Isn't cooking brilliant?

[Cid]

Random healthy recipe.

Shallots
garlic
Red peppers (the long sweet ones)
mushies
Butternut squash (or sweet potato)
Lentils
Bacon
Rice
Chilis

Get rice going as per usual.
Finely cut the garlic... Shallots and red pepper also fine but not as fine. Mushies and squash should be in chunks, bacon in slices (get rid of the fat if you want to).
Grind up some fenugreek and cardamom seed and add, cumin, parprika, turmeric, two bay leaves and some curry leaves. Put it a saucepan with the lentil, add water and bring to the boil (tip: use veg stock or something tomatoey for added flavour), turn down heat and allow to simmer. Use a little oil (trust me, however healthily you're eating this is fine) and fry off the bacon. Set to one side. Fry shallots and garlic together (you shouldn't need any more oil) with a similar blend of spices as you used for the lentils (plenty of fresh chili this time though) then add chopped squash/potato. Next in are the red peppers (I like them soft), then the mushies. Right at the end put the bacon back in. The lentils should be done by now so mix the whole lot together. Serve with rice. In fact it doesn't even need rice tbh... Very healthy, very tasty. You can get it done pretty quick too, plus - if you cook loads - you can stick leftovers in the fridge and have them for lunch etc.

 

[Tank Girl]

But it's best way to spend a Sunday! You don't even have to get dressed to do it!

Spending all day Sunday cooking is the best thing ever. You can watch TV, the food doesn't care if you're hungover, you can do it wearing pajamas, you can nibble while it's cooking, you're being creative, and at the end of it all there's a great meal to eat! What better way can there possibly be to spend the day?

sewing, going to the park, doing anything but cook?

 

[Cid]

Also had thai fish soup a few days back... Need fish stock for it so have a trout a day or two before (minty peas and a couple of new potatoes on the side).

Lemongrass
Squid (remove cartilage, sliced into rings)
King prawns (fresh) (or just normal prawns, just so long as they aren't pre-cooked)
Long red peppers
Mange tout
Pak choi
Kale
Spring onions
Lemongrass
Ginger
Kaffir lime leaves
Chili!
Oyster sauce
fish sauce

Finely slice lemongrass and chili, grate ginger and add to stock along with lime leaves. Bring to boil and then simmer. While it simmers finely cut peppers and spring onions and cut the pak choi up fairly small. Put these in a salad bowl with the kale and forget about them. Add oyster sauce and fish sauce to the stock (taste). Put the prawns squid and mange tout in the stock and simmer until prawns are pink. Put soup in bowl and add veg from the salad bowl - the kale and pak choi will cook in the broth just the right amount (they're very nice veges and seem to behave well and get themselves just to the right crunch/tender point) and the peppers and onions will stay crunchy. Absolutely delicious and very easy to make. Also couldn't be any healthier if it tried.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

You should start a 'recommend me healthy recipes' thread then, healthy food doesn't have to be rank.

Yeah but loads is veg/pulse based

 

[Cid]

Yeah but loads is veg/pulse based

Is there a problem with that?

 

[pootle]

I love you missfran.

I was going to say something along those lines! missfran's enthusiasm for cooking is brilliant and she/her recipes have inspired me to cook more, tru-say!

 

[Cid]

Meat based recipe then:

Teaspoon of oil
Salad (lettuce, cucumbers, spring onions, tomatoes etc)
Chicken breasts

Get pan very, very hot and chuck some oregano, pepper and salt in. Add chicken breasts and fry until golden brown on the outside, turn heat down and allow to cook through if they aren't already. Slice and add to salad along with some balsamic and fresh basil. 10 minutes. Piece of piss, healthy and nice.

 

[Badgers]

Love cooking....
Hate my electric oven (hobs) though!!

 

[Cid]

Yeah but loads is veg/pulse based

Anyway, if you say what you want you might get some ideas how you can get it in a more healthy way.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Is there a problem with that?

b/f not a pulse fan, both of us not veg fans

I eat red kidney beans so I can do chilli, but b/f doesn't do hot food

 

[Voley]

It's the process I find brilliant. You take some bones and slightly past-it vegetables, let it sit on the hob for a few hours and you've got a lovely stock. You roast a pepper and it blackens, you peal it and it's so sweet. You put some mussels in a pan, with some wine and shallots, and they open and you have this broth that tastes meaty and salty and all things good.

I wish things like that happened when I attempt to cook. Instead I usually end up in a soot-blackened kitchen, swearing, and wondering if the chippy's still open.

I think you've either got a knack for cooking or you haven't. I haven't. I've got about 5 basic dishes I can do well and that's it. Whenever I try to deviate from these it always ends in disaster. Always.

 

[Looby]

I love cooking but not when I have to. We share the cooking during the week and I generally cook at weekends when I can be bothered to make more of an effort.

I've been busy all weekend so haven't had chance to make a big chilli and I really want one. Might try and make it when I get in tomorrow then it can just simmer for a couple of hours.

 

[mrsfran]

I was going to say something along those lines! missfran's enthusiasm for cooking is brilliant and she/her recipes have inspired me to cook more, tru-say!

That's the best thing I've heard for ages!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Meat based recipe then:

Teaspoon of oil
Salad (lettuce, cucumbers, spring onions, tomatoes etc)
Chicken breasts

Get pan very, very hot and chuck some oregano, pepper and salt in. Add chicken breasts and fry until golden brown on the outside, turn heat down and allow to cook through if they aren't already. Slice and add to salad along with some balsamic and fresh basil. 10 minutes. Piece of piss, healthy and nice.

Yes, that's nice enough (barring the cucumber and lettuces), but think b/f would want some spuds as well

 

[Voley]

I think missfran's enthusiasm for cooking is ace, too.

I just wish I had the tiniest sliver of her ability.

 

[Cid]

b/f not a pulse fan, both of us not veg fans

I eat red kidney beans so I can do chilli, but b/f doesn't do hot food

That's pretty challenging then...

Do you like fish? And why don't you like veg? is it because you just er... don't like it or because you've only ever eaten the overboiled muck that curses English cuisine? What do you like in the way of take-aways etc?

I might post a healthy eating guide in a bit because I've had a load of advice from decent dieticians in the past (not fad diet shite, proper post doctrate consultant types).

 

[Tank Girl]

I'd be interested in reading a healthy eating guide cid

 

[Voley]

I might post a healthy eating guide in a bit because I've had a load of advice from decent dieticians in the past (not fad diet shite, proper post doctrate consultant types).

Good idea. I'd like to read that.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

That's pretty challenging then...

See what I mean

Suppose we veg I just find it tasteless, or I don't like the texture. Oh, I like it well done as well when I do have it.

I like peppers, but b/f doesn't so can't even do stuffed peppers for him

Fish = still getting to grips with that. I'm a cod in breadcrumbs type of person. However, in the last few weeks I've bought trout a couple of times and wrapped that up in foil and shoved it in the oven.

 

[mrsfran]

I wish things like that happened when I attempt to cook. Instead I usually end up in a soot-blackened kitchen, swearing, and wondering if the chippy's still open.

I think you've either got a knack for cooking or you haven't. I haven't. I've got about 5 basic dishes I can do well and that's it. Whenever I try to deviate from these it always ends in disaster. Always.

I dunno, I don't think there's any magic to it. I used to be rubbish at cooking. Alex B still reminds me that when we first got together I wouldn't believe him that a bolognaise would take longer than 20 minutes. Heh.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

That's pretty challenging then...

You better get to it then as I've dedicated a thread to you

 

[Ms T]

Cooking is brilliant. I love it and have become quite a good cook. It helps if you really like food, tbh.

 

[Sugarmouse]

You should start a 'recommend me healthy recipes' thread then, healthy food doesn't have to be rank.

True!I eat healthily, and I wuld never eat anything I dont like..I feel much nicer eatng healthy delicious food, I know its nourisihing me rather than giving me a heart attack.
Re the original question, I adore cooking too. It the only thing i do creatively, and stirring, chopping relaxes me an I find it soothing after a long day.
I love it when folk appreciae my cooking too.
Shame I fucking hate washing up