November 2015 - Nourishbooks

Fun Recipes You Can Make With Your Child

Posted on November 25, 2015February 8, 2016 by Nourish

In The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers & Children, Bridget Wardley & Judy More select 365 inventive meals, including delicious recipes you can make with your kids, who are often more willing to eat food that they have helped to prepare. Counting and weighing ingredients, and stirring and mixing foods boost physical co-ordination and improve their maths as well as teaching them how to cook.Fun and easy, they will enjoy and be proud of their creations.

Do-It-Yourself Pizza
There is no better way to introduce your child to cooking than a homemade pizza that he can share with his friends. Letting children choose their own pizza topping is also a great way to entertain a small group.

Preparation: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
2 pizza bases
6 tbsp passata or tinned tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
selection of washed and prepared vegetables for the topping, such as red and green peppers, courgettes, mushrooms, sliced cherry tomatoes and tinned sweetcorn, drained
40g (1½oz) diced ham or cooked chicken (optional)
4 tbsp grated mixed cheese, such as Cheddar and Parmesan
6–8 thin slices mozzarella, cut into strips

Method:
ADULT:

Preheat oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6.

CHILD:

Spread the passata or chopped tomatoes over the pizza bases.
Sprinkle with oregano.
Top with their choice of vegetables and meat (if using).
Sprinkle over the grated cheese and add strips of mozzarella.

ADULT:

Place the pizzas in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling. Serve with salad.

Apple Smiles

Preparation: 10 minutes
Makes 5–6 smiles
Ingredients:
1 red eating apple
3–4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
puffed rice cereal (for the teeth)

Method:
ADULT:

Core and slice the apple into 1cm (¼in) slices.

CHILD:

Pat the apple slices with a paper towel to dry them. This will help the peanut butter to stick.
Spread one side of each apple slice with peanut butter.
Sandwich 2 slices together and squash them a little so that the peanut butter begins to ooze out onto the apple’s skin –the lips.
Place 5–6 pieces of puffed rice in the peanut butter to form the teeth, as if in a smiling mouth.

Mini Trifles
Making this traditional pudding will be great fun for your child. Use whatever soft fruit is in season or fruit tinned in juice.

Ingredients:
2 slices Swiss roll
2 tbsp orange juice
1 ripe peach, sliced
12 strawberries, rinsed and hulled
150ml (5fl oz) custard
2 tsps whipped cream (optional)
coloured sugar strands, to decorate (optional)

Method:
CHILD:

Put 1 slice of Swiss roll in each of 2 small ramekin dishes.
Spoon a tablespoonful of orange juice over each.
Cover with the peach slices and strawberries.
Spoon the custard over.
Top with the whipped cream and sprinkle with the coloured sugar strands (if using).

#cookingwithchildren

Bridget Wardley & Judy More
The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers & Children
£12.99
Available from Nourish Books

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Slow-Cooker Winter Fruit Salad for your Thanksgiving

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Nourish

This Winter Fruit Salad is a delicate and delicious recipe to surprise your guests on Thanksgiving. It is easy to prepare in the morning, making sure to allow enough time for cooking. In I Love My Slow Cooker, Beverly LeBlanc suggests to use firm dried, rather than the plumped ‘ready-to-eat’ varieties. If you only have the softer fruit in your cupboard, she recommends to reduce the cooking time in the second step to 1 hour before you add the smaller fruit.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes steeping
Cooking Time: 2½ hours on High
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
450g/1lb dried fruit, such as apples, apricots,
mangoes or prunes
250ml/9fl oz/1 cup orange juice, plus extra if needed
8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
6 Earl Grey tea bags
1 cinnamon stick
thinly pared rind of 1 lemon, pith removed
thinly pared rind of 1 orange, pith removed
55g/2oz/scant ⅓ cup soft light brown sugar, plus extra
if needed
2 tbsp dried cranberries
2 tbsp currants
2 tbsp sultanas
2 tbsp hazelnuts (optional)
lemon juice, to taste (optional)
Greek yogurt, to serve

Method:

Put the dried fruit, orange juice, cardamom pods, tea bags, cinnamon stick and lemon and orange rinds in the slow cooker. Do not turn the cooker on.
Pour over 750ml/26fl oz/3 cups boiling water, then cover with the lid and leave to steep for 30 minutes.
Switch the cooker to HIGH. Remove and discard the tea bags. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves.
Re-cover the cooker and cook for 1½ hours. Stir in the cranberries, currants and sultanas, re-cover and cook for a further 1 hour until all the fruit is soft and the flavours are blended.
Meanwhile, toast the hazelnuts, if using. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add the hazelnuts and dry-fry for 3–4 minutes until lightly browned, shaking the pan occasionally to ensure they do not burn.
Leave to cool slightly, then rub off the skins, chop and leave to one side.
When the fruit salad is cooked, taste and add lemon juice, if you like, or a little more orange juice or brown sugar, depending on how tart the fruit is.
Sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts, if using, and serve hot with dollops of yogurt.
If not serving immediately, leave the salad to cool completely, then cover and chill until required.
Leftovers can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

#Thanksgiving

Beverly LeBlanc
I Love My Slow Cooker
£12.99
Available from Nourish Books

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Top 3 Stress Buster Juice Recipes

Posted on November 25, 2015November 25, 2015 by Nourish

Fresh juices and smoothies are truly delicious and rich of nutrients, and you can tweak each recipe and adapt it to suit your own taste.
Bursting with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, trace elements and plant nutrients, fresh juices make you feel great and boost your energy levels, ensuring optimal metabolism. Each one has its own specific properties and you can find your favourite combination of ingredients. I have been experimenting a few from Sarah Owen‘s book The top 100 juices and here a selection of delicious, health-giving juices that can help to prevent stress and anxiety.

Apple, Cherry & Blueberry
Apples and cherries contain high levels of health-boosting flavonoids, which have been linked with better lung function and a lower incidence of asthma, which can be triggered by stress. Anthocyanins, the antioxidants in cherries, have been found to block inflammatory enzymes and help to reduce pain. One study found evidence that consuming blueberries can help to relax the arteries and reduce the
risks of cardiovascular disease, often associated with stress.

Ingredients:
4 apples, cut into wedges
25 cherries, pitted
40 blueberries

Method:
Press chunks of apple, and the cherries and blueberries through a juicer. Stir and drink immediately.

Banana, Coconut Milk & Lemongrass Smoothie
This juice helps you to reduce stress-related high blood pressure. Bananas are high in potassium, which helps to maintain normal blood pressure and a healthy heart, two conditions often related to stress. Rich in calcium and magnesium, coconut milk supports the adrenal glands. Lemongrass contains manganese, which keeps the nervous system healthy and helps to keep stress at bay.

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas, peeled
450ml/16fl oz/1¾ cups
coconut milk
1 stalk lemongrass
(outer leaves removed), chopped into chunks

Method:
Whizz the bananas, coconut milk and lemongrass in a blender until smooth, stir and drink immediately.

Cucumber, Watercress & Liquorice
Chill out with this calming and refreshing juice. The inner temperature of a cucumber can be up to 11°C/20°F cooler than the outside air, so this juice is literally cooling during times of tension. Watercress is an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, which help to protect the body from stress-related free-radical damage. A traditional stress-buster, liquorice provides important nutrients for the adrenal glands, helping to build, strengthen and relax muscles.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch watercress
1 cucumber, chopped into chunks
1 large knob (4cm/1½in) liquorice root, chopped into chunks

Method:
Wrap the watercress leaves around chunks of cucumber and liquorice root, press through a juicer, stir and drink immediately.

#nourishbooksjuices

Sarah Owen
The Top 100 Juices
£5.99
Available from Nourish Books
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The Seasonal Kitchen/ Autumn Squashes

Posted on November 16, 2015December 10, 2015 by Nourish

Arriving in autumn (but known as ‘winter’ squashes), cold-weather squashes are set apart from their summer cousins by their thick skins, orange or yellow flesh and large, tough seeds. In her book Seasonal Food Susannah Blake invites you to try autumn squashes suggesting delicious recipes. Read on her vegetarian suggestion, a delicious Barley risotto with butternut squash.

There are many different types. The pumpkin, with its dazzling orange skin, is widely available, as is the creamy, smooth-skinned butternut squash and the smaller acorn squash, with its fluted dark-green or bright-orange skin. Less common are the hubbard, the onion and the Asian kabocha squash.

With their sweet flavour and smooth texture, all squashes are delicious sautéed, roasted, baked or steamed in their own juices and can be added to stews, pies and soups, used to stuff pasta or tossed into salads. Their natural sweetness also makes them ideal for using in cakes
and pies, pumpkin pie being the classic dessert served at a US Thanksgiving dinner.

Buy only unblemished squashes that feel heavy for their size. Avoid really large ones, as they often lack flavour. To prepare, halve or cut into segments, then scoop out the seeds, which may be roasted, cracked open and eaten as a snack. If sautéeing or adding to a soup or stew, cut off the skin; if baking or roasting, remove the skin before or after cooking.

Barley risotto with butternut squash

Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 butternut squashes, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
250g/9oz pearl barley
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
80ml/21⁄2fl oz/1⁄3 cup white wine
125ml/4fl oz/1⁄2 cup vegetable stock
3 tbsp crème fraîche
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
25g/1oz Parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Put the squashes in a roasting tin, drizzle over about half the oil, tossing to coat, and
season well with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, turning once or twice during cooking, until tender.
Meanwhile, cook the barley in boiling water for about 25 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic and fry gently for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the drained barley, pour over the wine and stock, and leave to bubble gently for about 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Stir in the crème fraîche, sage and Parmesan cheese, then fold in the squashes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Susannah Blake
Seasonal Food
Available from Nourish Books

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Spice Up Your Weekend With an Indian Lunch

Posted on November 12, 2015November 25, 2015 by Nourish

Nisha Katona invites you to try three recipe ideas, adapted by her mother. A little twist of traditional Indian dishes to surprise your family with an Indian Lunch.

Madras pimped cheese on toast
Every Indian living abroad needs to get their spice fix for the day. This was my mother’s way and now it is mine.

We had a version of this in Nepal and I have never forgotten how sublime it tasted. Mum worked hard to crack the right formula and voila. It also appeals to her need to take a great British staple and pimp it Indian style.

This dish is utterly addictive and great for a lunchtime treat or sly supper spectacle. It is so very simple but it has so much flavour.

The addition of the paste really gets this dish singing. No matter what time I eat this, it takes me straight to that Kathmandu guest house with the sun on my back and a slice of golden Himalayan heaven in my hand.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 pieces of bread-toasted on one side

grated cheddar

chopped red onion
chopped coriander

1 spoon Madras OR Balti Paste

black pepper

chopped green chili

Method:
Mix all the ingredients together, cover the non toasted side of the bread and grill until bubbling and golden.

Korma popcorn chicken with a spiced spinach yoghurt dip

This dish has its origins in my mother’s cocky resourcefulness. Ever has it been the way with Indian mothers, that they will not be outdone by any of the big chains!

I remember driving though one particular fried chicken chain with her and relishing the cute little balls of fried deliciousness. Nothing irks my mother more than this; than her own daughter enjoying a dish that she had not created.

She set to work in her kitchen of alchemy and invited me over one night, triumphant, at her creation. She had trumped the fast food warriors and I have to take my hat of to her.

These Korma popcorn balls were utterly light, packed with flavour and to top it all extremely quick and simple to make. The Spinach dip is a quick construction job; deeply tangy and satisfying, a perfect cooling creamy accompaniment to my mothers lip smacking golden orbs of culinary genius.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 Chopped chicken breasts

pataks korma paste

lemon juice

garlic puree

1 egg

salt

gram flour

oil

pureed spinach

greek yoghurt

pataks madras paste

Method:

Popcorn Chicken

Rub the chicken pieces with a 1 1/2 tablespoons of Korma paste,lemon juice, garlic puree, egg, salt.
Drag the pieces through the gram flour and plunge fry

Raita

Combine the yoghurt, a dessertspoon of the madras paste and the spinach, a touch of lemon juice and salt.

Tikka and tamarind glazed ribs

This dish is a firm family favourite. It is one of our signature New Years Eve Dishes. Ribs are such a great party cut of meat! These ribs are so simple and quick to prepare that you can create a banquet hall pile of them in no time and they make a stunningly extravagant centrepiece. I used to make these using just the tamarind but it was the addition of the tikka paste that really got people talking about them. We are plagued by requests for this recipe and here it is. Marinade, roast and enjoy.

Ingredients:

pork ribs

pataks tikka paste

honey

garlic

tamarind paste

onions

ginger/garlic paste

garamasala powder

chopped coriander leaf

Method:

Rub the ribs with garlic and garamasala and roast.

Make the glaze as follows:

Fry onions, ginger and garlic, add 2 dessertspoons of Pataks Tikka Paste, 1 dessert spoon of honey, 1 dessert spoon of tamarind concentrate.
Simmer adding a little water to loosen the glaze. Add in the ribs and simmer for the last few minutes, sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve with a finger bowl!

Nisha Katona
Pimp My Rice
£20.00, Available from Nourish Books

Hot chocolate soufflés for your Bonfire night!

Posted on November 5, 2015November 25, 2015 by Nourish

Guy Fawkes failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament saw the beginning of the 5th of November anniversary, still celebrated in the United Kingdom with fireworks, bonfires and parades. This is a perfect night to spend with friends and a warm chocolate idea! Try the hot chocolate soufflés, a recipe extracted from our book Chocolate by Jennifer Donovan.
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20–23 minutes

Ingredients:
melted butter, for greasing
80g/23/4oz/1/3 cup caster sugar, plus extra for coating
2 tbsp cornflour
250ml/9fl oz/1 cup milk
100g/31/2oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces
3 eggs, separated, plus 2 whites icing sugar, sifted, for dusting

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190˚C/375˚F/gas 5. Grease 4 x 200ml/7fl oz/3/4-cup capacity ovenproof cups with melted butter and coat lightly with sugar.
In a small bowl, mix the cornflour to a paste with 2 tbsp of the milk. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the remaining milk with the chocolate and 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp of the sugar over a low heat. When the chocolate has melted, whisk in the cornflour paste, using a hand whisk. Continue whisking until the mixture boils and thickens, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before beating in the egg yolks. Set the mixture aside to cool completely.
In a large bowl, whisk all the egg whites to soft peaks, using an electric hand mixer, then add the remaining sugar and continue to whisk until stiff but not dry. Gently fold the whisked whites into the chocolate mixture, using a metal spoon, and divide equally between the prepared cups.
Bake in the hot oven for 15–18 minutes, or until the soufflés are well risen. Remove from the oven, dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

To get more delicious chocolate recipes, take a look at Chocolate by Jennifer Donovan.

Jennifer Donovan
Chocolate
Available from Nourish Books
£9.99

PeaSoupEats is our Blog of the Month

Posted on November 4, 2015December 3, 2015 by Nourish

PeaSoupEats is a blog started by Aine Carlin in 2010. Aine recently moved back to Cornwall after living in London via Chicago for the past 14 years. PeaSoupEats is a lifestyle blog, where Aine documents what she eats, wears and generally love. Follow her blog , youtube channel, twitter and instagram @AineCarlin. Aine Carlin is the author of Keep it Vegan and The New Vegan (release date 31st Dec. 2015), published by Kyle Books and available to buy on Amazon and all good bookstores.

How did PeaSoupEats start and what inspired you to write a blog?
I started PeaSoupEats back in 2010 when food blogging was kind of in its infancy. In all honesty, I wasn’t aware of blogs at the time (in fact, I rarely used the internet) and it was actually my husband’s suggestion to start one, as a way of collating my favourite recipes. It went from there really and eventually became an online diary of sorts (I have the habit of oversharing), where I chronicled my journey into veganism through eating. The blog seems to have grown quite organically and I’ve chosen to keep it ad-free, so I don’t have to make any compromises on content – in that respect, it’s still incredibly personal and a real labour of love.

How would you describe your blog to our readers?
It’s a very honest space where I share simple recipes with a plant-based twist. I focus entirely on the food and never really talk about the ins and outs of veganism, as I’ve always wanted it to be a positive, inclusive place that people can come to and discover vegan food without having to wade through heavy duty posts. Most of the people who read my blog or have bought my book (Keep it Vegan) aren’t even vegan themselves, and I love that – it means they feel comfortable hanging out in my world for a while without feeling judged, which is a huge compliment. I get so many messages from parents who’ve previously struggled to feed their newly vegan teenagers and even grown men trying to alter their lifestyle, all of whom have responded to my straightforward approach to plant-based cooking. I’m not all about ‘healthy’ eating either and like to think I’ve managed to strike a balance between food that feeds the soul and is also a joy to eat – expect kale alongside sugar … although never in the same dish, I hasten to add.

Bircher-Muesli-SMALL — Photography @ Ali Allen

Can you tell us about your lifestyle?
My lifestyle is pretty ‘normal’ albeit very food centric … I’m always thinking about recipes, flavour combinations and what I’m going to eat next. I live in deepest Cornwall so the pull of the outdoors is always there – we like nothing more than taking long, coastal walks or even casual strolls around our beautiful little village of Mousehole. I fall in and out of love with yoga but mostly my exercise routine involves a pair of wellies and a delightful trudge in the country. Other than that, I write and create recipes, work on my blog, (limited) photography skills, youtube channel and, in wonderfully fifties fashion, ‘keep a nice house’ … I adore interiors and have tried to cultivate a bit of quiet sanctuary for us both. Thanks to my books, every week brings new challenges and I’m always happy to travel for work so my schedule can be a bit helter skelter at times, which is a nice contrast to our simple Cornish lifestyle.

What is your take on organic food?
I try to buy organic as often as possible and tend to apply the ‘clean 15/dirty dozen’ rule when shopping … so spinach, apples and tomatoes are always organic but I might be a more lax on other things, such as pineapple, avocado and onions. With that said, I think the information surrounding organic produce can be exhausting and confusing, and it needs to be made clearer that it’s not simply about taste. I’m equally concerned about the health of our soil (and planet) than I am about our collective personal health. Obviously regularly ingesting food that’s been doused in pesticides can never be good but thankfully things do seem to be improving. Accessibility is key, as is price, so it’s about trying to make those things successfully work in tandem. It’s also a case of supply and demand, therefore the more we support the organic market, the more likely suppliers will be to make the necessary changes.

What is a successful recipe you mastered?
Hmmm, that’s a hard one but it’s probably my ‘Buttermilk’ pancakes … I used to think pancakes minus the egg, and indeed buttermilk, inclusion would be a catastrophe but my plant-based ‘Buttermilk Pancake’ recipe from Keep it Vegan is one of my most popular dishes – even non-vegans use it as their go-to recipe. They are light, fluffy and foolproof – weekends just aren’t the same without a batch of these on the go, I highly recommend them!

Can you tell us your top 3 food websites that inspired you the most?
Joy the Baker was one of the first food blogs I ever read and it’s still one of the best – for me, a successful blog doesn’t just lie in the recipes or images (although they are important) but also in the voice of its creator and Joy is still one of the wittiest, most ‘down-to-earth’ bloggers out there.

Oh Dear Drea is an authentic little blog with a subtle vegan angle. Being a bit of a voyeur I’ve really enjoyed watching this blogger blossom and can’t wait for her new cookbook ‘The Plantiful Table’ … not only does Andrea have great style but her recipes are always really easy and appealing.

Nigella taught me to cook (well, not literally), so I couldn’t not mention her fantastic website, which is like a fabulous mashup of all her all-time greats, as well as a bit of her always welcome ‘witter’. Some people think it’s strange that I worship at the altar of Ms Lawson (what with me being vegan and all) but I honestly have no qualms about admitting to my ongoing obsession.

Pimp My Rice Recipes for you to try!

Posted on November 4, 2015November 4, 2015 by Nourish

Here are two rice recipes to spice up your kitchen! Across continents, rice is the dramatic centrepiece of the table and at the heart of life. In Pimp My Rice, Nisha Katona shares recipes from her home kitchen and around the globe. Here are two great examples from the book for you to try!

Nisha Katona
Pimp My Rice
£20.00, Available from Nourish Books

Month: November 2015

Fun Recipes You Can Make With Your Child

Slow-Cooker Winter Fruit Salad for your Thanksgiving

Top 3 Stress Buster Juice Recipes

The Seasonal Kitchen/ Autumn Squashes

Spice Up Your Weekend With an Indian Lunch

Hot chocolate soufflés for your Bonfire night!

PeaSoupEats is our Blog of the Month

Pimp My Rice Recipes for you to try!

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