Spiced Cacao Energy Balls

Now I know I am a little bit late to the 'Energy Ball' party, and many health-food bloggers have been citing their benefits for several years - it is only now in 2016 that I know why! I had always been a little sceptical to be honest, thinking they would need loads of expensive and obscure ingredients to make, and wouldn't deliver in terms of taste…how wrong I was. These energy balls are packed with fibre, good fats and protein, providing you with a virtuous yet sweet energy boost that will tackle the dreaded '4pm slump' better than any chocolate bar. They are also really portable, so ideal to take into work or to the gym. This recipe couldn't be easier either, and with just 7 store cupboard ingredients it really couldn't be quicker! Even better - the recipe is totally adaptable according to your own preferences or which ingredients you can get your hands on, so I encourage you to tweak away! My recipe was in-fact inspired by both Deliciously Ella's foolproof Energy Bites video http://deliciouslyella.com/video-how-to-make-energy-bites/ and Minimalist Baker's Peanut Butter Energy Bites post http://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-peanut-butter-cup-energy-bites/, so check them out too and see what you can come up with yourself. All you need in terms of equipment is a good food processor - so get blitzing!

To make about 20 Energy Balls you will need…

1 cup pitted dates

2/3 cup raw almonds

2/3 cup pecans

2 tbsp oats

1 tbsp linseeds (flaxseeds)

1 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp maple syrup

Pinch of salt

3 tbsp water - add a tbsp at a time - use more/less depending on how juicy your dates are!

You will need to…

1. Place all the ingredients in a good food processor and blitz until the mixture starts to clump together.

2. Squeeze and roll the mixture into about 20 balls using the palms of your hands.

3. Place the balls into a sealed tupperware and freeze for an hour or so to harden.

4. Store in your sealed tupperware in the fridge for up to a week - you'll be lucky if they last that long!

Enjoy! C x

Lunch @ Cook House - Ouseburn, Newcastle

If you follow us on Instagram or Twitter, you may have seen us raving about a new lunch spot we have discovered in Newcastle. Despite it having been open for over a year, it was only this week that we got round to making the trip, although we are definitely late to the party as the small kitchen is already racking up significant critical acclaim such as being listed as one of the '25 Coolest Restaurants in the UK' by The Times. The restaurant setting is undeniably cool and understated, tucked away in Newcastle's Ouseburn, and comprising of two inter-connecting shipping containers.

 The inside couldn't be a starker contrast from the industrial exterior however, with a cosy chiminea and completely open kitchen instantly making you feel at home. The place is impressively run by Anna Hedworth - not only a brilliant cook but also a food blogger who's recipes you can find on The Grazer. It really did feel like being in her home, and the frequently-changing chalkboard menu was stuffed with a tempting selection of her deliciously simple, fresh and wholesome lunch dishes.

We went for the Smoked Mackerel Pâté and Roast Ham, both served with a lovely simple dressed salad, sourdough toast and homemade pickles. A definite highlight was Zoe's pickled quince which was the perfect sweet/sour accompaniment to her ham, and something we are keen to recreate ourselves! Our dishes were washed down with Anna's homemade cloudy lemonade, and followed by a cup of tea, and slice of her dreamy apple and cinnamon cake.

It's safe to say that we both left feeling very happy and full, and are already planning our next visit! It is so refreshing to see somewhere so different and unique in Newcastle, and with such great food so reasonably priced, we can't recommend it highly enough - get yourself down there!

C & Z x

Cook House. Mon - Sat 8.30 - 3.30. Ouse Street - Newcastle-upon-Tyne. NE1 2PF

http://cookhouse.org

Peas, Watercress & Brown Shrimp on Toast

This is an adaptation of a Lindsey Bareham recipe that I tore out of a magazine a couple of years ago, and quickly became a favourite simple-yet-polished lunch in our household. As well as being relatively healthy and simple, with only a handful of ingredients needed, the blitzed watercress and pea mixture is really bright and fresh, and looks great on the plate. Despite being a good lunch dish, this would also work well in smaller quantities as a starter, or add more of everything to make into a light supper. If you can't find brown shrimps (Waitrose usually have a good supply) feel free to substitute them with prawns or crayfish. Although this is really quick to throw together it's worth noting that a good food processor or hand blender is essential to blitz your greens!

For two generous lunches you will need…

100g peas (fresh or frozen)

1 large handful of watercress

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp cider vinegar

Salt & pepper

Knob of butter for the toast

2 slices of good sourdough bread

50-100g brown shrimps

Lemon to serve

You will need to…

- Cook the peas in boiling water, then drain and add to your food processor along with the watercress, mustard, olive oil and cider vinegar.

- Blitz until it becomes a thick herby sauce and season to taste. You might want to adjust the vinegar/oil balance too - I like it quite tangy.

- Toast your sourdough slices and butter generously.

- Spread with a thick layer of green paste and top with the shrimp. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Enjoy! C x

Puy Lentil and Quinoa Sumac Salad

With summer coming to a close, this salad is ideal for the transition into autumn, being fresh and herby yet substantial and filling enough for the colder days to come. Despite containing big bunches of various different herbs, none overpower the dish, and together with the tangy sumac and citrus they manage to uplift the quinoa and Puy lentils - pulses which, lets be honest, can sometimes be lacking in the flavour department. As well as being delicious, this salad is also very nutritious - perfect for those of us who may have over-indulged a little on holiday... The recipe comes from Sabrina Ghayour's debut book Persiana which I found very inspiring and an ideal starting point if you're fairly new to Middle-Eastern cooking. Although it makes a great lunch or light meal by itself, this salad also works well as a side-dish with chicken or fish.

For a large bowl to serve 6-8 you will need…

200g quinoa

250g Puy lentils

500g cherry tomatoes, halved

100g flat leaf parsley, stalks and leaves finely chopped

20g coriander, stalks and leaves finely chopped

40g mint leaves, finely chopped 

1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced

4 tbsp olive oil

Juice of 2 large or 3 small lemons

1 heaped tbsp sumac

Salt & pepper to season

You will need to…

- Cook lentils and quinoa separately as per their packet instructions. Rinse well in cold water then drain and set aside to cool. N.B - When cooking quinoa be sure to toast it in a dry pan before simmering in water, as develops the nutty flavour. See our Quinoa Superfood Salad recipe for more instructions on this.

- Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the cooked and cooled quinoa and lentils and mix well to endure everything is evenly coated in the dressing. Be sure to taste your salad and adjust seasonings to suit you.

- Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving to allow all the flavours to develop.

 Enjoy! C x

Smoked Mackerel and Quinoa Salad

This is a healthy salad which only takes about 20 minutes to make. The smoked mackerel gives a strong flavour to the quinoa, and no extra salt needs to be added as the mackerel provides a strong salty flavour. This recipe would also work with any other fish of your choice. I used the dressing from our Quinoa Superfood Salad to add a lemony flavour which ties the dish together nicely.

To serve 4 you will need...

- 4 smoked mackerel fillets

-2 red peppers

- 200g cherry tomatoes

-250g quinoa

-1 chicken stock cube

-1/2 a pint of water

-Chopped parsley to garnish

For the dressing...

-1 tsp lemon juice

-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

-1 tsp Dijon mustard

-Seasoning

You will need to...

-Preheat the oven to 180C

- Chop the peppers into strips and half the cherry tomatoes, place in a large baking tray season and drizzle with oil.

- Place the mackerel fillets onto a sheet of tinfoil, squeeze some lemon juice over them, season and wrap in tinfoil, if there is room in the baking tray then place them next to the chopped veg, if not place on a separate baking tray and place in the oven for 10-15 mins.

- Meanwhile place the quinoa in a dry sauce pan and toast on a fairly high heat for a few minutes until golden brown. Keep shaking it around the pan to stop it burning then add 1/2 a pint of chicken stock to the pan.

- Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, then remove from heat and leave to steam with the lid on for approximately 5 minutes. Meanwhile remove the mackerel from the oven and check the peppers and tomatoes and cooked, if not turn up the heat and leave the veg in for 5 minutes longer.

-To make the dressing, combine the mustard, oil and lemon juice - season to taste.

- When the veg is done place quinoa in the middle of your serving dish surround with the roasted tomatoes and peppers, then peel the skin away from the mackerel, this should be easy when the fish is hot. Break the mackerel up removing any bones you come across and mix into the quinoa. Add the dressing and scatter with chopped parsley.

Enjoy! Z x

Clean Eating Challenge

A couple of weeks ago Zoe and I decided to undertake a week of 'clean eating'. It seems to be quite a craze in the foodie/blog world, popping up frequently alongside gluten-free, no-sugar and superfood-rich dishes. Although there seems to be no clear definition, we took clean eating to mean unprocessed foods, so tried to eat dishes with lots of fresh ingredients prepared relatively simply, cooked as healthily as possible and without unnecessary processed additions such as sugar-heavy condiments. We read somewhere that clean-eating should not involve foods which come in any packaging, but given that in British supermarkets today absolutely everything is packaged, we found that fairly hard to avoid. After doing some research, we found that many of the recipes we came across sounded absolutely delicious but were packed with expensive and hard-to-find ingredients, so we set ourselves the challenge of seeing if a week of clean eating was doable on a student budget. We are pleased to report that it absolutely is - we managed to buy most of our food for the week for about £45 - so just over £20 each which isn't bad at all considering that covered everything from breakfast to lunch, supper, pudding and also snacks. We are also pleased to report that it had physical as well as financial benefits. Although cutting out sugar was undeniably difficult for the first couple of days, especially when the four o'clock cravings kicked in, there was a marked difference when we went back to sugar the following week, with both of us suffering from extreme sugar lows and tiredness that we hadn't experienced at all throughout the clean week. It was an interesting experiment, and although we both agree it would be hard/boring to completely cut out all processed foods for good, there are definitely elements of clean eating that we shall try and continue with. Carry on reading to discover a few of our favourite dishes from the week... 

Breakfast

For breakfast we both kept things simple and stuck to jumbo porridge oats jazzed up with some berries or bananas and maple syrup. Very simple but so quick and convenient, and easily kept us going until lunchtime. 

Lunch

For lunch we stuck to soup - namely Mum's Chunky Scotch Broth which we posted on here a few months ago. The beans and peas make it more filling than a standard smooth soup, meaning any processed bread accompaniment is completely unnecessary - they are also a great source of protein. 

Chunky Scotch Broth 

Snacks

Clean-snacking was probably the hardest aspect of our experiment. Training ourselves to reach for a piece of fruit or handful of nuts instead of a chocolate bar was hard to start with, (especially as we were revising and spending long, dull days in the library) but a couple of days in and we were in our stride. The star snack of the week would have to be Zoe's Apple Rings - so easy to make but so sweet and tasty - you could almost fool yourself that they weren't 100% clean. 

Apple Rings

Simply take one or two apples - skins on - and core them without slicing in half, thus keeping the apple whole. Then finely slice them width ways and place on a large baking tray. Sprinkle with some spices of your choice - we used cinnamon and cardamom, and then bake at 100C for minimum one hour - or long enough for them to crisp up and become dry - it will vary according to apple variety. Enjoy as healthy on-the-go snack! 

Catie's savoury snack of choice was homemade guacamole - a fresh and zingy dip which was delicious accompanied by some chopped carrots, cucumber, celery and even hard boiled eggs. Here is her very quick and easy guac recipe...

Guacamole

Snacking on Guac

To Serve 1-2 People You Will Need...

1 ripe avocado

1 tomato

1 spring onion

A squeeze of fresh lime juice

Salt, pepper and tabasco to season

You Will Need To...

- Blanch the tomato in boiling water for a few minutes then remove the skin.

- Mash up the avocado with a fork - make it as chunky or smooth as you prefer.

- Remove the seeds from the skinned tomato and chop up the flesh - add to the mashed avocado.

- Add the sliced a spring onion and enough lime juice, tabasco, salt and pepper to taste - the zingier the better!

Supper

At the end of a long day, a few leaves thrown together wasn't going to satisfy our appetite, so we found a few clean recipes that were satisfying and didn't compromise on flavour at all. Our favourite was undoubtedly a Butternut Squash, Kale and Chickpea Salad, which was packed with fresh vegetables, and sweetened up with some pomegranate seeds to garnish. We also enjoyed our Quinoa Superfood Salad and Chorizo & Paprika Pearl Barley Risotto, although to make it strictly 'clean' you should probably replace the chorizo with some lean chicken breast meat! (To access these recipes simply click on the links provided) 

Butternut Squash, Kale and Chickpea Salad

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breasts 

Another favourite main course of the week was our chicken breasts stuffed with feta, olives, red peppers, cherry tomatoes and red onions. We also wrapped them in bacon to stop the filling bursting out and to keep the chicken breast juicy, although looking back a rasher of bacon is probably off limits to real clean eaters! Nevertheless, this was a really filling and tasty meal, served with herby sweet potato wedges and some simple steamed broccoli. To make this dish simply sauté together some chopped red onion with some diced cherry tomatoes and red peppers. Take off the heat and stir in your diced feta and sliced olives. Stuff into chicken breasts, wrap in bacon and secure with a sprig of thyme. If not using bacon, a cocktail stick can be used to hold everything together. Bake at 180C for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  

Pudding

These puddings helped to curb our sugar cravings at the end of the day. Although containing all-natural unrefined sugars, these still seemed like a sweet treat as well as being nutritious. Our most regular dessert was very simple and easy - natural yoghurt topped with blueberries, flaked almonds and maple syrup, although it would work just as well with a variety of other seasonal fruit. A slightly more accomplished pudding that also doubled up as a snack was this Banana and Date Bread, with dates providing sweetness instead of refined sugar. You can see a couple of the photos below however the recipe is to follow shortly.  

Natural Yoghurt with Blueberries, Almonds and Maple Syrup

Banana and Date Bread - Recipe To Follow!

We hope you give the Clean Eating Challenge a try - leave a comment below to let us know how you got on!

C & Z x

Healthy Butternut Squash Risotto

This is a delicious but healthy risotto, using brown rice makes the cooking time slightly longer. But this means you get all the goodness from the unrefined  rice and plenty of fibre to keep you full for longer. I have adapted this recipe from Deliciously Ella, however this version is slightly more student friendly; my student cupboard didn't stretch to providing nutritional yeast, cumin or tahini so I gave these a miss; I also added a dollop of crème friache which I found enhanced the creamy butternut squash. The original recipe also has uses a food processor to whizz up the cooked butternut squash however in the student kitchen using a potato masher will suffice!

 

 

 

To Serve Four You Will need...

 

- 1 Butternut squash

 

-300g Brown rice

 

-Juice of 1/2 a lemon

 

- A splash of cider vinegar

 

-A dollop of Crème Friache

 

-Salt and Pepper to taste

 

 

 

You will need to...

 

-Pre-heat the oven to 200C

 

- Peel the butternut squash and cut into cubes

 

- Place in a baking tray, drizzle with oil and season, roast for 35mins or until soft while the rice is cooking

 

-Put the brown rice in a sieve and rinse with cold water

 

-Add the rice to a pan of boiling water, boil for 35-40 minutes or until the rice is soft adding more water when necessary and a splash of cider vinegar to add flavour.

 

- Remove the butternut squash from the oven and mash three quarters of the squash leaving a few cubes to add texture.

 

- Add the lemon juice, seasoning and crème friache to the smooth butternut squash and then stir into the drained rice.

 

- Finally place the remaining butternut squash cubes on top and parsley or coriander.

 

 

Enjoy

Z x

Butternut Squash, Kale and Chickpea Summer Salad

Last week Catie and I undertook a week of 'clean eating', and this recipe was definitely one of our favourite evening meals. Despite being a fairly simple salad, the roasted butternut squash and chickpeas make this dish suprisingly filling, whilst the pomegranate, lemon and lime add a sharp tanginess. I also think that serving it hot makes it seem like a heartier meal rather than just a lunchtime salad, so despite being extremely good for you, you still feel satisfied and full at the end of a long day. Kale is a well established 'superfood', being rich in Vitamins A, B, C and K as well as being low in calories and virtually fat free - perfect for those getting into shape for summer. You could also add some chicken to the salad if you fancy a non-vegetarian version. A good student trick when using root ginger is to store it in the freezer, and then you can use it whenever needed as it lasts for ages. A more detailed post on our clean eating week will be coming soon with more healthy recipes.

To serve two you will need...

1/2 a butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes

200g curly kale

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp of fresh ginger, grated

1 tin of chickpeas, drained

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp lime juice

Seeds from 1/2 a pomegranate
1/4 tsp salt

You will need to...

- Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

- Place the butternut squash cubes on a baking tray, season and drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven for approx 40 mins or until soft.

-Meanwhile in a large saucepan, soften the onion in a little olive oil over a medium heat. Once soft add the garlic and ginger contine to cook for a minute.

-Add the kale to the pan and stir for a minute until it begins to wilt then reduce the heat and cover for 10 mins.

- Add the drained chickpeas, stir and cover for another 5 minutes until they are warmed through.

-Remove from heat, add the roasted squash, pomegranate seeds, salt, lemon and lime juice stir and serve immediately. 

Enjoy, Z and C x

Two Soups

Soup is definitely a student staple for us, and for so many good reasons. It's healthy, cheap, freezes well, warms you up, and makes a really easy on-the-go lunch if you invest in a thermos. We have two of our favourite soup recipes for you - the first is a tried-and-tested family recipe courtesy of Catie's Mum. This hearty and filling Scotch Broth is packed with beans, peas and barley, and has been sustaining the family through harsh northern winters for decades! The second is Zoe's favourite Mary Berry Winter Vegetable Soup. We used chopped tomatoes when we couldn't get our hands on any passata - it is totally delicious either way, with the tomato element adding a fresh, lightness. We recommend you try them both - they really are souper winter warmers (sorry). 

Kirsteen's Chunky Scotch Broth  

For 6-8 servings you will need...

1 small swede 

2 sticks of celery

1 large leek

4 or 5 carrots

1 bay leaf

Chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup of pearl barley

1 cup each dried butter beans and dried marrowfat peas OR 3 tins of assorted beans if you can't find dried (I like to use 2 butter bean and 1 cannelini) 

Salt and pepper 

You will need to...

- If using dried beans and peas, these will need to be soaked in cold water overnight. 

- Chop all your root veg into smallish chunks depending on how chunky you like your soup. Slice the leek. 

- Sauté all the veg in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for about ten minutes until softened. 

- Add enough stock and boiling water to cover the veg. Pop in your bayleaf, barley and beans (drain and rinse them beforehand if using tinned) and stir to combine. 

- Bring your soup to the boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer. Put the lid on and leave to cook on a low heat on the hob or in the oven for about an hour and a half or until all the beans, barley, and veg are soft. 

- Once cooked, season your soup well with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or, if stored in the fridge in an airtight container it should keep for about a week. 

Mary Berry's Winter Vegetable Soup

For 6-8 servings you will need...

50g butter 

2 small red onions 

2 leeks, finely chopped 

3 sticks celery, finely sliced 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

4 tablespoons flour 

500g passata or chopped tomatoes  

2 large potatoes

400g tomatoes, chopped 

2 tablespoons sugar 

2 tablespoons tomato puree 

2 pints / 1.1 litres Chicken or vegetable stock 

Salt and pepper 

Parsley

You will need to...

-  Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onions, leeks, celery and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes until softened.

- Whisk the flour with the passata/chopped tomatoes in a bowl until well blended and smooth. 

- Add the potatoes, tomatoes, sugar and tomato puree to the pan. Stir in the passata and the chicken stock and allow it to thicken. 

- Bring to the boil and season. Cover and turn down the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

- Check the seasoning and serve hot sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley and a swirl of cream if you fancy.

Enjoy! C & Z x