Simple and delicious chocolate cookies

These are the easiest cookies to make, as they don't require me to lift down the kenwood chef from the high shelf, as they are made in a saucepan. 

Ingredients: 

• 125g butter
• 175g soft light butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150 plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 100g white, milk or dark chocolate chopped (I used a bag of chocolate chips)

Method

Preheat oven to gas mark 5 (180 degrees) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

Melt butter in a large saucepan, then add the sugar and take the pan off the heat. Beat in the egg, add the vanilla extract, then sift in the dry ingredients, giving it a good stir so that you don't start cooking the egg. Stir in the chocolate chunks.

These spread well, so leave a good gap when you spoon onto the baking sheets. 

Bake for about 10 minutes.

Leave for a few minutes to settle before sliding them on a wire rack to cool

Bread machine white bread

I love my bread machine, there is nothing nicer than the smell of freshly baked bread. It tastes better than shop bought and you know exactly what is in it. If it's good enough for David Cameron, then it is good enough for me.

Ingredients

• 500g  Strong White Bread Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 15g soft butter or 15ml vegetable oil
• 7g sachet of yeast
• 300ml warm water

Method

Add ingredients to bread pan in order of the list, select basic white bread setting, mine takes about 3 hours. Keep in an airtight container.

Dover sole, vegetable rice and spinach and kale with toasted pine nuts

I am trying to cook more fish in my household. I totally recommend the book, 'Japanese women don't get old or fat'. In it she talks about the benefits of the Japanese diet and eating fish several times a week. Japanese people have the world’s highest expectancy, with men living to be 78 and women’s average 85. Even though there are high levels of pollution, stress, smoking and drinking, they still outlive the rest of the world. Why is this? If you’ve lived for any length of time in Japan, you know that it’s all about the diet. The Japanese diet has changed in recent years, but it’s still among the healthiest in the world, and one of these reasons - is the amount of fish consumed. So what better reason than to try my dover sole recipe.

This recipe is for Dover sole, spinach & kale with vegetable rice topped with toasted pine nuts.

Dover sole:

In a large frying pan melt a tbsp of butter, add 2 fillets of fish (I used Dover sole, but cod, plaice, haddock and salmon would be nice too). After a few mins add some seasoning, I used a sprinkle of fish seasoning, but some lemon or lime zest and juice would work well too. It's cooked when white fish is white and not opaque, about 8-10 mins. Serve with some toasted pine nuts 

Vegetable rice 

In a frying pan, add a little olive oil - about a tbsp, when hot,  add some veg, what ever you may have hiding in the freezer or fridge. I used some frozen stir fry veg and  some frozen mixed veg - of peas, sweetcorn, chopped green beans and carrots. Frozen veg is great to keep for a simple and quick supper like this.

Stir until cooked, add some cooked rice, you can add a beaten egg if you wish, add a little light soy sauce. A sprinkle of chopped spring onion would finish it off nicely.

Kale & spinach

In a large saucepan add a little olive oil and a clove of chopped garlic, add some chopped kale and a large handful of baby spinach. Put the lid on for a few mins until wilted. Turn off the heat.

Enjoy

Check out: japanese-diet

japanese-diet

Low GI Oaty vegetable bake

The glycaemic index (GI) is a rating system for foods containing carbohydrates. It shows how quickly each food affects your blood sugar (glucose) level when that food is eaten on its own.

High GI foods

Carbohydrate foods that are broken down quickly by your body and cause a rapid increase in blood glucose have a high GI rating. High GI foods include:

• sugar and sugary foods
• sugary soft drinks
• white bread
• potatoes
• white rice

Low and medium GI foods

Low or medium GI foods are broken down more slowly and cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels over time. They include:

• some fruit and vegetables (but not dried fruit)
• pulses
• wholegrain foods, such as porridge oats 

A wholesome winter bake, serves 4-6, lovely with some crusty bread and a green salad 

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped 
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped (I use the frozen cubes!)
• I tbsp fresh thyme leaves 
• 1 tea spoon dried chilli flakes
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes 
• 400g tin beans (I used mixed beans, but any would work)
• 125g porridge oats 
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach/kale 
• 125g frozen peas
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce 
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 50g grated cheese 
• 4-6 tbsps wholemeal breadcrumbs

You can alter the beans and veg depending on what you have around the kitchen. Courgette, aubergine and kale works well.                                     Method                                                  In a pan add the oil and fry the onion for a few mins, add the garlic, chilli and thyme, fry for a few more minutes, then add the tomatoes, beans and oats. Bring to the boil, simmer and add the spinach/kale, soy sauce, peas. Mix together then transfer to an oven dish - a lasagne dish works well.

Season and top with cheese and bread crumbs, grill until brown and crispy.

Note: I always find it difficult when a recipe calls for bread crumbs, so the last time I had a few crusts and a couple of slices to spare. I threw them in the food processor and then into some tupperware and froze it, so I have some to hand when ever I need some.