Recipes for you to try at home that can be frozen
Pea soup A quick and delcious spring soup. Frozen peas are convenient to use and a good source of slow release carbohydrates. Serves 4
Ingredients: 300g frozen peas or petit pois 1 medium onion chopped 2 cloves garlic 1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil 500ml of made up vegetable or chicken stop 1 cube or 2 tsp 200ml milk salt and pepper
Method: Blanch the frozen peas in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water than drain again. Make 500ml of stock with boiling water. Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the onions over a medium heat with a pinch of salt. Add the chopped garlic and fry for a minute before adding the peas and stock. Bring this to the boil then add the milk and bring back up to the boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat blend until smooth with a hand blender. Season well with salt and pepper serve with a swirl of cream or yoghurt.
Variations For pea and mint soup add a small bunch of mint leaves, roughly chopped when you add the milk to keep it plant based, soak 50g of cashnew nuts in 100ml of boiling water for 30 minutes and blend to a cream. For a richer soup use cream instead of milk.
Savoury muffins A yummy savoury muffin with countless variations. They keep well and can be made in bulk and frozen. Makes 12 small or 8 large muffins
Ingredients 500ml sunflower oil 2 eggs 100ml milk 200g self-raising flour ot 50/50 white and wholemeal 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp each of salt and ground pepper 5 spring onions finely sliced 200g frozen corn blanched in boiling water for a moment then drained 1 red pepper deseeded and cut into small cubes 100g feta cheese cubed 1 tsp dried oregano 1tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
Method Preheat the oven to 175 degree c Line your muffin tins with paper cases or grease well with butter Beat the eggs, oil and milk until frothy then add the flour, baking poweder, sugar, salt and pepper and mix well to form a batter. Fold in the oregano, cheese, onions, pepper and sweetcorn and mix. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases 2/3rd full and sprinkle with seasame seeds if using. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen and golden. Check they are done by inserting a skewer. If it come sout still gummy, bake for a further five minutes. Cool completely before eating.
Variations: For gluten free muffins use 125g of Dove farm self raising flour and 75g of fine polenta and cornmeal. Other vegetables or cheese can be used, but juiciy ingredients such as fresh tomatoes will alter the consistency of the mixture The feta cheese can be replaced with hard cheeses like cheddar. Try adding flavour bombs like fresh or dried chilli,sliced olives or sundried tomatoes