Edinburgh, Scotland - Haggis

Hello foodies I have been out of it lately, I know just had so many things in mind that I haven't had the time to write to anyone let alone a blog. Why haven't I had the time to write? well between Uni and I am starting a choir from nothing so my head has been over flowing that my blogs and twitter accounts and any other social networks have been in complete stand still. Hopefully I can get back on track as I've got a new android phone and installed all the apps necessary for all the things I have to get back on track.

Anyways in May of last year I went to the gorgeous Edinburgh, Scotland with two of my best friends I can assure you they not very adventurous with food so they didn´t try the gorgeous Haggis.

What is Haggis? Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish. It is made of sheep´s pluck or insides, heart, liver and lungs, it is all minced with onions, suet and spices and mixed together with stock then stuffed into, traditionally, an animal stomach.
I know it doesn´t sound too tasty but give it a go, its like marmite you either love it or you hate it.

Haggis is normally served with neeps and tatties and a dram. No I haven´t gone crazy that is what they are called; neeps are mashed turnips, tatties is mashed potatoes and a dram is a good scottish whisky.
And that is what you call a Burns´ Supper which you would have on the 25 of January celebrating the life and works of Robert Burns. I didn´t have the wisky when I had my haggis in Scotland but I did have a nice pint of beer at 3 o´clock whisky is a bit too strong at that time.

So from me to all of Scotland have a great Burns Night!

I LOVE Scotland and I hope that you find time to visit and enjoy Scotland whenever you have a chance.

Also don´t forget to try the salmon, scottish salmon is probably the best salmon you can get.

And last of all enjoy Scotland me Lassies and Laddies!

A Simply Berry Dessert (206 cal/serv)

Many nights I have been at home alone with a sweet tooth, especially when your on a diet. I have started 2012 with a plan, a diet plan I have to get back in my old trousers. So not only will I give you a cool recipe but I´ll give you it´s calorie intake you must love me more for it!!!

This quick and simple dessert is only 206 CALORIES!!

What you need is:

2 slices of Whole Wheat Bread (calories vary here mine were 72cal a slice)
1/2 cup of Frozen Berries
1 tsp sugar (using brown sugar gives it less calories)

Simple!
1. In a small bowl defrost the berries with the sugar.
2. In a ramekin place one slice of bread molding it in with your fingers.
3. Add the defrosted berries into the ramekin and cover tightly with the other slice.
4. Put it in the microwave for 2-3 min.
5. Enjoy!!

This is a very simple but satisfying dish for one which you can leave it at that or just for that extra more add another teaspoon of sugar to the top and caramelize it either with a blowtorch or the grill, that´ll give you a few more calories but the crunch to it is exceptional. Now you can do more for a family feast or stay at home with a book a cup of tea and your 206 calorie dessert!

Long Time No See.

It´s been nearly a year since my last post but I´ve been so preocupied with all different activities I have been organizing that makes it complicated to have a constant timetable which includes my writing but I´ve started up again and hope to follow through.

So  READY, SET .... COOK!!

Homemade Peanut Butter

 This morning I woke up with a full body salt craving and the first thing that came to mind was peanut butter. I started looking around the kitchen and having no luck I decided to make my own as the shops were still closed at 8 in the morning and I had everything I needed. Peanut butter is good in small amounts as it has great oils in the peanuts which are good for your body as well as the olive oil. This homemade peanut butter is much more healthier than the one in a jar, it still has quite a bit of fats but not as much and they're the good fats so you don't have to worry about all the animal fats which most are quite bad for you that are mainly found in jarred peanut butter. Not only this we don't used processed sugar or additives which are artificial and no good for your body. SO HERE IS MY AMAZING BETTER FOR YOUR BODY THEN JARRED PEANUT BUTTER RECIPE:

Ingredients:
100gr Salted Peanuts
2 tbsp oil (I used olive oil because that is what I had at home)
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt (depends on how salted your peanuts are in the first place so try it before adding the salt)

In a blender add 75gr of the peanuts then the oil, honey and salt give it a good whiz till it's nice and soft. Give it a taste for salt then add the remaining 25gr a couple of short whizzes so that you have the crunchy peanuts with the soft creamy peanut butter, some blenders find it hard to do this so remove the butter and then whiz the remaining peanuts. When you have finished put it in a pot or container and VOILÀ you are ready to use.

When I finished I realized I had no Jam so I couldn't make my peanut butter and jam sandwich!, anyways peanut butter is delicious on some toast you don't need to have jam, (great now I want some jam!!!).

Food & Tourism

I´m studying Tourism at the University here in Granada. Last week in my English lesson we came across a great part of our text book and that was Food Tourism.

Me and my teacher we had a slight fight on a listening activity where we had to match the descriptions said to the photographs, he mixed my home town´s fish and chips with breaded pork!! and others! As we carried on talking he confessed that all he cooks are sandwiches so I forgave him.

Back to the point we talked about dishes from all over the world and this Food Tourism where people go to unknown places to them and they try all the typical dishes they can from that area, I can tell you that I´m a food tourist.

A few weeks ago my dad received a packet from Hungary and in that packet there was a handful of chocolates and this tube called Piros Arany or "Red Gold" it´s this amazing paprika paste with an amazing colour and taste I have already used it a few times and hopefully soon I´ll try making the Hungarian dish goulash where it is more commonly used.

At the moment I´m reading a book about Japanese food and drink and their lifestyle following the Zen philosophy I´ll tell you more about it when I finish it and try some of the amazing traditional recipes included in the book.

I would like to ask you all to write what your home town typical dish is, how do you have it or any dish you´ve tried on vacation and would like to know how to recreate it. Just Send Me An Email or Comment and I will read it and make it for all of you to see and learn.

Oatmeal Cakes

This is a great recipe for those cold winter days and those really bad days that your down in the dumps. It's such a simple recipe that you can do in a jiffy and relax on the couch.
When you finish them you´ll find a thin golden brown crunchy exterior and a soft interior.
 I love these small cakes with a cup of tea or a hot chocolate with a bit of chilli flakes and a good film.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of oats
1/2 cup of milk or soy milk
1 tsp of honey
1 tbsp of oil

Mix well in a bowl the oats, milk and honey, put in the microwave for 2 minutes. Heat the oil in a pan and take the mixture, it must hold together but without much milk it should feel slightly sticky, spoon the mixture into the pan. Fry it on both sides till it browns and serve by itself or with a Philadelphia type cheese and maybe a bit of marmalade.

Wasn't that quick and easy!

Ferrero Rocher: all 5 senses

Why is it we LOVE Ferrero Rochers? Is it the hazelnut pieces encrusted on the milk chocolate exterior?, is it the casing of a thin wafer filled with hazelnut cream?, is it the whole hazelnut in the centre?, is it that it´s a bite size sphere? or just it´s gold wrapper?

To tell you the truth it´s all of these things at the same time.

We are like crows we love all things shiny especially gold so that enters through our eyes with an incredible craving. As you open the golden wrapper you get a smell of that amazing chocolate making that craving even stronger. While it´s in your hand and mouth you can feel the hazelnut chunks, as it enters your mouth and you give it a bite your hear a crunch a pause and one last crunch as you bite into the whole hazelnut. Those noises gives you a feel of the different densities and makes you enjoy the chocolate even more. Then comes the best part as you taste the hazelnut cream and chocolate melt into your mouth and you chew slightly the wafer and hazelnuts till they have been digested.