The Recipe
1 large watermelon
~1l soda water with citrus
Powdered sugar to taste
Do yourself a favour and make sure to either get a seedless watermelon or one with REALLY BIG SEEDS!! I got one which claimed to be seedless, but which ended up having a ton of really tiny seeds instead. They were a hassle and a half to remove and took MUCH longer than it ought to!
Cut the top off the watermelon and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, removing any seeds on the way. Either add it to a blender or use an immersion blender to mash up the flesh finely. Depending on how much pulp you like you can either leave it as is or pour it through a sieve to just get the juice. If you do the latter, leave it to drip for awhile, stirring the remaining pulp from time to time - you can get a lot more out of it than you originally think.
Pour in the soda and add powdered / caster sugar to taste. It does have to be caster sugar rather than regular, as we want it to dissolve completely.
Add some ice cubes to the hollowed-out watermelon and pour in the lemonade. Keep the rest in a jar next to it for easy refills.
The Verdict
Really easy to make, but it didn't look quite as "wow" as I'd hoped. I think next time I might go for the easy solution and just cut up the watermelon rather than using it as a serving dish. The large surface area also allowed the fizz to disappear really quickly from the soda, which was a shame.
I did like it though 🙂 I didn't add quite enough sugar, so it was a bit on the sour side, and I think I should have limited myself to 1/2-3/4l soda instead, as it got quite diluted. Regardless, it still tasted really good, so I'll consider it a success!
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Week 24: Easy Chicken Tikka Masala
The Recipe
700g chicken in bite sized pieces
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
ginger
chili powder
Juice of 1 lime
2tbsp tomato paste
1tbsp paprika
1/2tsp cumin
1/2tsp tumeric
1tsp garam masala
1tsp salt
oil
2dl yoghurt
2tbsp ground almonds (~20-30)
2tbsp cream
Wedges of lime to garnish
Add onion, garlic, ginger and chili powder to a bowl and use a handblender or similar to blend it. Add lime juice, tomato paste and the spices (paprika through salt) and mix into a fine paste.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the paste and cook for a few minutes until nice and fragrant. Add yoghurt and bring to a boil while stirring.
Put the chicken into a slow-cooker and pour the sauce over. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6.
Mix in ground almonds and cream.
Serve with rice or naan bread. Garnish with wedges of lime and mango chutney.
The Verdict
I'd worried it might be a bit too hot, but actually it was rather mild in taste. Both the ginger and the chili was supposed to be fresh, but I used powder instead. Also, I didn't have any cream, but used milk instead. Don't think it made too much of a difference, since it's only 2 tbsp.
The spice palette worked really well! A bit tame for me, but the others liked it - and I could just add chutney and chili flakes to mine, so it was all good. The meat was a bit dry, unfortunately. I think next time I might either leave the chicken uncut while cooking, or I'd reduce the cooking time by ~1 hour (on low anyway).
700g chicken in bite sized pieces
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
ginger
chili powder
Juice of 1 lime
2tbsp tomato paste
1tbsp paprika
1/2tsp cumin
1/2tsp tumeric
1tsp garam masala
1tsp salt
oil
2dl yoghurt
2tbsp ground almonds (~20-30)
2tbsp cream
Wedges of lime to garnish
Add onion, garlic, ginger and chili powder to a bowl and use a handblender or similar to blend it. Add lime juice, tomato paste and the spices (paprika through salt) and mix into a fine paste.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the paste and cook for a few minutes until nice and fragrant. Add yoghurt and bring to a boil while stirring.
Put the chicken into a slow-cooker and pour the sauce over. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6.
Mix in ground almonds and cream.
Serve with rice or naan bread. Garnish with wedges of lime and mango chutney.
The Verdict
I'd worried it might be a bit too hot, but actually it was rather mild in taste. Both the ginger and the chili was supposed to be fresh, but I used powder instead. Also, I didn't have any cream, but used milk instead. Don't think it made too much of a difference, since it's only 2 tbsp.
The spice palette worked really well! A bit tame for me, but the others liked it - and I could just add chutney and chili flakes to mine, so it was all good. The meat was a bit dry, unfortunately. I think next time I might either leave the chicken uncut while cooking, or I'd reduce the cooking time by ~1 hour (on low anyway).
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Week 21: Coconut Curry Soup
The Recipe
(Serves 2)
~100g precooked protein - I used chicken, but the original recipe called for shrimp
1 carrot (not too big. I used half of a large one)
1/2 bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/2 onion
~100g rice vermicelli (very thin noodles)
1tsp ginger
2 tbsp red curry paste
1l chicken broth
1 can (400ml) coconut milk
salt, pepper
oil
Juice from 1 lime
Julienne carrot and bell pepper. Put aside.
Mince garlic and julienne onion.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until slightly soft. Add garlic, ginger and red curry paste and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Add broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste (add slightly more salt as you would otherwise - the noodles will absorb some of it).
Add noodles and boil for 2 minutes. Add the carrot and bell pepper and boil for another 2.
Split the precooked meat into two bowls and pour the boiling soup over. Squeeze some lime juice over. Serve immediately.
The Verdict
Two tablespoons of curry paste is a LOT, so this is a soup with more than just a bite. I loved it, but beware if you're making this for people who'd prefer less heat - I think it'd be far too much for my DH.
But apart from that I REALLY liked it! I didn't boil the noodles for quite long enough, so they still had a bit of bite, but not enough to detract. Really tasty and extremely easy to make.
(Serves 2)
~100g precooked protein - I used chicken, but the original recipe called for shrimp
1 carrot (not too big. I used half of a large one)
1/2 bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/2 onion
~100g rice vermicelli (very thin noodles)
1tsp ginger
2 tbsp red curry paste
1l chicken broth
1 can (400ml) coconut milk
salt, pepper
oil
Juice from 1 lime
Julienne carrot and bell pepper. Put aside.
Mince garlic and julienne onion.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until slightly soft. Add garlic, ginger and red curry paste and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Add broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste (add slightly more salt as you would otherwise - the noodles will absorb some of it).
Add noodles and boil for 2 minutes. Add the carrot and bell pepper and boil for another 2.
Split the precooked meat into two bowls and pour the boiling soup over. Squeeze some lime juice over. Serve immediately.
The Verdict
Two tablespoons of curry paste is a LOT, so this is a soup with more than just a bite. I loved it, but beware if you're making this for people who'd prefer less heat - I think it'd be far too much for my DH.
But apart from that I REALLY liked it! I didn't boil the noodles for quite long enough, so they still had a bit of bite, but not enough to detract. Really tasty and extremely easy to make.
Monday, May 20, 2019
Week 20: Mexican Pork Chops
The Recipe
4 pork chops
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili
1 tsp cumin
Juice from 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp salsa
Mix together salt, cayenne pepper, chili and cumin in a bowl and lime juice, chopped garlic, honey and salsa in either a large bowl or a freezer bag. Sprinkle the pork chops with the spice-mix and place them in the box/bag with the salsa-mix, making sure to coat all sides. Let it marinade for at least 1 hour.
Heat oil on a pan and cook the chops until done.
Serve with rice and vegetables.
The Verdict
It was just borderline too spicy for DH, but I loved it. The salsa-honey mix worked really well. Perhaps I'll try just the marinade without the spices another time, to see if that works better.
4 pork chops
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp chili
1 tsp cumin
Juice from 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp salsa
Mix together salt, cayenne pepper, chili and cumin in a bowl and lime juice, chopped garlic, honey and salsa in either a large bowl or a freezer bag. Sprinkle the pork chops with the spice-mix and place them in the box/bag with the salsa-mix, making sure to coat all sides. Let it marinade for at least 1 hour.
Heat oil on a pan and cook the chops until done.
Serve with rice and vegetables.
The Verdict
It was just borderline too spicy for DH, but I loved it. The salsa-honey mix worked really well. Perhaps I'll try just the marinade without the spices another time, to see if that works better.
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Week 16: Lemon-Honey Chicken
The Recipe
(Serves 1)
A pinch of salt
A dash of pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp thyme
2 heaped tbsp honey
1 tbsp cornstarch
1dl water
4 chicken drumsticks or 2 chicken thighs (dark meat)
~1/2 small squash/zucchini, sliced
Place first 8 ingredients (salt through water) in a crockpot. Whisk sauce together. Add chicken and turn it over a few times to make sure it is thoroughly coated. Add squash slices on top.
Cook on LOW for ~8hours.
Serve with baked potatoes.
The Verdict
REALLY good! The sauce was a lot thinner than I had expected, despite the cornstarch, but it tasted great, and (probably thanks to the lemon) had penetrated through the chicken skin nicely. I also liked the taste it gave the squash. Definitely something I'll make again.
(Serves 1)
A pinch of salt
A dash of pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of half a lemon
1 tsp thyme
2 heaped tbsp honey
1 tbsp cornstarch
1dl water
4 chicken drumsticks or 2 chicken thighs (dark meat)
~1/2 small squash/zucchini, sliced
Place first 8 ingredients (salt through water) in a crockpot. Whisk sauce together. Add chicken and turn it over a few times to make sure it is thoroughly coated. Add squash slices on top.
Cook on LOW for ~8hours.
Serve with baked potatoes.
The Verdict
REALLY good! The sauce was a lot thinner than I had expected, despite the cornstarch, but it tasted great, and (probably thanks to the lemon) had penetrated through the chicken skin nicely. I also liked the taste it gave the squash. Definitely something I'll make again.
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Week 14: Lasagna with Rocket Salad, Ham and Mushrooms
The Recipe
~25g rocket salad
200g ricotta or cottage cheese
1.75dl shredded cheddar
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
200g thinly sliced ham
300g finely chopped mushrooms
1 (425g) can tomatoes
1 (140g) can tomato paste
1dl freshly chopped basil
shredded parmesan
lasagna pasta
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Chop up the rocket salad and mix it with the ricotta cheese and cheddar. Put aside.
In a large pot, add oil and cook onion and garlic until fragrant and slightly soft. Add ham and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes before adding the canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat and leave it to simmer for 5 minutes until it's thickened a bit. Add basil.
In an oven-proof dish layer pasta, cheese mixture, pasta, meat sauce, pasta etc. End with pasta and parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes
The Verdict
Tasted good but strangely bland. It was definitely in need of something - although I'm not quite sure what that something should be. I liked the idea of an alternative filling for a lasagna though, so might play around with that a bit more... but doubt I'll make this specific recipe again.
~25g rocket salad
200g ricotta or cottage cheese
1.75dl shredded cheddar
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
200g thinly sliced ham
300g finely chopped mushrooms
1 (425g) can tomatoes
1 (140g) can tomato paste
1dl freshly chopped basil
shredded parmesan
lasagna pasta
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Chop up the rocket salad and mix it with the ricotta cheese and cheddar. Put aside.
In a large pot, add oil and cook onion and garlic until fragrant and slightly soft. Add ham and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes before adding the canned tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat and leave it to simmer for 5 minutes until it's thickened a bit. Add basil.
In an oven-proof dish layer pasta, cheese mixture, pasta, meat sauce, pasta etc. End with pasta and parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes
The Verdict
Tasted good but strangely bland. It was definitely in need of something - although I'm not quite sure what that something should be. I liked the idea of an alternative filling for a lasagna though, so might play around with that a bit more... but doubt I'll make this specific recipe again.
Week 13: Marinated Bell Pepper
The Recipe
4 bell peppers
1.25dl olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp freshly chopped basil
2 tbsp freshly chopped oregano
I had neither fresh basil nor fresh oregano, so used about 1tsp of each dried.
Cut the bell peppers into quarters, removing stem and seeds. Put on a baking sheet and grill until the skin bubbles up and starts to go black. Take them out of the oven and leave to rest under a moist towel for 5-10 minutes or until they're cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin (don't obsess with this - just get as much off as you can). Cut into thin stripes.
Mix together olive oil, lemon juice basil and oregano. Add the bell pepper and make sure it all gets coated in the marinade. Leave for at LEAST 2 hours - preferably overnight.
Serve as a side by itself or use in wraps or on sandwiches.
The Verdict
This is SO good! I didn't grill the bell peppers for long enough, so only got about half the skin off, but that didn't matter much - the marinade still penetrated nicely. I misread the recipe so I only had time to marinade it for about 1 hour before dinner. The leftovers I refrigerated and saved for sandwiches the next day - it definitely improved after such a long time marinading. It was good the first evening too, but especially the slices where I hadn't gotten all the skin off had gotten much softer the second day.
It's a lot of work for every day meals, but tastes really good, so worth while to do once in a blue moon.
4 bell peppers
1.25dl olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp freshly chopped basil
2 tbsp freshly chopped oregano
I had neither fresh basil nor fresh oregano, so used about 1tsp of each dried.
Cut the bell peppers into quarters, removing stem and seeds. Put on a baking sheet and grill until the skin bubbles up and starts to go black. Take them out of the oven and leave to rest under a moist towel for 5-10 minutes or until they're cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin (don't obsess with this - just get as much off as you can). Cut into thin stripes.
Mix together olive oil, lemon juice basil and oregano. Add the bell pepper and make sure it all gets coated in the marinade. Leave for at LEAST 2 hours - preferably overnight.
Serve as a side by itself or use in wraps or on sandwiches.
The Verdict
This is SO good! I didn't grill the bell peppers for long enough, so only got about half the skin off, but that didn't matter much - the marinade still penetrated nicely. I misread the recipe so I only had time to marinade it for about 1 hour before dinner. The leftovers I refrigerated and saved for sandwiches the next day - it definitely improved after such a long time marinading. It was good the first evening too, but especially the slices where I hadn't gotten all the skin off had gotten much softer the second day.
It's a lot of work for every day meals, but tastes really good, so worth while to do once in a blue moon.
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