Recipe: Mexican chicken wraps.




It's a wrap!

A Half-term healthy meal: Mexican chicken wraps!  

Shopping last week in preparation for half-term and seeking to be inspired to do something that felt like a treat but would be healthy too, I came up with the idea of cooking a Mexican meal.  The problem is, my children haven't yet become accustomed to (in other words - still don't like eating despite several attempts to 'like') the flavour of peppers or indeed large pieces of onion!  Typically, at each meal time, I cook one dish for the whole family and avoid preparing several different meals unless it's for practical reasons, i.e. we are not all in at the same time.  The dilemma of course is that my husband and I enjoy a variety of flavours, textures, spices etc. and our children are not ready to embrace our food fiesta!  Therefore the only way forward alongside encouraging the children to continually but gradually try new flavours is to cook adaptable meals.  So the Mexican chicken wrap needed to be one that fell into the 'adaptable meal' category.  

Knowing that I'm not on my own when it comes to the kind of dilemma I have described, I thought I would share my recipe and adaptable method with you so that you too can enjoy a family meal that doesn't look as though you have ordered four different menu choices in a restaurant (and hopefully your kitchen shouldn't look as though you have cooked four different meals either!).

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

400g-500g of Chicken breast cut into strips
1/2 tbsp of olive oil

Quartered baby plum tomatoes, strips of cucumber
 and chopped avocado to add contrast and texture

1 large onion, halved and then cut into thick strips

2 peppers (I used green and red), cut into thick strips

1 tsp of paprika

1/2 - 1 tsp of chilli powder or 1 small fresh chilli, finely chopped

Small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped

300ml of chicken stock

2 tsp of cornflour

Wholemeal wraps

Cucumber cut into strips

Quartered baby plum tomatoes (any tomatoes cut into small pieces will do)

1 avocado cut into small pieces

Salsa

Natural yoghurt

Approximately 1 tbsp of low-fat grated cheese per person (optional)


Method:


• Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and then brown the chicken on a medium to high heat turning frequently (so the food caramelises but doesn't burn!), followed by the onion and the peppers (and fresh chilli if you are using it). 
• If everyone in your family enjoys paprika and chilli, add now, if not, hold back and add the stock. 
• Mix the cornflour with a tablespoon of water and add to the pan to thicken the sauce. 
• Once the sauce has thickened, if necessary, remove some of the chicken, peppers and onions and put aside for those who don't eat the spices. (I took some of the chicken and onions only for my children - large onions as mentioned earlier will be taking them out of their comfort zone so I didn't want to push them too far with large peppers too!). 
• Add the spices if you haven't done so already and season as required. 
• Stir through the chopped coriander (if you wish, you can reserve some to add later when compiling the wrap).
• Warm the wraps (1 per person) in the microwave for about a minute.
• Bring the wraps, the pan of Mexican chicken (and spice free chicken if being used) and the remaining ingredients to the table and everyone can help themselves to a little of everything, compiling their own wrap just the way they like it!

Ready to serve

Tips: 

1. Homemade Salsa is delicious (I will publish my personal recipe for this at a later date!) and if using, you won't need an additional dish of fresh, chopped tomatoes as per the ingredients list above.
2. Natural yoghurt is a good, healthy alternative to sour cream (which is typically used in Mexican food but much higher in fat).
3. Homemade guacamole can replace the chopped avocado - I prefer to make my own guacamole so that it doesn't have cream added to it and I can make it chunky rather than smooth, giving a satisfying bite to the wrap.
4. If you are wanting to keep the fat content of this meal down, you may prefer not using cheese or do what I have done and go for a low fat option.
5. I often buy large bunches of coriander and then freeze what I don't need for another meal. Although when defrosted it can't be used as a garnish, it can be stirred into a hot dish.
6. The Mexican chicken can also be served with wholemeal rice.

The whole family enjoyed our Mexican feast, although strictly speaking, there wasn't a huge amount of Latin American heat in the children's wraps.  In theirs they added a little wholemeal rice (to bulk it out) and baby spinach leaves (I do like them to have something green everyday!) and were "muchas gracias" - they would definitely like to have them again.  Next time, I will raise the temperature for them - just a little - encouraging them to spice things up a notch and say "hola" to large peppers!

 

 

 

Recipe: Edd Kimber's Tiramisu Cupcakes (for Valentine's day)

 

 

A Valentine treat.... Edd Kimber’s Tiramisu Cupcakes

 

So it's Valentine's day and whilst my husband and I don't make a huge thing of the day, we always give each other a card and a small token gift.  This year I decided that I would like to bake something for him and as we both enjoy coffee cakes and tiramisu, this cupcake recipe seemed an obvious choice.

Delicious, delectable dessert style cakes,
served with Italian espresso

I have tried to find the recipe online so that I could give you the link but to no avail so I will lovingly (it is Valentine's day after all) type it out for you!  The recipe isn't specifically for Valentine's day so if you haven't got any time to whip them up this evening (and they are quite time-consuming) they would be delicious for any occasion.  To give them a more romantic finish (ah), following the suggestion from my daughter, I made a heart template to create the cocoa dusted hearts on the top rather than a basic 'cappuccino style' dusting. 

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Tiramisu Cupcakes

Makes 12

225g plain flour
2tsp baking powder
225g butter, at room temperature
225g caster sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
125ml milk

For the coffee syrup

60ml fresh espresso or strong coffee
2tsp caster sugar
1tbsp Marsala (optional)

For the ganache

60ml double cream
55g dark chocolate (at least 60-70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
10g unsalted butter

For the frosting

250g mascarpone, at room temperature
250ml double cream
50g icing sugar















So here's what to do....

 

Preheat the oven to 180^oC (160^oC fan oven) gas mark 4. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases.  Sift the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating until fully combined, then add a third of the flour mixture followed by half the milk.  Repeat and then add the final third of flour mixture.

Divide equally among the paper cases and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre of one of the cakes comes out clean.  Just before the cupcakes are finished baking make the coffee syrup.

In a small bowl mix together the hot coffee, sugar and Marsala, if using.  When the cupcakes are baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, then prick the cakes all over with a cocktail stick or skewer.  Brush liberally with the coffee syrup, then allow the cakes to cool completely.

To make the ganache, microwave the cream in a small bowl or a pan over a low heat until just at the boil, then add the chocolate and stir to combine.  Once smooth and shiny, add the butter and mix together gently until combined.

To make the frosting, lightly beat the mascarpone until smooth.  In a medium bowl whisk the cream until it holds medium-stiff peaks.  Add a large spoonful of the cream to the mascarpone and mix to lighten, and then gently fold in the remaining cream and the icing sugar.

To assemble the cakes, cut a small piece of cake from the top of each cupcake, using a small sharp knife or an apple corer, and fill with the ganache.  Using a small knife or offset spatula, spread the mascarpone frosting onto the cakes.

TIP
Because the frosting is made with cream, these cakes are best served the same day they are made.

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These delightful little cakes look pretty and they deliver on taste too.  They are certainly a grown-up cupcake and a two-in-one food experience - a cross between a cake and a dessert.  I didn't have any Marsala but can imagine it would add that extra bite of luxury.  Tia Maria would probably be a good alternative which I might try next time.  I would also make the coffee stronger as it was quite a subtle flavour but this is something that is more of a personal preference.  It's worth mentioning that the mixture easily filled the 12 muffin cases - I had a little remaining so made 4 small fairy-cakes too.

Thank you Edd Kimber (winner of the BBC two series The Great British Bake Off 2010) for this recipe from your book 'THE BOY WHO BAKES'.  You can find more information about Edd Kimber and his recipes here.



As a health management coach, whilst I don't recommend consuming indulgent cakes on a daily basis, I do believe that treats can still be enjoyed when they are just that - a treat.  It's no longer a treat if we eat them all the time! For more information about my work take a look at my website: http://www.michaelahyde.com/

Recipe: Chicken, in a tomato, basil and red pepper sauce

Recipe...  
 

 Chicken in a tomato, basil and red pepper sauce served with wholemeal spaghetti and rocket

 

 

Ingredients:

 

500g chicken breast

1 onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 large red peppers finely chopped

handful of fresh basil leaves

100g of spinach

500g carton of passata

1tbsp of oil

2-3tsp of Marigold Swiss vegetable Bouillon stock

4 handfuls of rocket leaves

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

Serves 4-6

 

Method and story behind my recipe:

 

It was a Friday night a couple of weeks ago and my husband was eating at an Indian restaurant with some friends and so I needed to come up with something interesting for the children and I.  There were some chicken breasts in the fridge and I had bought basil in a pot from the supermarket that week.  I always have onion, garlic and spinach in the house as well as peppers but I had quite a few red peppers hence they feature in this recipe as well as being chosen for their lovely sweet flavour. 

 

So this is how to make this quick and easy pasta dish:

 

• Heat up the oil in a large non-stick (healthier option as less oil needed) pan on medium.
• Cut the chicken breast into bite-size pieces.  (I use scissors rather than a knife as this is quicker and if you want to involve children, it's a safer way of introducing them to preparing meat and poultry). 
• Gently brown the chicken in the oil until it is cooked through.
• Using a food processor, finely chop the onion and garlic and then add to the browned chicken and cook until softened.
• Use the food processor to chop the peppers and then add them to the pan.  Cook until softened.
• Add the passata to the pan, heat through and add the dry stock according to taste and simmer for about 5 minutes.  If the sauce is too thick, then add a little water. 
• Season with black pepper according to taste.  (I prefer not to use too much salt, especially if I'm using stock).
• Add the spinach and stir carefully so that it's coated in the sauce and begins to wilt. 
• Add the basil and take off the heat.  It is a fragrant herb and you won't need a huge amount, however, I do always leave it until the last moment so that the sauce maintains the freshness of the herb once it has been served on to the plate.
• Serve with wholemeal pasta and top the sauce with a handful of fresh rocket and grated Parmesan.

 

I just love adding rocket -
it looks appetising too.

We all enjoyed the meal - I loved the combination of different 'leaves' and I have to be honest, I have a habit of adding rocket to a lot of my pasta dishes because I adore their peppery taste and the contrast to the soft pasta in sauce.  I do try and cook healthy food for my family but seek to ensure the flavours are still good - and there's no reason why they shouldn't be when using tasty ingredients.  This a dish that I will do again, although until I began blogging, many of the dishes I have done in the past I haven't necessarily written down and so each time the meal takes on a different twist or is dictated by what I have in my fridge.  This method of ('making-it-up as you go along') is possibly a favourite and I would encourage you to experiment with cooking and simply using what you have as a starting point.

 

If you try cooking this recipe yourself, please do let me know and if you come up with an alternative, let me know too!

 

 



About my food blog

An Introduction to my Food Blog....

Café Ricci, Piazza Medicea, Fivizzano, Tuscany -
My Favourite place for a cappuccino and gelato!

As a Lover of food, I couldn't possibly have a blog space without including one on this delicious topic!  Food is so many things to us and not simply a means of staying alive.  Food is nutrition - certainly, although it could be argued that some of our food choices aren't the best fuel for our bodies, in addition, food isn't always eaten to nourish but as an emotional response (see my health blog here or my website: www.michaelahyde.com).

On this blog I plan to cover food more broadly. You will find recipes (not too many yet but as I build up my blog, they will feature quite frequently), which I have either come up with myself or someone else's recipe that I have cooked, enjoyed and I want to recommend.  Food is about pleasure, sharing meals with friends and family, it's a social pastime, an experience, to be relished and savoured.  I want to incorporate much of this into my blog too despite knowing that midweek meals are not always the ones to be savoured; simply trying to think of what to cook can often feel like a chore rather than a pleasure. 

Homemade Pork and Coriander Burgers
with Spicy Spring Greens and Noodles
(Something I made using what I had in the fridge!)

That said, I find it immensely satisfying when I come up with a meal that everyone really raves about, especially when it's one of my own creations (much better than the 'yuks' that the children once offered up to me, particularly when trying something new - hence this word was banned at our family meal table some years ago!). 

The joy of food and sharing with others is especially poignant at times of celebration like birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries or simply because it's Friday or catching-up with a friend.  These special times will also be reflected in my blog.  Ultimately, I hope to inspire and share my food experiences and hope that you will share your ideas and inspire me too! 

Recipes I created for an evening to promote my
Health Management coaching