BANANA SOOTHIE: healthy, calming

If ever a drink reflected its qualities, Banana Soothie is it...

Banana Soothie - white, creamy and ever so calming 

                             photo 22/7/20

There hasn't been a typographical error -- this truly is a Banana Soothie (even though it might also be considered a smoothie).

A day on this delicious drink (as part of a diet, maybe? Or to soothe a dicky tummy?) will leave you thrilled with how relaxed and happy you feel.  You'll be reminded how delicious bananas whizzed up with milk/yoghurt are.

Bananas are full of tryptophan, which converts to the feel-good hormone serotonin.  With high levels of B vitamins, they also relax and soothe minds, and help unclench muscles.

They are high in fibre and can benefit heart health, diabetes and digestion.  And they're frugal!  

As lockdown eases, it's a perfect drink for keeping a positive attitude.  Simple and easy to make, it will soothe any fractious/gloomy/anxious 

family member, whatever their age. 

Ripe bananas are best for this drink.  

Cost: pennies

Makes: 1 portion

Ingredients:

   1 ripe banana

   1-2 tbsp o-fat yoghurt + 1/2 cup water OR

   generous half cup nut milk (67 used almond) or whole diary milk

    1/3 tsp vanilla essence

   a few ice cubes

   nutmeg, a few grates of fresh or 1/8 tsp dried

Method:

1. Peel banana; remove strips of fibre; cut out any black bits; chop coarsely
2. Add to yoghurt & water or milk, vanilla & ice cubes; process until smooth and frothy
3. Pour into glass; sprinkle with nutmeg

 

Tips:

• for a 1-day fast, have 4 of these smoothies
• for a treat instead of a remedy, replace yoghurt/milk with ice cream.
• too many bananas can be fattening

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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

BROCCOLI 'VICHYSSOISE': vegan, easy, kid-friendly

Perfect for a Dads' Day celebration: lovely and mellow, hot or cold...

Mellow, smooth Vegan Broccoli 'Vichyssoise':
 thoroughly green treat alongside Cornbread with bell pepper & green onions

The blogger has an inordinate fondness for broccoli.  It's the taste of it and the health benefits.  Whether it's hot in stir fries, steamed or floating in soups as a garnish, or in substantial salads it's easy to get through a lot in a lifetime.

Broccoli Soup however has been problematic.  Most broccoli soups involve cheese and/or potato or rice, both of which are on the blog's proceed-with-caution list.  

This soup, inspired by the BBC's Good Food site, hits all the right buttons.  It's green through and very tasty with a lovely mellowness.  For art's sake, a swirl of dairy or vegan yoghurt or cream prettifies it nicely.  But essentially, it's a dieters' delight.  

It's a great opportunity to use up broccoli stems and any green bits in your vegetable drawer.  67 included leftover cucumber and mange tout with no ill effect.

Cost: £2'ish (2020)

Serves: 4, multiplies easily

Ingred:

    1/2 tablespoon olive oil

    1/2 med to large onion or the well-washed greens of 6 spring onions

    med garlic clove, grated (opt)

    200-300gr/7-10.5oz broccoli,

        flowers & peeled stems

    100gm/3.5oz frozen peas 

    100 gm green leaves: chard, lettuce OR mange tout, snap peas or green beans 

    2/3 litre good stock (granules or cubes are ok)

    1/2 teaspoon sumac (or lemon zest)

    juice of half a good-sized lemon

    plenty of salt & pepper

Garnish: peas, mushrooms or croutons; yoghurt or cream; smoked paprika  

Method:

AVOCADO, BEETROOT & BREAKFAST RADISH SALAD, Vegan

Cool AND Beautiful: delightful salad making the most of summer...

Avocado, Beetroot & Breakfast Radish Salad 
'The nicest most refreshing salad with really stunning flavours.' Taster

Beetroot is a wonderful vegetable; it tastes fabulous, has a myriad of health benefits and makes anything it is teamed with look marvellously picturesque. 

The root is low in fat/calories (great for weight loss), is full of vitamins and antioxidants and has masses of good fibre (great for the digestion).  It also sports high levels of folic acid - a boon for pregnant women.

This thrown-together summer salad teams beetroot with avocado and breakfast radishes (the long ones - though ordinary radish will do) and an orange-flavoured balsamic dressing in a winning combination.  A bit more of this salad veg and a little less of that won't be a problem.

The salad has lovely layers of flavour and texture; crunchy leaves contrast delightful with creamy avo and mellow beetroot. 

This will make great picnic food alongside cold eats; pack the ingredients separately and assemble on site.

Cost: £2.50'ish
Serves: 4 good-sized portions; recipe multiples easily

Ingredients:
    2 med cooked beetroot, thin outer layer peeled, cut into 1/2in/1cm cubes (cooked from raw or packaged is fine)
   1/2 avocado, peeled, in 1/2in/1cm cubes, with half a lemon squeezed over it and seasoned with pepper & salt
   handful of breakfast radishes (the long ones have less heat but ordinary radish will do) thinly sliced (at an angle with the long ones)
   a generous couple of mugs chopped lettuce leaves, rinsed & dried (any will do)
   2 generous handfuls grated carrot

(The salad is wonderful with the above ingredients but you can also add a handful of cooked peas and corn niblets.)

 Balsamic Orange Vinaigrette 
     3-4 tbsp good olive oil
     1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
     good pinch salt and 1/8 tsp pepper, pref. coarsely ground
     1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard
     zest one orange
     1-2 tbsp orange juice

Method:

FLASH FRIED LAMB WITH SHERRY, SOY SAUCE & ORANGE

Perfect meal for a starving singleton still stuck at a hot desk...

updated 4/25/ first posted 2018

Quick, Easy, Tasty & Nutritious: Stir-friend lamb, green beans and rice
'Beautifully tender meat, crunchy green beans and gorgeously separate rice grains. Fabulous!' Retired writer

Food which is discounted due to best-buy dates is almost always a delight.  Often at least a quarter and sometimes a third off, items which are normally outside budgetary boundaries suddenly become available.  As long as they are frozen or cooked on the day, they are likely to be fine.

In fact, even excellent.

Flash-fried Oriental Lamb arose from a discounted package of diced British lamb leg from a trusted supermarket*.  Marinated with sherry, soy sauce and orange and teamed with leftover raw green beans, it took barely 10 minutes to cook - including the optional rice.

The lamb was lean and with little fat; it was sliced thinly before marinading. 

The cooked lamb could have been served just as it was for a low-carb treat but 67 added quick-cook fluffy white Basmati rice to soak up the fabulous juices. 

It was quite delicious, even though frugal - very little meat is required.  The recipe multiplies nicely.

Cost: £3.50'ish but usually come on pairs

Feeds: 1

*M&S

Ingredients:

   100gms thinly sliced raw cubes of lamb leg
   40gm green beans, topped & tailed
   peanut or light vegetable oil
   
Marinade:   
   2 tbsp sherry
   1 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce
   1/4 tsp minced garlic
   1/4 tsp minced peeled ginger
   zest of orange
   1-2 tsp orange juice
  
   water or stock

 Cooked rice (opt)

Method:

1. Mix marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl
2. Slice lamb cubes into thin slices
3. Place in marinade 20mins, turning now and again
4. Cook rice according to instruction; keep warm
5. Top and tail green beans
6. At end of marinading period, heat a large frying pan over high heat until very hot
7. Spray pan generously with oil; add slices of meat in one layer, shaking off marinade into the bowl; don't touch meat for 1-2 mins or until brown and crusty underneath
8. Turn meat over; cook half a minute; add green beans, leftover marinade and a couple of tablespoons water or stock; stirring rapidly
9. Cover, turn heat down to med; leave 2-3 mins or until beans are cooked to your liking
10. Pour lamb & juices over rice

Comments:
'Beautifully tender meat, green beans with just the right amount of crunchiness and gorgeous grains of rice; gorgeous layers of flavour!' Retired writer

 See Nav Bar: Recipes II/Lamb...

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Copyright: This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission'

WHEAT FREE TABOULEH, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb

Utterly refreshing Tabouleh for the wheat & gluten phobes; in fact Everyone!

updated 4/25; first posted 2018

Lighter brighter tabouleh; you won't miss the wheat

Tabouleh used to be one of 67's favourite summer salads until cracked wheat began to aggravate skin problems.  This common-wheat and gluten-free version is just as fresh, juicy and reviving and thoroughly enjoyable to eat.

Serve it as a side, with meat or other protein, or mixed in rice or pasta salads for a lovely layer of flavour.  

67 is not sure where this recipe is from - all the Blogger has is a scribbled note stashed inside a book - and apologises for not being able to acknowledge the source.

Like ordinary tabouleh, this wheat-free version is a splendidly satisfying.   

It's very easy to put together.  And though the recipe does require fresh not dried herbs, it won't break the bank.  

Cost: £3.50'ish (4/2025)
Serves: 2-3 but multiplies easily 

Ingreds:
     4 vine tomatoes OR regular tomatoes that have been sliced or in chunks, sprayed with olive oil and lightly salted
    1 tbsp cooked brown rice (opt)
    50g shallots or mild purple onions or whites of spring onions OR (for fodmap phobes) green of spring onions
    1/2 lemon
    75gm/2.6oz fresh parsley
    15gm/1/2 oz mint
    pepper & salt

Method:

ALMOND CHOCOLATE MERINGUE COOKIES: flour & dairy free, indulgence, super-easy

Unexpected guests?  These gorgeous little almond cookies are the bees' knees...

Exquisite Almond Cookies, swift & sensational 
'Love it, love it, love it!' 'Light & Crumbly' 'Yes to the chocolate ones!'  Tasters

These gorgeously tasty crisp little biscuits* are super-simple to produce.  A  kind of arty nutty macaroon, they're striking in appearance, taste and texture.   

They're a busy cook's dream --  ready for the oven in no time and baked to golden splendour in 10 mins.  Who could ask for more?

They live up to their reputation as an indulgence.  They're not exactly frugal but are so rich, portions can be kept small.  One or two will satisfy a sweet tooth.   

67's tasters were wildly enthusiastic about the biscuits but 67 found them a little too sweet.  A lower-sugar version is in the offing.  

Cost: £2
Makes: 2 dozen 

Ingredients:
    1 large egg white
    75gm/2.6oz sugar
    1 tsp vanilla extract

  200gm/7 oz flaked almonds
    50gm chocolate chips (opt) 

Method:

1. Beat egg white until frothy and white but not forming peaks
2. Continue to beat, adding sugar a tablespoon at a time; mixture will thicken and form stiff peaks 
3. Add vanilla; blend
4. Preheat oven to 180c/350f
5. Stir in almonds ensuring all are well coated
6. Drop by tablespoonsful onto a lined baking tray, leaving a little space in between
7. Add a few chocolate chips to final third of the mix  for variety (opt)
8. Dip clean fingers in a bowl of warm water, shake off excess, gently press on biscuits to flatten slightly. 
9. Bake 7-10 mins or until golden brown; turning tray from front to back half-way through
10. Cool on the tray
11. Handle carefully

Comments:
'Love it, love it, love it!  They're like macaroons but I love the almonds.' Campaign Manager
'I don't like almonds but these are good - light and crumbly.  One of the best you've made.' Political Agent 
'Really great.  I'm a chocoholic so the chocolate ones are for me!' Boston Political intern 

Tip:
Reduce sugar by 25 grams and add finely chopped glace cherries

                                                                                                                                          *adapted from Renana's kitchen.                                                        

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This recipe has been adapted by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

TROPICAL CHICKEN SALAD, frugal, healthy packed lunch

A simple salad of cooked chicken, pineapple & nuts to perk up a desk lunch...

Desktop temptation: Tropical Chicken Salad 
with piquant no-added-sugar dressing 

This 67 portable salad gives cooked chicken a new lease of life.  Tropical overtones - sweet pineapple and crunchy nuts - banish that 'leftovers, again?!!' feeling. It's a salad that's piquant and interesting, and the many bits of raw veg make it ultra healthy.  

If the elements are packed individually, the Salad avoids the 'sludginess' of flavour and texture that can follow the morning commute.  Use one sealable sandwich bag for each different item.  Put the dressing in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, lined with a double layer of clingfilm, or in one sealed sandwich bags sealed inside another.  Assemble and dress at the office.

The Salad is low in fat, sugar and salt but high in protein and fibre. Carbs are optional. 

Costs: under £1, depending on what's in the fridge
Serves: 1 but multiplies easily

Ingredients:
   1 cooked, shredded chicken thigh or leg, free of skin
   2-3 generous handfuls bite-size pieces of iceberg lettuce 
   1 stick celery, peeled, sliced thinly at an angle
   1/6 of a red bell pepper, thinly sliced
   couple of inches of cucumber, thinly sliced
   a couple of slices or handful of chunks of fresh pineapple, burnished on a griddle or frying pan, if you like (pineapple in juice, not syrup, will do)
   1/4 avocado, cubed & doused in lemon juice & seasoned with salt & pepper(opt)
   a few almonds

Dressing:
    4 tbsp light veg oil
    1 tbsp lime juice
    1 tsp Dijon mustard 
    1/2 tsp lime zest

    1 tsp pineapple juice
    1 tbsp finely minced pineapple    
    1/2 tsp finely minced mint leaves
    pepper & salt

SOFT LETTUCE SALAD WITH GREEN HERB DRESSING, Frugal, Vegan Option, Easy-peasy

English lettuces dipped in creamy herb dressing is welcome in any season...

updated June 2020; photos 21.jan.16

Lettuce Salad with Green Herb Dressing - so welcome even if it's still raining! 

Round English lettuces are back in most supermarkets at very reasonable prices: well under a pound.  The leaves are crisp, juicy, crunchy and extremely more-ish when the body's been starved of salad during sub-zero temperatures.

Dressed with Green Herb Dressing, the salad makes a satisfying side dish. The dressing blends strained zero-fat yoghurt with mayonnaise and at least two of: parsley, chives, basil, spring onions.

A bonus?  Kids will love watching you deal with the lettuce and it might spur them into a love of cooking.

The lovely low-cal, low-cholesterol treat should set you back no more than a pound and feed a family of 3-4.  


Ingredients: 

    1 round English lettuce 

   6 tbsp Greek or Icelandic strained 0-fat yoghurt
   2 tbsp mayonnaise
   3-4 tsp mixed herbs: parsley, chives, basil, spring onions

Method:

1. Remove scruffy, limp outer leaves from lettuce but leave the lettuce whole.  Run cold water over the leaves and shake thoroughly.  Wrap the lettuce in paper towels or a clean tea towel. 
2. Have a good sized plate ready.  Sharply bang the knob on the bottom of the lettuce on a hard surface, then hold the lettuce over the plate, leaves facing upwards.  Twist the knob and remove.  The leaves will fall - flower-like- onto the plate.
3. Blitz the yoghurt, mayo and chosen herbs until the mix takes on a pale green colour and is flecked with herbs. Season.  Pour into a small bowl and place in the middle of the lettuce leaves.

Vegan Option: use vegan mayo & yoghurt

Vegetarianism & Essential Amino Acids plus Cooking Clever with Pulses: How to..on NavBar    

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.