FANTASTIC FRUGAL SALAD

It's amazing what you can do with four ingredients!

Presentation transforms ordinary ingredients.  This knock-out salad will have the entire family salivating.  And no one will guess this gorgeous dish costs all of a pound! Serve with a herby yoghurt-mayo on the side.  

The ingredients are simple.

• lettuce leaves
• cucumber 
• sliced tomatoes
• grated carrot

The cucumber was sliced on the slant (see left corner below). One end of the cucumber slice is slightly pointed and that end faces outwards.  The bargain tomatoes were sprayed with olive oil and lightly salted; the smaller slices were not used. The carrots were grated by hand.  The lettuce used was Red Gems but English Lettuce or shredded Iceberg or Romaine would also create the frilly outer ring.  

Method:

1. Place a ring of lettuce leaves, top upwards, near the outer edge of the plate.  If serving many people, the greens can cover the entire plate.
2. Place a ring of cucumber slices just inside the outer lettuce ring. Space them evenly; you may need to cut more slices.  
3. Inside the cucumber ring but overlapping it, lay out a ring of tomato slices.
4. Heap grated carrot in the centre.

Variations: 

•  Add a ring of thinly sliced mushrooms, rounded top upwards, pointed slightly to the side.  
• Scatter completed salad with thinly sliced red onion rings.

And another easy, appetising way of presenting salad:

Chop or slice each ingredient to a thickness of your choice. Serve each ingredient in separate bowls or, nicely arranged, on separate plates. 

  

Tip:
If you liked this you will also like Perfectly Pretty Mixed Salads


Copyright: These salads have been designed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may only be reproduced in home kitchens.  Not for commercial use.


   

UPSIDE DOWN SKINNIER CHEESECAKE, Lower Calorie, Indulgence

A SPECIAL OCCASION SKINNIER INDULGENCE

Home-made cheesecake is so superior to supermarket offerings, it's surprising people don't make it more often. There are a few stages to complete but they are straightforward and relatively quick.  The results are wonderful -- a cloudlike, fluffy, delicately flavoured body and a crisp cookie-like base.  And unlike shop-bought, there's not a bead or leaf of gelatine in sight.

Cheesecake is of course usually high in calories and cholesterol. This Skinnier but still glorious version reduces fat levels without altering taste or texture. Inspired by a recipe from Heston Blumenthal's mother (!), cottage cheese replaces half the cream cheese; strained 0-fat yoghurt, some of the sour cream.  

Despite being skinnier than normal, the cheesecake is not low-fat.  Nor is it frugal.  But, if portions are kept small -- it will serve 16 -- it's more than worth the indulgence.  It is a true crowd-pleaser and the Lunch Club members went into raptures when it was served.  

Instead of baking the filling on the base, 67 serves the base separately or on the side for guests are worried about gluten or carbs.

One warning:  the cheesecake takes nearly the whole day to cool, but the preparation time is not unusually long.  It's worth it!! It's fine made the night before.

The Blogger is currently testing a vegan version of this cheesecake

Serves 12-16
Cost: £8'ish, more for dairy free (2025)

Preparation: 

• Line the base of a 23 cm springform cake tin with a circle of greaseproof paper cut to fit the bottom.  Line the sides with strips of greaseproof paper the width of the sides. 
• If using a square or rectangular dish, butter it well and put a strip of greaseproof paper the width of the dish down  the middle.  The strip should be long enough to hang over the edges, acting like handles when removing the cheesecake (after running a knife around the edges).
• Have a tin foil or metal baking tray to cover while baking. 

INGRED:

Biscuit layer:
12 digestive biscuits, crushed fine by hand or food processor 
60g unsalted dairy or plant butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp salt 
1/4 tsp nutmeg
60g walnuts, pecans or almonds, finely chopped

Filling:
300 g 0-fat cottage cheese
300g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 whole eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract or one vanilla pod
170g 0%-yoghurt strained 4 hours, or sour cream
100-130g caster sugar to taste 
grated rind of 3 small lemons or 1/2 tsp cinnamon (opt)

Sour cream topping:
250 ml sour cream or double cream mixed with lemon juice 
1-2 tbsp sugar 
1 tsp vanilla or one vanilla pod

METHOD: 

Biscuit layer
1. Mix biscuits, salt, nutmeg and nuts.  Add melted butter.  
2. Spread out on a baking sheet.  Bake at 180C/160fan/350f/ gas 3 until crispy but not burnt, 10-15 minutes.
3. The mixture should be loose; if not break up with a fork.  Set aside.  When cool, cover.

Turn oven down  to 150c, 130fan/ 300f/gas2

Filling
1. Drain cottage cheese in a fine-mesh sieve lined with a clean j-cloth (30 or so minutes) until liquid is released;  whizz with hand blender or in bowl blender until smooth and lump-free. (Or rub though a sieve).  
2. Add cream cheese; whisk till blended.  
3. Separate eggs, placing yolks in with cheese mix and whites in a separate large clean bowl.
4. Beat yolks into cheese mixture; add vanilla extract/seeds, yoghurt/sour cream and lemon peel/ cinnamon, if using. Blend. 
5. Add sugar to egg whites; whisk to a soft peak (This will take a few minutes; it's ready when the mix rises softly as you lift beaters.) Fold a third of egg white mix into the cheese mix then fold in the rest. (Fold: bring spatula down the centre of the mix and scraping bottom, up again, turning bowl slightly each time.  The whites should be mixed in without losing air.)
6. Pour into tin.  Cover top with foil or a baking sheet.
7. Bake 1 hour 15 mins. There should be a hint of wobble. Remove foil or baking sheet.  Turn off the oven, LEAVING THE CHEESECAKE INSIDE.  After one hour, spread with sour cream topping and return to oven without turning it on again, to cool.    

Sour cream topping
1. Combine sour cream, sugar, vanilla/vanilla seeds.  
2. Cover and refrigerate till needed.  
3. After cheesecake has cooled in the oven for an hour, take it out.  Carefully pour the topping on cheesecake; spread until top is covered.  Return to oven;  leave until the cheesecake is cold, probably all day or at least several hours.
4. Serve with biscuit mix on top of the cake or on the side, and an instant berry compote (opt).    

Tips:

• The upside-down aspect comes from pre-baking the biscuit layer.  It can be served on the top of the baked cheesecake or on the side  
• Folding: a spatula goes down the middle of the batter to the bottom, then up as the bowl is continuously turned.  The folding motion allows the whites to mix into the batter without losing air.  
• Vanilla pods, if you can afford them, take this cheesecake to another level, as do fresh mixed berries or a berry compote. 

    

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.

PAELLA, CLASSIC AND VEGETARIAN, Double Duty, Vegetarian, Vegan

Double-Duty Paella for Carnivores AND Vegetarian

CLASSIC PAELLA: meat and fish 
This dish also transforms easily into a vegetarian/vegan option

 updated Mar 2018

The rising number of vegetarians and vegans can play havoc with menus.  This Paella, a terrific, tasty one-dish meal that brings a taste of Spain to an English summer evening, solves the problem.  This recipe was specially developed by 67goingon50 to feed either meat-lovers or vegetarians, or both at the same time!                 

It's not complicated and the results are brilliant.  Make the base first, add meat and fish OR vegetables and pulses. Depending on how many are being fed, one recipe divided, can be enough for both carnivores and vegetarians.  If there is one problem it is that meat-lovers want to eat both versions!

The recipe is lower in fat than normal. Use brown rice instead of white and it's a high-protein, rich-in-fibre winner in the health stakes!

The dish can be budget friendly.  In Spain some paellas have tiny amounts of meat and even smaller amounts of fish. This recipe aims to keep costs down but if you want to impress, go for lots of fresh shellfish.  

For seafood, a handful or two of frozen prawns or even chopped fish sticks are perfectly acceptable.  67 tried Iceland's frozen Seafood Selection (700g of mixed prawns, mussels and calamari for £5). They were wonderfully sweet and juicy and there's more than enough left over for several meals in the freezer.  Less expensive cooked, mixed supermarket shellfish are also ok.  

The chicken is in small pieces for easy distribution through the rice; cheap-as-chips wings are perfectly acceptable.     

The key ingredient, saffron, IS expensive (in fact one of the most expensive foods in the world) but nothing else has its delicate smokiness.  A little goes a long way -- a £4 container will be enough for this recipe and more.  Saffron keeps well in the larder.  If the budget doesn't run to Saffron, turmeric in small quantities will colour the rice without overpowering it.  

To accompany -- Authentic Spanish Sangria. 

Serves: 6-8 
Cost: around £7. less if shopping frugally.  

Ingred:

1 1/2 cups rice - not quick cook - well rinsed (see tips) 

2 peppers of different colours
1 onion diced
1 clove grated garlic 

3 cups/600 ml litre good stock (granules ok) incl 1 glass white wine or white grape juice  
1 tablespoon saffron

a small mug fresh/frozen peas 
1 large tomato, de-seeded and in medium dice

lemon wedges for garnish

Classic Paella 
(these amounts are for the base recipe of 1 1/2 cups rice. Adjust as necessary) 
1 chicken in 16 pieces (neck and back removed for stock) or 8-12 small chicken thighs or 12-14 wings, and cut in two 
12 cm chorizo or spicy lamb sausage (opt)
Seafood - prawns or mussels or white fish, to taste (a generous mugful of frozen seafood is about right)

Vegetarian Paella (these amounts are for the base recipe of 1 1/2 cups rice; adjust as necessary) 
1 tin drained, rinsed chickpeas or 1 large mug fresh chickpeas cooked from dry
100 gm M&S artichoke, olive and sun blush antipasti OR 3 oz/85gm artichoke hearts
2 ounces/55 gms flaked almonds


Method:

1. Wash rice thoroughly until it runs clear (5-7mins); place in a sieve over a large jug; pour boiling water over the rice: drain
2. Saute onions, half the peppers (some in each colour) in a thin layer of olive oil in a large heavy-bottom pan until onions are tender. (about 10 mins).  Stir in garlic.
3. If using chicken: remove skin; bake on a rack at 180c/ 350f/gas5 for 20-25 mins or nearly cooked through.  Save juices but remove fat. Cover chicken with foil to keep warm.
4. If using fresh shellfish, cook in boiling water until shells are open, shrimp are pink or fish tender.  Set aside stock and freeze for another occasion.  
5. Add raw washed rice to onion/pepper mix and stir till well coated.
6. Heat up stock/wine.  Add saffron and stir until liquid is deeply yellow.  Add to rice.  
7. Bring rice to a boil.  Turn heat down to med high; cook, uncovered and gently bubbling 15 min (white rice) 20-25 mins (brown rice). The surface of the rice should be pitted with small holes and the liquid nearly absorbed.
8. When the rice is cooked proceed as below for either classic or vegetarian option
9. If feeding both meat-eaters and vegetarians from the same recipe, divide rice accordingly and add meat and fish or veggie options in proportion to the amount of rice.

Classic Paella 

1. Mix rice, chicken and sausage if using, peas, tomatoes and the rest of the peppers. Spread out in a large flat pot.  
2. Cover; cook on top of the stove over low heat for 15 mins. 
3. Seafood: If using frozen, rinse; 10 minutes before the end of cooking, poke half way down into the rice. If using cooked, 2-3 mins before end of cooking, push seafood below surface of rice 

Vegetable Paella 

1. Stir peas, drained  chick peas, tomato and pepper into rice 
2. Cover; cook on top of stove over low heat for 15 min
3. Arrange artichoke salad or artichokes and almonds on top.  .

Serve with lots lemon wedges,  no-butter garlic bread , a big salad with optional lightly cooked veg like green beans, cauliflower and broccoli florets and a yoghurt & mint dressing.

Tips:

• See also Special Occasion Vegan Paella  
• Rinsing rice: if using brown,  place rice in a sieve over a biggish bowl; run cold water from the tap over it, making sure all the grains are wet.  If the grains aren't wet, they will float to the top and down your drain, making your plumber very, very cross.  Allow the water to run over the rice until it runs clear, say 5-7 minutes. Rinse twice with boiling water
• if using quick cook rice, cook for half of the producer's recommended cooking time before proceeding with the classical or vegetarian method. Cook only till heated through, say 5-7 mins.

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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.

HEALTHIER PARTY SNACKS

HOW TO CHEAT WITH PARTY FOOD 

Eating for health and graceful aging does not mean restricting yourself to carrot and celery sticks during summer social events.  But it is possible to minimise the damage bar snacks can do. 

This editorial contains recipes including healthier chicken wings, a lower-calorie Skinnier Chive and Onion dip and a sugar-free relish, all lower in fat but big on flavour. There are also lighter versions of 'dirty' favourites.  

MINIMIZING DAMAGE FROM BAR SNACKS  

⦁ NUTS.  Ideally make your own by roasting raw nuts lightly sprayed with olive oil in a 180C/350F/gas 4 preheated oven.  Spread them out and bake for no more than 5 minutes.  Salt lightly; add finely minced fresh, or dried, rosemary or smoked paprika. 

PACKAGED NUTS  Shake them in a strainer to remove excess salt and/or rub with a paper napkin to reduce oil.     

⦁ CRISPS  Try low-salt, fat-reduced.  One of our favourite English food halls does a lentil based  and chickpea crisp which may not convince your kids but, with a creamy low-fat dip, makes a reasonable substitute. 

OR TRY:  ROASTED SPICED CHICKPEAS: meets a craving for a crunchy, savoury low-salt snack without preservatives

⦁ CHIPS.  Crispy sweet potato wedges are as good as fries with more food value.  Cut 3 sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, then each half into three long wedges.  Place in a bowl and pour over a scant tablespoon of olive oil.  Toss.  Bake on a tray lined with greaseproof paper for 45 minutes to an hour until crisp and brown, turning once halfway through.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and a 1/2 tablespoon of cajun seasoning. Also try Garlic Wedges

⦁  SPARE RIBS. To reduce fat drop ribs into boiling water with two onions and a couple of cloves of garlic (before roasting and basting with sauce).  Boil 5 mins; reduce heat to medium and simmer 30 -45 minutes or until tender.  Proceed with roasting and basting as normal.

⦁ SAUSAGES.  Pierce with a fork several times.  Drop into boiling water; turn off heat and leave at least 10 minutes.  Bake on a roasting tray on a rack so sausages do not sit in their own fat. To make up for the slightly drier texture,  serve with no-sugar relish ).  
  
⦁ BURGERS & HOT DOGS.  Try these delicious Veggie Burgers which were very popular amongst discerning staff at a French bank. See also Burgers Don't Need to be Unhealthy.   For vegetarian dogs, try  uorn and middle Eastern versions (especially Tivali from Health Food Shops.) Check before you buy; some brands are quite bready.  

BUFFALO WINGS - Bake them naked first, then brush with sauce.  Click on link.

NO-BUTTER GARLIC BREAD - A skinnier healthier version of garlic bread with a crunch

If you're in the mood for party drinks, and your guests haven't far to go, try Party Sangria - one glass won't be enough but too many and the floor will wobble.

Tip:
If you liked this you will probably also like low-salt/fat/sugar Football Snacks

B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  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.