Fresh Salmon and Stir-fried veg & rice

Simple, quick and very healthy.



Salmon:
- Place salmon in a baking dish, add salt, pepper, mixer herbs, olive oil and lemon juice.
- Bake in the oven, gas mark 4 for 25 minutes.

Rice:
- Boil 1 cup of rice.
- Choose your favourite vegetables, and chop them. (I used carrot, red pepper, green cabbage, red onion and spring onions)
- Stir fry the vegetables in olive oil for 4 minutes.
- Add the cooked rice to the stir fried vegetables, add some dark soy sauce and stir.
- Serve the rice with the salmon and your choice of salad or bread.

Marble Cake

Ingredients:

4 oz butter, softened
4 oz caster (superfine) sugar
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz self raising flour, sieved
1 oz cocoa powder, sieved
1 pot of single cream



Cooking Method:

1- Lightly grease a baking tin (any shape you prefer)
2- Pre-heat oven to 180c (gas mark 4).
3- In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric whisk.
4- Add the beaten egg a little at a time, whisking well after each addition
5- Add the cream and whisk.
6- Fold the flour into the creamed mixture carefully, then spoon half of the mixture into a separate mixing bowl.
7- Fold the cocoa powder into one bowl and mix gently.
8- Place spoonfuls of each of the mixtures alternately into the baking tin, then drag a skewer through the mixture to create a marbled effect.
8- Bake in a preheated oven, 180c (gas mark 4) for 45 minutes until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9- Leave the cake to cool in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack.

Arabic Peas & Rice

This is a Syrian meal. It's easy, healthy and very tasty.
Mince meat (lamb) cooked in tomato (bolognese style) with peas and sweetcorn. Served with rice, salad and plain yoghurt.



Ingredients:

- 500g minced lamb (or beef if you prefer)
- 1 table spoon of lamb/beef stock granuals
- 2 cans or cartons of chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- frozen or fresh peas
- 1 can of sweetcorn
- mixed herbs
- 1 cup of rice
- salt and pepper

Cooking Method:

- In a large saucepan, fry chopped onion in a little olive oil, then add the minced lamb. Fry for 5 mins until all brown, sturring continuousley. Add salt, pepper and beef/lamb granuals, then add a little water.
- Add the frozen peas and some more water and bring to the boil.
- Add the 2 tins of tomato and the mixed herbs and stir well.
- Bring to the boil, then cook on a low heat for 20 minutes. Add the tin of sweetcorn and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Serve with boiled rice and your choice of salad and plain yoghurt.

Vanilla & Chocolate Marble Cake

It was my turn to host the mums and babies get together, so while baby Lucy was asleep I baked a quick & easy marble cake.



Ingredients:

175g / 6 oz butter, softened
175g / 6 oz caster (superfine) sugar
3 eggs, beaten
150g / 5 oz self raising flour, sieved
25g / 1 oz cocoa powder, sieved
2 tablespoons of double cream
1 pot of vanilla yoghurt

Cooking Method:

1- Lightly grease a baking tin (any shape you prefer)
2- Pre-heat oven to 180c (gas mark 4).
3- In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric whisk.
4- Add the beaten egg a little at a time, whisking well after each addition
5- Add the cream and vanilla yoghurt and whisk.
6- Fold the flour into the creamed mixture carefully, then spoon half of the mixture into a separate mixing bowl.
7- Fold the cocoa powder into one bowl and mix gently.
8- Place spoonfuls of each of the mixtures alternately into the baking tin, then drag a skewer through the mixture to create a marbled effect.
8- Bake in a preheated oven, 180c (gas mark 4) for 35 minutes until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9- I found the top of the cake was a light colour, so returned to the oven for a further 5 minutes on a higher gasmark. It gave it a golden colour.
10- Leave the cake to cool in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack.