Carrot Hummus

Hopefully the weather will start warming up and we can think about weekend picnics, and packed lunches for outings.  I've been experimenting with different dips and spread recipes recently to change up our usual picnic fare.  Carrots were very cheap recently, 1kg bags were 30p, and I had some miso that needed using up, so I thought why not add some to my usual hummus recipe for a delicious savoury flavour hit.

The dip is really tasty, and great for spreading thinly on flatbreads when making salad wraps.  I've even mixed some leftover dip with vegetable stock to make a quick cup of soup.  It's also rather tasty spread on a fresh white bread roll filled with lettuce and fish fingers.

Carrot Hummus 

500g carrots, thinly sliced (I don’t bother peeling them, just give them a good wash)
3 Tblsp oil
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground ginger
2 Tblsp water
1 tsp salt
400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tblsp miso paste or 1 Tblsp Marmite/Vegemite
1 Tblsp lemon juice
2 Tblsp water
dash of sesame oil

Put the carrots, oil, garlic, cumin, ginger, water and salt into a saucepan over a low/medium heat. Cook until the carrots are very soft, it usually takes around 20 - 30 minutes. Alternatively steam the carrots, etc in the microwave until very soft.  Once the carrots are soft, add the chickpeas and stir to combine, cook for another few minutes. in the chickpeas and heat through. 

Add the rest of the ingredients then either use a stick blender or pour the mixture into a food processor to blend the dip until smooth, adding a little more water if necessary to get the consistency that you prefer.  Serve with crackers and crudites.

2 comments Basics, Dairy free, Gluten-free, Live Below the Line., Lunches, Party, Vegan, Vegetarian

Delicious Fish Curry

This is a delicious, easy and quick fish curry perfect for a busy weeknight.  I've been trying to find simple and thrifty ways of incorporating more fish into our Meal Plans as it's recommended that we eat at least two portions of fish a week, one being oily fish.  I normally use frozen or tinned fish to keep costs down.

This recipe uses frozen white fish fillets, you could use frozen salmon fillets instead.  If you're in a rush, or don't like cooking rice from scratch, you could use microwave rice pouches.  I usually serve our curry with steamed greens, or steamed mixed vegetables.

Delicious Fish Curry

300g basmati rice

1 Tblsp oil

2 large onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

400g tin chopped tomatoes or 450g fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks

3 Tblsp tikka curry paste

400g can coconut milk, full fat

500g frozen skinless and boneless white fish fillets

handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Put a large saucepan of water on to boil and cook the rice following pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, wide saucepan over a medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 5-10 mins until softened and starting to colour. Add the garlic and tomatoes, and fry for 2 mins. Add the curry paste, fry for 2 mins more, then pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Add the fish to the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the coriander over the curry and serve with the rice.

Leave a Comment Dairy free, Dinners, Fish

One Pot Bolognese

One pot recipes are my absolute favourite, minimal washing up, and they're usually really low fuss. Busy weeknights with hangry family waiting for dinner in a hurry are pretty standard in our house so any recipe that I can whip up which pleases everyone and cuts down on the clean up is a winner for me.

I've made various versions of this recipe for a while, changing the mince and herbs used, adding some chilli to spice things up, using whatever pasta shapes we have in the cupboard. The cheese topping is always welcomed by my lot, and I usually serve this dish with steamed greens or mixed vegetables.

One Pot Bolognese

1 Tblsp oil

2 peppers, deseeded and diced (any colour will do)

1 large onion, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

500g beef mince

400g tin of chopped tomatoes

4 Tblsp tomato paste

750ml rich beef stock

1 Tblsp dried mixed herbs

500g dried wholemeal penne pasta

150g grated mature cheddar cheese, or more if you want

You will need a large pot for this recipe, which has an accompanying lid. Heat the oil in a large pot over a moderate heat. Add the peppers and onion, cooking until they have softened. Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. 

Tip in the mince, breaking it up as it browns. You want the beef to be thoroughly broken up and no longer pink. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, mixed herbs, and stir until completely combined.

Reduce the heat to medium/low then stir through the pasta. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check that the pasta is cooked to your liking, cover and cook a little longer if necessary.

Sprinkle the cheese on top and put the lid back on the pan, cook for a few minutes until the cheese melts.  You could put the pot under a preheated grill if you want the cheese golden and bubbling.  We serve ours with wilted greens and steamed mixed vegetables.

Leave a Comment Basics, Beef, Dinners, Pasta