Easy Cooking

Your morning coffee doesnt have to be the same every day and you could go into a coffee shop pay for it yourself. However you can do this in 5 minutes and walk out of the house with it. It’s that simple.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups your favorite coffee
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2–3 tablespoon agave or honey
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Make coffee the normal way you would, whether that’s in a coffee maker, French press, aero press, etc. Once the coffee is made and still hot, add the coconut oil, cinnamon, and agave. Mix until everything is well combined. Then add the coconut milk. You can also make this into Iced Coconut Latte. Add ice at the end. Then top with a little bit of cinnamon. Enjoy a cup or two!

They are quick easy and convenient, stir fries are one of the best simple healthy dinners to cook, problem is you go and buy a packet of stir fry sauce in shop it either has to much salt or to much sugar or both and then there is no balance of flavour so today we are going to make are own. Of course, you can use any type of meat or no meat if you wish with any type of vegetables its all up to you, For this recipe I’m using chicken.

Ingreidents
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (or Tamari if gluten free)
1/2 cup chicken stock (or vegetable broth if vegan)
1 tablespoon corn starch (or arrow root)
1 tablespoon honey (or agave nectar if vegan)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated or finely minced (or 1 tablespoon ginger paste in a squeeze tube, honestly I prefer the paste for this recipe)
2 garlic cloves crushed
Vegetables and meat of your choosing for the stir fry
INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a container place in all ingredients together and mix well. Adjust the amount of sauce you add according to how much stir fry you’re making. When adding to your stir fry, allow to cook for 3 full minutes to allow the corn starch to thicken the sauce.
2. Makes 1-1/4 cups. Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 1 week.

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Ingredients
• 2 tsp of Oil
• 20g of Butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 tbsp of ginger
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 tsp of curry powder
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 400g can of coconut milk
• 700ml vegetable stock
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

1. In a pot over medium heat add oil, butter and onions cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the carrots and cook for 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Grate in a ginger and add the garlic for 1 minute.
4. Add the curry powder, tomato puree, stock and coconut milk and mix well.
5. Allow the soup to simmer for 4 minutes.
6. Once it comes to the boil add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
7. Blend until smooth with a hand blender or you can put it into a food processor.
8. Enjoy 😊

No more jars of sauce full of sugar, the final recipe today is with pasta the sauce is made from scratch you can make it in batches and freeze it if you wish. It goes well with chicken, fish, or only plain on its own. Best of all it is healthy and nutritious in my house we make this with mince and sometimes it just goes onto a wrap because that’s how the kids like to eat it so you can do so many things with this recipe. Please give this a go you will be crossing of jarred pasta sauces of your shopping lists this week. Just to note I am cooking this with mince so it will absorb the sauce but if you wish to cook the sauce on it’s own of course leave the mince out.

Ingredients.
The Sauce
• ½ onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 400g of Tinned Tomatoes or Passata
• 1 tbsp of Tomato Puree
• 1 tbsp of Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp of Paprika
• 1 tsp of Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp of Sweetener (Not Sugar)
• Salt and Pepper to Taste.

• Lean Mince
• You can put in some peppers, mushrooms any type of veg you wish.
• 250g of Penne Pasta.
• Parmesan Cheese to finish optional
Method

1. In a pot of boiling water with salt and oil cook your pasta. The oil and salt are there to make sure the pasta does not stick together. (Cook the pasta according to the packet all brands are different)
2. In a pan on medium heat brown your mince with onion and garlic, draining of any excess fat.
3. Add your tinned tomatoes or passata, tomato puree, soy sauce, spices, and sweetener.
4. Cover with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes
5. Drain the pasta and place onto a plate, covering with the mince and the sauce.
6. Serve with some parmesan cheese on top if you wish,

If you decided to do the peppers and some mince leftover keep it and use in this recipe as its going to quite similar. Sticking with the Mexican theme also these a quite simple dish along with a tasty cheese sauce to go with it. I highly recommend a nice cold beer from the fridge on the side along with 90 minutes of the beautiful game 😊.

Ingredients
• 200g Lean Mice
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp coriander
• 1.5 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 400g Tinned Tomatoes
The Cheese Sauce
• 25g of Butter
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ cup of Milk
• 1 tsp of Paprika
• 350g of any type of grated cheese
Method

1. In a pan on a high heat cook you mince until brown draining off all fat.
2. Add the spices and cook for 2 minutes, then add the tinned tomatoes
3. Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Cheese Sauce

In a pot over medium heat melt the butter, add the flour, and stir constantly until the it becomes a paste.

Add the milk and increase the heat and keep stirring until the sauce has thickened.

Add in the cheese and paprika allow to melt on a low heat once all the cheese has melted take of the heat.

To Serve
Place some tortilla chips (any flavour) on your plate and place the mince on top along with the cheese sauce. Repeat the process again finishing with some tasty topping, salsa, sour cream or guacamole are all optional.

Recipe number 1 in today’s mince theme. It sounds difficult but its actually really simple and basic cooking. These are a great snack or dinner and it beats the taco seasoning in a packet I can assure you that. Give them a try.

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 4 peppers ,
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion , chopped
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 350g  (mince), lean
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 1/4 cups (315 ml) chicke stock 
• 1/2 cup long or medium grain rice , uncooked
• 1 cup tinned corn
• 1 cup scallions
• 1 1/2 cups (150g) mozzarella , shredded
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water

MEXICAN SPICES:

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp coriander
• 1.5 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp salt

FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL):

• Guacamole 
• Sour Cream
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander

Method

• Preheat oven to 180C/350F.

HOLLOW PEPPERS:

• Using a small knife, cut around the top of the pepper. Remove top, empty seeds. If the bottoms aren’t quite level, cut so they’ll sit flat. (Be careful to cut off as little as possible so you don” accidentally cut a hole in the bottom.)
• Place peppers in a baking dish that will fit them snugly

FILLING:

• Heat oil in a pan over high heat,
• Add onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes.
• Add mince and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it’s all changed from pink to brown.
• Add Spices, stir through. Then add Tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
• Add rice, corn and chicken broth. Stir, bring to simmer, place lid on and lower heat to medium low.
• Cook for 13 – 15 minutes until rice is JUST cooked – mixture should be fairly loose still at this stage.
• Stir in green onion.

FILL & BAKE:

• Spoon half the filling into the peppers.
• Top with half the cheese, then fill to top with remaining beef rice.
• Place the lids back on, pour 1/2 cup water into the pan.
• Cover tightly with foil, bake 45 minutes.
• Remove foil and the tops. Top with remaining cheese. Bake further 5 to 10 minutes, just until cheese is melted.
• Serve with sour cream and Guacamole! Quick Guac

It is Friday after all folks. 😁

Ingredients

2 measures of gin
250 ml ice cubes or crushed ice
50 ml pomegranate juice
500 ml soda water

To serve:
1 sliced lime
1 handful fresh pomegranate
2 sprigs fresh mint

Method

1. Measure your gin and pour it into a cocktail shaker

2. Add all of the other ingredients except for the soda water and shake.

3. Pour your delicious drink into two glasses and top up with soda water. Add mint, lime and fresh pomegranate rubies to the glass and serve

This is for the cheese lovers. Their a great snack for the the children and adults of course and their no deep fried either 😉. So kind off on the healthy side.

Ingredients

• 12mozzarella sticks
• 1egg
• 2 Tbspflour
• 5 Tbspbread crumbs
• 2 Tbspparmesan cheese
• ·a dollop of olive oil, or cooking spray

1. Cut the cheese sticks in half, making 24 slices, then put the slices in the freezer until completely frozen
2. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Use a separate bowl to combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese
3. To bread the cheese sticks: First dip the frozen cheese stick into the flour, then into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture
4. Once all of the 24 sticks are coated, place them on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil coated with a few drops of olive oil or sprayed with cooking spray (this will keep cleanup to a minimum, and keep the sticks from sticking!)
5. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for about 6 minutes, or until crisp. They need to be watched closely so they don’t melt completely!

A trip to Mexico this morning for this quick and easy breakfast or brunch if you prefer. You can out anything you want into these it’s your preference.

Ingredients

• 2-3 eggs beaten
• Salt and pepper  to taste
•  crumbled bacon and/or crumbled sausage (appx. 1/3 c.)
• 1 cup cheedar cheese
• 4 wraps can be white or wholemeal
• Salsa or sour cream  to taste

Instructions

• In a pan scramble the eggs (add salt and pepper to taste).
• Add , bacon, and/or sausage. Remove from heat.
• Put 1/4 of the egg mixture and about 1/4 c. cheese on half of each tortilla and fold over.
• Spray pan with cooking spray and carefully place quesadillas in (1 or 2 at a time depending on the size of your skillet). Cook over medium heat until golden brown, then CAREFULLY flip (you don’t want all the egg falling out).
• When the cheese is melted and the tortilla is golden brown remove from pan. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.
• Cut in half and serve with sour cream and/or salsa

There’s no point in denying it: Kids don’t like vegetables. Hence the age-old question: How do you get your kids to eat more veggies? You’ve perfected the art of persuasion and put away the sweets in hopes that they’ll be hungry enough to get down that spinach. What parent hasn’t promised an extra hour of tv or a treat (yep, that’s counterproductive) in exchange for cleaning up those carrots? After bribery, there’s always trickery, and eventually… all-out war.

Make Veggie Fries .What if your kids magically ate everything that was on their plate? That’s no surprise when fries are on the menu. These tasty treats have got good things going for them: 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs assorted vegetables cut into 1/2-inch wedges and spears, peeled if desired (courgette, sweet potato, carrots, asparagus, green beans, etc.)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used Oriel Natural Sea Salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation – Veggie Fries:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Place the beaten eggs in a shallow rimmed dish, such as a pie plate. In another shallow dish, mix together panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, dried Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Dip each veggie spear into the beaten egg and then into the breadcrumb mixture and place on the baking sheet.
3. Bake the pans at the same time for 35-40 minutes, or until the veggie fries are golden brown and barely tender. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.