Tomato Baked Orzo

I've taken a time out from the blog for last two months, a little maternity break, as we welcomed a new addition to our family on Sept 2nd. We now have a gorgeous baby boy called Fionn!! I took the break as time is precious with a newborn, plus I also have my little two year old angel Aoife to consider. So whilst getting used to the lack of sleep and the little time to prepare meals, I had made a decision not to let the blog, diet, exercise;or lack thereof all 3, bother me. Instead I've been getting to know my new little man and sleeping when he's sleeping (only when Aoife is sleeping too which is not too often). So basically, I have my hands full.

Fionn is six weeks old already, so hard to believe. We have been living in our own little bubble since his arrival. He's getting so big and alert and already outgrown 2 sizes in baby wear. The six week milestone is a big one for him, he can now focus on us and he's smiling a lot, which melts my heart!!!

But the six week milestone is also important for me. It marks the beginning of me getting back on track, with diet, exercise, and a few sneaky blog posts (when time allows).

I mentioned diet!!! I'm on a mission to loose the baby weight, or at least most of it in time for Christmas.  This will involve, a lot of exercise, mainly walking with the double buggy and my Kayla Itsines 12 Week BBG.

As today is a Monday, I have decided to start the week with a meat free Monday recipe. I'm making enough for 2-3 meals. It's all about batch cooking these days for us. I'm easing myself into the diet so the first recipe is a pasta style dish.

Orzo pasta is a Greek pasta, which resembled rice, but tastes like pasta. If you can get wholemeal, please do, though it is difficult to find. This dish is packed full of flavour, veggies and herbs. It's all made in one pan, making it a true one pot wonder. By baking the dish in the oven, it intensifies the flavours.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 500g passata
• 150g orzo pasta
• 1 tsp Italian herbs
• 1/2 diced red onion
• 1/4 red pepper, diced
• 1/4 yellow pepper, diced
• 1/4 green pepper, diced
• 5-6 mushrooms, diced
• 2 tbsp of chopped mixed herbs (flat leaf parsley, basil, & mint for example)
• 6-7 olives
• 2 tomatoes, sliced thinly
• 100ml of stock
• Salk & Pepper
• 2 tbsp of olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. In an oven proof dish, add the oil and onions and saute for a minute.
3. Add the dried herbs, peppers, mushrooms and orzo.
4. Saute for a few minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients, except for the tomato slices.
5. Place the tomato slices on top of the stew like mixture and place the dish into the oven for 40-50 minutes until, all the liquid has been absorbed. 

Tip: I'm serving mine with a green salad, but to make the dish even tastier, you could add slices of mozzarella on the top of the dish before placing it into the oven.

Tomato, Anchovy & Garlic Spelt Spaghetti

I recently was looking through old holiday snaps, and found myself looking at our holiday to Sicily a few years ago. I was 4 months pregnant in Sicily, I spent 10 days there and I came home looking about 8 months pregnant (not joking). After Argentina and South East Asia, Sicily is definitely one of the best places I've ever visited from a foodie point of view. Everything, and I mean everything I ate was absolutely delicious. One of my favourite Sicilian dishes was Pasta Con Le Sarde. It's a pasta dish like nothing you would get in Italy, with some very strong distinctive flavours; sardines, fennel, saffron, and sultanas. I found myself ordering it for lunch nearly every second day. I forgot about pasta con le sarde until recently. I noticed a lonely looking tin of John West Anchovies in my cupboard. While I didn't have any fennel, or sardines in the house; I decided to make a gutsy pasta dish with my humble tin of anchovies.

Whilst doing the weekly shop last week I spotted a packet of spelt spaghetti in the pasta aisle, I have long heard of the health benefits of spelt vs wheat; but I have never really tried any spelt products. I have tried gluten free pasta, and found it revolting. I must say I was pleasantly surprised, the texture was as normal pasta and the taste was almost the same as wholegrain pasta, just perhaps a bit nuttier. I'm a true convert, I am now excited to go buy spelt flour and see how I can integrate it into my diet instead of plain and wholemeal flour.

Anyways, on with the recipe. This is a real store cupboard meal, something you can conjure up at the end of the week when the fridge is almost empty. Just a few vine tomatoes and a clove of garlic are required for freshness, and a lemon that will help make the sauce sing. All in all this is a tangy pasta dish with a distinctive bite to it. Now I need to bulk buy anchovy tins, so this meal is always just a mere 12 minutes away

Ingredients

• 75g of spelt spaghetti (per person)
• 3-4 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 6-7 black olives, pipped
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tin of anchovies in olive oil
• 1 tbsp of chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method

1. Put the water on hob and bring to the boil. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. 
2. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and fry the garlic for a couple of minutes.
3. Finely chop the anchovies and add to the oil. Add the tomatoes also.
4. Cook everything for a few minutes.
5. Add a few spoons of pasta water and the lemon juice.
6. Finally, half the olives and add to the sauce. 
7. Season the sauce and add the herbs.
8. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well to coat every strand of spaghetti.
9. Finally, plate up and grate the Parmesan over the pasta with the preferred quantity.

The Full Irish Pasta Bake

The Full Irish Pasta Bake..... I know it sounds wierd but I'm never one to waste food, and this is surprisingly delightful and comforting. The other day I'd  a full house, so I threw down a few sausages, rashers and pudding couple of minutes before hand in anticipation that I'll have a few Full Irish takers. Often guests just opt for bacon and eggs, or my Irish Pancakes, which was the case this time. This left me with a few cooked breakfast leftovers. I hate to throw food away, hate hate it. So I decided to cool the leftover sausages, rashers and pudding and use in a pasta bake for the evenings supper for my husband. This is not a low fat dinner, so I won't pretend it is, but it certainly hits the comfort spot in the belly, and the men in your life will go crazy for this carb meat feast!!!!

Serves 2 (or 1 hungry man)

Ingredients

• 2 cooked sausages (cut into slices)
• 3 cooked rashers (cut into strips)
• 4 pieces of black and white pudding (cut into pieces)
• 100g of penne pasta
• 1 tin of cherry tomatoes
• Half a diced onion
• Half a diced clove of garlic
• 1 tsp of chilli flakes
• Salt/pepper
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of dried oregano
• 2 tbsp of red wine
• 3 tbsp of cream
• 1 tsp of oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. Cook pasta in boiling water for 10 minutes
3. Cook the onion and garlic in a little oil until translucent
4. Add the tomatoes, sugar, oregano and cook down for a few minutes
5. Add the chilli flakes and season.
6. Add the red wine and cook for a further 5 minutes
7. Add some of the cooking water from the pasta, stir and continue to cook
8. Add the chopped meat and the cream and stir well.
9. Transfer to a roasting dish and bake in the oven for 15 minutes

Feel free to add some mozzarella to the pasta before baking, I didn't as my husband isn't fond of cheese, but It would be scrummy. 

Or 6 minutes before the bake is finished make a little hole in the bake and gently break in an egg and return to the oven until the egg has just set.

This is a little on the sinful side so be mindful that perhaps a salad the following evening might make up for it. Why are wicked things the most pleasing!!!!

Low Fat Spicy Meatballs

These low fat meatballs are made from very lean and nutritious turkey mince, making the meatballs extremely low fat and very high in protein. To make the meatballs really flavoursome and to give them a bit of a kick, dried oregano and chilli are added to the mixture. These flavours can be substituted to whatever tastes you wish. You may wish to give an oriental flare to them by adding ginger and five spice, our give them a middle eastern kick by adding harrisa perhaps.

The meatballs are quite versatile and if you cook a big batch, they are great for freezing also.

Meatballs always have a comforting quality that perhaps dieters might normally steer clear of, but by using turkey mince instead, and by baking the balls in the oven, then finishing them off in a zero fat fiery tomato sauce, nobody should feel deprived. In fact the freshness and lightness of this dish, in comparison to heavier meatballs made from red meat and breadcrumbs and heavy cream-laden sauces, is a great welcomed alternative both  the tastebuds and the waist line will appreciate.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 300g Turkey mince
• 2 tsp Dried oregano
• 1 egg
• 1 onion, diced

Lot Fat Fiery Tomato Sauce

• 6 chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp of tomato puree
• 1 tsp of olive oil
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 1 onion diced
• 1/2 red chilli, deseeded and diced
• 1 garlic clove, diced
• 8 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
• basil leaves to garnish

Serve with pasta

Method

1. Place the meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Wet you hands and with the help of a teaspoon to measure, mould the meatballs into little balls (roughly the same size)
3. Place the meatballs on a lined baking sheet.
4. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, place a pan on a medium heat. Add the oil and saute the onion, garlic and chilli for 4-5 minutes. Add the mushroom sliced and saute for a further 2 minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes and puree and  cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add 2-3 tbsp of water and the balsamic vinegar. Stir well and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Add more water if it needs it.
8. Place the cooked meatballs in the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Be careful that the meatballs don't break up, so gently fold into the sauce.
9. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and add the shredded fresh basil.

Low Fat Sicilian Style Aubergine, Tomato & Basil Spagetti

This recipe is a very quick vegetarian meal, full of Italian flavours. The meat-like texture of the aubergine is a great substitute for the meat part of a meal. I’ve been part-time vegetarian for quite some time now, preferring vegetarian meals mid week, the main reason being they are lower in fat. Don’t get me wrong , everyone needs protein and iron in their diet, best gotten from meat, fish and poultry. But every so often I do like to take a break from meat and go on an extreme health kick, and have veggie dinners. To make this dish extra flavourful whilst still remaining low fat, I’m giving the dish an extra kick with Sicilian flavours, from lemon juice, olives and capers.

Serves 2

 Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 Aubergine, cubed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 garlic, finely sliced
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp of thyme leaves
• 4-5 large basil leaves
• 2 tsp of capers
• 2 tbsp of chopped black olives
• Juice of one lemon
• 150g of dried spagetti (preferably wholemeal) 

 

Method

1.  Put a large saucepan of water on the boil, with a generous helping of salt
2. In another pan or wok, on a medium heat add the oil, thyme, garlic and onions and fry for a few minutes
3. Add the aubergines and fry until brown
4. Add the tomato puree and continue mixing.
5. Add the tin of tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar
6. Add the pasta to the water and cook according to the packet instructions
7. Simmer the tomato sauce, adding salt and pepper for 10 minutes, to allow the sauce to thicken.
8. Finally, add the capers, lemon juice and black olives to the pan and stir to combine.
9. To serve, tear the basil leaves into the sauce and pour the sauce over the pasta.
10. Decorate with a few leftover basil leaves.

Chicken Cacciatore

One sleep to the Cork City Marathon. After researching what the best pre dinner race meal is, the majority of websites advised pasta, to my delight. Pre race, it is recommended to have a high carb, high protein low fat meal, so I decided to cook Chicken Cacciatore. This is a simple one pot dish, which is perfect, as after Nicola's hen party last night, I welcome as little effort as possible. Chicken Cacciatore is Italian in orgin, and its basically a really nice chicken stew that can be equally nice with potatoes, rice or pasta. There are tonnes of different chicken cacciatore recipes on the internet, but I believe sometimes the simpliest of recipes are the best. So here this is quite a classic simple version of Chicken Cacciatore.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breast on the bone
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tin peeled tomatoes
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 chopped carrots
• 10 sliced mushrooms
• 1 yellow pepper chopped
• leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme
• Pinch of sugar
• Salt/pepper
• 1 tbsp of tomato puree
• 1 glass of white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 4-5 torn basil leaves
• Pasta to serve

Method

1. In an oven proof lidded dish, gently brown the chicken breasts which should be previously dredged in flour
2. Remove the chicken once browned all over
3. Add the garlic, thyme and onion and gently fry
4. Add the remaining vegetables and stir to combine
5. Add the wine and bring the liquid to a boil.
6. Once some of the alcohol has been boiled off, add the tinned tomatoes and break them up as you add them
7. Add the bay leaf, sugar, puree, and salt and pepper
8. Add the chicken back to the dish, stir to combine and cover the dish.
9. Pop it into a pre heat oven at 180 degrees and bake for 45 minutes
10. Remove the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes
11. Add the torn basil leaves and remove the bay leaf with a slotted spoon
12. Serve with your preferred accompaniment.

Low Fat Bolognese

My love for pasta continues with this low fat Bolognese recipe. With the Cork City Marathon coming up this weekend, I really am upping the carbs, not that I’m doing a full marathon, just a 5.2 mile leg, you’d swear I was running the full marathon the way I’ve been babbling on about it for months training. Anywho, as I said, this week it’s all about the carbs, but I want to be smart about it and keep the meals tasty and low in fat. What better way to combine the need for carbs and lean protein than to have pasta bolognese using turkey mince. I actually use this basic recipe for turkey mince for my Bolognese sauce and it can be adapted to suit after that.You can use it in a pasta bake, just have regular Bolognese with spaghetti, or for those spuds lovers out there, make a shepherds’ pie with an Italian twist…….or you can also leave out the thyme and balsamic vinegar and add ground cumin, coriander , brown sugar and kidney beans at the end to make a low fat chilli con carne served with rice or potato wedges……..See the possibilities know no bounds.  Anyways, on with the show!!

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• Turkey mince
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• 1 diced onion
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and diced
• 2 stalks of chopped celery
• 3 diced carrots
• 7-8 sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp of tomato puree
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worchester sauce
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves
• Pasta of your choice
• Shredded basil leaves

Method

1. In a large frying pan/wok add the oil and fry the mince breaking it up as you fry.
2. When the mince is nicely browned, transfer to a plate and keep warm
3. Add the garlic, onions, chilli, celery and carrots and thyme leaves to the pan along with a pinch of salt to stop them colouring, sauté for 5 minutes
4. Add the mince back to the pan and add the tomato puree, combining everything well
5. Then add the tinned tomatoes, and fill the empty can 1/3 with water and add that as well. Add the sugar also to take the acidity out of the tomatoes.
6. Add the balsamic and Worchester sauce, bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer for an hour if you have the time for the mince to tenderise and absorb the flavours.
7. Add some shredded basil and the salt and pepper.

8. At this point, I made a pasta bake for myself. So I cooked 60g of pasta, drained it and added it to an oven proof dish with 1/3 of the Bolognese mixture and I put it in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 15-20 for the top to brown. Something happens when pasta is baked. It’s a deeper flavour, which I love. Cheese could have been added, but this is a low fat recipe. Add chopped basil at the end.

9. For the rest of the Bolognese, when Alan got home from work, I just heated the mince up in the pan and cooked some fresh tagiatelli, drained it and topped with the mince, for some Tag. Bol.

Serena's Medium Rare: Pesto Salmon and Tagliatelli

Serena's Medium Rare: Pesto Salmon and Tagliatelli: "This recipe can be served to the table in 15 mins, making it a winner in my books when you have that unexpected dinner guest. Serves 2 ..."

Spaghetti Frutti Di Mare

I’m a huge fan of seafood, and pasta is a girls best friend, so combine the two and I’m surely in heaven! This dish is really low in fat and on the table in 15 minutes. Now I use defrosted seafood, which I know puritans may snort at, but for a busy evening, this meal ticks all the boxes. Oh and serve with a sneaky slice of my easy peasy garlic bread and a glass of white wine.

Serves 2, well

Ingredients

• Dried spagetti pasta (1/4 packet)
• 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 onion finely chopped
• Half red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 6 tomatoes, diced (or tinned tomatoes)
• 1 tsp of tomato puree
• A splash of white wine
• Chopped basil and parsley
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp of cream cheese (I use Philadelphia Extra Light, but most folks with probably add full fat cream)

Method

1. Put a large pan of salted water on the boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions
2. To another pan add the garlic, onion, and chilli and stir for 2 minutes
3. Add the tomatoes, puree and wine and leave to bubble for few minutes, add a slash of liquid from the pasta water also along with salt and pepper.
4. Turn down the heat to a simmer and add the defrosted seafood, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the lemon juice, and cream cheese
6. Add the herbs
7. Drain the pasta, and add to the sauce.
8. Divide into the bowls; serve with lemon wedges, and a sprig of flat leaf parsley, and garlic bread

Pesto Salmon and Tagliatelli

This recipe can be served to the table in 15 mins, making it a winner in my books when you have that unexpected dinner guest.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets
• Olive Oil
• Knob of butter
• Fresh egg tagliatelli
• 3 tbsp pesto (I like salsca)
• Garlic Bread to serve/ or green salad

Method

1. Put a frying pan on medium heat
2. Add the butter and oil
3. Season the salmon well with salt and pepper
4. Put a large saucepan of boiling water on high heat
5. Add the salmon to the frying pan, skin side down, leaving for 5 mins
6. Add the pasta to the boiling water and bring back to boil for 4 mins
7. Turn the salmon and cook for further 6 mins
8. Drain the pasta, and toss in the pesto sauce
9. Divide out the pasta and serve with the salmon fittet on top, et Voilé! Tasty meal in mins!

Roast Mediterranean Pasta Bake

I came up with this recipe to feed my week night pasta craving, whilst trying to minimise the carbs !! The result was a yummy, low fat pasta bake that has breadcrumbs, cheese and pasta, all the evils of the dieting world. I also tweaked the recipe when cooking for my parents last night for more full on flavour, for those not so wasitline concious.

Serves 2


Ingredients

• 100g of dried penne pasta
• 1 aubergine, sliced roughly
• 1 red pepper, sliced roughly
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced roughly
• 2 red onions, quartered
• 1 courgette, slice roughly
• 50g feta cheese crumbled
• 1 slice of wholegrain bread, blitzed
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and Pepper

Tomato Sauce (basic sauce recipe, can be tweaked for a plutter of dishes)

• Tinned chopped tomatoes
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 diced onion
• dried oregano
• shredded fresh basil leaves
• pinch sugar
• salt & pepper
• Chilli flakes (optional)
• Splash of Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Place the chopped vegetables in a roasting tin and add the fresh thyme, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix together until all evenly coated.
3. Roast in the oven for 20 mins turning occassionally for vegetables to be cooked evenly.
4. Meanwhile put the pasta in a large saucepan of generously salted boiling water and cook according to packet instructions.
5. To make the sauce, add the chopped onion and garlic to a  saucepan along with the dried oregano and chilli flakes. Mix on low heat stirring occassionally.
6. Add the tinned tomatoes, sugar, salt pepper, and balsamic and white wine vinegars, bring to the boil and reduce heat to simnmer for 20 mins.
7. Add the fresh basil and roasted vegetables, stirring well to coat all vegetables with the tomato sauce.
8. Drain the cooked pasta and add to the tomato and vegetables.
9. Add the crumbled feta and mix well, careful to not break up the feta too much
10. Transfer to a baking dish and top with the bread crumbs
11. Bake in the oven for 15 mins, until a crispy coating develops on the top.
12. Enjoy with some sneaky garlic bread and/or a crisp green salad.

Replace the feta for some mozerella for those not so anal on the calorie-count and increase the pasta amount. Also mix the breadcrumbs with some grated Parmesan cheese