http://fotobank.ru/

http://fotobank.ru/

to make: crawly cakes for halloween

I used snack cakes and Pocky to make crawly spider cakes for Halloween. Thanks go out to Scott for a bit of inspiration. I had planned to bake a Halloween dessert this year, but an unrelated baking accident left me with a burned thumb (poor me), so I had to look to easier options. I turned to Hostess and Little Debbie snack cakes for the bodies of crawly spider like creatures, and used Pocky to form legs. I managed to find Pocky in a variety of colors and textures, here is what I used: regular Pocky, coconut and milk chocolate Pocky for the texture, Kurogo (poppy seed) Pocky because it is black (!!) and Goka (fruit and nut) Pocky because it somewhat matched the orange Halloween edition Hostess Glo Balls. It's a shame I couldn't find this green Matcha Pocky. Overall, these look better and more edible in person, I'm not sure what was lost in the pictures but I hope it means I need a new camera. Also, I need to buy a set of plates which match. Seattle source list: - all varieties of Pocky were found at Uwajimaya - black food coloring, color spray, candy eyes, black edible glitter (unused) at Home Cake Decorating Supply, 9514 Roosevelt Way NE, (206) 522-4300 - black sprinkles from Cookies - Wilton meringue powder for royal icing at grocery stores - Little Debbie Star Crunch took a trip to Target, and, - Hostess treats, practically everywhere I also think those oversized chocolate chocolate chip muffins you can find in grocery store bakeries would make great lumpy spider bodies if you cut an inch off the bottom. Something that looks sort of like these (but larger): I used Ding Dongs, Sno Balls, Glo Balls, Twinkies and Little Debbie Star Crunch for the bodies. Besides some black sprinkles, I decided the only other decorations I would use would be sugar eyes. I had to come up with a plan to attach the eyes. I knew I could use royal icing to glue the eyes onto cakes covered in smooth chocolate, but the spongy cakes might not hold. So, I piped royal icing spikes onto the backs of the eyes, turning them into tacks. This worked pretty well. Next came the legs. I used dark and white melting chocolate to glue the Pocky together. I colored the white chocolate with orange or black food coloring to match, or at least blend in. Trim the cookie end of the Pocky short so that it won't show outside of the cakey treat. Cut the Pocky at an angle, this will help form sharp angles at the joints. I cut mine in half but you could make them different lengths for drama. The Pocky is very likely to crumble when you cut it, this is ok as the chocolate glue will cover this up in the next step. Pick up both halves of the Pocky and dip the cut ends in the chocolate. Be careful to cover the cookie with chocolate so that it won't show - you can rub one cut end with the other to spread it if you need. Then, arrange the two pieces at a leggy angle on some parchment paper, being sure there is enough chocolate glue to hold. Now don't touch it! Let it set, you can slip this into the fridge. This will create a strong enough bond. I'll start with the easiest. I simply used regular Pocky and a Ding Dong, and attached the eyes with royal icing. I used a knitting needle to pre-poke holes for the legs, be careful to hold the legs by the end you'll be pushing in so you don't break the knees. The second one is like the first, but cracks on the top of the Ding Dong inspired the use of many eyes to cover the flaw. This one is my favorite. I found the coconut Pocky first, and sought out a snack cake to match the color and texture. These are Little Debbie Star Crunch. I cut a small round to use as a foundation to give it some more height. I pre-poked holes for the legs and used royal icing to glue on the eyes. He looks a little bit like a crab. This one is made using the orange colored Glo Balls which come out around Halloween. I was pleased to find orange Pocky that went pretty well with the color. I used the thumb tack eyes for this one, and the cake is soft enough that you don't have to poke holes for the legs. This is a more anatomically correct spider made combining a white Sno Ball and half of a Twinkie. I had planned to spray both with black Color Mist spray, and then add a red Black Widow hourglass shape to the back with red spray. I took a tip from Alton Brown and sprayed the cakes while holding them over the open door of my dishwasher, no need to wipe up the mess if some color strays from the plate they were sitting on. The color didn't take well to the treats, it soaked in leaving them gray-ish, so I decided to cover them with black sprinkles instead, which stuck nicely to the outside after they'd been sprayed. I used the thumb tacked eyes on this one as well. Cut the Twinkie to a little bit less than half, and angle it so that it will bump up against the Sno Ball. I used half a Twinkie here and I think it's a little too long. more pictures!

Lebanese BBQ chicken kebabs with garlic sauce and pickles recipe

A kebab is notoriously naughty - packed full of creamy sauces, fatty meat and normally served with chips. Not this one. It's made from lean chicken in a light marinade and it's served with a Lebanese barbecue twist by adding mixed pickles and garlic sauce for a superb BBQ flavour.

Serves 2
Ready in 20 minutes

Ingredients

The marinade

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• A pinch of smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and white pepper
• 2 free-range chicken breasts, cut into 2cm strips

The garlic sauce

• 150g 0% fat Greek yoghurt
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and grated
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt

1. To make the marinade, stir together the garlic, oil, paprika and seasoning.

2. Add the chicken and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

3. To make the garlic sauce, mix together the yoghurt, garlic, parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. This can be made up to a day in advance if it's easier for you.

4. Heat a griddle pan until smoking. Thread the pieces of chicken on to two wooden skewers (if you soak the skewers before using them, they will not burn).

5. Lay the kebabs on to the griddle and cook for five minutes on each side or until cooked through. Lay the wraps on two plates and spread over the garlic sauce.

6. Lay two lettuce leaves on each, one of the tomatoes, three of each of the pickles and finally top with a kebab and a dash of Tabasco.

7. Fold the base up towards the middle, and the sides in. Serve immediately.

To barbecue

Preheat your barbecue in the usual way until it reaches the correct temperature. Cook turning once, bearing in mind you may have to adjust the cooking time slightly depending on how hot your barbecue is or how near the heat source the food is placed.

Smoked chicken and mango quesadilla recipe

Serves 1
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 5 minutes

Nutritional breakdown

Per serving
4g of fat

Ingredients

• 30g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
• 50g low fat cream cheese
• 1 spring onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp pickled jalapeños, chopped
• 2 small flour tortillas
• 50g smoked chicken, shredded
• 30g fresh mango, chopped

For the guacamole (serves 4 - keep the rest in the fridge)

• 1 avocado
• Juice of 1 lime
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ clove garlic, grated
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• 1 tomato deseeded and chopped
• ¼ tsp ground cumin

For the salsa (serves 4 - keep the rest in the fridge)

• 2-3 vine tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• The juice of 1 lime
• ½ clove garlic, grated
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
• ¼ tsp salt

1. In a bowl, mix together the grated cheese, soft cheese, spring onions and jalapeños. Lay the tortillas out on a surface then spread them with the mixture. Top one with the chicken and mango, then sandwich together.

2. To make the guacamole, place the flesh of the avocado into a mortar or a small bowl and, with the pestle or the back of a fork, mash the avocado until it is smooth with a few chunks. Pour over the lime and salt and mix together, then add the rest of the ingredients and stir.

3. For the salsa, simply mix all the ingredients together. This will definitely be thankful for 20 minutes, for the flavours to blend.

4. Heat a frying pan until it's hot, then lay the quesadilla on top. Gently toast for two minutes on each side or until golden and the cheese is beginning to ooze. Transfer onto a chopping board then cut the quesadilla into 4-6 wedges and serve piping hot with guacamole and salsa.

Recipe for Bagel with Scrambled Egg and Tomato

Attribut

Complexity: Easy

• Superfoods
• Vegetarian

Servings, Preparation and Cooking Time

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Food Doctor Bagel
• 2 large eggs
• Dash of milk
• 1tsp butter
• Seasoning
• 1 vine ripened tomato, sliced
• 
  
• 1. 01 Cut the bagel in half and lightly toast the bready side.
  2. 02 Meanwhile crack open the egg and whisk with a dash of milk and add butter. Cook on a medium heat whisking to make scramble egg. Season with pepper.
  3. 03 Slice the tomato and place a layer of tomato on the bagel and top with scrambled egg. Place the top on the bagel.

Recipe for Pear, Banana, Oat and Honey Breakfast Smoothie

Attributes

Complexity: Easy

• Superfoods
• Vegetarian

Servings, Preparation and Cooking Time

Number of servings: 2

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 0 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ripe juicy pear, cored
• 1 ripe banana, peeled
• 30g Porridge Oats
• 1tbsp clear honey
• 110g low fat natural yoghurt
• 250ml apple juice
• Handful of ice cubes

meal plan value

Day 1

1. Morning: Tesco Value muesli with fruit & yoghurt

   60g of Tesco Value muesli with 125ml semi-skimmed milk, 2 Tesco Value crumpets and 2 tsp Tesco Value sunflower spread, 1 Tesco Value orange and 1 pot of Tesco Value low fat yoghurt

2. Afternoon: Egg mayonnaise sandwich with salad & fruit

   Mix 2 hard boiled Tesco Value eggs with 1 level tbs Tesco Value mayonnaise and use to make a sandwich with 2 slices of Tesco Value brown bread. Serve with a mixed salad and 2 tsp low fat salad dressing and a piece of fruit, such as a Tesco Value apple.

3. Evening: Bean & sweetcorn bake

   Make double amounts of this recipe to have today and on day 3 � this will avoid wastage and cut down on preparation and cooking time

   1 tsp of vegetable oil, ½ Tesco Value red onion, 1 clove of garlic, 1 fresh chilli, or to taste, 180g of mixed beans (canned and drained), 90g of Tesco Value sweetcorn, ½ tin of Tesco Value chopped tomatoes (400g tin), ½ tsp of honey, 1 pinch of oregano, 45g of Tesco Value cheddar cheese, 3 tbs of breadcrumbs (� slice of Tesco Value brown bread, grated)

   A piece of fruit, such as a Tesco Value kiwi.

   Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Heat the oil in a small pan and cook the onion for around 4 minutes to soften slightly. Add the garlic and chilli and then stir in the beans, sweetcorn, tomatoes, honey and oregano. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour into a casserole dish and top with a mix of cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and heated through. Serve half of the bake today and refrigerate the remainder until day 3.

4. Snack: Biscuits and milk

   1 Tesco Value sandwich biscuit such as a bourbon or custard cream and a 100ml glass of semi-skimmed milk

Day 2

1. Morning: Tesco Value fruit n fibre with fruit & yoghurt

   45g of Tesco Value fruit n fibre with 150ml semi-skimmed milk, 1 Tesco Value orange, 1 medium-sized Tesco Value banana, 1 pot of Tesco Value low fat yoghurt and a slice of Tesco Value brown soda bread with 1 tsp Tesco Value sunflower spread

2. Afternoon: Cheese salad sandwich with fruit

   Make a sandwich with 2 slices of Tesco Value brown bread, 40g grated Tesco Value cheese, � level tbs Tesco Value mayonnaise, a sliced spring onion, sliced cucumber and salad. Piece of fruit, such as Tesco Value pear, and a 250ml glass of semi-skimmed milk

3. Evening: Tesco Value fisherman�s pie

   1 Tesco Value fisherman�s pie (300g) with 1 small boiled potato (around 100g) and a serving of vegetables, such as Tesco Value broccoli, and a piece of fruit, such as � Tesco Value mango, and a Tesco Value strawberry dessert.

4. Snack: Fruit Snack

   1 Tesco Value kiwi fruit and 1 medium-sized Tesco Value banana

Day 3

1. Morning: Toast with hot chocolate

   3 slices of Tesco Value brown bread, toasted with 3 tsp Tesco Value sunflower spread and 3 tsp Tesco Value mixed fruit or strawberry jam, cup of Tesco Value instant hot chocolate drink, piece of fruit, such as a Tesco Value kiwi, and 1 medium-sized Tesco Value banana

2. Afternoon: Ham & tomato sandwich with fruit & yoghurt

   Make a sandwich with 2 slices of Tesco Value brown bread, 1 level tbs of Tesco Value mayonnaise, 4 slices of Tesco Value ham and a sliced Tesco Value tomato. Piece of fruit, such as � Tesco Value mango, a pot of Tesco Value low fat yoghurt and 30g Tesco Value mixed dried fruit.

3. Evening: Bean & sweetcorn bake

   Serve the remainder of the bean & sweetcorn bake prepared on day 1. Reheat in the microwave or covered in the oven at 160 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

4. Snack: Cottage cheese with fruit cocktail

   120g of cottage cheese with 120g of Tesco Value fruit cocktail, canned and drained

Day 4

1. Morning: Pancakes with cottage cheese & fruit

   3 Tesco Value pancakes topped with 160g Tesco Value fruit cocktail, canned and drained, 120g cottage cheese and 2 tsp honey

2. Afternoon: Pitta pocket with hummus & salad

   Fill 2 Tesco Value pitta breads with 120g of hummus, a diced Tesco Value tomato and plenty of mixed salad. A piece of fruit, such as a Tesco Value apple.

3. Evening: Tesco Value spaghetti Bolognese

   1 pack Tesco Value spaghetti Bolognese (350g) with ¼ Tesco Value garlic baguette, mixed salad with 3 tsp low fat salad dressing and 60g Tesco Value coleslaw. Two Tesco Value mandarins

4. Snack: Biscuit snack

   3 Tesco Value rich tea biscuits

Day 5

1. Morning: Tesco Value muesli with fruit & yoghurt

   90g of sugar-free muesli, 150ml of semi-skimmed milk, 1 banana, 1 low fat yoghurt

2. Afternoon: Pitta with ham, cottage cheese & salad

   Fill a Tesco Value pitta bread with 3 slices of Tesco Value ham (25g each), 3 tbs of cottage cheese and mixed salad.

   1 piece of fruit, such as Tesco Value apple.

3. Evening: Turkey & vegetable casserole

   Make double amounts of this recipe to have on day 7 � this will avoid wastage and cut down on preparation and cooking time

   120g of Tesco Value turkey steak, 1 tsp of vegetable oil, ½ Tesco Value onion, 1 small Tesco Value carrot, 90g of Tesco Value parsnip, 1 stalk of celery, 1 small potato (around 100g), 1/3 stock cube, 1 tsp of soy sauce, 1 pinch of dried mixed herbs, 90g of Tesco Value mushrooms, 1 tsp of cornflour

   Cut the turkey into strips about the size of your little finger. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan and cook the pieces of turkey over a medium-high heat until browned all over. Set aside on a plate. Add the sliced onion to the pan and allow to soften for a couple of minutes. Add the carrots, parsnips, celery and potatoes, cut into 5cm chunks, lower the heat, cover, and allow to sweat for around 5 minutes. Pour in the stock cube (made up in 200ml of water), soy sauce and herbs, return the turkey to the pan and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. After this time, add the mushrooms, then return to a simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat. Prepare the cornflour by placing it in a small bowl or cup and adding a little water. Stir to combine and then stir in to the casserole, ensuring that this has cooled from the boil. Return the pan to the heat and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly to allow the cornflour to thicken the stew. Serve half of the casserole and refrigerate the remainder until day 7.

   1 piece of fruit, such as a Tesco Value pear and 15g mixed nuts and raisins.

4. Snack: Crackers with hummus

   3 wholegrain crackers or crispbread topped with 45g of hummus

Day 6

1. Morning: Egg and toast

   Scramble or poach 2 Tesco Value eggs and serve with 2 slices of Tesco Value brown bread, toasted, spread with 2 tsp Tesco Value sunflower spread. A 200ml glass of semi-skimmed milk and 2 pieces of fruit, such as a Tesco Value orange and a Tesco Value apple.

2. Afternoon: Roast beef rolls with horseradish & salad

   Make up rolls with 2 wholemeal rolls, a tsp of horseradish sauce or mustard, 90g of sliced roast beef, a sliced Tesco Value tomato and lettuce. A piece of fruit, such as a Tesco Value orange and 15g Tesco Value mixed dried fruit.

3. Evening: Tandoori chicken with rice

   Tandoori paste will keep in the fridge for a number of weeks.

   1 medium Tesco Value chicken fillet (around 130g), 1 tsp of tandoori paste, 2 tbs of Tesco Value natural yoghurt, 1 tsp of lemon juice

   Remove the skin from the chicken and make three diagonal slices across the meat. Place the chicken in a glass or ceramic dish. Mix together the tandoori paste, yoghurt and lemon juice and spread this over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for as long as possible - up to 4 hours if possible. Cook under a pre-heated grill for 15 minutes per side, until no longer pink in the middle.

   Serve with 75g of basmati rice (uncooked weight, cooked follow package directions), 1 tbs of mango chutney, if preferred, and 120g of Tesco Value frozen peas, cooked following pack directions.

4. Snack: Pancake snack

   2 Tesco Value pancakes with 1 tsp Tesco Value sunflower spread and 2 tsp honey

Day 7

1. Morning: Tesco Value fruit n fibre with fruit & yoghurt

   45g of Tesco Value fruit n fibre with 150ml semi-skimmed milk, 1 Tesco Value orange, 1 medium-sized Tesco Value banana, 1 pot of Tesco Value low fat yoghurt and a slice of Tesco Value brown soda bread with 1 tsp Tesco Value sunflower spread

2. Afternoon: Baked potato with beans

   1 medium-sized baked potato (around 180g) with � tin of Tesco Value baked beans and 2 tbs cottage cheese. A serving of fruit, such as 2 Tesco Value mandarins and a pot of Tesco Value yoghurt.

3. Evening: Turkey & vegetable casserole

   Serve the remainder of the turkey & vegetable casserole prepared on day 5. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove-top.

4. Snack: Yoghurt with dried fruit

   1 pot of Tesco Value low fat yoghurt with 30g of Tesco Value mixed dried fruit