Minute Steak with Sun Dried Tomato Butter and Teresa's favourite Quick Fry Veggies

Whoa, that recipe title is a bit of a mouthful! Fortunately the name is probably the most complicated part of this dish which is very quick and easy to prepare (ready in under thirty minutes), not to mention low carb. So we are ticking a lot of good boxes here today folks! 

Low Carb Chilli Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry

It is time for another "dinner in a flash" recipe  - we love those right? And this one will also, I think, be met with nods of approval from the banting crowd. This beef and veggie stir fry is a very simple but delicious meal that works well for supper or lunch. (Or both if you have leftovers.) I say simple because I usually prepare my stir fries with a homemade sauce, or at the very least a splash of soy sauce but in this recipe I have simply used a couple of aromatics to give the dish its tasty flavour with the added bonus of making it sugar free.

Soy Cashew Chicken with Jasmine Rice

Quick is the name of the game today and this fabulously delicious dinner will be on the table in thirty minutes, making it a week night winner! It is an adaptation of this chicken dish and I love the addition of crunchy toasted cashews and jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk.

Creamy Tomato Penne with Pesto

We love a good pasta dish in our house, and this is one of my go-to recipes for a quick and delicious week night meal. The sauce is ready in under thirty minutes and can even be made ahead of time and reheated. And I have to say it again - it is so tasty! 

Roasted Garlic & Mustard Pork Chops with Creamy Mash

Can flavours determine love? This was the subject of an email that landed in my inbox recently and I was instantly intrigued! New research conducted by Knorr which spoke to 12,000 people in 12 countries has shown that a whopping 78% of people say that they are more attracted to people who enjoy the same flavours as them. I can relate to this - there are very few things that I do not eat (I could probably count my food dislikes on one hand) and living with an extremely picky eater is not my idea of a good time.

PEPPADEW® TORTILLA PIZZA

I have so enjoyed putting today's post together, and I am not going to tell you how many of these tortilla pizzas I have baked and tasted over the last two weeks. (Clue: a good few!) All in the name of research of course, and to make very, very sure that this recipe is just right for you, dear readers.

Beef and Portabellini Burgers with Brie

Years ago I remember watching a television interview with nutritionist, Michael Pollan who said that you could eat as much junk food as you wanted, as long as you made it yourself. I think the idea was that the time and effort involved would deter people from doing it too often! While I do enjoy the odd take-away I much prefer to make those types of meals myself anyway - they taste so much better when home made and do not have to take hours to put together. Burgers would definitely fall into that category, but in my humble burger-loving opinion I am not sure that today's recipe could be considered junk food at all.

Dinner in a flash! - Chicken Tikka with Fragrant Rice

When it comes to cooking and baking I'm definitely more of a "make it from scratch" type of cook. There are a few exceptions to this rule though. Prime example - puff pastry. I use the frozen variety often and haven't made it from scratch in about 10 years. I seem to recall it taking hours and hours and I rarely have spare time for that. The shop bought variety is just fine! The other exception is curry pastes. There are some fantastic brands on the market that allow me to whip up delicious and satisfying curries in no time at all.

Dinner in a flash! - Honey, Soy & Lime Chicken with Noodles

It has been a few weeks since the last "dinner in a flash" posting, and I hope you'll agree that this one is a goody! 

This last week has been a whirlwind of appointments, errands and social get-togethers, nothing out of the ordinary now that I think about it! Most of you can relate to that feeling of being run off your feet I'm sure, so ... flag this recipe because it's perfect for those evenings when, after a crazy day, you want to enjoy a good home cooked meal with minimal effort.

And by minimal I mean you could have this on the table in less than 20 minutes - win! 

If you love Asian flavours then I'm sure you'll enjoy this dish. Feel free to change up the veggies if you wish, you could use carrots, cabbage or shitake mushrooms to name a few. I chose mange tout and baby corn as they require very little in the way of preparation and cook in no time at all, it's all about speed today!

Mmm, I can smell the honey caramelising already. Enjoy!

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HONEY, SOY & LIME CHICKEN 

WITH NOODLES

Serves 2 

1 tablespoon honey
60ml (1/4 cup) soya sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon crushed ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 chicken fillets
150g dried noodles
60g mange tout
60g baby corn
sunflower oil for frying
salt and pepper
sesame seeds to garnish

Step 1.) Combine the honey, soya sauce, lime juice, ginger and garlic in a bowl and mix well to make a dressing.

Step 2.) Cut the chicken fillets into 5cm strips. Measure 3 tablespoons of the dressing into a small bowl and set aside, then toss the chicken strips in the remaining dressing to coat and leave to stand.

Step 3.) Bring a pot of water to the boil on the stove, then add the noodles and cook as per the packet instructions. (They should be cooked but still firm, not soft!)

Step 4.) Rinse the mange tout and baby corn in cold water. Top and tail the mange tout and cut the baby corn in half lengthways (you can also trim the thick ends if necessary).

Step 5.) Heat a dash of sunflower oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the chicken and its marinade and cook for a few minutes just to brown the chicken. Add the baby corn and cook for 1 minute. Then add the mange tout and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Step 6.) Drain the noodles. Add the chicken, vegetables and the remaining dressing that you set aside earlier and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 7.) Dish up onto warmed plates and sprinkle with a few pinches of sesame seeds to serve.

Dinner in a flash! - Lemon & Herb Chicken

With a busy Easter weekend drawing to a close I trust you all had a wonderful time. I heard from a couple of you who decided to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into my hot cross bun recipe, I hope you enjoyed it! After an indulgent weekend I thought I would post a lighter, healthier recipe for you all this week.

There are a number of things I love about this recipe... it's bursting with fresh flavours,  leaves me feeling satisfied but not overfull and I need go no further than my back garden to gather some of the ingredients. And of course, it can be prepared in no time at all. So as you head into the new week why not give this dish a try!

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LEMON & HERB CHICKEN

with a warm chickpea & roasted tomato salad

Serves 2 

Juice of 1 lemon (3-4 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
4 sprigs of thyme
1 large garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil + extra for drizzling
salt and pepper
2 chicken breast fillets, sliced horizontally
100g cherry tomatoes
400g tin chickpeas
40g rocket

Step 1.) Preheat your oven to 200°C.

Step 2.) Make a marinade by combining the lemon juice, parsley, the leaves from the thyme sprigs, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken pieces in 3 tablespoons of the marinade and leave to stand. 

Step 3.) Halve the cherry tomatoes lengthways and place in a small roasting pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season and roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until softened.

Step 4.) While the tomatoes are roasting, drain the chickpeas and toss them in the remaining marinade. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, until they are heated through, then set aside in a warm place. 

Step 5.) Next, griddle the chicken fillets for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they are golden and cooked through. If the pieces are very thin they'll probably only need 2-3 minutes per side. 

Step 6.) Arrange the washed rocket leaves on your plates. Pile on the warm chickpeas and roasted tomatoes along with the chicken and dinner is done! 

Dinner in a flash! - Chutney Chicken

I am always on the look out for new supper recipes that can be rustled up almost in no time at all (anything under 30 minutes is ideal!). This is one of my favourites adapted from a recipe I picked up out of Olive Magazine UK a few years ago. The distinct, warm flavour of cumin combined with tangy spring onions is utterly delicious. I prefer using peach or mango chutney in this recipe but any variety will do. If you're not a fan of fresh coriander feel free to leave it out, and if you like a little bit of heat I recommend adding a pinch of chilli flakes to your spice mix.

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CHUTNEY CHICKEN

Serves 4 

2 tsp light brown sugar
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground coriander
black pepper
4 chicken breast fillets cut into 5cm strips
olive oil
300g couscous
800ml good quality chicken stock
120ml chutney
4 spring onions, sliced into 4cm strips
small handful of coriander leaves, chopped

Step 1.) Combine the brown sugar, cumin, salt and ground coriander in a small bowl. Grind in some black pepper and stir well. Rub this mixture into the chicken strips and set aside. 

Step 2.) Heat a dash of olive oil in a frying pan and add the chicken strips. Cook them for a few minutes, just until they're brown on the outside. You don't need to cook them through at this stage. 

Step 3.) Place the couscous in a bowl and pour over 600ml of your hot chicken stock. Cover and leave to stand. 

Step 4.) Add the chutney to the chicken pan and allow to bubble for a few minutes, then add the sliced spring onion and cook for a further minute. 

Step 5.) Pour the remaining 200ml chicken stock into the pan and leave to bubble until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through. 

Step 6.) While the sauce is boiling add the chopped coriander leaves to the couscous and fluff up with a fork. Spoon onto heated plates and top with chicken and sauce. You can garnish this dish with a few fresh coriander leaves if you like.