It uses mini chicken fillets (chicken tenders) which have been marinated in some harissa paste. Well, actually  . . .  the original recipe doesn't really marinate them, but I wanted the flavour to stick, so I let them stand for half an hour after I mixed them with the paste so that the flavours really got into the meat.


You could also use boneless chicken breast cut into strips . . .  or even boneless chicken thighs. Both would work very well.

 There is a tiny sinew that runs along the underside of mini chicken fillets that I like to remove with a sharp knife. It only takes a few minutes to get rid of it and it helps to keep them nice and tender.  Just sip the tip of a sharp knife under it and then work the knife down the length to loosen it and cut it out.  I use both of my hands for this.  I grab the tendon and hold it with some kitchen toweling so I can get a good grip and run the knife with the other hand.  Its quite simple really.



 You spread the hummus on the toasted bottom bun . . .  if you don't like beetroot, you can use pain hummus, or I am thinking the lemon/pepper or red pepper hummus would also be VERY tasty!

 
Toast the cut sides of the burger buns. Spread the bottoms with the hummous, top with a portion of the spinach and cucumber ribbons and a fourth of the chicken.  Top with the tops of the buns and serve immediately.


Now that's what I call one heck of a delicious burger!  Todd ate his with a knife and fork.  Me . . .  I'm common, I just piled on the top bun, picked it up and dug in.  Yum! YUM!  Bon Appetit!

Courgettes (zucchini), asparagus, chicken stock and brown rice.  Oh, and a bit of Parmesan cheese and some fresh parsley.  Not a lot really!



I prepped all of my ingredients . . .  cleaning and chopping the vegetables, grating the cheese, and it went together very quickly.  I am sure I had it ready and on the table in less than 15 minutes!


 I used a gel pot stock, the kind you get from Knorr, and I used the vegetable one which meant that the dish was completely vegetarian.  Well, except for the cheese.  I know a lot of veggies don't use cheese because it is a milk product and they don't even use anything produced by an animal.




I love courgettes and I love asparagus, but if you didn't like those I am sure you could create another combination that would be equally as tasty . . .  like green beans and peas . . .  or, well, just use your imagination. I think almost any vegetable combination would work . . . 



Some people don't mind eating pink food.  I am quite fond of beetroot myself!  I hope you will give it a go!  It would make a lovely quick and tasty mid-week supper!



Note - if you want to add cooked chicken or fish, add it with the rice. Make sure it is completely heated through.

Todd is a Bakewell Tart man.  He loves, LOVES the flavour of Bakewell Tart(s)!  It doesn't matter if it is a whole tart or small individual tarts.  You can count him in if Bakewell Tart is on the menu.


A Bakewell tart is an English pastry consisting of a shortcrust pastry shell beneath a layers of jam, almond flavoured frangipane, and a topping of flaked almonds.Oftimes the flakes almonds are foregone and the tarts are topped with an almond glace icing and a glace cherry.  Those are Todd's absolute favourites! You can also find it baked as a large tart as opposed to small individual tarts.





The almond glaze tops the off beautifully . . .  and of course that cherry is the perfect dressing!  And so very bakewellie.


Perfect for Elevensies, tea time, breakfast on the go, brunch, picnic baskets, or just because  . . .


Go on!  Treat yourself!  You won't regret it.  I guarantee!


Note - This can also be successfully doubled to make more muffins, in which case you use 1 large free range egg, instead of a medium one.


You will love these muffins.  If you only bake one thing this weekend, let it be these!  Bon Appetit!

One of the things I love most about this time of year is Strawberry Shortcake.  Of course my mom made the best strawberry shortcake.  She used biscuits and filled with them crushed berries and whipped cream, or ice cream, depending on what she had ready to hand. You can find that recipe here.  Its not low fat or low sugar, but it is high on deliciousness!



We grow our own strawberries and they are coming fast and furious at the moment.  It is a race to see who will get to them first, us, or the birds  . . .  or the slugs.  Meh!  Everyone's got to eat I guess!


When I saw this recipe for a lightened up version for Strawberry Shortcake, I really wanted to try it out. It didn't use the biscuits my mother always used, but it did include a delicious low fat and sugar sponge.  It sounded quite promising!


I had some sour milk in the refrigerator left from when we were on our holiday and so I used that instead of regular milk, adapting the recipe to do so.  The cake worked out beautifully and is light and moist . . .  not very sweet, but you can't have it all.


If I could choose to do anything differently it would be to crush the berries lightly instead of just slicing them.  I think crushed berries would be even nicer.


No, it did not compare to my mothers . . .  not in the least, but it was still very good.  And I won't complain about that!


So, if you are looking for a cake that you can have and eat too, then this might be the one.  The cake on its own would be lovely split and filled with whipped cream and lemon curd . . .  just saying.  It's a great basic cake.


I am sitting here imagining it split and filled with all sorts . . .  crushed raspberries, peaches . . . rhubarb compote!  Mmmm . . .



Cool completely before serving.  To serve cut into squares and split.  Place the bottom halves on serving plates. Top each with some of the prepared berries and 1 TBS of light topping.  Place the top of the cake squares on top.  Garnish with another TBS of lilght topping and some more sliced berries.  Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Its been lovely and warm this week.  Time to crack open the BBQ and do whatever you can to keep the kitchen cooler.  We love these Grilled Sweet Potato Packets in the Summer.  Not only can you cook them on the BBQ, but they are also quite, quite delicious and simple to do.

Everything simply gets piled onto a sheet of buttered aluminium foil.   Peeled and sliced sweet potatoes . . . chopped onion . . .

Note: Alternately these can be baked in a hot oven (200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6) for the same amount of time.  At the end, sprinkle with the cheese and pecans and pop under a heated grill/broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese.