Blog – Page 11 – The Food Wife

Chocolate Sprinkle Lollies

10th March 202410th March 2024
by thefoodwife

Such a great make with kids (or without!) and as my six-year old declared â€œthese are super easy!â€ So no excuse not to make them!!

These are totally adaptable to your dietary requirements, just make sure your ingredients are suitable; gluten-free/vegan/vegetarian (be careful on the sprinkles – some are made with gluten/animal products) .

All you need is your chocolate of choice, sprinkles, lolly sticks, grease proof paper, a baking tray and a fridge or freezerâ€¦

Ingredients:

200g chocolate (gluten-free/vegan as required)

Sprinkles (gluten-free/vegan as required)

10 lolly sticks

Step 1: Prepare a baking tray with grease proof paper. Make sure the tray will fit flat in your fridge or freezer.

Step 2: Melt the chocolate in a bowl, either in the microwave (30 seconds at a time, stirring in between each increment). Stop shortly before all pieces are melted and then stir until smooth. Alternatively melt in a bain marie.

Step 3: Use a dessert spoon to make a thin circle of chocolate (about 4cm diameter) and then place a lolly stick into the centre. Repeat until you have made 10. Then put in the freezer (or fridge) until set (just a couple of minutes in the freezer).

Step 4: Remove the tray from the freezer and repeat a thicker circle over each lolly so you have a neat lolly. Cover with sprinkles and then return to the freezer, until set.

Try not to eat them all at once, instead store them in a tub in the fridge.

Store the lollies in a sealed tub in the fridge

No-Churn Clotted Cream Ice Cream

8th March 20248th March 2024
by thefoodwife

The easiest, richest ice cream which takes five minutes to make before popping it in the freezer to do its thing.

As weâ€™re approaching Easter I decided to add some bashed up mini eggs to mine, but by all means you can leave these out.

This hardly seems like a recipe, but here we go anyway!

Ingredients:

453g clotted cream

397g condensed milk

80g mini eggs, bashed into small pieces (optional)

Step 1: Whisk the clotted cream and condensed milk together until just thick and evenly combined – this will only take a minute or two so keep watch!

Step 2: If using, fold through the crushed mini eggs, then transfer the mixture to a tub and seal with a lid. Pop the tub in the freezer, for a few hours, or ideally overnight. Scoop and eat!!

Fragrant Sea Bass Parcels

11th February 202412th February 2024
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

These delightful silver parcels sing with fresh and fragrant flavours. Delicate fish scented with the unmistakable perfume of south-east Asia. These are beautiful served with my go-to noodle salad but for a lighter meal serve with a fresh and zingy salad without the carbs.

Ingredients:

4 sea bass fillets

1 red chilli finely sliced

1/2 lemongrass finely sliced

4 lime leaves

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 160c (fan) and get a baking tray ready.

Step 2: Lay out a largish sheet of tin foil per person. In the centre of each lay two fillets side by side skin side down. Sprinkle over the sliced chilli and lemongrass and place a lime leaf on each fillet.

Step 3: bring the sides of the foil up to create a pocket with space for the steam to accumulate to cook the fish and then scrunch the ends tight to seal the parcels.

Step 4: Place the parcels on the baking tray and cook for 12-15 minutes.

Serve the parcels on the table, allowing the eater to open their own little fragrant package!

Vietnamese-style Sticky Meatballs

11th February 202411th February 2024
by thefoodwife

Makes 12

These are so tasty. Sticky from their honey, sesame and soy glaze and juicy inside. You can of course serve these with noodles or rice but for a low carb option try them in gem lettuce leaf â€˜boatsâ€™. I made these with turkey mince but by all means use a mince of your choice.

Ingredients:

400g (turkey) mince

1 red chilli, finely chopped

1 lemongrass, finely chopped

3 lime leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp oyster sauce (gluten-free if required)

1 thumb sized piece of ginger, grated

For the sticky glaze:

2 tbsp honey

4 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 thumb sized piece of ginger, grated

1 tsp sesame seeds

Step 1: Mix all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl (use your hands for best results).

Step 2: Wet your hands to help them not stick and make 12 balls from the mixture.

Step 3: Add a little vegetable oil to a (non-stick) frying pan and over a medium heat, fry the meatballs until they are golden all over and cooked through. This will take 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile mix up the glaze ingredients.

Step 4: When youâ€™re happy the meatballs are cooked, add the glaze mixture to the pan and raise the heat a little so that the mixture reduces to a sticky glaze, which should take a couple of minutes, and toss the meatballs so they are coated.

Serve.

Pork and Prawn stuffed Cabbage Rolls

11th February 202412th February 2024
by thefoodwife

Makes 12-15 rolls

Here is a low carb way to enjoy delicious pork and prawn dumplings. Using cabbage leaves in place of the dough makes these a tasty and healthier addition to your repertoire.

Ingredients:

500g pork mince

165g raw king prawns roughly chopped

60g shiitake mushrooms roughly chopped

1 tbsp oyster sauce (gluten-free if required)

1 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

1 tsp Chinese 5 spice

2 spring onions, finely sliced

2 fat cloves of garlic, crushed

12-15 large savoy cabbage leaves, washed and blanched in boiling water for 30 seconds

Dipping sauce:

1 tsp Sesame oil

2 tbsp Soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

4 tbsp Black rice vinegar

1 tbsp Sugar

Step 1: Mix the pork, prawns, mushrooms, oyster sauce, soy sauce, Chinese 5 spice, spring onion and garlic together in a large bowl. For best results use your hands to ensure everything is combined.

Step 2: Next take the blanched cabbage leaves and use a sharp knife to remove the tough stem from the base of them. Lay them flat.

Step 3: Wet your hands to help stop the mixture sticking to them and take golf ball sized amounts and mould them into a squat sausage shape and place in the centre of a leaf and then fold them for the bottom of the leaf, tucking in the sides as you go, until you have a neat parcel. Repeat with the remaining leaves.

*The folded cabbage rolls, pre-steaming. You can prepare them to this stage in advance and keep them on a plate in the fridge for a few hours until ready to steam.*

Step 4: Steam the parcels for 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile mix up the dipping sauce ingredients. When the dumplings are freshly steamed serve them with the dipping sauce.