Food!!!

Who doesn't love food..? 

Food is one of life's great pleasures. 

Now don't misunderstand, its not healthy to use food as a crutch or a coping strategy but there's certainly nothing wrong with enjoying your food and taking pleasure in different flavours and textures. 

The thing I love about food is that it's a pleasure that nourishes us. 

There's nothing naughty about eating, you must do it to survive! 

It's not a high or any sort of feeling that takes you away from your sober mind. It's one of the most pure forms of pleasure and is enjoyed by almost everybody in the world! 

So with that in mind I give you my two newest discoveries: 

Avocado pasta

This is the most simple recipe ever! But the outcome is incredible! 

It's so creamy, full flavoured & colourful with no cream or heavy sauces! It's rich in fibre, omega 3 & 6 and it's low in cholesterol! 

It's suitable for vegetarians and can also be altered for a vegan diet.

Here we go...

Recipe

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

Your choice of pasta for 4 (I chose spaghetti)

Cherry tomatoes (as many as you like)

2 avocados

2 cloves of garlic

1 lemon

1 handful of fresh basil leaves

Drizzle of olive oil

Pinch of salt & black pepper

Freshly grated parmasan to taste

Method

1. In a medium sized saucepan bring salted water to the boil (I've always said the water should be as salty as the Med), add the pasta and stir to separate. Boil for 7 minutes or until there is a slight "bite" to the pasta (Al dente) and drain.

2. In a food processor (I used a hand mixer) combine the lemon juice, avocado flesh, crushed garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil & parmasan - blitz! 

3. Once the avocado mixture is smooth, place in a mixing bowl (unless you used a hand mixer in which case it will already be in a bowl) chop the cherry tomatoes and sprinkle into the mixture.

4. Place the drained pasta into the mixture with the tomatoes and toss until thoroughly covered.

5. Serve with added parmasan to taste as desired. 

To serve 2, simply half all ingredients.

You could also add bacon, chicken, salmon etc.

For veggies, you could add tofu and the likes, or grilled asparagus, beetroot salad, any number of crunchy greens would also be yummy!

Sweet potatoes fries with a little paprika & cayenne pepper are sublime too! 

Credit where credit is due, here is the website where you will find the origin of this recipe (Though ive tweaked it a little) http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2012/08/creamy-avocado-pasta.html 

The pictures in this entry are my own. 

(Just FYI: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_dente)

Onto my next discovery..!

Coconut & lemon cake

The lightest, most heavenly sponge cake I have ever eaten! 

Unfortunately I am unaware of how to make this vegetarian for those of you out there but I will share the scrummy-ness nonetheless. 

Recipe

Serves 1 (don't share cake ;))

Ingredients 

For the cake:

120g butter

200 caster sugar 

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 medium eggs

200g self raising flour

Pinch of salt

120ml semi-skimmed milk

5 tablespoons

Dessicated coconut 

2 teaspoons lemon zest

For the icing: 

3 tablespoons icing sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 1 hour

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees / gas mark 4. (150 fan) Lightly grease a loaf tin (I used a silicone cake tin sprayed with a little olive oil, the cake pops right out).
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar and lemon juice. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Sieve the flour and salt; add to creamed butter mixture alternately with the milk. Stir in the dessicated coconut and grated lemon.
4. Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a skewer (or knife)  comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove from the tin onto a wire rack.
5. Icing: Stir the lemon juice into the icing sugar to make a slightly thick (but still runny) icing to and brush over the cake. Sprinkle more coconut over the top, if you like. Let it harden slightly before slicing.

(Once again, credit to: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/24398/lemon-coconut-loaf-cake.aspx?o_is=Hub_TopRecipe_1 for the best cake ever!)

I really hope you will try out these recipes and enjoy the outcome! 

They're both so simple and so effective - you'll feel like a pro with such a small amount of effort!

The key to good baking & cooking is to relax and enjoy the experience. If you don't enjoy the preparation, you won't enjoy the produce.

Bon appetite!