Saturday, 31 January 2015

Fruity Yogurt Drops



These fruity snacks are perfect for smackers whilst watching a film and make a great substitute for gorging on sweets. You can try and mix up the flavours making your own, lemon, blueberry, chocolate, zingy orange - give them ago. I made strawberry and peach. You can also substitute the preservatives in them for stevia if you wish, or use honey instead of stevia in the peach flavour! 

Honey peach
 
1tbsp Stevia
100g 0% fat Greek yogurt 
4 tinned peaches

 |1 WW Propoint|

Strawberry

1tbsp strawberry Jam
100g 0% fat Greek yogurt 
5 medium strawberries 

 |2 WW Propoint|

Add your yogurt and preserve/stevia into a bowl and mix.

Chop up your fruit into small pieces, they are going to be frozen so smaller pieces are more manageable. Mix into your yogurt mix.

Lay some none stick baking parchment over a baking tray - make sure it fits in the fridge! Or you can lay the parchment straight onto the ice tray like I did to give extra room. 

Using a teaspoon, add marble sized droplets of the mixture onto the tray getting fruit pieces into every one. Pop into the fridge for an hour!

Once frozen, enjoy! This makes 2 portions for me but don't feel guilty if you eat the lot! Remember to keep them in the freezer and don't leave them out for too long. 

Wednesday, 28 January 2015

Fruity Salsa Jacket Potatos

These little gems were made using some left overs I had in the fridge. I wanted pizza, but didn't want the calories or price tag and so I was inspired to make something myself. I didn't have any flour to make dough, so I used jacket potatoes instead! If you're a vegetarian, load up with some more vegetable toppings and drop the chicken! 


Serves 1.

Mccains microwave Jacket potato
Cooked Chicken breast
30g Garlic and herb cream cheese
4 Cherry tomatoes
8 Pineapple chunks
20g reduced fat cheddar
Seasonings 

With Chicken | 11 WW Pro Points |
Vegetarian Option | 7 WW Pro Points | 

Turn the oven upto 200 degrees. Pop the jacket potato into the microwave for 5 minutes. 

In a bowl combine the cream cheese and chicken breast, and once the jackets are done spoon the filling into the cream cheese mix and stir together. 

Fill the jacket potato skins back up, and top with sliced cherry tomatoes and pineapple chunks. Sprinkle with cheese and pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes. 

Once golden brown, take the jackets out of the oven and season to taste. Serve either alone or with a big salad to fill up! These are also lovely served as part of a buffet! 


Saturday, 27 December 2014

Salmon with a creamy lemon sauce with tagliatelli

I absolutely loved cooking this dish! The lemon freshens up the whole dish, and works really well with the salmon. The creme fresh gives creamy feel without becoming too heavy. If you don't like Salmon you could always use chicken, just adjust your cooing times accordingly. 



Serves 2

Ingredients 

  • 2 Salmon Fillets
  • 100g Tagliatelli Pasta 
  • 150g Mushrooms
  • 100g Cherry Tomato's
  • 2 Tbsp Creme Freche
  • 1 Garlic Cloves
  • Salt and Pepper 
  • Parsley (Dried or Fresh)
  • Half a lemon (zest and juice)
  • Olive Oil

Directions

Turn the oven to 200 degrees C. Season the salmon fillets with salt, pepper, parsley, and then place a lemon slice on each. Create foil parcels and place in the oven for 15 minutes. 

Place pasta into a pan of boiling water and leave to boil for around 9 minutes. Wchilst boiling, heat a frying pan on a medium heat and add a tbsp of olive oil. Chop the garlic glove, and add to the frying pan along with half a tsp of parsley and a pinch of salt. 

Chop the mushrooms into even sized pieces, and add to the frying pan. Once slightly goldne but still not fully cooked, chop the tomato's in half and add to the pan for 2-3 minutes. 

Zest half a lemon, and place to one side. By this point the pasta should be fully cooked. Pour a cup of the starchy water into the frying pan, and then drain the rest of the pasta. Add the pasta to the frying pan along with the lemon zest. 

Add 2 tbsp of creme freche to the pasta, and mix well. Leave on the heat for a few minutes to reduce, and remove the salmon from the oven. Just before taking off the heat, add the juice of half a lemon to the pasta dish and serve. Place the salmon on top. 



Change of direction..

I am currently 16 weeks pregnant, and with that, I have vowed to do all I can to mould a better person for myself, inside and out. 

I have decided to stop making cakes, unless it's for personal occasions because of the stress, and I've begun putting some creativity and love into my food.

I need to eat healthier, but I love to cook so I'm going to put the extra effort into what I do. So I am going to begin sharing my recipe's, or my trials of other's as well as other creativity things :)

Wednesday, 10 December 2014

The post mans been!!

A couple of days ago I ordered some promarkers for myself as a Christmas treat, and they arrived today. They were a great price from a company called artifolk.

There are a few gaps in my colour collection, well a lot considering there are over 100 colours, but I think I covered the main Shades with my choices. I would like some different pinks and purples though but I will add to the collection after Christmas.

I love stamping so I stamped a cute image 3 times to give them a go :) 


My fave is the blue :).

I can't wait to make my first card using these.

Kate x





Sunday, 7 December 2014

Doily Love

Today my boyfriend and I went for a carvery, and then took a trip down to my parents house. My mum loves to craft too, she's always stuck into something but her 'thing' is mainly sewing, she makes gorgeous bags, make up bags, peg bags etc. She used to be into card crafting, however all of her stash is now neatly packed away in her craft room and I couldn't resist raising it today. I came across the Martha Stewart vintage doily punch - look how beautiful it is!


So with her consent I snuck into my handbag and on my way I went. These are the cards I made using it today, they are pretty simple but I love pale blue and pink together, and this Martha Stewart vintage  doily edge punch, and bows. (Courtesy of the bow maker - again!!)



Kate x

Thursday, 4 December 2014

A bunch of love

This is just a quick and simple card, just waiting for a sentiment - get well maybe, or a birthday, or best wishes - or maybe even a thank you!


The papers are from the works again, and the bow was made using The Bow Maker!! Seriously cannot recommend this tool enough. The glitzy gem in the middle is also from the works, they were a great price and also self adhesive.

I am not yet the owner of any alcohol markers, so just use crayons to colour my stamped images. But I am thinking of asking for some from my partner for Christmas as stamping is my favourite and I would love to make more vibrant images!