Midweek Meals with Dolmio #ThankGoodness

When it comes to feeding my family, I like to make sure they have a wholesome diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. I enjoy using natural ingredients, but still appreciate the convenience of using jar sauces, especially when it comes to midweek meals. Dolmio sauces are made using 100% natural ingredients so are a real asset when I need to make a quick and easy meal. The Dolmio Bolognese Sauce contains the same ingredients as I would use at home, so using Dolmio saves me time and effort when it comes to preparation, without compromising on the goodness.

Dolmio sent me a delicious delivery of ingredients including their bolognese sauce, so I could create a meal for my family. We love Italian food so were very happy to get creative in the kitchen using some lovely fresh produce and a jar of Dolmio sauce. 

I made a super colourful, chunky tomato, vegetable and vegetarian chicken pasta sauce and served it with spiralised carrot and courgette as a healthier, lighter alternative to spaghetti. It's comforting, hearty and tasty and packed full of goodness.

It was quick and easy to make using the Dolmio sauce as a base to the recipe, and it was super healthy too. This is exactly what I need when making a midweek family meal.

Chunky Tomato, Vegetable and Veggie 'Chicken' Pasta Sauce 

(serves 4)

1 onion sliced

3 small carrots chopped

1 half red pepper chopped

1 half yellow pepper chopped

1 courgette diced

5 blocks frozen spinach

6 - 8 mushrooms sliced

1 jar Dolmio Bolognese Sauce

1 packet veggie chicken style pieces

Fry the onion and carrot gently in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.

Add the chopped peppers, courgette and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Pour in the jar of Dolmio and a third of the jar of water.

Add spinach and veggie chicken style pieces.

Simmer for about 15 minutes until the carrot feels softened.

Serve with wholewheat spaghetti or spriralised vegetables (spiralise carrots and courgettes and quickly fry in a little coconut oil for about 4 minutes to heat through) for a healthy, delicious meal.

Everyone enjoyed their midweek meal thanks to Dolmio. My teenager said it was "delish" (high praise indeed) and my husband was delighted that we were getting so many veggies in one meal and that all the flavours worked together so well with the herbs and spices in the Dolmio sauce. Our dinner was packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and it tasted absolutely delicious. Just what I want when feeding my family.

Dolmio Bolognese Original 500g sauce is 100% natural. In each jar, you’ll find at least 10 juicy diced tomatoes, a dollop of tomato puree, half an onion, a tablespoon of sunflower oil, a couple of cloves of garlic, a handful of herbs including basil, a teaspoon of cornflour, a teaspoon of salt, a pinch of pepper, two teaspoons of added beet sugar for taste, a squeeze of lemon juice, a splash of water and nothing more. In fact, a jar provides a family of four with one of their 5-a-day each and that’s before you add any further veg to the meal! 

“This post is an entry for the #Dolmio #ThankGoodness Challenge, sponsored by Dolmio. www.dolmio.co.uk/thankgoodness.”

After Eight Brownies Recipe #AfterEightBakes

After Eights are such an iconic part of the Christmas festivities. We've always loved the yummy mint chocolate thins after our Christmas dinner. We've even played the game where you put one on your forehead and, without using your hands, have to get it into your mouth! But this year I've used them in a new way as an ingredient in some festive #AfterEightBakes.

After Eight kindly sent me a 300g box and some baking ingredients, challenging me to create a family dessert. I have made After Eight Brownies, a rich, chewy chocolate brownie with a layer of melted, minty After Eights running through the centre.

After Eight Brownies

Ingredients

150g Dark Chocolate

125g Butter

100g Self-Raising Flower

2 Free Range Eggs

200g Light Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence

300g After Eight Mints

Method

Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until melted.

Allow to cool.

Whisk the eggs and sugar using an electric whisk until thick and foamy.

Stir the melted chocolate mix into the egg mix and add vanilla essence.

Sieve in the flour and fold in.

Pour half the brownie batter into a tin (12"  x 9 ") and top with a layer of After Eight mints.

Pop into a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for about 25 minutes.

It is ready when the top looks papery and a cocktail stick comes out sticky but not wet.

Sprinkle with icing sugar and cut into squares when it has cooled.

Vegetarian Cheese and Ham Swirls #ChristmasSnackHack

I really enjoy entertaining over Christmas and have a stock of recipes perfect for making quick snacks for unexpected guests (or for treating ourselves over the festive period!) It is reassuring to know that I can knock up something fast and tasty especially when those #LittleMomentsofChristmasChaos occur!

Here is a really simple but impressive festive snack hack that is so easy to make using just three main ingredients including a tube of Primula Cheese with Chives. This recipe for Tear and Share Vegetarian Cheese and Ham Swirls makes a snack that looks amazing and tastes even better. Tearing and sharing is a fun, informal and sociable way to eat - absolutely perfect for Christmastime.

Vegetarian Cheese and Ham Swirls

Ingredients

1 can of Croissant Dough (makes 6)

1 tube of Primula Cheese with Chives

1 pack of vegetarian thinly sliced 'ham'

egg to glaze

Method

Open the tin of croissant dough and unroll it. It is perforated to make six triangles with each pair of triangles making up a rectangle. Gently press the dough across the diagonals to re-seal the perforations and then cut the dough to make three rectangles.

Spread a third of the tube of Primula over each dough rectangle.

Top with slices of vegetarian ham.

Roll up from the long side to make a sausage shape. 

Repeat this with the other two rectangles of croissant dough.

Carefully cut into inch slices and arrange in an 8" ovenproof dish. 

Leave space around each swirl for them to rise and expand in the oven.

Any extras can be placed on a baking tray individually (use greaseproof paper to stop them sticking). 

Glaze with beaten egg.

Cook in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for about 12 - 15 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm straight from the dish.

My family absolutely love these Vegetarian Cheese and Ham Swirls. They would work equally well using whatever veggie meats you have in the fridge, so you can adapt them to suit your needs. Just make sure you have a tube of Primula and a can of croissant dough to hand (I always buy a few tins over Christmas for impromptu breakfasts or snacking) and you can make a batch of these in no time at all.

Talking Food - Conflagrant Chilli Burrito Recipe

The average adult spends a whole six years of their life talking and thinking about food. As a nation we are obsessed with food, sharing photos, texting, messaging and chatting about the things we eat. However, our vocabularies are a little lacking when it comes to describing the food we enjoy. Words like delicious, tasty, nice and yummy are most commonly used. We also let hashtags (#foodporn) and emojis do the talking when it comes to discussing food on social media, which doesn't come close to describing the flavours, textures and aromas of our cuisine. So Sainsbury's has teamed up with lexicographer Susie Dent to help us evolve our vocabulary so we can improve our food talk and use words to reflect our new and exciting culinary landscape with the "The Sainsbury's Taste Dictionary :101 ways to describe each mouthful".

There are some wonderful words such as mealy, woody, fire-fanged, botanical, slape and lusty, but my favourite is the delightfully descriptive lickerous. Meaning sweet and tempting, it is the perfect word to describe cakes and desserts and one I intend to use more often in the future!

I have been challenged to come up with a recipe and to use Susie Dent's words to describe what I've made. So I've opted for an everyday dish that is a bit of a family favourite, so I can start dropping my newfound vocabulary into everyday conversations. No more 'yummy' or 'tasty' for us!

I've made a spicy and smoky Conflagrant Chilli Burrito, which can be described using some wonderfully descriptive words.

Conflagrant - inducing a hot or peppery sensation

Sapid - strongly flavoured

Ardent - fiery and intense

Alliaceous - with a strong taste of garlic or onion

Lusty - hearty and wholesome

If you want to make my Conflagrant Chilli Burrito, here is the recipe:

Ingredients (makes 8)

8 large tortilla wraps

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic crushed

2 teaspoons chilli flakes

1 teaspoon garlic granules

1 teaspoon smoky paprika

1 carton of chopped tomato

1 tablespoon smoky chipotle sauce

Dash of hot chilli sauce to taste

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1 can of red kidney beans

1 can of pinto beans

1 can of chickpeas

1 pack of microwave Spicy Mexican rice

grated Cheddar cheese

Method 

Fry the onion using olive oil in a deep frying pan until golden.

Add garlic and continue to fry for further 2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and add beans, tomato puree, smoky chipotle sauce, chilli sauce, chilli flakes, smoky paprika and garlic granules.

Cook for about 15 minutes until slightly reduced and combined.

Microwave the Spicy Mexican rice according to pack instructions.

Add to the pan and stir into the chilli.

To assemble, take each tortilla wrap and put a big spoonful of the bean and rice mix into the centre.

Top with grated cheese.

Fold into parcels to make the burritos.

Put in an ovenproof dish.

Top with a little more grated cheese and pop into a pre-heated oven at GM 6 for 15 minutes.

Serve with salad, guacamole, salsa and sour cream for a Mexican feast.

Follow @SainsburysNews on Instagram and Twitter and lookout for the hashtag #TasteDictionary for the chance of winning one of the dictiomaries.

Little Moments of Adventure - Adventurous Pairings with Primula Cheese

My family has loved Primula for years! The squeezy tubes of real cheese are perfect for keeping in the fridge to make yummy cheese spread sandwiches for the kids' lunches or to squeeze onto crackers for a quick snack or to use as a tasty dip for carrot sticks. As a busy mum and nana, Primula is just so convenient and always a hit with the little ones.

I am delighted to be a part of the Primula Bloggers Club, working with the Primula brand, creating recipe ideas for delicious snacks made using their products. The tubes of real cheese combined with real added ingredients in delicious flavour combinations, inspire creativity in the kitchen. Primula isn't just for sandwiches or crackers, it can be the perfect addition to some rather sophisticated snacks!

This month, I have been challenged to come up with an adventurous Primula pairing: an unexpected food combination with ingredients that complement each other perfectly. This adventurously paired snack is something for the grown-ups, who at the end of a busy day want to sit and relax with a tasty supper for two and a glass of wine. Knowing that the children are all tucked up safely in bed, this is the time of day for adult conversation, relaxation and enjoying some quality moments together. It's these little moments when we can step away from our busy routines and enjoy the simple things in life.

The snack I made reflects this chilled time of day, bringing an adventurous pairing of Primula Cheese and artichoke to enjoy during these little moments together. A lovely snack for treating ourselves, while taking time out of our busy schedule: Primula Cheese and Artichoke Tarts.

The combination of creamy, cheesy Primula topped with flavoursome garlic mushrooms, spring onions, red pepper and quartered artichoke hearts, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with chopped herbs on a crisp puff pastry base, is truly delicious. The fresh flavours are ideal for summer using some lovely seasonal vegetables and it is delicious served hot or cold.

Primula Cheese and Artichoke Tarts

Ingredients

1 sheet of puff pastry

1 tube of Primula Cheese

4 drained canned artichoke hearts

6 button mushrooms sliced

1 clove of garlic crushed

1 half of a small red salad pepper sliced

1 jumbo spring onion sliced

olive oil

pinch of dried mixed herbs

Method

Unroll the puff pastry sheet and cut it into four equally sized rectangles.

Score a line around the edge of the pastry rectangles 1cm inside.

Place on greaseproof paper on a baking tray.

Squeeze a quarter of the Primula Cheese onto each pastry rectangle, spread leaving the edges clear.

Thinly slice the pepper and the spring onion.

Cut the artichoke hearts into quarters.

Meanwhile, gently fry the sliced mushrooms and crushed garlic in a little olive oil until well cooked.

Arrange the vegetables equally onto the cheese covered pastry rectangles.

Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle over the herbs.

Pop into a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes, until the pastry is risen and golden.

This post has been written as part of the Primula Blogger Club, which is a paid for partnership.

Delicious Cheese & Vegetable Bake Recipe with Cathedral City #CheeseRules #LoveCheese

Love Cheese? Welcome to the Club!

Cathedral City, the nation's favourite Cheddar, has recently undergone a relaunch with brand new packaging and a new advertising campaign starring David Jason, based on those unwritten rules of cheese that Cathedral City fans will totally relate to. Cathedral City's distinctive, smooth creamy Cheddar is made using milk from dedicated West Country farmers in their Cornish creamery, making it the perfect cheese for cheese lovers, however they enjoy it.

From watching bubbling cheese in the oven, to eating that last awkwardly shaped bit of cheese when grating, to nibbling the crispy edge bits on a freshly baked lasagne to making multiple visits to the cheeseboard at a party - these are all habits that cheese lovers find irresistible. And with 66% of people surveyed by Cathedral City admitting to always having cheese in the house, there are lots of us who enjoy eating cheese in our own unique quirky way! 21% of people said they would choose cheese over social media, that sums up just how deep our nation's love affair with cheese really is.

I have to confess to being someone who finds it hard to go to the fridge without cutting a thin slither of cheese off the block to pop in my mouth. And those crispy bits that drip onto the grill pan when making cheese on toast are just too tasty to ignore. And the browned cheesy topping on a lasagne, a cheese topped shepherd's pie, nachos or enchiladas is just too delicious.  Italian dishes such as pizza and pasta have toppled curry as our new national favourite dish, thanks to their indulgent cheesiness.

My favourite cheese rule concerns cheese sauce. You can never put enough cheese into your cheese sauce, because the tastier the better! A rich, flavoursome cheese sauce makes any meal even more delicious. Just think of macaroni cheese or cauliflower cheese. Perfect comfort food.

What are your cheese rules? What do you find irresistible about Cathedral City Cheddar? I'd love you to leave a comment and share the cheese love!

In honour of the Cathedral City Cheese Rules, here is a recipe for a delicious family meal that includes a delicious mix of seasonal vegetables enrobed in a rich cheese sauce topped with Cheddar cheese and baked until golden brown.  One of the best things about this recipe is that you can adapt it to include any of your favourite vegetables, or to use up any veg left in the fridge if you are looking for a frugal meal time idea. A perfect dish for lovers of yummy cheese sauce.

Cheese & Vegetable Bake Recipe

with Cathedral City

Ingredients

1 leek

1 large potato

1 sweet potato

2 medium carrots

1 head of broccoli

6 white mushrooms

1 onion -sliced

4 asparagus stalks

2 cloves garlic - finely chopped

2 tablespoons of canned sweetcorn

1/2 vegetable stock cube

2 oz butter

2 oz plain flour

1 pint milk

4 oz Cathedral City Mature Cheddar (plus extra to taste!)

ground pepper

pinch of mixed herbs

2 oz Cathedral City Mature Cheddar grated

Method

Peel and chop the vegetables into bite size pieces, slice the onion and chop the garlic. Add the potato, onion and carrot to a pan of water with the stock cube added. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add sweet potato and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Add asparagus, broccoli, mushroom, leek and garlic and simmer for a further five minutes until cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a pan and stir through the flour. Cook gently whilst stirring for one minute then remove from heat and slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time. Return to low heat and continuously stir until thickened. Add grated cheese, herbs and pepper and continue to stir until cheese is melted through.

Put the Vegetables into an ovenproof dish and add the sweetcorn. Pour over the sauce and top with more grated cheese.

Pop into the oven at 180 degrees centigrade and cook for about 25 minutes until bubbling and golden brown on top.

Perfect served with steamed cabbage for a wholesome, hearty and deliciously cheesy dinner that your cheese loving family will love. It's a great way to get vegetables into the diets of fussy eaters.

If you love cheese and want to join in with Cathedral City's passion for Cheddar, you can find Cathedral City on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CathedralCity/ Here you can find a quiz to discover just what find of cheese lover you are from a passionate cheese lover to the ultimate cheese worshipper!

Winter Vegetable Lasagne Recipe - with Flora ProActiv

To celebrate National Heart Month and raise awareness of the UK's biggest killer - heart disease - HEART UK and Flora ProActiv have teamed up for a hard hitting campaign, to bring the effects of cholesterol on the arteries to life. Dressed in yellow, actors disrupted the London underground for a day, blocking the escalators to demonstrate how cholesterol can block our arteries.

With over half the population of England having high cholesterol, HEART UK- The Cholesterol Charity - has partnered up with Flora ProActiv on a campaign to get adults to check their cholesterol levels for National Heart Month. High cholesterol is a major risk to heart disease as it contributes to the narrowing of vital arteries which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. There are no obvious signs or symptoms for high cholesterol and HEART UK and Flora ProActiv hope to prompt people to get their levels checked.

For most people, there are simple and effective ways to take positive steps to lowering cholesterol which includes changes to diet and lifestyle. Eating healthier, including super cholesterol busting food like plant sterols, and getting more active helps lower cholesterol and most people will see an effect in as little as 3 weeks.

Flora ProActiv challenged me to try a recipe from their website using their Flora ProActiv buttery spread. I chose a warming and comforting Winter Vegetable Lasagne. Packed full of delicious roasted vegetables and a creamy sauce, it is a delicious vegetarian meal that the family will love.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, peeled, cut into wedges

2 parsnips, peeled

1 sweet potato, peeled

1 courgette

2 carrots, peeled

1 red pepper, finely diced

400 gram canned chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp oregano or thyme

6 sheets lasagne sheets

25 grams Flora pro.activ buttery spread

25 grams plain flour

350 ml skimmed milk

55 grams cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 tsp English mustard

Method

• Cut the parsnips, sweet potato, carrot and courgette into chunks and place in a roasting tin. Add the onions and pepper, drizzle with oil and roast in a preheated oven at 190˚C/180˚C Fan/Gas mark 5 for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked.
• When cooked, mix with the tomatoes, tomato purée, chilli powder and herbs.
• Meanwhile prepare the sauce by placing the Flora ProActiv Buttery spread and flour into a saucepan. Add the skimmed milk gradually, constantly stirring over a moderate heat. Bring to the boil.
• Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and thickened. Add half the cheese and the mustard.
• Assemble the lasagne by placing half the vegetables in an ovenproof dish, cover with three sheets of lasagne and top with half the sauce. Repeat layers ending with cheese sauce.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese and cook for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

The facts you need to know about Cholesterol:

• High cholesterol is invisible, it has no symptoms but is a major risk factor for heart disease.
• One in every two people in England have elevated cholesterol, it’s vital to get checked and keep your heart healthy.
• Do you know your number? Ask your GP or local pharmacist and get checked!!

Find out more about Flora ProActiv at: http://www.floraproactiv.co.uk/.

Mood enhancing meals for Valentine's Day

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Bertolli with Butter has partnered with Susan Duncan, Professor of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, who has revealed six ingredients you can use in ‘Pheromeals’ (pheromone-laden dishes) for your loved one. Five of the ingredients are vegetarian, which is good news to me...and to the other romantic veggies of the world!

They are:

CHOCOLATE: The sweet, smooth texture of chocolate is psychologically suggestive of sensuality and has been shown to decrease tiredness and increase positive moods for up to 5-30 minutes after eating.

WINE: In small doses has calming attributes which relax us and reduces inhibitions.

CHILLI PEPPERS: Chillies get the metabolism going and increase blood flow – and contain capsaicin which can release endorphins in the brain, perfect for a romantic situation.

TRUFFLES: Contain compounds such as androstenol which are recognized as pheromones.

SPICES SUCH AS SAFFRON, LAVENDER, AND VANILLA: The sensual aspect of spices such as saffron and lavender go a long way to putting you in a romantic frame of mind.  Repeated and extended consumption of saffron has also been shown to increase male sexual function.

They have come up with some recipes suitable for every stage of being in love. I have chosen to make the 'Spaghetti Outta My House' recipe which features tomatoes, full fat yogurt and red wine reduction to produce calmness.

Although it has been designed for the break up stage of a relationship, providing a comforting plate of pasta for an amicable parting of ways (which, incidentally, I don't intend to do anytime soon!) it can also be a soul soother for other times when you need to chill out. The high-carb, low-protein content of the dish produces a calming effect which is accentuated by the wine in the sauce. Exactly what’s needed when a soul needs soothing.

SPAGHETTI OUTTA MY HOUSE

Mood Changing Ingredients in Dish: Tomatoes, full fat yogurt, red wine, Bertolli with Butter

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1tbsp Bertolli with Butter
• 500g plain yogurt
• 175ml red wine
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp parsley
• ½ can chopped tomatoes
• 150g spaghetti

Method:

• Warm the yogurt slightly in a sauce pan, and stir together with the garlic and parsley. Pour in the red wine, and reduce slightly. Once reduced, add the tomatoes and bring to slight heat.
• Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and toss together with 2tbsp with Bertolli with Butter.
•  Place the spaghetti into a large casserole dish and stir sauce through.
• Serve with a glass of red.

Fruit and Nut Breakfast Bar Recipe with Lyle's Golden Syrup

Lyle's have challenged me to make one of their breakfast recipes created by Jo Pratt using Lyle's easy to squeeze Breakfast Bottle Golden Syrup. Jo's recipes are great for winter mornings when you need something hearty to give you the energy you need to get through the day.

The recipe I chose to make was Lyle's Golden Syrup Fruit and Nut Breakfast Bars. This recipe is particularly appealing because I have lots of left over dried fruit and nuts from Christmas, making this a great way to use them up. With a few tweaks of the recipe (such as using vegan margarine instead of butter) I was able to create a vegan version of the bars, packed with oats, cranberries, dates, almonds, Brazil nuts, linseed, pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds.

The Fruit and Nut Breakfast Bars are compact, nutrient dense and energy giving. They are great for when on the go and can be enjoyed with a glass of juice or milk or a pot of yogurt. They would also be perfect for lunchboxes. (Click on the image below to open it to full size for recipe.)

The recipe is pretty easy to make and can be adapted to suit what you have in the cupboard. It is a lovely way to use up nuts and seeds and dried fruits, and if stored in an airtight container will last up to 2 weeks.

The bars are colourful with a lovely, flapjacky texture and a sweet, fruity, nutty and rich flavour. Although not low in calories, they are nutrient dense and rich in fibre.

BBQ Carrot Dogs Recipe

Whilst browsing online, I discovered there was a trend in America among the vegan community for using carrots instead of hot dog sausages. After laughing at the idea of a carrot in a bun instead of a Quorn sausage, I decided I'd give it a go myself. I'm always up for trying something new. It seemed that the trick was to marinate the carrot overnight to infuse it with the smoky flavour of hot dogs, using something called Liquid Smoke. I have never seen that product in the UK so decided to improvise.

I was sent a bottle of Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Barbecue Glaze to try out. Now, this isn't a vegan product as it contains honey, but as vegetarians this is OK for us to use. It seemed like the perfect starting point for creating my own BBQ Carrot Dogs. (Make them vegan by using a vegan barbecue sauce.)

Ingredients

6 whole carrots, peeled and with ends removed (I looked for the most sausagey shaped carrots!)

1/4 cup water

1/8 cup white wine vinegar

2 tblspn dark soy sauce

1/2 tsp garlic granules

1/2 tsp smoky paprika

1 tblspn Jack Daniels Honey Barbecue Glaze

Method

Place the carrots into a pot of water and bring to the boil.

Simmer over a low heat until they are just starting to soften (until a knife can just pierce them).

Make the marinade by combining the ingredients together.

Put cooled carrots into marinade and cover with cling film.

Keep overnight in fridge.

Once marinated, remove the carrots and cook them in a lightly oiled frying pan over a medium heat.

Cook for about 10 minutes until heated through.

Serve in a burger bun with fried onions and relish.

The overall effect of the process creates something like a barbecue flavoured hot pot carrot, with a firm texture and deep flavour.  The experience is quite mind blowing - the taste and presentation of a hot dog, made using a humble carrot!

http://jackdanielsbbqsauces.com/

Chickpea Scotch Egg Recipe #vegetarian

I have been challenged by British Lion Eggs to come up with a family recipe using eggs as the main ingredient. As a vegetarian, eggs play an important role in my family's diet, being a good source of protein, vitamin D and iron.  I love how versatile they are and that they can be added to so many recipes in so many different ways

This is a recipe for vegetarian Scotch Eggs using a chickpea falafel style mix to cover hard boiled eggs, before coating them in golden breadcrumbs and oven baking.  I usually use a vegan sausage mix to make Scotch Eggs, but this recipe creates a much lighter Scotch Egg with a pleasant hint of warming spices.  Oven baking makes them less greasy than their deep fried counterparts, and keeps the calorie count down.  They are perfect served hot as part of a meal, or can be served cold for a picnic or a buffet.

Ingredients 

4 free range British Lion eggs

1 400g can chickpeas (drained)

1 small red onion

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons parsley

ground black pepper 

pinch salt

2 slices wholemeal bread as crumbs

1 egg beaten

golden breadcrumbs

Method

Boil eggs by placing in cold water, bringing to boil and boiling for 5-6 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to sink.  Run cold water into the pan until cool.

Put chickpeas, onion, garlic and seasoning into food processor and blitz.

Add breadcrumbs to thicken using the pulse setting.

Shell the eggs and wrap a quarter of the chickpea mix around each one. (Flour hands if it gets too sticky!)

Dip covered egg in beaten egg and then roll onto a plate of golden breadcrumbs to coat.

Cook at GM6 for 15 minutes.

I only ever buy eggs which are free range, where the hens are well looked after and given freedom to roam outdoors.  I also look out for the British Lion safety mark which guarantees the egg has been produced in accordance with a strict code of practice (which has virtually eradicated salmonella in the British egg industry).

To find our more information about using eggs, such as advice on eggs and pregnancy, egg safety, recipes and nutritional information visit the British Lion Eggs website at egginfo.co.uk.

A Burn's Night Veggie Haggis Wellington

Every Burn's Night we embrace the tradition of enjoying a haggis, tatties and neeps together (it must be the McDonald blood that courses through my family's veins!)  Being vegetarian is not an issue because I have a fabulous recipe for vegetarian Haggis packed with veggies, lentils, beans, nuts, spices and oatmeal, that is absolutely delicious.  Not a scrap of offal or a sheep's stomach in sight!

This year I decided to try something a little bit different and encase the haggis mixture inside puff pastry.  I topped the haggis with some grated Wensleydale cheese to keep it moist and cooked it at GM6 for 25 minutes.  It made a delicious change served with creamed potato, mashed swede and vegetables. It was also fabulous served cold.

I still remember being in grammar school and having to learn the Robert Burn's poem "My luve is like a red, red rose".  I can still recite it to this day and my rendition of it is my Burn's Night party piece, much to my kids' amusement (especially when I recite it with an attempted Scottish lilt!)

I really enjoy celebrating special days throughout the year and serving up themed meals for my family's dinner.   It makes me more mindful of the passing days and punctuates the year with plenty of memorable family occasions.  It's all done light heartedly with plenty of laughter and fun, but it still lets the kids learn about special events, other cultures and different cuisines.

I'm looking forward to sharing plenty more recipes and family occasions right here on my blog throughout 2015.

Quorn & Vegetable Satay Recipe - served with Veetee Egg Fried Rice

Veetee sent me some of their microwaveable steamed rice in a hamper and challenged me to come up with a recipe.  I made a vegetarian Quorn and Vegetable Satay, which is the perfect partner to the Veetee Egg Fried Rice.  The recipe is so quick and easy and you can be enjoying a yummy Chinese meal from scratch in about 20 minutes.  The Veetee rice is really time saving and convenient, cooking in its tray in a microwave in just 2 minutes, and is a great accompaniment to a home cooked Chinese style meal. The eggs used in the Egg Fried Rice are free-range, which is good to know, and the quality rice gives a great, light and fluffy result.

The ingredients I used were enough for a family of four, served with two trays of the Veetee Egg Fried Rice as an accompaniment.

Here is my recipe video:

                                 


Look out for the new wholegrain rice from Veetee too.  Another great cupboard staple for quick meals.

Nutty Mushroom Crumble Recipe

Gold from Flora is the new blend of butter and Flora, with a rich, creamy taste.  It is a versatile product, perfect for spreading, topping vegetables and potatoes or as an ingredient in baking or cooking.  Flora challenged me to come up with a simple recipe for an everyday family meal using Gold plus up to ten other ingredients and a £10 budget.  So, I came up with a recipe for a Nutty Mushroom Crumble, a tasty vegetarian meal.

The Nutty Mushroom Crumble has a delicious saucy, mushroom base topped with a crumble made using nuts, seeds and oatmeal.  (I used all ten ingredients plus optional seasonings to taste.)  Here is a video showing how I made it.

                         

I received a £10 voucher to cover the cost of the ingredients.

Creamy Mushroom and Parsnip Bake Recipe #mushroommeals

Being a vegetarian mum with a vegetarian family means that I am always on the look-out for family friendly recipes that everyone will love.  One of my favourite ingredients to use is mushrooms.  They are quick to cook, simple to prepare, very versatile, tasty and add a 'meaty' texture to meals.   

We have been challenged by the Mushroom Bureau to make a recipe for a tasty family meal, which incorporates cooking with mushrooms. I chose to make a Creamy Mushroom & Parsnip Bake.

Ingredients

450g parsnips cooked and drained

8 teaspoons oil

1 onion chopped

2 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped

2 small beaten eggs

3 tablespoons double cream (I used soy cream)

ground pepper

275g open cup mushrooms sliced

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

8 slices brown bread crusts removed

margarine

Method

Blend the cooked parsnips in food processor until smooth.

Heat 2 teaspns of oil in pan and fry onion.

Turn into processor with with parsnips, coriander, eggs, cream and seasoning and blend until smooth.

Heat the remaining oil and cook mushrooms and cumin seeds for 5 minutes until moisture evaporates.

Spread the margarine on the bread and cut into triangles.

Oil 4 300ml ovenproof dishes and line each with four triangles of bread.

Spoon on parsnip mixture, then some mushrooms in layers.

Repeat, ending with mushrooms on top.

Bake at 190 degrees for about 30 minutes.

The Parsnip and Mushroom Bake was absolutely delicious and perfect dish for the summer.  It had a similar texture to a quiche or a souffle with layers of lovely chunky mushrooms, seasoned with cumin, running through it.  The wholemeal bread base held the bake together and made a nice change from pastry, and added fibre to the dish. 

  

It is a very quick and easy dish to make.  The sweet parsnip cooks quickly and makes a lovely creamy puree, which is the basis for this recipe.  The mushrooms fry up in minutes too.

The kids enjoyed the Parsnip and Mushroom Bake very much.  The sweetness made it very kid friendly, and as my family all love mushrooms we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner.  Serving with baked beans made it an extremely easy meal to put together, giving us at least two of our five a day.  The bread base and the parsnip was sufficient carbohydrate, so we didn't need a portion of potatoes on the side as well.

This is definitely a recipe I will use again. Instead of making individual portions, I think I'd make a family sized one and cut it into slices.  I might also experiment and use sweet potatoes in place of the parsnip and use chestnut mushrooms in place of open cup.  

Finding family friendly recipes like this one, is a great way to get extra vegetables into the children's diets.  Introducing children to a wide variety of vegetables is the best way to encourage them to eat their five a day and nurture a life long love of veggies.

Mushrooms are a great source of  B vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, plus they are fat free, low in calories, cholesterol free and gluten free. They can be added to everyday dishes or served as a side dish, they can be stuffed or made into a delicious pate for sandwiches.  They really are versatile, which is why they are on my shopping list every week!

www.justaddmushrooms.com

Check out the Twitter feed @moretomushrooms using the hashtag #mushroommeals for some mushroom inspiration!

“I am a member of the Netmums Blogging Network, a unique community of parent bloggers from around the UK who have been handpicked by the Netmums team to review products and brands on their behalf. I have been paid expenses and supplied with a product sample for this review but retain all editorial control. All my Netmums Reviews will display the Netmums logo within the post.

This is a Netmum's sponsored review.To find out more click the button: