Welcome to the first meal inspiration Monday of the year. Today I am going to share a quick and easy recipe which we had towards the end of last year. This is a recipe which I came across when I was still subscribed to Hello Fresh. For sure this is going to be one which I am going to do again because it is one which I found to be full of flavour. This for sure is one which you could make after work because it doesn’t take too long too prepare or cook.

Ingredients- Serves 2

150g Balsmati Rice

2 Garlic Cloves

2 Spring Onions

300g Pork Mince

30ml Soy Sauce

1 Shallot

1/4 Red Chilli

250g Mangetout

60ml Ketjap Manis

300ml Water

Utensils- Lid, Saucepan, Chopping Board, Grater, Knife. Frying Pan, Plate Slotted Spoon.

Method

1. Boil 300ml water in a large saucepan with a pinch of salt on a high heat. When boiling, add the rice, lower the heat to medium and pop on a lid. Cook for 10 mins, then remove from the heat and set aside leave the lid on.
2. Chop the shallot into small pieces. Grate the garlic while deseeding the chilli and finely chop you can add as much as you can handle. Chop the spring onion thinly.
3. Add a splash of oil to the pan once hot add the mongetout and stir-fry until tender which is around 3 minutes. Once complete transfer onto a plate.
4. Once this is complete add pork mince and fry until browned around 6-8 minutes. You can break the pork up with a wooden spoon in order to make sure it is cooked. When the pork is cooked, add the shallot, garlic, spring onion and as much chilli as you dare. Cook until the veg is soft for another 2-3 mins.
5. Once this is completed return the mangetout to the pan. Add the ketjap manis and soy sauce and stir everything together.
6. Fluff the rice up with a fork and share between the bowls. Share the pork mixture and tuck in to the Pork Thai Rice Bowl.

This is a meal which only takes about 35 minutes including all of the prep which to be honest is not that much. I have had meals which have had a lot more preparation than this pork thai rice bowl meal. If you need to do it quickly you could do some of the prep earlier.

The Pork Thai rice bowl is one which I found to be full of flavour. There are not that many steps either which I like because this one you can see what you need to do before you start. I will be making this one again in the future as I think it was one of the best rice dishes we did actually have from Hello Fresh.

Have you tried Pork Thai Rice Bowl? If so what were you thoughts?

Charlotte xxx

Burgers are something which I rarely make because of hassle.  Burgers are not something which I consume that often anyway more so if I am out. They are rarely something which we will purchase to cook at home unless it is the summer and we are having a BBQ. However, recently when I was still subscribed to Hello Fresh I found a recipe for Lamb Passanda burgers. Again, lamb is a meat which I avoid really as I find it very fatty or it can be. After cooking the lamb passanda burgers for sure I knew that this is a recipe which I will be recreating. Of course, this is one when the weather picks up and you have BBQ’s you could consume. Or like me when you fancy a semi cheat meal at home.

Ingredient – Serves 2

3 Potatoes

15g Nigella Seeds

2 Garlic Cloves

150g Greek Yoghurt

30g Passanda Spice Blend

30g Tumeric

1 Bunch Mint

250g Lamb Mince

2 Burger Buns

1 Shallot

Something which I love to consume in the winter is a chilli. For me it is one of those hearty warm meals which warms me up after a cold hard day. This is something which I have consumed so many times when I have been growing up and has become a staple. I have even managed to cook it when I was living away at university on a budget. When we moved house and I actually purchased the Hello Fresh cook book. I found a variation which used Sausage this is something which I have made several times since and I love. I think it may be one of my favourite meals I have had the book.  Today I am going to share with you the recipe.

Ingredient – Serves 2

1 Leak

1 Red Pepper

4 Sausages

1 Clove Garlic

1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes

1/2 Bunch Chives

1 Tin Kidney Beans

1.5 tsp Paprika

1.5 tbsp Ground Cumin

1 Beef Stock Pot

Method

1. Remove the dark green top and the bottom root from the leek. Cut in half length ways, then slice into thin half moon shapes. Peel and grate the garlic. Remove the core from the red pepper and chop into small 1cm chunks. Chop the chives into ½cm pieces.

2. Put a large frying pan on medium-high heat and drizzle in some oil. Add your leek and pepper and cook for 5 mins till softened.

3. Remove the sausage from the skins, you can get rid of the skin. Drain the kidney beans.

4. After the 5 minutes of the Leeks cooking add the sausage meat to the pan. Cook this for a further 5 mins making sure you break down the sausage meat so it cooks evenly. During this time it should go brown when this is up add a pinch of salt and black pepper.

5. Once you have done this add in the  garlic, smoked paprika and ground cumin. Mix together and cook for a further 1 minute.

6. Pour the chopped tomatoes into the pan, rinse the tin out and then add a 1/4 of a tin of water and mix it together.

7. Add the beef stock pot and stir until dissolved, then add your kidney beans. Stir together and cook for a futher 10-12 mins, until your chilli is thick. The consistency you would expect chilli to be.

8. You may want to season with some salt and pepper.

I serve mine sometimes on it’s own as I find the chilli to be very filling. I have also served it with rice and also tortillas which have been toasted or even the cheap slightly salted Doritos. You could serve it with whatever you would like.

Have you tried using sausage in chilli?

Charlotte xx

Its Monday again which means it’s time to share with you another meal which I have been cooking recently. I actually have made this one a couple of times due to the fact that I have found myself with courgettes left over from other meals I have made. I do not like waste and I would rather turn left overs into a meal than throw them away. One of the meals which I have made is the courgette and king prawn curry. When I made this one it actually made the whole house smell amazing and like an Indian.  Just for the scent alone I would make this meal again.

Ingredients- Serves 2

2 tbsp Olive Oil

500g Courgette thickly sliced

½ tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp ginger

6 crushed garlic cloves

1 red chilli, deseeded and finally chopped

1 tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp ground turmeric

500g chopped tomatoes

150ml hot vegetable stock

225g peeled frozen king prawns

½ small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

Items you need-  frying pan, wooden spoon and sharp knife and a chopping board.

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large wok and stir-fry the courgettes for 5-6 mins until softened. Lift from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil behind.
2. Add the cumin seeds to the pan and toast for a few seconds.
3. Put the ginger, garlic, chilli and spices stirring for 1-2 mins.
4. Add the tomatoes into the pan and cook for a few minutes more.
5. Pour in the stock and simmer to make a thicker sauce, then add the courgettes and prawns.
6. Cook gently until the prawns change from grey to pink and the courgettes are tender, but not too soft.
7. Stir in most of the coriander, saving some to sprinkle over the top.

You can serve this with rice which is something which I did. Yes I have frozen rice and I know this is something which you are not meant to do at all. I think when I take this out of the freezer I may add some nan bread to go with this.

Have you every tried making a curry using courgette or king prawns?

Charlotte xx

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A couple of weeks ago I was kindly invited to The Hepworth Cafe in Wakefield. In order to, test out their new menu which has been changed to tie in with the change of the exhibition. At the next door Hepworth Art Gallery. You may be shocked to find such a instagrammable cafe in Wakefield. From the drinks menu which looks like a cinema listing board , to the views out of the windows which let so much light in. Who could also forget about all the plants and decor which The Hepworth Cafe is home to.

There drinks menu is a wide selection of hot drinks which are available. With over 95 different selections and blends of tea available this is heaven if you are a tea drinker. If like me and coffee is more you thing there is a wide range of different types of coffee available. They even are home to some amazing coffee art which impressed me so much. Then The Hepworth Cafe is somewhere which you really need to visit. They also have a wide selection of cake to go with your coffee.

Of course, the Hepworth Cafe does a wide selection of food including vegan, vegetarian and also gluten free options. No matter your needs you will be able to find something delicious to fill your stomach. From lighter meals ranging from salads to Pulled Pork burgers for sure they is going to be something which wets your appetite.

Salads

If you do not fancy a whole lot to eat at lunch time the salads could be the perfect option. I found that they were full of flavour. For sure some of the salads may not have been something which I would have chosen if I had been visiting. The Hepworth Cafe have orange, beetroot and goats cheese and roast cauliflower and lentil salads. I found both actually very pleasant to consume at £7 the portion size does justify the price combined with the taste.

Beetroot Fritters and Avocado Stack

Truthfully, this was one of my least favourite meals.  I think this was due to the texture of the beetroot it was something which I was not used to. I would order something else of the menu instead of this if I was to visit again. It was packed with flavour which you may not expect from a meal which has beetroot as the main ingredient.  I am sure that there will be a lot of people who will enjoy this meal but its just not for me.

 Yorkshire Rarebit

Cheese on toast if you know me is one of my favourite meals full stop. So when we got to try Yorkshire Rarebit which was made with Wensleydale cheese I was over the moon. This was packed with flavour which can be hard to get when you are making a posh cheese on toast. The bread was fresh which was a huge plus as you know some of the cafes food is not always the freshest. At The Hepworth Cafe everything is made to order so you know it is going to be super fresh and of the best quality it can be. This was one of the tastiest Rarebit I have tried for sure I could just demolish some right now.  I might have to make a another trip back just to make sure that I can have this again.

Spanish Tortillia

The Spanish tortilla for sure was one of those meals which shocked me. I actually did not have high expectations for this meal for some reason however, it was beautiful. It is such a simple dish but I found it to be so light. In my head I thought it was going to be more stodgy. This is is one which I would order again it is so simple but a dish which works. If you are not overly hungry this is one which I can imagine you wanting to order. This would make a great lunch and of course it does not break the bank which is always a bonus. Next time I may add chorizo to the meal because if you know me it is one of my favourite things.

Sweet Potato and Three Bean Chilli.

Chili is something which I adore at the moment for me it is a go to comfort food. I have had it in so many different ways however, I never have had a vegetarian chilli. This is until now where at the Hepworth cafe they do a sweet potato and three bean chilli which is to die for. It has all of the spices which you expect in a chilli it comes with the tortillas. This is one which I could have consumed the whole portion of due to it been so tasty. This has made me want to try more veggie meals as they can be packed with flavour and still be filling. I would say that this is one which you need to try if you are feeling hungry as the portion size is pretty large. This does mean that is it very good value for money though at £8.

BBQ Pulled Salt Brisket Burger

I would order normally because pulled pork is something which I find so tasty. However, I have had it before where it has been too dry and lost its flavour. This is not the case with this offering I found it was packed with flavour and sauce. This is what I prefer in a burger to be honest.  Sweet potato fries are standard with this burger which makes a change as usually they are extra. If you are not too hungry you could share this meal by cutting the burger in half. For sure if I took Jess I could do this. I know Joe would not actually share because he could consume the whole burger himself. At £9 this is so reasonably price for a burger of the quality. I think this is going to be one which I have to take Joe to try because I know how much he likes a burger.

Smoked Haddock Tart

Again this is a meal which had I been visiting myself is one which I would not have chosen. It was one which I thoroughly enjoyed. It is so full of flavour of the ingredient which is has within this tart you may not expect. As it only has leek and smoked haddock in it. Leeks are not one of those vegetables which gives a lot of flavour but combined with the haddock was beautiful. This was not too heavy at all which is great because I find this is something that I do not want at a lunch time. The potato salad which this comes with is not too big either and I find this a great accompaniment.  This is one meal I would recommend should you take a visit to the Hepworth.

Apple, Cinnamon Pancakes with Salted Caramel and Ginger Ice Cream

I will be the first to admit I do not have a hugely sweet tooth so this may affect my views. The topping of apple and cinnamon really work. To me this makes me think of Christmas on top of a pancake which is never a bad thing in my eyes. The pancakes are so light and fluffy which is what I think a pancake should be however, the stack is large. I would recommend sharing or actually ordering the children’s portion. The ice cream works so well and is one which I could eat scoops of it I was allowed and I am not a huge fan at all of salted caramel which says a lot. For a sweet treat for you to share or eat alone if you have a sweet tooth and are hungry these are amazing.

Black Forest Cherry Compote, Dark Chocolate and Cream Pancakes

Again the portion size of these pancakes are huge.  For sure, I know Joe and I could actually share these because they are so larger. I think of the two stacks of pancakes I tried these were my favourite because I am addicted to all things black forest. These for me are a winner the whole flavours work I and could happily share these with a friend over coffee while watching the world go by. These are not too sweet which is what I expected them to be instead I found them to actually be very tasty. For £6 these are amazing value and if you do not have a huge sweet tooth or you are visiting alone I would recommend the mini portion.

Thank you so much to the team at the Hepworth cafe for inviting me to taste the new menu. To find out more about the cafe, go to: thehepworthcafe.co.uk and more about the executive chef at popupnorth.co.uk . This opportunity was through BlogUpNorth.co.uk – a leading influencer network in the north of England.

Will you be visiting the Hepworth Cafe?

Charlotte xx

I was gifted this experience in order to share my views with you.

I know what your thinking making your own tomato soup seems very pointless. You can purchase it in the supermarkets very cheap in tins. I used to be like this as well however, I found myself with a lot of tomato’s which would have otherwise had to be thrown away. Instead of doing that I created a tasty tomato soup I could not believe the amount of flavour. I think this is because I expected to have to add a lot of seasoning to get flavour. Today I am going to share with you the recipe.

Ingredients- Serves 4

1KG Ripe Tomatoes

Medium Onion

1 Small Carrot

1 Celery Stick

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Squirts Tomato Puree

Pinch Sugar

1.2L Hot Vegetable Stock/ 2 vegetable Stock cubes

Things you will need:

Deep Pan with a lid, Knife, Chopping board and also blender

Method

1. Cut the tomatoes in quarters removing any hard cores as these do not soften when you cook. Peel 1 medium onion and 1 small carrot and chop them into small pieces. Chop 1 celery stick roughly the same size.

2. Heat in a low heat pan 2 tsbp of olive oil until you can feel the heat rising from the pan. Add the onion, carrot and celery and mix them together with a wooden spoon. Cook the vegetables until they’re soft and faintly coloured. For 10 minutes and you should stir them two or three times so they cook evenly and don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

3. Squirt in two squeezes of tomato puree this will turn the vegetables red. Add the tomatoes into the pan with a sprinkle of sugar and a little amount of black pepper. Stir to mix everything together, put the lid on the pan and let the tomatoes stew over a low heat for 10 minutes until they shrink down in the pan. Do shake the pan gently over the time this makes sure that everything keeps mixing instead of sticking to the pan.

4. Pour the boiling hot vegetable stock into the pan. Make this with boiling water and two vegetable stocks. While you do this stir to mix with the vegetables. Turn the heat up high and wait for everything to bubble. Then turn down the heat to low and add the lid on the pan. Cook gently for 25 minutes stirring a couple of times. At the end of this the tomatoes will be very slushy looking.

5. Remove the soup from the heat. Ladle the soup after a couple of moments into the blender. Blitz it until it is smooth for me I did it for a couple of moments and that was long enough. Pour it back into the pan if you are eating straight away. If you are planning on freezing it add it to containers and let it cool down before you add it to the freezer.

I served the portion of Tomato Soup I had with crusty bread however, you could have it alone. The amount of ingredients I used made 4  portion and I have frozen some of it. I will take it out to defrost and this can be a tasty lunch or a starter even at Christmas. For sure this would be a tasty starter on Christmas day without breaking the bank.

Have you ever made your own Tomato Soup?

Charlotte xxxx