Slow Cooker Moroccan Butternut Squash & Chickpea Stew

I haven’t used my slow cooker in a while so I’m super happy to have another crockpot recipe on my blog! The reason for this one is that I’m staying at my mum’s at the moment; and we had some butternut squash lying around but didn’t know what to do with it. Neither of us have really used it much before, in fact she doesn’t think she ever has, and I have only used it a couple of times before in a root veg mash, or had shop-bought ‘boodles’. Anyway, it’s a great ingredient for adding substance to a meal without making it too starchy. It’s lighter than sweet potato but kind of similar.

This recipe is sooooo easy it’s ridiculous. A ‘method’ section isn’t even required, as it’s basically just “put everything in a slow cooker and turn it on.” The garnishes of greek yogurt and rocket  respectively add a freshness and zing to this warm and comforting meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 3/4 cup red lentils
• 1 x 400g drained and rinsed
• 400g passata
• 1 heaped tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 heaped tsp turmeric
• 1 heaped tsp cumin
• 2 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tsp hot chilli powder
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• Brown rice

Garnish:

• Greek yogurt
• Rocket

Method:

Literally add everything except the rice to a slow cooker (no need to brown anything first), stir, turn on to high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. Remove the lid for the last hour to thicken the sauce.

Sever with brown rice and garnishes.

Simple Fish Tacos

I haven’t posted in a while as to be honest I’ve just not been doing much home cooking (naughty me), but I’m back with this healthy recipe for fish tacos.

I fancied something quick, simple and relatively light post my VERY unhealthy Christmas and NY period, and these ticked all the boxes. The salsa is so refreshing and the light, white fish is super tasty.

Without further ado, here is how to make them!

 

Ingredients:

Makes about 6-8 tacos.

For the fish:

• 4 fillets lemon sole (or your preferred white fish)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1-2 red chillies, chopped
• 50ml olive oil

For the salsa:

• 3-4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 20g coriander, chopped

For the guacamole:

• 1 ripe avocado
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 10g coriander, chopped
• Salt and pepper

To serve:

• Rocket leaves
• Soft taco cups

 

Method

Start by slicing the fish into bitesize chunks and marinate in the fish ingredients for at least 30 mins.

Combine the salsa ingredients in a bowl.

Combine the guacamole ingredients in another bowl and mash with a fork.

To cook the fish, heat some of the marinating juice/oil into a frying pan. Add the fish and cook on each side for 2-3 mins. It shouldn’t take longer than that if your fish is in small pieces and thin.

Toast the tacos under a hot grill for 3-4 mins.

Fill up the tacos in the following order: rocket leaves, salsa, fish, guacamole.

Serve and enjoy!

Pasta al Salmone

I absolutely love to order this dish at traditional Italian restaurants, because if it’s done right it’s excellent. The sauce is just so full of flavour owing to the intense taste of the salmon and the richness of the cream. One of the best places to order this is at Sale e Pepe in Knightsbridge, which is one of the most traditional Italian restaurants you can find in the UK. It’s not on the menu but if you ask one the kind Italian staff to throw you a plate together you will be glad you did.

Here’s my version…

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients:

• Small cube butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• Lemon juice from half a lemon
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 250g smoked salmon, roughly chopped
• 300ml creme fraiche (I use the half fat version)
• 350g farfalle or spaghetti (it’s traditionally made with farfalle but I prefer spaghetti)
• 1 tsp dill
• Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions (or prepare and fry courgette ‘spaghetti’).
2. Fry the onion and garlic in the butter until soft but not brown.
3. Add the smoked salmon, lemon juice, salt and pepper and dill and stir around in the pan for a few minutes.
4. Add the creme fraiche and cherry tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the pasta or ‘spaghetti’, making sure it is completely covered in the sauce and heated through.
6. Serve immediately sprinkled with parsley on top (in the photo I have sprinkled dill as I didn’t have parsley!).