Highlights of Eat Like You Love Yourself 2014

Eat Like You Love Yourself was my new blog for 2014.  It has been a busy and enjoyable year.  I wanted to share my highlights of this year.

My blog Eat Like You Love Yourself was born out of eating regularly on my own, cooking regularly for one and never eating the foods that made me feel good physically or emotionally.  When I sat down and thought about it, cooking well for one wasn't difficult and oven chips with mayonnaise was not a meal.

So I started to try and eat more healthily and in a way which fits in with my busy lifestyle as a working mother.  Here are some of my highlights so far.

My favourite 10 minute recipe

My blog has always been about good food fast.  Sticky peanuts and chicken is one of my favourite recipes.  A delicious and fantastically quick meal.  Described as an "amazing recipe" by one reader.  That didn't half make me smile!

Being alone at Christmas

For some people being lonely at Christmas is a terrible thing.  Being in any situation you don't want to be in is certainly not ideal.

This year, I'm spending half of the day with loved ones and half of the day alone.  In the afternoon, I have sole control of the TV remote, a pile of leftovers, a Christmas cake for one, chocolate and maybe the odd glass of wine.  To be honest with you, this might sound sad but to me it sounds fantastic.

Steamed Fish with Two Sauces

Sorry about the awful photos on this one but pieces of steamed fish never look that delicate, especially after you've removed them from the steamer.

Oh yes this was pretty tasty.  Earthy flavour from the coriander and sesame oil with a deep savoury backnote of soy and then the sugary heat from the sweet chilli.

Cocoa

Proper cocoa is great when you've come in from the cold.  I like my cocoa strong, bitter and with dark sugar so it's like quality chocolate in a glass.  I use semi skimmed (1%) milk but then top with cream.  It's like a little cuddle.

Slow Cooked Oxtail

Oxtail is something I tried many years ago and wondered what the fuss was about.  The two things I did wrong when cooking it was cooking it for too long so it was almost falling off the bone but then actually taking it off the bone before serving.  Now pieces of a tail of an animal are never going to look like the most beautiful things on a plate (I don't think I've done too badly mind but I have fallen foul of the artificial lighting curse), however, when you take it off the bone, it does not look pretty at all.

But in the spirit of true nose to tail eating; it is more environmentally friendly and respectful of an animal to use the whole carcass and likewise, I've found out that not only is oxtail fantastically cheap, if you cook it right, it doesn't look bad at all and it tastes pretty darn good.

I've suggested this makes two portions but these are two small but richly, flavour packed plates.  Oxtail is largely bone so if you really want some meatiness, this may just serve one.  I cut the remaining meat off the bone and ate it for lunch at work in front of my boss as we had an informal meeting.  At the end, he stopped and said "what was that?  It smelled great!"

Prawn Satay

Prawn Satay is something I had in Indonesia many years ago.  I may sound well travelled but I'm talking about some prawns, peanut dip and cheap beer in Bali, not exactly high brow but a good memory of travelling nonetheless.

Mashed Parsnip

Mashed parsnips was something I used to have when I was a student.  I was dating a guy and we'd go to his Mum's for Sunday lunch.  I was a student, poor and skinny (hmm, no longer) so loved being fed, she had two boys so had a view of FILLING plates.  You had to eat through at least three inches of vegetables and stuffing to get to the meat.  Always on top were mashed parsnips.  I have to admit I never liked to say it but I didn't like them, they were grainy and fibrous.  It was one of those things you just had to eat through to get to the good bits.  But I had a glut (victim of a "reduced for quick sale bargain") one day and decided to have a go myself.  By cooking until the parsnips are really soft and using a ricer, gone was the grainy textured spoonful I remember and in it's place was some of the best mashed potato I'd ever tasted, although of course it isn't mashed potato, it's mashed parsnip and that's what gives it so much more flavour.

This is on my Christmas Day menu as a side dish already, probably alongside some sprouts with lemon and black pepper.

Chowder

Chowder is often made with fish and corn.  I wanted something warming for me and my son when I made this.  It had got to 12:30 and the frost still hadn't melted off the car.  What can satisfy apart from soup in the circumstances?

I would prefer to make chowder from smoked fish but knowing I didn't have any in and knowing bacon chowder is also a 'thing' I decided to go completely off piste and combine the too.  Why not?

Pollock is a great fish to use; not only is it cheap but it's also a source of Omega 3, cod isn't.

Sprouts with Lemon and Black Pepper

Sprouts, every year there is a new recipe for how to make them palatable.  If I'm honest, boil them for 6 minutes and I'm happy.  I love the delicious flavour, the texture which is at the same time like cabbage but yet firm and cute, but I am realistic, I know I'm in the minority.  I heard a joke today; "What's the most popular wine at Christmas?  

Do we have to eat sprouts?"

But I tried this recently and decided it was pretty darn delicious, even if it does hide the lovely sprouty flavour (a little).

My Christmas Present Wishlist for Foodies

I love looking at Christmas wishlists this time of year and looking at items I'd not thought of but I always see more things I'd like than I really think would be great for someone else.

So here are my top buys for Christmas.  (No sponsorship, just what I think looks cool!)  Links are only for convenience, not endorsing any particular retailer.

I might not seem like it but I do like meat despite my frequent vegetarian recipes.  I've always wanted to have a go at making my own sausages and this simple kit gives you enough to make 20.  I'm thinking Pork and Stilton as my first variety.

Flapjack

Flapjack will not win any health awards.  Do not be fooled by the oats being healthy, the butter and sugar stuff any thoughts of that!

Stilton and Walnut Salad

Winter salad made with creamy British Stilton, sweetness from apples, bitterness from walnuts and a delicious mustardy dressing.  Are salads in winter wrong?  I don't think so, look, I admit I used one out of season ingredient here because I had some courgette in my fridge but you could always substitute for some finely sliced cabbage or hard winter leaves.

It can be difficult in Winter to get raw vegetables in your diet, I like eating some raw food.  There is something so beautiful about a salad whatever time of year to make you not feel weighed down by stodge.

This would be a pretty good Christmas Day starter if you go for that kind of thing or for a special meal with a loved one when you don't want to be weighed down with food.

Dhal

Dhal is one of those recipes I turn to in desperation when it's the end of the month and the bank account is looking sickly.  I then often wonder why I don't make it more frequently.  Maybe it's because it's the ultimate "you already have all the ingredients in but you didn't realise" recipe?  Or maybe because it seems so humble being made from such cheap ingredients and being vegan?  Who knows but every time I make it, I think "I should make this more often!"

Fish Tortilla Wraps

Fish tortilla wraps were an invention to try and use food in my house.  Let's face it, November is an expensive month, especially if you start your Christmas shopping early like I have.  I realised before the weekend I had £10 left in my account.  It's always the way that you think there's nothing in the fridge or cupboards, then look a bit harder and can come up with something new.

So expect a few thrifty recipes coming your way!

Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention.  You can buy really thrifty packs of pollock (often called "white fish") in the freezer department.  A great source of protein and Omega 3.

In praise of chillis; my top chilli recipes

Chillis are one of my favourite ingredient.  Recently on a trip to Italy I felt inspired to take a photo of these beautiful chillis, their bright waxy skins were so beautiful.

It made me realise how much I cook with chillis and enjoy eating them.  I think chillis are key to fast cooking for one because it is a way to pack in flavour without necessarily cooking for a long time.

What's more is that chillis are so versatile.  You can use them fresh, frozen, dried, ground or pickled, even use them smoked, actually smoked chipotles are beautiful.  I will write a recipe using them soon.