Tuesday 31 May 2011

Simple Ginger Chicken Noodles

Needed to cook something quick and easy this weekend so I adapted a Jamie Oliver recipe and added some fresh spinach we had picked from our allotment. Absolutely delicious meal and by doubling the amount of noodles you have enough for lunch the next day. For vegetarians, simply replace the chicken with diced firm tofu.

Makes 2 portions

400g fresh egg noodles
groundnut oil
300g chicken breast, diced
1 tsp ginger paste
1 red chilli, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp five spice
3 spring onions, sliced
handful pak choy/spinach/anything leafy and green
3 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs honey

Fry the garlic and chilli in the oil before adding the spring onions. When cooked, add the chicken/tofu until browned.

Add ginger paste, spice, soy sauce and honey, stiring to create a smooth sauce. Add greens and cook until wilted, then stir in noodles until heated through (around three minutes).
Serve.




Monday 31 January 2011

Back on the Low GI Diet Bandwagon...

I'm back on the Low GI bandwagon big style this week, as I've noticed my health deteriorating.

I made a Mixed Grain Jambalaya last night, based on an Antony Worrall Thompson recipe who has written a couple of good Low GI cookbooks over the years.

This was very tasty... even with all the grains!

Makes 2 large portions.

250g chicken breast, diced
1/2 cup flour
sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
1 red chilli, chopped
3 okra, sliced
400g chopped tomatoes
500ml chicken stock
100g chorizo, chopped
75g brown basmati rice
25g millet seeds
250 king prawns (cooked)
25g pumpkin seeds


dust chicken in flour and set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan then add onion, garlic, chilli and okra. Fry until cooked. Add peppers, fry until soft, then add chicken. Keep stirring so it doesn't stick until cooked before adding chorizo. Add millet seeds and fry for a couple more minutes.

Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Lower heat and add rice. Cook until rice tender and liquid has reduced. Add prawns and pumpkin seeds until heated through. Serve.

LOW GI

Tuesday 25 January 2011

Farfelle with Pancetta and Savoy Cabbage

Well it's been a while. There has of course been lots of cooking and eating since October, however no time. This I now intend to rectify...

I had half a savoy cabbage left from last week's Abel & Cole box and as it's currently the week before pay day I am trying to use everything up (I know, I know I should be doing this all of the time!). I Googled for recipes (my latest trick in my 'using up' campaign) and came across an old Jamie Oliver recipe which I have tweaked here.

(serves 2)

1 x packet of pancetta (strips)
1 x clove garlic (chopped)
1 x tsp crushed chilli
1 small savoy cabbage (chopped)
4 cups farfelle
extra virgin olive oil
black pepper
200g buffalo mozzarella (I like the Laverstock Farm one)
handful of parmesan


cook pasta in salted water until al dente.

while pasta is cooking, fry the garlic in a good amount of the oil in a large fry pan until it has a bit of colour. add the chilli.

roughly chop the pancetta and add it to the pan, then add cabbage until cooked.

add pasta to the pancetta mixture, stir, adding a bit of the cooking water to loosen it if required. add the mozzarella (torn into small pieces), and then when melted, add parmesan with a bit of ground pepper.

serve immediately.


LOW GI