Barley mix with baked potato casserole

It's worth roasting the potatoes if you have the time or inclination but if not you can just add them finely diced with the herbs I have given.


In a bowl cover 3 oz dried mix of pearl barley, split red lentils and marrowfat peas with water and leave overnight in the fridge.

Cut 1 large potato into wedge slices, place in a baking dish. (You could also use sweet potatoes)

Mix 1 tbsp oil, 1tsp dried rosemary, 1 tsp garlic salt, 3 crushed garlic cloves into a small bowl then coat the wedge slices.

Bake 180 fan for 40 mins then dice.

Dice half a yellow onion, half a stick of celery, and half a carrot add 1 tsp oil. Put in a microwavable bowl along with 1 tbsp. cut green beans and microwave covered for 2 minutes.

Add the rough cut baked potatoes, pearl barley mixture and half pint vegetable stock.

Cover and microwave for 15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed.

Use rinsed Pak choi as a spoon to eat.

Serves one.

　

2 grain carrot rice

In a microwaveable bowl add:

1 red onion, peeled and sliced, 1 diced parsnip, 2 grated carrots. Add half tbsp oil and microwave for 3 minutes with a lid on your bowl.

Sprinkle over 1 tsp turmeric, 1tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp coriander.

Add 3 sliced mushrooms, 3 tbsp frozen peas, 1 tbsp bulghar wheat, 1 tbsp red lentils and 2 tbsp brown rice.

I use half pint of vegetable water retained from steaming my veg the previous day. Or just use a stock cube to a half pint of boiling water. to pour over into the bowl.

Lid and microwave for 12 minutes. Stir well and microwave for a further 12 minutes.

Sprinkle over some dried basil. Leave for 5 minutes to allow the juices to soak into the contents before serving on top of a handful of spinach leaves.

Aberdeen Angus beefburger with savoy pancake and tangy sauce

Shred 2 savoy cabbage leaves, half a yellow onion and a handful of fresh spinach.


Add 1 grated carrot, 2tbsp plain flour, 1 tsp cornflour and 1 lightly beaten egg. Combine and form into a flat pancake to fit about an 8" frying pan. Fridge for 10 minutes.

Lightly oil the frying pan over a medium/hot heat and place pancake mixture in. Fry for 4 minutes. Flip over onto the other side and continue frying whilst you make the tangy sauce.

Tangy sauce:

Mix together, 2tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp brown sauce, 1tsp runny honey, 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp freshly grated ginger.

Spread the mixture over the pancake, turn the heat off and place a lid on the frying pan. Leave there whilst cooking the beefburger as follows.

Put a quarter pound Aberdeen Angus beefburger onto a flat dish and press down to flatten. Microwave for 2.30 minutes. Turn over and microwave for a further 2 minutes. Serve on top of the savoy pancake.

Five-a-day Sausage, Apple, Spaghetti

Don't let anyone dictate you won't get enough of your five-a-day

when there is this all in one dish.

 

Five-a-day Sausage, Apple, Spaghetti

Cut 2 good quality sausages into bite sized pieces and dice 1 large shallot and 3" piece leek. Place in a microwavable dish along with 1 large thin sliced brocolli floret, 2" pieces each of sliced red, green and orange peppers, 3 diced garlic cloves and 1 green chilli. Add a lid and microwave for 4 minutes. If you have chosen a too fatty sausage you will have to drain off the fat.

Stir in 1 tbsp wholemeal plain flour, add 1 quartered large tomato, 1 tbsp red ketchup, 1 diced apple, 8 sticks of uncooked wholewheat spaghetti snapped into 2" pieces, 1 handful of baby spinach, a 1" round of aubergine cut into long slices, 1tsp each dried oregano and basil, freshly ground black pepper and half pt stock mixing well.

Lid on a microwave for 15 minutes stirring halfway through cooking time.

Sprinkle on a handful of fresh parsley to serve.

Large strawberries are in season now and I followed this dish with a simple bowl of strawberries with a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar which really brings out the flavoursome sweetness of the strawberries.

Jacket potato with a choice of 7 fillings

For the jacket potato
1 medium baking potato (about 180g/6oz)
For the leek, apple, cheese and bacon filling
½ leek
black pepper
15g/½oz reduced-fat cheddar cheese
15g/½oz cooked bacon or ham
1 eating apple
For the tuna and sweetcorn filling
1 x 80g/2¾oz can tuna (in spring water)
½ x 198g/7oz can sweetcorn
1 tbsp reduced-fat mayonnaise
black pepper


For the salmon and peas filling
50g/1¾oz frozen peas
1 x 80g/2¾oz can skinless and boneless salmon
1 tbsp salad cream
For the mushroom and tomato filling
5 button mushrooms
black pepper
140g/5oz reduced-fat cream cheese
1 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp lemon juice



Preparation method

1. Wash the potato and prick with a sharp knife several times on all sides.
2. Dry the potato well with kitchen paper and place on a microwave-safe plate.
3. Place in the microwave and cook on full power for four minutes.
4. Remove the plate using oven gloves and turn the potato over. Dry the potato and the plate and put back into the microwave.
5. Heat on full power for a further four minutes.
6. Remove the plate and leave the potato to stand for a minute, as it will continue to cook. Check that the potato is soft by pushing a sharp knife into the centre. Return to the microwave for another 30 seconds if it is still hard in any part.
7. ADD ONE OF THE SEVEN TOPPINGS -
8. For the leek, apple, cheese and bacon filling, wash and slice the leek. Place in a small bowl and grind over some black pepper, if using. Cover the bowl with cling film, leaving a small area open, and microwave on full power for two minutes. Grate the cheese, chop the bacon and grate the apple into the leeks.
9. Cut the potato in half, scoop out the fluffy middle and add to the cheese and vegetables. Mix well and spoon back into the ‘jackets’. Put the filled ‘jackets’ on a microwave-safe plate and heat for one minute, or until the cheese has melted.
10. For the tuna and sweetcorn, open the cans of tuna and sweetcorn and drain, then tip into the bowl with the mayonnaise and mix with black pepper, if using.
11. Split the jacket potato in half, roughly mash the middle with a fork, and spoon over the topping.
12. For the salmon and peas, put the peas into a mixing bowl and pour over boiling water from the kettle. Leave for five minutes, then drain and return the peas to the bowl.
13. Open the can and drain the salmon, then add to the peas in the mixing bowl.
14. Measure in the salad cream and mix well.
15. Split the jacket potato in half, roughly mash the middle with a fork, and spoon over the topping.
16. For the mushroom and tomato filling, wipe the mushrooms clean with a piece of damp kitchen paper. Slice them and place into a microwave-safe bowl and grind over some black pepper, if using. Microwave on full power for one minute, stir, and then heat for a further minute.
17. Allow to cool, then mix in the other ingredients.
18. Split the jacket potato in half, roughly mash the middle with a fork, and spoon over the topping.

Pea and Ham Soup



Place 25g butter, 1 medium chopped onion, 450g frozen peas, 1 stick fine diced celery and medium potato in a large bowl and microwave covered for 8 minutes stirring halfway through.

Sprinkle 2 level tbsp plain flour over the veg and mix to coat.

Add 1050ml chicken stock fresh ground black pepper and salt, cover and cook 14 minutes, stirring halway through.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes then place in a blender for 1 minute.

When ready to serve, dice thick sliced cooked ham into the soup stirring well then microwave for 6 minutes, Serve 6 as is or with sprigs of fresh mint on top.