Author Archives: Niav Halpin

One-pot roasted pork fillet with apple and sage

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Roasted Pork Fillet

Don’t you just love one-pot dishes, less effort,  less washing up plus you can go and relax while it all cooks away undisturbed in the oven. I love this particular recipe as it only takes around 30 minutes in the oven and 15 minutes to prepare so it can be on the table in an hour. Perfect for either a weekday or weekend dinner. It is cooked in a roasting tin like the one in the picture and once everything is prepared just pop it in the oven and leave it to mind itself. What’s not to love about that!   Continue reading →

The Perfect Lemon Drizzle Cake

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Lemon Drizzle Cake 2

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like this cake, it is universally popular more so I think than chocolate cake, and that is saying something. I gave some friends of mine a sample of this cake recently by way of a kind of  ‘roadtest’ and the feedback was great. What I like most about the recipe is that it is so reliable – the cake comes out perfect every time. There is a nice short list of ingredients and equal quantities of butter, flour and sugar which make it really, really simple to make.    Continue reading →

Cauliflower Soup 3 ways

Posted in Lunch by

 

Cauli Soup 4

This week’s recipe is a delicious, simple, comforting soup that can be styled / flavoured three different ways!  Cauliflower is not a vegetable that excites me, mainly because of it’s colour. However, when one arrived home in the weekly grocery shop recently because it was on “special offer” I was scratching my head as to what to do with it! So I  decided to do a little experimentation with the basic soup recipe by making 3 variations from the poor, unloved head of cauliflower! It turns out that the soup is the perfect palate to which flavours can be added to create something that will surprise your taste buds. Continue reading →

Buttermilk Roast Chicken with Leeks & Bacon

Posted in Dinner, Fit Food by

Buttermilk chicken 1

This is a recipe I got on a cookery course I did in The Tannery Cookery School in Dungarvan with Paul Flynn. I love it because it is great for a quick weekday dinner but also is fancy enough to serve if having friends over for dinner. It is a brilliant recipe to have in your repertoire of dishes that are quick, easy, delicious and healthy.

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Winter quinoa salad

Posted in Fit Food, Lunch by

Quinoa salad 6

This beautiful and nutritious salad will brighten up any dark, dreary day. I know you are probably saying salads are for Summer but the ingredients in this recipe are available all year round in our supermarkets so there is no reason not to give it a go to brighten up any day –  you will be so glad and your body will thank you for it. You will know from a previous recipe that I am a big fan of quinoa not just because it is quick and easy to make, but also because it is a super healthy source of (plant-based) protein and a slow release energy sustaining food (i.e. keeps you full for longer!).  It also keeps and travels well so very handy for making wonderful healthy lunches to bring to work and also for using up leftovers such as cooked chicken or roasted vegetables. Beats a ham sandwich any day! Continue reading →

Chocolate Oreo Brownies

Posted in Sweet Treats by

Oreo Brownies 1

These are simply the best brownies EVER. They are so good that I had to check with certain people in my family before publishing the recipe as I wasn’t sure if they would object to me sharing it! They are pretty irresistible, so much so that when I made them last week I barely managed to grab a few photos before they nearly all disappeared!  When they are in the oven the house is filled with the wonderful, mouth-watering smell of chocolate. They have a wonderful soft, gooey texture and a delicious, rich chocolatey taste, and as if that wasn’t enough there are chunks of oreo biscuits in there as well. Is there anything better? Continue reading →

Strawberry Meringue Ice Cream Cake

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Strawberry Meringue Cake 7

Think strawberries & cream, strawberry ice cream and pavlova all combined into a delicious,  beautiful ice cream cake.  This is a recipe of Rachel Allen’s and is an absolutely “wow” dessert, easy to make and would not be out of place on the menu for any dinner party, special occasion or as a dessert for Christmas dinner.  The fact that it can be prepared ahead and kept in the freezer makes it a great choice for entertaining. All you have to do when you want to serve it, is take it out of the freezer, leave it for about 5 minutes, then decorate it with some fresh strawberries. Don’t be put off by the length of the instructions as each step is really easy. I do this in two stages – I make the meringues in the evening (after dinner) and then leave them to dry out in the oven overnight (with the oven door ajar). Then the next day whip the cream, whizz the strawberries and mix everything together . Continue reading →

Delicious, healthy Chilli Con Carne with guacamole

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Chilli con carne

“Next to jazz music, there is nothing that lifts the spirit and strengthens the soul more than a good bowl of chili.” (Harry James)

Chilli con carne is one of my favourite comfort meals. This version is high in flavour, contains lots of protein(kidney beans are a virtually fat-free source of great quality protein), low on salt and low-fat. It is very easy to make and a really good dish for busy weeknights where you are short on time but still want to eat a tasty, healthy meal! To make this dish even more delicious and healthy have it with some guacamole, diced tomato and Greek Yogurt. Serve with brown rice to add some carbohydrate to the meal if you wish. Leftovers(if there are any) can be used to make a tasty tortilla wrap the next day or just re-heated in a bowl with some melted cheese on top!  Continue reading →