Asparagus Soup

4 Cups Veggie Stock
1 oz Butter
200g Asparagus
Garlic
10g chopped onion
1/3 cup Cream
Salt & Pepper

4 Servings
4 Net Carbs / 150 Cals

1. Heat the butter in a large pan over a low/medium heat. Finely slice the garlic and finely chop the onion and add to the pan, cooking until tender.
2. Whilst the onion and garlic cook, remove the tough ends from the asparagus and dice the stalks into 1 and a half inch pieces, including the tips.
3. Add the diced asparagus to the pan and fry gently in the butter until tender – about 4/5 minutes. Remove the tips of the asparagus from the pan and set aside, leaving the stalks in the pan.
4. Add the hot vegetable stock and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5-6 minutes.
5. Transfer the soup to a blender or use a stick blender to process until smooth.
6. Pour the soup into a clean pan and stir through the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Divide the soup between four serving bowls and garnish with the reserved asparagus tips.
Recipe from Carb Manager

Waldorf Salad

Didn't toast the walnuts or add the grapes

• 6 Tbsp mayonnaise (or plain yogurt)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sweet apples, cored and chopped
• 1 cup red seedless grapes, sliced in half (or 1/4 cup of raisins)
• 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped, slightly toasted walnuts
• Lettuce
• 
  

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (or yogurt), lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir in the apple, celery, grapes, and walnuts. Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce.

Chicken Marsala

An easy and very tasty dish

• 4 chicken breasts, sliced in half or enough chicken tenders
• Garlic Granules
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 8 white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
• 1/2 cup  stock
• 3/4 cup Marsala wine
• 3/4 cup double cream
• 4 tbs unsalted butter
• Chopped parsley (optional)

Serves 4
Net Carbs 5

Melt butter in pan and lightly fry mushrooms, remove to a plate.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with garlic, salt and pepper.

Heat oil in same pan over medium-high heat and cook chicken until brown on both sides, remove to a plate.

Off heat stir in Marsala, scraping any browned bits. Return to high heat with stock, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Add cream and return chicken to pan, dish can be left until required.

Reheat chicken and then add mushrooms and parsley.

Salmon and Brocolli Quiche

I was making the Tomato Tart for a Buffet and had enough pastry left over to make this.

1 170g can John West Wild Pink or Red Salmon Skinless & Boneless

80g broccoli florets

2 eggs

150ml milk

Salt and pepper

1 pre-cooked savoury shortcrust pastry case

25g cheddar cheese – grated

Boil a pan of lightly salted water and part cook the broccoli florets for exactly 2 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water, then put to one side to dry properly.

Place the John West Wild Pink or Red Salmon in one bowl.

Next, put the eggs and milk in another bowl and beat together briskly before seasoning with salt and pepper and adding to the salmon.

Pour this mixture into the pastry case, then push the broccoli florets firmly into the filling and sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese.

Finally, bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until cooked thoroughly inside and out.

Sticky Asian Chicken, Sweetcorn Rice and Coleslaw

From a recipe by Lorraine Pascale; chicken was lovely but would not make the coleslaw again (easier to buy) so have left it out of the recipe. I used chicken tenders as I was cooking in the oven but think this would be lovely from the BBQ

Mixed chicken wings and drumsticks
Sauce
6 squirts tomato ketchup
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp chinese 5 spice powder
2 squirts honey
minced garlic
1/2 tsp thyme

Put all ingredients for sauce in a bowl and mix well
Scatter chicken in pan and cover with sauce - let marinate at least 1 hour
Preheat oven to Gas 5 / 160
Cook chicken for 40 minutes turning once (Chicken tenders should be covered in foil and only cooked for 30 minutes).
Cook rice and mix with sweetcorn or have with chips

Bakewell Tart (2)

A quick and tasty pudding.

1 bought pastry case
4 Tbsp Fruit Jam

3oz caster sugar

3oz softened butter

3oz ground almonds

2  eggs

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp baking powder

2oz plain flour

Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, 160°C fan. 

Spread jam over the pastry case.

Beat together the sugar, butter, almonds, eggs, almond extract, baking powder and flour until creamy.

Spoon the mixture over pie case.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and risen. Cool in the tin. Optional pipe with icing.

For a Rhubarb version. Roast 400g Rhubarb with 75g sugar and juice of an orange for 20 minutes. Strain fruit for tart and use juice to make icing.

Greek Salad

I substitited grapes for the olives

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

2 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

½ cucumber, deseeded and roughly chopped

100g/3½oz reduced fat feta cheese, drained and cut into cubes

50g/1¾oz black olives, pitted and drained (in brine not oil and preferably Kalamata olives)

small handful fresh mint leaves

½ tsp dried oregano

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put the onion, tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl and season to taste.
2. Scatter the feta, olives and mint leaves on top. Sprinkle over the oregano and toss lightly. Drizzle over the oil and lemon juice