A-Z of Me: F is for Food Obsessive

Believe it or not, I actually used to be a very fussy eater. In fact I went through a period in my life where all I ate for dinner was peanut butter on toast, and also another phase where all I ate was plain pasta with cheese on it. Thankfully since going to Uni and having to fend for myself a lot more, my tastes seem to have developed. I still can't stand tomato ketchup or baked beans, but beyond that I have made progress.

I think it's really since Tim and I have moved in together that my passion for cooking has grown. We got ourselves a subscription to BBC Easy Cook magazine, and that gets dropped on our doorstep once a month, giving up plenty of new ideas!

I really feel like the thing to remember when you try a new recipe, is that you have to eat it, so if there are any ingredients in the recipe you don't like, then replace them for something you do like. Secondly it's important to not be afraid to try new things, and slightly more complicated recipes. As long as you follow a recipe step-by-step then it should turn out pretty decent. However if you don't have time to cook, then having a ready meal once in a while won't harm you either...

Here are some of my favourite things to cook (and eat):

• Lasagne
• Hunter's Chicken (chicken stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, with BBQ sauce)
• Cowboy Stew (BBC Food recipe)
• Paella (Schwartz Flavour Shot)
• One Pan Roast (BBC Food Recipe)

Here are some foods that I would like to eat more of, along with a recipe I plan to try:

Fish: I've never been a massive fan of fish, but whenever I see TV chef's cooking it, I think it looks so yummy. Recently I watched Mary Berry's Absolute Christmas Favourites and she showed off her Christmas Eve fish pie with a crouton topping. It looks seriously delicious.

Eggs: I've always been a bit funny with eggs, not really liking them to be runny, and as such I don't really often cook any egg based recipes, though I really feel like I should. A lot of people debate about what kind of eggs to buy nowadays, but for me I just like to make sure that they are British Lion Eggs, that way I know they are safe for me. I also know people used to worry about the cholesterol in eggs, but to be honest those kinds of things never worried me. Having a look on the BBC website I came across this recipe from the Hairy Bikers, that sounds to die for...

Vegetarian: I went veggie for a whole month a few years ago, and it opened my eyes to a new way of cooking and eating. Since then I haven't really tried to continue eating vegetarian, but I think sometimes it makes a nice difference to have it. This Sweet Potato Curry sounds right up my street, I wonder if I could convince Tim to eat this...

So there you have it, I hope you've learned a little something about me and my eating habits today, and please let me know in the comments what food you would like to eat more of.

Florette Introduces Baby Kale!

Good day to you all, I hope you are having a good one! Today I am bringing you something different on my blog, in the way of a recipe, that isn't baking... I know I have done one recipe previously and you can check that out here.

I was asked if I would like to try out Florette's new product, Baby Kale. I myself am in need of eating a few more greens, and one of the ways that I often do that is by picking up a bag of Florette salad. They are easy to put on a plate, and add a little bit of green into your diet.So when I was asked if I would like to try out their new Baby Kale, I was pretty excited.

I got sent a few goodies from them, including a tote bag, pen, water bottle, apron, and also a book called, 'A Salad for All Seasons' which I'm sure I will be having a good read of to get even more veggies into my life!

Inside my book were a couple of recipe cards, and this one for a Kale and butternut squash risotto caught my eye in particular, mainly because I love risotto so I thought I would give it a go. If you would like to try this recipe for yourself, then you can go to the Florette website here.

For giving this recipe a go, I thought I would also sport my brand new apron, courtesy of Florette. I think it looks pretty damn good on me if I'm going to be honest.

The recipe was simple to follow, and turned out really well. In fact, not only did I polish off my plate, but my boyfriend was struggling with his portion, so I finished his too! I will definitely be making this again, and the Baby Kale was definitely an amazing addition to this dish, and something which I honestly never would have thought of using before now.

Let me know in the comments if you have tried Florette's Baby Kale yet, and tell me what you thought!

#BEDM 16: Schwartz Flavour Shots: Spanish Paella

Ever since I first tried the Flavour shots I have wanted to write about them, they are too good not to share, and I know that after reading this you will all rush out to grab some! 

The best thing about these flavour shots, is they all come with their own recipe inside! For this recipe you will need...

• 1 Schwartz Spanish Paella Flavour Shot
• 1 Onion, diced
• 100g Chorizo, sliced or diced
• 450g Chicken breast diced
• 325g Paella or rissotto rice
• 1 Litre of Water
• 1 Red Pepper, diced (Tim and I prefer sweet peppers)
• 100g Frozen peas

Firstly you have to stir the flavour shot and then spoon into the frying pan over a medium heat. The mix of spices already contains oil, so you don't need to add any.

Next you have to fry the onion and chorizo in the frying pan until they have been softened and brown lightly.

Then you need to add the chicken and fry it for 2-3 minutes, or until it's browned on all sides.

Then add the risotto rice and fry for a further minute, until it is covered in the spices, and is mixed thoroughly with the chicken, chorizo and onion.

Add the pepper and peas to the pan, stirring thoroughly to mix them. Once done, add the water to the pan and then bring to the boil whilst stirring regularly. Once boiling, turn down the heat, and then simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Once completed the paella should look something like this. You can serve it with a nice salad, or you can just serve it as is, which is what I tend to do, as it is so filling...

Let me know in the comments if you have enjoyed today's post, and whether you would like to see recipe posts in the future!

Berkshire Bloggers do #SBBC: Favourite Recipe

via

One of my favourite things to cook is actually a recipe that I stumbled upon during my time as a vegetarian back in January. I found this recipe for Sweet Potato Risotto on Student Recipes, which I think is an amazing website for easy recipes, which are written by other students!

I've adapted the recipe slightly to suit my own tastes, so here is what you will need:

• Oil
• 1 Sweet potato
• Paprika
• 1/2 an onion, diced.
• 125g arobotio risotto rice
• White wine (half a glass)
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 300ml Vegetable stock
• 1/2 lemon
• Grated cheddar (as much as you like)

Method:

1. The sweet potato can roast whilst you cook the risotto. Chop it into bitesize pieces, coat them in oil, and stick them in the oven at 200 degrees. I normally set a timer for 20mins, as the potato is normally done by that time!
2. Heat some oil in a pan and add a little paprika, add the onion and fry.
3. Add the risotto rice, stirring continuously until it is coated in the oil.
4. Add the chopped garlic and stir.
5. Add the wine, and keep stirring until it has bubbled away, then reduce the heat.
6. Add the vegetable stock, little by little, waiting until the rice has soaked it up before adding more. (by this point the sweet potato is normally done, so take that out of the oven)
7. Keep cooking until all the stock is gone.
8. The rice should be soft, but it depends on how you like it!
9. Add the sweet potato and stir in the cheese.
10. ENJOY!

This recipe is so simple, and it really made me fall in love with risotto. Please let me know in the comments if you give this a go!