Matcha Cupcakes..... Mood = Going Green

Green tea was something i only tried maybe 10 years ago and i ate it as an ice cream. It was Delicious and creamy and had just a hint of flavour. Enough to make you want more and more. I don't know why i have not made something using green tea until now, but you know what they say better late then never.

Green tea is soooooooo good for you. Some evidence suggests that regular green tea in your diet will help prevent heart disease, and some kinds of cancer from forming. Also it is thought that it helps with weight loss due to polyphenols and caffeine. Green tea has also been thought to help with the prevention of dental cavities, kidney stones, aiding with bone density, and cognitive function. There are many researches done about the use of green tea to help with brain activity and neuro science. Under the Michael J Fox foundation, they are doing tests to aid people with helping rescuing damaged brain cells and protecting ones that have not been harmed yet.

Well i didn't know all this about green tea, but now i don't feel so bad after eating 3 cupcakes..... OOOPS!

So the recipe i used for this is my own . The vanilla base chiffon cake recipe but i just added Matcha (green tea powder). It worked a treat and like i mentioned before, chiffon cakes are my all time favourite.

For the recipe visit here.
Add 4 Tablespoons of matcha, adding it to the flour and sugar stage of the recipe

Fill cupcake holes 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 minutes.

To make the icing, just follow the same method and recipe just adding up to 2 Tablespoons of matcha to flavour it.

Frost and refrigerate till ready to eat.

Who knew going green tasted so good and was so good for you.....

Summer cocktail.... Mood = Mojito Madness

I love having a drink every now and then and a Mojito is first on my list when the summer has arrived and moods have gone up. I think there is nothing better than a cool refreshing drink with mint, soda, crushed ice, and rum..... Yumm!

My husband does not drink.... BUT he does make the best Mojito EVER. I even get him to make them for my clients as they think his are the BEST as i have heard them say. Its just a natural instinct to make things taste so good. You either have it or you don't. But this way i am going to show you how to make his mojito and make it in bulk. So you don't have to keep remaking the drink when you need and want it.





















 I was going to write this post last night when i was drinking it, but it would have been a disaster. The bulk method gives all the flavours time to infuse and really develop....

So my husband Pavlos's measures go something like this.....

Recipe:

1 part Bacardi
2 parts tonic water
3 T soft brown sugar
3 limes
bunch of mint
(This is per drink)

Method:

• Bash the limes with a small rolling pin with the sugar. This will help create grit.

• Add the tonic and Bacardi and mix.

• Add the chopped mint leaves and stir, not forgetting the most important thing.... Crushed ice!
• Serve

Now you can quadruple this recipe or even multiply it by ten. It works. I personally like mine very sweet, so at the end of the day it has to suit your taste.

Enjoy making these summer hits and be merry!!!! (drink safely too)

Perfect baked Potato...... Mood = Crispy

Baked potatoes are one of those things that everyone loves to master.... I always used to cheat when i was younger and do them half in the microwave, and then finish them off in the oven... Don't tell anyone. That is before i realised how bad microwaves were for you.

After doing a year long stint at this one restaurant, i learned how to make the perfect baked potato. And perfect almost seems to be an understatement. So simple and so amazing. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Draped with butter and drizzled with salt. AMAZING.

When i saw how easy it was to make this i couldn't believe it and cant believe it has taken this long to share it with you all....

So the way to make this is...

Recipe:

Baking potatoes
foil
salt
garlic
baking tray

Method:

• Place the foil on the baking tray

• Cover the bottom layer of the tray with salt all over.

• Wash and dry the potatoes and place them on the salt.

• Place garlic cloves all over with skin still on

• Cook in a preheated oven at 250 degrees and turn every half an hour for 1.5 hours

• Serve hot with butter and salt.

Some info on health benefits of baked potato:

Potatoes are nutrient based which means you receive many nutrients for the amount of calories the potato has.The fibre is half soluble half insoluble which means that it helps lower cholesterol and also aids in slower digestion which is good news for you as it keeps you full for longer!They are high in Vitamin  C, B6 , Copper, Iron and Potassium. They are pretty much full of every nutrient you can think of except for Vitamin A.They also help lower blood pressure. Sounds good eh? A must for a healthy, balanced diet.

Who knew the mighty potato had so much goodness. Its the misconception that potatoes are fattening, but its just the toppings that are bad. So think carefully, and eat wisely.

Simple delicious and no effort to create perfection.

Vanilla Sponge...... Mood = Cake Coma

OK, so i have an apology to make to one particular follower who has been asking me to post about a great vanilla sponge recipe and i didn't do it soon enough. No excuses, no reason. So here is my public apology and here is the recipe..

My favourite thing about vanilla sponge cake is for it to be moist, fluffy but with weight and character. I hate eating those artificial tasting sponges that are white as snow. Vanilla cake has to have a yellow-ish tint, and have a density to it. Victoria sponge is very flaky and i have come to the realisation that i do not like cakes that are made with butter. It makes them flaky and very breakable (is that even a word?). This recipe calls for vegetable oil to be used as the fat and let me tell you something, every cake i have made that requires vegetable oil in the recipe is so superior to any other.

I made this cake with fruits and a whipped cream centre with a butter cream topping. It was so beautiful and delicious. To be honest with you i thought it would be quite heavy, but it was not. It was soft, fruity, light, moist, dense and full of flavours that complemented each other.

Recipe:

300g golden caster sugar
350g all purpose flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs
350ml vegetable oil
290 ml buttermilk
1tsp salt
1 T Vanilla extract

Method:

• Sift flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.

• Add sugar

• Mix together in another bowl, eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract.

• Slowly begin to incorporate the two together making sure you have a nice smooth mixture.

• Do not over beat and do not mix in any other order.

• Have your oven on at 180 degrees and prepare 2 cake tins 8" each and pour your batter in

• Cook for about 30-40 minutes and then leave them to cool down.

Whipped cream filling:

300ml whipped cream
100g icing sugar

Method:

• Whip together till you reach a stiff consistency and put in the fridge till ready.

Butter cream recipe:

400g Philadelphia cream cheese
250g butter.
350g icing sugar
1T vanilla extract


Method:

• Make sure everything is at room temperature.

• Mix together the butter and Philadelphia and beat till well combined. You should not have any lumps if you left them at room temperature.

• Begin adding the icing sugar and continue beating.

• Add vanilla extract and mix then set aside in the fridge to harden slightly before you coat the cake.

Once you have finished assembling the cake, make sure you return it to the fridge until you need to eat it.

This recipe is a classic for me and works every time. Everyone that has tried this comments on the moistness of it and the flavour. Nothing beats it, and too much of it can definitely put you in a cake coma as i found out last night.....

Falafel with Tahini sauce...... Mood = Good fried food

I am not sure if many of you have eaten a falafel.... But if you have not then you are missing out BIG TIME! They are filled with so much goodness that it is almost a crime to not try this or at least buy them and eat them. The chickpeas, coriander, garlic, parsley, olive oil are just so divine and to finish it off you dip it into a tahini sauce which just adds to the gorgeous taste of this dish.

I asked the experts how to make this dish.... IE: my mother and aunties. They were more than happy to help as they feel super important passing their secrets down to at least one of us. I have three sisters and one brother. and lets just say that they are not all keen cooks....

Back to my aunties and mum. So they all argued who had the best recipe and then realised they all had the same one. HA HA. They are so funny. Its just they have different orders of what to put in and they think its something different. So the chickpea is obviously the star of the show and with this it is full of iron, zinc, dietary fibre and protein. What a wonderful way to pack it all in to one or two bites.....

The tahini has also got its benefits. Sesame seeds are full of iron, calcium, Vitamin B and E, anti oxidants and anti cancer properties. It is also thought that sesame reduces blood cholesterol and also when the sesame is pulverised and made into a paste its nutrients are more active.

So enough of the science part and now for the recipe.

Recipe:

500g dried chickpeas
1 bunch of parsley
1 bunch of coriander
1T coriander powder
1/2 onion
1T baking powder
salt
pepper
4 cloves Garlic
Olive oil

Method:

• First soak the chickpeas in water for up to 8 hours. Best to do it over night so you don't have to wait for it.

• When ready, drain the water and begin adding the ingredients above. Apply them roughly because you are going to pulse them to a paste.

• Add the salt and pepper and place the ingredients in a blender and mix till you have formed a paste.

• While you are doing this place some vegetable oil, i use sunflower oil, in a pan and get it very hot.

• Begin shaping your falafel into rounds but make sure you leave the bottoms flat so they can stand up.

• Place them about 4-5 at a time and let them cook for about 6-8 minutes. You want them to cook all the way through.

• Serve the falafel with Tahini sauce.

Tahini sauce:

3T tahini paste
4 T yoghurt
3 lemons

1 T salt

• Mix all together and add some water to make it less thick. You want it to be runny consistency.

Enjoy the falafels. They are so worth it. Full and rich, packed with goodness and taste. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The perfect bite every time. Drizzle with creamy tahini sauce and eat while warm.

My NY cheesecake....... Mood = Secret recipe

Cheesecake is one of those things that is very particular to each person. I love mine creamy, dense and rich with wild berries. I got the recipe from a friend a while back and he is a great chef but swore me to secrecy about the recipe, so this is just a post with pictures, feelings about cheesecake and thats it :)

I made this the other day for a client and almost forgot how good it was. I make this at least 5-10 times a month for people as it is so popular. You can really add any flavouring to this cake as it holds so well.

Iv made it with lemon, fresh berries, cocoa, cofffee, lime, dulce de leche and many more. Plain is also a must. Iv put on many kilos since i got this and had to work out just as hard to get them off but it is so worth it.

Philadelphia, double cream, sugar and vanilla pods are a wonder when mixed together. This dessert is evidence of that.....

Chicken celeriac salad... Mood = Summer salads (aka Diet)

So the summer is coming up if you have not noticed. Well here in London you wouldnt know any better. Its been raining non stop and the sky is still grey. I don't know how much i can take anymore. Well not much as I'm running away to Greece for about 2 weeks. So i am trying to lose weight as i have given up smoking about 2 weeks ago and have gained about 10 kilos. What a nightmare. I don't know what to do. I cant stop eating, biting my nails and fake smoking with my fingers! Sounds ridiculous right....

But i have to stop eating so much and am trying to cut down, as i have to look good and be healthy. I want to be a Greek Goddess on the islands of Mykonos and Santorini....Also my husband has fractured his knee and damaged his ACL and MCL and needs me to keep him in shape too.

I always always make this dish for my ladies lunches, as it has such wonderful flavours and very little fat. Celeriac is the root vegetable of celery and has this almost creamy crunchy texture and taste, and works so well with chicken and lovely mustard dressing. I used to make this with mayonnaise but changed to a Greek yogurt as it taste so much better and is obviously much healthier.

This goes down such a treat with everyone and i personally love it. It has everything you need in a salad, with a little twist. It couldn't be any simpler to make, and i suggest you try it. Very filling, very tasty and very different.

Recipe:

1 celeriac, peeled and julienned
4 chicken breasts
3T Greek yogurt
1T Dijon mustard
Lemon juice to taste
4T Olive oil
Bunch of parsley, chopped
2 Tomatoes, sliced in half moons
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Peel cut and julienne your celeriac

• Salt and pepper the chicken and grill them with a little oil and brown them. When they are ready, slice them into little strips and set aside.

• Mix the yogurt, mustard, lemon and oil.

• Add to the celeriac, add tomatoes, and parsley and mix.

• Add the chicken slices and serve.

It should have a slight bite to it. I usually let my salad sit in the sauce for about 10 minutes to soften the celeriac. It also allows for the sauce to be absorbed.

Serve on a crisp fresh summers day, with friends, while not having a care in the world as you are taking your bite!

Tartare...... Mood = En France

When i used to live in Paris, i lived near the most famous restaurant/ cafe in the golden triangle and i used to go there at least 3-4 times a week. This is before i knew how to cook. But i definitely knew how to eat. The thing i ordered more than anything is the steak tartare with frites and salad. OMG! What a divine meal. Diced fresh raw beef seasoned to the T and served with lovely crunchy salty fries with a green salad. All gobbled down in a second. This place was famous for it. There would be queues outside just to get a bite. How lucky was i?

So the other day i made this for my clients and i made a little extra to give my husband thinking it would bring back so many memories of France, french cuisine, a romantic dinner... whatever. But nothing. He didn't even know what i was talking about. I nearly fainted. How could someone not know what steak tartare was? Is that normal? Anyway i gave him some and his face just literally began to melt and have this funny look, which he usually gives when something is right up his street.

So today i decided that this was for dinner. I bought the most beautiful meat from my butcher explaining that it was going to be eaten raw so i can get the absolute most fresh piece they have. You have to get fillet. It may be a little more expensive but because it doesn't have stringy bits or veins, or sinew it make the meat so tender and succulent. You don't really want to start chewing this dish and getting your teeth into it. You want it to be like butter.

In restaurants we usually serve 150g per portion with chips and salad. But i was feeling a little piggish as my appetite has grown considerably since i gave up smoking (another story) and gave each one of us around 280g of beef. 

Recipe:

150g fillet beef per person

2T of mayonnaise

1T ketchup

1 shallot diced

1 teaspoon mustard (Dijon)

Tabasco to taste

Salt and pepper for beef

10 cornichons

a small handful of rinsed capers

Handful of parsley

Method:

• Dice the meat and set aside

• Dice the cornichons and capers and parsley and set in a bowl

• Add the mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup and mix.

• Add the chopped parsley and the meat adding a little cracked black pepper and check if you need salt. You may not as the capers are quite salty even when rinsed. I like to add alot of tabasco as i love the heat in combination with the sweet fillet of beef.

This dish is just so fool proof and so perfect for parties as you can prepare everything before hand and just mix at the end so its technically a no fuss dish.

Enjoy with red wine, fries and some baguette. I always like to literally clean the plate with my bread. I feel very french when i eat this. And so will you.

Vegetarian samosas..... Mood = Origami

You know when you have a craving for something and you just want it right NOW, well i get that alot of the time and i have to always make everything from scratch, just to punish myself to make it take longer. But iv found that the longer it takes me the more i appreciate it when its done and ready to eat.Samosas was one of those dishes that i needed right there and then the other night....

I love Samosas, and as much as i love them, i cant bring myself to eat them because they are usually dripping with fat. You know the kind i mean. Yup those ones that you find in a shop window late at night. I have not had them for YEARS. Mainly because of the amount my brother used to eat and come home with after a night out. I wondered how they didn't literally burn a hole through his stomach. Maybe they did....

So i make this delicious dish called Batata harra which is on my blog.  It literally means spicy potatoes. And i used this with a combination of peas for the filling. Usually the filling of a samosa is in a paste form, but i left mine cubed. I have attached a link for you to see how i make the filling.

As mentioned many times before i love making my own pastry and this was not hard, but folding and shaping was a little origami style. As you can see by my samosas. They were triangular, but with a pointy hat on top. Anyway it is hard to explain but you can see for yourself.

So the recipe i got for the samosa pastry was from Fauzias Pakistani recipes. The pastry worked a treat, it was the wrapping that got me all confused, but i tried many different ways till i found one that worked for me. On Fauzias web page it tells you to literally fold in half and seal, but i found that it didn't hold well. You have to cut the pastry into a longer rectangular shape and fold into a triangle form the corner and then another triangle and then another till you have used all the pastry. Here is an  illustration. 

Recipe:

240 g all purpose flour
1 egg
1ts salt
120 ml ice cold water
cornstarch

Method:

• Sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre and add the add and water.

• Mix well with a fork or your dough hook until it leaves the side of your bowl clean. Knead it for a few minutes and the place in a greased bowl and cover.

• Let it rest for about 30 minutes minimum.

• Divide the dough into quarters and then again and roll out to your rectangular shape and begin with the samosa making.

• Fill the samosa with your filling of potatoes and begin folding. 

• Use the corn flour with some water to make a paste to help secure you samosa together.

• Fry in hot vegetable oil until golden brown and then let them drain.

• Serve with chili and soya sauce.

These were a little tricky to make, but i have to say i was so impressed with the end result. Not necessarily the look, but more the taste. It was an impromptu dish which my friends and i really enjoyed. Made 12 and they were all gone in about..... 4 minutes.