PINK PINEAPPLE GRAPEFRUIT FIZZ, no added sugar, no preservatives, family friendly

Delicious fruit combo makes a refreshing drink -- fizzy but healthy for kids; with alcohol for adults 

first posted April 2016

Pineapple, Grapefruit & Berry Fizz: Mimics the flavours of a popular fizzy drink
(pictured: Undiluted Adult Version with alcohol)

This drink developed by 67goingon50 makes a very pretty addition to any special occasion or buffet.  It's also ideal when kids are clamouring for a sweet fizzy drink but you're worried about sugar and preservatives.

The recipe blends pineapple, grapefruit and berries in a preservative-free no-added-sugar cordial.  And it's ready in just minutes. 
    
The combination is based on a popular soda pop of bygone years -- pineapple & grapefruit in Pina Colada style, refreshing, tangy and exotic. 

67 used wedges of fresh pineapple from the freezer but drained, unsweetened tinned pineapple will also work.  The drink pictured has cherries 'cause they were in the fridge but any berry will do.

Kids' No-added-sugar Pineapple 
 & Grapefruit Fizz

For children, the addition of 2 parts fizzy water to 1 part cordial will please, especially if served with a (non-plastic!) straw and a pineapple wedge on the rim of a glass, or a berry on a cocktail stick. 

For adults, add champagne, white wine or vodka.  

The drink also works, undiluted, as a smoothie or meal substitute; add a smidgen of yoghurt and a few nuts.  

Cost: 75pence
Serves: 1 adult, or a 2-3 kids 

Ingred:
    a generous handful frozen pineapple
    one third pink grapefruit, rind & membranes removed 
    handful cherries, stones removed or other berries
    1/4 cup water

    honey, sugar or maple syrup (opt)

Method:

1.  Whizz with a stick or bowl blender, or juicer, until smooth. (With a stick blender, defrost the pineapple a little before blitzing.)
2. Check for sweetness; some pineapples are sweeter than others and some grapefruits more tart; if necessary, add a little more pineapple or a little honey, sugar or maple syrup.
3. Store in fridge; stir before use

Tips:

• See also How to Wean Your Kids Off Sugary, Fizzy Drinks
• Most supermarkets stock inexpensive juicers, blenders & smoothie makers

More double duty drinks on NavBar: Recipes I/Drinks

Please leave a comment in the box below

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. 

VALENTINE'S DAY: SPECIAL OCCASION CHICKEN

Special treatment and a good-quality bird makes this sensational chicken a worthy rival to Valentine's steak

Incredible roast chicken on bread croutons and salad - so good you won't want to share.

On a scale of 1-10, this comes in at 10 & 1/2!  

Trust me.  This classic recipe* with a 67 twist is gorgeously indulgent.  In normal times, eating chicken healthily involves self-restraint.  Special Occasion Chicken encourages the consumption of everything that's lovely about chicken even if - whisper it - it's not very good for you, including:

• crispy glistening skin
• rich sticky juices
• crunchy crispy croutons soaked in chicken juices

Loads of salad greens give an impression of healthiness.  Raw salad IS good for you but everything else about this dish is an indulgence.  A little restraint is advised for the fat or cholesterol phobic.  
  
The occasion and the recipe demands the best chicken you can afford.  Organic is recommended but a good free-range bird will also do.  (At least 3 major supermarkets** are selling good-sized organic chickens for £10) 

The chicken, salad and dressing can be prepared in advance but the salad should be prepped no more than a day ahead.   

Cost: min £13'ish
Feeds: 2 for a Valentine's meal with plenty of leftovers to freeze for packed lunches or to share with a crowd with plenty of sides

Ingred:
    good sized organic chicken 
    couple of tablespoons soft butter
    coarsely grated zest of one lemon, pref. unwaxed
    half a small onion
    half a lemon
    2-3 cloves peeled garlic
    fresh thyme (opt)
    pepper & salt

    2 sourdough rolls, each cut in two slices 3/4inch/2cm thick OR four 3/4inch/2cm slices sourdough bread 
    
    200gm/7oz spinach (150/5.2), baby leaves for pref.
    radishes (opt)

    3-4 tbsp good olive oil
    1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    good pinch salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, pref. coarsely ground
    1 rounded tsp wholegrain mustard
    1/4 tsp sugar, honey or maple syrup (opt but adds pizazz!)

Method:

Advance Preparation (best 1 day ahead; no more than 2)

Chicken

1. Press a paper towel over the chicken to dry skin 
2. Combine soft butter and lemon zest
3. Starting from the top of the chicken breast above the cavity, use fingertips to separate the skin from the chicken; go gently - the skin will tear.  
4. Push the butter under the skin massaging it over the breast and over the thighs.  Save a bit of butter to smear over the wings and other difficult to reach areas
5. Season the cavity with pepper & salt; push in the onion, whole garlic cloves, half lemon and thyme if using 
6. Wrap tightly in a double layer cling film.  
7. Refrigerate in the coldest part of the fridge max 2 days 

Salad (no more than one day ahead)

1. Soak any veg that's not organic in a solution of 9 parts water, 1 part vinegar 20 mins.
2. Rinse; pat dry with a clean tea towel or paper towels 
3. Line a plastic bag with clean dry j-cloths, add leaves; place in the vegetable crisper in the fridge.

Salad Dressing

1. Mix oil, vinegar, mustard, mustard, seasoning and sweetener in a small clean jar with a tight fitting lid
2. Shake & refrigerate

Bread

1. Wrap in cling film 

On the day

1. Remove chicken from fridge; allow to come to room temperature
2. Preheat oven to 180c/350f/gas4
3. Choose a glass or metal baking tray at least 2inches/5cm high which holds the chicken snugly.  Place the tray (without the chicken) in the oven
4. When oven is ready and baking dish is hot, remove from oven; place  roll/bread in the bottom - you may need to halve one slice to fit.  If using rolls, slice a bit off the top to help it sit flat
5. Rest chicken, breast side up, on the bread
6. Bake just below centre of oven 50 mins, turning the back of the tray to the front half way through
7. Using a wide fish slice and tongs with soft ends, carefully flip the chicken over; the breast will now be resting on the bread  
8. Bake a further 15 mins; a temperature probe inserted between thigh and breast should read 75c/165f
9. Place chicken on a plate; cover with foil, then several layers of tea towels; rest 20mins
10. Pour the juices into a jug; keep warm
11. Check the bread.  It should be brown and crisp;  if parts are still soft, cut them off & return to the oven, check every 5-10min until crisped up.  When ready, all the bread can be cut into decent sized croutons 
12. Carve chicken into 10 pieces: 2 drums, 2 thighs, 2 wings (with some white meat attached) 2 breasts removed from bone & divided into 2 chunks each (Freeze carcass and any bones to make stock)
13. Shake salad dressing vigorously; moisten spinach leaves; toss; cover a large platter
14. Arrange chicken and croutons across the spinach leaves
15. Arrange radishes around the edge 
16. Remove as much fat as possible from the juices; serve in a separate jug

*Ina Garten's Roast Chicken with Bread & Arugula 

**67 tested M&S & Budgens whole organic chickens which were exceptional value & Waitrose which did not impress.  Morrisons (untested) organic were the same size & price as M&S 

More chicken on NavBar: Recipes 1/Chicken

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/BrightSunEnterprises and may not be reproduced in any form without the author's written permission.  B Lee/BrightSun accept no liability for the consequences of any action taken on the basis of the information provided 

VEGAN PAELLA FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION

Perfect for Valentine's Day: glorious vegan paella  

Exquisitely flavoured & gorgeous to behold: Paella with Tofu, Avo & Almonds
'Would have this anytime but would add a little heat.' Taster  

This Special Occasion vegan paella is designed to please whether you're an ethical eater, a flexitarian or a carnivore.   

Smoked tofu and crunchy nuts replace chicken and fish; the brown rice introduces a nuttiness to the spiced Spanish classic.    

What makes paella special is the key ingredient, saffron.  Nothing else has its delicate smokiness but it IS expensive (made from the threads of special Spanish crocus, it's one of the most expensive foods in the world).  

Saffron makes a dish ultra-special but a little goes a long way.  Small amounts are available at £4; that's enough for 2-3 recipes and it keeps for ages.  (If the budget doesn't run to Saffron, turmeric in small quantities will colour the rice without overpowering it; add half a teaspoon of smoked paprika for a rounded Spanish flavour.)    

67's version is simple, though there's chopping and a number of ingredients together and several steps to follow.  But you can partially cook the paella the night before -- helpful when Valentine's Day falls in the middle of the week.  

The recipe doesn't go overboard on olive oil, and brown rice makes it a high-protein, fibre-rich winner in the health stakes!  

Serves: 3-4 
Cost: around £4'ish, depending on what's in your vegetable drawer.

Ingred:

3/4 cups brown rice, well rinsed 

1/2 green + 1/2 yellow pepper in med dice, mixed and then divided into 2 containers
1/2 med onion in small dice 
1 small clove grated  garlic 

1 1/2 250ml cups/425 ml litre good stock (granules ok) including 1 glass white wine or grape juice  
1/3-1/2 tablespoon saffron

1/3-1/2 small mug fresh or frozen peas 
1 large tomato, de-seeded and in medium dice (75gm/generous 2 1/2oz)
113-175gm/4-6oz smoked or spiced tofu, organic if budget allows, in bite-size pieces

Vegan Paella with Almonds 

1/3 avocado (opt)

Garnish: 
   45gm/1 1/2 oz flaked or toasted whole almonds 
   lemon wedges
   sprigs fresh parsley  

Method:

1. Soak non-organic veg in a solution of 9 parts water/1 part vinegar 20 mins; rinse; drain
2. Place rice in a sieve over a bowl; let cold tap water run over it until it runs clear (3-5 mins).  Pour a full kettle of boiling water over the rice; drain.  
3. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large heavy-bottom pan over med-high heat; add onions, sauté 3-4 mins then add one of the bowls of peppers; cook 5-6 mins or until onions are tender.  Stir in garlic.
4. If necessary add a tablespoon oil to pan then the drained rice; stir until rice is coated in oil 
5. Heat stock/wine in saucepan until it reaches boiling point.  Take it off the heat and add saffron; stir until liquid is deep yellow.  Pour over rice & veg.  
6. Bring rice to the boil over high heat; reduce heat to med high until rice is bubbling gently;  cook uncovered 20-25 mins.  The surface of the rice should be pitted with small holes and the liquid almost completely absorbed; if not, cook a little longer.
7. Stir in half the peas, tomato dice and smoked tofu pieces; season with pepper and salt
8. Turn heat to low, cover pan and leave 15 mins 
9. If making this in advance, cool rice one hour then refrigerate.
10. When ready to cook, steam or microwave the rice until hot through (up to 10-15 mins) push the rest of the peppers just below the surface 
11. Scatter the left-over  peas, tomato dice & smoked tofu pieces on top 
12. If using avocado, cut into large dice; squeeze 1/3-1/2 lemon over the pieces, coating them well in juice; season with salt & pepper; gently stir gently into the rice
13. Garnish paella with flaked/toasted almonds, lemons and parsley 
14. Serve with no-butter garlic bread, lightly cooked veg such as green beans, broccoli and asparagus (it is Valentine's Day!) and a yoghurt-lemon dressing
15. To accompany -- Authentic Spanish Sangria -- or 67's recently discovered rose wine*, for diners who believed they didn't like wine.  

Tips:

• If using organic brown rice, cook in plenty of boiling water 20mins; drain, rise with a kettle of boiling water; drain & set aside) 
• Brown rice cooking times.  Organic brown rice takes much longer to cook than ordinary brown rice-- 45 mins instead of 25.  Take this into account when calculating cooking time. 
• Add heat with a finely diced small chilli or a pinch or two of chilli flakes
• How to deal with brown rice 
• Two brands of brown rice 67 enjoys is Amira (Morrisons) & Tilda (Waitrose); they're not organic but as long as they are rinsed in boiling water before or after the cooking process should be fine
• White rice can replace brown; follow packet instructions

*Rose: Coteau Varois en Provence M&S. 

The blogger is not a great wine fan but this was delightful - light, clean, not too sweet or acidic. 
 £3  for 25cl; bottle £8 but not easy to come by.

Historical Note:The word Paella has a romantic connotation: the Spanish say the dish was first prepared by a lover for his fiancee.  The word 'paella' is a corruption of 'para ella', meaning 'for her'.  In the UK no gender would dare claim dominion over the cooking of paella but in Spain, it's usually left to the men!!

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

CHOCOLATE NUT GLOBS, Indulence, Not Healthy

Rich, crunchy, decadent : chocolate, nuts and peanut butter in cookie dough are a perfect Valentine's Day - or any special occasion - Indulgence

'Wonderful chocolate taste with surprise crunchiness.' ' A winner' 'Absolutely gorgeous'. ; Tasters  

Don't make these too far in advance or they'll be gone by the time they're needed!

Special Occasions are nothing without chocolate and these amazing chocolate 'globs' deliver in spades. 

The originals came from tv chef Ina Garten*; 67 adapted the recipe to replace  peanut butter chips** (not a standard supermarket product) with chopped up peanut butter cups***.  

Attempts were made to make them less calorific -- with limited success.  They're full of calories, cocoa butter and sugar -- but in the finest way! 

Intensely rich, the 'globs' give you dark-as-night chocolate, crunchy walnuts, creamy peanut butter and  - should you want it - candied cherries.  All in one mouthful.

Sinful but sensational but they come with a health warning.  Proceed with caution; they're incredibly more-ish.  

Note: 67 made half the globs with cherries and half without; the globs without the cherries were remarkable in their intense chocolateness; the ones with the cherries seemed slightly less sweet though the chocolate continued to dominate 

Cost:  £3.50 (2018)
Makes: 20 

Ingred:
   55g/scant2oz butter
   85g/3oz dark chocolate chips
   28g/1oz cocoa (not drinking chocolate)

   1 large egg
   1/2 tsp expresso or strong instant coffee granules
   1 tsp vanilla extract

   55g/scant2oz sugar  
   
   1/2 tsp baking powder
   1/8 tsp salt
   25g/generous 3/4oz wholemeal flour

   1/2 cup half walnuts or large walnut chunks 
   85g/3oz dark chocolate chips
   1/3 cup peanut butter chips OR 5 chopped up Reese's peanut butter cups*** in chocolate chip sized pieces 

  small handful glazed cherries, halved (opt)

Method:

1. If using cherries, soak 5 mins in boiling water to remove preservatives
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter, 85gm/3oz chocolate chips & cocoa over a gentle heat until liquid and combined; take off heat, cool 15 mins
3. Preheat oven to 165c/325f/gas3
4. Using electric beater, whisk egg, expresso/coffee powder & vanilla 
5. Add sugar; beat on med speed 2 mins until batter is thick and falls back on itself in a ribbon
6. Slowly beat in cooled chocolate; the result will be very thick
7. Add salt, baking powder & flour; give it a good mix 
8. Fold in walnuts, chocolate chips and peanut butter shards, distributing everything as evenly as possible
9. Mix in cherries if using
10. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper, sticking down corners with a bit of dough
11. Using a small ice cream scoop or 2 tablespoons, drop mounds of dough onto baking sheet - they need a bit of space
12. Bake 15 mins
13. Cool 5 mins then transfer cookies to a cooling rack
14. Serve plain and unadorned with coffee, or if you're living dangerously,  coffee with whisky or cognac and whipped cream

Comments:
'They have a wonderful chocolate taste and the cherry is wonderful.  The crunchiness is such a surprise.  They may not break someone's heart but they may well stop one or two.' Political Agent
'The crunchiness is what makes the 'glob' so delicious.  I love chocolate brownies; these are like an upmarket brownie. A winner.' 20-something campaign manager
'Absolutely gorgeous!  Very, very nice.  Nice.' (Blogger: that's actually a bigger complement than it sounds)  Local independent (macho) butchers

Tip:

Kids may not like these unless milk chocolate replaces dark

*http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chocolate-peanut-butter-globs-2312132

**online or at specialist grocers

***Tesco

Please leave a Comment in the box below

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