So we did it! Veggie Month is officially over. To be honest, I could probably live off non-meats forever, it's only when I eat out that the steak dish is always tempting. I don't cook that much meat at home anyway. Nonetheless, I treated myself to a nice little beef burger, it was pretty good I must admit.
I've learnt a few things during the month:
Falafel is really easy to make (can of chick peas, some herbs, flour and oil - voila).
You don't need to always go for the meat substitutes, things like 'facon' (fake bacon) and those chicken things that aren't really chicken.
Never go to Chinatown with the parents for dinner.
Cheese sandwiches are actually very nice.
Don't always think boring green salad when someone says they are a vegetarian.
That's one thing to tick off the list.
Done.
THE LITTLE KITCHEN IN THE BIG CITY
Showing posts with label cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheese. Show all posts
05 November 2012
23 October 2012
The Vegetarian Monologues
#3
Vegetarian month has driven me to eat cheese.
As crazy as this sounds, I never liked cheese - unless it was melted. Until now. I was in Brussels the other weekend and the nice elderly man at the cafe helped me choose something vegetarian for lunch - three cheeses. In my excitement, I forgot to ask him that I wanted a panini and not a baguette (terribly Belgian). I ate it anyway as I'm not a waster of food, and found myself liking it. A lot. So much so that I've now been having cheese and tomato salad sandwiches for lunch. I'm no hardcore cheese fan yet, but the mild ones are my favourites, mozzarella is a good one, and goat's cheese...oh and the soft cheese is good for cooking in pasta with too...
This week has been a busy one, so busy in fact that there was no time to cook in The Little Kitchen. Yes, even I have to admit defeat sometimes and go for some fast food...to Burger King. To my surprise Burger King had a pretty good vegetarian menu - three options of beans - I went for the bean wrap and it was pretty delicious. Although I'm not sure whether it was because I was hungry, I had just come back from Wembley Stadium - where they don't have a vegetarian menu whatsoever, so where ever I went would be a pretty good choice.
As I'm on a roll with (confessing to) trying new things, I have never been to Garfunkel's...and now I know; I wasn't missing out on much. I had a veggie burger and not that there was anything wrong with it, I ate it all the same but the bread felt like cardboard, it was all a bit none-quality. Safe to say, I won't ever be going back there again.
I must also add that during Vegetarian Month I have been taking my iron supplements. Remember kids - stay healthy.
Vegetarian month has driven me to eat cheese.
As crazy as this sounds, I never liked cheese - unless it was melted. Until now. I was in Brussels the other weekend and the nice elderly man at the cafe helped me choose something vegetarian for lunch - three cheeses. In my excitement, I forgot to ask him that I wanted a panini and not a baguette (terribly Belgian). I ate it anyway as I'm not a waster of food, and found myself liking it. A lot. So much so that I've now been having cheese and tomato salad sandwiches for lunch. I'm no hardcore cheese fan yet, but the mild ones are my favourites, mozzarella is a good one, and goat's cheese...oh and the soft cheese is good for cooking in pasta with too...
This week has been a busy one, so busy in fact that there was no time to cook in The Little Kitchen. Yes, even I have to admit defeat sometimes and go for some fast food...to Burger King. To my surprise Burger King had a pretty good vegetarian menu - three options of beans - I went for the bean wrap and it was pretty delicious. Although I'm not sure whether it was because I was hungry, I had just come back from Wembley Stadium - where they don't have a vegetarian menu whatsoever, so where ever I went would be a pretty good choice.
As I'm on a roll with (confessing to) trying new things, I have never been to Garfunkel's...and now I know; I wasn't missing out on much. I had a veggie burger and not that there was anything wrong with it, I ate it all the same but the bread felt like cardboard, it was all a bit none-quality. Safe to say, I won't ever be going back there again.
I must also add that during Vegetarian Month I have been taking my iron supplements. Remember kids - stay healthy.
02 April 2012
Savory Spinach, Pancetta and Cheddar Muffins
MAKES 12 MUFFINS
20 MINS PREPARATION
15-18 MINS COOKING TIME
1 tsp vegetable oil, for greasing
100g pancetta (or roughly chopped, smoked bacon)
100g spinach
250g plain flour
1 tsp coarse sea salt
2 tsp baking powder
70g strong cheddar, coarsely grated
2 medium eggs, beaten
75g unsalted butter, melted and left to cool
250ml buttermilk (or 220ml soured cream and 30ml milk)
small bunch of chives or a handful of finely chopped spring onions
1. Preheat the oven to 200 C/fan 180 C/gas 6. Grease and line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. Fry the pancetta in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until crispy (if you are using bacon add a splash of oil). Remove from the heat and set aside the pancetta to drain on kitchen paper.
2. Meanwhile, wilt the spinach by putting it in a colander in the sink and pouring over boiling water from a kettle (thanks delicious magazine for this tip!). Refresh under cold water then use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a chopping board and chop finely.
3. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and most of the cheese in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, or mixing jug, combine the beaten eggs, cooled melted butter and buttermilk. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and stir using a spatula until just combined.
Fold in the cooled pancetta, chopped spinach and chives (or spring onions) until everything is evenly mixed but the batter is still a bit lumpy. By mixing these in without over mixing you will achieve fluffier, lighter muffins.
4. Spoon out the batter equally among the cases, sprinkle over the remaining cheese and then bake for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Remove from the tins and place on a cooling rack until ready to serve.
219 kcals PER MUFFIN
20 MINS PREPARATION15-18 MINS COOKING TIME
1 tsp vegetable oil, for greasing
100g pancetta (or roughly chopped, smoked bacon)
100g spinach
250g plain flour
1 tsp coarse sea salt
2 tsp baking powder
70g strong cheddar, coarsely grated
2 medium eggs, beaten
75g unsalted butter, melted and left to cool
250ml buttermilk (or 220ml soured cream and 30ml milk)
small bunch of chives or a handful of finely chopped spring onions
1. Preheat the oven to 200 C/fan 180 C/gas 6. Grease and line a 12-hole muffin tin with muffin cases. Fry the pancetta in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until crispy (if you are using bacon add a splash of oil). Remove from the heat and set aside the pancetta to drain on kitchen paper.
2. Meanwhile, wilt the spinach by putting it in a colander in the sink and pouring over boiling water from a kettle (thanks delicious magazine for this tip!). Refresh under cold water then use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a chopping board and chop finely.
3. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and most of the cheese in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, or mixing jug, combine the beaten eggs, cooled melted butter and buttermilk. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and stir using a spatula until just combined.
4. Spoon out the batter equally among the cases, sprinkle over the remaining cheese and then bake for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Remove from the tins and place on a cooling rack until ready to serve.
219 kcals PER MUFFIN
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