Waste not, Want not….

creamy broccoli and blue cheese soup

Another great tasting recipe from 5 aday catering

If your anything like me and our household wasting food is not an option in these challenging austerity times.  Now more than ever with the ever-increasing prices in food and fuel I like to ensure that nothing ever goes to waste.

So that got me thinking, we have friends coming over for dinner this weekend, and with the main course already sorted (another roast, after all you can’t beat it!) what to do for starters and pudding…. With the winter weather dragging it self out, something warm and comforting and of course homemade.

With plenty of Apples in the fruit bowl and a couple of Broccoli stems in the fridge, how about Broccoli and Blue Cheese Soup for starters and Apple Mix fruit crumble for pudding?  Quick and easy top make and no faffing around when our guests arrive.

What you will need for the soup:

2 Medium sized Broccoli Stems

1 Medium sized onion

Blue Cheese of your choice (I use Danish Blue)

2 Sticks celery

Few sprigs Fresh Thyme

2 Large Potatoes

Chicken/Vegetable Stock

Creme Fraiche

All you need to do is sweat the onion and celery in a little olive oil for about 5 mins, cut up the broccoli and add this into the pan and continue to sweat for a further few mins.  Peel and cut up the potatoes in the chunks and add to the pan, add the stock and bring to the boil.  Once boiled, turn the heat down and simmer for 30 mins.  With a hand blender blitz all the contents of the pan until you have a smooth consistency, and the fresh thyme and season to taste.  Serve in bowl and add a teaspoon of creme fraiche to each bowl and serve with my homemade warm crusty bread.

Quick Easy Meal Ideas

 

Indian spices

We all lead busy hectic lifestyles, rushing around from dawn to dusk making sure that our kids are up, fed and watered, walk the dogs, go to work from 9-5, get home, pick the kids up from school,  cook dinner.. Sometimes I wonder how we fit in time for ourselves? On top of this we get force fed how important healthy eating is, ensuring we all eat a well balanced diet sometimes is easier said than done, but now in the wake of the horse meat scandal, now more than ever it is important that we take the time to cook a fresh well balance meal in the evening.  By cutting out processed food like jars of sauces, packets of stuff or frozen ready meals I have lost over a stone in just over a month, not intentionally on a diet but consciously making sure that I put 30 minutes to one side when I get home to cook a fresh tasty meal, not only has this helped lose the pounds, but it also helps wind down after a busy stressful day at work, but also I am confident of what I am eating and not relying on what the ingredients say on the box of the ready meal…. after it could be anything.

One of my in flavor of the month meals at the moment is a curry…. fresh, tasty and ready in 30 mins…. whats more, once you have the base ingredients in your store cupboard you can make this anytime.  Why not try it… You can make as hot as you like so even the kids would enjoy this.  

What you will need is

1 tsp of turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, Madras curry powder

2 tsp Tomato puree, 

2 onions sliced

Sliced mushroom

2 peppers sliced

1 chili sliced

Chicken

Chicken Stock

Fresh Coriander

1 Lime

First, slice your onions, peppers, mushrooms and fry in a little olive oil, cut your chicken into chunks and add to the pan and brown slightly.  Add your spice mix, ensure that you coat the chicken, onions and peppers and cook out for 5 mins.  Add the tomato puree and cook out for a further few minuets.   Boil your kettle, add the chicken stock cube, add the boiled water.  Cook for about 15-20 minutes.  You can add some cornflour at this point if need be to thicken.  Add the juice of 1 lime, and a handful of fresh coriander, serve with boiled rice.

Instead of serving with a naan bread, serve with a toasted pitta bread.

Looking for a caterer, why not check out our website – http://www.5adaycatering.co.uk