Announcing "Flavours of" Series 4~ Europe

"Flavours of " series 1- India was born in August 2010 , our culinary journey took us travelling around India. We sampled wonderful  Gujarati, Punjabi, Goan, Maharastrian, Bengali, Rajasthani  and South Indian Dishes. The flavour some, array of dishes we have cooked  so far are simply delectable and brought us a delightful culinary experience straight into the comfort of our homes.

With the success of "Flavours of " series one around India,we continued or travels around Asia in  "Flavours of" series 2 Asia. We have visited, Indonesia, China, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Nepal, Russia,Turkey,Thailand and Lebanon.Series two has been very exciting, as we were all taken out of our comfort zones as we all tried to create and sample cuisine unknown to us. At times it was challenging   but the dishes that were lovingly created by all the participants were mouthwatering and simply divine.Thank you to every one for your support and enthusiasm

 As our Journey ended around Asia  we packed out bags and utensils and embarked our journey to "Flavours of" Series 3 Africa. The culinary journey around Africa took us to Morocco, Kenya, Tunisia, Mauritius and South Africa.We learn't about new flavours and samples dishes with unknown ingredients; it was truly a magnificent journey.

Now almost 2 and a half years of travels on this culinary journey we are on our Last lap in "Flavours of" series 4 -Europe .Our stop will be in Italy. This event Flavours of Italy is guest hosted by Divya of Divya's Culinary journey.Please do drop by her blog and support her by sending in your entries.

I would also like to invite  all my blogger friends to join the travels  and  to cook up a feast.You can do this by guest hosting one of the events on your blog or simply just participating in the event. Each event will run for one  month, same as previous series  and the guest host will need to host the event on their blog for one  months and post around up with in 7 days after the event completes.

Quinoa and Fennel Salad

A tangy and refreshing Quinoa and fennel salad with a tangy lemon dressing.

Ingredients:

90 grams / 3 oz Quinoa
150 ml water (approx - read instruction on packet for exact ratio)
1 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped
1 tablespoon  chopped jalapeno
 half a fennel bulb cleaned and thinly sliced
1 tablespoons red tomato seeded and diced

Dressing:

1/3 tea spoon salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

1.Add the Quinoa to a pan with the water and bring to boil.
2. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and cook Quinoa for 15- 20 minutes.
3. Once all the water is absorbed and Quinoa is tender, fluff up with fork and leave to cool.
4. In a bowl add the diced tomatoes, fennel slices, coriander and cooled cooked Quinoa and toss together.
5. In a jar with a lid add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Screw the lid on and shake.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.

Serve immediately.

The Fennel used in this recipe was one of the ingredients that was in my Organic Fruit and Veg box sent to me by Riverford Organic farms.

You may like:
Couscous salad

Mango, Apple and Kiwi Breakfast smoothie.

Refreshing and delicious fruit smoothie which is healthy and filling.

Ingredients:

I ripe mango
2 ripe kiwi
1 apple
100 ml apple and mango innocent fruit juice
1 tablespoon clear honey

Method:

1. Peel the kiwi and cut it into quarters, remove the white core and dice it.
2. Peel and cut the mango in half, remove the stone and dice it.
3. Peel and core the apple. Dice it into small pieces.
4. Add all the diced fruit with the apple and mango juice and honey into a blender jug and blend until smooth.
5. Transfer to two tall glasses and serve immediately.

You may like:
Strawberry and melon smoothie.

Submitting to:
Lets cook healthy breakfasts event by simply.food

Stuffed Potato ~Secret Recipe club challenge January 21st 2013

This is my assignment with the Secret Recipe Club.The aim of the club is that you are allocated a blog from which you have to select a recipe and try  it and blog about it.There was a little mix up this month and I did not get my assignment, however April the SRC owner came up with the idea that I could cook from Debbie's blog so this month she will probably have two lucky people cooking from her blog.
My assigned blog was debbiedoesdinnerhealthy, this blog is run by Debbie the hostess of  SRC group C . The site has many healthy low calorie dishes under 500 calories.I enjoyed looking through the collection for my search for a vegetarian recipe when I came across this stuffed potato recipe. I particularly liked it as it is very versatile and the fillings can be personalized to individual taste with out any extra work.

Ingredients:

4 medium white baking potatoes
125 grams / 4 oz grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons cooked sweet corn
2 spring onions finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
Oil for brushing

Method:

1. Wash the potatoes and prick them with a fork.
2. Microwave them on high for 8-10 minutes or  until cooked.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/  175 degrees C
4. Remove the potatoes from the microwave and cut them in half length ways.
5. Using a spoon scoop out the potato flesh carefully leaving some potato on the skin.
6.Brush the potato skins with a little oil ( helps to crisp the skins up nicely) and place them on a baking tray in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes till they crisp up.
7. In a bowl add the scooped potato mixture, add to it half the cheese, sweet corn and 3/4 of the spring onion. Add to it the salt and pepper and mix together.
8. Remove the potato shells from the oven and immediately fill with the potato mixture.
9. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese and spring onion.
10. Finally sprinkle with some chilli flakes and place the skins back into the oven for another 10 minutes until cheese melts and turns slightly brown.
11. Remove from oven and serve hot with a side salad.

Spinach Puri (Fried Indian bread) A guest post .

I was recently invited to write a guest post on Meena blog Homely food. Meena describes her blog as being like colours of the rainbow as there are many various topics she covers. Just like the different colours of the rain bow that makes it so beautiful, her  blog has topics that cover travel ,food and computer tips and tricks which makes it wonderful to read.

I chose to share my spinach puri with her and you can find the post on her blog called spinach puri. Thanks Meena for featuring me on your blog and letting me share my recipe with your readers.

You may like:

Methi Thepla

Healthy Yoghurt, Mango and Kiwi Breakfast sundae

Low in calories, healthy and delicious mango and kiwi folded into delicious creamy low fat yoghurt and garnished with toasted almond flakes.

Ingredients:

1 tub of  Chobani low fat yoghurt any fruit flavour (Peach)
1 teaspoon  New Zealand Honey
1 mango
2 kiwi
1 tablespoon toasted flaked almonds
1 tablespoon chocolate covered cereal or raisins

Method:

1. Peel the mango and cut in half.Remove the stone and dice it.
2.Peel the kiwi and cut into half length ways.Remove the white core in the center and slice it.
3. Add honey to the yoghurt and mix.
4. Take two serving glasses and spoon some of the mango and kiwi into it.
5. Dollop a generous amount of yoghurt on top of the fruit .
6. Add some more mango and kiwi.
7. Sprinkle some toasted almonds and the chocolate cereal over the top and serve immediately.

Submitting to:
Lets cook healthy breakfasts event by simply.food

You may like:
Ginger and honey flapjacks

Savory Sweetcorn drop Pancakes

Breakfast pancakes don't always have to be sweet, for those who like savoury dishes these are perfect to serve for breakfast..

Delicious healthy and fat free tasty savoury pancakes, perfect for breakfast or for a speedy snack.

Ingredients:

240 grams / 8 oz precooked sweet corn(tinned)
30 grams / 1 oz fine rice flour
210 grams / 7 oz fine semolina
170 grams. 6 oz Chobani plain fat free yoghurt
60 ml water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste
2 green chilies finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

1.Whisk the natural yoghurt with the water and keep aside.
2.In a bowl add the semolina, rice flour,salt, green chilies and bicarbonate of soda and mix together with a spoon.
3. Coarsely grind the sweet corn and add it to the flours.
4. Add the whisked yoghurt a little at a time until a batter of dropping consistency forms.
5. Dip a kitchen paper in the oil and lightly oil a non stick frying pan.(to limit usage of oil use a nonstick pan)
6. Heat the pan, once its hot reduce the heat to medium and drop a tablespoon of batter in the pan.Spread it out slightly  and cook until bubbles appear on surface.
7. Flip the pancake over and cook this side. Once pancake is cooked remove from pan and repeat procedure for remaining batter.
Serve pancakes with  yoghurt and coconut chutney or dip of your choice.

Submitting to:
Lets cook healthy breakfasts event by simply.food

You may like:
Ginger and honey flapjacks

Round Up of Lets cook edible gifts for Christmas

This is the wonderful Round up of this lovely event, Thank you to everyone who participated

Honey Ginger Flapjacks

Delicious chewy, oat and nut flapjacks with aromatic ginger honey.

Makes about 32 square pieces.

Ingredients:

520 grams /18 oz Rolled Oats
300 grams / 10 oz Dessicated Coconut
120 grams  / 4 oz Coarsely chopped Cashew nuts
120 grams  / 4 oz Flaked Almonds
240 grams  / 8 oz Plain Flour
1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda

Wet Ingredients:

250 grams/ 8 oz butter
2 tablespoons Hanuka honey with root ginger
1 tablespoon Golden syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 240 grams  / 8 oz sugar

Method:

1. Grease two 10 inch x 10 inch square cake tins.
2. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C / 350 degrees F
3. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, flour, coconut, bicarbonate of soda, cashew nuts and flaked almonds.
4.In a sauce pan add the honey, sugar, golden syrup and butter and stir the ingredients on medium heat till butter is melted.
5. Add the melted wet ingredients to the dry and fold together.
6. Divide the mixture into the two tins and smooth  the top with a spatula.
7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes after which cover the cake tins with foil and cook for a further 10 minutes.
8. Remove the cake tins from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
9. Once cooled transfer to a wire rack  to cool completely .

10.Cut into squares. Enjoy for breakfast or as a healthy snack. For a gift idea place some pieces it in a cellophane gift bag and tie it with ribbon to make delicious home made gifts.

NB- You can add dried fruits such as cranberries and also sunflower seeds for variation.Any nuts can be added.If you can't get the New Zealand Hanuka honey with root ginger replace it with plain honey and some chopped crystallised ginger pieces.

Announcing event ~Lets Cook Healthy Breakfast

Image courtesy freepik

Each new year we make resolutions to get fit and healthy, so what better way than to make a new years resolution to start a healthy lifestyle. To remain healthy, regular exercise and a healthy diet are important and both go hand in hand. The important part of remaining healthy is to eat regular well  balanced meals such as breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Breakfast literally means to break the fast after a long night’s sleep. It is an important meal of the day as it helps to refuels the body and the brain with energy and nutrients. Eating breakfast has been shown to improve mental alertness and physical performance throughout the day.Taking time out to eat breakfast, helps to kick start the day by giving the body sufficient energy to last until the next meal . It helps to prevent food cravings mid morning and snacking on chocolates and biscuits. Research also shows that routinely eating breakfast regulates the bodies metabolism and prevents weight gain.

This event is all about cooking and eating healthy breakfasts. Breakfast does not have to be an elaborate meal, instead  it can be a fast and speedy smoothie made with yoghurts and fruits, a flapjack with honey and nuts, a bowl of cereal with chopped fruit, savoury or sweet pancakes with honey and fruits or even a bowl of porridge flavoured with apricots and jam. In this event lets educate our selves to make breakfast an important part of our daily routine.

To Participate:

1.Prepare any healthy  vegetarian breakfast, (eggs allowed).Fried food will not be accepted. Link your post using the linky below by entering your Post Name and Post URL
2. Please link this event announcement with your entry, this is mandatory.
3. Use of logo is not mandatory but usage is encouraged as it helps to spread the word visually if you can use it.
4. Multiple entries are allowed, archived are only allowed if reposted and updated with this event link.
5. In the event of problem using linky you can email me the entry at simplysensationalfood@gmail.com

Please use this format

Your Name:
Recipe Name
Recipe URL
Image no larger than 300 pixels.