Pasta, Spinach and Three-Cheese Frittata

What do you do when you've got loads of food in your fridge but you really can't decide what to do with it? I had that dilemma this weekend - I had the ingredients for loads of recipes I'd planned earlier in the week but didn't fancy any of them; I was in the mood for pasta or eggs. I decided to compromise and put together a truly amazing pasta frittata with spinach and ricotta. Result? It's now officially a 'favourite'. Unfortunately it's not exactly the most health-tastic, so it'll probably be a short while before I do it again...

Oh, I also want to say that I've found the most AMAZING GF pasta! Rizopia make theirs from brown rice and unlike most other GF pasta I've tried, this has the right 'mouthfeel', tastes great and doesn't disintegrate into a sloppy mess in the pan when you cook it. Really, really good!


Pasta, Spinach and Three-Cheese Frittata

150g Pasta
200g Frozen Spinach
1 medium Onion (chopped finely)
4 large Eggs (lightly beaten together)
2 heaped tbsps Ricotta
1 tbsp grated Parmesan
Mozzarella (sliced)
1 handful Fresh Basil (chopped very finely)
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Butter
1 clove Garlic (minced)
1 pinch Nutmeg
Salt & Pepper

Does 4 servings

1) Start cooking your pasta in slightly salted water.

2) Fry the garlic and onion until just going golden. Add the spinach and nutmeg and continue to cook until softened. Stir through the basil, ricotta and parmesan and season to taste.

3) Drain the cooked pasta and add the spinach mixtures - stir well.

4) In a clean frying pan, melt the butter until it just starts to froth. Tip in the pasta and arrange so it is reasonably level but not over-flattened.

5) Carefully pour in the egg mixture so it is evenly distributed through the pasta. Arrange slices of mozzarella on the top and finish with salt, pepper and a little grated parmesan.

6) Allow to cook slowly on the hob for approximately 5 minutes before finishing under the grill to cook and brown the top.

I had mine with a garlic seafood medley and salad.

I'm Loving... Risotto

I admit it. I've been on somewhat of a risotto binge recently...
Until recently, I'd never really cooked the stuff but when shopping last month, I picked up a box of Arborio rice and figured I'd give it a go. And then another go. And then another because the first ideas were just so nice.

The wonderful thing about risottos is that you can put near enough anything you like into them and they're really very simple to make. Depending on your ingredients, they can be light or rich and work as either side dishes or as main courses in their own right. While my main picture is of a chicken variation, I've also had huge success with other ones as well. Below is my recipe for a basic Risotto 'Blanco' - do try making variations such as Mushroom risotto, Pea and Smoked Mackerel risotto or my Personal Trainer, Emma's favourite, Asparagus, Pea and Mint risotto - absolutely perfect for this time of year!


Risotto Blanco

1 cup Arborio Rice
1 Onion (chopped finely)
1 clove Garlic (minced)
2 cups Chicken (or Vegetable) Stock
1 heaped tbsp Parmesan
1 tbsp Butter
Salt & Pepper

1) In a saucepan, melt the butter and slowly saute the garlic and onion together until soft (but not brown). [If using meat or mushrooms, I add them now]. Add the rice and continue to fry gently for a couple of minutes.

2) Add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan and stir every few minutes until the rice absorbs the liquid and it 'just' tender - it should still have a little 'bite' to it. (You may need to add more stock during cooking). [If using vegetables, I tend to add them towards the end of cooking so they aren't overdone].

3) Stir through the parmesan, salt and pepper to taste. The finished consistency should be tender grains that are almost creamy.

Feta, Potato and Onion Bread

I hadn't planned on posting this recipe, let alone making it, but when I was stuck yesterday on what to have for lunch, I came up with these absolutely delicious bread rolls and knew I'd have to share them. The recipe is largely based on Delia Smith's Goat's Cheese, Potato and Rosemary bread, but has been 'gluten-free-ised'. The bread has a much more Mediterranean feel in the feta and herbs; I also added a good spoonful of tomato puree to the dough. The best bit? I've got 2 more left over for lunch today and I might even make some French Onion Soup to go with them!




Feta, Potato and Onion Bread

175g Gluten Free Flour (rather than muck around with multiple flours, I'm more than happy with Doves Farm GF plain flour)
1 tsp Xanthan Gum
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Medium Potato (approx 175g)
1/4 Small Onion (chopped finely)
About 10 basil leaves (chopped finely)
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Wholegrain Mustard
80g Feta Cheese (cut into 1cm cubes)
1 Large Egg
3 tbsp Milk
1 tbsp Tomato Puree

Preheat oven to 190 Celcius

1) Sift the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.

2) Peel the potato and grate into the flour using a rough grater. Add the cheese, onion and herbs and stir to combine everything.

3) Mix together the egg, milk, tomato puree and mustard and pour into the flour mixture. Combine to form a rough, soft dough.

4) EITHER
- split into quarters, shape each quarter into slightly flattened balls, dust with flour and bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden.

OR
- Flatten the dough into a 6" round, dust with a little extra flour and bake for approximately 40 minutes until golden.


Serve warm - also good reheated in the oven the next day or frozen to keep for a later date!

Cauliflower With Spinach, Mixed Sprouts and Garam Masala

In last week vegetable box, I got something I'd never seen before; mixed sprouts. I mean, I'd heard about them on various tv shows and in diet books, but this was the first ime I'd seen them 'face to face'. Sprouted beans, including aduki, lentil, mung and chickpeas are a favourite of those on raw diets as they are an excellent source of protein and more importantly, when raw they are also rich in phytochemicals; compounds found in plants that are not required for normal functioning of the body but that have a beneficial effect on health.

Because curry was on the menu last week, I figured that as the likes of lentils and chickpeas feature frequently in Indian cooking, an Indian-style recipe would work well - and it did. This recipe is a 'jazzed up' version of my spiced cauliflower and spinach one that I regularly make to go with curries. It uses Garam Masala spice powder although you could use general purpose curry powder mixes. To make the most of the nutrients the raw sprouts were thrown in at the last minute before serving.


1 Half Head of Cauliflower (cut into 1" florets)
8 Blocks of Frozen Spinach (defrosted and squeezed to remove excess water (or a couple of good handfuls of fresh leaves))
1 Medium Red Onion (chopped)
2 Handfuls Mixed Sprouts
3 tsps Garam Masala
1 tsp Sugar
1" Piece Fresh Root Ginger (finely chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (minced)
Oil

1) Blanch the cauliflower florets in boiling water for approximately 5 minutes and drain

2) Fry the onion, ginger and garlic in a little oil until golden.

3) Add the cauliflower florets and fry until they start to develop browned spots, before adding the spinach.

4) Stir in the Garam Masala, Sugar and a little water if necessary. Stir until well mixed and the spinach is warmed through.

5) Turn off the heat and stir in the mixed sprouts. Serve immediately.

Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Credit for this recipe goes to my work-friend Hannah's brother-in-law (thank you!), although I was using the basic idea and its been slightly Zoe-ified!

Brussels sprouts are often vilified thanks to many people's childhood memories of bitter green, round blobs that appear on their plates once a year for traditional English Christmas dinners, and indeed it wasn't until I went to university that I actually developed a taste for them. Closely related to cabbages, Brussels sprouts are rich in many valuable nutrients. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin K. They are a very good source of numerous nutrients including folate, vitamin A, manganese, dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin B6 and thiamin (vitamin B1) and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, iron, phosphorous, protein, magnesium, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin E, copper and calcium. In addition to these nutrients, Brussels sprouts contain numerous disease-fighting phytochemicals.

Pine nuts have a wonderfully mild, nutty flavour which goes really nicely with the sprouts and bacon. As with many other nuts, pine nuts contain heart-healthy alpha-linolenic acid, as well as vitamin B1 (thiamine) and loads of vitamin E. They are also a great source of protein, containing many amino acids.

Approximately 500g Brussels Sprouts (roughly chopped)
2 Rashers Back Bacon (chopped into thin strips)
1 Small Onion (chopped finely)
40g Pine Nuts
2 tbsps Cream
1 tbsp Oil (as usual, I used groundnut)
Salt and Pepper

1) Fry the onion in the oil until golden; add the bacon and cook until crispy. Set aside.

2) In the same pan, fry the chopped sprouts until just tender and slightly browened at the edges and turn off the heat.

3) Add the onion and bacon and pine nuts, season well and stir in the cream. Serve immediately - I did mine with GF sausages and mashed potato.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apple and Cranberries

This is another favourite recipe to use up veggie-box items and is even more brilliant because it freezes well so you can make up batches and keep them for later. This is based on a recipe that my sister Roz found, but was tweaked to use more of what I had in my cupboards and to make it slightly 'fruitier'. I find braised red cabbage is wonderful with game meats and because this version is quite 'appley', it would go really nicely with pork as well.

1 Medium - Large Red Cabbage (sliced finely)
2 Eating Apples (Such as Cox's, peeled and grated)
1 Red Onion (sliced finely)
2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
50g Dried Cranberries
2 tbsp Light Brown Sugar
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Mixed Spice
150ml Cider Vinegar
100ml Water
1 tbsp Oil


1) Blanch the cabbage for 2 minutes in lightly salted, boiling water; drain and set aside.

2) Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion, garlic, bay, thyme and mixed spice until the onions are softened.

3) Add the cabbage to the pan along with the cider vinegar, water, sugar and grated apple. Stir well before covering the pan and allowing to simmer for approximately 15 minutes.

4) Stir in the cranberries, stir again, cover and simmer for approximately 10 more minutes until the cabbage is tender and the liquid is nearly gone.