Christmas Party - veggie style.

For those full time Veggies out there - here's your chance to impress your non meat-eating friends this Christmas...

New Recipes from Fry’s Vegetarian and Leading Author and Chef Tony Bishop-Weston.

“It seems that everyone I talk to has to cater for a non meat eater at Christmas.”

Says Karin Ridgers founder of VeggieVision TV and the author of VeggieChristmas.com a free online book helping people cater for vegetarians and vegans at Christmas.

Leading Vegetarian Chef Tony Bishop-Weston and author of several vegetarian cookery books including "The Ultimate Book of Vegan Cooking"  says, 

“These higher protein "fool yer granny" meat-free festive recipes are made with family owned Fry’s Vegetarian products. People love the meaty texture and taste of Fry's products and non vegetarians won't even notice these are all meat free dishes.”

Main Course: "Turk-ish" Christmas Strudel with Herby Beanie Balls

"Turk-ish" Satay Party Sticks, Polony Pizzettes and

 Port 'n' Mince Pies

For more info, go to www.frysvegetarian.co.uk

The final Vegetarian Monologue

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.

Cheats Guide to Perfect Chips

6 large floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper
1 litre sunflower or ground nut oil for deep-frying
Flaked sea salt, to serve

Serves 4-6

1. Peel the potatoes, shaving a little extra off one side to create a flat surface to rest on the board so that it doesn't wobble around when you're chopping the potatoes.

2. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into slices around 1.5cm thick, then cut these into thick chips.

3. Place all the potatoes in cold water to rinse off the starch. Drain and dry them with a clean tea towel.

4. Cook in boiling, salted water for around 3-5 minutes until just starting to soften, but not falling apart. Carefully remove from the pan using a slotted spoon, and place on a tray in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.

5. Fill a large pan with the oil, making sure that the pan is only half full, then heat to 180°C.

6. Place the chips in a chip basket and lower into the oil, alternatively if you don't have a chip basket, lower them in a few at a time with a slotted spoon, being careful not to splash yourself. Cook for 4-5 minutes until golden in colour and crispy on the outside, drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve.

Product News: Joseph Joseph Adjustable Rolling Pin

So the Great British Bake Off has finished (with only a few more days to relive it on iplayer), and winter is well and truly here...but rest assured its certainly not the end of the baking season- it's only just begun! Not only is it the perfect season for pies; hot water crust pies, cornish pasties and of course mince pies its also great for winter biscuits. Try adding warming flavours such as cinnamon and nutmeg to your basic biscuit recipes for an autumn twist on a classic.

What better to help you in your pastry quests than this innovative Joseph Joseph adjustable rolling pin. This nifty kitchen gadget takes the guesswork out of preparing biscuit dough, pizza bases, pie tops, lasagne sheets and filo pastry. It comes with four sets of removable discs that raise the rolling surface by different amounts, to create exactly the required pastry thickness – either 2 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm or 10 mm. This ingenious device also ensures that pastry or dough is rolled to an even thickness throughout and to the exact size required, via measurements etched onto the surface of the rolling pin.

Great if you tend to be a little cavalier with your rolling out! This would also be great as a gift for keen bakers, and can also be found as part of a baking gift set which also includes the elevate pastry brush, elevate spatula pie timer.

RRP: £20 available from the Joseph Jospeph website.

Come on down to Chinatown...

For the best looking, and best tasting cakes I suggest Chinatown.

Nothing beats it.

Not too sweet, not too sugary.  No icing.

Light, fluffy.

Pretty.

Simply heaven.

This little piggy went straight into another piggy's mouth...

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.

Review: An outdoor (sort-of) picnic

I was originally saving these special utensils for an intended rooftop terrace party...however due to unforeseen circumstances (well they were foreseen, just stubbornly refused to believe it - the weather) it never happened.  So I finally got my arse in gear and used it for vegetarian month.  

I was kindly sent some gingham style patterned plastic plates from Whitbread Wilkinson along with the salad bowl from Joseph Joseph, which brings a smile to your face - and that's without the food.

The main feature I have to say is the salad bowl.  Not just any salad bowl - one with servers, ATTACHED.  Sounds simple, but so effective and practical.  I'm not usually a big fan of fancy 'technology' - sometimes it can get more complicated than it needs to be, or it's just plain lazy, but the Joseph Joseph salad bowl is probably one of the best kitchen gadgets (can you even call it a gadget - I think it's just a necessity) you can use.  The servers slot perfectly to fit in with the bowl so there is no hassle, and mixing up my salad was so much fun, and not awkward to hold as sometimes it can get with standard long servers.  I felt as though my salad was truly mixed and varied.  The main test was picking the salad and onto the plate - not one drop of a leaf.  It well and truly passed the test.  The only thing I will say is that at around £30 - it is a tad pricey for what essentially is a salad bowl, but you can see where the quality is in its design and material.  It can also at times be quite heavy to carry - but I guess that is just one of the features of having an outdoor tool.  

Joseph Joseph outdoor salad bowl - served and won the match.

The Vegetarian Monologues

#2

Week 2 and I've learnt some new skills in my vegetarian experiment - how to stuff a pepper.  Now, as stuffing peppers go I assumed it would be easy - it was, until I decided I would make it up as I go along (as I usually do) and that's when it all went Pete Tong.  In the end I stuffed my orange pepper with an advocado, garlic and garlic flavoured soft cheese...it was nice, though a little too garlic-y, I had it with a serving of cous cous (never crossing my mind that I could have stuffed the pepper with it).  To satisfy my hunger pangs, I added a side of falafel.  For a Monday evening dinner, it did the job, if a little disorganised but that was more to do with my scatty brain than anything else.  Maybe the lack of meat is affecting me after all?

Mid-week I thought I would make a seafood paella.  A part of me thinks that I should keep this to myself but no, I will be honest...it turned out more like a risotto.  I like risotto, and I ate it anyway but that was not the intention.  It was a pretty decent risotto nonetheless.  I didn't keep to the recipe - I think that's where I went wrong.  I think paella is one of the few dishes where there are instructions for a reason and I should probably stick to it in future rather than spontaneously guess and hope for the best - my usual cooking style.



Come Sunday, vegetarian cottage pie.  I ventured into three supermarkets in one day and could not find any lentils (is there a lentil shortage?) so I used kidney beans instead amongst my delicious vegetables.  Making the sauce is something I quite enjoy - mainly because of the fact I know what is going in and there are no unhealthy bits and bobs I don't know about.  All you need is a can of chopped tomatoes, a stock cube, herbs, Tommy K (Tomato Ketchup) and soy sauce.  It works everytime.  

I love vegetables.

The Vegetarian Monologues

#1

So, I've officially started my vegetarian month.  So far so good...

I am surprised I've kept to it a week to be honest.  The first time I tried this, I forgot after only a few hours and consumed some sort of sausage (no pun intended).

As first week's go - it was pretty tough.  Not only did I make a trip to The Diner, I also made a trip to Brussels, Belgium and resisted the temptation of meat, and ended the week with a roast dinner - veggie of course.

I had a lovely soft shell crab burger from The Diner...with sweet potato fries...and onion rings - all to share of course (sort of).  I was originally going to give up the fish, but I think it would be a wise idea to ease myself into this non-meat malark.  Thank god for seafood is all I'm saying.


I also went to The Cheesecake Cafe in Brussels and ordered a Lasagne aux brocolis.  I think the translation is obvious - but it was literally all it was, green pasta sheets and cheese.  It was an odd meal, I believe there are much nicer vegetarian meals out there, but it was quite boring in terms of what was actually on the plate.  The dessert soon made up for it however, a warm brownie with sauce and ice cream.  If this vegetarian experiment goes well, I want to try being vegan for a week.  It'll be extremely difficult but I want to see if I can do it - as a forever-loving meat eater that is, what's one week of my life?


My favourite veggie meal from this week has been the veggie roast from The Water Poet in Spitalfields.    I have to admit I am one of those snobby people who will give a vegetarian dinner - such as a roast dinner a bit of a dirty look.  A few years ago, a Sunday dinner with no meat was ludicrous to me, I couldn't comprehend it.  I have to admit though, my spinach and ricotta cheese sausages were really quite lovely, and the fact that we managed to get a table (albeit outside but the outdoor heaters really do work - I even had to take my jacket and scarf off - I would recommend booking though if you want to go for Sunday dinner later than 12:30).  I would definitely come here again and try out the meat option - I have my eye on the pork belly available.

Here's hoping I won't run out of interesting meat substitutes for the rest of the week, so far on my list there's falafel, (more) salmon, halloumi and lots of veg, oh and my iron supplements.  

Hayley

Japanese Mirin-poached Beef

• Rump steak
• 150ml vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 5 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
• 1 onion, sliced
• Spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
• Steamed rice or thin noodles

1. Combine stock, soy, mirin and sugar in a pan, bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice the meat, add the beef and cook for a few more minutes, stirring. Sprinkle with spring onions and chilli (I added some to the pan to add some flavour to the liquid), and serve with steamed rice or noodles (I used vermicelli in this case and I think it works better) and some of the cooking liquid spooned over, or if you prefer soup noodles, pour the rest of the liquid in.

Simples!

Recipe taken from BBC GoodFood

Chinese Almond Cookies

• To make 24 cookies:
• 170g sifted all-purpose flour
• 100g white sugar
• 1g baking soda
• 2g salt
• 100g lard or margarine
• 1 egg
• 3ml (or to your liking) almond extract
• 24 almonds

1. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together into a bowl. Cut in the lard or margarine (I used margarine in this instance) until mixture sticks. Add the egg (I ended up using the 1 whole egg and some water) and almond extract - I only put in 1 teaspoon, but on tasting, don't be scared to put a bit more. Mix well.
2. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Set them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Place an almond on top of each cookie and press down to flatten slightly.
3. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) oven for 15-18 minutes. They will seem like they are under-cooked when you take them out of the oven, but this gives a more chewy taste, leave in longer if you prefer a bit of a crunch.  Cool on rack.
4. Voila!  Scrumptious cookies to nibble at!

Win a 2 Night Stay at the Budock Vean -Our Winner!

We are delighted to announce that the winner of our Budock Vean Hotel competition is Mrs. Tracey Cartwright. Congratulations Tracey, and thank you to everyone who entered. Keep checking the blog for more competitions coming soon...

The Little Kitchen LDN and the Budock Vean Hotel are giving you the chance to win a  break for two at the 4* Budock Vean Hotel on Cornwall's Helford River. The prize includes a two night stay for two people, which includes dinner as well as bed and breakfast stay. Breakfast at the hotel is a full English made with wonderful, locally sourced ingredients. Dinner at the Budock Vean's award winning restaurant has four courses plus coffee, to view a sample menu click here. The prize also includes a complimentary cream tea and use of the swimming pool, hot tub, tennis court, nine hole golf course and other facilities.

To find out more visit www.budockvean.co.uk

 


Terms and Conditions:
No purchase necessary. The prize draw is open to anyone in the UK aged 18 years or over excluding employees of the Budock Vean Hotel Group Ltd and their families, agents and anyone else connected with this promotion. One entry per household. By entering this prize draw you agree to receive marketing material via e-mail, phone and post. You can unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe links in our email correspondence or by contacting us on 01326 252112. The prize is non-transferable and non-exchangeable. No cash alternative is available. Winners must be willing to provide their name and country of residence for publicity if required. The promoter’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The prize is subject to availability and cannot be used against special breaks such as Christmas and Valentines (The prize can be redeemed between 30 September 2012 and 8 March 2013 with certain dates excluded)
Closing Date: 31st August 2012

Fish and Cake?!

The best things come in twos:
Garlic and bread.
Peanut and butter.
Kate and Hayley.

There are two things I do really love though and that's fish and cake.  Put the two together and there is my perfect dish.

I thought I'd give this easy recipe from BBC GoodFood a go one evening after work (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1898643/salmon-and-broccoli-cakes-with-watercress-avocado-).  I had some leftover bits in the kitchen (the best ingredients for a spontaneous and surprisingly good meal) and typed them into the search bar and got the fish cake.

Broccoli is one of my favourite vegetables.  I could eat a whole plate of them on its own (as long as its not soggy) - I won't have anyone say a bad word about my beloved broccoli.

Don't forget to season your pre-mashed cakes. 

Post-mashed.

Fry them until golden brown on each side. Make sure the pan is hot before frying.

Serve with salad.

I think next time I will add a few more spices to the dish, maybe try mixing in the mustard with the mash instead.  A very simple and easy dish to make - and a lot quicker to make than you think.  It's basically just a boil and fry method.  

A Summer's lunch

I once said that advocado and mango should be made compulsory in every salad.  It's just the most refreshing thing to have on a lovely summer's day (what's left of it anyway).

A few ingredients - don't forget a snazzy lunchbox.

Just a few simple rules to keep the mango and advocado tangy and juicy ready to brighten up your working day:

Nothing beats the staple leaves and tomatoes. 

1. Lemon juice.  Lemon juice is the key to stop your advocado going brown and fresh.
2. Soy sauce.  No need for salt, as soy sauce is already salty, and adds to the dressing.
3. Rice white wine.  Adds an extra element to the salad.
4. If you like a bit of spice, add some wasabi to the salad.  

Salmon, advocado, lemon juice and soy sauce. Mango at the ready. 

I also added some teriyaki sauce to my mango, advocado and smoked salmon (you can also add prawns) and marinaded it in the sauce whilst prepping the other part of my salad.

If you're like me, and need a fuller lunch to help you get through the rest of the day, add some long grain rice or cous cous.

Lunch! Just don't eat it next to the computer.