Kale & Cashew Pesto

I'm a huge pesto fan! I find it to be such a diverse ingredient in the kitchen, pairing it with pasta, potatoes, dressings, salads, stews, roasts and bakes; I always have one type or another lurking a kilner jar in the fridge. This is not the first pesto recipe I've blogged! Check out the following link for my previous pestos:

Basil & Almond Pesto
Parsley, Chilli, & Garlic Pesto
Rocket Pesto

You may notice in each of those pesto recipes I have left out the Parmesan cheese component, and this recipe is no different. This makes the pestos vegan friendly.I adore Parmesan cheese, but my husband is not a fan, so I've learnt to exclude it.

I've upped the super powers though for this particular pesto, Kale & Cashew nut. You can't get healthier than Kale, and it's currently enjoying a moment as THEE go to super  food. This is a super clean guilt free pesto that is packed full of nutrients. The cashews also really help bring a creaminess to the final pesto!

My fussy little three year old would live on pesto pasta given the chance, so this was the perfect way to sneak some kale into her diet. While she didn't take kindly  to the change in taste in the first bite or two of her 'usual' pasta. By the end of the meal she had a happy belly and a happy mommy!! If it passed the Aoife Test, then it will please the very fussiest of little eaters!

Ingredients

• 50g of raw cashew nuts
• 1 large handful of chopped kale leaves (no stalks)
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 1 chopped garlic clove
• Juice of a lemon
• 3 tbsp of flat leaf parsley

Method

1. Simply place all ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the desired constituency. I like to stop just before it gets 100% smooth, for a little bit of texture. 
2. Store in a kilner jar, or similar, with a layer of oil on the top to preserve the pesto.

I also spread this on some salmon fillets, then baked as normal in the oven, it was really tasty.

Parsley, Chilli & Garlic Pesto

I've never been a fan of store bought jars of pesto and sauces. I'm  very conscious of additives and sugars in processed food, and I always like to know exactly what I'm eating. It is for this reason I like to make my own sauces and pesto. I normally just make a bog standard basil pesto (excluding the cheese), but last week I decided to make some pesto with a bit of a twist. I've used parsley instead of basil, and blanched almonds instead of pine nuts. I've also upped the 'kick' of the pesto with a deseeded whole red chilli and a large clove of garlic.  I prefer my pesto pulsed rather than blitzed smooth, the texture adds much more to a dish.

I find that this pesto lasts up to two weeks in the fridge, and it's not only good with plain pasta, I used it last week to pimp up a roast chicken,brushing the pesto all over the chicken before roasting in the oven, and the  other day I brushed it over some thick cod fillets before baking in the oven. Today I'm using it as a sauce for my homemade wholewheat sweet potato gnocchi. There are so many more possibilities with this pesto, I find myself reaching for it in the fridge time and time again.

Ingredients

• I bag of flat leaf parsley
• 1 fat garlic clove, peeled and chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 100g of blanched almonds
• Salt & pepper
• Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
• Extra Vigin olive oil, approx 100mls (add more if you want a 'wetter' pesto)

Method

1. Simply add all the above ingredients to a mini food blender and pulsed until you get your own desired consistency. Add more oil if you wish.;
2. Store in a sterilized container or jar.

Quick n'Lazy Cranberry, Raisin & Walnut Relish

For anyone who's put off from the thought of making relishes & chutneys thinking they are way too complicated, then this cranberry relish recipe is the perfect solution for you. The recipe couldn't be simpler and its an absolute piece of cake to make. This relish can be a great accompaniment to the turkey dinner Christmas Day or even nicer with those famous turkey sandwiches Christmas Night. 

I recently teamed the relish with spiced quail and cous cous and it was a marriage made in heaven. 

The relish can be made, and jarred and kept for up to a week in the fridge in a sterilized jar. I've made a batch and put them into Kilner jars and wrapped the jars as gifts for my mom and mom-in-law. I just love to make homemade gifts, it really adds a special touch I think.

To sterilize the jars, I just put them in the dishwasher on a high heat.

Ingredients

• 200ml of orange juice (not from concentrate)
• 200g of soft brown sugar
• 500g of fresh cranberries
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 150g of raisins
• 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon 
• 100g of chopped walnuts
• Salt & pepper

Method

1. Pour the orange juice and the sugar into a saucepan
2. Stir to dissolve the sugar
3. Put on a low heat and add the cranberries.
4. Cook for 10 minutes or so, until the majority of cranberries have popped. Don't worry if it looks too watery at this stage, the mixture thickens very quickly.
5. Add the raisins, salt, pepper, cinnamon and ginger.
6. Stir to combine and cook for a further minute.
7. The add the walnuts, cook for a final minute before removing from the heat.
8. Pour into your sterilized jars and seal.
9. Use within a week of making.

Dips n' Chips for Christmas Drinks

It’s the drinks party season, and when I usually have friends over for a few glasses of wine, I normally whip up some homemade dips to go with toasted pitta crisps and shop bought tortilla chips. For me once the second glass of wine is in the belly the munchies set in and the dips go down a treat.  With a mini blender they are super-fast to prepare or simply just using  a potato masher, and if you wish to be a bit more health conscious, then why not chop up a few crudités of red pepper, carrot and cucumber to use as your dipper instead of chips.

My top 5 dips for chips/crudités are:

·         Hummus

·         Guacamole

·         Refried Beans (black eye bean mash)

·         Olive Tapenade

·         Spicy Tomato Salsa

Here are a few of my favourite dip recipes, tried, tested and approved!

Refried Beans

Ingredients

·         1 tin of black eye beans, drained and rinsed

·         1 garlic clove, grated

·         1 red onion, finely diced

·         3 slices of jalapeno chilli

·         2 tbsp of chopped flat leaf parsley

·         3 tbsp of olive oil

·         1 tbsp of cumin powder

Method

1.       Fry the garlic and onion in a little oil and cumin powder.

2.       Add the beans and heat through.

3.       Finely chop the jalapeno slices and add to the pan

4.       Stir for a minute or two and then take off the heat.

5.       Using a potato masher, mash the mixture well, adding more oil if necessary.

6.       Stir in the parsley and season well with salt and pepper.

7.       Transfer to a serving bowl.

Guacamole

Ingredients

·         1 ripe avocado, chopped

·         ½ garlic clove, minced

·         2 spring onions, finely chopped

·         4-5 slices of  spicy jalapeno peppers (from a jar is fine)

·         Juice of a lime

·         Salt and pepper

·         1 tbsp of olive oil

·         3 tbsp of chopped coriander

Method

1.       Add every ingredient to a bowl and stir well to incorporate the mixture well.

2.       Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.

Harissa Hummus

Ingredients

·         1 tin of chickpeas,  drained and rinsed.

·         1 tbsp of spicy harissa paste

·         ½ tbsp. of ground cumin powder

·         3 tbsp of olive oil

·         Salt and pepper

·         ½ a garlic clove, minced

·         Zest and juice of a lemon

·         3-4 tbsp of chopped coriander

Method

1.       Add every ingredient to a mini blender and blend until smooth.

2.       Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.