Almond cake for almond haters

Ok, lets get things straight. I thought I HATED almonds. This all consuming hated was, admittedly only based on shop bought marzipan, which always ruined an otherwise gorgeous fruit cake at Christmas time.

 I'm not quite sure what the put into mass produced marzipan to make it taste like acidic playdough but it tastes nothing like REAL marzipan. (I found this out after I decided to make me own..I'm now a marzipan convert, but offer me shop bought ''marzipan'' and you more than likely will go down in my esteem)

Anway, I suppose my point is, that a lot of people (particularly Irish people who's mammys made their Christmas cakes) have their introduction to almonds through marzipan. 
(This is of course for a certain generation. Those raised on organic, hand feed, brushed and washed twice a day beef, green smoothies, purees, foams, granola or anything from a health food shop probably were given almonds as their snacks and not a pack of Monster Munch and a can of coke) 
                                         
But almonds aren't all that bad..in fact, their pretty awesome (I do give you permission to slap me if I use the A*&e%$+e word again).
Take a look at their health benefits! For those of you too lazy to open the link, it basically points out the fact that almonds are a superfood - they lower the risk of heart attack, they reduce ''bad' cholesterol, they protect artery walls from damage, they help build strong bones and teeth, they provide healthy fats, they help brain function and nourish the nervous system - to name but a few. 
                                         
 Not convinced yet? Well the following recipe will show you the light! It's basically a healthy cake..raspberries and almonds and dark chocolate - practically a superfood in it's own right!

You will need:
150g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cubed
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs
150g self raising flour
50ml milk
150g ground almonds
135g dark chocolate chips
150g fresh or frozen raspberries
25g flaked almonds

Method:
1. Preheat the over to 180C/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with a pinch of flour. 

4. Beat in the milk (don't worry if it looks like scambled egg at this point)

5. Fold in the remaining flour, the ground almonds, chocolate chips and raspberries, one by one. (and no, not each individual raspberry etc :P )

6. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.

7. Bake for 50-60 mins until a skewer comes out clean. 

8. Cool for 10 mins in the tin on a wire wrack, then turn out completely to cool. 
9. Dust with icing sugar and serve with creme fraiche if being healthy or cream if not 

Oh! and just to point out that based on a serving of 10 slices there is 7.9g of protein per slice! not bad for a cake eh?

An Eastern inspired vegetarian dinner

There have been a few incidents over the last few weeks which got me thinking and cooking. Over the St.Patrick's day weekend I ended up going out with a very good college friend. Before we hit the town it was necessary to have a good feed. No...no potatoes this time. Curry. Thai red curry to be precise. Chicken Thai red curry. YES, YES..I know...I'm supposed to be a vegetarian there are two caveats to Lent. One, apparently Sunday's don't count. I'm slightly sceptical about that one. Two, St.Patrick's day doesn't count either. This one I heard from the priest so I'm going to say there is some ecclesiastical basis to it.

 So I had a great plate of spicy, tasty Thai curry. It was amazingly good. But what really interested me about the particular meal is that we were sharing it with a 2 year old. Who set into eating it with great gusto. I've often been cynical about fussy eaters. If children are given food (not choice) they'll eat what's put in front of them. Yes, of course there are some foods that children won't like due to taste (children have many more taste buds than grownups) but if you don't let them try, or assume that they won't like it, then in my opinion, your setting yourself up for years of misery and pickiness when it comes to the dinner table. It was so refreshing to see a child eat what was put in front of him, rather than push it around the plate, cry, scream, kick, or throw the food away (And yes, I have seen ALL of the above). 

Another moment arrived this past weekend, following a night away. I got into a conversation about hummus. I'd been on a bit of a pesto kick of late and had forgotten how creamily yummy hummus was.


 I also forgot to  post the 3 recipes I had for hummus a few weeks back. Hummus is pretty versatile and with your base of chickpeas and tahini you can add an flavour you want. My favourite shop bought one is the Tesco sweet chilli, but it the use by date on them are awful and I've never managed to finish a tub within the time frame + 3 days. So when I arrived home I decided to make a pot of hummus favoured with my left over sun dried tomatoes from my pesto making time. 

So for my vegetarian feast, which would make a nice romantic meal (unlikely in my case) / Saturday night dinner / dinner party food / or cooked separately for different reasons will include : home made sun-dried tomato hummus with naan breads and  vegetarian tikka masala.
.

For the sun-dried tomato hummus:
1 can of chickpeas - drained
60ml tahini (I used a light version)
about 8 sundried tomatoes -drained of their oil
2 cloves of garli
60ml lemon juice
2tbsp olive oil (you may need more, depending on how you like the consistency of your hummus)
salt, pepper and smoked paprika to taste. 


Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend together until smooth. 

Serve with toasted nann bread and olives

For the curry paste:
4 garlic cloves
1 thumb sized piece of ginger - peeled and chopped
1tsp cayenne pepper
1bsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garma masla
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
1tbsp dessicated coconut
2 tbsp ground almonds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp corriander seeds.

In a small frying pan, toast the cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant. 

Put into a pestal along with the rest of the spices and grind down.

In a food processor but all the other ingredients and the mixed spices.

Blend together until it forms a smooth paste (it make it smoother, I return it to the pestal to finish it off)

I know it seems a waste of time making your own curry paste but hoenstly, there is no comparison to shop bought ones (which are grand when you're in a hurry) if you have the time, make your own, you won't regret it - I promise. 
This mix makes about enough for 2 currys that will serve 4 people. It keeps well in the fridge, in an airtight container. 

To make the curry:
1 red pepper - chopped into similar sized pieces
1 sweet potato, peeled and choppped into chucnks
100g quorn chicken pieces
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 onion, chopped
1tsp coconut oil
1 can chopped tomatoes
200 mls reduced fat coconut milk

1. Sweat the onion in the coconut oil over a medium heat. 

2. Add the curry paste and fry until fragrant.

3. Add the sweet potato and pepper and cook for 5 mins

4. Add the tomatoes and quorn and simmer for 20 mins. 

5. Stir through the coconut milk and add the chickpeas. Cook for another 5 mins. 

6. Test a piece of the sweet potato to make sure it's cooked through. 
7. Serve with boiled rice.

Burgers with tahini sauce

I don't like lentils.

 Well, that's not strictly true. I actually really liked them up to about two years ago. Muggins didn't read the package properly and forgot to soak and rise them. Anyone who's ever prepared lentils will know it's essential to do this step or, they are, in fact, toxic. What followed was 48 hours of agony. 

I've not been brave enough to face lentils since. But they're a great source of protein, and take flavour really well if made with a bit of care and cooked properly. So with lentils (for the moment) off my vegetarian shoppping list, I turned to the other veggy cupboard staple, chickpeas.

 Chickpeas are fab. They are really yummy in all forms, from hummus to curry. If you're short on meat or veggys for a curry, toss in a can of chickpeas and vóila! Instant bulkage. 

It has struck me on this veggy voyage, that, much like any diet or lifestyle, sometimes you just need something quick and easy, that can be whipped up in minutes and requires little to no shopping and preparation. And what is quicker and more tasty than a burger? A burger I hear you ask? But they are made of meat, numb nuts. And no, I won't be making a burger out of tofu. Rather it will be chickpeas. Imagine a falafel. turned into a burger. Without that nasty coriander taste. Now we're talking. 
This has to be on a par with the cookie dough yoghurt recipe in regards to easiness. It really couldn't be simpler. All you need is a food processor and a frying pan (And the ingredients obviously)

You will need:
1 can of chickpeas (Rinsed and drained)
1 small shallot
1 egg
2tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1tsp chilli flakes
1/4 tsp salt

to serve:
wraps or pitta bread

sauce:
100ml greek yoghurt 
2tbsp tahini
splash of lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
chopped parsley to taste

method:
1) Place all the burger ingredients into a food processor and pulse until you've formed a course mixture. The mixture will be quite moist. Form into Four patties and place in the fridge until ready to cook.

2) to make the sauce, but all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well to combine.

3). Heat some oil (about 2 tbsp) in a frying pan. Cook the patties until golden brown and crisp on one side, about 4-5 mins on a medium heat. Flip over and cook for another 2-4 mins. 

4) Serve in the pitta bread or wrap with the sauce and any other fillings such as baby spinach, red onion, red pepper or baby corn. 

Nutritional info for the burgers

Cal: 181 
Carbs: 18g 
Fat: 10g
Protein: 7g
Fibre: 3g
Iron: 2 g

For the sauce:
Cals: 37
Carbs: 1g
Fat: 3g
Protein: 1 g