconds of I not only write it down but I schedule to blog it so it’s out in the blog world forever.

I first came across green lentils when I was looking at a robust lentil to add to my salads. As a daal fan I thought I knew most lentils. Turns out I didn’t.

I am making 2019 a year of big changes and adding more non-meat protein meals to our monthly planners is a big deal for me. The reduction in fat in my humble opinion is vital for my children’s future. They need to understand healthy can meat yummy food.

My preferred method of cooking is a two step process.

Starting the meal off on the stove.

Transferring it to a Slow Cooker.

Green lentils are small, earthy bursts of flavour that make a great alternative to meat because they pack a punch in the flavour department.

This recipe is economical and is started off on the stove and transferred to the Slow Cooker. But it can be cooked completely on the stove. However I love the carefree nature of my Slow Cooker.

My youngest ate bowls of this sauce without pasta; that’s how much she loved it.

So the actual recipe (serves 6).

NOTES:

Herbs used are dried.

Keep an eye on liquid levels especially if you are cooking on the stove. I like a semi wet sauce so some clings to the pasta and there isn’t much on the plate. You can adjust the stock/water amounts to make the sauce fit your needs.

  • 250 grams green lentils (I bought mine in Tesco-they have the best range ever).
  • 1 carton passata
  • 225 ml water (or stock of your choice. Note that stock cubes contain salt so you need to adjust accordingly)
  • 2.5-3 TBSP rapeseed oil
  • 2 medium onions-diced
  • 6 gloves of garlic-crushed
  • 3 medium carrots-peeled and grated (coarsely)
  • 2 red bell peppers-cored and grated (coarsely)
  • Handful of mushrooms-chopped finely
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • Salt-to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional: chili flakes

To serve:
Pasta
Vegetarian Italian style hard cheese
Garlic Bread

1) Wash the lentils. Soak them in boiling water for a minimum of 1 hour. I placed them in a bowl and cling filmed it. It worked a treat. You could also place the lentils in a thermos and it would have the same affect.
2) Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat. Add the onions, black pepper, chili (if using) and herbs. Fry until softened. Add the garlic and fry for 20-30 seconds.
3) Add the carrots and peppers. Fry for 3 minutes. If the mixture starts to stick add a TBSP of stock or water.
4) Add the mushrooms and fry for a further minute.
5) Drain the lentils and add to the pan. Fry for a couple of minutes (I fried them for about 3 minutes).
6) Add the passata and stir well. Add the water (or stock). Lower the heat.
7) Taste the salt levels and add more if required.
8) Now transfer the mixture to your Slow Cooker and cook for 3.5 hours on High. I generally check the sauce and stir after 1.5 hours. I also add more stock if I want a more ‘sauce’.
9) If you are continuing to cook on the stove lower the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender. This can take a while. I would check regularly and stir well and keep an eye on liquid levels as you will need to add more as the amount I have added is more suited to evaporation during Slow Cooking.
10) Once cooked serve.

This dish freezes well.

You can add this to a Pasta Bake, Jacket potatoes or add a bit more stock and serve as a soup.

You could add olives and sun dried tomatoes for an extra hit of flavour.

Enjoy!

Easy-O Tex Mex inspired Spicy Rice (aka my version of Burrito Rice)
Alliyah Dawud
June 7, 2019

Easy-o Tex Mex inspired Spicy Rice (aka my version of Burrito rice).

Note: the image of the Burrito is to show you where else you will find my Rice recipe featuring. The Burrito Recipe will be posted on 10th of June 2019.

I love a good old fat Burrito filled with beans, rice, protein, salsa, cheese….all wrapped in a golden corn tortilla wrap. Certain fast food places make awesome ones but the fat content (and salt) can sometimes leave you feeling well…guilty.

I started making Burritos at home so I could control things better (in others words what was going in them). And the one thing I know my girls love is the spicy rice…so to make life easier for me I created a quick and easy recipe using basmati rice that has been cooked and cooled. This makes this recipe ideal for using up leftover rice or frozen rice too.

For this recipe I don’t have ‘weighed’ out ingredients. Such is the nature of using leftovers.

NOTE: I have added sweetcorn to my rice to add a bit of extra goodness. This is optional.

This recipe makes two bowls of the rice which is enough for 4-6 Burritos (depending on how big/curvy your Burritos are).

  • INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 bowls (I use bowls called cereal bowls….) of cooked cooled rice
  • 200 ml passata (or half a standard carton if that makes life easier)
  • 1/2 a 400 gram chopped tomato tin.
  • 1 400 gram tin of red kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • OPTIONAL: 100 grams Sweetcorn-cooked
  • 4 cloves of crushed garlic or 1 TBSP of garlic paste
  • 2 TBSP coriander leaves chopped finely
  • Salt-to taste
  • 1 medium onion diced finely
  • 1 TBSP rapeseed oil
  • 1/2 TSP chili powder
  • 1 TSP cumin powder
  • 1 TSP coriander powder
  • Juice of 1 lime

1) Heat the oil in a large pot on a medium heat.
2) Add the onion and fry until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and fry for about 1 minute. Stir well because burnt garlic tastes very bitter.
3) Now add the spices and beans and fry. You’ll smell a wave of spice which is good. Fry for about a minute. If the mixture starts to burn move onto step 4.
4) Add the tomato tins and passata and stir well. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2/3 minutes.
5) Add the majority of the coriander (keep some back if you wish to use it as a garnish). Now add the rice and stir through to encorporate all the ingredients.
6) Turn the heat off. Add the lime juice and your rice is ready to go.

Can be enjoyed as a side at your next Tex Mex night or in a rice bowl or well in a Burrito.