Tuesday 4 November 2014

Cooking For One: Two Night Chilli

This is the start of a new series called Cooking For One - few of these recipes will be revolutionary but if they help you mix up your diet, remind you of something you haven't had in a while, or even teach you a new dish then I'll be very happy. I'll write out the base recipe, then below will add serving suggestions. Let me know if you try any of the dishes in this recipe!

Ingredients:
200g Mince (usually cheapest to buy in a 400g pack)
½ Tin Beans (baked or other)
½ Tin Chopped Tomatoes (if you’re using beans without a sauce then you'll need the whole tin)
Squirt Tomato Puree
1 Small Red Onion
½ Teaspoon ‘Very Lazy’ Garlic/ 1 Clove of Garlic Chopped
½ Teaspoon ‘Very Lazy’ Chilli/ 1 Teaspoon of Chilli Powder
1 Teaspoon Agave Syrup/ Sugar / Sweetener
Slosh of Vinegar (I used Balsamic)
Handful Frozen Peas*
Handful Kale*
3 Mushrooms*
3 Broccoli Florets*
1 Carrot*

*Replace with any veg you fancy!


Base Recipe:

1) Open the packet of mince and split it in half. You can freeze or fridge the spare half depending how soon you think you may use it. Pop our half into a hot frying pan and break it up with a wooden spoon as it browns.

2) Whilst the mince is browning, chop your onion and pop it in with the mince.

3) Add the garlic and chilli. By this point most of the mince should be browned, and you can turn the temperature down as low as it can go.

4) Add the half can of chopped tomatoes and the half tin of baked beans. If you’re not using baked beans then you’ll probably need the whole can of tomato.

5) Add a squirt of tomato puree, the agave and the balsamic (or your alternative) and put the lid on the pan.

6) Chop up your carrot, mushrooms and broccoli. Dice the carrot as small as you can, but keep the mushrooms chunky. Add these in. Leave for 15 minutes.

7) Taste and season as required (adding more chilli to add heat or add a small amount of milk/yoghurt to cool).

8) Add peas and kale. Once the kale is wilted and the peas cooked the chilli is good to go!

This should make enough chilli for at least 2 main meals. I got three meals out of this as I had a lunch too.



Chilli with Rice and Pitta

Extra Ingredients:
1 Serving Brown/White Rice
1 Pitta
Grated Cheese (to top)

If you're cooking this as your first dish, add the brown rice on to cook between stages 5 and 6. I usually get the pan heating with a small amount of water whilst boiling the kettle to get the water hot quickly. You'll need to cook it for at least 25 minutes.

If you're using white rice, put this on for the last 10 minutes of cooking (just before step 8).

Toast your pitta after you've added all of the ingredients.


Spaghetti Chilli

Extra Ingredients:
1 serving spaghetti (or other pasta)
Grated Cheese (to top)

If you're cooking this as your first dish, put the pasta on just before step 8 as it needs 10 minutes to cook.


Chilli Jackets

Extra Ingredients:
1 Baking Potato
Grated Cheese (to top)

You can either microwave or oven bake your potato. If you oven bake it, it will need 40 mins - 1 hour, so put this on at least 10 minutes before starting your chilli (you'll want the oven temp to be about 180 degrees or gas mark 6). Turn the potato when you add the first of your extra ingredients.

If you microwave it, put it on just before step 8 as it needs about 10 minutes (in two 5 minute bursts, turning in between.) Mircowave needs to be on high.


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