Soulful And Healthy - Simple, Healthy and Delicious ideas

Coffee cheesecake with mocha cream frosting

admin — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 21:32:12 +0000

Coffee cheesecake with mocha cream frosting admin Tue, 12/05/2023 - 21:32

This beautiful baked coffee cheesecake is any coffee lover's dream dessert! An Oreo base, with coffee cheesecake, topped with dark chocolate ganache and a Mocha cream cheese frosting, this cheesecake is a showstopper and pure indulgence.

The recipe is very straightforward and simple, you need a good quality of coffee and cream cheese and you will have the most delicious baked coffee cheesecake.

This cheesecake was loved by my boys at home, although my husband isn’t a coffee dessert lover like me he still said this was the best coffee flavour dessert he has had. I loved how the different layers all come together so well, the dark chocolate ganache breaks down the coffee taste, and the subtle mocha cream frosting on top makes it even more delicious.

I created this recipe last Christmas for DeLonghi as a partnership. I made the cheesecake with the coffee using my La Specialista Arte coffee machine, which makes the best coffee ever. The perfect espresso for the perfect coffee.

Few things to keep in mind for this cheesecake,

Always have your cream cheese at room temperature
Eggs at room temperature too
You can use instant coffee as well, make sure to use as much quantity as a single espresso shot.
Always use full fat cream cheese for the cheesecake otherwise it will not be as creamy.
Make sure to use the best quality of dark chocolate for the ganache, I have used Lindt Dark cooking 70 percent intense.

Categories

Dessert

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Spiced Rum Christmas Fruit Cake

admin — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 23:05:39 +0000

Spiced Rum Christmas Fruit Cake admin Thu, 11/30/2023 - 23:05

A beautiful aromatic cake loaded with mixed dry fruits soaked in spiced rum, makes any Christmas special. The cake is flavourful with spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice makes it a perfect combination of nuts,dried fruits and spices. This is my take on the famous Plum cake or fruit cake as we call it in India, every state has its own version of a fruit cake. The dried fruits are soaked in brandy or rum weeks or sometimes months ago.

Growing up in India as a Hindu we did not celebrate Christmas at home, but I studied in a Catholic school, so we celebrated Christmas every year in school. We had carol singing, a Christmas tree, a huge crib placed every year depicting the night that Jesus was born. One thing in India is that no matter what your religion is, we still celebrate all festivals and Christmas is a very huge celebration.

A famous cake that you can buy in your local bakery for every Christmas is what we call ‘Plum cake’ or ‘Fruit cake’ and I remember waiting for this particular cake every Christmas, my Mum made sure she bought it for us every year.

After I met my husband who is Polish, and we moved to Ireland, we started our own little family and we celebrate a mix of Polish and Irish Christmas here in Dublin. We have our own traditions and cakes. Last year we spent our Christmas in Goa, India and we enjoyed this beautiful cake. This year I decided to bake my own version of Plum cake and it was delicious.

You can soak the mixed dried fruits for a couple of weeks in advance, if you don't have time then you can soak them for one or two days too.

I created this recipe for Ele Magazine back in 2020 and as always it was a pleasure working with them, this recipe was published in their festive issue in Australia! was so happy to see my recipe published and printed in a magazine abroad. Linked here - ELE Magazine ISSUSE 2

Categories

Dessert

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Chicken meatballs and orzo soup

admin — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 17:47:36 +0000

Chicken meatballs and orzo soup admin Mon, 10/02/2023 - 18:47

This delicious chicken meatballs soup was a win win at home, super soft chicken meatballs, in a loaded veggie soup base and orzo added to. This soup was loved by my two year old and ten year old! A delicious and wholesome meatball soup for the whole family loaded with veggies and nutrition, what’s not to love about it!

This recipe is super easy to make, the cooking time might be longer but once done it’s a big batch, you can freeze it for later or eat it two days straight like we did and none of us were bored ;)

The secret of super soft chicken meatballs is

1 - making your own mince using good quality chicken breast, yes! You wouldn’t know how easy it is to make your own chicken mince just by blitzing your chick breast in a food processor, you can use it for any kind of recipe you want, takes only few seconds and it’s done!

2 - Added panko breadcrumbs, using fresh breadcrumbs makes your meatballs so soft and juicy, I used panko you can even use fresh breadcrumbs even better!

3- You wouldn’t believe this one, I added grated courgette into my meatballs, and yes it makes a hell lot of difference. You can even add grated carrots.

The meatballs are so tasty by itself you can have them with some veggies on the side too. You can even make a big batch and freeze them comes in handy for when you need them.

I added extra veggies for the soup base but you can do without it, but adding extra veggies is great for those with fussy eaters. The soup is tomato based, it’s so yummy and delicious, you can do it without the tomato base too but trust me this is way better.

You can mix and match any dried or fresh herbs of your choice, whichever is there in your cupboard/ fridge, I used my fresh basil from my garden and dried Italian herbs which I had at home. Feel free to add any herbs of your choice.

Categories

Soups

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Salmon tacos

admin — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 15:19:28 +0000

Salmon tacos admin Thu, 06/08/2023 - 16:19

The most easiest and tastiest salmon tacos I have ever made, the juicy spiced salmons, topped with simple salsa, lettuce and super simple avocado and mayo sauce to go with it, so refreshing! Serve with corn tortillas, lightly grilled until the cheese melts.. oh so good!

It’s a very quick recipe to make, first get the salmon cooking, while the salmon is cooking make the dip and salsa ready. Then pop into the oven for couple of minutes just until the cheese melts and it’s ready.

I have used very basic spices to pan fry the salmon, you can even oven bake it, but I liked pan frying mine as it makes it more moist and juicy.

Also made a super quick salsa, nothing fancy but just tomatoes, cucumber and red onion chopped and mixed together, seasoned with salt and pepper and some fresh coriander.

Everything comes together so good and when you pop the corn tortillas into the oven for a couple of minutes just intolerant the cheese melts, they become so nice and crispy and oh so tasty!

Categories

Mains

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Baked eggs and chorizo - Spanish inspired Huevos a la Flamenca

admin — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 13:23:11 +0000

Baked eggs and chorizo - Spanish inspired Huevos a la Flamenca admin Sun, 04/23/2023 - 14:23

Sunday brunch just got better with this my version of the Spanish inspired dish Huevos a La Flamenca, that is made with smoky chorizo, green peas, peppers and runny egg to dip in. All baked into perfection, Oh my so yummy, will make you crave for more and more.

Runny eggs cooked in tomato rich sauce with Spanish chorizo, peppers and spices, it’s a perfect combination of all simple ingredients together. When you dip that toasted sourdough bread into the egg, the golden colour of the egg still runny and combined with chorizo and spices is such a wonderful way to enjoy a delicious breakfast or brunch together as a family.

The original traditional recipe originated in Andalusia, SourthenSpanish region and is made with Serrano ham, potatoes and green peas served in a small terracotta bowl or a tapas bowl, I have modified this using ingredients that are easily available in all supermarkets.

Make sure to use good quality ingredients, like a good quality of extra virgin olive oil for this recipe, it adds more flavour and taste. You can use any neutral oil like sunflower or vegetable oil. However I recommend using Spanish extra virgin olive oil like the one I have used is linked here.

It’s such a easy and simple dish to make but the outcome is so yummy. I made this with my little 3 month old then, who is 20 months now asleep behind me :D so you can imagine it’s not a complicated one at all.

It’s quite similar to Shakshuka except in this recipe I have used Spanish chorizo and green peas, the method is the same. Hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

Categories

Mains

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Chicken Biryani

admin — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:54:50 +0000

Chicken Biryani admin Wed, 03/15/2023 - 15:54

If you ask an Indian what does Biryani mean to you, then it’s not just a dish it’s an emotion! A Biryani is that one dish we Indians all over come together as one and enjoy it and celebrate it. It’s a royal dish, the beautiful spices, the layers of basmati rice, fragrantly cooked to perfection, which each grain still intact. The meat so juicy and tender, coated with aromatic spices. Topped with saffron, it’s like I said a royalty!

There are many different variations of a biryani, it can be made with mutton, lamb, chicken, vegetables or prawns. There are so many varieties of Biryani, like Hyderabadi Dum biryani, it’s cooked by sealing the dish with a dough.. From Kerala, to Mumbai to Kolkata, they are all different and each are unique in its own way, but they are all absolutely amazing! We have a biryani that’s exclusive to each state. Then there is Karnataka style Donne Biryani, where the masala is made by blending fresh coriander, mint, green chillies and ginger, I have shared that recipe on Kenwood website linked here. I can’t tell which one I like the most because I am a big time biryani lover and I will eat and enjoy them all.

Biryani was introduced to India by the Mughal Empire, who got it from the Persian’s. Well whoever did it I’m glad it was bought to India. Today a Biryani is the most ordered dish in the form of a takeaway!

This chicken biryani is so delicious and it is easy to make, but it does take some time, once you taste it all the effort is so worth it. When I shared this chicken biryani on my Instagram stories I got so many replies asking for the recipe, so I decided I’ll take quick photos and share it with you all. This is my way of making the chicken biryani, the taste is authentic and as traditional as can be and it’s even more delicious the next day. Once you learnt to make it yourself you won’t order it again, because it gives you that satisfaction of making something so special and authentic all by yourself.

Here is the way I cook the Biryani, I use a flat non stick pan under, then place the heavy bottom biryani pot over it, so there is no direct heat and it doesn't burn from under. I have used a large pressure cooker and covered it with the pressure cooker lid along with the gasket but no whistle, this way the steam doesn't escape.

There are few tips to consider before making this recipe so please be patient and read through, if these points are kept in mind then any non Indian can also make this recipe. I won’t bore you all with lots of stories I promise:)

Tips

THE MEAT - Use chicken thighs, drumsticks or whole chicken cut into pieces. These parts of the chicken will stay juicy and moist when cooked. If you use chicken breast it will turn out dry and chewy. Talking with prior experience here. I have made this mistake before and trust me chicken breasts won’t work. Marinating the meat is important this will soften it and you will have nice juicy tender meat.
RICE - Use basmati rice only for this recipe not long grain or jasmine rice, it won’t work. They are different types of rice will not work for a biryani. Basmati rice has its own beautiful fragrance and texture which is what you need for that perfect authentic biryani. You can find good quality Indian basmati rice in any Indian/ Asian shops all over Ireland. I buy mine from here too. This is the rice I used linked here. The more aged rice the better.
MASALA - A good biryani masala is what is needed for this recipe, again you can find them in any Indian/ Asian shops here. The particular masala I have used here was given by my aunty, who bought it from India, but I have made a biryani before using a masala from an Indian shop here in Ireland, it will say on the pack as “Biryani Masala”
COOKING METHOD - I normally make this in my large pressure cooker without pressure cooking it. I did close the lid of the pressure cooker with its rubber gasket so the steam stays inside while cooking. You can use any heavy bottom pan for this. I have made it in a large nonstick heavy bottom pan too. Even a cast iron pan will work for this. It’s better to place another large pan under the biryani pot just so there is no direct heat, so it doesn’t burn from under. I have attached the photo of how I cooked my biryani.
SPICES - I highly recommend buying the whole spices from an Indian shop because the ones that you get in the supermarkets are not the same. They don’t have the same quality of spices that you can find in an Indian shop. Because spices are the heart of this dish.
GHEE - Ghee is the heart and soul of this biryani so I wouldn’t recommend using anything else. It’s easy to find ghee in Indian shops these days. Or you can make your own like I do, linked here.

That’s all the most important things to keep in mind. Now let’s get cooking that gorgeous biryani.

Hope you enjoy this as much as we did at home. Do not hesitate to leave a comment or tag me on social media if you make it, I would love to see your creations. Please remember to use my hashtag #soulfulandhealthy

If you liked what you see here, please feel free to share it with family and friends. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Love and hugs

Prep Time

1 hour 45 mins

Servings

Serves 4 to 5

INGREDIENTS

To marinate the chicken

1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
Juice of half lemon
1/4 tsp salt

For the biryani

Chicken thighs (skinless & boneless) or chicken drumsticks- approx - 500 grams
Basmati rice 350 grams
Ghee 150 grams or 5 heaping tablespoons
Onion 500 grams thinly sliced
Raisins 25 grams
Cashew nuts 25 grams
Garlic paste 25 grams
Ginger paste 25 grams
Green chilli 4 grind to paste (optional, reduce as per your heat preference)
Tomato 100 grams finely chopped
Lemon 1/2
Coriander leaves chopped approx 15 grams - Plus more for garnish in the end
Mint leaves chopped approx 15 grams - plus more for garnish
Saffron strands a pinch
Milk 1 tbsp to mix saffron
Salt to taste
Biryani masala 25 grams or as per taste

For rice

2 litres of boiling water
1 stick cinnamon
1 star anise
2 cloves
2 cardamoms
1 large bay leaf or 2 small
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ghee

For Raita

1/2 cucumber finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 tub natural yogurt beaten (not Greek)
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Marinate the chicken with the spices mentioned under marination, for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge.
To make the rice - Wash the basmati rice twice, rinse it and repeat again. In a large saucepan bring the water to boil, add basmati rice, whole spices, ghee, salt and boil until it’s partially cooked or al dente, this will take about 5 to 6 mins, keep and eye on the rice, strain the water and place the rice on a large plate until needed.
Make the raita - Mix all of the ingredients mentioned and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Add 2 tablespoons of ghee in a heavy bottom large saucepan add half of the onion and fry until golden brown not burnt, for around 8 to 10 mins on medium low heat. Add the raisins and cashews and fry for a minute. Remove and put in on a plate and set aside.
In the same large pot, add 2 tbsp of ghee, add the rest of the onions, fry until golden brown for about 5 to 6 mins on medium heat, once the onions start to brown, add the ginger and garlic paste, sauté for a minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes, green chilli paste, juice of lemon and biryani masala and mix well.
Once you start to see the tomatoes get mushy and cooked, add the chicken, cover and let the chicken cook until done on medium heat, This process might take about 10 to 12 mins depending on the size of the chicken, if using boned chicken might take a bit longer. Add the chopped coriander and mint leaves.
Do not add water the chicken will leave out some of the moisture, if you see the gravy watery, let it simmer on low heat until some of the water evaporates and you can see it forming a think gravy. Remove from the heat while assembling the biryani.
Now add half of the rice as a layer on top of the cooked chicken, spread it evenly. Add half of the fried onions, raisins and cashews, sprinkle some of the chopped coriander and mint.
Next add another layer of the rice, sprinkle rest of the onions, raisins, cashews, coriander and mint. Mix the milk with the saffron and pour on top of the rice, drizzle a tsp of ghee all over. Cover with a foil, place the lid on top of the foil, so the heat doesn’t escape. Place a larger flat pan under the biryani pot, there is no direct heat transfer, so that the chicken under doesn’t burn. (See image for reference). Cook for 20 minutes on low heat. (I have also made this in a large pressure cooker and covered the lid of the pressure cooker without using the whistle. This works too. (Read notes please) )
When ready to serve, slowly remove the foil layer, and gently scoop the rice so you don’t brake the grains. Add the chicken pieces from under. Enjoy with raita.

Categories

Mains

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Spanish inspired Chicken and Chorizo bake

admin — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 10:49:00 +0000

Spanish inspired Chicken and Chorizo bake admin Fri, 03/10/2023 - 10:49

A beautiful dish made with simple ingredients like chicken, chorizo, olives with a splash of red wine, this meal can be a delicious meal for your dinner date or when you invite guests over. Impress everyone with this Chicken dish with not much work involved, no who doesn't like a easy yet super impressive dish?

It’s so easy to make but the outcome is super tasty and delicious. We loved this meal at home, it turned out so so good. The star of this dish is using s good quality wine, I have used La Celia Malbec and it worked perfectly well for this dish and also enjoyed a glass with the meal itself.

The use of good quality ingredients is all that matters in any recipe, so when you buy chorizo make sure you have the best one. I found mine in my local Tesco. I would recommend making this on a cast iron pan it’s gives a good colour to the chicken and then you can pop it in the oven, then from there straight to table, however You can even make this in a non stick pan too.

Serve this with grilled warm sourdough bread or even with rice, both are are options I loved mine with toasted sourdough, it was delicious to dip the bread in the sauce and enjoy it. It’s suitable for home freezing, freeze it on the day you make it. It’s so easy to put together and hardly takes much preparation time. The cooking time is all that takes. You can pop it in the oven and sip a cup of tea while it cooks.

Hope you enjoy this. Please leave a comment or tag me on social media if you make it, I would love to see your creations. Please remember to use my hashtag #soulfulandhealthy

If you liked what you see here, please feel free to share it with family and friends. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Love and hugs

Prep Time

Under 30 mins

Servings

Serves 3 to 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
170 grams chorizo, sliced
1 large onion sliced
1 yellow pepper sliced
1 tbsp tomato purée paste
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to season the chicken and the overall dish
4 large bone-in and skin on chicken thighs
300 ml La Celia Malbec
200 ml chicken stock
Few sprigs of thyme and chopped parsley to garnish
Sourdough to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat your oven to 180 C.
Season the chicken with salt, pepper and bit of smoked paprika, add oil to the pan and once warm add the chicken & sear it skin side on the pan for 5 minutes, until browned, remove and set aside, do not fully cook.
In the same pan add the sliced chorizo and cook 2 minutes, then transfer to a plate on a kitchen paper.
Add the onions and yellow peppers to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, garlic and smoked paprika for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken back into the pan, Add the chorizo, thyme, wine, chicken stock and reduce the heat and cook for 5 to 7 mins for the liquid to reduce a little.
Cover with a oven prof lid and pop into the oven, cook for about 30 to 35 mins. Garnish with chopped parsley, few fresh thyme, serve with grilled bread of choice and enjoy with a glass red wine.

Categories

Mains

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Slow cooker veggie chilli

admin — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 02:59:12 +0000

Slow cooker veggie chilli admin Tue, 03/07/2023 - 02:59

Slowly cooked to perfection in a slow cooker, this veggie chilli is just what you need on a cold night or day. Loaded with all the goodness of veggies and beans you won’t even miss meat in it trust me.

I didn’t know why I didn’t invest in a slow cooker all these years! Like seriously, you put everything in it at night and let it do the cooking for you and it’s ready the next morning, how easy is that. Also I do find the flavours more enhanced when cooked in a slow cooker or a crockpot. One thing you need to keep in mind is not to add excess of water when cooking in a slow cooker because the water doesn’t evaporate unlike in a saucepan, I did that once when I made a turkey chilli and ended adding too much water, later I had to transfer it to a pot and let it simmer to reduce.

Funny thing happened with this chilli, with a baby at home who still wakes up a couple of times at night for his bottle, it’s my husband who usually goes downstairs to make his bottle, so when he was up around 5 am I asked my husband to turn off the slow cooker, which he forgot so this chilli ended up cooking for almost 12 hours :D when I checked on it I was like I really hope this is ok and tastes good, and thankfully it was so delicious that my husband said this was the best chilli I ever made!! Yay!! Well actually thanks to him. ;) But.. you don’t have to cook this for 12 hours, it will be perfect when cooked for 8 hours.

The only thing I would suggest here is to fry your onions and garlic with a little oil to get rid of the raw smell, I personally prefer frying the onions before adding it to the slow cooker.

This Chili I have kept ingredients and flavours as simple as possible and all totally enjoyed it including our 18 month old. I have added jalapeños as a topping for us adults.

This vegetarian chilli is so tasty and full of nutrients, I found a good can of black beans with a little mix or jalapeño’s in my local Tesco, and it was perfect to add to this recipe. If you can’t find the same then just add another can of kidney beans. Also adding a small piece of dark chocolate really elevates the chilli to next level.

You can make this in a large saucepan too if you don’t have a slow cooker, just make sure to stir it once in a while so your don’t burn it and cook in low heat. This recipe serves 6 to 8 people, my family didn’t mind eating it for two days straight! I didn’t have to cook the next day yay!

If you liked what you see here, please feel free to share it with family and friends. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Love and hugs

Prep Time

15 mins to prep. Slow cooking for 4 or 8 hours

Servings

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion chopped
2 medium cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large red pepper chopped
2 medium carrots chopped
2 tins chopped tomatoes
Small bunch of chopped fresh coriander, plus more to garnish
2 cups vegetable stock (use the same tomato tins to measure)
1 tin organic kidney beans
1 tin black beans
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small cube of dark chocolate (optional)
To serve Avocado, sour cream, corn tortillas, jalapeños etc

INSTRUCTIONS

In a nonstick pan add the olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent, about 4 mins on medium low heat, then add the garlic and sauté for one or two mins
Transfer the onions and garlic into your slow cooker, add all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Serve with your choice of toppings. Enjoy!

Categories

Mains

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Grilled Halloumi couscous salad

admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 19:07:55 +0000

Grilled Halloumi couscous salad admin Thu, 07/07/2022 - 20:07

Perfectly grilled cheese with fresh veggies and fruits this salad is just what you need on a warm summers day.

This was more of a throw in everything from the refrigerator kind of salad but when I put it together it all blended really well. You can do the same use whatever ingredients you have in the fridge into this salad and use the dressing recipe and it is gonna be so so delicious.

What is Halloumi?

Halloumi is a semi hard cheese made from mixture of sheep and goat milk and sometimes cows milk too. The texture is very different to other cheeses, it has a high melting point so it’s easy to grill or fry. Read more here.

Why didn’t I ever try Halloumi before!!!? It is so delicious and we all loved it at home. My little boy was so happy when he took the first bite he was like “ohh what’s this chicken”!? :) I’m going to be using this beautiful cheese a lot in my kitchen from now on.

This salad is so easy to make and oh so very delicious, the dressing is very very simple ingredients but that’s the beauty of this salad you don’t need many fancy ingredients just simple, basic staple ones that everyone has at home. Only thing I recommend is using good quality ingredients especially something like olive oil it has to be the best quality because it gives so much depth and flavour to a simple salad.

Prep Time

Under 20 mins

Servings

Serves 2 to 3

INGREDIENTS

1 pack Halloumi cut into 1 cm thick slices
1 tsp extra Virgin olive oil to fry

4 small cucumbers thinly sliced
10 cherry tomatoes halved
10 to 12 black and green olives sliced
100 grams fresh spinach leaves or salad leaves
1 Red or yellow pepper finely chopped
1 cup Israeli or Pearl couscous
1 and 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock to cook the couscous

For the dressing -

2 tbsp extra Virgin olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp juice of fresh lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat a tsp of extra Virgin olive oil on a nonstick medium pan, in medium heat, fry the couscous until a little translucent, for about 3 to 4 mins. Then add the chicken or vegetable stock and cook the couscous for about 8 to 10 mins on low heat. Add 1/2 tsp of olive oil and fluff the couscous with a fork.
Chop all the veggies and add into a bowl and set aside.
Heat a tsp of extra Virgin olive oil on a nonstick medium pan, in medium heat and fry the Halloumi for 2 mins on each side, set aside.
Mix all the ingredients of the dressing in a bowl and set aside.
To arrange the salad - place the spinach leaves on the plate first, then add the couscous, top with the chopped veggies, then place the Halloumi slices on top, pour the dressing over just before serving. Enjoy!

Categories

Salads

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Harissa grilled chicken with Israeli couscous salad

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 21:20:10 +0000

Harissa grilled chicken with Israeli couscous salad admin Thu, 06/02/2022 - 22:20

This meal can be a showstopper dinner for family and friends or Sunday lunch if you are bored of the same taste, then this recipe is just for you. Oh so juicy, moist, flavourful whole chicken, roasted along with potatoes and a beautiful Israeli couscous salad to go with it makes this meal so delicious I can’t even tell.

This recipe is so easy to make just marinate the chicken, throw in the potatoes along with the chicken and let it cook in the juices. Make the salad on the side and there you have a wonderful meal put together without much of an effort. An utterly easy harissa yogurt dip to go with it. This meal was enjoyed by my family, they said it was one of my best!

What is Harissa paste?

Harissa is a chilli and spice paste from North Africa, originally from Tunisia typically made from dried red chilli, garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway seeds, olive oil etc. it can be used to marinate meat and veggies, use as a dip, it’s very versatile great to have it in your cupboard.

I have used a store bought harissa paste because I am all about cooking a quick family meal now with a small baby, but If you have the time you can make your harissa paste and use it anytime you want. Once my baby is older I will be making my own too but for now store bought is just as good! I have used this one.

Marinate the chicken a day before will help it absorb all the flavours, or I recommend at least one hour before roasting. Making slits on the chicken helps with the spices getting into the meat not just the skin.

For the salad I love couscous and especially the Israeli ones or Pearl couscous as they are called, they have more of a texture than the smaller couscous, you can use the small, regular couscous if you have it handy in your cupboard. To cook the couscous I prefer cooking them using chicken bone broth, my favourite one if you know me it’s Sadie’s Kitchen. If you don’t have chicken bone broth you can use chicken stock cube. I like the taste the couscous when cooked with bone broth or chicken stock rather than just plain water, it’s more tasty and flavourful. There are many useful tips and important points to remember while cooking Israeli couscous I highly recommend reading The Hungry bites

We had leftovers as well so the next day I collected all the meat from the chicken and made a pasta salad with it, again so yummy. I have a similar one liked here.

If you liked this recipe then you might like -

Tandoori Chicken (whole)

Sriracha honey Grilled Chicken with stir fry veggies rice noodles (Gluten Free)

If you liked what you see here, please feel free to share it with family and friends. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Love and hugs

Prep Time

1 hour 20 mins

Servings

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the chicken marination -

1.5 kg Whole chicken
150 grams Harissa paste (linked)

For the couscous-

1 cup Israeli couscous or Pearl couscous
1 1/4 cup Chicken bone broth
1 pinch ground turmeric
1 tsp extra Virgin olive oil

For the salad -

1 medium cucumber finely chopped
8 cherry tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate pearls (1/2 freshly cut pomegranate removed the seeds)
1/2 finely chopped yellow pepper
1/2 red pepper finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander

For the salad dressing -

1 and 1/2 tbsp extra Virgin olive oil
1/2 Lemon juice
Himalayan salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp white wine vinegar

For the dip -

250 grams natural yogurt
1 tbsp harissa paste

7 to 8 potatoes cut into chunks - I used Maris piper

INSTRUCTIONS

Make slits on the chicken breasts, things and wings, marinate the chicken with the Harissa paste and keep refrigerated overnight or at least for an hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees, arrange the potatoes in the tray and place the chicken over the potatoes, if any leftover marinade from the chicken just toss it over the potatoes, place the chicken over the potatoes and roast for about an hour and half. Remember each oven heat is different so the time might differ.
While the chicken is cooking, pan fry the couscous with olive oil on medium heat, when some of the couscous starts to change colour, add the broth, stock or water and turmeric and let it cook until soft, this might take 8 to 10 mins on low heat. Add olive oil, so they don’t stick to each other and fluff them using a fork. Set aside let it cool.
In a small bowl add the ingredients under dressing and mix well, give it a taste and adjust accordingly to your taste. In a large bowl, add all the chopped veggies for salad, add the dressing and the couscous and mix well.
For the dip mix the harrisa and the yogurt and set aside in the refrigerator until needed.
Once the chicken has cooked, let cool for few mins, serve with the potatoes, and the salad and harissa yogurt. Drizzle some of the excess juices from the chicken over the chicken and potatoes, Enjoy!

Categories

Mains

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Irish Lamb Stew

admin — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 17:32:43 +0000

Irish Lamb Stew admin Wed, 03/16/2022 - 17:32

This lamb stew is so simple to put together and only takes few simple ingredients, it’s the simplicity of this dish that makes it so heartwarming and belly hugging.

The key to a good Irish lamb stew is using the finest quality of lamb. I have used Kerrigans leg of lamb and the meat is so soft and delicious. I have been using Kerrigans meat for years now, there are a fantastic butcher who are passionate about what they do and it shows in the quality of their products.

There are two ways to make this stew you can add all the ingredients into a big pot or you can even make it in slow cooker. Follow the recipe below for cooking on stove top and oven. If using a slow cooker then cook on low for 8 hours.

It’s a delicious and simple stew goes well with a brown or white soda bread. It is suitable for home freezing. Divide in portions and freeze the day you prepared it.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, please let me know if you try this do leave a comment below. Do remember to use my hashtag #soulfulandhealthy

If you liked what you see here, please feel free to share it with family and friends. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Prep Time

1 hour 45 mins

INGREDIENTS

1 kg leg of lamb cut into chunks
1 tbsp of oil or butter
800 grams Maris piper potatoes washed, peeled and chopped into chunks
1 rooster potato peeled and chopped into chunks
4 large carrots peeled and chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped
1 large onion chopped
1 litre Lamb stock
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to season
1 tbsp chopped fresh curly parsley, plus more for garnishing
Brown soda bread to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat the oven to 160 degree Celsius
Heat the oil in a large oven prof deep sauce pan, add the lamb and brown the meat on all sides, don’t have to fully cook it. Remove and set aside.
Add the onion and sauté for few mins until translucent, add the celery, carrots, potatoes and fry for 3 to 4 mins.
Add the meat, bay leaves, stock, parsley, season with salt and pepper. Cover and place in the oven for 1 hour 30 mins until the lamb is nice and soft.
Garnish with chopped parsley, Serve warm with brown Soda bread. Enjoy!

Categories

Mains

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Dal fry

admin — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 23:45:26 +0000

Dal fry admin Tue, 02/22/2022 - 23:45

Dal is the most loved, most eaten in every house hold in India. I can literally live on it everyday. A humble bowl of Dal with rice is a perfect match made in Heaven.

Every household has its own version of dal, here I am sharing with you all my version of dal fry. Normally we use toor dal or split pigeon peas, the taste is much more richer and i personally prefer that, but here I have used masoor dal or pink lentils which we can commonly find in all supermarkets in Ireland, the taste is not as rich as toor dal but works well because it cooks faster on a stovetop. (available in any Asian stores).

Making a Dal is extremely simple and the outcome is delicious! This type of Dal fry is what you would find in restaurants. Such a comforting bowl of goodness in any kind of weather. We Indians love our dal and we can have it all day everyday and sometimes twice a day with warm rice and ghee. ;)

Serve this with cooked basmati rice with a dollop of ghee or can be enjoyed with naan, rotis and chapathis. I love mine with rice and ghee with Indian pickle on the side.. so yumm!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, please let me know if you try this do leave a comment below. Do remember to use my hashtag #soulfulandhealthy

If you liked what you see here, please feel free to share it with family and friends. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Prep Time

Under 30 mins

Servings

Serves 3 to 4

INGREDIENTS

To cook the dal -

1/2 cup or 80 grams of toor daal (split yellow pigeon peas) or Masoor dal (pink lentils)
1 and 1/2 cups or 375 ml of water
Pinch of turmeric

To make the dal fry

1 tbsp of ghee or sunflower oil
1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
1 medium onion chopped
1 large tomato chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
10 curry leaves
2 green Chillies
1 to 2 dried red chillies
A pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
1 tsp Kasuri methi (Dry fenugreek leaves)
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
A handful of fresh chopped coriander leaves to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse the lentils with water two times and drain the water and set aside.
Add the lentils into a pressure cooker add the water and let it whistle two or three times. Or if using a big pot add the water and let it cook until done, this might take some time. If you don’t have a pressure cooker then you can use Masoor dal it cooks faster on the stove top than Toor Dal. Once done set aside.
In another non stick deep saucepan add the ghee or oil, once it’s hot add the mustard seeds, let them splutter. Then add the cumin seeds and curry leaves.
Add the onion and sauté until translucent, for 2 to 3 minutes, do not burn them. Add the asafoetida and stir in.
Add the ginger and garlic paste, fry for a minute. Next add the green chillies and sauté for a minute.
Next add all the spices, turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder mix well.
Next add the tomatoes and fry on medium flame until the oil separates from the tomatoes.
Add the cooked lentils and mix well, add about 1 cup of water and salt to taste. Then adjust the consistency, it should be of medium thickness not very watery.
Let it simmer on low heat for 5 mins, stirring few times in between.
Rub the Kasuri Methi in between your palms and add it to the Dal. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with rice, roti or naan.

Categories

Mains

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Taco Turkey chili

admin — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 18:08:01 +0000

Taco Turkey chili admin Tue, 12/07/2021 - 18:08

A big bowl of heart warming chili is all I need when the temperature dips down to single digits. Spiced up with taco flavours along with minced Turkey, veggies and beans, makes it so delicious and healthy. Top with corn nachos, avocado, sour cream and fresh coriander for that wholesome delicious meal.

Everything in this bowl is like a belly hug, the spices combination is so good, I absolutely love everything about this chilli and my husband said it’s one of the best I have ever made. I think the taco spices flavours made a difference this time around.

I can eat a bowl like this all day everyday, well I did make this for two days and no one complained. It tasted even better the next day. The toppings are optional but I highly recommend it because it gives extra flavours and texture to the chilli.

I have used minced Turkey breast you can use minced beef or lamb too. Also a very good quality broth will enhance the flavours. I have used Sadie’s Kitchen Chicken Bone broth it makes it so much more tastier and healthier too.

Most of the spices I am sure you will all have it in your pantry if not it’s still all very easily available in all supermarkets. it’s a mix of Smoked paprika, ground cumin, chilli powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper.

I love the fact that it’s a one pot meal, just throw everything into a big pot and it’s done. Less cooking and less cleaning after. You can even make ahead and freeze the chilli will taste just as great.

I have added avocados, grated cheese, sour cream and fresh coriander. You can eat it as it is but with all these toppings the chilli is next level. Serve with nachos or with rice or enjoy as it is.

As winter approaches these one pot wonders are all we need. Cosy up and watch your favourite on the telly and enjoy this warm bowl of delicious comforting meal.

You can adjust the spices as per your taste and liking, if you like it more spicy or less add the cayenne pepper accordingly. I like mine medium spiced so that my little boy can eat as well.

It is suitable for home freezing, freeze on the day you prepare in portions so it’s easy to unfreeze when needed.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, please let me know if you try this do leave a comment below. Do remember to use my hashtag #soulfulandhealthy

If you liked what you see here, please feel free to share it with family and friends. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Prep Time

45 mins

Servings

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

600 grams ground/minced Turkey breast
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1 yellow pepper chopped
2 tins chopped tomatoes
2 tins kidney beans
1 heaping tbsp tomato purée
1 litre Chicken bone broth/ Chicken stock
250 ml water
1 heaping tsp ground cumin
1 heaping tsp Smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp extra Virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Toppings (optional)

Fresh avocado slices
Sour cream
Corn Nachos
Chopped fresh coriander

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottom pan and sauté the onions until translucent. Then add the minced Turkey and mix well. Break down any big chunks of meat. Then add the garlic and fry for few mins until the meat changes it’s colour.
Next add the peppers and all the ground spices and mix well. Keep the heat medium so you don’t burn the spices.
Now add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, kidney beans and chicken broth and combine everything well.
Reduce the heat to low and let it slowly simmer for at least 30 to 40 mins, keep stirring in between. If you find it a bit too runny then open the lid and let it simmer for 10 to 15 mins on low heat.
Serve warm with choice of toppings. Enjoy!

Categories

Mains

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Greek Yogurt and Homemade Berry jam popsicles

admin — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 18:25:51 +0000

Greek Yogurt and Homemade Berry jam popsicles admin Thu, 08/19/2021 - 19:25

An absolutely easy peasy popsicle recipe using only 5 ingredients like Organic Greek Yogurt, Berries like strawberry and raspberry, lemon juice, organic honey and vanilla extract, this popsicles are so creamy and tasty one can never tell they are homemade and wait for it.. oh so healthy!

Using only organic ingredients this popsicles is delicious, healthy and so good for the entire family. I think these are one of the best I have ever made. I asked my little boy, so how do you like them he said “I don’t just like it, I MEGA LIKE IT” :D best compliment ever!

Looks like summer is almost over in Ireland but that doesn’t stop me from making popsicles, you can have this all year round, there is something about eating a cold ice cream even in winter, well at least for us.

You need a really good quality full fat Greek Yogurt, preferably organic it’s so much more creamier. I have used Glenisk Organic Greek Style Natural Yogurt (not sponsored) i simply loved it. Also a really nice honey I prefer Mileeven organic honey (again not sponsored) I have been using their honey for years now and we love it at home.

Making the jam is so easy only takes couple of minutes. When I buy raspberries especially there are some that are a bit mushy, not spoilt but just soft and feels funny to eat, so I freeze them. I had collected around 200 grams of these at least. You can use fresh or frozen berries too. Made a super easy jam to go with this popsicles, you can even store the easy jam and use it for your porridge etc. You can alter the sweetness as per your taste by adding more or less honey. Same with lemon juice, you can add more to the jam mixture if you like to make it less tangy.

I haven’t written a blog post in like forever! There is so much going on with me on my personal life, guess what? We had Baby no 2!!! It’s a BOY! Things got busy at work end of 2020, We found out in early November 2020 and it was a wonderful surprise, I started to wrap up all clients shoots and took a much needed time off from work and enjoyed being pregnant. I’m still off work and taking it easy, our baby is 6 weeks old now and it’s slowly getting better, he is observing his surroundings and I get these tiny few mins to myself. It’s not much but still helps. This was one of the fastest photo shoot I have ever done in my life lol! By the time I managed to finish this he woke up, glad that it was popsicles and I had to work my way fast anyways.

You might also enjoy these other popsicle recipes -

Pina Colada popsicles

Mango popsicles

Blueberries and Greek yogurt popsicles

Matcha Yogurt Popsicles

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did, please let me know if you try this do leave a comment below. Do remember to use my hashtag #soulfulandhealthy

If you liked what you see here, please feel free to share it with family and friends. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Big Hugs

S :)

Prep Time

Under 15 mins - Freeze upto 4 to 5 hours

Servings

Makes 6 to 8 popsicles

INGREDIENTS

500 grams full fat organic Greek Yogurt
250 grams berries like strawberries and raspberries - fresh or frozen
2 tbsp Juice of lemon
4 tbsp of organic honey
1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the Greek Yogurt, 2 tbsp of honey and vanilla extract into a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
To make the jam, add the berries, 2 tbsp of honey, lemon juice into a nonstick saucepan and simmer on medium heat for about 10 to 15 mins until the water starts to evaporate and you have a jam like consistency. Let it cool.
Add the Greek Yogurt mixture into the popsicle mould about a tablespoon first and then spoon a tsp of the berry jam mixture into the mould and again top up with the Greek Yogurt mixture, repeat until you have all the moulds filled up. Add the stick and pop into the freezer for about 4 hours or until they are set. Enjoy!

Categories

Snacks

Homepage Image

Add new comment

Maple Roasted carrot soup

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 17:09:26 +0000

Maple Roasted carrot soup admin Tue, 01/19/2021 - 17:09

A beautiful flavourful soup made using roasted carrots, onions and garlic all drizzled with maple syrup while roasting them, with spices like turmeric and chilli powder gives it a kick. A perfect soup on a cold winter’s day, can be enjoyed as a light lunch or light dinner.

What I love about this soup is that you chop all the veggies and throw them into the oven and let it roast, once cooked add it to the blender and it is ready. It is that simple.

I created this recipe in collaboration with Kenwood Ireland using my Kenwood Multi pro compact + which was kindly gifted to me. I absolutely love it and it makes life so much easier. From grating to chopping to blending I use it for everything in my kitchen.

I prefer using organic carrots for this soup. You can mix and match any spices of your choice, like cumin, coriander powder, or make it a bit more spicy by adding more chilli powder. You can even use honey if you don’t have maple syrup.

If you want a more creamy soup you can add fresh cream and bring it to a mild simmer. My little boy preferred it with cream :) Use any of your favourite toppings to add more crunch to your soup. Serve with crusty bread of choice or with garlic bread tastes absolutely amazing.

If you liked what you see here, please feel free to share it with family and friends. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Love

Shilpa

Prep Time

40 to 50 mins roasting, Cooking 10 mins

Servings

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 Kg organic carrots, roughly chopped
1 large onion roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 ½ liter vegetable stock (more for thinner consistency)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp maple syrup
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste.
Freshly chopped parsley to serve
Crusty bread to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius, line a baking tray with paper and set aside.
Add all the chopped veggies, spices, oil and maple syrup into the baking tray and bake for about 40 to 50 mins until the carrots are cooked. Set aside to cool down before adding into the blender (Each oven varies)
Add the roasted veggies and stock into Kenwood Multi pro compact + and blend until smooth.
Transfer to a large pot and bring to simmer for couple of mins just so the flavours combine together,
Serve warm with crusty bread and freshly chopped parsley, drizzle fresh cream if you like. Enjoy!

Categories

Soups

Homepage Image