Butternut Squash, Black Bean, Tomato and Coconut Curry

8th September 20208th September 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 6-8

Creamy and mild, this curry is great for all the family. It’s naturally vegan and gluten free too so caters for a range of dietary requirements. If you like some heat, add a chopped chilli or two during step two.

This is rather rich because of the coconut milk, and should serve 6-8, depending on appetite. It’s a perfect batch cook recipe so you can freeze portions for a quick and nutritious meal for another night.

Ingredients:
(Coconut) oil
2 onions, small dice
2 inches of ginger, grated
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 cinnamon sticks
2 heaped tsp ground cumin
2 heaped tsp ground coriander
2 heaped tsp ground turmeric
2 heaped tsp ground paprika
1 tin coconut milk
500g passata
2 tins black beans, drained
2 tomatoes, halved and cut into wedges
1/2 butternut squash, small dice
Salt and pepper

Step 1: Heat a table spoon or two of oil in a large pan (it will need to have a lid). Add the diced onion and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a further five.

Step 2: Add all the spices and stir to stop them from burning. After a minute or two add the coconut milk and passata, along with the squash, tomato and black beans. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat, until the squash is tender. Season to taste and serve with rice and/or flatbreads.

Tiffin

7th September 20208th September 2020
by thefoodwife

Makes 16 squares

A perfect non-bake ‘bake’ to make with children. Tiffin, or refrigerator cake, is a rich biscuity chocolate concoction which combines store cupboard and fridge ingredients to make a tasty treat. It’ll keep for up to a week in the fridge too (although I’ve never known it to last so long!)

I’ve given you options here to turn it into a gluten-free and/or vegan treat, if required. You can vary the amount of biscuits used (see below) using the lower amount will give a softer, fudgier tiffin, the higher makes a more solid tiffin. Both are good!

Ingredients:
150g butter/vegan baking block
75g caster sugar
75g golden syrup
30g cocoa powder
160g-200g biscuits (I like using digestives or rich teas) (gluten-free/vegan if required), crushed to a mix of powder and chunks
2 handfuls of sultanas
200g dark and/or milk chocolate (gluten-free/vegan if required), melted
Optional: Handful of mini marshmallows (gluten-free/vegan if required)

Step 1: Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with grease proof paper.

Step 2: Over a medium low heat, melt the butter, sugar, syrup and cocoa together until smooth, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Step 3: In a bowl combine the crushed biscuits and sultanas, and then stir through the molten cocoa mix until fully combined.

Step 4: Tip into the lined pan and press out until it is in one smooth and level layer.

Step 5: Smooth over the molten chocolate and, if using, sprinkle over the marshmallows, pressing them gently into the melted chocolate. Cover and place in the fridge to set for a few hours. Once fully set, cut into 16 squares using a hot knife.

Store in a sealed container in the fridge.

Baked Feta

19th July 202019th July 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 2-4 as part of a mezze

Baked feta has been a revelation in our household. Whilst I’ve always loved it in its regular state, the food husband has never been particularly fussed by it. But he loves this!

Ingredients:
200g block of feta
2 tbsp runny honey
Pinch of oregano
Pinch of dried chilli flakes

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 200c (fan).

Step 2: Place the feta in a small baking dish. Drizzle over the spoonful of honey and sprinkle the oregano and chilli across the top.

Step 3: Bake for 10-15 minutes and serve immediately.

Apple, Sultana and Cinnamon Banana Loaf Cake

14th July 202014th July 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 8-10

Looking to make a fruit cake? I’m not sure you could get a fruitier loaf cake?! This has the base of a banana cake but then has the addition of apple, sultanas and cinnamon to transform it into an apple cake. A great way to use up the fruit bowl when things are past their best, and it couldn’t be easier to make. It’s dairy free too!

Ingredients:
2 large/3 medium/4 small very ripe bananas, mashed
110g vegetable oil
60g caster sugar
170g self raising flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g sultanas
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks

Step 1: In a large bowl, mix the bananas, oil, sugar, flour, eggs and cinnamon together.

Step 2: Fold in the sultanas and apples.

Step 3: Pour into a lined 1lb loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180c (fan) for 50 mins, or until golden, risen and springs back to the touch.

Step 6: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for half an hour before transferring (out of the tin) to a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container and it can
last a few days.

BBQ Pulled Jackfruit

13th July 202013th July 2020
by thefoodwife

Serves 4-6

I’ve long been curious to try jackfruit and recently decided to give it a go. I picked up a couple of tins in the supermarket and as I was making a vegetarian meal for friends who had just had a baby I thought this would be a good time to make something with it.

The jackfruit came in chunks, which, when simmered down in the bbq sauce, became soft enough to easily pull apart with fork to create, what looked like, pulled pork.

All the flavour here comes from the tomatoey sauce. The jackfruit adds the bulk and texture.

We had ours loaded into brioche buns, but it would also be good served with rice.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp (smoked) paprika
2 tsp chipotle paste (or use a chilli sauce such as siracha)
1 tbsp cider vinegar
8 tbsp bbq sauce (see below for how to make your own in this quantity)
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tins of young green jackfruit in salted water, drained
Salt and pepper

Step 1: Sweat the onion and oil together in a large frying pan over a medium heat, until soft.

Step 2: Add the spices and chipotle paste and stir for a minute before adding the bbq sauce, vinegar and tomatoes.

Step 3: Add the jackfruit and a splash of water. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat and cover with a lid. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the jackfruit is soft enough to shred with a pair of forks. Taste and season as necessary with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Once shredded leave the lid off and cook for another 10 or so minutes until the sauce is thick and slightly sticky.

Serve in buns or with rice. Great with coleslaw on the side.

To make your own bbq sauce mix together 100g tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp Henderson’s relish (or Worcestershire sauce if you don’t need it vegan/gluten-free) and 1 tbsp cider vinegar.