The 5-2 Challenge. Lessons I Have Learned. Stock Up the Pantry. Minimal Cooking. Avoid Cappuccinos.

Posted on March 23, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

tunacannnellinibeansalad

Time for a 5-2 challenge update. My preferred fast days? Fridays and Mondays. Perfect bookends for my weekend feast days. Giving me a clear three day run from Tuesday to Thursday mid week where I don’t have to think about what I eat. Of course I fully expect that this plan will be interrupted over the Easter break.

I completed Day 2 of Week 1 on Monday and am in the process of completing Day 1 of Week 2 as I type this.  Five hundred calories a day is not a lot to play with and can be blown very easily in a moment of thoughtlessness or weakness. My very best piece of advice? Stock up the pantry and fridge with low calorie food choices. Oh, and if you have a family to feed? Despatch them to the local takeaway for dinner on at least one of  your fast days. They will welcome the treat and it really does alleviate the pressure of falling off the wagon as you prepare their meals.

It seems the world has embraced the 5:2 challenge. I have spoken to people who swear by a freezer stocked with calorie controlled ready meals purchased from the supermarket in readiness of fast days. Others who use meal replacement drinks that fill you up quickly and easily. I’m a bit of a purist and prefer to stay with whole food.  Prepared and assembled at home. There really is no right or wrong way to approach this. It seems so simple at face value. Do not exceed a strict 500 calorie limit. Keep  a vigilant  look out for those  forgotten calories. They seem to be lurking everywhere.

To succeed I had to do a little restocking of my pantry. Having spent more than a little time in Japan, and having come away from each trip a couple of kilos lighter, I visited the Japanese grocery store stocking up on miso paste, dashi stock, wakame, soba noodles, edamame beans and tofu. At the deli I picked up jars of tuna, and tins of cannellini beans and chick peas. A quick visit to the Farmer’s Market yielded farm fresh eggs, an array of seasonal fruit and vegetables, bunches of fresh herbs and organic chicken. I’ve made a personal decision that on fast days no red meat is allowed. Just chicken or fish. To drink? Lots of packets of tea and bottles of sparkling mineral water. And after this week’s experience I’m wary of the errant skim milk cappuccino!

My very first day on the 5-2 challenge, and its accompanying frenzy of constant calorie counting  was covered in my previous post The 5-2 Challenge. Figuring Out What To Eat On Five Hundred Calories A Day. My second day was rather more sedate. Realising just how restrictive 500 calories really were I planned two mini meals.No breakfast. Just lunch and dinner.

Day Two started well with copious cups of tea. Everything was moving along swimmingly until I arranged to meet a girlfriend at a cafe for a quick catch-up. Out of sheer habit I ordered a small cappuccino.  At least it was skim. Seventy calories of my meagre five hundred calorie allowance expunged in a moment of thoughtlessness. My only option. Rearrange my meal plan. Perhaps skip lunch and have just one larger, more satisfying meal at night.

Big mistake. That cappuccino left me craving food. The result? An afternoon preoccupied with food and an unscheduled and unsatisfying graze. Coleslaw,with no dressing.  Miso soup.  Craving dinner I inhaled my Vietnamese rice paper rolls. Plenty of poached chicken and a coleslaw but  only two rice paper rounds allowed.  No dipping sauce.  A modified dressing for the coleslaw to reduce fat.

Somehow, despite my cappuccino hiccup and afternoon graze I managed a calorie count of only 507. There was a lot of juggling involved. Note to self. Deviating from my original plan was exhausting. An unproductive day spent recalculating and measuring calorie values.  Get organised and stick to your plan. Here is a snapshot of my day:

Breakfast 3 Cups of Tea

6
Mid-Morning Skim Cappuccino

70
Lunch 1 cup coleslaw, no dressing

30
Mid Afternoon 1 cup Miso Soup with Tofu

33
Dinner 2 Sheets Vietnamese Rice Paper150 g Shredded Poached Chicken Breast

1½ cups Coleslaw

94

174

100
Total Calories

507

A new plan of attack for my next fast. Avoid cappuccinos at all costs. Only drink tea and sparkling mineral water. Prepare meals the night before to avoid picking and grazing as I cook. Measure out meals onto smaller plates.It might trick my mind into thinking I’m full. Thursday night I diligently prepare a Tuna and Cannellini Bean salad.  Ready to be apportioned out into suitable sized meals. It truly is delicious. Taste testing is allowed on a feast day.

My third fast begins with yet more cups of tea. I’m getting used to this. At least I’ll be well hydrated at the end of this. Once again I arrange to meet a friend at a local cafe. Old habits die hard  but this time I order a pot of peppermint tea. For lunch I have a small serve of the  salad. No preparation required. Lots of sparkling water throughout the afternoon. Two more serves of salad for dinner. Not exactly awe-inspiring but it works. The rest of the family fend for themselves. It’s Friday night I need a break. I think I’m finally starting to crack the code of how to make this work. Minimal cooking on fast days. A soup or salad prepared in advance. If all else fails there is always the humble egg. So my third attempt at fasting I’m under my calorie limit and my days are far more productive than the previous two.

Breakfast 3 cups  tea

6
Lunch 1 serving Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad

144
Mid Afternoon 2 cups  tea

4
Dinner 2 servings Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad

288
Total Calories

442

After all that effort calculating and recalculating calorie values I’ve included annotated recipes for the Tuna and Cannellini Bean Salad and the Coleslaw. After all I know I will be referring to them down the track myself. This feasting and fasting plan is strangely addictive. I feel positively euphoric the morning following a fast. Lighter. Energised. Focused.

tunacannnellinibeansalad

Tuna & Cannellini Bean Salad

 Serves 4  577 calories or 144 calories per serve

1 400 g tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed weight 240 g (206 calories)
160 g jar solid light tuna in olive oil (330 calories)
1/4 cup chopped red onion (17 calories)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (3 calories)
juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon (17 calories)
1 clove garlic, minced (4 calories)
sea salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Drain tuna and flake.  Reserve oil for dressing.
Whisk, oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
Add beans, tuna, onion ,lemon zest  and parsley; toss to coat well.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

ricepaperrolls

Coleslaw with a Reduced Calorie Vinaigrette Dressing. 

Serve With Poached Chicken and Rice Paper – Vietnamese Style

10 cups – 667 calories / 67 calories per serve

1/4 head small white cabbage, shredded (55 calories)
1/2 head small red cabbage shredded (88 calories)
2 carrots, julienned (50 calories)
2 red capsicums, deseeded and julienned (31 calories)
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and finely sliced (33 calories)
3-4 radishes, trimmed julienned (2 calories)
4 long green shallots, trimmed and finely sliced (8 calories)
3 handfuls  of fresh soft herbs (choose from parsley,coriander, mint, fennel, and chervil) (20 calories)

Vinaigrette

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (20 calories)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (360 calories)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste


COMBINE vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
ADD cabbage, red capsicum, carrot, fennel, radish and spring onions, and toss.
COVER with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours  to allow the flavours to meld.
TOSS through fresh herbs just before serving.

Posted in Poultry, Salads, Seafood, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Vale Nono. A Long Life. Well Lived.

Posted on March 21, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

nono

This morning our grand father and great grandfather slipped away peacefully in his sleep. A gracious, handsome and always humble gentleman. Closing his eyes on a long and happy 101 year journey. Next week our family will be gathering to bid him a  poignant farewell. The last time we all were together was a joyous and happy occasion. The celebration of his hundredth  birthday.

Not long after, this poem was penned by my then twelve year old daughter. A reflection of a long life. Well lived. In honour of her great grandfather. Vale Nono. Sleep Well. You will always be remembered for your courage, dignity and grace.

A Long Life. Well Lived.

In this my hundredth year I know
my fleeting destiny
my borrowed time on earth
is but a precious gift.
An infinitesimal moment
burning brightly, briefly
flickering, fading finitely
into oblivion

I personify
the simplicity of a life well lived
in the moment.
An ordinary existence
extraordinary in its longevity
interceded by the spinning wheel of fortune,
buffeted by the lustering winds of change,
humbled by the capriciousness of fate.

Felicitous Fortuna
Smiles on me.
With wide eyed wonder
I soar high on angel’s wings
bearing testimony to all that is great and good,
awestruck by the world’s majesty and grace.

Fickle faithless Fortuna
abandons me.
With a heavy, ponderous heart
I plunge headlong into a valley of tears,
bewildered by mankind’s destructiveness,
uncomprehending of the cruelty of the universe.

I am blessed.
I have endured
the vagaries of a lifetime.
Vanquished by the mellifluous passage of time
I am content.
My legacy.
My self.
Courage. Dignity. Grace.

Posted in Musings & Inspiration | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Child’s Play. Easter Eggs Filled With Raspberry Marshmallow and Dusted with Sherbet.

Posted on March 21, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

raspberrymarshmalloweggs

Another day. Another take on store-bought Easter eggs. These gorgeous chocolate eggs caught my eye at the supermarket. So pretty. Perfect to be decapitated using my new-found serrated knife skills and filled with something special.

A couple of Friday nights ago we had watched Karen Martini make raspberry marshmallows coated in sherbet on television.  My girls were fascinated and copied down a recipe of sorts. Two kitchen science experiments in one. Marshmallow and sherbet. Combined with chocolate Easter eggs? Teenage girl nirvana. Especially when the marshmallow is luscious, pink and gooey.

Sherbet hardly qualifies as a recipe on its own. It’s merely icing sugar, cornflour and tangy citric acid sifted together. Personally I think it might be a little too over the top. After all raspberries are quite tart and sweet on their own. If my kitchen ruled I would prefer simply dusting the marshmallows in just a little icing sugar. Pure and simple.

I’d forgotten how enjoyable marshmallow making can be. Pure theatre. Hot flavoured syrup mixed with a little gelatine and added to beaten egg whites. Transformed into billowing clouds of soft deliciousness right before your eyes. It’s a good idea to use a candy thermometer for this one. The sugar syrup needs to be heated to a very precise 120 C. Don’t be daunted. It all sounds so very complicated but truly it’s not, and is well worth the effort. in less that half an hour the girls and I had a carton of mallow filled eggs on the kitchen bench. The leftover marshmallow was poured into a tray.No doubt to be liberally doused in sherbet and enjoyed on its own.

raspberrymarshmallowsherbet

Raspberry Marshmallows Dusted With Sherbet

300 grams frozen raspberries, thawed
9 sheets gelatine
450 grams caster sugar
150 ml water
80 g egg whites (about 2 eggs)

For the Sherbet

5 tablespoons  pure icing sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
2 tablespoons citric acid

LIGHTLY  grease a 25 cm x 25 cm square baking tin with oil and line with baking paper.
SIFT together the  sherbet ingredients into a small bowl. Set aside.
PUREE raspberries in a blender and strain through a sieve to remove any pips.
SOFTEN gelatine leaves in a little cold water for 5 minutes. Squeeze out any excess moisture and add to the raspberry puree.
COMBINE sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil brushing down the sides of the saucepan with a pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
USING a candy thermometer continue to boil the mixture, without stirring, until it reaches 120 C.
REMOVE saucepan from heat and stir in the raspberry gelatine puree.
WHIP egg whites in a large clean bowl. When soft peaks form add the raspberry gelatine syrup to the bowl.
CONTINUE to whip for a further 12 minutes – starting on the lowest  setting  and progressing to the highest until the mixture has tripled in volume and is glossy.
POUR into the prepared tin and allow to stand at room temperature for about 4 hours to set.
WHEN set cut into desired shapes and then coat each piece with sherbet.

To Assemble Marshmallow Filled Easter Eggs

a  carton of a dozen hollow chocolate Easter eggs purchased  from the supermarket
2 cups freshly made marshmallow mixture, not set
1 -2 tablespoons home-made sherbet
12 raspberries to decorate

STAND a serrated knife in a jug of hot water. When heated through, remove the knife from the jug and wipe dry with a paper towel. Working quickly carefully remove the top of each chocolate Easter egg. For a clean edge I like to wipe the knife clean and reheat for each egg. The hot knife should cut through the chocolate egg like butter.
PIPE or spoon freshly made marshmallow into the decapitated eggs. Allow to set at room temperature for half an hour.
DUST each filled Easter egg with sherbet and top with a raspberry.

If you would like to read my previous post on rocky road filled Easter eggs click on the link below.
Minimum Effort. Maximum Effect. Store Bought Chocolate Easter Eggs Filled With Home-made Rocky Road.

Posted in Chocolate, Confectionery, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Pleasing the Teenagers. Oven Baked Beef Curry Puffs With Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce.

Posted on March 20, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

curry puffs

Our weekends are always  busy during term time. With sport, sport and more sport. Which means my teenagers are always ravenously hungry and on the constant lookout for something to eat. Curry puffs hit the mark perfectly. A welcome, more nutritious and delicious alternative to the good old Saturday afternoon meat pie or sausage roll.

I chanced upon a great recipe for curry puffs over at Whisks and Chopsticks. The addition of a little sour cream or creme fraiche to the filling is pure genius. Adding a velvety richness to each bite of spicy puff.  Thanks Tina. Here is my adaptation of Ms Mui’s original recipe.

Oven Baked  Beef Curry Puffs With Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce.

Makes about 40 small or 18 large

2 tablespoons safflower oil
500 grams beef mince
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated
4 red potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 medium carrots, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 cups peas
1/2 cup coriander, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 heaped tablespoon madras curry powder, add more if desired
5 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche
6 puff pastry sheets, 25cm x 25cm, partly thawed

Sweet chilli dipping sauce
1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice

HEAT canola oil in a heavy based pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and ginger. Cook stirring for another minute until fragrant.
INCREASE heat to high. Add beef mince and fry, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 5 minutes  until well browned.
ADD madras curry powder. Stir fry until fragrant.
ADD potato and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally , for 3 or so more minutes until vegetables begin to soften but are still crunchy. Then add peas and cook stirring for another minute.
STIR in  sour cream. Mix well to incorporate into the mixture and cook for another minute or so. Remove from heat.Add coriander and adjust seasoning. Set aside to cool a little
PREHEAT oven to 200 C. Line 2 trays with baking paper.
WORKING one puff pastry sheet at a time, cut pastry into rounds using a cutter or glass.
PLACE a heaped teaspoonful of the mixture into the centre of each round. Press the edges together to seal. Transfer to a prepared baking tray.
BAKE for 20 minutes or until golden.
MEANWHILE prepare the sweet chilli dipping sauce. Combine sweet chilli sauce and lime juice in a small bowl.
SERVE  curry puffs piping  hot from the oven with sweet chilli dipping sauce. on the side.

Posted in Beef, Small Bites, To Serve with Drinks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The 5-2 Challenge. Figuring Out What To Eat On Five Hundred Calories A Day.

Posted on March 19, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Having watched the BBC documentary Eat, Fast and Live Longer I resolved that one day I would give the 5-2  eating plan a go. After all it  didn’t sound too onerous. Five feast days offset by only two fast days a week. My motivation? Pure curiosity.  How well could I really eat with a limit of just 500 calories a day? Any collateral weight loss would of course be very welcome. Particularly given my food centric lifestyle.

Last Friday morning I made a snap decision to embark on my 5-2 journey  that very day.  A virtuous start to  a looming, highly calorific weekend full of socialising, and inevitable eating and drinking. My second fasting day would be decided later. After I had checked my diary to see what was scheduled for the week. Note to self. A little forward planning would not have gone astray. Having no real idea of how much I would be able to eat to stay within my 500 calorie limit, I swapped my daily early morning cappuccino for a pot of my favourite tea. Mariage Frères Marco Polo Rouge. Black no sugar. Then proceeded to spend a large proportion of the morning standing in front of my refrigerator.  iPad in hand, googling the calorie values of its contents. A veritable refresher course on what not to eat.

Five hundred calories is not a lot to play with. It was apparent from the outset I needed to steer clear of carbohydrates. Energy count of two slices of Helga’s soy and linseed bread? Which I hasten to add I keep in my freezer to eat on my more decorous days.  A whopping 224 calories. Almost half my allocation.

Protein is obviously a better choice. Helps keep you feeling fuller for longer. One egg? 75 calories. One hundred grams chicken breast? 116 calories. Interestingly the same calorie value as ham. Lean red meat? At a cursory glance has an even greater energy count than chicken, so today I wasn’t going to go down that track. It seems not all seafood is created equal. Working with 100 gram portion size comparisons  wild Atlantic salmon came in at 142 calories, tuna  103, snapper at 100 and blue eye cod at 82.  Farmed species seem to have an higher calorie value. Who knew?  Something in the water perhaps? Crustaceans scored favourably with 100 g of crab meat yielding 101 calories and tiger prawns 97. Nothing seems to beat tofu, 100 g has a count of only 70 calories.

Moving along it’s wise to severely limit fats and oils on fast days. There’s  a colossal 120 calories in one tablespoon of oil. Of any description.  100 calories in a tablespoon of butter. Yet another note to self. Watch the salad dressings and definitely no toast with butter for breakfast. I swear all that calorie counting took away my appetite for the morning. Even a small tub of non fat yoghurt lurking in the depths of the fridge came in at 166.

Fruit and vegetables fared much, much better. Obviously. One large red tomato 33 calories, one medium carrot 25 calories and  7 stalks of celery 45 calories. Each lettuce and rocket leaf? Just one calorie. Twelve strawberries? 48 calories. 1 green apple 75, a small banana 90 and a cup of raspberries 50 calories.

Of all the food choices soup seems to be the hero of the day. A cup of home-made chicken soup yields 86 calories. But healthy miso soup trumps them all with just 35 calories. For the record each cup of unsweetened black tea accounts for 2 calories.

My very first fasting day focused on staying well hydrated. Drinking copious amounts of tea and sparkling mineral water. I avoided carbohydrates, choosing to eat fruit, vegetables and lean protein. Miso soup with tofu and a crab omelette worked well to fill a surprisingly not too rumbling tummy. Filling and delicious.  I went to bed a little hungry dreaming of a no holds barred breakfast next day. Funnily enough next morning I wasn’t hungry in the least. I felt lighter and re-energised. No desire to binge eat but very happy to eat normally without restriction. A slice of cake, anyone? That said I’m actually looking forward to my second fasting day next week.

Here’s a snapshot of my menu for my first fasting day. Recipes for the home-made miso soup and crab omelette follow at the bottom of the post. Commercial sachets of prepared miso soup are available in most supermarkets. Just add water. But check the label as calories may vary depending on the strength of the soup.

Breakfast
1 small banana
1 cup of tea
90
2
Morning
4 cups of tea
8
1 pm
1 green apple
75
3 pm
Cup of  home-made miso soup with tofu
35
Dinner
Crab and tomato omelette with rocket
280
Total Calories
490

Click on this link if you would like to access my earlier post Eat, Fast and Live Longer. What’s It All About? Intermittent Fasting and the 5-2 Diet Plan.

miso

Miso Soup

Serves 1 (35 Calories)

Dashi is a basic stock used in Japanese cooking which is made by boiling dried kelp (seaweed) and dried bonito (fish). Instant dashi granules are sold in conveniently-sized jars or packets  from Japanese grocery stores.  You can substitute chicken or vegetable stock for the dashi if you prefer.  Use yellow, white or red miso paste for this soup. Yellow is sweet and creamy, red  stronger and saltier. Add more miso or dashi to your soup to taste.

¼ teaspoon dashi  stock granules (3 calories)
3/4 cups water
2 teaspoons miso paste (12 calories)
25 g silken tofu, sliced (17 calories)
1 teaspoon long green onions sliced diagonally (2 calories)
1 teaspoon dried wakame (seaweed) (1 calorie)

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine dashi granules and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and whisk in the miso paste. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes . Stir in tofu and seaweed.  Separate the layers of the green onions, and add them to the soup before serving.

crabomelette

Crab and Tomato Omelette

Serves 1  (280 calories)

½ tablespoon butter (50 calories)
2 eggs (150 calories)
50 g crab meat (50 calories)
½ tomato, peeled, seeded and diced  (17 calories)
1 long green spring onion chopped ( 2 calories)
squeeze lemon juice (1 calorie)
handful rocket leaves (10 calories)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

PICK over the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell or cartilage. Squeeze out any excess moisture and set aside.
MELT butter in a small fry pan over medium heat.
WHISK the eggs together in a bowl with a splash of water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour the eggs into the pan and cook until just barely set, moving it around with a flexible spatula, working from the outside edge to the centre to create folds as the egg cooks and firms.
SCATTER crab, tomato and green onion over the omelette.
FOLD the omelette in half. Cook for a minute or two to allow the filling to heat up before gently sliding onto a plate. Serve with rocket and a squeeze of lemon.

Posted in Eggs, Soup, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Sunday Night Dinner. Paella With Chicken and Chorizo.

Posted on March 18, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

paella

We eat paella often in our house. Sometimes with seafood. At other times without. Always with chorizo. It’s a wonderfully communal dish to cook and eat. Spicy. Full of flavour. Easy to prepare. I must confess this weekend I ran out of saffron so the rice pictured doesn’t have its usual vibrancy. I know that it is considered acceptable in Spanish cookery to add a little food colouring but I prefer to go without. Roasting the capsicums in the oven is a breeze. I just place them whole in a 200 C oven for a few minutes as I start to prepare the other ingredients for my paella. It is perfectly acceptable to miss this step and use a small jar of prepared peppers instead. Paella isn’t intended to be a fussy dish. It’s infinitely adaptable to personal tastes and preferences and therein lies its charm.

I’m told that traditionally in Spanish households paella was prepared on Sundays by men to give their wives a break from cooking. Not a bad idea. I might suggest this to my son. After all this is one of his most requested meals when he is home from school. Time to perhaps pass the baton down to the next generation.

Paella With Chicken and Chorizo

Serves:  6

3 chorizo sausages, halved lengthways and sliced
6 skinless and boneless chicken  thighs, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2  red onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
60 ml sherry vinegar
500g Spanish Bomba or Italian Arborio rice
2 litres hot chicken stock
2 pinches saffron
2 red capsicums, de-seeded , roasted, peeled and sliced into chunks
1 green capsicum, de-seeded, roasted, peeled and sliced into chunks
1 cup peas, frozen peas should be thawed in boiling water while preparing
6 ripe Roma tomatoes, plunged into boiling water, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
freshly squeezed lemon , to serve

HEAT a large, deep cast iron or paella pan over medium heat. When hot, add chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, until golden and the oil has been released. Remove and set aside.
ADD chicken in batches and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
ADD 1 tablespoon olive oil, and chopped onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and paprika and cook for a further minute. Then add the rice, stirring well to coat.
ADD sherry vinegar.  When it has evaporated add the saffron and hot stock. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
RETURN the chicken to the pan and stir through the rice with roasted capsicum, peas and tomatoes. Cook for a further 5 minutes without stirring, to help develop the required crust on the bottom of the pan.
ADD the chorizo and parsley and cook for a further 3 – 5 minutes until rice  is al dente. Turn off the heat. Season to taste and squeeze over some lemon. Allow to sit for a minute or two.

Posted in Pork, Poultry, Rice, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Eat, Fast and Live Longer. What’s It All About? Intermittent Fasting and the 5-2 Diet Plan.

Posted on March 17, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

Since October last year there appears to be a groundswell of growing support for the 5-2  eating plan. Perhaps it’s just a case of heightened awareness on my part but over the last couple of weeks,in particular, media coverage seems to have escalated. In the newspapers, on the airwaves and on-line forums. It’s definitely on my radar. But what’s this all about?

Variously dubbed Intermittent Fasting  or  The Fast Diet, the  5-2 diet plan recommends five days of normal eating, and two non-consecutive days of fasting or restricted calorie intake per week. Fasting days allow a mere 500 calories for women and 600 for men. Not impossible to achieve if you make wise food choices. As far as I can surmise its origins can be traced back to a Horizon documentary from the BBC called Eat, Fast and Live Longer. Compelling and well worth viewing. For those of you who are curious and would like to view the original documentary for yourselves here is the all important link:

BBC Horizon Documentary – Eat, Fast and Live Longer

Following hot on the heels of this documentary there is also a book. The Fast Diet: The Secret of Intermittent Fasting – Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, Live Longer By Dr Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer.  Published very recently in January 2013.

My first impressions? Eat, Fast and Live Longer appears to be more about healthy longevity than actual weight loss. Scientists are uncovering evidence that short, intermittent bursts of fasting helps people live longer. After all many cultures have incorporated periods of fasting into their way of life. It’s an age-old practice. Coincidentally, today those same cultures  report longer life expectancies and lower incidences of heart disease and cholesterol. More recently, scientific studies of fasting in both rodents and humans appear to indicate a connection between calorie restriction and longevity. In one study of overweight men and women, a calorie-restricted diet improved  insulin, cholesterol and blood glucose levels. All of which, in turn, greatly reduced the risk of developing age related diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

As with all relatively new research, scientists do not yet conclusively know whether the effects of fasting translate into an actual increase in lifespan. However this concept has captured the imagination of the wider public and is rapidly gaining popularity. The general consensus  appears to be that fasting for a day or two probably won’t hurt people who are generally healthy, provided they maintain an adequate fluid intake.

My take on all this? We lead modern lives that are a  far cry from our forebears.  They lived a feast-or-famine existence, gorging themselves after a big hunt and then not eating until the next.  Conversely we seem to live in a state of constant feasting. A first world problem associated with rising obesity, accelerated rates of heart disease and other health related problems. Beautifully parodied in E B White’s children’s classic Charlotte’s Web when the gluttonous rat Templeton is gently chastised by the old sheep.

TempletonWho Wants To Live Forever

“Who wants to live forever… I get untold satisfaction from the pleasures of the feast.”

“As a result of overeating, Templeton grew bigger and fatter than any rat you ever saw.  He was gigantic.  He was as big as a young woodchuck.  The old sheep spoke to him about his size one day.  ‘You would live longer,’ said the old sheep, ‘if you ate less.’   ‘Who wants to live forever?’ sneered the rat.  ‘I am naturally a heavy eater and I get untold satisfaction from the pleasures of the feast.’  He patted his stomach, grinned at the sheep, and crept upstairs to lie down.”

If we are brutally honest I think many of us might admit to having a tiny little bit of Templeton in us. Perhaps it is this exact mindset the 5-2 eating and fasting plan is really targeting.

I cook. I eat. Far more than is necessary. That much is obvious from just a cursory glance at my blog. Rest assured in our house there is always a well stocked pantry. Leftovers in the fridge. Something sweet in the cake tin. More opportunities for a Nigella-esque fridge or pantry raid than you can poke a stick at. Granted more often than not it’s whole, healthy food cooked from scratch. In abundance. I seem to have a pathological need to feed people. Fortunately my children appear to be genetically blessed with long, lean athletic frames. With advancing age my husband and I perhaps need to be a little more careful.After all if we are to live longer than our forebears, we would prefer to be in good health.

Anyone who knows me well knows I don’t do diets but after viewing the documentary I am prepared to try this. On balance I’m not averse to a plan that may retrain my body, my mind and my appetite to eat less. I know I would not cope with restricting myself day in day out. My life is far too food centric. At face value two days of restricted eating is doable. So I’m fairly confident that it could work for me. At the very least it might get me thinking critically about what I’m actually  putting into my mouth.

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The Simple Things. A Slice of Old-Fashioned Butter Cake and a Cup of Tea.

Posted on March 15, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

buttercake

Sometimes the best things in life are the simple things. One of my favourite guilty pleasures? A slice of old-fashioned butter cake and a cup of tea. To my mind butter cake has a straightforward, no-nonsense personality. Often overlooked in favour of her flashier sisters – the tortes, gateaux, genoise and dacquoise of this world.  We know each other well. After all she is the first cake I learnt to bake. From scratch.

Reliable and dependable. She pulls herself together in mere moments. Without fuss or advance planning. Just beat together the most basic of pantry ingredients – flour, eggs, butter, sugar, eggs, flour, milk and vanilla. One bowl required.

In a little over an hour she emerges from her chrysalis. A slow oven. Golden on the outside. Sweet and fluffy, rich and buttery on the inside. Needing very little in the way of adornment. Just the merest dusting of icing sugar. Timeless and elegant.

Of course like Cinderella she also enjoys dressing up. On occasion you’ll find her frosted or iced. Perhaps layered and  sandwiched with jam or cream. Simple yet complex. Meltingly delicious. To the very last mouthful.

Old Fashioned Butter Cake

125 g butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
3 eggs
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup self raising flour
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 cup milk

PREHEAT oven to  a moderately slow 160 C. Position oven racks so the top of the cake tin is roughly in the centre of the oven.
GREASE a deep 20 cm round cake tin. Line base with baking paper.
PLACE all ingredients in the order they are listed into a medium mixing bowl. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer until just combined. Scrape down mixture from the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
INCREASE speed to medium and beat until mixture is smooth and changed to a paler colour.
POUR mixture into the prepared cake tin.
BAKE in preheated 160 C oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stand cake in tin on top of a wire rack for 5 minutes before turning out onto the rack. Turn cake top side up to cool.
DUST with a little sifted icing sugar to serve. The cake will keep in an air tight container for up to three days and is suitable to freeze.

Posted in Baked, Sweet Treats, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Eating Seasonally. Seared Snapper with Provençal Sauce.

Posted on March 14, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

snapperprovencalplated

Late season harvest tomatoes are at their peak at this time of year. Cheap and plentiful. Sweet. Juicy. Full of flavour. I picked up punnets of perfectly ripe cherry tomatoes at the market this morning. I love to eat seasonally and these happen to be one of the key ingredients for another of my favourite fish dishes. Sweet succulent snapper fillets. Seared to perfection. Simmered in a gorgeous Provençal sauce. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, olives, herbs and white wine. Redolent of the flavours of the sunny South of France. This recipe needs no other introduction. The pictures speak for themselves.

snapperprovencal
Seared Snapper with Provençal Sauce

Serves 4

4 snapper fillets, weighing 200 g each, skin on and pin boned
1/2 cup olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed with salt
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup pitted olives
2 punnets cherry tomatoes (scored, plunged in boiling water and peeled)
4 sprigs of thyme
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
fresh basil leaves to serve

HEAT one tablespoon of oil in a heavy base cast iron style fry pan. I prefer Le Creuset.
SCORE the skin side of the fish to allow even heat distribution and crisping of the skin. Season the fillets skin side only with a liberal sprinkling of sea salt.
ADD the fish fillets to the pan skin side down in two batches. Sear on high heat for 3 – 5 minutes skin side only until skin is crisp.
REMOVE the half-cooked fish to a plate. Cover loosely with tin foil to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
REDUCE heat to medium. Add half the remaining oil to the pan. Add onions and sauté until soft and transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
DE-GLAZE the pan with wine. Add the remaining olive oil, pitted olives, thyme and peeled tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes on a medium heat.
RETURN the fish, to the pan flesh side down. Baste the fish with the sauce and simmer for a further 3 or so minutes or until fish is cooked through.
GARNISH with fresh basil leaves. Serve with fresh crusty bread and a green salad.

Posted in Seafood, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Decadently Delicious and Dairy Free. Potato and Leek Soup With Croutons and Chives

Posted on March 13, 2013 by thepaddingtonfoodie

potatoleeksoup

Potato and leek. A classic soup combination. This particular version is thick and creamy. Decadently delicious. Seemingly sinful but completely dairy free.  Always a bonus in my books. Particularly as the weather gets cooler and we indulge in a little more comforting eating than we perhaps should.

I like my potato and leek soup to look pale and interesting. So I’m always particularly careful to not to let the leeks, onion and garlic colour as they cook.  There is no way around it. This requires a vigilant eye and vigorous stirring. Hand torn croutons give a pretty rustic finish to any bowl of soup. I tear day old slices of ciabatta into chunks, drizzle with olive oil and bake. The deep and satisfying crunch of  the crisp  croutons contrasts wonderfully against the soft, smooth texture of the rich, creamy soup.Is there anything more inviting on a  crisp Autumn evening than a bowl of  decadently delicious potato and  leek soup?

Potato and Leek Soup

Serves 6

¼ cup olive oil
1 large brown onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 celery sticks, sliced
2 leeks, white part only, sliced
6 medium potatoes , peeled and diced
2 litres vegetable  stock
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to season
6 slices day old bread, torn for croutons
2 tablespoon chopped chives

HEAT one tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and transparent.
ADD the leeks and cook, stirring, for a further 5 minutes until leeks soften. Do not allow the leeks or onions to brown.
ADD the celery and potato and cook, stirring for a further 5 minutes, until potato begins to soften a little.
ADD the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and gently boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potato is cooked. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
MEANWHILE, preheat oven to 180°C. Place bread in a roasting pan. Drizzle with remaining oil and  a generous sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss until bread is evenly coated. Toast in preheated oven, shaking pan occasionally, for 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove croutons from oven and set aside.
PUREE soup in batches in the jug of a blender or in the pot with a hand-held immersion stick blender.
REHEAT soup just before serving.  Check seasoning. Ladle the soup among serving bowls. Top with croutons and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately.

Posted in Soup, Vegetables, Vegetarian, What I Love to Cook | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments