You know those meals where even though food is coming out your ears, you just keep eating….Well “Greedy McStuffins” here knows all about it. I started and I just couldn’t stop. It was fine for himself – he spent 5 hours on the bike in 28 degree heat cycling up mountains yesterday. My 4.5km run and 20 minute circuit really didn’t qualify me for the sea of calories I swam through at dinnertime (with my mouth wide open). However, I had a great breakfast and a salad for lunch so the day balanced out overall. Despite the heat of the day, a comfort food extravaganza was on the cards.
When Can I Use These Recipes?
All of these recipes can be eaten on their own or as part of a feast (just like we had). They are also awesome selections for a dinner party as they are simple and easy to make whilst being totally delicious. Now, I must point out that I am not a chef. Some of my cheffy friends may hide their faces in mortification at my cooking methods – so please feel free to offer your criticism if you feel its needed. But this is the way I do my cooking, and it is working out well so far.
We didn’t have starters/mains. We just put everything on the table and had a spoon (or 7)of each.
Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli with Mushroom and Tarragon Sauce
Ingredients:Ravioli, mushrooms, tarragon, creme fraiche, garlic, onions, seasoning, parmesan.
Start by frying off the onion and garlic. Allow them to brown slightly before adding the mushrooms and tarragon. Fry the mushrooms at a good heat until the water starts to come out of them. Keep frying and allow this to evaporate off. Turn down the heat and add some creme fraiche. Keep stirring until the liquid begins to thicken then add your grated parmesan. Take the mix off the heat.
Your fresh ravioli should only take a couple of minutes to cook so you can get these on before you add the cream to the mushrooms. Once the ravioli is cooked, drain it and add it to the mushroom sauce. Top it with a sprinkle of parmesan and black pepper.
Courgette and Mozzarella Bake – Comfort Food at its Best
Ingredients:Courgette, passata, garlic, mozzarella, parmesan, seasoning. +/- red lentils, +/- chorizo
When it comes to comfort food, Italian dishes are the best. This is so simple and while it is great as a side dish, you could also add pasta and chicken to make it a wonderful meal all on its own. Aubergine is also a great addition to the dish. Im going to tell you how to cook it with the lentils and chorizo, but if you prefer, you can leave these out.
Start by chopping the chorizo into large chunks and slicing the garlic. Pop these into an oven dish and sprinkle a tablespoon of red lentils. Chop a knuckle of chorizo into small pieces and sprinkle it on top of the courgette. Pour in the passata and add slices of mozzarella on top of the mix. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 180 for 35 minutes. Make sure the oven is hot when you put the dish in. After 35 minutes, take off the tinfoil and grate some parmesan over the top along with some black pepper. Allow the cheese to crisp and remove from the oven after 10 minutes. Serve with crusty garlic bread.
Quinoa with Butternut Squash and Rosemary
Ingredients:Quinoa ,chicken stock, butternut squash, garlic, onions, rosemary.
I usually start this dish by roasting the butternut with a knob of butter and fresh rosemary (45 minutes at 180) a few cloves of chopped garlic and 1/2 an onion. 1/2 way through cooking, mix the squash around so it all cooks evenly. While this is in the oven, pop 1/2 a stock cube into boiling water and add your quinoa – cooking instructions are usually on the packet.
This evening, I had some roast vegetables in the fridge that had to be used up so I added them to the quinoa once it was cooked. When the butternut was done, I added the quinoa to the dish and popped it back into the oven with a sprinkle of parmesan on top. I like to serve it with a wedge of lemon to squeeze on top. You could add chickpeas or chicken to this dish – but equally it would go really well with a lamb dish.
Cooking Extra For A Hassle Free Day
Truthfully, there is lots left for lunch today thanks to a little extra effort last night. When on holidays, we are inclined to alternate every second day to lots of time in the sun/less time in the sun and more time reading books on the balcony – just to give the kids and ourselves a break from the heat. So, its those down days where I make a little extra effort and cook a little more food.
This works equally well when we are home. Sports, drama, music and horseriding take up a huge portion of our week and having food prepared in advance takes a huge amount of pressure off.
Enjoy – and I would love if you would tag #westcorkfit if you use any recipes xxx