Monday, 4 February 2013
Tofu & Green Peppers in Black Bean Sauce
Tonight we were tired and hungry and if not on a budget would have picked up the phone and ordered a take-away. We are lucky that there is a good Cantonese Restaurant not far away and they do deliveries. We were craving a Chinese so using store cupboard ingredients we rustled up just that. For me Tofu and Green Peppers in Black Bean Sauce and for hubby, Chicken and Green Peppers in Black Bean Sauce. We resorted to boil in the bag rice, a jar of Black Bean Sauce from Lidl and added onions, green peppers and either tofu or chicken. We have two woks in our house one each, they're engraved with a "V" or "M" so we don't get them mixed up. So we cooked (or should I say heated up) the meal together. It was ready within 15 minutes and it was very tasty!
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Vegetable Filo Pie
I was in the mood for cooking up a storm, the slow cooker was on for hubby's tea (this piece of equipment is an absolute god send for cooking his food. I just throw the ingredients in and turn it on)! I fancied something that was full of vegetables with a creamy sauce and this is what I concocted, it was very tasty, filling and filled the craving.
Ingredients
1 large carrot
1 large onion
½ head of cauliflower
½ head of broccoli
150g green beans
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp English mustard
1 tbsp flour
4 tbsp nutritional yeast (or more if you want a more 'cheesy taste')
500ml soy milk
Salt and pepper
Filo pastry x 4 sheets
Method
Turn on your oven to 180°C. Dice the onion and carrot and cut the cauliflower and broccoli into small florets. Saute the onion in a little olive oil for 3 minutes and add the rest of the vegetables. Continue to saute until the vegetables start to go soft. Add the thyme and mustard and stir to combine thoroughly. Next add the flour and stir to combine, cook for a couple of minutes. Slowly add the milk whilst stirring until all the milk has been added. Next add the nutritional yeast and stir through the mixture. Slowly bring to a simmer and the mixture will start to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Try a little and add more mustard, nutritional yeast or salt and pepper to your desired taste. Spoon into a baking dish and lay the filo over the top creating waves in the pastry. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven. Whilst the pie is in the oven boil some potatoes ready to mash to serve with the pie.
Ingredients
1 large carrot
1 large onion
½ head of cauliflower
½ head of broccoli
150g green beans
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp English mustard
1 tbsp flour
4 tbsp nutritional yeast (or more if you want a more 'cheesy taste')
500ml soy milk
Salt and pepper
Filo pastry x 4 sheets
Method
Turn on your oven to 180°C. Dice the onion and carrot and cut the cauliflower and broccoli into small florets. Saute the onion in a little olive oil for 3 minutes and add the rest of the vegetables. Continue to saute until the vegetables start to go soft. Add the thyme and mustard and stir to combine thoroughly. Next add the flour and stir to combine, cook for a couple of minutes. Slowly add the milk whilst stirring until all the milk has been added. Next add the nutritional yeast and stir through the mixture. Slowly bring to a simmer and the mixture will start to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Try a little and add more mustard, nutritional yeast or salt and pepper to your desired taste. Spoon into a baking dish and lay the filo over the top creating waves in the pastry. Bake for 20-25 minutes in the oven. Whilst the pie is in the oven boil some potatoes ready to mash to serve with the pie.
Saturday, 2 February 2013
Aromatherapy update
If you're a reader of my blog you will remember I enrolled on a 10 week course on aromatherapy, and I pleased to announce that I passed with flying colours. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and I am seriously considering doing a full time course (over a couple of evenings a week) so I can become a fully qualified aromatherapist. I am confident with the oils that I have purchased and I am able to blend the oils to help promote a more balanced lifestyle, reduce stress and reduce the chance of everyday illnesses. However, without the relevant qualification I cannot continue my journey and become a practitioner. I'm not sure if that's where I want to be yet but it can't hurt opening more doors for the future can it? I need to start saving! Courses these days are not cheap are they?
I use what I have learnt almost every day and I always have an oil burner lit to either help me relax or increase my concentration. I've also made cleaning products, hand creams, body moisturisers, liquid soap, bubble bath, room spray's and my own pot pourri.
I made a few creations for Christmas presents and I've received some good feedback which is always encouraging. The most popular was the sleep easy pillow spray I did, which has helped a few people I know.
If you're interested in learning more, check your nearest college to see what courses they offer or check within your community for bite sized courses. There are lots of books out there too, the books my 10 week course recommended are brilliant and you can buy them on Amazon at a reasonable price. The two I purchased are:
I use what I have learnt almost every day and I always have an oil burner lit to either help me relax or increase my concentration. I've also made cleaning products, hand creams, body moisturisers, liquid soap, bubble bath, room spray's and my own pot pourri.
I made a few creations for Christmas presents and I've received some good feedback which is always encouraging. The most popular was the sleep easy pillow spray I did, which has helped a few people I know.
If you're interested in learning more, check your nearest college to see what courses they offer or check within your community for bite sized courses. There are lots of books out there too, the books my 10 week course recommended are brilliant and you can buy them on Amazon at a reasonable price. The two I purchased are:
- Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The complete guide to the use of aromatic oils in aromatherapy, herbalism, health and well-being.
- Aromatherapy: The Essential Blending Guide
FRIDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 2013
Cowboy Stew Pasta
Just a quick post tonight as I'm off out with friends, something is better than nothing right?
You'll remember the three bean chilli I made (and I made a lot) which hubby renamed cowboy stew. Well, even after the chilli and the cowboy stew topped jacket potato, I still had some left. It wasn't a vast amount so I heated it up and added a small carton of passata and some sweetcorn and mixed it through some pasta. It was great heated up for lunch today!
Cowboy Stew Pasta
Just a quick post tonight as I'm off out with friends, something is better than nothing right?
You'll remember the three bean chilli I made (and I made a lot) which hubby renamed cowboy stew. Well, even after the chilli and the cowboy stew topped jacket potato, I still had some left. It wasn't a vast amount so I heated it up and added a small carton of passata and some sweetcorn and mixed it through some pasta. It was great heated up for lunch today!
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