Five Minute 5 Bean Salad

Readers of this blog will know that I like my recipes to be simple. I don't really do much in the way of complicated cooking if I can help it. It seems pointless to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen each day over a dish that may take the kids seconds to devour, without touching the sides. I cook most meals from scratch, so I look for ways to cut corners without reaching for ready meals, like using frozen or canned foods. I always have a large supply or canned tomatoes and beans in the pantry, as they're not only convenient and good value for money, but they can be used to make a wholesome meal in a matter of minutes.

Take this bean salad for example. It takes just a few minutes to open the cans (even less if they have a ring pull), toss the contents into a bowl & give them a stir. The end result is something that I absolutely love and could eat every day. Despite the majority of the ingredients coming from a can, it tastes so fresh. A large bowl of this would go down a treat at a bbq, and you can also ensure that everyone is getting at least one or two of their 5 a day, as each half can of beans contains one of your 5 a day. 

Obviously you don't need to use the same beans as me, but this choice gives a good selection of colours and sizes. I was reluctant to use broad beans at first as I always thought I disliked them (bad experience as a child), but I absolutely loved them & think I prefer them to my usual choice of cut green beans.

Love Canned Food is a celebration of all canned food, and their website is packed full of recipes to help you incorporate canned food into your weekly meal plan, and enjoy easy to prepare well-balanced, healthy and affordable meals all year round. Canned food doesn't just have to be about baked beans or soup, and you'll find a huge range of canned fish, meat, vegetables, beans, pulses and fruit in supermarkets all year round.

5 Bean Salad by Helen Jessup on Scribd

a commissioned post for Love Canned Foods

Hot & Spicy Halloumi & Salad filled Flatbread

Wow, what a lovely weekend that was for the weather. Although, how many of us were doing the typical British thing of moaning that it's too hot? One week we're in jumpers & jackets & the next it's hotter than the Med. Crazy weather.

When the sun does come out for us, so does the barbecue. We are a family of barbecue and bbq sauce lovers, so when I was offered some Jack Daniel's barbecue sauces to try out I was intrigued to see what they would taste like, and whether the rest of the family would like them considering they're made with real Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey.

I was dying to try the Extra Hot Habanero as I do love my spicy sauces, and this didn't disappoint, as it had a huge kick! It still packed a punch once it was brushed onto the halloumi slices and cooked on the griddle pan.

These halloumi & salad filled flatbreads are so fresh tasting, and are very quick to prepare as the halloumi only takes a few minutes to cook. They're a great veggie alternative to the usual meats at a bbq, or a simple pack up for work. I love these ready folded flatbreads that I found in Tesco as they're a perfect size to hold the filling securely without everything falling into your lap! Myself & the husband ate these as we both love spicy food, and the kids loved the bbq chicken breast made with the full flavour smokey sauce at the weekend - you can see an Instagram pic of our tasty bbq feast here.

Hot & Spicy Griddled Halloumi by Helen Jessup on Scribd

Jack Daniel's sauces are available in 6 flavours, including these 3 above, and are suitable for both vegetarians and vegans, and some are also gluten free.

a commissioned post for Jack Daniel's Sauces

Roast Scotch Beef with Watercress, Horseradish & Grana Padano

Last Thursday I ventured to the capital for the biggest event in the food calendar; the annual Observer Food Monthly Awards, held at the Freemasons Hall. 

There are 10 reader categories and 5 categories decided by a Michelin starred panel of judges. Here you'll see big names such as Jamie Oliver winning an award alongside a lesser known fisherman from Padstow. All equally as deserving.

I was invited along as a guest of Scotch Beef, sponsor of the Best Sunday Lunch category, and with whom I've previously worked, on my recipe for Beef Fajita Burgers. It was a night of food and drink, with a little bit of celeb spotting thrown in for good measure. Food for the evening was created by Swedish raised Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster, Harlem (soon to be coming to Shoreditch), and there were cocktails aplenty.

You can find out more about the #OFMAwards, the winners, and photos of the evening at the Guardian online.

As Scotch Beef sponsored the Best Sunday Lunch category I wanted to put together a dish that takes two of the main components of a Sunday Lunch, and give it a twist. The silverside of beef was roasted with a crust of English mustard powder, sea salt and black pepper, as per the Scotch Beef website, before slicing and tossing with a salad of balsamic roasted plum tomatoes, watercress and shavings of Grana Padano, as inspired by a recipe of seared carpaccio of beef in the Jamie Oliver 'Return of the Naked Chef' book. The salad is then served in a jumbo yorkshire pudding!

If this was served on a Sunday in the pub down the road (which, incidentally, was one of the runners up in the Best Sunday Lunch category) I would be straight down there!

Roast Scotch Beef with Watercress, Horseradish & Grana Padano - serves 4
silverside of Scotch Beef 
olive oil
2 tbsp English mustard powder
tsp sea salt
tsp ground black pepper

yorkshire puddings
4 eggs (weighed out of their shells)
plain flour
milk
water
salt & pepper
oil for cooking (I use Trex)

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
200g baby plum tomatoeswatercress
horseradish sauce (thinned with a little extra virgin olive oil)
Grana Padano cheese

• allow the beef to rest at room temperature for an hour & rub with a little olive oil
• mix the mustard powder, salt & pepper together & rub over the top of the meat
• roast for 25 mins per 450g + 25mins (for medium) in a preheated 180C oven
• (if you're a little unsure of your oven temperature and want to make sure you don't under or over cook your meat then I would recommend a Thermapen thermometer, which gives an accurate reading in just 3 seconds)

• whilst the beef is roasting, make the yorkshire pudding batter 
• using the weight of the eggs out of their shells, weigh an equivalent amount of plain flour, milk and self raising flour, and whisk all the ingredients together
• set aside

• Once the beef is cooked to your liking, leave it to rest
• turn the oven up to the highest temperature 
• place some fat into 4 x 6-8" round baking tins and place in the oven for 10 minutes
• pour the batter into the tins and return to the oven
• turn the oven down to 200C and cook for 25 minutes, until the yorkshire puddings are puffed up & crispy

• remove the beef from the baking dish and add 2tbsp balsamic vinegar to the juices
• add the tomatoes to the dish and roast for 15 minutes
• carve the beef into thin slices or strips
• add a handful of watercress, some beef strips, roasted tomatoes and some shavings of Grana Padano to each large yorkshire pudding
• drizzle with some of the balsamic juices and horseradish before serving

If, like me (before conducting some research) you don't know the difference between 'Scotch Beef' and 'Scottish Beef' this will explain all. 

It explains why the quality of beef you get from a Scotch Beef PGI butcher is so good. Where to buy.

this is a commissioned post for Scotch Beef

Crunchy Asian Noodle Salad

Whilst browsing Pinterest one evening, I caught sight of a crunchy Ramen noodle salad, and it took me back to living in America, where I first came across such a thing. The ones I tried contained lots of shredded cabbage and carrot, along with crunchy noodles - the kind that you eat straight out of the packet when you're a student as you can't be bothered to leave your room to put the kettle on (allegedly!)

The following morning I was craving the taste of that salad and decided to make a similar version with salad leaves instead of shredded cabbage. I didn't plan to publish the recipe on here, but having been asked for it I thought it was my duty to share the simplicity of this Asian noodle salad. I'm guessing you could call this healthy, as all the fresh veggies kind of counteract the unhealthiness of the instant noodles.

Crispy Noodle Salad

salad leaves
1 spring onion, sliced
1 orange, segmented
1 carrot, peeled
1 pack of instant noodles per person (any flavour as you won't need the flavour sachet)

dressing
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp clear honey
pinch of sesame seeds

• add your salad leaves, spring onion & orange segments to a bowl
• take your carrot & shave thin slices off with your peeler, add these to the bowl
• crumble the instant noodles into the bowl
• mix all the dressing ingredients together
• add approx 1 tbsp of the dressing to the bowl and toss everything to coat, adding more dressing as needed
• scatter a few sesame seeds on top and serve immediately 

Mexican Jam Jar Salad

As anyone that reads this blog (or indeed knows me) knows that I'm always up for a challenge, especially when it comes to food. Bernard Matthews set me a challenge of creating a lunch recipe for their new campaign, but this wouldn't be just a regular sandwich, wrap or pitta, as it was to be a 'Breadless Lunch Challenge', without any kind of bread at all.

I don't often eat bread for lunch so I'm used to making something other than a sandwich, which is easy enough when working from home, but can be more of a challenge when going out for the day and taking a packed lunch or picnic.

Using a pack of Bernard Matthews sweet chilli turkey breast chunks I put together some layered salads in jam jars, which are then easily transported for eating out.

The kids loved these and ate one each as an after school snack - Hanna ate hers straight from the jar but the boys requested that theirs were warmed up and served in a bowl (obviously I didn't warm the lettuce up, and this was served alongside the warm salad). I haven't listed quantities here as it would depend on the size of your jar, so just layer up each ingredient to fill the jar.

Mexican Jam Jar Salad

cooked & cooled long grain rice

mixed beans in chilli sauce

Bernard Matthews sweet chilli turkey breast chunks

sweetcorn

grated cheese

shredded lettuce

• layer the ingredients in the jar in the order above
• place a lid on and keep in the fridge until needed

IT'S SURPRISING HOW MUCH YOU CAN FIT IN A JAR

this recipe has been commissioned by Bernard Matthews

Simple Summer Salsa

Sometimes at the weekend, when we have hungry house guests passing through, and I've not even thought about what we're having for dinner, I bring the tortilla chips out. As you can't eat tortilla chips without something to dip them in, I like to rustle up a fresh tomato salsa and an avocado salsa.

Tomato Salsa

6 ripe red vine tomatoes, chopped

2tsp caster sugar

1/2 red onion, chopped

tbsp chopped red chilli

tbsp chopped coriander

• Mix everything together

Avocado & Mango Salsa

1 avocado, chopped

1 mango, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

juice of 1 lemon

tsp caster sugar

tsp chopped red chilli

tsp chopped coriander

• Mix everything together

This particular time I also put together some individual bowls of cheesy nachos with mixed grated cheese with sliced jalapenos on the top.

The making of the salsa's was made much easier with the use of Daregal chopped and frozen herbs. The herbs are grown and harvested in France and Spain, and then washed, chopped and frozen for consumer convenience. They are perfect for using in Salsa as I've done here, as well dressings, marinades, soups and sauces.

I was provided with samples free of charge

Soft Boiled Egg & Seasonal Vegetable Salad

We get through a lot of eggs in this house, whether they're baked into cakes, scrambled on top of toast, cooked into an omelette or just plain boiled. Since getting an induction hob we've found a new love for soft boiled eggs, as it's easier to keep the pan on a rolling boil than it was with our old gas hob.

I'm particularly enjoying a soft boiled egg smashed on top of a crumpet for breakfast or on top of a salad for lunch. The beauty of having a soft boiled egg on a salad is that the egg forms part of the dressing - a bit like a healthy mayo.

 

This seasonal vegetable and egg salad can be eaten warm or cold, but I chose to eat this one cold, smothered with a zesty lemon dressing and runny egg yolk. You don't need to use exactly the sam ingredients as I've used - use whatever you fancy, have in the fridge or is in season.

Soft Boiled Egg & Seasonal Vegetable Salad - serves 2

1 or 2 room temperature eggs

bunch of asparagus

sprouting broccoli

handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 red pepper, sliced

few slices of cucumber

juice of half a lemon

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

sea salt & pepper to taste

• Bring a small pan of water to the boil, add the eggs & simmer for 4.5 minutes
• Remove the eggs & place into a pan of cold water until you need them
• Bring another pan of water to the boil and add the asparagus & broccoli for a minute or 2 (depending on how crunchy you like it)
• Remove and place into a pan of cold water, and then drain
• Add the asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, onion & pepper to a large bowl
• Mix together the lemon, oil & mustard 
• Drizzle over the dressing & toss to coat the vegetables
• Divide the salad into two bowls/plates
• Peel & slice the eggs & add to the top of the salad
• Season with sea salt & freshly ground black pepper & serve

  

This recipe has been created for a #shortcuteggsperts challenge. I have been provided with shopping vouchers to cover the cost of my ingredients. More egg recipes can be found here.

Bacon, Avocado & Warm Vegetable Salad

New year, new start. Are you sick of hearing people saying that yet? Wondering if they will even make it into February with their sugar free, alcohol free, fat free, gym filled plans. 

Every year my year starts off similar to that, but by the time the summer holidays come around the wine has begun to flow more freely, the 'chips n dips' get consumed at a rate of knots, and the gym membership starts to feel a little lonely. Come September the heat is back on to get the body in shape for Christmas, but there are too many temptations around. There are always temptations around when you have a food blog, but the lead up to Christmas always seems worse as I'm a sucker for desserts favoured with the winter spices of cinnamon and mixed spice.

This year I want things to be different. I don't want to start 2016 exactly the same weight as I was at the start of 2015, 2014, 2013 etc. 2015 is going to be the year I get fit and lose the fat. Towards the end of last year I started going to boot camp once or twice a week but as the evenings drew in the class times became disorganised, and as a result I stopped going. By this time though I had found a love for running (quite hard to believe even for me) and now regularly go 3-4 times per week. I may not be fast at running but my stamina is improving each week, and this week I signed up for a muddy 5k run in the summer.

I'm also trying to get back on track with eating a more paleo friendly diet. I'm not eating clean 100% of the time but most of my meals are heading in the right direction. I do love a good salad, and when I spare a few minutes longer than it takes to make a sandwich, I come up with results like this, making me wonder why I don't do it more often.

This was an amazing tasting salad, and one that I could eat every day. I just need to make sure that I set aside that little bit of extra time each day to put it together.

Bacon, Avocado & Warm Vegetable Salad - serves 1

3 rashers of dry cured streaky bacon

1 red onion, sliced

a few thin slices of aubergine

1/2 courgette, sliced

1 avocado, peeled,stoned & sliced

salad leaves - I used cos and rocket

balsamic vinegar

• Cut the bacon into 2cm pieces
• Heat a non stick frying pan and add the bacon
• Fry until crispy and then add the onion, aubergine and courgette
• Fry until the vegetables are softened
• Remove from the heat and add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the pan
• Arrange your leaves and avocado on the plate with the warm vegetables and bacon on top
• Drizzle with the juices from the pan
• Serve immediately

Garden Salad with Grilled Fennel, Tomato & Balsamic

When I was first asked by Higgidy Pies if I would like to grow my own salad to accompany some lovely pies I was a little bit dubious to say the least. You see, I am not very green fingered and I wasn't feeling at all hopeful that I would manage to grow enough salad for one person, let alone the family. I can grow potatoes, rhubarb and wild strawberries, but they pretty much grow themselves.

Just before Easter I received a package of seedlings from Sarah Raven, but as we were going away for the weekend, and I hadn't got anything to grow them in at that point, I left them in their paper and popped them in a container with water in and crossed my fingers.

Thankfully, when we returned from our Easter break the seedlings were still alive, and off we went to find a home for them. One large wicker planter and 6 bags of compost later the seedlings were planted, and just a week later looked like this... 

It was all looking hopeful. We had plenty of sun and I religiously watered my salad every day, and they were growing nicely.

Then the sun all but disappeared and the rain came, and just a month later my salad planter was like a jungle.

The rocket did grow some pretty flowers though.

To accompany some Higgidy quiches -  Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper, Balsamic Onion & Cheddar and Smoked Bacon & Cheddar - I made a salad of grilled fennel, tomato and balsamic. I would like to say that I grew the tomatoes myself, but sadly mine are still very much at the seedling stage!

Garden Salad with Grilled Fennel, Tomato & Balsamic

Fennel bulb, thinly sliced

cherry tomatoes on the vine

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil

Selection of garden salad leaves

• Rub a little olive oil onto the fennel slices and tomatoes
• Cook on a griddle pan over a high heat until slightly charred and softened
• Make a dressing with equal parts of balsamic and extra virgin olive oil
• Arrange the salad leaves in a bowl with the fennel and tomatoes, and drizzle with the dressing just before serving

I was provided with salad seedlings and a selection of pies and quiches free of charge

Ginger, Pear and Walnut Coleslaw

After seeing Steph's lovely Waldorf style chicken lettuce wraps I was reminded that I hadn't had Waldorf salad for ages and planned to make it the very next day. Sadly someone *looks in the direction of the husband* had eaten the last of the apples, and I didn't have any celery anyway. I did, however, have a couple of pears that would have turned to mush had they been in the fruit basket a moment longer, and decided to make a pear/ginger/lemon/cabbage/walnut combo.

Ginger, Pear and Walnut Coleslaw - serves 4/5

1/2 white cabbage, sliced
2 pears, cored & sliced
1-2 tbsp Mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp ground ginger
handful of walnuts

• Add the cabbage and pear to a large bowl and toss together
• Mix the mayonnaise with the lemon juice and ginger & pour into the bowl and mix well
• Stir in the walnuts

We enjoyed the coleslaw with bbq pork loin steaks. The rest of the family had a baked potato with it, I had courgette 'spaghetti' with garlic and chilli.