Eats: (Healthy) crisps

Confession: I have intense cravings for crisps (and pasta, but that's another story). They just take over my mind, especially when I'm reading. Let's face it, no matter how they spin it, crisps will never be good for you. But... they can be BETTER for you. These are two alternatives I found: less than 150 calories and 9g sugar each. Walker's SunBites claim to be made of wholegrain (but wholegrain what exactly?), and Riceworks are crisps made of brown rice (a bit heavy on the flavouring though). Isn't that cool?

The other trick about eating crisps is: Do NOT buy big bags. Buy small 28g bags, even if they cost more! It's all about restricting yourself, and that makes each trip an extra special one too.

Recipe: Banana Nutella cupcake w/ Crunchy Peanut Butter frosting (*)

Do I really need to say more????

But I will.

Was craving cake the other day, and what with the array for wonderful patisseries in the village at my doorstep, I decided to bake instead. Typical. The cupcake recipe is from Delicious Days, and the peanut butter frosting recipe is from Bake Space (do you know how difficult it is to find frosting recipes for CRUNCHY peanut butter? I love peanut butter...). This is absolutely fabulous.

Enjoy!

My lovely flatmate is a brilliant cook too!

My flatmate has lovingly cooked for me several times when I've been working hard. I feel so loved. This is The Lovely Flatmate preparing her star dish : Chicken Pot Roast stuffed with Rice. She is massaging the chicken - bet her fiance's jealous!


Another lovely person brought us flowers the other day. It really brightened our living room! What a happy gift.

Recipe: Three Mushroom Risotto (*)

In addition to the ubiquitous pasta, my next favourite easy dish is mushroom risotto. I always have in my pantry wholewheat pasta, brown and wild rice, risotto, vermouth, and olive oil (not to mention peanut butter, chilli oil, Japanese benito flakes, oatmeal, and an extravagant range of tea and coffee). Being a lazy Saturday afternoon today, and alone at home, and having picked up mushrooms at my local Waitrose the other day, I decided that it was the perfect occasion.

(P.S. Wonder what the mushroom range in Houston grocery stores is like? Am looking forward very much to adapting my recipes in America.)

RECIPE: THREE MUSHROOM RISOTTO
(Easy factor = *)

3 varieties of mushrooms (I used enoki, shitake and button mushrooms today)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1 serving risotto arborio (about 2 handfuls)
Few splashes of vermouth or any dry white wine
400ml chicken stock
2 large dabs butter
2 tbsp parmesan, shaved
Lots and lots of pepper

*****
1. Dry fry mushrooms in a non-stick frying pan until they are sweating slightly (approx. 10 mins).

2. While that is going on, heat olive oil in a small poit and fry onions and garlic till translucent. Add risotto rice and stir, coating the rice grains with oil. Add a few splashes of vermouth and stir until almost all the alcohol has evaporated.

3. Add chicken stock in stages, stirring until almost all the stock has been absorbed by the rice at each stage. Be sure to stir continuously. Before adding the last bit of stock, season with pepper and salt to taste. I am usually very conservative with my salt here because the stock and parmesan is already salty. I sometimes throw in a pinch of marjoram or oregano or Italian herbs or fresh chopped parsley at this point - it adds colour! Taste the rice - it should be oozing and soft, but retaining a bite. Otherwise, add a bit of boiling water and continue stirring. Go easy on the stock and water, as you don't want your risotto to be watery! Total stirring time approx. 20 mins.

Note: A friend of mine used to substitute 1/3 stock with apple juice, which I think is a stroke of brilliance!

4. Stir in the mushrooms. Turn heat off. Throw in two dabs of butter and parmesan and stir. Leave for a few minutes.

Serve with a green salad and a few drops of truffle oil if feeling extravagant!

Recipe: Chicken Dopiaza (*)

Editor's note: Have been AWOL. Burying head in sand at work. Light at end of tunnel is near. Hope not mirage. But a girl's still gotta eat, right?

I was flicking through Molly Steven's fantastic book All About Braising and came across something familiar: Chicken Dopiaza. How many times have you seen it on the menu at your local Indian? While Chicken Tikka Masala might be Britain's undisputed national dish (yet absolutely unknown in India, being an English invention), nothing beats the onion-iness of Chicken Dopiaza. If only you knew how easy it was to make, you wouldn't pay money at a restaurant anymore! Plus, I love how healthy it is - orange juice is such a brilliant move! It really works - taste and diet-wise.

RECIPE: CHICKEN DOPIAZA
(Easy factor = *)

8 chicken breasts or thighs
1 cup plain yoghurt
2 large onions
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (I substituted 3/4 tbsp ginger powder)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp coriander seeds, ground (I substituted 1 tsp coriander powder)
1 stp ground tumeric (I substituted 1 tsp curry powder)
1/4 tsp cayenne or 1 small dried chilli
salt
2 tbsp clarified butter or vegetable oil

*****
1. Drain yoghurt with cheesecloth for 4-6 hours until a consistency of soft cheese is achieved. Or you may skip this step for a thinner sauce.

2. Thinly slice 1 onion and set aside. Blend the other onion with orange juice, water, ginger, garlic, coriander, tumeric, cayenne and 1 tsp salt until mixture becomes a smooth puree.

3. Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towers. Season with salt.

4. Heat butter or oil in a heavy lidded frying pan over medium heat and brown chicken on both sides (6-8 mins). Remove chicken. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of fat.

5. Pour puree into pan (will splatter). Simmer for 5 mins, scraping bottom. Control heat so that not too much liquid evaporates.

6. Add chicken and using tongs, turn until both sides are coated with sauce. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently and quietly for 20 mins. Turn chicken with tongs and continue braising until chicken is fork tender (40-45 mins total if using chicken legs, 30-35 mins total if using chicken breasts).

7. Remove chicken. Add onion slices to sauce and stir gently. Replace cover, turn off heat, and leave for 5 mins. Then stir in yoghurt.

Serve chicken with sauce spooned over, on rice.

Easy, huh?