Easy Flavoursome Couscous

Couscous is one of the easiest side dishes to make and so many consider it bland and boring - and I agree if you don't add different and flavourful ingredients to it.

Take this recipe as your basic and add whatever delicious food you have available to it.


You will need:-

1 tsp coconut oil (any oil will do)
1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 bell pepper (chopped into cubes)
1 red onion (chopped finely)
1/2 cup raisins/ sultanas
2 strips of celery (cubed)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground flax*
1 tsp wheatmeal*
1/4 cup flaked almonds


*Optional - As always, I throw this into most of my recipes


Heat oil in a medium to large pan and add the onion, peppers and celery. When these start to soften, add the garlic, herbs and the chicken stock.

Once the liquid starts to bubble, add the couscous and remove the pan from the heat. Stir again and you will see the couscous already taking on all the moisture. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, stir in the almonds and the raisins and serve.

Simple and yet tasty.

Variations on this are so easy - any nut or fruit, coconut(added with the stock), beans, chick peas, vegetables, thie possibilities are endless. Try whatever you like.

Pork & Tomato Casserole

This dish is so easy, it's an extension to a tomato dip that I make, and it is delicious.

You will need:-
For the sauce :

1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can artichoke hearts, sieved and chopped
2 slivers of anchovy, cut these down to 1/4 inch strips
1 clove of chopped garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp grated parmesan

For the chops :

4 pork loin chops
1 bell pepper, cut into small cubes
2 sticks celery, cut into small cubes
2 green onions
olive oil to fry

Set the oven to 375 degrees.

Take all the sauce ingredients and mix them into your casserole dish.
Heat the olive oil until it starts to sizzle, add the pork chops and brown on both sides, add to the casserole dish.
Take the same pan and fry off the onions, peppers and celery until soft and slightly brown. Add to the casserole dish.

Stir all the ingredients and put on the casserole lid. Place in the oven for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

Serve this with focaccia and couscous. Yum!

Naan Bread

I started making Nan bread when we came to Canada from the UK and couldn't find any decent Naans. We now have curry nights and I go completely over the top with curry, rice, poppadoms, chutneys, bahjis and naan bread. This recipe works well, and I always double it up to freeze a batch.

You will need:-

3 1/2 cups bread flour (all purpose is ok)

1/2 cup yogurt

1 egg

1/4 cup butter

2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. sugar

3/4 cup water

1 2/3 tablespoons dried yeast

In a dish, take 5 talespoons of water, add the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar and stir well. Keep aside for 10-12 minutes. (You will see bubbles on the surface of the mixture which suggests that the yeast is all right).

Now, add in the remaining water, sugar, yogurt, egg, butter and salt. Stir well.

Add the flour to this liquid and make into a smooth, soft, and elastic dough. (It will take about 10-15 minutes).

Take a warm bowl, butter all the sides and the bottom of the bowl then place the dough in the bowl, cover with a cloth and keep in a warm place until the dough doubles in height (about 40 minutes).

Push a finger into the dough. If the impression remains, then it is ready to be baked. Make the dough into 8 equal balls, flatten them into circles with your fingers such that the edges are thicker than the center. Pull one end of the circle so that the dough circle now looks like a tear drop or a balloon in two dimensions. The length is about a handspan and width about a palm.3.

Heat oven to 450F, and on a non-greased baking tray, place the dough. Bake for 5 minutes and then flip, brush on a thin layer of oil and place back in the oven. After another 5 minutes (or until golden brown) they should be ready.

Variations : When the dough has risen, add your favourite Naan ingredients - garlic, poppy seeds, coriander, sultanas, etc..

Spicy Chicken Fondue

Fondue is all the rage again, and this recipe hits the mark every time.


You will need:-





6 boned and skinned chicken breasts
4 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 tsp chilli powder

Curry Sauce :
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 tsp mild curry power
3 tsp all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk
6 tsp mango chutney
salt and pepper





Cut chicken into cubes and put in a zip-bag. Add to the bag the oil, paprika and chilli powder, seal and mix up the bag, ensuring that the chicken is covered with the oil marinade. Put the bag in the fridge until you are ready to eat your fondue.


To make the curry sauce heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the flour.


Gradually whisk in the milk and bring slowly to the boil, whisking all the time.


Continue to cook until the sauce thickens.


Simmer for 5 minutes then add the chutney and season with salt and pepper.


Serve hot with the chicken cooked in the hot oil.





Serves 4-6





Variation : We like our curry spicy, so I added 1 tsp madras paste with the onion

Black Beans & Rice

My hubby is not a rice lover, so I'm always trying to come up with different ways to dress the rice up. This one is quick and easy and goes down a treat.

You will need:-

1 cup uncooked white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (for added flavor you can substitute roasted red bell peppers or some chopped pimentos or jalapenos)
3 cloves minced garlic
2 16-ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoon white vinegar
a few dashes of Tabasco or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 heaped tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp ground flax seed*

1 tsp wheatgerm*

Lime wedges and fresh parsley for garnish*

*Optional

Cook rice according to package instructions. White rice usually takes 15 minutes to cook once the water is simmering, and 10 minutes to sit.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high. Sauté onions and bell peppers for 3-4 minutes, until just beginning to soften, then add garlic and sauté a minute more.

Add the black beans, vinegar, flax, wheatgerm and Tabasco or cayenne.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cooked rice and oregano. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6.

Corned Beef Pie

I make 2 of these at a time, the first gets eaten as soon as it is out of the oven, the second gets frozen. A definite favourite in our household!

You will need:-

Top and bottom pie crust (flaky or shortcrust work best)
6 medium/ large potatoes
1 small onion (finely chopped) ½ tsp salt
⅓ cup hot milk

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
8 oz tin of corned beef
1 dash pepper

Wash, pare, dice, and drop potatoes in a large pan of cold water to keep white.

Add to the potatoes the salt & diced onions.

Place the pan to boil and then simmer for 20-30 mins until the potatoes are soft.

Prepare the 2 crust pie and place the bottom crust into the pie pan.

Drain off the water and add to the potatoes/onions the milk, butter and pepper. Mash the potatoes well, removing as many lumps as possible. Take the corned beef from the can and cube it. Add it to the pan and mix well (at this point I use a hand-held blender) until smooth.

Fill the pie pan with mashed potato mixture. Cover with top crust, seal, flute and slit.

Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

As an alternative you can add a can of drained corn over the potato mixture before the top crust is put on. The pie is great served with pickled red cabbage or chilli pepper jam.

Chilli Pepper Jam

This is perfect for adding a bit of sweet heat to cooked meats, cheese and biscuits. I make it twice a year, the first time when our jalapeno peppers are ripe and the second just after Christmas when I have to buy supermarket peppers. Each batch makes 8 x 250ml jars that easily last 6 months.

Remember to sterilize all your jars and keep them warm - putting hot jam into a cold jar is not a good idea.

You will need:-

2 cups of ground peppers ( including 6 jalapenos for medium heat - more if you want it really spicy)
1 1/2 cups of apple cider vinegar
7 cups of sugar
2 packs certo pectin crystals


In a substantial pan on a medium heat, melt the sugar in the cider vinegar

Once the sugar is fully dissolved, stir in all the peppers

Bring to the boil slowly and once it has boiled for 1 minute, add the certo. Stir until dissolved.

Pour the jam into the (warm) jars, twist on the lids. Leave to cool and store as you would any preserve.

Spinach Dip

I can't tell you how well this goes down at parties and barbecues, it can be served with potato chips, crudites or it's really good served in a hollowed out round sourdough loaf (just cube & toast off the remaining bread and serve to the side.)

You will need:-

1 cup mayonnaise (miracle whip if you prefer)
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp onion powder (or french onion soup mix)
1 crushed garlic clove (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
salt & pepper (just a pinch)


Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream together well, then add the onion, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Lastly chop up the spinach and stir into the dip.

Voila! How easy was that? Enjoy!

Beer Batter

Take my advice and use a dark beer - Newcastle Brown Ale if you can get it.

You will need:-

1 12oz can beer

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour or wholewheat

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp Paprika

1 tsp wheatgerm*

1 tsp flax seeds*

*Optional

Flour for dredging, Oil for frying

Directions :-

Pour the beer into a large bowl. Sift the flour, salt, flax, wheatgerm and paprika into the beer, whisking until the batter is light and fluffy.

Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a frying pan or deep fat fryer to around 375F

Dredge whatever you are cooking in batter with flour, shake off any excess and then dip into the beer batter, coating well, and drop them into the hot fat.

When they are brown on one side - normally around a minute - turn and brown the other side.

Drain on paper towels and then serve.

I use this batter to coat fish, onion rings, scalloped potatoes, shrimp, peppers, mushrooms, bitesize chicken, mozzarella cheese and cauliflower. All of these cook very quickly and go great with my chilli pepper jam or spinach dip (other postings.)

This batter can be made up and used straight away or kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.