When the weather’s still a little cold and miserable we just want warming up with good, home cooked food that’s quick to make and healthy too.
We are always looking for new recipes to feed the family – we don’t want anything that’s too fiddly, takes too long or that certain little people are going to turn their noses up at. Blackheath Cooks would like to share with Greenwich Mums, two of our favourite family recipes with you – Spanish Style Rice and Low Fat Chocolate Brownies.
Our Spanish Style Rice is perfect for a weekday meal and is so adaptable; you can throw in everyone’s favourite ingredients and leave out things that the kids won’t like.
It’s also the time of year when everyone is still trying to be good with food and we don’t want to be side tracked by tempting treats that are simply too high in fat or calories. We have perfected an amazing low fat chocolate brownie recipe which is absolutely delicious and only has 180 calories and 3g saturated fat per square.
We would love to hear what you think of these – do let us know!
Also, it’s great to pass on little kitchen tips and tricks – Blackheath Cooks have got a roast dinner Workshop coming up soon and here are a few little suggestions we have to make your Sunday roasts come out perfectly…
– A boneless roast will actually take longer to cook than with the bone in? The bone takes the heat directly to the centre of the meat
– To keep your cauliflower white when boiling, add a little milk to the water.
– Try adding fresh herbs to your Yorkshire pudding batter mix – fresh thyme goes really well with beef and sage is great with chicken.
We hope you find these family friendly recipes and cookery tips useful. Do come in and see us soon, you’ll find us on The Standard.
SPANISH RICE
INGREDIENTS
(serves 4)
An easy rice dish – the chorizo, garlic and turmeric give it a Spanish twist. You can add all different things to this recipe if you like. Peppers, onions and even a handful of prawns go really well.
1. Slice your leek and chop up the chorizo and chicken into small pieces and add it to a large frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Heat through on a medium setting, stirring all the time. Your leek will soften and the chicken and chorizo will start to cook.
3. After a few minutes, crush your garlic into the pan and stir around a few times.
4. Then tip in your uncooked rice and the turmeric and chilli flakes (if using). Mix well so that all the juices cover the rice.
5. Carefully pour in your chicken stock, sundried tomatoes and olives and stir in. Keep the pan on a very gentle simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the stock has absorbed and everything is a lovely consistency. If you are worried that it is drying out too quickly, add a dash more stock. Taste the rice to make sure it is cooked the way you like it.
6. At the last moment, stir in the peas.
7. Serve with some salad or fresh bread. A really tasty easy peasy rice recipe.
LOW FAT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
INGREDIENTS:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180c .
2. Melt your chocolate in a glass bowl, balanced on top of a saucepan of boiling water. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or it will ruin the texture. Set aside.
3. Line a 19cm square cake tin with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
4. Add both types of sugar, the coffee granules, buttermilk and vanilla to the chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon.
5. Stir in 1 tablespoon warm water, break and beat in the egg, then stir in the mayonnaise until smooth and glossy.
6. Now add your flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda and fold in gently – do not overbeat.
7. Pour your delicious mixture into the prepared tin and spread it evenly into the corners. Bake for approximately half an hour – test the middle with a skewer (it should still be ever so slightly moist).
8. Leave to cool completely in the tin before cutting into 12 yummy squares.
Each square of this brownie cake is approximately 180 calories and less than 3g of saturated fat!
About Amanda Keyzers
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