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Super Easy Satay Drizzle

 

I wondered what else I could title this post to convince you all to make this sauce! It is really easy and can be used for lots of things. A drizzle over grilled  chicken, a dip for satay sticks, a salad dressing or to finish off a stir fry. Even use it to dip vegetable sticks or a spoon 😊 – you will find no judgement here!

 

The recipe below makes about 150-200ml depending on how you thin it out and since it will last in the fridge you can certainly double it.

4 tblsp peanut butter (I use one without added salt, sugar or oil)

2tblsp rice wine vinegar

2 tblsp reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tblsp maple syrup

2 tblsp sriracha

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp garlic powder

pinch sea salt

warm water to thin, as required

Mix all ingredients carefully in a bowl until well combined and voila! Add water spoon by spoon until you get your desired consistency. I usually add 3-4 tablespoons, which thins it out nicely.

To make the chicken skewers, I marinated some fillets cut into strips lengthwise in some sriracha and soy. I then threaded them onto presoaked wooden skewers and grilled them until cooked through. Beware packing the chicken on to tightly or it will take longer to cook!

 

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Halloumi with Balsamic Cherries and Lentils

This is another quick one which is a very handy starter or light meal, borne out of my purchase of the previously mentioned crate of cherries. It’s ready in less than 20 minutes and is just a little bit different. I used about 2/3 of a pack of halloumi for two light suppers but you could make a pack stretch to a starter for four. I just love halloumi – it’s so very tasty, moreish, fast to make and a pack can lurk in your fridge as a staple. In fact much of the ingredients below are store cupboard except for the fresh ones so it’s not a bad back up plan to have. I used the smoked garlic paste from Tesco and the chargrilled peppers were from a jar (Aldi) in the fridge. The puy lentils were of course my fav staple from Merchant Gourmet and the halloumi was from Tesco but widely available.

Ingredients to serve two as a light supper/starter

8-10 cherries, pitted and diced

2 tblsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp butter

1-2 tblsp oil

1-2 tblsp diced red onion

1/2 tsp smoked garlic paste

150g approx halloumi cheese sliced lengthways into six slices

1-2 slices of chargrilled peppers, drained and sliced

few leaves of thyme

1 pack of puy lentils

1-2 tblsp balsamic dressing (to taste)

some rocket leaves

 

Heat the butter in a medium sized pan. When melted, add the cherries and after a minute, the balsamic vinegar. Let it bubble down on a medium to low heat – keep your head away – the fumes are very unpleasant!!

Move the cherries around the pan, and don’t let them go entirely dry. Decant to a bowl and set aside for now.

Wipe out your pan and heat a tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion and smoked garlic paste and soften for a couple of minutes. Add the thyme leaves. Now add the pack of lentils and the peppers and heat through. Remove and keep warm.

Wipe pan (last time I promise – but you’ll only have one pan to wash!) Heat remaining oil in the pan and now fry the halloumi for 1-2 minutes each side on a medium heat. Now stir some dressing through the warm lentils to taste. Get your plates ready – it’ll all be ready fast – put some rocket down on the plate and spoon the lentils over. Place the halloumi on top and spoon the cherries and their juices over. Serve and enjoy.

 

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Chopped Asian Salad with Lime and Coconut Chicken

This is a tasty dressing that is lovely mixed with a chopped vegetable salad and grilled chicken or prawns. It’s just perfect for the warm weather we are having right now. I like to make it up in a jar and it will happily sit in the fridge ready to be used. I paired it here with an old Good Food hack for a pack of mini chicken fillets. It turns them into something interesting! We ate this warm and also cold for lunch too. Gotta love a dish that keeps on giving.

I chopped up a whole mix of veg – salad leaves, mint, coriander, carrots, peppers, sugarsnaps, scallions, some broccoli and mixed it with quinoa too. Anything goes.

Asian dressing

1 tblsp shallot, minced/diced very finely

3 tblsp rice wine vinegar

2 tblsp dark brown sugar

1 tblsp wholegrain mustard

pinch maldon salt

pinch cayenne

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tsp sesame oil

80 ml olive oil or rapeseed oil.

 

Mix the shallot, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, cayenne, ginger and garlic together and leave for a few minutes. Then gradually whisk the oils in. Season to taste, if necessary. Keep in a jar in the fridge for a few days.

Lime and Coconut Crusted Chicken

Pack of chicken mini fillets or 3 chicken fillets

zest and juice of 2 limes

2 tsp curry powder

pinch chilli powder

75g dessicated coconut

Preheat the oven to 180C. Slice the chicken fillets (if using). Mix the chicken with the zest, juice, curry powder and chilli powder in a bowl. Place the coconut in a ziploc bag. Line a baking tin with foil and a slick of oil.

Once the chicken has sat for a few minutes, then place it in the bag so that the coconut sticks to it and shake it around making sure the chicken pieces are coated.

Place them carefully on the tray and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through and toasted, turning once. Serve with the chopped salad and asian dressing.