fish fingers (posh ones)

Monkfish, as an experiment, fried with a highly experimental crispy coating of quinoa flakes, ground linseeds and hemp seeds, chilli, cumin, smoked paprika, all stuck on with a beaten egg. The coating worked rather well although I think monkfish is probably better used in a fish pie or kebabs.

With sugarsnap peas, potato wedges and tomato sauce (4 large tomatoes peeled and simmered to thickness with a pinch of sugar, some balsamic vinegar, and a squeeze of tomato puree). Followed by bananas and custard.

Out to lunch

So just toasted muffins (one with cashewnut butter one with banana for me; M had just butter; C was out) and pears.

Pasta bake

Thrown together with a courgette, a yellow pepper, some left over sprouted seeds, some onions and garlic and, because the tin in the cupboard that I was expecting to be tomatoes was actually coconut milk, an emergency jar of sauce (Loyd Grossman tomato and chilli).

Salmon with a crispy topping

Melt some butter; stir in crushed cardamom seeds and some dessicated coconut and stir over a low heat until the coconut starts to brown. Add grated ginger and garlic, some turmeric, crushed coriander seeds and a little chilli and cook for another minute then leave to cool. Pile on top of salmon fillets then put them in the oven for 10 minutes or so (so still juicy in the middle).

With spinach mash and carrots.

Moussaka

Moussaka (slightly out of focus, sorry about that - by the time I realised, it had been eaten), with a salad of cucumber, yellow pepper and pine nuts, and pitta bread.

Mushroom risotto

Delia style, ie baked in the oven rather than stood over. Red wine in place of the madeira made it very dark - but very tasty. Accompanied with a salad of mixed sprouting things and watercress; followed by pink yogurt.

Spaghetti carbonara

...a nice one, with pancetta and freshly grated nutmeg (and sherry, because I had no authentic alcohol). Followed with tinned pineapple.

Baked sweet potatoes, freezer stew

The label on the stew says it is mutton with moroccan spices (whatever I might mean by that).

Salmon, avocado and rice

Too tired to follow The Plan so we had a thrown-together tea. Salmon baked in foil parcels with butter and a sprinkling of caraway seeds, then flaked and mixed in with hot basmati rice and some chopped avocado.

Turkish* spinach and lentil soup

Soften 1 large onion, chopped, in some olive oil. Stir in 1/2 cup bulgar wheat, 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped) and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper and cook a bit more until it starts to look brown. Add about 8 chopped tomatoes, some rosemary, and some parsley if you have it and poke about until the tomatoes start to soften. Add lentils (measure 1 cup then cook) - big grey ones today, though I have made it with posh Puy ones - plus their cooking liquid, then a pot (500 ml) of chicken stock. Simmer for 15-20 minutes then stir in a couple of cups of roughly chopped (well-washed) spinach. Season, and serve with a dollop of yogurt and more chopped parsley.

*I have no idea why it is Turkish, but this is what the original recipe said

Guinea fowl

thank you Mr Waitrose.

Quick pasta and sauce

following a spontaneous afternoon at the zoo.
Sauce made from pancetta (fried until crispy), onion, garlic, mushrooms, white wine and a slug of passata. Easy peasy.

Enchiladas

No chilli to pander to a 2-year-old's taste buds (though she was very good and ate spicy lentils yesterday). Just chicken, peppers, onions and a tin of tomatoes with garlic and cumin for flavour. Rolled in tortilla wraps, covered in cheese and remaining tomato sauce, and baked for half an hour.

Fish with lentils; bread and butter pudding

Smash up carrot, celery, onion and garlic in the foodprocessor, then fry until softish. Add pre-cooked puy lentils and a bit of water. Add a couple of teaspoons of curry paste. Put fish on top for 10 minutes or so until done but definitely not over-done. Stir creme fraiche into lentil mixture before serving.

Bread and butter pudding, fairly standard but with ginger jam spread on the bread as well as butter.

Shallot tarte tatin

with a salad of alfalfa sprouts and carrots.