Author Archives: The Cooking spoon

Velvety Broccoli Cheese Soup

A creamy broccoli soup packed with goodness!

Comforting, creamy soup loaded with broccoli and cheese for a delicious filling meal, serve with crusty bread for dipping.

To keep the sodium in the recipe low, choose low- or reduced-sodium chicken stock. I’ve used a cheddar cheese in this recipe but a semi cured Gouda will work too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped fine
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 cellery stick, washed and sliced
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed small
• 1 tbsp. Flour
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium head broccoli, cut into florettes. set aside 1/2 cup florettes,
• 1 1/2 Cup Milk (I use half fat milk)
• 1 Cup Chicken or vegetable stock (low sodium preferably)
• A handful of fresh Basil leafs, some smaller leafs reserved for decorating
• 1 Cup grated cheddar (loosely packed)
• Chopped spring onion and creme fraîche to serve

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot.
Add onions and garlic and sautee until translucent.
Add the flour and stir to coat everything.
Add milk and stock slowly stirring continuously so you don’t get lumps.

Bring to a slow simmer and add the potatoes.

Chop most of the Basil, remember to reserve some small whole leafs for decorating. Add the chopped Basil to the soup.
Add the bay leaf and Broccoli florettes and cover with a lid.

Cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes and broccoli are completely tender when pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile steam the remaining cup of broccoli florettes in the microwave for three minutes on high and reserve to add to the finished soup.
Remove the Bay leaf!
With a hand held blender, puree the soup until creamy and velvety.
Add the broccoli florets and heat thru.
Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and some chopped chives.
Sprinkle with some Basil leafs and serve piping hot.

Enjoy!

Myra XO

Chia Seed Bread

7 Replies

Hello Folks, I just need to tell you about my new Chia Bread. My absolute favourite bread as of now.
It’s easy, nutritious, delicious and soooo all round good. You just have to try it. The Chia seed works as a moisturizer for the bread so it doesn’t dry out for….well at least two days, because that’s how long mine lasted. But it would have kept for another day, for sure. Normally home made (natural) bread goes stale within a day. But this one stay nice and fresh for days.
It’s high protein and high fibre, but mostly I can’t stretch enough how yummy it tastes.
I have a lot of favourite breads and I absolutely adore baking bread, like Fig walnut bread, High Fibre Health Bread or Norwegian Bread .
But I feel that this is the easiest one.
There is no real baking skill involved so don’t worry if you’re not an every day baker. All you do is knead and bake.

The smell from the oven will make it the best day of the week with a full sense of accomplishment.

Let’s do this!
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Prep time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 50-60 minutes
Makes : 1 small loaf

INGREDIENTS:

340-360 ml hand warm water, about 1 1/2 cup
1 sachet instant yeast, 7 grms. / 1 1/2 tsp.
1 cup whole grain spelt flour
1 cup plain spelt flour
30 grms. / 2 tbsp. chia seeds
1 tsp. salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pre heat the oven to 210°C / 410° F
NOTE: Don’t add all the water in the beginning, leave out about a quarter cup and add the remainder if it seems dry.
Put all the ingredients in a mixer equipped with the hook attachment and knead for 5 minutes.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for another minute or so and shape into a loaf.
Place the dough in a 20cm / 8″ loaf tin, and cover loosely with cling film that has been sprayed with a little oil.
Let it rise for about an hour. This bread will not rise as much as a conventional loaf, just a bit above the tin.
Place in a pre heated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes.
Check after 50 minutes, by tapping on the bread, If it sounds hollow already insert a wooden skewer. If it comes out dry, remove the bread from the oven.
The baking time also depends on your oven, so be sure to check. Although this bread is very forgiving.
Remove from oven and let cool on a rack before slicing.

Serving tip: A thick slice topped with avocado mash, coarse sea salt and a squeeze of lime.

Enjoy,
Myra XO

Buffalo Pulled Chicken Enchiladas

13 Replies

The creamiest Enchiladas you will ever make, slightly spicy and so delicious. Perfect comfort food, for any time of year and any left overs freeze well.
I served it with a salad and it was more than enough for four people since they’re quite filling.
You could also feed six people from this recipe and serve with a side of rice and beans, a salad or some corn.

Serves: 4 – 6
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INGREDIENTS:
• Buffalo enchilada sauce
• 3 small chicken breasts or two large
• salt and pepper for the chicken breasts
• 1/2 C. cream cheese, softened and at room temperature
• 2 cups mozzarella
• 1 sliced avocado to serve
• some pomegranate seeds for decorating (optional)
• 8 medium Tortillas, soft
• 1/4 C. sour cream to serve

BUFFALO ENCHILADA SAUCE:
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1 tbsp. taco seasoning
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 can water (from the tomatoes )
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• a dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp. coconut sugar
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp Buffalo Hot sauce like Frank’s (or more), taste as you go!!

METHOD:
Add oil to a pan and add the flour. Cook for two minutes on medium high and add the seasoning and give it a stir.
Add the remaining ingredients and let simmer for about five minutes.
Blend the sauce at this point with a hand held blender for a smooth result.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken breast in the sauce, bring to a simmer and cover partially. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken breasts.
Remove the chicken breast form the sauce and place on a large plate, shred with two forks.
Mix the sauce with the cream cheese.
Place one cup of the sauce mixture over the shredded chicken together with 1/2 cup of grated mozzarella. Mix with a spoon.
Cover the tortillas with a damp cloth or kitchen towel and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave to soften.

Divide the chicken mixture over the tortillas and roll them up.
Get out a baking dish and cover the bottom with a thin layer of sauce.
Place the filled tortillas on top with the seam down.
Lightly spray the tortillas with cooking spray. This will help the tortillas turn golden in the oven. Place baking dish in the oven, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until the tortillas begin to turn golden.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle remaining cheese over the sauce.Lightly cover baking dish with aluminum foil and place into the oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil after 20 minutes and bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden. Remove from oven.
Pour over the sour cream and place sliced avocado on top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
Note: if kids are eating it might be an idea to omit the hot sauce all together and put the bottle on the table for the adults to add.
Enjoy!
Myra XO

Melted Grilled Cheese Dip

16 Replies

This has to be my favourite starter, and anyone who loves cheese will go mad over this. I mean who doesn’t love melted cheese?
The great thing about this recipe is that you can use any leftover cheese you may have lying around, they just have to be full fat , light cheeses don’t really melt properly and end up being rubbery.
You want the whole melted gooey, cheesy, stringy experience.
On the bottom of the dish there is a layer of onion confit, made by cooking a lot of onions with some brown sugar and dark balsamic vinegar. You can make your own or use a jar of store-bought onion jam or onion chutney whichever you prefer. Or even just golden fried onions will work too.
Then it’s topped with a layer of Cranberry sauce, again store-bought is fine or make your own.
Finally the whole thing is topped with mixed grated and cubed cheeses. Use whatever you have lying around. I tend to make it with leftovers, so each time its a bit different, sometimes with some added Gruyère or Roquefort, and every time its delicious and disappears in about 10 minutes (and that’s because guests are trying to polite).
It’s made in about 10 minutes plus oven!!!

⏰ Prep time : 10 minutes
🍝 Cooking time : 20 minutes
🍴 Serves : 4 as a starter
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INGREDIENTS:
• 1/2 Cup Onion Confit , Onion jam or Onion chutney
• 1/2 cup Cranberry Sauce
• a grating of pepper
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 150 gr / 5.2 oz Brie, crust remove and cut into cubes
• 150 gr. / 5.2 oz Cheddar, grated
• 100 gr. / 3.5 oz Gouda, grated

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Pre heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F
2. Place all the cheese in a bowl.
3. Mix the milk with the corn flour and mix through the cheeses.
4. Get out your baking dish and spread the onion jam, confit or chutney on the bottom
5. Then top with a layer of the cranberry sauce.
6. Cover with all the cheese from the bowl.
7. Place in the middle of a hot oven and bake for about 20 minutes until golden and bubbly.
8. Place on a big plate surrounded by crackers and bread and serve straight away.
Enjoy!
Myra XO