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Toasted Quinoa, Oat and Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

These not-so-little cookies have been a real hit since I started making them earlier this year. I’ve used the quinoa flakes in granola and wondered what they would be like toasted and added to cookie dough. They work really well and are a big hit. I have used chocolate chips and of late, I’ve chopped up a bar of chocolate (we like the dark choc for added flavour and slightly less of a sweet vibe) The chopped up chocolate works well as these are not delicate little babies and they can take the enormous uneven melty chunks of chocolate running through. They are nice warm, but will also keep a few days but I cannot confirm any longer than one or two for obvious reasons.

Makes about 20

250g plain flour

100g oats

75g quinoa flakes

1 tsp baking powder

2 tblsp cocoa

200g caster sugar

200g butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

200g chocolate chips or 2 x 100g bars, chopped

 

Preheat the oven to 180c. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside for later.

First of all, toast the oats and quinoa flakes. Place them on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 5-8 minutes, stirring once. Remove and allow to cool while you prep the other ingredients. 

Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Now add the flour mixture in two to three additions, making sure each addition is fully mixed in before adding the next.

Fold in the oat and quinoa mixture, followed by the chocolate chips. Scoop the dough onto the baking tray – I use about 2 (generous) tablespoons for each cookie, leaving space between each as they spread a little.

Bake for 15 minutes, rotating if they are baking unevenly. Leave to cool on the tray for five minutes, then remove onto a wire tray.

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Hazelnut Scones two ways

Hello there! Things have been a little hectic in the Treacle kitchen of late but today I managed to have a little time to bake some of these autumnal beauties. I saw Lorraine Pascale had the inspired idea of decorating the top of her scones with a slice of fig and I thought they looked just beautiful so why not try that idea to jazz up a recipe that I have used for quite a time? It’s a Diana Henry one for hazelnut scones that I have enjoyed making for a while. I have messed around with the recipe, substituting plain for wholemeal flour and light brown sugar for dark.  I think the scones can take it. The fig is the first topping and the second is well, a little more whimsical. It’s a coffee icing which also screams autumn I think, but is also a nice foil to the crunchy scone underneath. It’s got a blob of maple syrup for good measure too.

Makes 12 or so , using a 2 inch round cutter

400g fine wholemeal flour, sifted

50g dark brown sugar

1 tblsp baking powder

170g cold butter

180ml cream

60ml milk, plus maybe a little extra if needed

75g roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts (I dry toast in a pan and rub in a clean teatowel to remove the skins before chopping or you can buy them pre toasted and chopped too)

1 egg beaten, to glaze scones

1-2 figs to top (optional)

Coffee icing  (optional): note this will ice/drizzle roughly 6 scones generously

70g icing sugar

1 tblsp butter

1 tblsp maple syrup

1-2 tblsp strong coffee

Preheat the oven to 200c. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside for later. Mix the flour with the sugar and baking powder in a big bowl and then rub the butter in until the ingredients resemble breadcrumbs (or grate the butter in like I do!) Then add the cream and combine with a knife, using the milk thereafter conservatively to bring it all together to form a dough. Add a little at a time – you can’t undo it! Now add in the hazelnuts, working them in without handling the dough too much – this will make it tough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured worktop and flatten it into a circle about 1.5cm thick. Cut out the scones and place on the lined baking sheet.

Brush with the beaten egg and top with a thin slice of fig if desired, pressing it in gently on the top of the scone.

Bake for 15 minutes or so until golden. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

To make icing: Melt the butter in a small saucepan, letting the nutty flavour develop but don’t let it burn! Add to the icing sugar together with the syrup and one spoon of the coffee and whisk to form a paste, which shouldn’t be overly runny, but should allow you to drizzle. You may need to add a little more coffee or icing sugar to get the right consistency. Drizzle over the scones while still warm on the rack (place some parchment underneath to catch the excess)

Enjoy!

 

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Spanish Style Pizza Chicken

This is a version of an old pinterest slow cooker recipe that I have been making for a good many years. It’s a handy slow cooker one that pleases the family and is a bit of a novelty both in terms of flavour and variety. The original used pepperoni and my riff uses chorizo with some smoked paprika but both are tasty. Parma ham and feta or cheddar might be another interesting combination. Regardless it’s a very quick midweek solution to that what-will-I-feed-them question. Here’s your arsenal:-

4-5 chicken fillets

2-3 slices of deli chorizo (or salami/pepperoni – see above) PER chicken breast

200ml hot veg or chicken stock

1 tblsp tomato puree

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

3 tblsp sliced black olives

50g grated mozzarella

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker and season. Put two to three slices of chorizo on top of each breast.

Now mix the stock with the oregano, tomato puree and smoked paprika and pour over the chicken.

Sprinkle the olives on top. Put the lid on and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Half an hour from the end of cooking, sprinkle the mozzarella over the chicken, cover and cook for a further 30 minutes until the cheese has melted.

 

Serve with pasta or salad.

 

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Mushrooms Stuffed with Cashews Halloumi and Mint

I’ve been reading through Sabrina Ghayour’s new book, Feasts which is just delectable. I want to cook and eat everything in it! It so happened that I had Portobello mushrooms and halloumi in the fridge and was leafing though her book and made a few substitutions and changes for the sake of instant gratification!

4 large Portobello mushrooms, wiped clean

50g butter, softened

120g halloumi, grated

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp fresh red chilli, minced

3 tblsp cashew nuts, roughly chopped

small bunch of mint and coriander, finely chopped

drizzle of oil as needed.

 

Preheat the oven to 200c. Place the mushrooms in a roasting tin, gills up.

Place remaining ingredients in a bowl and mash together well to combine with a drizzle of oil. Divide among the mushrooms, pressing the filling into each with a fork.

Bake for 30 minutes until brown and bubbling and serve with salad.

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Hasselback Potatoes with garlic and parmesan

 

I love this way of cooking potatoes. It makes them look fancy. I therefore, feel a little fancy! They are dead easy and tasty and persuade even my non-spud-eating seven year old to eat potatoes which makes it an achievement in itself.

First, preheat your oven to 200c and get your roasting tin ready. It’s almost a non recipe in that you take potatoes (one to two or whatever is required per person) You need to slice them very thinly now, but not all the way through, so each potato sits on a large dessert spoon while you slice, thereby preventing this happening.

Now place them carefully in the tin and drizzle with a little oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper and roast for 40 minutes. Near the end of this time, melt a little butter (couple of tablespoons, depending on how many spuds you are roasting) with a clove or two of crushed garlic. You can add some chopped fresh herbs at this point if you like too, such as oregano, thyme or rosemary.

Take the tin out and carefully brush the melted butter over the potatoes. You can finish with a grating of parmesan too if it takes your fancy.

Pop back in the oven and finish off roasting for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. The outsides will be all crispy, the insides tender and the herbs garlic and salt add lovely flavour and crunch.

 

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Simple Sausage and Bean Casserole

The weather eh? So much for any hope of a sunny reprieve. In the autumn and winter I get the best use out of my slow cooker. Truth be told, I get use out of it all year round, but it really comes into its own when the weather is cold and rainy and we are busy at after school activities or out and about. It’s good to know that the slow cooker is home alone, doing its thing! Needless to say, it’s in use here these days.
Not surprisingly, the kids tire of it after a while, but this recipe is one of their favourites. I like to produce it on the days I’m working or post swimming lessons to quell the hangry outbursts (and that’s just me.)
I use a 6 litre slow cooker. It has high/low setting and a timer. When the time is up, it switches to a keep warm setting. There is no wrong way to follow this recipe. I’ve popped this on before the school run and it’s been perfect to eat even at six that evening. It’s most forgiving.
Simple Sausage and Bean Casserole
Serves 4 (with leftover beans, unless you are a member of my savage family)
8 sausages, decent size! (I love the M&S Italian Sausages – high meat content and quality product and I’ve used Tesco finest smoked garlic and basil which give a nice flavour to the dish but any decent meaty varieties will do)
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano or a small bunch of thyme
2 peppers, one yellow and one red, chopped
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
2 tins of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (you can also use butter beans to great effect too)
1 tablespoon tomato puree
splash of red wine, optional
salt and pepper to season
Brown the sausages in a frying pan. This is for colour and appearance – they will look much more pleasant. While the sausages are browning, mix all the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker. When coloured, but not necessarily cooked through, add the sausages, gently nestling them in the bean mix.
Turn on low for 8 hours. I like to serve this one with either some toasted sourdough with garlic butter (yum!) or a baked potato or just some greens (revolt! say the children)
Alternatively, you can make this in a heavy lidded casserole if like me today you left it far too late and still wanted to eat it for dinner. I preheated the oven to 160C. I browned the sausages and set aside. I added the garlic peppers and diced onion to the pot and let them soften for a bit, then added in thyme, beans, puree, tomatoes and brought to a gentle simmer. Tuck the browned sausages in and pop on the lid and let it do its thing in the oven for an hour.
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Coconut Cashew Granola

The kids are back and the mornings are more rushed and we all have to be more organised. This naturally leads to a little more planning in advance for breakfasts and less options and choice (doesn’t it just sound like fun?!) I like to have some things on standby that I actually like to eat on weekday mornings so that I don’t fall into the rushed piece of soggy toast trap that leaves me starving by 10am. Most mornings this is porridge, but granola makes for a nice treat before the mornings get too chilly. Lots of the shop bought granolas, as you know, are full of sugar and really belong more on your dessert plate than in your breakfast bowl. On the other hand who really wants to chow down on cardboard and pretend to like it? Not me, life is too short. If I’m doing that, I’ll moan about it or I’d rather not bother at all. This strikes a balance somewhere between the two. Full of goodness with seeds, nuts and oats and quinoa flakes and a little sweetness delivered by the maple syrup while the egg white lets the clusters form without the need for a motherload of sugar. I have resisted adding any dried fruit to this one, but feel free to add your own combination if you like. I like to eat it with some greek yoghurt and fresh fruit.

 

Coconut and Cashew Granola – Makes enough to fill 1 mason jar of about 1 litre volume

150g oats

50g quinoa flakes

pinch maldon sea salt

2 egg whites

60mls maple syrup

zest 1 orange

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1 tsp coconut oil

25g linseeds

25g flaxseeds

50g pecans

50g cashew nuts

50g coconut flakes

Melt the coconut oil and the maple syrup together with the spices in the microwave – try 30 second bursts  -it should not take very long. You just want to loosen up the syrup and melt the oil. Whisk it to combine. Preheat the oven to 150c and line a baking sheet with parchment. Mix the oats, quinoa flakes, seeds and nuts in a bowl. Mix in the oil/syrup well to coat. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form and then fold the egg whites into the mix until fully combined.

Spread on to the baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden. Check halfway through cooking – you may want to stir to prevent it over clumping and to allow it to bake evenly, but you want some crunchy clusters to remain. Remove and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight jar for up to two weeks.

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Chickpea and Orzo Soup with Pancetta

I love this soup. It’s lovely and thick, almost like a stew, has lots of veg, some pasta, the saltiness of bacon (good currency to persuade my kids to eat it) and the welcome bite of chickpeas. It’s also quite forgiving – I’ve substituted four carrots instead of three if I don’t have a rib of celery and rocket for the baby kale. Even some frozen peas would work too. It works a treat as an all in one supper for me. I’d eat it nearly every day if I could.

Makes 4 bowls:

1-2 tblsp olive oil

1 onion (red or brown) diced

3 carrots peeled and diced

1 rib of celery diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1-2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped

1 litre of vegetable stock

120g of orzo

1 tin chickpeas drained (note – cannellini beans also work well – I’ll tend to use one or other as I always have at least one in the press)

130g pancetta, fried until crisp and patted on kitchen paper

Handful of rocket leaves or baby kale or spinach – any soft greens will work

8-10 diced cherry tomatoes and 1 tblsp chopped basil mixed, to serve, if you like.

Grated parmesan is also good, to serve on top

Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot and gently sauté the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and rosemary until softened but not coloured. This will take about ten minutes or so.  Add in the orzo and drained chickpeas and stir, followed by the stock. Stir and bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the orzo is cooked through.

Now add the pancetta and stir the greens in, taste and season if needed. Ladle into bowls and top with the tomato topping if desired.

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Superfast Chicken Fillet Burgers

 

These burgers are the kids’ current favourite. They are very quick and easy to make and can be varied with different toppings. If the chicken breasts are large, you can butterfly them and serve half per child. Plates are cleared every time I rustle them up here and they are requested often – a firm favourite!

To make two burgers:

2 small chicken fillets

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tblsp olive/rapeseed oil

2 brioche burger buns (we love the ones from Aldi)

mayo/ketchup/tomatoes/lettuce/onions/pickles/your choice of burger topping – the possibilities are endless!

 

Preheat the oven to 190c. Mix the oil and spices together with salt and pepper in a small dish/cup. Put the chicken breasts between two pieces of clingfilm and flatten/bash them with a rolling pin – you want to make them a bit flatter so they cook evenly.

Heat up an oven proof pan – I have a chargrill one I use. (If you are making more than will fit in the pan, you can sear them and finish them off in a foil covered tin in the oven) While that is heating, brush the fillets with the seasoned oil. When the pan is hot, put the fillets on. Sear them on one side for a couple of minutes, then flip over. Cover loosely with foil and pop in the oven to finish cooking – mine took about 15 minutes, but it will depend on the thickness of the breasts – make sure they are cooked through. Remove from the oven and let them sit for a minute – turn the oven off and pop the buns in for a minute to heat.

When ready, load the buns up with the fillets and your favourite fillings and enjoy!

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Almond Crêpes

 

This was a lovely breakfast idea I spied in Goodfood Magazine a while back – and so easy! It can be made per person or per crêpe and so it is even doable on a midweek morning. It’s lovely and filling and can be used as a vehicle for healthy or not-so-healthy toppings. The crêpes tend to stick a little and don’t behave quite like the tradtional ones, but I was prepared to accept that once I tasted them! With a little greek yoghurt and fruit, it does feel like a treat.

Per crêpe:

1 large egg

1.5tblsp ground almonds

1 tblsp water

I decided to be novel and gave the kids a jar to each shake their own (I know!) but feel free to beat the ingredients in a bowl, unless of course you’d like to do that too!

Heat a medium pan with a spoon of oil and when the pan is medium hot, pour the beaten egg mix in and swirl it around to coat the pan. Don’t let the pan get too hot. Now leave it set for a minute or two, then it is done (no flipping this one!) Turn carefully out onto a plate and eat with your favourite accompaniments.

We have tried berries and coconut yoghurt (Glenisk is yum), diced apple and raspberries or cherries with a dash of maple syrup, and blueberries with greek yoghurt swirled with a spoon of lemon curd. All delish!