Lemon salmon

A really poor show from me this month. It's been a few weeks that I don't really want to live through again in a hurry to be honest. Family members in hospital, aged relatives getting more dependant, my purse (and therefore my identity) stolen and until the refund came through I was £6,500 poorer. Need I go on ?

In the middle of all this my cooking mojo upped and left me. We were eating whatever we could find in the freezer and cupboards and several takeaways featured in there too, all in all not very healthy and definitely some dubious food stuffs were consumed.

More recently Weight Watchers have released their new pro-points system. I've been a WW fan for years having lost 2 stone before my wedding (and put it on again when I got pregnant) then lost it again (and then put it on again when I got pregnant with son no2) - spot a theme here ?? Anyway I've been faffing around with my weight loss since I decided low carb really wasn't for me - despite the amazing weight loss, the headaches, horrible taste in my mouth and ahem, bowel issues just were not worth it.

I started the new system on Monday as soon as it was released online and this week I've recorded a 4lb weight loss !!!!! This meal featured in my plan this week and was delicious, even the kids liked it. It's taken from Nigella's Kitchen book.

LEMON SALMON WITH COUSCOUS
serves 4

200g couscous

3tsp sea salt flakes

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

250ml boiling water

1/2 small red onion finely chopped

zest & juice 1 lemon

1 tbsp garlic oil plus another tsp

300g cherry tomatoes

4 salmon fillets

4x tbsp chopped coriander

Put the couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Add 2 tsp salt, all the ginger and 1/2 the paprika.

Stir everything around before covering and setting aside

Into a dish which will take the salmon fillets snugly, grate the lemon zest. Add the rest of the salt & paprika and then the tbsp of garlic oil

In another bowl put the finely chopped onion and lemon juice

In yet another dish put the halved cherry tomatoes, tip over the last tsp of garlic oil and mix about

Add the salmon to the zest dish and mix well coating in the zesty garlic mix

Put the fillets in a hot pan and cook until just done

While the fish is resting add the tomatoes & lemony onion mix to the couscous and fluff with a fork. Taste & alter seasoning as you wish. Then add 3 tbsp of coriander.

Serve, using the last tbsp of coriander as a garnish.

This was also lovely cold the next day with some salad in my lunchbox !

Salmon tikka

An exhausting week and very little time to cook. My step-Dad is currently in hospital so when I'm not there or at work or looking after the kids, or or or or ........ you get the point.

So, tonight after a particularly exhausting day of hospital visiting, housework, looking after a poorly 7yo and an exuberant 3yo what on earth were we going to have for dinner. We did takeaway (pizza *blush*) last night so couldn't really justify another one. I had got two salmon fillets out of the freezer a couple of days ago but just not got around to cooking them. This recipe is done from start to plate in about 15-20 mins so fitted the bill perfectly and is adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe but with a few tweaks my style !

SALMON TIKKA NAAN
serves 2

2 skinless salmon fillets
1tbsp tandoori curry paste
1/3 cucumber deseeded and chopped
1/2 red chilli deseeded if liked and chopped
3 spring onions sliced
3-4 heaped tbsp natural yoghurt
1/2-1 tsp mint sauce (trust me !)
seasoning
4 mini naan breads
salad to serve

Cut the salmon into three long strips and combine with the paste - set to one side while you prep the veg
Combine the yoghurt and mint sauce and then add the chilli and spring onions
Heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and quickly sear the salmon - this will only take a few minutes
While the salmon is cooking pop the naan in the toaster to heat through
Take the salmon off the heat and then add the cucumber to the yoghurt dressing - season to taste
Put the naan on the plate, pile the salmon on top and then finish with the yoghurt and cucumber mix

30 days / 30 things Day 20

Right, behind again. Bottom of the class F- for me !!

Day 20 (yes, yes I do know it's the 22nd today) is a cookery book recommendation. I have so many to choose from I don't know which one to use, so I had to go and have a rummage through my bookshelf to see which one was most thumbed and splattered - the sign of a good cookbook in my eyes anyway.

I came up with this one

Now I like to think of myself as quite an accomplished cook but I still love the basic cookery books such as this one. I've got a couple of recipes from here which are now firm favourites on our weekly meal plans. I have also lent this book to friends who have ended up buying their own copies when I've wrestled the book back from them ! It's split up into very user friendly chapters and it also addresses the issue of cost and availability of produce too. It focuses very heavily on cooking from scratch and the health benefits of doing so.

Thai meatballs

So, day 2 of my low-carb diet. I've just got over the headache from hell (caffeine and sugar withdrawal) and the nausea and thinking this may just work - again !

Last night was something quick and easy after work - baked salmon topped with pesto. Yum.

Tonight I did an old low-carb favourite which all the family will eat, although son no1 did state that they were "a little bit spicy but it was an ok spicy". Son no2 ate a few mouthfuls and then just ploughed into the peanut sauce - strange child he is.

THAI MEATBALLS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

serves 4

1 small onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 red chilli
1 tsp each of lazy ginger and lazy lemongrass
juice of 1/2 lime
stalks from a bunch of coriander
500g pork mince
seasoning

for the sauce

1 rounded tbsp peanut butter (I used crunchy as I prefer the texture)
1 heaped tsp dessicated coconut
2 tsp tamari soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
juice of 1/2 lime

To make the meatballs. Put the onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chilli, coriander and lime juice in a processor and whizz to a paste. Mix with the mince and season. Set aside for a few hours if possible.

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce with about a tbsp of boiling water to thin it down. Set aside to rest, it will thicken on standing so may need more water later. I have also tried mixing with some creamed coconut which is nice too.

Heat some groundnut oil in a large pan and add walnut size balls of the meatball mix to the pan and cook until brown and golden.

I served this with green beans and steamed broccoli but would be good (for those not low carbing) with rice and a large salad.

Salmon fishcakes

I have several things I can't or won't cook ! At the top of the list of things I've never cooked with and feel slightly daft for being afraid of is raw shellfish. I'd love to be able to produce a fab moules marinere (not that I can eat it at the moment) or barbecue shell on prawns etc. I have cooked scallops but they're not in the shell are they !

Also on the list are fishcakes, meatballs and flapjacks ! Fishcakes fall apart, ditto meatballs and flapjacks - well they either set like concrete or fall apart coming out of the tin.

Anway I have decided to meet my demons head on - I'll leave the shellfish until after I've had this baby ;-). Today I cooked salmon fishcakes and they didn't fall apart or burn or do anything nasty - although me dropping the ketchup bottle was another matter.

SALMON FISHCAKES

Serves at least 4

500g Maris piper potatoes
2 salmon fillets
Handful parsley chopped
Chopped green beans, cooked (optional, I just had some in the fridge !)
1/4 lemon squeezed
Blob of mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
1 egg yolk beaten

Cut the potatoes into chunks and boil in salted water until tender
Bake or poach the salmon until done and flake
Drain the potatoes, mash and leave to cool
Add the parsley, fish, lemon and seasoning to the potato and mix well
Use mayonnaise / egg yolk as needed to bind
Shape into patties and chill for at least 20 minutes
Fry in olive oil until crisp on both sides and fishcakes are warmed through

I served with peas and ketchup - but any veg or salad would have done !