Hopefully some of you have started the Chef Foundation diet and are now over one week in and have got your heads round the concept and are enjoying a wheat and animal-fat free month. I have been eating lots of fruit, salads, soups and roasted vegetables and as promised here are a few simple recipes to help spice up meal times for you. These can be eaten with other items or as they are as a snack if you get peckish during the day.
You don’t need to weigh or measure anything for these recipes all amounts are just guidelines so just make things so they taste right to you. Add things like salt and pepper bit by bit. You can always add more but it is difficult to take it out!
Smashed Guacomole
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 red chilli
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 finely chopped shallot
- Handful of coriander
- Juice of 1 lime
- Splash of House dressing/olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- Peel and stone the avocados
- Place in a bowl and crush with the back of a fork
- Add finely chopped chilli , shallot and garlic to taste
- Add the juice of 1 lime
- Add a handful of roughly chopped coriander
- Add a splash of house dressing (see recipe) or Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Stir
- Some people like to add some chopped tomato too.
Salsa
This is an excellent addition whether you are dieting or not and can be made with dozens of variations. My favourites are Black Bean Salsa and also Basil and Ginger Salsa and I make mine quite wet but you can add any ingredients you have to hand and just experiment
Core items
- Sweetcorn (fresh, tinned to frozen)
- Chopped tomato (fresh or tinned)
- Chilli
- Garlic
- Herbs (basil, parsley, tarragon, coriander) all work well
- Chopped peppers
- Sliced spring onions
- Chopped Cucumber
- Chopped Onion/shallot
- House dressing/olive oil
- Optional extras black beans, cannellini beans, avocado, roast aubergine, mango and much more
Method
- Chop and mix
- Season to taste
White Bean Hummus
This is great as a dip for raw veg sticks or thin it down with water for a sauce or dressing.
- 400g Cannellini beans (tinned or dried)If using dried beans soak overnight in cold water with a teaspoon of Bicarb, this will help soften the skins then cook in fresh water till soft.
- Handful of Coriander
- 1 clove of Garlic (you can always add more!)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- a teaspoon of Tahini (optional…I don’t bother)
- Glug of House dressing
- Salt & pepper
- Pinch of Cayenne pepper or a little Tobasco
Method
- Blend all the ingredients except the coriander in a food processor until smooth
- Check the flavour, consistancy and seasoning
- Finish with roughly chopped coriander and make be some toasted pine nuts
Easy Chutney
- 1 kg overripe tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 450g chopped Onions
- 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
- 2 eating Apples, skin on just core and chop
- 2 Cloves
- pinch Ginger
- pinch Cinnamon
- pinch Mixed spice
- 1 shot brandy
- 300g Sultanas
- 200g Brown sugar
- 500ml balsamic vinegar
Method
- Put the onions, spices and liquids in a saucepan and boil until the liquids have reduced by half
- Add the rest of the ingredients and cook out slowly for about an hour stirring regularly
- The chutney will gradually turn brown as the liquids evaporate, make sure it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan
- Allow to cool