A frittata work in progress

Tonight’s dinner was quite the  experiment. Starting with some veggies and eggs I had in the fridge….

 

And a packet of rice vermicelli I had in the pantry.

I decided to try and make a vegetable / noodle frittata…

Of sorts….

Cooked in a frypan, then sprinkled with cheese, and finished under the grill.

I was actually quite hopeful when it came out of the oven.

The only problem was that looks can often be deceiving!

 

As, sadly, this dish was a too bland and not very tasty at all :(

Although I think with some fresh herbs and perhaps some chilli…

This dish could  become a winner.

  

But for now, I’ll just call it a work in progress!

What about you? Do you have a favourite frittata ingredient?

Chicken and Vegetable Shepherds Pie

Training: Body Balance

I realised tonight that it has been waaaaay too long since I last made pie. My Chicken and Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie to be exact.

 

Healthy, comforting and delicious….ticking all the boxes for a mid week winter warmer.

Oh and did I mention easy?

Just vegetables…

(Carrots, leek and celery)

Dried herbs, GF worcestershire sauce and tomato paste…

Simmered with minced chicken.

Followed by mushrooms…

A sprinkle of nutritional yeast..

And voila!

A tasty….

And healthy pie filling!

But, of course, no Shepherd’s pie would be complete without a potato crust.

Which in tonight’s case was a mixture of potatoes and sweet potatoes…

Mashed until smooth, then spooned over the pie filling…

Until completely covered.

 

Roughed up with a fork…

Sprinkled with paprika….

And baked until brown and bubbly.

A rustic pie…

Packed with vegetables…

And packed with flavour….

It may not be the prettiest of dishes, but I am more than happy that there are plenty of leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

What about you? Do you have a favourite pie variety?

Piri Piri Chicken

Tonight's dinner came courtesy of one of my favourite chefs...

Jamie Oliver!

After my successful attempt of his Rogan Josh dish last week, I was keen to try another recipe from his "30 Minute Meals" cookbook.  And it didn’t take me long to decide which one.....

Piri Piri Chicken! You can find the basic recipe here.

The star of this dish was definitely the piri piri sauce, which was actually super easy to make. Just measure…

Blend…

And voila.

Perfect homemade piri piri sauce.

Spicy, with a hint of sweetness....

With the sauce made, the rest of the dish came together quickly, and easily. Starting with a layer of the piri sauce, topped with strips of capsicums that I had grilled on my trusty George Foreman.

Followed by chicken thigh fillets, that I had pan-fried until golden brown.

Then finished with more……

you guessed it! Piri piri sauce!

While the chicken was baking away in the oven, I got working on the other parts of dinner. I didn’t attempt the Portuguese Tarts included in the original recipe, but I couldn't resist making a big bowl of mashed potatoes to serve on the side.

A mixture of potatoes and sweet potatoes, microwaved with a lemon until soft.

Then made fancy with a good amount of fresh coriander and feta stirred through.

Resulting in a rather tasty side dish. Or as I like to call them…

“holy-freakin-delicious-mashed-potatoes’!

True to the book’s claim, in just under 30 minutes  it was time to bring everything together…

Sweet spicy chicken…

With almost caramelised strips of capsicum…

Topped with fresh coriander.

Piled high…

And every mouthful loved! I will most certainly be using this piri piri sauce again.

I have to say that one of the main reasons I love Jamie Oliver's approach to cooking so much, is that it is honest. Delicious yes, but also honest. No fussing about, just real food served communally.

Two thumbs up indeed!

What about you? Do you have a favourite ‘celebrity’ chef?