advent calendar 2013

Healthy American Pancakes Serves 6 easy peasy in less than 10 minsThese pancakes are light and fluffy and great for a weekend brunch. Try adding a large handful of fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter before cooking or serve with berries and enjoy a slow start to your SundayIngredients135g plain flour (GLUTEN FREE -can substitute plain gluten free flour)1tsp baking powderPinch of salt130ml milk (DAIRY FREE - can substitute almond milk)1 large egg lightly beaten2tbsp olive oil for cooking

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt into bowl. In a separate bowl/jug whisk together milk and egg.2. Pour the milk mixture into the flour and using a fork beat until you have a smooth batter. Any lumps will

soon disappear with some mixing. 3. Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat and some oil. Add a ladle of batter or two for larger/thicker

pancakes. Wait until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, then flip over and cook until both sides are golden brown.

4. You can keep them warm in the oven but are best fresh. 5. Enjoy

Welcome to the christmas countdown

Christmas is a time for Celebration but takes some preparation

Write a list and check it twice. Get your plans out of your head and onto paper or which ever device works for you. Feel the buzz of ticking them off when they are done. Plan your weekly menus in advance. Give yourself time to find the best deals, research recipes, find new ideas and save money. Challenge yourself to save on your food shopping by only buying what you need for the first 3 weeks to save for the extras for Christmas.Check your stock cupboards for what you already have and make a list of what you need including those ingredients you need for those special recipes.Divide your shopping list into perishable and non perishable. Non perishable items can be picked up through December when supermarkets will have special offers (more savings). Perishable items can be bought a few days in advance and stored in the fridge or a cool (frost free) place. Remember it is only one day when your tempted.Be kind to yourself, we all can have ambitious plans (me included) and then we put ourselves under pressure to deliver. Be realistic, delegate jobs if possible (still working on this one) and work out what are the essentials for your Christmas Celebration. Sign up on the contact me page and get a Delicious December Planner or make your own.

Getting organised top tips

WINTER WARMER SOUP Serves 6 easy to make suitable for freezing 

This quick healthy soup recipe is a great way to get your five a day and boost your immune system in the winter months. Great to fill you up, and only 70 calories a cup. It can also be used as the base for a shepherds pie sauce or pasta sauce, so it’s a great way to get the kids to eat their vegetables . You could add chick peas or beans to make this more substantial if you fancy it for a light lunch. 1 tablespoon of light olive oil1 onion, chopped2 carrots, chopped1/2 stick celery, chopped1 Red pepper chopped 1 head of Broccoli broken into florets2 parsnips chopped1 teaspoon of garlic puree 1 tablespoon of tomato puree400g passata500 ml vegetable stock

Heat the oil in a pan on a low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the other vegetables and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the tomato puree, passata and vegetable stock. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Puree with an electric hand blender and serve. Will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. Vegetarian, Gluten and Dairy Free

KeeP Well in winter

edible tree decorations

Delightful decorations makes 30-40 easy to makesuitable for freezing

175g dark muscovado sugar, 85g golden syrup, 100g butter, 3 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (dissolved in 1 tsp of water), 1 egg, lightly beaten and to decorate 100g white chocolate and those lovely retro edible silver balls.Gently heat the sugar, golden syrup and butter until melted. Mix the spices and flour in a large bowl then make a well to add the melted mix, bicarbonate of soda and beaten egg. Mix well (it will be soft but will firm up on cooling).Cover the mix with cling film and leave to cool, then put in the fridge for at least an hour to become firm enough to roll out. At this stage the dough can be can be put into a food bag and kept in the fridge for up to a week or frozen in advance and defrosted when required.Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Briefly knead the dough after chilling on a lightly floured surface . Cut the dough in half and roll out one half on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with cutters, such as trees and hearts, then transfer to baking sheets, leaving a little room for them to spread. If you plan to hang the biscuits up, make a small hole in the top of each one using a skewer or drinking straw. Repeat with remaining dough.Bake for 12-15 mins until they brown slightly and check holes are ok , remake holes while still warm. Leave for a few mins on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool .To decorate: Break up the chocolate and melt in the microwave on medium for 1-2 mins, or in a small heatproof bowl over simmering water. Drizzle the chocolate over the biscuits, or pipe using a sandwich bag filled with the melted chocolate and then trim a corner off to pipe, then add a few silver balls into the chocolate.

If hung up on the tree, the biscuits will be edible for about a week, but will last a lot longer as decorations.Each biscuit is approximately 120 calories.

Shopping and storing smart to save you moneyUse your list to only buy what you need for the meals you have planned. Buy own brands and buy online By using online shopping facilities you tend to stick to your shopping list rather than getting side tracked by the ready meals and cakes in the next aisle. Cook from scratch using basic ingredients will make a BIG difference to your weekly spend, especially if you're used to buying pre-packed, oven ready meals. The best thing about it is it gives you more control over your budget and you can opt for cheaper and healthier ingredients. Love your leftovers by making me size meals by knowing about correct portion sizes. Use left overs carefully and think before you throw - even the most basic of foods can be creatively brought back to life in soups, casseroles, sauces or stock. Use your freezer wisely as it's always useful to have a stock of healthy freezer food for those days when you've run out of fresh veg and make use of any supermarket special offers to cut costs. Buy loose fruit and veg to save precious pounds and keep them for longer by storing them correctly . Divide large packets of food (especially chicken & fish) into different containers and store it in the freezer or fridge. Splitting it means you'll only have to defrost the required amounts at any one time so the pack will last a lot longer. Turn veggie (or part veggie) Meat-free meals are cheaper and just as tasty! Buy seasonal food as it usually costs less as they are grown naturally, in local farms without the use of artificial chemicals or expensive green houses. Seasonal food also tastes better and since it's grown in the immediate community, there are no air-miles meaning it's great for the environment too. Shop late. Take a trip to the store around 8pm and you're guaranteed to find some good bargains that you can either eat quickly or freeze to extend its shelf life.

Brilliant budgeting tips

Perfect pork AND APPLE STEWserves 4 easy to make suitable for freezingA DELICIOUS LOW FAT AND TASTY MEAL WHICH CAN BE PREPARED IN ADVANCE USING SEASONAL PRODUCE TO WARM YOU UP

 500g of lean pork cubed (trimmed of fat) 1 tablespoon of oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 chopped onions 2 carrots, peeled and sliced and 2 large potatoes peeled and cubed 2 apples, peeled, cored, quartered 175ml apple juice and 500ml of water and a vegetable stock cube

Heat oil in large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork cubes and brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Add onions, carrots and apples to pan and cook, stirring often, until onions begin to brown, about 5-6 minutes. Add potatoes, apple juice and vegetable stock to the pan and stir, making sure the ingredients are covered by the liquid. Bring to a simmer and cover. If you are cooking in the oven transfer into a casserole dish and put in a preheated oven Gas mark 1, 275°F (140°C).

This recipe can also be cooked on the. Cover with a lid and cook over gentle heat for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender. Using the pressure cooker for 20 minutes or slow-cook until pork is tender, 6-7 hours on low . Serve with mash and vegetables

Gluten and dairy free

Winter Warmers

Orangettes - CHOCOLATE COVERED CANDIED ORANGEChocolate and orange is a great combination, using four simple ingredients you can make these lovely looking sweets. 100 g Plain Chocolate (70% cocoa solids)2 unwaxed oranges300 g sugar3 ml waterCut the oranges in quarters and cut away everything to leave only the peel. Eat or juice your orangesSlice into skinny slivers Wash under cold water.Put sugar and water in pot and bring to a boil. Add orange peels and cook for approximately 60-80 minutes (or until you see they have become candied).Let candied peels cool on parchment paper.Melt chocolate and dip candied peels in to cover ½ of the peel and put back on parchment paper.Place in fridge to set the chocolate. Package in a greaseproof or cellophane bag with a lovely label or use a clean airtight jar or container (will keep for up to 2 weeks)

FESTIVE Food gifts