SKINNIER PARTY SCOTCH EGGS; low-fat&preservative; make ahead

Please go to:

https://67goingon50.blogspot.com/2020/05/skinnier-scotch-eggs-wallet-friendly.html

JENNY'S 90-MIN WHOLEMEAL BREAD, Healthy, easy, wallet-friendly

Amazing soft, spongy tasty home-made bread that takes just 90 mins from start to finish...(less for rolls!)

Why bother with mass-produced bread after this recipe?

photo  17/7

67goingon50 has been searching for some time for a simple yeasted wholemeal loaf that's good for packed lunches. 

This recipe from the hilarious 'Jenny Can Cook' is really, really good.  It's so  tasty, the household will scarfe it down faster than you can bake it.  

For best results, you need electric beaters or a stand-alone mixer but it can be made by hand. 

The bread is nearly totally wholemeal flour and very, very good for blood sugar & digestion.  The finished loaf is light and spongy and somehow remains that way for days after baking.  

This is a wonderful loaf for busy families.  Your partner could make it.  So could an older child.

It is so easy on family budgets and you know exactly what has gone into it.

Give it a go.  You won't regret it.

Ingreds:

    260gm/9.1oz whole wheat flour*

      65gm/2.3oz bread flour (but all-purpose flour is ok)

        7gm/1 packet/2 tsp instant or active dry yeast (67 used instant)

        2 tbsp sugar

        1 tsp salt

    240ml milk, heated to 120-130f/48-54.5c for instant yeast or 110-120f/43.3-48.5c for active dry yeast

        1 egg
        2 tbs olive or other light veg oil

        

   up to 1/4 cup additional bread flour

Method:

HARVEST VEGETABLES, Vegan, Dieters' Delight

A tasty carousel of mostly low-carb summer/autumn vegetables... 

Pan-fry of Harvest Veg: tasty, colourful, many textured -- a vegan's dream
'I'd eat this at any time and I'm no dieter!'

The ingredients of this wonderful dying-summer dish were chosen specifically to meet the demands of a no/low carb eating plan, hence it is full of low-starch veg and is pretty low-cal, too.  It's the perfect dish for harvest time. 

Tasters loved the combination of textures and colours as well as the multi-layered flavours.  One thing that wasn't added but would be welcome was bean sprouts.

No worries about calories or carbs?  Add carrots, fresh corn, potatoes and peas.   

As with stir-fries, the work is in the preparation.  Then it's like an assembly line -- some of the veg are braised, some flash-fried -- before coming together swiftly in a delicious melange.   

In keeping with the low-carb theme, the natural juices of the veg and flavourings are the only 'sauce'.  Thicken the sauce with a 1-1 slurry of cornflour, water, soy sauce and sherry but it will raise calories. 

Cost: depends on choices; say £2.50'ish

Feeds: 2-3 with a side of rice or noodles.

67 used a large coffee mug as a measure

Ingred:

   1/2 mug small cauliflower florets
   1/2 mug tenderstem broccoli, stems peeled & trimmed

   1/2 mug thickly sliced mushrooms; chestnuts preferred but any will do
   juice 1/2 lemon 
   1 mug thickly sliced courgettes, cut on the slant

   2 mugs slightly packed fresh spinach, washed & stems removed (or not if you don't like fiddling with stems)  
   1/2 mug halved baby tomatoes, lightly sprayed with olive oil & lightly salted
  
   light vegetable oil (groundnut/peanut is good)

   1 tsp reduced salt soy sauce
   1 1/2 tsp sherry 
   water or stock
    finely grated zest of half a lemon
   1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger (opt)
   1/2 tsp grated fresh garlic (opt)

Method:

BBQ SIDES; NECTARINE CUCUMBER SALAD, vegan

Definitely not your run-of-the-mill summer salad...

A treat for the tastebuds: Spiced Peach & Cucumber Salad
'So lovely & innovative, a beautiful combination' 'Tremendous!' Tasters

This unusual, taste-bud-tickling recipe puts paid to the assumption that summer salads are boring.  How can peaches, cucumber and avocado in a spicy Middle Eastern dressing be anything but intriguing?  It is a gustatory treat with terrific flavour and crunch. 

Kids may not like it and it may not be for everyone.  But anyone looking for a taste adventure will be thrilled.

The recipe is vegan but has none of the usual associations with vegan food.  It's wallet-friendly especially if you're using ripen at home nectarines.

It's adapted from Bon Appetite magazine via Kismet restaurant in Los Angeles.  

Obviously 67's recipe doesn't include artisan ingredients or require elegant cooking techniques fit for a high-status paying customer waiting to be impressed.  

67's salad is aimed at the home cook with standard cupboard ingredients and common-all-garden cooking skills. But that won't lessen the dish's impact.  

There's no substitute for the fresh parsley & coriander -- they're important for maximum flavour.  

The salad does not sit well; prepare everything in advance but assemble at the last minute.   

Cost: £3.50'ish (2021 prices)

Feeds: 6-8

Ingred:

   1/3 cup pumpkin seeds 

   1/2 tbsp olive oil

   pepper & salt

  1 cardamon pod (opt)

  1 tsp cloves

  1/2 tsp dried coriander

  1/2 tsp cumin

  1 med red chilli, de-seeded & membranes removed) finely diced

  1 med garlic clove, grated

  3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

  3 tbsp fresh coriander, leaves & stems, 

finely chopped

  3-4 tbsp lemon juice

  about 14in/30cm (about 1 1/2 cucumbers) de-seeded 

  4 yellow peaches or nectarines

  1 avocado

  Garnish: 1 tsp toasted sesame, pumpkin seeds, a few tender cilantro leaves on stems 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180c
2. Add pumpkin seeds to a small rimmed baking pan and bake a scant 5 minutes in a medium oven OR cook on a stovetop pan 5-7 mins, tossing occasionally 
3. Once the pumpkin seeds are cool, spray lightly with olive oil; add salt to taste; set aside
4. If using cardomon, break open with the flat of a knife; remove seeds & discard outer covering
5. Mix spices with chilli, garlic, parsley & coriander, 1/4 cup olive oil & lemon juice. (This can be made the night before & refrigerated) 
6. When ready to serve, add cucumber to the dressing; allow flavours to blend 5 mins
7. Chop peaches/nectarines into bite-size pieces; cut avocado into similar sized pieces & mix with cucumbers and half the pumpkin seeds; taste, adjust seasoning
8. Pile onto a bed of soft salad leaves (opt)
9. Garnish with toasted sesame, the other half of the pumpkin seeds and some stems of tender coriander 
10. Serve immediately

Comments:
'I was really surprised by this; it seemed such an odd combination.  But the first taste was amazing; I loved it and have no qualms about serving it many times again.' Retired writer
'It's a tremendous mix - a lunch in its own right!' Political Agent

Tip
Use up the rest of the herbs in vegan summer burgers or the easy-peasy lettuce salad with green herb dressing. 

More  salads on NavBar: Recipes II

Please leave a comment in the box below

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

CHUNKY BEEF & VEG SOUP, slow cooker, low fat, salt, preservative

Much better for you than tinned...

 'Big' Beef Soup: not quite a stew but equally filling, nourishing & easily digested

'...a grand, hearty warm meal' Taster

Tinned 'Big' soups are a godsend when overwhelmed with work or unable to cook due to illness.  But the truth is, many commercial tinned soups* are disappointing: thick & gloopy -- definitely not in a good way -- and strong, unpleasant metallic flavours. 

Home-made Big Soups are the perfect solution.  They hit the right balance: light but satisfying and full of flavour.  And all the bits in it -- root veg and beef -- are tender and easily digested. 

Prepped ahead and slow-cooked, homemade chunky soups may take a little more effort than opening a tin initially but they are incredibly tasty.  And  leftovers can be frozen.  

They are also better for you - lower in fat/salt/preservatives - and are pretty wallet friendly.   

Kids will love them, as will the ill or infirm or anyone looking for a nutritious, filling, easily digestible meal.  


Cost: £3.00
Serves: 6-8

Ingred:
   7oz/200g shin of beef, without bones, in one inch cubes
   seasoned flour

   olive oil
   med onion, diced or coarsely processed
   1 1/2 sticks celery in med dice
   1 large carrot in one inch cubes
   1/2 coffee mug swede, peeled and cut in one inch cubes
   1/2 coffee mug sweet potato. peeled & in one inch cubes
   6oz+/180gm baby new potatoes or washed potatoes in one-inch cubes

   enough stock water to cover beef & veg by one inch
   slug of brandy (opt)

   small handful parsley, finely chopped
   Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp

   reduced salt soy sauce (opt)

   2 tbsp rice or other flour with 1/2 ounce butter

Method:

EASY MULTI-DUTY RICH TOMATO SOUP: easy-peasy, sugar/preservative free, low oil/salt

Another multi-purpose dish perfect for carnivores and vegans 

updated 2025 first posted 2015d 2015 

Rich Tomato Soup with Crispy Pancetta
one of multiple ways to serve this soup 

This rich, thick and sublimely satisfying soup is is the perfect vehicle for satisfying conflicting food preferences amidst a crowd or round a dining table.

The vegan base transforms easily into vegetarian, pescatarian or carnivore, depending on additions. 

The soup is gloriously scented and deeply flavourful despite being free of sugar & preservative, and low in salt and fat.  It is incredibly easy to make, with very little chopping.

It also contains four different vegetables which make a substantial contribution to your five-a-day.

The simle roasting method - adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall -- is a simple, easy way to achieve masterful flavours. 

Serves: 6-8 generously
Cost: £4.00'ish (10/2025); additionns & garnishes extra 

Ingred:

  1 kilo vine tomatoes or supermarket specials OR two 400gm tins tomatoes
  1/2 kilo red or yellow onions OR a large fennel with a extra 2 sticks celery
  3-4 sticks washed, peeled celery, grooves rubbed with paper towel
  1 good sized bell pepper
  2-3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves (or 1 - 1.5 tsp dried)
  stock or water

  2 tbsp tomato paste  (low-salt for oldies) 
  salt & pepper
  1-2 tbsp olive oil 

  Good stock  as needed 

Meat eaters: 250-350 gm ham or minced poultry, lamb or beef
Pescatarians: 250-350 gm seafood
Vegetarians: Cheese, yoghurt
Vegans: firm tofu

Method

1. Soak non-organic veg 20 mins in a 9-1 mix water & vinegar; rinse, drain, ru skins with paper towel 
2. Preheat oven to 180c, 350f, gas mark 5
3. Line a deep pan just big enough for all the vegetables, pref with a lid, with greaseproof paper OR prepare slow cooker
4. Top, tail & peel onion & cut into quarters.  Thoroughly wash and clean other veg.  Quarter celery sticks.  Remove membranes & seeds from pepper; quarter or cut coarsely.  Remove core from tomatoes.  Layer in pan; seasoning each layer lightly with salt & pepper - onions first, then celery, pepper and fresh tomatoes     
5. Pour in water or stock to cover 
   
6. 
   Oven-cook: Place lid tightly on cooking dish OR cover veg with a layer of greaseproof paper then tinfoil.  For ripe/tinned tomatoes, bake 45 min-1 hour or up to 2 hours to reach the soft, yielding stage.  Remove lid/foil; bake a further  15 mins.  Cool.
7. Slow-cooker: cook on high for 2-3 hours; cool.
8. Add tomato paste or chopped tomatoes to vegetables; blend.  Taste.  Add more tomato paste, salt and pepper, Savoury Spice Mix, celery salt or other herbs according to taste. This is your base.  
9. Add vegetable stock (home-made, granules or cubes) until the soup reaches the desired thickness.  Check seasoning; adjust accordingly. 
10. EITHER: Divide base as required and serve in individual bowls, scattered with basil and chosen additions.   OR serve without additions in a large tureen, buffet style,  accompanied by bowls of vegan, vegetarian or meat/fish additions for diners to choose.

ADDITIONS: Any or All of the following...

VEGAN:

• tiny cubes of firm tofu
• Memorable Crunchy Croutons made with seeded wholemeal bread
• vegan bacon bits

VEGETARIAN:  

• grated cheese
• yoghurt 
• accompanied by Skinnier Ultra Cheese on Toast

PESCATORIAN:

• add fish stock if needed to base reach desired consistency
• add frozen, rinsed & drained prawns/mussels/calamari/ white fish until they are just cooked OR fresh seafood lightly poached in boiling water or the soup until cooked through
• accompanied by Frugal Sardine Pinwheels 

CARNIVORE:

• add Meat Stock if needed to reach desired thickness
• otherwise: spoon or roll raw minced beef, lamb or poultry into one inch balls. Drop them into a separate pan of boiling water; simmer until they are cooked through, maybe 5-7 min.  Drain and add to soup.  
• scatter over strips or shreds of cooked meat, particularly ham or pastrami
• bake or fry prosciutto or thinly sliced pastrami 2-3 mins until crispy

Please leave a Comment in the box below

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

VEGGIE COMFORT FOOD: ALMOST NO DAIRY WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH VEGAN BACON BITS

An almost dairy-free white bean soup, wonderful in its basic form but easily tweaked for sassy stress-free variations

White Bean Soup: tummy & wallet soothing with vegan & carnivore options

(This one with vegan 'bacon bits' & chives)

'Love the almost no-dairy creaminess and the sassy variations.' Blogger

first posted Jan 2017

White bean soup is the perfect dish for colder weather: comforting, high in protein but wallet-friendly. 

It's versatile, providing a thick satisfying main course or a silky sensational first course.  It can be served on its own or with added vegetables or shredded protein.

Dairy-free, depending on choice of yoghurt, it's also very effective at soothing the digestive system after over-indulgence.

This one needs good ingredients.  Reconstituted dried white beans and good stock/broth, preferable chicken if you're not vegetarian, provide the best flavour and texture.  

67 tested this with tinned pulses and it was fine.  But don't be tempted to leave out the yoghurt and, if not using parmesan, garnish generously:  vegan bacon bits, spicy croutons, blanched mushrooms or plenty of shredded protein.

Cost: £1.50
Feeds: 4-6; recipe doubles easily

Ingred:
   2 tbsp good olive oil
   1 yellow onion (about 1 coffee mug), finely diced or lightly processed
   a couple of carrots (a generous half mug), finely diced or lightly processed
   2 sticks celery in med dice (a generous half mug)

   generous 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
   1 small clove garlic, minced or grated  
   1 tbsp fresh or 1/3 tbsp dried rosemary
   1 tbsp fresh or 1/3 tbsp dried thyme
   3 cups good stock (veggie for vegetarians but chicken is fine for carnivores)
  
   240 gm reconstituted dried white beans, cooked and drained  OR drained, rinsed tinned white beans

   pepper & salt

  0-fat strained plain yoghurt

   3-4 tbsp grated parmesan (opt)

Method:

1. Heat a medium sized heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat until pot reaches a high temperature; reduce heat to low
2. Add olive oil, onions, carrots and celery; cook over low 10-15 mins until soft but not brown
3. Add parsley, garlic, rosemary & thyme; cook another minute
4. Add beans & 3 cups/large mugs good stock
5. Bring to the boil; let bubble 2-3 mins; reduce heat to low; simmer 20 mins
6. When soup is ready, add parmesan, if using, and pepper & salt
7. Taste; the veggie version may need veggie granules 
8. Blitz with a hand blender until very smooth; it may take a few mins.  This is your base.

Garnishes:

Vegan alternative to Bacon Bits (see method below)
   1/3 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs (spelt for wheat-free)
   olive oil
   1/2-1 tsp salt
   1 tsp smoked paprika plus   
Finely chopped fresh chives or spring onions

OR 
Goats cheese or feta (opt)
Crispy bacon bits (opt)

Optional Additions:

• 0-fat strained yoghurt
• raw spinach, French beans, tender stem broccoli 
• shredded ham hock or chicken, tiny raw meatballs of beef pork or minced chicken  

Vegetarian Bacon Bits

Generously spray a frying pan with olive oil, add crumbs; cook over med-high heat, stirring until crunchy and golden (more olive oil may be needed); add salt and smoked paprika -- the flavour and texture should be a little like crispy bacon.  Set aside.

SERVING OPTIONS

1.  A thick and creamy main course...

• for every cup of soup, add a tablespoon of yoghurt and whisk before heating
• garnish with paprika breadcrumbs or crispy bacon or poached sliced mushrooms, with plenty of chopped chives.  And Then...
• just before serving, add small broccoli spears or carrot matchsticks or chopped fine green beans which have been blanched in boiling water for 3 mins (opt) AND/OR 
• just before the end of cooking, add shredded cooked meat (opt) OR
• 10 mins before end of cooking add raw mini meatballs

2.  A smooth and silky first course (strained) ...

Pour soup through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, using the back of a ladle or large spoon to push the mix through. Scrape the underside of the strainer into the bowl. The result will be smooth and silky but a dry thick sludge will be left behind in the bottom of the strainer; this will be discarded 

This version is best served in small portions, with a few paprika breadcrumbs or finely chopped crispy bacon or poached sliced mushrooms, and chopped chives/spring onions. A little finely shredded cooked chicken can also be added. 

Tips:

• the soup keeps well in the fridge for 3 days; the suggested variations prevents a sense of 'boring leftovers' 
• leftovers can be frozen but once defrosted, blitz again and check seasoning
• See Cook Clever with Pulses

(Questions & comments, pls email  b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk 

and say if they can be included in the blog)

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

STIR-FRY OF LOW-CARB HARVEST VEG, Vegan, Triple Duty, lower salt/fat/preservatives

A tasty carousel of mostly low-carb summer/autumn vegetables, 

Stir-fry of Harvest Veg: tasty,colourful, many textured -- a vegan's dream 

This is the perfect dish for the wonderful vegetables now available: end-of-summer salad ingredients as well as the new harvest of autumn favourites.  

The ingredients pictured were chosen specifically to meet the demands of a no/low carb eating plan, hence it is full of low-starch veg and is pretty low-cal, too.  Tasters liked the combination of textures and colours and well as the multi-layered flavours.  One thing that wasn't added but would be a welcome addition was bean sprouts.

Anyone not concerned about calories or carbs can add carrots, fresh corn, potatoes and peas.   

As with all stir-fries, the work is in the preparation.  Then it's like an assembly line -- some of the veg are braised, some flash-fried -- before coming together swiftly in a delicious culinary melange.   

In keeping with the low-carb theme, the natural juices of the veg and flavourings are the only 'sauce'.  Those preferring something thicker can add a slurry of cornflour, water, soy sauce and sherry.

Cost: not a lot compared to meat & 2 veg but depends on choices; say £1.50'ish

Feeds: 2-3 with a side of rice or noodles.

67 used a large coffee mug as a measure

Ingred:

   1/2 mug small cauliflower florets
   1/2 mug tenderstem broccoli, stems peeled & trimmed

   1/2 mug thickly sliced mushrooms; chestnuts preferred but any will do
   juice 1/2 lemon 
   1 mug thickly sliced courgettes, cut on the slant

   2 mugs slightly packed fresh spinach, washed & stems removed (or not if you can't be bothered)  
   1/2 mug halved baby tomatoes, lightly sprayed with olive oil & lightly salted
  
   light vegetable oil (groundnut/peanut is good)

   1 tsp reduced salt soy sauce
   1 1/2 tsp sherry 
   water or stock
    finely grated zest of half a lemon
   1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger (opt)
   1/2 tsp grated fresh garlic (opt)

Method:

SPICED PEACH & CUCUMBER SALAD, Vegan, low-carb, healthier

A tantalizing treat for the tastebuds - definitely not your run-of-the-mill summer salad...

A treat for the tastebuds: Spiced Peach & Cucumber Salad
'So lovely & innovative, a beautiful combination of flavours & textures.' 'Tremendous!' Tasters

This unusual, taste-bud-tickling recipe puts paid to the assumption that summer salads are boring.  How can peaches, cucumber and avocado in a spicy Middle Eastern dressing be anything but intriguing?  It is a gustatory treat with layers of flavour and crunch. 

Kids may not like it and it may not be for everyone.  But anyone looking for a taste adventure will be thrilled.

The recipe is vegan but has none of the usual associations with vegan food.

It's adapted from Bon Appetite magazine via Kismet restaurant in Los Angeles.  Obviously 67's recipe doesn't include artisan ingredients or require elegant cooking techniques fit for a high-status paying customer waiting to be impressed.  

67's Spiced Peach & Cucumber Salad is aimed at the home cook with standard cupboard ingredients and common-all-garden cooking skills. But that won't lessen the dish's impact.  

There's no substitute for the fresh parsley & coriander -- they're important for maximum flavour.  Use up the rest of the herbs in vegan summer burgers or the easy-peasy lettuce salad with green herb dressing. 

The salad does not sit well; it's best assembled at the last minute.   

Cost: £2.50'ish

Feeds: 6-8

Ingred:

   1/3 cup pumpkin seeds 

   1/2 tbsp olive oil

   pepper & salt

  1 cardamon pod (opt)

  1 tsp cloves

  1/2 tsp dried coriander

  1/2 tsp cumin

  1 med red chilli, de-seeded & membranes removed) finely diced

  1 med garlic clove, grated

  3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

  3 tbsp fresh coriander, leaves & stems, 

finely chopped

  3-4 tbsp lemon juice

  about 14 in/30cm (about 1 1/2 cucumbers) de-seeded 

  4 yellow peaches or nectarines

  1 avocado

  Garnish: 1 tsp toasted sesame, pumpkin seeds, a few tender cilantro leaves on stems 

Method:

PICNICS: 'ARTISAN' SCOTCH EGGS, lower-fat, lower-cost. make ahead, portable

Scotch Eggs that are actually healthier and better for you?  You bet!

1st posted 2017; updated 6/2025

Desk Picnic: Healthier Scotch Eggs 
(with no-recipe tomato, raw mushrooms & cooked pea salad with yoghurt-mayo) 
'This was a great Scotch Egg; it really did not taste low-fat at all --it was full of flavour, good and oniony.' 20-something Fijian-Aussie taster

If you've sampled the wonderful Artisan Scotch Eggs sold in high-end delis, you'll know how delicious they are.  But also how expensive and calorific.  Nearly £5 is a lot for sausage meat wrapped around an egg, however high quality the ingredients.   

67 has created Skinnier Scotch Eggs that look and taste like the real Artisan thing -- but with greatly reduced fat levels and at lower cost. Though they cannot be classed as frugal, the Skinnier Scotch Eggs come in at 1/2 the usual price.

The trick is in using minced turkey or chicken (the best you can afford).  Dress it up with pastrami or ham hock or spiced beef and a single low-fat high-meat beef or pork sausage, sharply reducing the amount of preservatives.  Don't think you need to deep-fry the eggs to get that wonderful crunchy coating; spraying the breadcrumb layer with olive oil before baking has the same effect.  

The Scotch Eggs can be prepared a day a head.  One problem with cooking them in this healthier way is that the yolk is unlikely to retain that cheffy runniness.   67 reckons that's a small price to pay and the thrown together creamy mix of tomatoes, peas and raw mushrooms compensates.

For anyone with health issues, these Skinnier Scotch Eggs will no longer be a forbidden treat -- though obviously they are not for everyday or even every week.  For everyone, they'll make a tasty and satisfying portable lunch or picnic with a salad on the side. 

Cost: £5'ish, depending on meat
Makes: 4 Scotch Eggs

Ingred:
   200gms/8oz minced poultry 
     50gms/1 3/4oz finely diced cooked ham hock (frugal), or sliced ham (not frugal) or pastrami or spiced beef
    1 venison, wild boar or beef sausage, skin removed
    1 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
    3/4 tsp dried nutmeg
    1/2 tsp celery salt (opt)
    1/4 bunch chives or 1/3 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
     
    4 raw eggs
    
    1 beaten egg 
    handful of flour
    3/4 cup breadcrumbs (home-made or Panko; 67 made spelt breadcrumbs)

Method:

1. Place raw eggs in a pan; cover with cold water; bring to the boil, reduce heat slightly; cook 3 mins 
2. Drain eggs, place in ice water or run under cold tap till cool
3. Rap the bottom and top of egg on a board; gently roll until shells are cracked.  Carefully peel. Refrigerate. 
4. Mix turkey, ham/pasgrami & sausage meat, mustard, nutmeg & chives or spring onions, ensuring all ingredients are evenly distributed; use a light hand
5. Season with plenty of coarsely ground black pepper & a bit of salt if not using celery salt; divide mix into 4 equal sections 
6. Set up three wide bowls; in the first put a couple of handfuls of flour; the 2nd, the beaten egg; the third, breadcrumbs
7. Lightly flour the board, press down on one meatball with a fork or fish slice until 1/8 inch thick
8. Lift and wrap gently round an egg, pinching the edges together
9. Roll in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing crumbs on if necessary. Repeat with the other 3 eggs.  (The eggs can now be covered & refrigerated until the following day.) 
10. Pre-heat oven to 375f/190c/170fan/gas 5
11. Place eggs on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper
12. Spray eggs generously with olive oil (opt)
13. Bake 20-25 mins

Tips:

• If you liked this you will probably also like: Healthier Sausage Rolls & Healthier Spanakopita
• Make your own breadcrumbs by drying out stale bread in a low oven then whizzing in a food processor 

More Skinnier Food on NavBar: Recipes 11

        

 Please leave a Comment in the box below 

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

            

HEALTHIER SMOOTHIE: GRAPE, SPINACH & BLUEBERRY

Spinach is one of the world's healthiest foods and, though unusual in smoothies, adds plenty of folates to pump up heart health and antioxidants to keep the brain sharp.

Spinach, grape & blueberry smoothie

This healthier smoothie combines spinach with grapes and frozen blueberries to make a light, deeply refreshing, satisfying drink.  The colour of the spinach dominates but the spinach itself barely penetrates the sweetness of the fruit.

The smoothie may not give you Popeye's muscles but it will please.

Cost: £1
Serves: 1

Ingred:
   1 generous large handful spinach, washed and with grotty leaves removed 
   a medium bunch of unseeded grapes, branches removed
   generous handful frozen blueberries
   1 generous tbsp dry ultra granola or plain oatmeal or seeds and/or nuts
   1 tbsp 0-fat unsweetened plain yoghurt (opt)
   1/2 cup water containing juice of half an orange
   
   extra granola for garnish

Method:

1. Whizz in smoothie maker or processor until fully blended
2. Garnish with granola if using
3. Consume immediately

Tips:

• Buy fresh berries when prices are good, freeze flat then decant into a zippered freezer bag.  Reach in for handful when needed.
• If you have no frozen fruit, replace water with ice cubes

                                       More drinks at Recipes/Drinks on NavBar ...

Do you have questions on recipes, cooking techniques or life in general? Pls  email b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk & say if they can be included in the blog                                         

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

'LET'S-CELEBRATE-SPRING, SMOOTHIE, Healthy, Vegetarian

A refreshing smoothie which ticks all the boxes - it's got fruit, vegetables and protein. There's no added sugar.  And it is ever-so appealing and tasty - especially when the sun is shining. 

A tasty, filling smoothie that's good for you.

The smoothie is not sweet in the normal way but it has lovely layers of flavour and a healthy balance of fruit, green veg, fibre and protein.  It is very satisfying. Blood sugar should remain stable.   

It's as easy to make as all smoothies - fling everything into a smoothie maker and blitz.  

Cost: £1'ish
Served: 1 adult or 2 children but multiplies easily

Ingred:
   1 small nectarine
   a  generous handful frozen strawberries
   3 inch piece of cucumber, peeled & deseeded
   1 generous tbsp dry ultra granola or oatmeal or seeds and/or nuts
   1 tbsp 0-fat unsweetened plain yoghurt (opt)
   1/2 cup water containing juice of half an orange
    a few mint leaves (opt)

Method:

1. Whizz in smoothie maker or processor until fully blended
2. Consume immediately
3. Water down kids' servings

Tips:

• This smoothie would also work well with blueberries
• Buy fresh berries when prices are good, freeze flat then decant into a zippered freezer bag.  Reach in for handful when needed.
• If you have no frozen fruit, replace water with ice

                                       More drinks at Recipes/Drinks on NavBar ...

Do you have questions on recipes, cooking techniques or life in general? Pls  email b67goingon50@yahoo.co.uk & say if they can be included in the blog                                         

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

RECIPES FOR A CAULIFLOWER GLUT

A glut of cauliflower hit UK supermarkets earlier this spring and everyone was looking for unusual but delicious ways of cooking it

Cauliflower (Stock Photo)

Cauliflower is a brassica like broccoli or cabbage but milder in flavour.  Like all veg, it's good for you.  What won't be good is overcooking it -- it could end top soggy and it won't smell nice. At all. 

67 loves cauliflower, lightly streamed till al dente (with a bit of a bite in the middle) and served simply with lemon juice, pepper & salt.

But it's also great dressed up in various disguises: Asian or Italian or Indian or even good old English doused in a creamy cheese sauce.  67 is not a fan of ersatz uses of cauliflower (cauli rice or pizza bases, no thanks!).

These two recently posted recipes, however, do bear repeating.  They're wonderful!

Stir-fried cauliflower with mange tout, bell peppers & pork or chicken is a delicious melange of crisp and soft veg with tender, juicy meat.  It takes only minutes to prepare.  And it's great for slimmers - filling, low carb and low-fat.

This cauliflower dish is unusual in that it has a tomato sauce, not a cream one.  But my goodness it is delicious.  And if there are kidults in the household who've taken against veg, the Cauliflower & Tomato Casserole even tastes like pasta.

For more Vegetable dishes go to Recipes on the Nav Bar 

                        

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These recipes have been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.