Complete The Cook - 3 of our favourite products this week

WARNING - Gratuitous product shots below....!

I’ve been asked  recently what products I would recommend, use, buy regularly, enjoy eat, drink etc….So in full disclosure, without sponsorship, endorsement or any kind of money changing hands I thought it would be a good idea to tell you straight up, no nonsense, the good the bad – and of course the ugly – WHAT I really consume – and WHY.  This is the start, so full intro below and more recommendations to follow...

Ok, so I currently shop at Tesco because its close, convenient and cheap.  Don’t hold it against me.  I can’t afford whole foods supermarkets, have no local access to farmers markets and cant wait in and pay for delivery from specialist online stores all the time. There ARE some AMAZING ones though so I'm not knocking them, but simplicity, no nonsense, budget and time saving is as key for me as it is for you (or at least as you keep telling me), so this works while I still manage to produce nutritious, quality, tasty, meals.  AND - If I can, of course you can.  Right? 

So to complete the cook (do you like what we did there?) - ie for our recipes this week we recommend:

The Collective Dairy - Straight Up, Unsweetened Live Yoghurt

£1.79 for 450g (Tesco) 

Twitter @collectivedairy 

Facebook @thecollectiveinuk 

Web www.thecollective.com

 

 

Tesco - Perfectly Imperfect Range, Strawberries 

£1.29 for 400g

Twitter @Tesco 

Facebook @Tesco 

Web - Perfectly Imperfect Range 

 Tesco - pre chopped Mango Chunks

£2 for 275g

Twitter and Facebook same as above for Tesco and if you want to find out more: TescoPLC

For our recent recipe creations, shopping lists and MORE you can CLICK HERE and be one if the first to receive our new email newsletter starting this summer 

 

Here are this weeks complete the cook ingredients lists to start you off:

 

Breakfast

Live yoghurt ("Straight Up" as above)

Grapefruit (tinned - no fuss, mess, no nonsense - in water never syrup)

Fresh blueberries

Granola

Chia seeds

Honey

Strawberry Salad

Strawberries ("Perfectly Imperfect" as above)

Orange rapture tomatoes (Yes I admit I bought them cos they were on special and I loved the name!)

Mixed salad leaves

Fresh mint

Fried (or better grilled) hallumi

Olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dress

The Perfectly Imperfect range is the Tesco version of Asdas "Wonky Veg" we shared the launch of a little while back (http://your.asda.com/news-and-blogs/wonky-fruit-veg-boxes).  The Tesco brand were only £1.29 for 400g compared to £2 for the same weight in the better looking strawberries.  Honestly these taste just as good, there is NOTHING wrong with these beauties!

 

Monday was the Summer Solstice AND there was a Strawberry Moon.  This hasn't coincided since 1967 apparently and the next time it happens will be in another 46 years so for some of us a once in a lifetime!  The strawberry moon marks the arrival of strawberry picking season!  So I figured it would be rude not to eat some strawberries (even if I cant get out to pick them myself right now).

I wouldn't usually, but went for pre-cut fresh mango this week.  Mango is a faff anyway and often not the cheapest of ingredients.  These are done for you saving mess and struggle (no nonsense), plus they are guaranteed ripe. Also 1 mango weighs in a approx 375g and that includes the skin and stone, so taking that on board and considering the other bits for the smoothie we used these in came to a grand total of £2.59 (for approx 6-7 servings - that's only 37p a pop)  I think its worth shelling out the £2 for lazy mangoes.

Green Smoothie

Chopped mango (from Tesco as above)

Spinach

Kiwi 

Curly Kale

Apple juice

Water

You said it looks like sludge - yep we do make an abundance of green smoothies and they often look like pond life - I admit that.  I think a lot of people have an aversion to green foods - not the best colour for a drink really, but I can assure you this one was sweet and smooth and 5 out of 5 of your 5 a day!  If you really dont like the idea of drinking the green stuff - check out our other smoothie recipes - you can search via our Facebook page and Instagram while we set up a recipe archive to make it easier for you - just click the pics you like and you should find a nice list of healthy ingredients too - if not you can always ask and we can see what we can whip up for you!

Remember we do offer personal, made to measure plans (online or 1 to 1) to get your health back on track, put a spring in your step, help you shop smart, budget, and eat well.  We also offer fully comprehensive weight management programmes and health coaching, so drop me a line info@nitakothari.com if you'd like to find out more.  We'd love to work with you to create healthy recipes using the foods YOU like so YOU enjoy them! 

For a free, no obligation, consultation just get in touch: info@nitakothari.com and mention this post.  For more recipes, ideas, tips and cheat sheets etc just CLICK HERE to be one of the first to receive our new email newsletter starting this summer!  

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www.nitakothari.com

 **Please remember this is advice ONLY (as is all other information contained in this blog, the website and social media related to it) None of the info or advice is intended to override any recommendation from your GP or health professional**

 

 

Remember, remember...this chilli recipe

Remember, Remember the 5^th of November…..

Happy fireworks night / bonfire night / Guy Fawkes night…..? to you all.  What do we call it these days?  And what are we really celebrating?  Do you know the full story of the gunpowder plot to blow up the House of Lords back in 1605…..?  Here are a couple of wiki links with more info if you want to learn a little bit more about where/why this Nov 5^th tradition exists:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonfire_Night

And when you’ve read these and made our chilli recipe (as below), and once the bonfire is out – you can take a quiz and see how much you remember about the origins of bonfire night here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/how-well-do-you-know-what-happened-during-the-gunpowder-plot-a6721096.html

 

In the UK I know we celebrate by wearing all the winter clothes we actually own, going to the local park/recreation ground in the freezing cold, at night time, in the dark.  We get as close as possible to a mega huge bonfire built and lit especially for this night, and we hold our heads back and watch numerous fireworks bang, crack, pop and fizzle overhead until our toes and fingers are frozen, our nose is numb and our necks ache from the tilt.  We still make the noises though, the “oooooohs” and “ahhhhhhs” each time a big and beautiful twinkly firework goes off, because they really are so pretty!  If we are not lucky enough to get to a local organised display we congregate with other family members and friends into whoever’s garden is the largest, all bringing a homemade effigy of Guy Fawkes (or more recently we bring a balloon faced, charity shop suit, stuffed with paper and dressed as a rubbish celeb, or tv character – or is that just us?) to throw onto the lit bonfire that the men build.  The men also set off the fireworks bought from the supermarket, or fallen off the back of a lorry including Catherine wheels that never light properly and scare the life out of me)!  The kids get sparklers and we of course all write our names with them and try to take photos. 

We all drink a few warming brandies, or mulled ciders to keep warm, then feast on hotdogs and of course jacket potatoes and CHILLI.

 

No surprise then, that today as it’s the 5^th November and Thursday blog day, we are sharing (no not fireworks but…) a fantastic healthy chilli recipe.  This one we made with Quorn mince so it’s vegetarian too.  And with this one, there is the extra addition of tortilla chips backed in – yep, we are spoiling you, but think this will go down a treat in plastic bowls in the garden for the kids, or for a few of you huddled round the dining table when you get in from watching the local firework display.

 

VEGGIE CHILLI BAKE:

(serves 6 – or in reality 4-5 depending on portion size and what you eat it with!)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cloves garlic

½ a medium onion

A good large handful of mushrooms (approx. 6?)

1 large red pepper

1 medium red chilli

Handful of pitted black olives

350g Quorn mince (or if you’re not doing the veggie version use beef mince for the best flavour)

1 can chilli beans in chilli sauce

500g passata (we used a carton but you can make your own if you wish)

2 teaspoons of marmite (or more if you love it!)

4 teaspoons of gravy granules (beef or veg flavour)

1 LARGE packet of salted tortilla chips

Grated cheddar cheese (to top)

Soured cream (to serve)

Hot chilli powder and chilli flakes (as much as you like – add to your own taste/temperature)

METHOD:

• Use a large pan - heat some oil in the bottom 
• Add the garlic / onion / fresh chilli and fry  off slightly 
• Then add the mushrooms / red pepper and fry off all until soft 
• Add the mince, followed by chilli beans, passata  and olives
  
• After a few minutes (once the mince is nicely cooking through) stir in the marmite, gravy granules and extra chilli powder and flakes (to taste) 
  
• Simmer the flavours together for about 15-20mins, adding water as required so it doesn’t fry out (you will need to add more to the quorn mince as this really soaks up liquids like a sponge – you could also have some tinned tomatoes to hand should you need to top up the mixture without it getting too watery 
• Layer the chilli and tortilla chips in an oven proof bowl, with the final top layer being the chips
  
• Cover this with grated cheese and bake until the top is golden brown and bubbling! 
• Serve with soured cream, and maybe some guacamole and extra uncooked tortilla chips. Careful – it’s HOT !
  

Give it a go and let me know how you enjoy it, or please do let me know your homemade chilli recipes as I’d love to try some other ideas too.

Have a great and a SAFE bonfire night – remember to follow the fireworks code!   

Here are the safety rules from the London Fire Brigade:

Firework safety code

• Only buy fireworks marked with the British Standard Kitemark BS7114 
• Don't drink alcohol if setting off fireworks 
• Keep fireworks in a closed box and always follow the instructions carefully when using them 
• Light them at arms length using a taper and stand well back 
• Never go back to them once they are lit. Even if a firework hasn't gone off, it could still explode 
• Never throw fireworks and never put them in your pocket 
• Respect your neighbours – don’t let off fireworks late at night and remember there are laws to follow 
• Take care with sparklers – never give them to children under five. Even when they have gone out they are still hot so put sparklers in a bucket of water after use 
• Keep your pets indoors throughout the evening

Bonfire safety

• Build your bonfire well clear of buildings, garden sheds, fences and hedges 
• Never use flammable liquids to start a bonfire and never burn dangerous items such as aerosol cans, paint tins, foam furniture or batteries 
• Don’t leave bonfires unattended. An adult should supervise it until it has burnt out. If it has to be left, damp it down with plenty of water 
• Always keep a bucket of water or a hosepipe nearby in case of fire

http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/BonfiresAndFireworks.asp

For more info please see www.nitakothari.com or email me info@nitakothari.com

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**Please remember this is nutritional advice ONLY (as is all other information contained in this blog, the website and social media related to it) None of the info or advice is intended to override any recommendation from your GP or health professional**

no nonsense chicken soup

I know it’s the middle of summer and we have been enjoying some wonderful bright, sunny, hot days BUT at this time of year in the UK when an unexpected gloomy , damp, chilly day pops up I feel I need a little comfort food.  Instead of turning to roast dinner (the ultimate comfort food for me!) I used my leftovers again and whipped up a really easy and – for the little effort it took – a surprisingly tasty chicken soup.  I know everyone probably has a different chicken soup recipe, perhaps passed down through the generations, but I’m rubbish at following recipes and my mother is a rubbish cook so I tend to use what I have, use one pot for cooking and for soups, rely heavily on the trusty blender.  This method uses the leftovers, the one pot and the blender, plus its simple, cheap and satisfying so I thought I’d share:

I used:

CHICKEN: I had a pre roasted supermarket (small) chicken.  I had already used it for 3 meals so for this, I literally picked the remaining meat from the bones.  I didn’t boil the bones for the stock – this is a good idea if you have the time, but I made the soup for lunch and in all honesty couldn’t be bothered. 

There was probably about 100g of meat.

QUINOA: I know, I know – I never thought I’d say it or use it either, but I have to be honest again and tell you that although it tastes rubbish (or rather tastes of nothing at all) it does fill me up and when added to other things, or when flavours are added to it, it can make a great, filling and protein packed alternative to pasta, rice, cous cous etc…..anyway I had a packet of Tesco branded “red and white quinoa with bulgur wheat”. 

I had used this 3 times already and the remainder was approx. 65g.

VEGGIES:  I included 1 x medium carrot and 2 x sticks of celery – simply chopped and cooked in a little oil in the pan with 2 x cloves of garlic

STOCK: 1 x vegetable stock cube with 1.5 pints of water.

MIXED HERBS: Approx 1 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs.

SPINACH: I added a large handful of raw baby spinach leaves to the bowl when done – as the soup was hot these wilted in

CROUTONS: I added a few shop bought croutons to the bowl too – you could of course toast them yourself, or eat the soup with some bread/toast /crackers on the side.

BUDGET

This soup is stupidly cheap:

• The CHICKEN was bought pre-roasted at the supermarket for £3.  This was the 4^th (and final) dish from that making it 75p worth for this recipe.  
• The QUINOA was £1.99 and again this was the 4^th serving, meaning less than 50p if it was in this soup. 
• CARROTS were 35p for 4 so just 8p for each one, the CELERY 88p for the bunch (of approx. 9 stalks), using 2 = 19p.  A garlic bulb is approx. 50p, using 2 x cloves is approx. 8pence.   
• The STOCK cube again was from a budget pack = only a few pence and the pinch of herbs again were only a matter of pence.
• And finally the SPINACH was a £2 bag of fresh that I only used a handful from = approx 10-20pence worth

TOTAL COST of ingredients = £3.20 (and this serves 2/2 portions) so £1.60 each.

METHOD

1)   Chop the veg and cook in the pan in a little oil while you get the last bits of chicken off the carcass.

2)   Add the meat and quinoa mix to the pan

3)   Add one pint of stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes

4)   Add the other half pint of stock, plus the mixed herbs and maybe a pinch of pepper then simmer for a further 10-15 minutes

5)   Blend for about 30 – 40 seconds

6)   Pour into your bowls (divide into 2 or save half for later) and add a handful of fresh raw baby spinach leaves (and some croutons if you like)

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Of course this isn’t just simple and cheap – at no nonsense we focus on nutrition too:

If you’re counting:  Chicken per 100g is approx. 176calories / 1 x carrot is 25cals / 2 x celery sticks is approx. 13cals / and 2 x garlic cloves = about 9cals.  The quinoa and bulgur wheat mix holds 130 cals for 65g and the addition of the spinach at the end was just another 10cals.

TOTAL CALORIES = 363 for 2 servings so just 182 CALORIES per bowl!

The greatest nutritional benefit of chicken is its protein content and as per www.myfitnesspal.com we can see 100g of the meat holds 20g of protein.

In the UK our RDA of protein is 50g.  As this meal feeds 2 or holds 2 portions, we are getting 20% of our daily protein requirement from just one bowl of soup here and that’s only including the chicken!  In the UK protein is not something we tend to lack in our diets, but for athletes for example, it’s a major nutrient required to regenerate cells and muscles so something high on the nutrient list of priorities to keep you full and fuel the right muscles when training.

The vegetables in this soup – the carrots and celery both hold a good amount of vitamin A too, along with vit C, calcium and trace amounts of iron.  The benefits of vitamin A include its immune boosting qualities (especially perhaps when combined with vitamin C as we all know helps boost the immune system too).  Plus vitamin A is skin kind (it’s also known as retinal which I’m sure recognise from skin cream ads!)

You can find more info on vitamin A here if interested: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-A.aspx

More about vitamin C here:  http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-C.aspx 

And BUPA offer a great guide to proteins here: www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/Directory/D/diet-proteins

On the note of protein, as mentioned earlier the quinoa mix is a great source of protein too – the grain also contains a good amount of vitamin C, calcium and a high amount of iron.  Iron is great a fantastic mineral for boosting your energy, its an essential mineral (that we cannot produce ourselves) and deficiencies can lead to anemia.  Adding the spinach adds a good amount of iron to this soup too, so if you do have some fresh add it at the end to give a little extra flavour, texture, colour and minerals!

You can find more about iron and iron deficiency again from the nhs here: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Iron.aspx

So here you go – the finished product: 2 portions of no nonsensene chicken soup for a chilly summer day

Let me know your own chicken soup recipes or share your pics if you try this one.  You can email info@nitakothari.com, tweet us @nononsensenitaor like us and share your recipes and pics on facebook

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**If you are of ill health, pregnant or a child under 16yrs, please be advised this recipe does have a high salt and vitamin A content so may not be appropriate**

**Please remember this is nutritional advice ONLY (as is all other information and advice contained in this blog and the websites and social media related to it) – none of the info or advice is intended to override any recommendation from your GP or health professional**