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Creamy Vegetable Chowder

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Creamy vegetable chowder is a low-fat dish that is perfect for rainy or cold days. This healthy recipe is made of minimal vegetables, but you may add some more if you want it to be more filling. Cauliflower and broccoli would make great additions to this comfort food. It makes a perfect dinner for lazy nights at home. All you need  is some bread and you are all set.

 

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons margarine

1 onion, finely diced

3 potatoes, peeled and diced

3/4 cup chopped celery

2 cups sliced carrots

2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups low salt chicken broth

3 cups low-fat milk

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 cup cold water

1/4 cup cornstarch

 

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes or until they are translucent and soft. Add the carrots and the celery. Cook them for 10 minutes or until the carrots are almost cooked. Pour in the chicken broth and add the potatoes. Set the heat to high and then bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Season it with salt and pepper. Stir in the milk and the parsley. Dissolve the cornstarch in a bowl with cold water. Add it to the soup and simmer it for another 3-5 minutes or until the soup thickens to your desired consistency. Add more salt and pepper to adjust the taste. Ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve immediately with bread or salad.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  rexipe

Braised Beef Chuck

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This stew is a real ideal winter warmer. Serving up to eight people, it needs a large casserole dish, ideally one you can put on a Hob and in the Oven.

Braised Beef Chuck

Cook as slowly as possible, to allow the flavours to be maximised, and to allow as much tenderness as possible.

To Serve 8
100g Seasoned Flour
1.5kg Beef Chuck, cut into eight portions
50ml Vegetable Oil
½ Bottle of Red Wine
4 Sprigs Thyme
4 Bay Leaves
5 Juniper Berries
1 Whole Bulb of Garlic, cut in half horizontally
1 Litre Brown Stock, made from a cube is fine
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
6 Shallots, peeled and halved
2 Carrots, peeled and cut into thirds or quarters
1 Leek, cut into the same size as the Carrots
2 Celery Sticks, cut into the same size as the Carrots
Salt and Pepper

1. Put the Flour onto a plate, and use it to coat the Beef Chuck on all sides, shaking off any excess.
2. Heat the Vegetable Oil in a pan, and place the meat in it, in batches to be sealed. You should be aiming to get a good amount of colour on the meat.
3. When the Meat has sealed, remove from the pan, then pour in the Red Wine. Use it to deglaze the pan, scraping any pieces off the base of the pan – these are great for flavour
4. Return the Meat to the pan after a minute or two, along with the Bay Leaves, Thyme, Juniper Berries, Garlic, Brown Stock and the Worcestershire Sauce. Bring to the boil, and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
5. Cook on a low heat (about 160C) either in the Oven or on the Hon, for around two and a half to three hours, before adding in the prepared Vegetables.
6. Cook for another sixty to ninety minutes, checking every fifteen minutes, making sure that there is still enough liquid in the pan. If the Vegetables and Meat are not covered, add a slight bit more stock.
7. Season to taste, then serve fresh from the pan with Creamy Mash and Roasted Parsnips.

Photo Courtesy of: FotoosVanRobin

Mixed Mushroom Parcels

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This is a simple dish, great served as a starter, or even as a light summer lunch dish. Using a jar of mixed Mushrooms will give you a range of tastes and textures, but if you’re particularly fond of a certain Mushroom, then use more of that variety if you want!

Mixed Mushroom Parcels

To Serve 6
50g Wild Rice
Salt and Pepper
125g Butter
175g Onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
175g Celery, finely chopped
175g Carrot, peeled and finely chopped
700g Brown and White Capped Mushrooms, chopped
225g Jar Mixed Wild Mushrooms in oil
75g Toasted Hazelnuts, chopped
75g No-Soak Dried Apricots, chopped
6 Sheets Filo Pastry
1tbsp Sesame Seeds
4tbsp Chopped Fresh Chives
200g Crème Fraiche

1. Cook the Rice in boiling salted water until tender, before draining and setting aside.
2. Melt twenty five grams of Butter in a large pan then cook the Onion and Garlic for around ten minutes, until soft and brown. Add the Celery and Carrot. Fry for a further three or four minutes. Add another twenty five grams of Butter to the pan then add the Fresh Mushrooms. Cook uncovered for another fifteen minutes with no cover on, so that the all the excess liquid has evaporated.
3. Add the Drained Mushrooms to the pan, and cook for five more minutes. Remove from the heat, before seasoning to taste, and stirring in the Hazelnuts, Wild Rice and Apricots into the Mushroom mixture.
4. Butter one sheet of Filo Pastry with a small amount of melted Butter, then fold in half, then in half again – you should aim to end up with a sheet about nine inches square. Place a sixth of the mixture in the centre of the sheet, and gather up the sides to form a parcel. Press gently to seal shut, and then repeat with the rest of the sheets of Pastry. Brush the tops with Butter, and sprinkle with a small amount of the Sesame Seeds.
5. Place the Parcels on a warmed baking sheet, then bake at 190 C for twenty five to thirty minutes. Stir the Chives into the Crème Fraiche, and season to taste. Serve the Parcels on a plate with a spoonful of the Sauce.

Photo Courtesy of: randomduck

Walnut, Egg and Cheese Pate

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Great as a Pate or as the stuffing for a Mushroom, Celery or Tomato, and flavoured with Dill and Parsley, this mixture is a bit unusual, but it’s one that’ll leave you wanting more and more.
Peanuts and Walnuts
Serve it fresh out of the fridge to make sure it has fully set.

To Serve 2
1 Celery Stick
2 Spring Onions, trimmed
30g Walnuts, shelled
1tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
1tsp Chopped Fresh Dill
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and crushed
Worcestershire Sauce
125g Cottage Cheese
60g Blue Cheese
1 Hard Boiled Egg
30g Butter
Salt and Pepper

1. Chop the Celery finely, slice the Spring Onions very finely and chop the Walnuts evenly, but not too finely, and place them all in a bowl.
2. To the bowl, add the Chopped Herbs, Garlic and add a generous amount of Worcestershire Sauce and mix well before stirring the Cottage Cheese in evenly throughout the mixture.
3. Grate the Blue Cheese (either Stilton or Danish Blue) and Boiled Egg into the Pate Mixture, and then season to taste with the Salt and Pepper.
4. Melt the Butter, before pouring over the top and stirring through the bowl evenly. Spoon into a serving dish or into two individual dishes, but do not press down firmly. Chill in the refrigerator until set.
5. Serve straight from the refrigerator, garnished with some fresh herbs.

If you’re serving as a stuffing for the Tomatoes, try to find some extra large Tomatoes, slice the tops off of them and remove as much of the flesh as possible, and spoon the mixture in, making sure you do not break the skin.

Photo Courtesy of: viZZZual.com

Vegetable and Apple Stir Fry

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This Vegetarian dish is a fast dish to make – taking only half an hour to prepare and cook. To make sure that the Vegetables don’t burn, keep them moving when stir-frying them – it’s a good habit even with meat so that they’ll cook evenly.

Vegetable Stir Fry

If you’re creating this as a side, try serving with some freshly Grilled Pork Chops – the Apple and range of Vegetables compliments the dish greatly.

To Serve 4
4tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Garlic Clove, peeled and crushed
350g Small Leeks, trimmed and sliced
4 Sticks Green Celery, sliced
225g Courgette, sliced
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and chopped
2tbsp Medium Curry Paste
1tsp Ground Ginger
1tbsp Clear Honey
2 Green Eating Apples
50g Unsalted Cashew Nuts
Salt and Pepper
Juice of 1 Lemon

1. Heat the Oil in a large, non-stick Sauté pan, and cook the Garlic off for a few seconds over a medium heat, before increasing the heat, and adding the Leek, Celery, Courgette and Pepper to the pan, and cook for ten minutes, stirring throughout.
2. Add the Curry Paste to the pan, along with the Ginger, Honey and three tablespoons of Water, and stir until smooth. Make sure that all of the Vegetables are evenly coated with the flavours.
3. Roughly chop the Apples up – it’s personal preference for leaving the skins on. I do to give a mix of textures in the finished dish, but it is okay to remove them if you want. Add the Apple Chunks to the pan, with the Cashew Nuts and season to taste.
4. Cook for five more minutes, until the Vegetables are tender, but not soft. Squeeze the Lemon Juice, and stir one last time, before serving.

Photo Courtesy of: swanksalot

Avacado Salad

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Rich, Buttery and very good for you – Avocados are a great food and can be used in a whole range of meals. This salad is a quick and easy dish, perfectly suited as a starter, or as a light lunch or dinner with some fresh bread or rolls.

Avacado

For the mixed leaves, aim for a mix of different tastes, textures and colours. Lots of variety in the leaves will make this dish taste different each time, and it’s great for using up what’s left from other salads.

Serves 4

Mixed leaves

2 Avocados

2 sticks Celery

½ Cucumber

75g Blue Cheese

Handful Walnuts

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

3 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Wholegrain Mustard

1.       Rip the leaves into a large bowl

2.       Halve the Avocados, remove the stone, peel and slice thinly, and add into the bowl.

3.       Slice the Celery and Cucumber, crumble the Blue Cheese and chop the Walnuts before adding into the bowl. Try to vary the size of each piece to make it more enjoyable

4.       In a separate bowl, mix the Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and Wholegrain Mustard

5.       Toss the leaves, Celery, Cucumber, Cheese and Walnuts with the dressing and serve at room temperature

Photo Courtesy of: pink_fish13