Ginger & The Kitchen: October 2015

Fool Proof Dairy Free Peanut Butter Brownies

16:00

Love peanut butter and have a thing for brownies? You're in the right place and man do I have a treat for you! Chocolate and peanut butter, they were meant to be, a match made in heaven as far as I'm concerned. I was jumping for joy the moment I saw these dairy free peanut butter chocolatey brownie goodness on BBC good food (yes, underlying and emphasising dairy free is necessary). The smile on my face was probably as priceless as a 6 year old unwrapping the one thing they ultimately wished for on christmas.

Ingredients Makes: 12

225g Crunchy peanut butter

200g Dark chocolate, broken into small chunks

200g Brown sugar

3 Eggs

100g Self-rasisng flour

Method

Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tin with oil or grease proof paper. Set aside 50g of the peanut butter and chocolate.

Step 2 - Melt the remaining chocolate, peanut butter and brown sugar in a bowl over boiling water on the stove or in the microwave till it has just about melted

Step 3 - Take off the heat, using a wooden spoon beat in the eggs one by one and then stir the flour in and scrape into the tin.

Step 4 - Melt the reserved peanut butter in a microwave or in a pan and drizzle over the brownies. Place the brownies in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or less for a gooey middle.

Step 5 - Melt the reserved chocolate using one of the methods used above, once the brownies are done, take them out of the oven and drizzle the melted chocolate over them and set aside to cool before cutting into small rectangles.

Serve & enjoy!

Until next time,

Holly

breakfast

6 Toast Toppers That Will Get You Jumping Out Of Bed

16:00

Making toast for breakfast, most of us don't think twice about it. We put the bread in the toaster, reach for the spread of choice, smear it on and call it breakfast all whilst half asleep. Although easy and convent, toast can be more than that, it can be easy, convent and fancy! So put down the butter and discover 6 new ways to enjoy toast.

1. Peanut butter, fig and honey

2. Mushroom and fresh parsley

3. Avocado & tomato with red onion, chives and lemon juice

4. Peanut butter, pear, chia seed & honey

5. Tomato, fried egg with fresh parsley, rock salt and pepper

6. Lettuce, apple, honey & cashew nut

Until next time,

Holly

black bean

Quick & Easy Black Bean Soup

15:01

Black bean soup was a first for me about a year ago whilst dinning in a small traditional Cuban restaurant in the middle of downtown Miami. Ever since then I often catch myself having the occasional daydream, of not only of my trip to Florida, but also the Cuban black bean deliciousness I experienced there. In an attempt to relive those memories I device a quick and easy no fuss black bean soup that I like to think gives the traditional a run for its money.

Ingredients Serves: 2
500g Black Beans, from a can
1 Red onion, Chopped
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Vegetable or chicken stock (follow packet guidelines for amount of water)
1 Tomato, de-juiced and chopped
1 Tsp origano or any herb you like, fresh would be better
Salt & pepper to taste

Method
Step 1 - Place the chopped up onion in a pot with a splash of olive oil and cook until transparent

Step 2 - Once the onions are cooked, place in the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the vegetable or chicken stock, black beans and herbs and simmer for 30 minutes

Step 3- Whilst the soup is simmering, chop up the tomatoes, making sure to remove the seedy juice bits that you can cheekily snack on as we won't be using them.

Step 4 - Just before the 30 minutes are up, season with salt and pepper for taste.

Serve and enjoy!

Looking to have it as a main meal? Serve it with rice instead.

Until next time,

Holly

breakfast

The Most Convenient Breakfast Ever! Strawberry, Banana & Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

14:41

It's fair to say I have become quite an overnight oats fan with them making a regular appearance at the breakfast table. When your morning alarm sounds, you head to the kitchen, unscrew the lid, add some toppings & dig in! It's like the breakfast fairies did all the work for you.

I have been dibbling & dabbling with flavours & toppings & one of my favourites has to be this strawberry, banana & peanut butter concoction.

Ingredients
For the base: For the toppings:
- 1/3 Cup Oats - 1 Tsp Peanut Butter
- 1/2 Cup Almond Milk - 1 Banana, chopped
- 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
- 1 Tsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
- Handful of Frozen Strawberries

Method
Step 1 - First smear the peanut butter around the jar, add the oats, milk, chia seeds, honey and frozen strawberries, mix all together &, covered or uncovered, place in the fridge for the breakfast fairies to work their magic.

Step 2 - In the morning take out the overnight oats, give it a slight mix.

Step 3 - Add the chopped banana pieces & peanut butter.

Until Next Time,

Holly

Dinner

Easy Asian Inspired Slaw Salad

16:27

Vibrant, delicious and a total winner! Just look at the colour on it. This recipe was inspired by a post that was floating around the glorious online world of Pinterest. The recipes on there never fail to inspire me. This salad is full of colour and, most importantly, flavour, to be enjoyed as a light lunch or as a side salad over dinner. Add some chicken pieces or prawns for some extra protein to really make a meal of it.

Ingredients   Serves: 1
For the salad:
- 1 Carrot, matchstick thin pieces
- 1 red cabbage leaf, matchstick thin pieces
- Handful of spinach. matchstick thin pieces
- Handful of fresh chopped coriander

For the dressing:
- 1/2 Tbsp Sesame seed oil
- 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Tsp Rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tsp soy sauce
- Pinch of brown sugar
- Salt and Pepper
- Sesame seeds (optional)

Method
Step 1 - If unlike me, you have already chopped veg or a nifty gadget that does all the work for you this sept will take you no time. However, for you guys who are taking things back to basics simply chop the carrot, red cabbage and spinach into matchstick sized pieces, Be prepared, this can take a while.

Step 2 - Once all chopped place in a bowl. It's now time to start making the dressing, in a small bowl add the sesame seed oil, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and salt and pepper and whisk together.

Step 3 - Pour the dressing over the salad and then mix together. Chop up the coriander and further mix it in.

Step 4 - Last but not least, add some sesame seeds on top to make it look prettier (optional).

Enjoy!

Until next time,

Holly

lunch

The Ultimate On-The-Go Protein Salad

21:30

If there is one thing that makes you feel good about life, it's salads. They have the power to refresh your day and make you feel super healthy and a little less guilty about that large piece of chocolate cake you devoured the night before. I whipped this salads together within a 7 minute time frame and probably ate it in less than that. It's full of protein from the spinach and eggs and has a sesame seed dressing that is tasty as.

Ingredients

For the salad:

- 2 Handfuls of spinach

- 2 Large tomatoes / Handful of cherry tomatoes

- 2 Medium boiled eggs

For the dressing:

- 1 Tbsp Sesame seed oil

- 1 Tsp Rice vinegar
- 1 Tsp Soy sauce
- 1 Tsp Sesame seeds
- 1 Tsp Fresh chopped parsley

- Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Method
Step 1 - In a pot of boiling water, place the eggs for 5 minutes

Step 2 - While the eggs are cooking, place the spinach on the plate, chop up the tomatoes and place on top

Sept 3 - Chop up the fresh parsley

Step 4 - Mix together the sesame seed oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, parsley, salt and pepper

Step 5 - Once the eggs are cooked take them out and run them under cold water for a few seconds and peel

Step 6 - Cut the eggs into quarters and place on top of the salad and throw the salad dressing on top

Enjoy the power of a salad.

Until next time,

Holly

Dinner

Real Simple Vegetarian Spaghetti

08:54

Scrounging for a quick lunch or dinner idea? A no-stress supper? This recipe is perfect! It requires just the amount of time it takes to cook the spaghetti. You'll be dishing it up faster than you can say Jack Robinson.

Ingredients Serves: 1

- Handful of Spaghetti ( I usually make an okay sign and fill it)

- 1 Tbsp Capers

- 2 Frozen spinach chunks / a handful of fresh spinach

- 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

- 1 Tbsp Lemon juice

- 1 Tsp Dried origano

- Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

- Salt and pepper

Method

Step 1 - Place the spaghetti into boiling water and cook

Step 2 - While the spaghetti is cooking, chop up the fresh parsley

Step 3 - Once the spaghetti is almost cooked place the spinach in with it

Step 4 - Drain the spaghetti, add the capers, dried oregano, salt and pepper, olive oil, half of the fresh parsley & mix

Step 5 - Plate it up, drizzle over the lemon juice & sprinkle the rest of the parsley

The great thing about this dish is you can mix things up depending on what you have available at the time and your preferences, for example changing the capers for olives or chickpeas or even adding some salami or chorizo slices to satisfy the die-hard meat lover in of you.

Until Next Time,

Holly

breakfast

Fruity Overnight Oats

21:13

If there is ever such thing as a convenient breakfast this is it. It does all the work while you sleep. Overnight oats quite literally became the best thing to happen to me since sliced bread, overnight. ~~I'm so punny.~~ Overnight oats are just oats soaked in a liquid of your choice for a number of hours, covered or uncovered, in the fridge. The most common mixture is oats & milk, which is just the base. What you add in & on top is where the fun begins. For this post the fun is all about fruity toppings.

Ingredients
For the base: For the toppings:
- 1/2 Cup Almond Milk - 1 Banana
- 1/3 Cup Oats - Handful of Red Current
- 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds - 1 Passion Fruit
- 1 Tsp Honey

Method
Step 1 - In a jar, bowl, mug, what ever you fancy add the milk, oats, chia seeds & honey. Mix together & place in the fridge overnight.

Step 2 - In the morning, after the magic has taken place, take the oats of the fridge and give them a little stir or shake if you're using a jar with a lid.

Step 3 - Chop up the banana, scoop out the passion fruit & pick the berries off their vine & place as toppings on top of the oats.

Step 4 - Dig in and enjoy a hassle free breakfast!

Until next time,

Holly