Autumn Vegetable Soup - a Pressure Cooker Recipe

Up until a couple of weeks ago if anyone had told me that I needed a pressure cooker in my life I would've laughed at them. If I needed to make soups or stews I had a slow cooker for that, so why would I need a pressure cooker. I work from home and have all the time in the world to put dinner on, so I would use the slow cooker and leave it cooking all day, and have a delicious stew for dinner. Except I don't. I don't because I am a procrastinator. I know I should chop the vegetables and prepare the meat first thing, and I know that it will only take me a few minutes to do so, but I don't. I keep saying to myself 'oh I must do that veg and put the slow cooker on', and before I know it it's the middle of the afternoon & the slow cooker is still on top of the cupboard.

This is where the Pressure King Pro comes in handy for me, as soups and stews and lots of other delicious meals, can be cooked in next to no time. Fluffy rice takes just 5 minutes, steamed vegetables take under 4, casseroles in under 30 and a whole chicken can be cooked from frozen in just one hour!

I definitely DO need a pressure cooker in my life, and I didn't even know it!

Over the past couple of weeks I have barely turned the oven or hob on to cook a meal, instead opting to make most of our meals in the 5 litre Pressure King Pro. We've been enjoying bolognese, chilli, soups, rice dishes, pulled pork, potatoes, chicken, stews and vegetables. The machine is simple to use, with the touch of a couple of buttons and a twist of the lid, it then does its thing for a few minutes before beeping to indicate that the cooking time is over. You then have the choice to leave it to keep warm and release the pressure naturally, or release the pressure manually by moving the valve, to speed up the process. I usually go with the latter, unless I've cooked a stew which I want to keep warm for a while before serving.

The Pressure King Pro is a good looking machine, which blends in nicely into my kitchen, and although I've reserved a space for it on top of the cupboard, it hasn't actually got up there yet as I use it so often. It comes complete with a measuring cup, spoon, and steamer tray (which is a little tricky to remove when hot, unless I'm using it completely wrong), and a recipe booklet with ideas and cooking times to start you off. I've also noticed that it's possible to buy an additional inner pot, which would be really useful when cooking chilli and rice, or bolognese and pasta for example.

Now that it appears winter has set in (I'm in full blown onesie mode at night now!), it's definitely time for soups and stews again. Last week I wasn't quite ready for a thick and hearty soup,, so instead I opted for a chunky vegetable soup in a light broth. I like to eat the chunks of soft veg, but it can be easily blended with a stick blender to a smoother, thicker consistency if preferred.

The soup is lovely served with hot buttered toasted bread, or served on top of a few slices of grilled cheese topped baguette to allow all the lovely juices to soak into the bread - soggy bread isn't for everyone, but don't knock it until you've tried this!

I've been sharing my ventures with my new Pressure King Pro over on Instagram and Instagram stories, and after seeing some of my meals my friend decided that she needed one in her life too, and promptly bought one. My mum has been eyeing mine up too, and although I said that if I ever received a pressure cooker to try out on my blog she could have it afterwards, I've now changed my mind, so she'll have to buy her own - sorry Mum!

Since the arrival of my new Pressure King Pro I've barely turned the oven or hob on. I'm loving how simple it is and how quickly it cooks meals, which is perfect for someone like me who has every intention of cooking dinner in the slow cooker but forgets until it's too late. This veg, lentil & quorn soup / stew took just 15 minutes, and tastes as good as it would if it had been cooking all day in the slow cooker. . . . . . #soup #stew #veggiemeal #vegetarian #vegetarianfood #familymeal #healthyeating #pressurecooker #pressurekingpro #foodie #instafood #foodblogger #review

A post shared by Helen (@thecrazykitchen) on Sep 4, 2017 at 11:01am PDT

Today I had a little spring in my step. The sun was shining & I was on a high after booking flights for our annual girly break to the Algarve next year ☀️ It's now back to being miserable & rainy so I cooked a nice comforting family meal of sausage & mash. The onion gravy was made in my new Pressure King Pro, with the carrots steamed on top. Clean plates all round 👌🏼 . . . . . #familymeal #sausageandmash #comfortfood #pressurekingpro #easymeals #foodie #foodblogger #instafood

A post shared by Helen (@thecrazykitchen) on Sep 7, 2017 at 10:04am PDT

The 8 year old requested egg fried rice for lunch, and egg fried rice was what he got. Fluffy basmati rice cooked in the Pressure King Pro in just 5 minutes, with egg, peas & soy sauce 💛 . . . . . #pressurecooker #pressurekingpro #lunch #rice #friedrice #easycooking #easymeals #familymeal #foodie #foodblogger #instafood

A post shared by Helen (@thecrazykitchen) on Sep 9, 2017 at 4:21am PDT

Do you have any favourite pressure cooker recipes to share?

About the Pressure King Pro 5L

The 12-in-1 Digital Pressure Cooker will create delicious, hearty, home-cooked meals faster and easier than traditional cooking methods in minutes, rather than hours and with a simple press of a button!

The Pressure King Pro cooks with pressurised steam, locking in more vitamins and nutrients than many other cooking methods, and infusing your food with its natural flavours and seasonings, making delicious, healthier family dinners up to 90% faster than conventional methods. You’ll get that slow-cooked taste and tenderness in minutes rather than hours!

• Worry-free cooking with the family sized pressure cooker that cooks meals up to 90% faster than conventional cooking methods.
• Quick, safe and easy to use, the Pressure King Pro maintains the perfect temperature from centre to edge and from top to bottom, whilst cooking your food quickly and evenly.
• The 12-in-1 Digital Pressure Cooker will create delicious, hearty, home-cooked meals faster and easier than traditional cooking methods in minutes, rather than hours and with a simple press of a button.
• 12 pre-programmed settings to make cooking simple: Meat, Rice, Stew, Soup, Pasta, Fish, Steam, Canning, Delay Timer, Fast Re-Heat, and dual Keep Warm/Slow Cook setting.
• The Pressure King Pro’s super-heated pressurised steam locks in more of the important vitamins and minerals in your food than many traditional cooking methods, including boiling and steaming. What’s more, your food will be infused with incredible, slow-cooked tenderness and taste!
• With the BONUS recipe book included, you can make a wide variety of meals from slow cooked hearty stews, fluffy and creamy risottos, wholesome soups to delicious pasta dishes - with the Pressure King Pro you can even cook a whole chicken in just 25 minutes with succulent and flavoursome results.
• The 24 Hour Delay Timer mode means you can switch it on in a morning and your food will be ready to eat when you get home.
• The Keep Warm mode automatically kicks in when your food is cooked, so your food will stay hot until you’re ready to eat it.
• Fast Reheat mode warms up already cooked food. 
• Great taste without added fat –add fats or oils for additional flavour if desired.
• Compact, sleek design that fits easily on your countertop.
• 5 litre capacity (900 Watts) so you can cook huge amounts for your whole family.
• Made from high-quality stainless steel and is non-stick, simply wipe it clean and you’re ready to cook amazing meals over and over again.

Available from High Street TV for £69.99, including delivery

Commissioned post for High Street TV & Pressure King Pro

Bubble & Squeak Cakes - Slimming World Friendly Recipe

After a big roast dinner on Sunday I was left with a few vegetables that I planned to eat with some leftover roast chicken & Slimming World friendly roasties the following day. By the time the dinner table had been cleared the pile of leftover roasties was no more - 2 growing boys had scoffed the lot! They never touched the leftover greens though, so at least there was something for my lunch on Monday, which I decided to make into delicious Bubble & Squeak Cakes, with some Smash that I keep in the cupboard for potato emergencies. I used to love a bit of Smash in my single days so I was over the moon when I heard that it was free on the SW plan, as long as you eat it as part of a meal and not scoff it at every opportunity!

I know that sprouts are not everyone's cup of tea, but that's the beauty of bubble & squeak, just throw in any leftover cooked veg that you have to hand. I used broccoli, carrots, sprouts & cabbage, and spiced it up with a few chilli flakes. 

Recipe for Bubble & Squeak Cakes by Helen Jessup on Scribd

I ate 3 of these for my lunch with balsamic baby plum tomatoes that I roasted at the same time as the bubble & squeak. I enjoyed the remaining 3 later with a little sweet chilli dipping sauce (1.5 syns for 1 tbsp).

Beating the Breakfast Boredom & Making Veggies Fun

My three children are quite happy eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast most days, but on a Sunday they often like something a bit more exciting, as we have more time for a leisurely breakfast.

Pancakes are a big favourite, as are fried or scrambled eggs on toast. If you're stuck in a bit of a breakfast rut then check out my article on Flora about beating the breakfast boredom. 

pancakes

fried egg in toast

waffles & fruit

I also have another article about making veggies fun. If you have a fussy eater it might help to get them interested in trying something new, and eating up their greens!

Here's Jack when he spent an hour at a friends allotment on one sunny Sunday morning.

These features were commissioned by Flora UK

Minted Two Pea Burgers

My kids surprised me last week when I asked them if they preferred beef burgers or Mums homemade veggie burgers, and they said veggie burgers. I wasn't as surprised by Hanna as she loves salads and vegetables but teenage Sam does like his meat and I really thought that he would prefer beef burgers. I must say that it did please me, not only because veggie burgers are healthier but they are also cheaper - these cost under £1 for 8 burgers.

Minted Two Pea Burgers - makes 8

400g Chickpeas

200g Frozen peas, steamed & drained

1 tsp dried rosemary

2 tbsp Mint sauce

Olive oil for frying

• Place the peas & chickpeas into a bowl & mash with a potato masher
• Stir in the rosemary and mint sauce & mix well
• Divide the mixture into eight and form into patties & set aside
• Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the burgers for a few minutes on each side

Serve on a toasted English muffin/bread roll with lettuce and yoghurt, cucumber & mint dip

Home Made Healthy Pot Noodle

Last week I started exercising and eating healthy(ish). I often struggle at lunchtimes with knowing what to eat that doesn't involve too much prep, and just grab a few crispbreads, which don't tend to be very filling. I decided to get organised and chop some veggies ready for lunches for a few days, as well as precooking some noodles and chick peas.

I had seen a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall show a few days previously where he had made his own pot noodles. I wondered if I could do something similar that could be prepared in advance and eaten at home or at work, but healthy at the same time.

I had some sachets of Miso soup in the cupboard, which to be honest, I'm not very keen on just on it's own but they came in handy for my pot noodle.

Firstly I took a little of each of my vegetables, chick peas and noodles and added them to a travel mug.

   

I then squeezed the sachet of Miso on the top and poured boiling water onto it, and stirred. Hey presto, a pot noodle in an instant!

If your veggies and noodles have come straight from the fridge you might want to warm them up a little in the microwave but I found that room temperature ingredients produced a noodle soup that was just right.

Veggie Sausageless Rolls

After the success of my vegetable burgers I thought I would have a play around with similar ingredients and flavours and make a kind of sausage roll - without the sausage. This might be good for those fussy eaters that won't entertain any kind of veg as the vegetables have been blended beyond recognition. I had a little smug smile on my face when Jack declared he loved them as they have cauliflower in, and he hates cauliflower! The recipe makes 24 sausageless rolls although I did have enough filling leftover to make 3 small veggie burgers.

Veggie Sausageless Rolls - makes 24

2 slices of wholemeal bread, toasted

500g frozen vegetables (mine included broccoli, cauliflower & carrots), cooked

400g can of Baked beans, excess sauce drained

2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 egg, beaten

4-5 tbsp plain flour (approx)

500g puff pastry block

1 egg for glazing

• Whizz the bread in a food processor to make breadcrumbs
• Mix the cooked vegetables, beans, breadcrumbs, spices & coriander together and blend in a food processor or with a stick blender, until smooth
• Mix in the egg and enough flour for the mixture to resemble sausagemeat
• Roll the pastry out until a large rectangle approx 30 x 40cm
• Slice into 3 equal strips along the long side
• Spoon some of the vegetable mixture along each strip of pastry
• Brush along the edges with beaten egg
• Fold the pastry over the mixture and seal with a fork
• Slice each length into approx 8 pieces
• Place on a baking sheet and brush with more beaten egg
• Bake in a preheated 200C oven for approx 15 minutes until golden brown

Eat hot or cold

I have linked this up to Vanesther's Spice Trail, which is all about Paprika, as well as her & Lou's Family Foodies, which for this month is about Hidden Goodies. 

 

Take a Bag of Veg - Vegetable Burgers

This is the final recipe for my 'take a bag of veg' posts. A 1kg bag of frozen mixed vegetables has been used in 3 recipes, the other 2 being a ham & vegetable pie which used leftover Christmas ham and cheese, and vegetable pancakes. At only £1 for the 1kg bag it's great to have in the freezer to use in easy recipes such as these when all the fresh veg has been eaten up and the weather is too nasty to get to the shops.

Vegetable Burgers - makes 6

2 slices of wholemeal bread, toasted
400g Frozen vegetables, defrosted (mine included sweetcorn, peas, cut green beans & mini carrots)
400g can of Baked beans, excess sauce drained
2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp plain flour (approx)
Olive oil for frying

• Whizz the bread in a food processor to make breadcrumbs
• Mix the vegetables, beans, breadcrumbs, spices & coriander together and mash with a potato masher to get rid of any large pieces of vegetable
• Mix in the egg and enough flour for the mixture to hold together as a thick batter, don't add too much or it will become dry and the burgers will fall apart
• Add a small amount of olive oil to a frying pan and drop a large ball (tennis ball size) of batter into the pan and flatten out
• Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned
• Place on a baking tray & bake in a preheated 180C oven for 20 minutes to finish off the cooking

Delicious served between a wedge of home made Focaccia and salsa...

These were a massive hit with the kids and at only around 25p for each burger they are incredibly frugal too! The Focaccia is very cheap to make too at only around 60p for 2 loaves which slices into 4 good sized buns.

As there is paprika in the burgers it's another recipe that I can link up to The Spice Trail on Bangers & Mash.

 

I have also linked this up to Laura & Nazima's One Ingredient Challenge, which for January is all about Healthy Eating,

as well as Michelle's Less Than a £1 per portion challenge as this recipe comes in at well under £1 per portion.

Take a Bag of Veg - Vegetable Pancakes

In the second of my 'take a bag of veg' recipes I've made some tasty vegetable pancakes. They are really easy to make as well as being quick, and are perfect for a lunch with salad or as a main meal to accompany meat or even a fried egg. If I was making them just for myself I would've added some chilli flakes but I didn't want to make them too spicy for the children so instead added Paprika, which also gives them a great colour. Adding the paprika also makes this recipe eligible to be entered into this month's The Spice Trail on Bangers & Mash.

Vegetable Pancakes - makes 6-8

250g Frozen mixed vegetables (mine included sweetcorn, peas, cut green beans & mini carrots)

1 egg

100ml milk

100g plain flour

1 tsp Paprika

salt & pepper

oil for frying

• Defrost the vegetables fully - I do this by covering them in boiling water, in fact this is how I cook my frozen peas & corn to avoid over cooking.
• Whisk the egg, milk, flour, paprika and salt & pepper together until smooth
• Stir in the vegetables
• Heat some oil in a large frying pan or skillet
• Pour some of the vegetable mixture into the pan & allow to spread - I have a large skillet & cook 3 at a time.
• Cook for a few minutes until browned on one side and flip over & cook on the other side
• Repeat until all the mixture has been used up
• Serve warm with yoghurt and mango chutney or reheat later in the oven

If you're watching the pennies this month then this is a great one to make - the whole recipe came in at under 60p!

 

Take a Bag of Veg : Ham & Vegetable Pie