Vegetarian Chilli con Carne

I love Chilli because it is such an adaptable dish. This is my own creation made with vegetarian Quorn but you can of course use proper minced beef if you're a carnivore, or perhaps something like tofu if you are vegan. You can add anything you like, for example chickpeas, lentils, pumpkin, peppers, celery, mushrooms....(perhaps I'm moving away from a traditional Chilli con carne a little)

• 1 calorie cooking spray
• 2 shallots, or 1/2 onion
• 1/2 leek
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• cayenne pepper or chilli powder to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp again)
• 200g sweet potato (about 1 medium sized one)
• 200g Quorn mince or steak strips
• 1 tin tomato
• 1/2 tin sweetcorn or 100g peas
• 80g kidney beans
• bunch of fresh coriander

1. Finely chop the shallots, leek and garlic. Spray a large pan with the cooking spray then sweat down these vegetables until soft.
2. Add all the spices and a splash of water to prevent them sticking to the bottom of the pan - it should be lovely and fragrant.
3. Meanwhile, peel and dice the sweet potato. Add this to the pan and fry for 5-10 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, quorn and kidney beans (I normally add the peas at this stage too but this makes them lose their colour, so it would probably be wiser to add them at the last minute).
5. Add about a cup of water and bring to the boil.
6. Pick the leaves off the coriander and put in the fridge. Finely chop the stalks and add to the pan.
7. Simmer for 1 hour plus (Note: Chilli is normally better when left for a day as the flavour mellows).
8. Add the coriander leaves just before serving.

 I added a quartered boiled egg on top and served with brown rice. Apparently boiled egg goes nicely with chilli con carne and curry too - who knew! (I boiled the egg for 10 minutes and it was perfect).
Plus this is SUPER healthy, 800 calories for the whole pot and I dished out 1/4 of it each. Add 50g brown rice and you have a 350 calorie dinner. (72 more with the boiled egg). And if you need any more convincing, it can be frozen too!

Ingredient of the week...

Munchkin Pumpkin

What I make:

• 1 munchkin pumpkin
• chilli flakes
• 1 calories spray/olive oil

1. Deseed the pumpkin and slice into segments (this is harder than it seems, trust me)
2. Spray a baking tray and arrange the pumpkin on it. Sprinkle with chilli flakes to taste.
3. Bake at 180C until soft - around 30 minutes.

Recipe books

This is my recipe book I got from Paperchase and I love having all my favourite recipes in one place!
Here are some more possibilities:

Cath Kidston

Moleskine

Paperchase

Paperchase

Muffins that everyone loves

Apologies for the photo!
Seriously - everyone adores these muffins.

• 125g butter
• 115g ground almonds
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• 115g plain flour, sifted
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 5 egg whites
• 150g strawberries/blueberries

I use a 6 muffin Tefal Jamie Oliver tin because that's the tin this recipe came with. But I am sure you can use a normal muffin tin with muffin cases.

1. Melt the butter and cool.
2. Mix the almonds, sugar, flour and baking powder.
3. Stir in the egg whites and butter.
4. Fold in 2/3 of the berries.
5. Pour into the muffin moulds and sprinkle over the remaining berries.
6. Bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes.

Dog food

I have a 3 year old border collie called Chip and I love baking for him!


Birthday cake:

• 1 cup white/whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup honey (optional)
• 1 egg
• Low fat cream cheese
• Carrot pieces

1. Mix the dry ingredients then add the remaining ingredients and mix
2. Bake in a greased cake tin at 175C/350F for 40 minutes
3. Ice with the cream cheese and decorate with carrot pieces (I fried the carrot to make it even more yummy! - but not so healthy)
4. *Store in the fridge*

Peanut Butter cupcakes:

• 375g wheat + gluten-free flour
• 300ml semi-skimmed milk
• 250g peanut butter (no added salt/sugar)
• 2 eggs
• 1 banana, mashed
• 4 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and divide between 20 cupcake cakes (I think I made about 10, but I may have used half the ingredients. In any case unless you have lots of dogs you will probably want to halve the ingredients anyway)
2. Bake at 160C for 15-20 minutes

• 250 low-fat cream cheese
• 125g peanut buter
• 4 tbsp olive oil

1. Combine these ingredients and beat until fluffy.
2. Transfer to a piping bag and ice each cupcake

Yes I know these cakes aren't exactly the healthiest thing in the world but I think once a year as a birthday treat is okay.

Liver cake:

• 450g lamb or ox liver
• 450g self raising flour
• 3 eggs 
• 2 cloves of garlic
• milk/water

1. Crack the eggs into a measuring jug, add an equal volume of milk/water and whisk
2. Blend the liver and garlic in a food processor. Add the egg mixture and flour and blend to a sponge mixture consistency (warning - not for the faint hearted!)
3. Pour into a baking tray and bake at 180C for 35-45 minutes
4. Allow to cool and cut into pieces (this can be frozen)

Éclairs

Having been inspired by the amazing croque en bouches on The Great British Bake-Off I made my own choux pastry creations. Choux pastry is perhaps not as difficult as it looks but the whole process is quite intricate and timing is key!

(Unfortunately I was in a rush because I was giving most of the eclairs to friends/neighbours and couldn't find my nice camera - so this is one from my phone).

For the choux pastry:

• 100g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 75g unsalted butter, diced
• 3 eggs, at room temperature, beaten

1. Sift the flour onto a sheet of greaseproof paper. 
2. Put the salt,butter and 175ml water into a pan and heat gently until the butter melts. Quickly bring to the boil and tip in all the flour.
3. Remove from the heat and beat furiously with a wooden spoon until smooth and heavy.
4. Put the pan on low heat and beat for 2 minutes to slightly cook until a smooth, glossy ball.
5. Tip the dough into a bowl and leave to cool. Gradually beat the eggs in using an electric mixer.
6. Add enough egg to make a very shiny and paste-like dough.

I used pastry cream inside but you can use any kind of filling you think would be suitable. Warning: make the filling quite thick as if it is too runny the eclairs will be tricky to eat and the pastry will go soggy.

• 250ml milk
• 1 vanilla pod, split open
• 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
• 150ml double/whipping cream, chilled.

• 100g dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp double cream

1 piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain tube; a baking sheet, lined with paper

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
2. Spoon the choux into a piping bag and pipe into 10cm lengths, spaced well apart.
3. Bake for 15 minutes (don't open oven door) then reduce to 180C/350F/gas 4. 
4. Quickly open and close the oven door (to let out the steam), and bake for 15-20 minutes.
5. Make a small hole in one end of each finger. Return them to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Cool.
6. Heat the milk with the vanilla. Remove from the heat and leave for 10 minutes (scrape out vanilla seeds and remove pod).
7. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in hot milk. 
8. Tip back into the hot pan and set over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture boils and thickens to make a custard (quite thick custard needed). 
9. Pour into a bowl and press clingfilm onto the surface (prevents skin forming). Cool and chill.
10. Whip the cream until peaks form (fairly stiff needed). Fold into the custard mixture.
11. Split the choux fingers lengthways and spoon in the filling.
12. Put the chocolate and cream in a bain marie, melt very gently and stir until smooth.
13. Spread on top of the eclairs, and leave to set. Eat the same day!

(From "The Great British Bake Off") 

Photo credit

Birthday

It was my birthday yesterday and I got some lovely presents :)

A Ted Baker purse - I don't normally like designer things and sooo many people have this purse...but it was just too pretty and just the perfect inside and everything.

My friend bought me this giant microbe - so cute! Buy here

I have also recently decided to buy expensive make up for once. I now have "they're Real!" mascara, "some kind-a gorgeous" foundation and "instant brow" eyebrow pencil. The products are much much better than any cheap make up so I will be investing in the future. I also got Bobbi Brown creamy lip colour with a brush.

Crafts

My new hobby, thanks to Cath Kidston, is cross stitch and tapestry.

This was my first project, a Stanley dog pencil case. I love it! It was fairly difficult to make, the piping and zip were very fiddly but it was so satisfying to complete.

This is what the photo in the book said it should look like, but I made the red border smaller as it was getting a bit too big.

This is my next project, a London tapestry that will one day be a cushion! (Bought from John Lewis).

My sewing box, Cath Kidston of course (I have a bad addiction).

Mocha Cupcakes & Cookies!

This is actually a recipe for mocha cake which is baked in a 5 x 9in loaf tin for 35 minutes at 190C/375F then 160C/325F for 20 minutes. It can then be iced with coffee butter icing and decorated with chocolate curls! But it adapts very nicely to make delicious muffins.

• 175g self-raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 225g soft light brown sugar
• 175g butter, melted
• 4 eggs, seperated
• 60ml very strong coffee, cooled
• 3 tbsp water

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Prepare 12 muffin cases.
2. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl, add the sugar and stir.
3. Using a wooden spoon or hand-held whisk, beat in the butter, egg yolks, coffee and water until smooth (it is a very thick consistency don't worry).
4. Whisk the egg whites in a large clean bowl until fairly stiff peaks, then fold into the cake mix in three batches (I mixed in a little first quite well to loosen up the mix, but I'm not sure if this is a good technique or not). 
5. Divide between the muffin cases and bake for 15 minutes.

(Recipe from "Bake!")


Because I had people coming round, I also made chocolate chip cookies!

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 50g caster sugar
• 50g light brown muscovado sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g plain flour
• good pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 40g pecan or walnut pieces (optional, I didn't use)
• 100g chocolate pieces (70% cocoa should be used apparently but I just used standard milk)

1-2 baking sheets, lightly greased

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5. 
2. Put the butter in a bowl and beat with a spoon or mixer until creamy. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy.
3. Lightly beat the egg with the vanilla, then gradually beat into the mixture.
4. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into the bowl and mix in with a wooden spoon. Work in the nuts & chocolate.
5. Put heaped teaspoons of the dough onto the baking sheets, spacing well apart. 
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Remove and leave to cool and firm up for a couple of minutes (~ before this point I actually squashed them with a spoon because they were too domed for my liking!). 

(Recipe from "The Great British Bake Off")