Chicken Puttanesca with Courgetti

Courgetti. Courgette, dressed up as spagetti. Love it.

I made this meal for a dinner on week 5 of the Fast Diet, and the entire plate was only 250 calories.

To prepare the Courgetti

I don't have a spiraliser or a julienne grater, so mine was more like half length spaghetti, but that's not going to stop me from calling it Courgetti, that I love!

I used my Kitchenaid Food Processor and attached the julienne blade. It produced perfectly thinly chopped courgettes, like this:

Simply spray some oil-spray in a pan and heat before adding the courgette. Add the pile of courgettes to the hot pan and gently cook for 3-4 minutes.

To prepare the Chicken Puttanesca

I followed the Fast Diet Recipe Book, however as I am not all that fussed about anchovies or capers, I left these out of the recipe, but if you like anchovies, add a few per person. I found that the green olives were salty enough though.

Serves 2
1T extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
250g cherry tomatoes
10 green olives
Half an onion
2 lean chicken breasts
Fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and add the garlic and fry for a few minutes.

3. Add the cherry tomatoes, olives and chopped onion. and stir for five minutes.

4. Add the chicken and stir well. Put the lid on the pot and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and stir well to make sure the tomato sauce is fully covering the chicken. Place back in the oven without the lid on and cook for a further 20 minutes.

6. When fully cooked, allow to cool for a few minutes and stir through the basil to serve.

I would probably ordinarily serve with rice, but serving with the courgetti worked perfectly!! My only complaint would be that because the Puttanesca was a little watery (by its nature, I don't think I did anything wrong...) it would have been nice to have something a little more absorbent to mop up the juices. But the flavour of the courgette was the perfect match for the salty chicken! Delightful!

Chai Spiced Tiramegsu (GF)

I love the idea of a real Tiramisu. But, I can't eat chocolate. Or coffee. So to be honest, I've never even had one. I have smelled many (sometimes not the most sociable request to ask across the dinner table) and they smell divine. I've not met anyone who hasn't like them, so a few years ago I decided to make a meg-friendly tiramisu. A tiraMegsu if you will.

The two flavours that I decided to combine were baileys and chai spices, and yesterday I made it for the first time since becoming gluten intolerant, and it still worked beautifully. Ordinarily I would use the traditional sponge finger biscuits as the base of the tiramisu, but wasn't able to procure any gluten free ones, so just used the best that I could find, which was a GF orange and vanilla cake.

Ingredients

Base layer
Sponge fingers or GF Cake - depending on whether you are GF or not. Stick with as plain as possible.

250ml Baileys liquer

250ml hot water

15g (8t) chai spices (I sometimes use the spices individually or if i'm being lazy, just use an instant mix)

Cream filling

2 eggs, separated

75g caster sugar

60ml more baileys, this time for the cream

400g marscapone cream cheese

Crushed nuts for the topping, I used hazelnuts, but often just whatever is around. 

Method

1. Prepare the base of your dish by lining the entire bottom with the cake/fingers. I was making individual tiramegsu's and as we didn't have anything better, I used the mini cheesecake tins. 

2. Combine the baileys, hot water and chai spices in a bowl with a pouring lip. 

3. Carefully pour half of the mixture over the base cake/fingers until they are all well coated. They should have enough liquid on them to soak all the way through but not be too much to be dripping at the bottom. 

4. Meanwhile, start on the cream filling. Beat together the egg yolks, sugar and 60ml of baileys. Beat for a few minutes until pale gold. 

5. Gradually add the marscapone to the egg mix, bit by bit until smooth and creamy. 

6. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

7. Gently fold the egg whites into the marscapone mixture until well combined.

8. Spoon the cream over the cake/fingers until an even layer. 

9. Repeat the cake/finger and cream layering until you have reached the top of the dish you have used. 

10. Sprinkle crushed nuts with a little more chai spices on top of the tiramegsu and place it in the fridge for as many hours as you can, about 6 hours would be the best to allow the baileys and spices to really soak into the cake/fingers. 

So if you too are gluten intolerant and allergic to chocolate and coffee (would there be two of us out there?) then this is a delicious take on a classic dessert. Not especially healthy, but a lovely treat to indulge in all the same.

Photo Phriday #30

BBQ Brisket: Gordon Ramsay & Meg versus BrisketTown

Its a battle to the ends of the world, a fight worth winning, a duel of one man's BBQ versus another man's BBQ spices, an unlikely combat in which there are no points for second place (and if anyone can pick that quote, you are my kindred spirit). 

Dramatic enough for you? I think it's entirely appropriate and if you don't agree, you must not have had the joy of being able to compare and contrast these two incredible beasts. 

Let me walk you through my Brisket journey, it's a messy walk, but a good one! 

The first time we went to New York was December last year. We went and spent Christmas with framily (friends but more like family) in Charlotte NC and then had a week in Brooklyn. We explored parts of Manhattan that are on every tourist guide (little did we know we would be back 8 months later to do it properly over 5 weeks!) and because we had a wee 6 month old and it was utterly freezing, we also explored the best of Williamsburg too. Our friends are definitely far more hip and happening than we are, so we were only too happy to let them show us their favourite "off the map" places in their hood. 

And a highlight of the best of Williamsburg would have to be BrisketTown: Delaney Barbecue. 

An unassuming 35-seats-diner serving Brisket and ribs. This was my very first experience of this Southern meal and will always be the benchmark that every Brisket is measured against, until the end of time. 

There are no plates. Plastic forks only. And a choice of a few sides each day. We didn't realise it at the time, but they had only been open for a month, so we were riding the trend-setting train, back when it was BYO and relatively unheard of. Yes, we are cool (read: The Smiths are cool and we are just lucky to be taken along for the ride). They stay open until they sell out (sometimes in an hour and a half), and something utterly neat is that you can check online before coming to see how much Brisket is left, and pre-order, to ensure you won't miss out! An entire website set up for this simple purpose!  Big fan! http://istheremeatleft.com

And what about the Brisket?? It was incredible (the photo is not sorry!). The reason you don't need silverware is because it just falls apart, right off the plastic fork! It was crunchy on the outside and oh my gosh so tender its ridiculous. It was smokey and unlike anything I had ever tried before. 

Incidentally, I peeked online at their website and TODAY is their 1st Birthday!!! 

Happy Birthday Delaney Barbecue & congrats on your first of many I suspect!

Okay, so with my introduction to Brisket being somewhat of an awesome experience, it is no doubt that I've been keen to have it again. Thinking that I needed a big barbecue/smoker/backyard I hesitated. Until.... Gordon Ramsay of course. We were watching his Ultimate Home Cooking show and saw his BBQ Brisket segment and looked at each other and just nodded. Done. 

Off to the butcher to pick up some brisket. Oh. That's right, this is the UK, you'll have to order it in! Boo. Patience has never been my strongest suit, but alas, wait a week I did. 

We knew it would be the perfect meal to serve my brother while he was here, so I watched and re-watched the episode to try and get a feel for the recipe (not all the recipes are available online, somewhat frustratingly). This recipe below is what I did, as I didn't have a few of the ingredients Gordon used available, so it is a collaboration recipe! Now a traditional Brisket is just slow cooked and smoked, with only salt and pepper to season the meat. As we don't have a bbq or smoker, we have to rub the bbq into the meat, and then slowly oven bake it. Don't worry, it still tastes out of this world!! 

Ingredients (serves 6, should not serve 3)

2kg Brisket

1 large onion

BBQ rub - see photo below for my mix. Gordon used celery seeds and mustard powder, I didn't have these so made up my own mix!

1T tomato paste/puree

4 bay leaves (mine were dried but still did the same as fresh ones)

1 bottle of beer (I used Estrella Damm Daura GF Lager)

Stock - beef or chicken, about 4-6 cups

Method:

1. Combine all the spices together and rub all over the meat. Warning - the cayenne pepper will make you cough like a fool. If your husband and brother are teasing you, invite them into the kitchen and enjoy watching them eat their words while they cough out the window!

2. Seal the brisket in a hot pan for a few minutes until it has a slight brown finish. 

3. Remove from the pan and add the onions and tomato paste and stir well to coat the onions

4. Place the meat back on top of the onions and pour in one bottle of beer (saving a swig or two for the chef!)

5. Add beef stock until the meat is almost covered. And for good measure, give the spices a little extra rub in, why not! But do not lick your fingers or touch your face!! 

About half way through cooking I separated out my meat because the pot wasn't big enough and it wasn't allowing me to add enough of the stock. 

6. My Brisket cooked for 4.5 hours on a low heat, the first 3 hours with the lid on, and the last 1.5 hours with it off. 

7. Make sides as you see fit (I will do a separate post about the gratin, this post is getting a wee bit lengthy as is) while you let your brisket rest for ten minutes. 

8. Eat the heck out of it! 

So my brother made promises that I wasn't to make a dessert, he'd just have two dinners. Which he did. I think he ate about a kilo of Brisket. And got indigestion and meat sweats! Haha but said he'd do it all again, it was too good to stop. 

This meat was tender, delicious, but also a bit spicy. The spices obviously give it a different flavour to traditional Brisket, but without the proper means to cook it in, it makes sense to have to add the barbecue flavours in yourself. 

A definite to-repeat meal, but start putting it on about 5 hours before you want to eat.

So in the duel worth winning, I think i'm going to need a second tasting of each to clearly pick a winner, it's just too close to call this time. If you live in New York, do yourself a favour and head to BrisketTown. And for the rest of us, give this recipe a whirl, you'll love it!!!

And then, the next day, you can make a kick-ass pizza with the small amount of leftovers! Just add some red onion, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream and coriander and you're done! 

So, how do you like/make your Brisket? Are you Texan and think it is completely unheard of and miraculous to get to the age of 28 having never tried Brisket?? I concur!

Have a great weekend!

Cast Iron doorstop makeover!

This is such an incredibly easy and effective makeover! 

I remember playing with a cast iron Iron when I was a little girl, pretending to iron my dollies clothes with it. Times have changed - I HATE ironing and somehow manage to get away with not needing to all that often. But the one thing I still do like is the cast iron version. 

There's a little antique market just down the road from us and most days it has 100% junk, but I peer in every now and then, and was thrilled to find two of these cast iron irons (is the second "iron" defunct?).  For a grand total of £5 I walked away happy, and with a heavy load under the pram!

They have been sitting at the doors for a while now, and are perfect because Baby M can't lift them, unlike all the other door stop solutions we've had until now. 

I bought a can of Montana gold spray paint a few months ago, with the intention of taking it to Australia and panting some mugs/glasses for Baby M's Baptism. After finding out there's no way I can travel with it, I put it away for a rainy day. 

Or for today it seems!

I was going to just do this little project quickly in our stairwell, but having read through the extensive warnings on the back of the can, I decided to heed their precautions and brave the cold. Before Madeleine woke up this morning I ducked down to the courtyard with 3 things - an empty box, the iron and the spray paint. Oh and keys and camera, I mislead you! 

I didn't think the neighbours would appreciate a gold courtyard (although I think it would look kind of amazing) so I placed the iron inside a large empty box and got to work. 

It said it was fast drying, but Meg-fast and Mr Montana-fast are very different! The good news is that if you get it on your skin, it will peel off later (the paint, not your skin). 

After about five minutes I turned it on its side to spray the underneath. 

I then let it sit for half an hour to set on properly and then set it to work!

Here's the before and after....

I absolutely LOVE it!! I think it just looks infinitely more classy and interesting than the old one. 

So simple, so easy, so cheap and yet such a great improvement!!!!

And now of course, nothing is safe in our house! Mr M is going to come home to find everything gold! I seriously sit here looking around at everything in my sight and think "ooh that would look better being gold". Look out Baby M!!!!! 

Fast Diet - Week 4 - #LoseDayTuesday

Week four of the 5:2 Fast Diet!! To find out more about it, read my original post here.

I can't believe I am in week four already. One definite change in the past week is my body's adjustment to fast days. No longer do I wake up desperate to eat first thing now. I can usually wait until around midday to have my first meal for the day now. I find it incredible how quickly that has changed for me, as I used to require breakfast within half an hour of being awake!!

Another change for me is how I feel about myself. This would most likely be due to getting stuck into pilates again and enjoying feeling my muscles again, the return of some old friends!!! Even though there still hasn't been much of a change on the scales yet, I just feel more confident, and that in itself is a huge change. 

Lunch - Sweet Potato Wedges

Not unlike the Sweet Potato Fries I posted about last week, but the wedges packed a little more punch!! I still had the same amount, cooked with low-cal oil spray, but added some chopped coriander along the way to change the taste somewhat!! They are a very high calorie snack though, I'm not sure I should be using up so much of my quota on a humble yam!!

Snack - Cinnamon Cottage Cheese

This is a slightly odd one, I admit. When I was living in a share house throughout University I lived with a Canadian girl Laura, who in her spare time, was a health nut! She would take me out for "park sessions" which sounded so enticing, but involved whipping my butt into shape through cruel and unusual measures. But she also ate some things that at the time seemed kind of loopy to me, but have stuck with me as sensible ways to snack without overloading in calories. This cottage cheese snack comes from her. It is SO simple - combine cottage cheese and cinnamon, mix and eat! 

Dinner - Garlic & Chilli Prawn Salad

Discovering that seafood generally is low calorie was a very important discovery last week. I love seafood endlessly, so being able to eat it, even on a fasting day, makes for one very happy Meg.  I created this meal out of the basis of a Thai Beef Salad that I have made and loved for years and years.  I just searched for it on meg-made to link to it and realised somehow it has been overlooked for a post, so that will be remedied soon!!

I marinated the prawns in finely chopped chilli, garlic and coriander. Usually I would add oil to the marinate, but didn't for this recipe and the prawns were still well infused and tender. I made a simple green salad and really just grabbed whatever was in the fridge. I used mixed greens, red onion, red pepper and sliced cucumbers. All of these are low-calorie veggies too. I wanted a little sauce to toss over the whole salad, and so combined light soy, freshly squeezed lime juice and a drop of agave nectar. It just gives it a tang and ties all the flavours together.

This prawn salad is an explosion of flavours in an otherwise fairly bland day, a very welcomed meal to finish the day of fasting. 

Drinks

I noticed that I wasn't drinking enough water until it was too late in the day, so even though I didn't get a headache, I certainly noticed it the following day. I was dehydrated for sure. 

Total calories for the day = 415

Exercise

I did two classes of Reformer Pilates this past week, and one cardio session. I wanted to work out one night but it was miserable outside, so I ran up and down the stairwell for 30 minutes. I did lots of funny things out there in the privacy of darkness and with the accomplice of some funky music. I may have in done some dancercise!! 

Weight loss?

Total loss to date = 1.3kg (2.86lbs). Only a small loss this week, but still a loss so I'll take the win! I am so impatient, I just want to see the kilos drop off, but I guess I'm not doing enough on my non-fasting days for that to happen. I am toying with the idea of a 3rd fasting day, potentially doing a 1,000 calorie day in addition to the two regular 500'ers. Does anyone know if this would be a good idea?? 

Are you doing the Fast Diet?? Have you had a good experience or know any good tips to share? I would love to hear success stories or advice, there are definitely some easier days than others, so lets share how to achieve them!!!

meg xx

Baked Porridge a la Gordon Ramsay

We finally have a new TV. And when I say finally, I mean FINALLY! This is the first television that we have ever bought. We survived on what was affectionately known as "the postage stamp" for our first 4 years living together in Melbourne (it was deeper than it was wide!). 

And then we inherited a hand-me-down TV from a neighbour in Oxford that didn't actually receive signal. 

And then we moved to London and realised our flat was actually too small to even put a TV in, so didn't bother with one. 

And then, we moved our room around, and were sitting on the couch soon after and realised, we now have space for a TV! I had to give up a shelf in my book/pots&pans-case, but we could finally have a TV. 

I wasn't really fussed without one, we had plenty of devices to keep me up to date with The Mindy Project, but having had one for a few weeks, I absolutely love it and wish we'd done it sooner! 

I am so enjoying watching cooking and travel shows again, I had forgotten how much I love them. We've also been watching A LOT of Gordon Ramsay shows, in particular, his Ultimate Home Cooking series on 4oD. I just love it. At least one meal from each show goes on my "must try" list. And yesterday, I tried two out, well I guess it was three really, but the other posts will have to come later in the week. 

I had my brother visiting over the weekend and if you know him, you know he loves to eat. Being an ex-rugby player it used to take a thrice-daily-smorgasbord to fuel him each day, but now it is only a twice-daily requirement. I was watching Gordon's Baked Porridge recipe and thought it would be a great one to try out on Ash, fill that immense hunger!!! 

I wanted to make the porridge more "me" so used my favourite nuts and fruits in the place of a few suggested in this porridge. Instead of the recommended almonds and raisins, I used macadamias and dried apricots. But I will keep Gordon's recipe as is, because I can't be claiming this one as my own!!!

Ingredients (recipe here)

150g (5oz) jumbo rolled oats

seeds from 1 vanilla pod

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1⁄2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, plus a little extra to sprinkle

50g (2oz) whole blanched almonds

50g (2oz) blanched hazelnuts

75g (3oz) raisins

1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks

500ml (18fl oz) milk, plus extra for serving

200ml (7fl oz) double cream

2 tbsp demerara sugar

Method

1. Cut the vanilla pod in half and scrape the seeds out carefully. I have never ever used real vanilla beans before, so was pretty excited with how incredible they are. If only they didn't cost £3 each, I'd use them everyday!!

2. Rub the vanilla seeds through the oats to infuse the flavour throughout the porridge. 

3. Chop the nuts and fruit of your choosing and place them in the bowl with the oats. Add the spices and mix well. 

4. Add the milk and cream and pour in an oven-proof dish. 

5. Bake in a 180C/350F oven for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid has all been soaked up by the oats and they are nice and tender. 

6. To create a crunchy breakfast creme brûlée effect, pour the demerara sugar on top of the porridge and leave under the grill for 3 minutes. I did this and half started to burn and the other half wasn't melting, so I got out my blow torch to finish it off. 

And serve warm and ENJOY!!

The spices and fruit and nut combo elevate the humble oats to another stratosphere!!! I loved the crunch of the nuts, the soft sweetness of the pear, and the sugar brittle on top is just sensational. It probably shouldn't be a regular weekday breakfast, but for a Sunday morning brunch it was divine!

We all added a little splash of extra milk to ours just to give it a little more moisture and next time I would probably take it out of the oven five minutes earlier too. Far more filling than a regular bowl of oats, we all didn't eat again until dinner time. But, when you see what dinner was, you'll understand our patience!!!

What a delightful way to enjoy porridge! I love this adaptation of a classic breakfast. I even think oats would be happy to finally be used in a luxurious and indulgent way.