Apple & sultana meringues

It's the season of apples! 🍎 I fancied something a bit different and as I had some egg whites left over from another recipe, I came up with this simple but yummy dessert. 

Serves 4

3 large cooking apples
1 tbsp brown sugar
Sprinkle of sultanas
2 egg whites 
110g caster sugar
Squeeze of lemon juice
Grated rind of 1/2 lemon
Sprinkle of brown sugar

1)peel, chop and core the apples and place in a pan and cover the bottom of the pan with water. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and cook gently until the apples have started to soften. Turn off the heat 
2)grease 4 ramekins and spoon in the apples evenly. Sprinkle over sultanas and stir into the apple
3)put the egg whites in a bowl and with an electric hand whisk beat until white peaks begin to form 
4)add the sugar a tbsp at a time and keep whisking until the mixture has turned white and glossy and has started to soften. Add the lemon juice and zest and beat some more. 
5)spoon he meringue over the apple and cook in a preheated oven at 160c for 30 mins until the meringue looks cooked on the top. 

Apple and fruit crumbly pudding

Sponge

2 cooking apples, peeled cored and chopped
100g butter, softened 
175g cater sugar 
1 egg
280g self raising flour
125ml milk
200g fruit berries 

For crumble topping
50g softened and diced butter
85g self raising flour
100g brown sugar
Zest of a lemon

1)heat oven to 180c and line a 20 x 30 cake tin with baking parchment. Put the apple in a small pan and cover with water. Cook for a few minutes until soft, drain and leave to one side
2)make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into the flour, sugar and lemon zest until the mixture resembles crumbs
3)beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy and then add the egg, beat well. Add the flour and milk and continue to beat until combined. 
4)add the apples and mix well then spoon into the tin, smooth the surface and cover with the berries
5)sprinkle over the crumble topping and bake in the oven for 45 mins until golden and a skewer comes out clean. 

✔️Top tip: you can use frozen berries! 

Spicy Creamy Carrot Soup

• This is so so tasty and probably the best carrot soup I've made! The coconut milk and spices give it an exotic spicy and creamy flavour.  🌶👍
• 
  
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tsp grated ginger 
• 1 red chilli 🌶  deseeded and chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp  garam masala
• 600g carrots 🥕  trimmed and sliced
• 2 strips of orange 🍊 zest
• 400g can coconut milk
• 500ml vegetable stock

1. 1)Heat the oil in a large pan. Tip in the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli, then cook for 3-5 mins until soft. 
   2)Stir in the cumin powder and garam masala, followed by the carrots and orange zest, then cover and cook over a low heat for 10 mins more.
   1. 3)Give the coconut milk can a shake, then pour into the pan along with the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 15 mins until the carrots are really soft. 
      4)Remove the orange zest, then use a hand blender or food processor to whizz until smooth then ladle into bowls
      
      
      Gorgeous!
      

      

Carrot 🥕 cake 🥕

*155ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
*230g self-raising flour
*1 tsp baking powder
*1½ tsp ground cinnamon
*½ tsp allspice
*1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
*230g light brown muscovado sugar
*Finely grated zest of 1 satsuma or mandarin
*100g pistachio nuts finely chopped (you could use a good processor for this)
*260g carrots, coarsely grated
*3 medium free-range eggs, beaten

For the icing
*50g butter, softened
*200g full-fat cream cheese, we recommend Philadelphia
*100g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
*Finely grated zest of 1 orange

1.Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease an 18cm loose-bottomed round cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into a large bowl. Add the sugar, zest, nuts and grated carrots, then stir until well combined. Stir in the beaten eggs and oil, then mix well.
2.Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack, leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out and leave to cool completely before icing.
3.For the icing, beat the butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until really soft. Add the cream cheese and beat again until well mixed. Sift over the icing sugar, add the orange zest, then beat until smooth. Store, covered, in the fridge until needed.
4.Carefully cut the cake in half, spread half the icing between the cake layers and the other half on top.

Cannelloni

Serves 3

2 onions chopped finely 
1 garlic clove chopped finely 
1 tbsp oil
1 400ml chopped tomatoes 
2  tbsp chopped basil
225g ricotta cheese
1 egg
4 slices of cooked ham
Approx 9 cannelloni tubes
Parmesan cheese 

1)gently heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until softened 
2)add the chopped tomatoes and basil, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins 
3)whilst the sauce is cooking, lightly grease a large oven proof dish then mix the cheese, egg and ham together in a bowl
4)with a tsp fill the callelloni tubes with the cheese mixture and place in the ovenproof dish (see top tip)
5)cover with the tomato sauce and cover with grated Parmesan cheese and bake in the oven for 45 mins or until the sauce is bubbling 

✔️Top tip: before making the dish, check the cannelloni tubes fit tightly in your ovenproof dish. Easier to do this in advance than when they are filled 👍

Banana & Apricot cake

This cake is so yummy and stays fresh for several days if kept in an airtight container. Perfect for a midmorning snack or after dinner treat. 

4oz softened butter
4oz light brown sugar
2 egg beaten
8oz plain flour
Zest of a lemon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 mashed bananas 
2 oz dried apricots chopped finely 

1) preheat the oven, grease and line a loaf tin with parchment paper
2) put the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and beat well. Gradually beat in the eggs
3)sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and stir well. 
4)stir in the bananas and apricots, mix well and spoon in to the tin
5)Bake for one hour until the top is golden and a skewer inseringo the centre of the cake comes out dry

Tuna Pasta Bake

Sometimes you need to cheat!   This tasty dish uses a Colmans packet tuna seasoning mix and is so easy to make for a family meal. 

1 sachet Colman's Tuna Pasta Bake seasoning mix
225g pasta
425ml skimmed milk
200g canned tuna, drained
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into bite sized chunks
2 handfuls of broccoli florets 
50g green beans chopped finely 
1 mozzarella ball sliced into circles 
40g grated cheddar 
2 packets of 25g crisps crushed 

1) bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the pasta, carrot and broccoli. Simmer for 8-10 mins until the pasta is 'al dente'
2)while the pasta is cooking, tip the seasoning mix sachet into a large saucepan, add a splash of the milk and mix well.  Then stir in the remaining milk
3)bring to the boil stirring constantly,  then add the green beans and simmer for 3-5 mins until sauce starts has thickened. 
4)Add the tuna and pasta, stir well and place in an ovenproof dish
5)top with the crushed crisps, then pop the sliced mozzarella and cheddar on top and place under a top grill until the cheese had melted and golden. 

Quick and easy pasta with halloumi

Serves 2 hungry people

8oz pasta
1 tbsp olive oil 
1 large carrot chopped 
1 red onion chopped 
6 broccoli florets
1 tbsp thyme
200 ml chopped tomatoes
2 tsp chilli oil
100g halloumi cubed
2 handfuls of fresh spinach 
Salt and pepper to taste

1)bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the pasta and chopped carrot and broccoli . Reduce to a simmer and cook for 8-10 mins until the pasta is 'al dente'
2) while the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the onion and fry gently for 5 mins until it has softened 
3)add the chopped tomatoes, chilli oil  and chopped thyme and bring to the boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-4  mins
4) stir in the chopped halloumi and spinach and warm through for another 1-2 mins
5) drain the pasta then add the tomato sauce to the pasta and stir together quickly and serve

Rhubarb & apple crumble

• 2 large eating apples, peeled , cored and sliced
• 4 stalks rhubarb, thickly sliced
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar

• Crumble topping
• 100g flour
• 125g brown sugar
• 90g rolled oats
• 80g butter
• 
  

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C / gas mark 6.
2. Combine apple and rhubarb in an oven-proof dish; sprinkle over sugar.
3. In food processor, combine flour, sugar, butter, and oats. Blend until you have a nice, crumbly mixture.
4. Spread over the top of apple/ruhbarb mix.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 45 mins or until top is golden and fruit mix is bubbl

✔️Top tip: reduce rolled oats to 60g and add 30g chopped nuts 🥜 

Carrot & Coriander soup

20g butter

1 garlic clove finely chopped

1 onion chopped 

3 carrots sliced

2 tsp crushed coriander seeds

500ml hot vegetable stock

Salt and pepper 

1)heat the butter and add the onion and garlic and fry gently for 5 mins

2)add the carrots and coriander seeds and stir well, fry for 2 mins then add the stock and bring to a bubble 

3)reduce to a simmer for 15 mins until the carrots have softened

4)pour into a blender and blitz until smooth

5)when ready to serve return to the heat to warm through and season with salt and pepper

Chicken curry

Serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil 
1 onion roughly chopped 
1 carrot sliced 
1 green pepper sliced
2 chicken breasts cubed
2 tbsp curry paste
200 ml chopped tomatoes 
150 ml double cream 

1)Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and carrot and fry gently for 5 mins until they have begun to soften. 
2)Add the chicken and cook until browned all over. 
3) Add the curry paste and store well for 2 mins and then add the chopped tomatoes and green pepper. Bring to a bubble and turn down the heat and simmer for 15 mins. 
4)When ready to eat, add the cream, stir well until warmed through. 
5)Serve with boiled rice. Tasty!