In anticipation of having a Halloween party this year, me and my partner-in-refined, Grace, got together for an evening trying and testing out some gin based cocktails. (more…)
Author: Food Writer
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RESTAURANT REVIEW: Shikumen (Shepherds Bush)
Dim Sum are an absolute pleasure, they fill me with joy (and best of all, variety satiety).
I regard them as little presents, neatly wrapped with contents of treasure. Having a quick lunch at the Shikumen with good company and lots of these little presents, make good for an hour of paradise.
The restaurant itself has a moody feel with lots of dark woods and patterned trellising providing privacy. Lots of pretty traditional ceramics are on display on the tables, ready to receive some wonderful tea the Shikumen have on the menu. We tried the Dragon’s well (Zhejian, £2.80) and Yunnan Pu-Erh (£2.50), which were both lovely, aromatic and topped up swiftly by the staff.
Even though both myself and guest had decided on dim sum all the way, I did have a glance at the a la carte menu and was pleased to see a range of interesting dishes; black cod, squirrel fish (Seabass), Pork with bitter melon etc. Their alcohol / drinks menu was also extremely extensive, and I spotted a green tea creme brûlée on the dessert menu, making Shikumen very tempting for a re-visit over dinner sometime.
Our dim sum began to flow to the table very quickly, just what you need on a lunch break! All the dishes we had came in three or four pieces, and we had probably over ordered (curse of the tidbits tummy!).
Pumpkin Seafood Dumpling (£3.80) – Beautiful little balls of sunshine, brightly coloured from the pumpkin, encasing a sweet whole prawn cocooned inside. My friend remarked on how these looked like the little Indian saffron sweets you can get. These worked really well in a little dip of the chilli condiments that are brought to the table to offset the natural sweetness of the dish.
Chicken Taro Croquettes (£3.50) – Now these really did look fantastic. Chicken and mushroom in a deep, rich savoury gravy, deep fried in a crispy pastry web- little grenades of textures and flavour. These were probably my favourite, and there was definitely an air of nostalgia to the dish as it almost had a chicken and mushroom pie feeling to it.
Pan-Fried Turnip Cake (£3.20) – My other favourite of the dishes served, this sweet, garlicky, soft (almost fish-like) fleshy textured savoury cake had me going back for more and more. Everything about the dish i found enchanting, in as much as in appearance looks very simple almost bland but its texture and flavour are actually quite complex, wonderful.
Roasted Duck Pumpkin Puff (£3.80) – More balls of sunshine, golden and crisp exterior with a spongy, duck filled gravy inside that had strong peppery notes and a nice little appearance from pine nuts for an added texture and buttery-ness. Crabmeat & Prawn Dumpling (£3.80) – Stunning and almost floral in its presentation, topped with caviar. A lovely, mellow and aromatic flavour with silky seafood, complimented by a hit of sharp spring onion. Baked Venison Puff (£4.20) – Presented on a triangle shaped piece of puff pastry, glazed and topped with sesame seeds. This was very sweet initially but moments later came forth a bit of heat and spiciness, which was welcomed. Another appearance from pine nuts worked with the soft texture of the venison. Char Siew Bun (£3.20) – The staple dish of any dim sum menu. It came to the table in a familiar bun presentation. Sweet red onion made for a crunchy experience, and it was refreshing to receive the bun itself not overly sticky (which can be the case more than often in some places). I would say Shikumen’s pricing with their dim sum menu is spot on, I would definitely come back to a Shikumen restaurant, if not only to get my teeth into that green tea creme brûlée!
Shikumen are adding a single red dumpling to every order of Xiao Long Bao throughout October to honour President Xi Jinping’s State visit to London. STARS: ★★★★PRICE: £££
Venue Address:
(Check their website for other locations)
Shikumen Shepherd’s Bush
Dorsett Hotel
58 Shepherd’s Bush Green
London
W12 8QE
Venue phone: 020 8749 9978
Tipping policy: http://www.shikumen.co.uk/shepherds-bush/contact/Reviewed by Jordan Lohan | @lohanjordan
RESTAURANT REVIEW: Zaika of Kensington Restaurant Review
Who loves a good ruby? Indian cuisine isn’t something i have regularly, and perhaps it’s my childhood memories of my Granny’s (who grew up in Vizag, India) infamous egg curry. Apparently it was delicious but not to the palette of a 7 year old. ★★★★
Dining with me at Zaika of Kensington, my best friend, who grew up in Nepal and we immediately connect and get chatting to our waiter, Mustaq. Throughout, his service was perfection and in response to our enquiry on his favourites the restaurant had to offer, he demonstrated great knowledge of the menu and even some of the dishes backgrounds, and i love hearing interesting legacies of food and its history.
It’s history that you’re immediately hit with as soon you enter Zaika, in terms of the building’s architectural aspect. Grand high ceiling with dramatic mouldings, austere window frames, a perfect marriage of classical and contemporary. It is clear they want to give you the impression that this is not your usual curry house, and that continues into the food served too.
We dined at an odd eating time, so the restaurant seemed grandly desolate. We were happy with the echoes of our cackles for company but both agreed that Zaika would have a great vibe during a busy evening.
To start, Aloo Palak Tikki (£8.50), essentially little potato and spinach cakes that were cooked handsomely, crispy exterior and fluffy on the inside- plain in flavour but intentional as they come served on a bed of cold and creamy, spicy chickpeas. The whole dish was drizzled in a sweet yoghurt and adorned in pomegranate jewels. So very pretty and a clever configuration of flavours and textures.
Jhinga Dakshini (£9.50) – nugget-like and light gram flour battered tiger prawns, not the most impressive sized prawns which was a little disappointing, as like my men, i enjoy them a bit beefier. Again this appetiser’s flavour was on point, the paprika-y prawns served with a sweet, turmeric, pale yoghurt. The flavours in both appetisers were really well balanced and full of flavour without being overly seasoned or spiced as to dominate the palette before the main courses.
Nihari Gosht (£23), lamb that is slow cooked over night, and upon offer was then deboned at our table and served to us. Lightly aromatic, lovely and creamy; the lamb was silky soft, and still retained all its wonderful natural flavours. Lamb is the meat of choice in Northern India’s Awadhi cuisine, which Zaika’s menu focuses on. Although there is plenty of choice in terms of meat, poultry and vegetarian.
I couldn’t not order a tikka masala for a main, it being one of Britain’s favourite dishes, so we tried the Paneer version (£14.50). Constantly impressed by Zaika’s flavour balance, this was more spicy for a tikka masala but a scattering of desiccated coconut subtly slurs underneath all that spice and cools the palette. The paneer was firm and almost sweet which worked really well.
No matter how well you feel you cook your rice at home, it always surprises me when you have rice from an Authentic Indian restaurant, and it’s always ridiculously superior, and Zaika’s Zaffrani Pulao (£3.75) was no exception.
A treat via Truffle Naan (£3.75) which was everything a naan should be; crispy and chewy. Delicate truffle notes and light. A winner for sponging up remaining sauce on your plate to the point my plate looked untouched.This was plenty of food for us both, but still wanting to explore their dessert menu and akin to the magnetism of a tikka masala, a good traditional Indian kulfi is always welcomed at the end of a big meal. Zaika’s Classic Kulfi; Mango & Pistachios (£6) is one not to be missed. Beautifully crafted and presented a top a strip of khaki coloured pistachio nut smudge, which I really wanted to just lick off the plate, it was so divine. The kulfi themselves were surprising in as much as they were not overly cold and even those with the most sensitive of teeth could even bite straight into. Wonderfully rich and creamy, a light mango morsel paired with a deep almost marzipan flavour in the pistachio pebble of kulfi. We asked for a small version of the dish and upon touchdown on the tastebuds, that decision was immediately regretted.
Suitably stuffed and smiles on our faces we waddled back to the tube (5 minute walk from the restaurant) and agreed that Zaika of Kensington went above and beyond the usual expectations of Indian cuisine and we would both happily come back. I feel the pricing of the dishes are on point for the quality and execution. The whole experience felt grand and glam, with office Christmas party season approaching, if you have a team of curry fans, Zaika of Kensington is the place for you.
Make a booking here
The Top 10 Healthy Foods And Drinks You Need In Your Fridge
The market has gone mad for health orientated consumer products, but it’s so often that on closer inspection the product is not designed with our optimum health in mind. The other day I was inspecting a snack bar which had the word “Nature” in it. It’s second highest ingredient was sugar (and not from natural sugars). Akin to snacks, the drinks industry can be just as misleading.
Below are a collection of food and drink products that keep it simple, with carefully selected ingredients, and the majority focusing on helping us to achieve our 5 to 7-a-day. You are sure to see some familiar products here, but also some unique and interesting finds that are going to be big in 2015 and beyond. Let’s start with some drinks…
B.Fresh JuicesDirect and cold pressed from Shropshire, probably the closest product you will get to home juicing. In 8 different varieties, B.Fresh have a great vegetable to fruit ratio (we should try to have whole fruits, and juiced vegetables, remember), and have some really refreshing combinations. One of my favourites being their #leanandgreen – cucumber, kale, ginger, lemon, celery, romaine lettuce and spinach. Each juice is one of your 5 a day and the packaging is simple, clear, and highlights each juices greatest qualities (i.e. high in vitamin K etc.).
£15.00 for 6 bottles, and also available as a recurring order / subscription to provide you with your weekly fix.
Bulk Powders – Complete Fruits
Vegan friendly and GM free, Complete Fruits serves as a supplement for those (like me) that need more fruit in their diet. A unique fruit blend of 10 premium quality freeze-dried fruit powders, with one serving equating to 2 of your 5 a day. Bulk Powders also offer Complete Greens with one serving that equates to more than 5 of your 5-a-day! These products should be used in line with a healthy diet, not as a substitute. £31.99 for 100 servings (100 days if taken daily).
Coco Mojo
I would probably be considered crazy not to include some form of coconut water within my top picks of healthy drinks. Coco Mojo is my favourite of all brands out there. Deemed more beneficial than sports drinks filled with electrolytes, coconuts are everywhere right now. I like Coco Mojo’s “Soul” and “Passion” varieties as they are blended with other fruits and best of all, botanical herbs. Check their website for stockists in your area. RRP £.1.79-£1.99p each.
Leader Natural Foods – Detox Smoothie
Vegan friendly smoothie sachets also available in a Balance and an Energy variety. Full of vitamins and vegan-friendly proteins (pea, hemp etc). I concoct my own supplement shakes at home every day, which isn’t viable if I am travelling so usually have a few of these stashed in my bag for a convenient pick me up. They taste pretty lovely too- the Detox smoothie comprising mainly of pineapple, banana, and apple powders. Power foods such as spirulina, nettle leaf, and barley grass also feature in this “superfood” smoothie. Add to coconut water for an extra boost.
£1.99p each. Available at Superdrug.
Arctic Power Berries
Enjoy added to smoothies or home made juices, or alternatively sprinkled atop salads, breakfast or healthy desserts. Available in Blueberry, Cranberry, or Sea Buckthorn. Just a teaspoon of these equates to the goodness of a handful of fresh berries. Dried and powdered with nothing added. Peels and seeds included. Created by two Finnish ladies with backgrounds in nutrition, I have a feeling Arctic Power Berries will be a hit this year. I add the Blueberry to my shake at home.
£7.50 (50g). Available direct. Check their website for other stockists.
Whitworths
Perfect pick me ups with clear information on the packaging- highlighting if they are one of your five a day on the front with their 30g Snack Packs (dried; apple, apricots, raisins, dates, kiwi, mango and many more). How many calories each pack contains are also boldy boasted on each pack. Their range of “Shots” are also scrummy! With a huge pack of dates in front of me I find it hard to self limit with portion, but with these Snack Packs you know exactly how much you’ve had.
£0.45p Snack Packs (30g). Available from most supermarkets and online
The Primal Pantry
Founded and created by a nutritionist in her own kitchen. Primal Pantry cleverly offer the first convenience snack of it’s kind, aimed at people on the popular Paleo diet. Using organic ingredients where they can, and only 4-5 ingredients used per bar, and then cold pressed. Simplicity at it’s very best. Great packaging too. Varieties include; Almond & Cashew, Brazil Nut & Cherry, Coconut & Macadamia (my favourite), and Hazelnut & Cocoa.
£1.49p per bar- Available from Superdrug & others.Boxes of 18 available direct.
Bounce Energy Balls
Founded by a personal fitness trainer and a life coach, aiming to inspire positive change in the way people eat. I like these purely because I find them rather odd. They make a change from the traditional bar shaped product. I particularly like the Spirulina & Ginseng ball as it’s an interesting and tasty ingredient combo. All gluten free and often packed with protein power.
RRP £1.79p per ball. Stocked in most supermarkets and Holland & Barrett and online
Trek & Nakd Bars
Natural Balance Foods offer many varieties of their delicious Trek & Nakd bars. I’m pretty certain all of you reading this would have heard of either of these bars and will agree they are all delicious. Again, another product providing us with 1 of our 5 a day. Doesn’t mean you can eat five a day though! Tempting as it may be. I’ve switched to Trek recently for their higher protein content. Are there any other protein bars out there that also equate to one of your 5 a day? Nope.
Check their website directly for special offers and big boxes. http://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/
£0.75p-£0.90p per bar. Available at supermarkets.
USN Diet Whey BarsWarning. These are dangerously good. More suited to those looking for a sport snack, so if you have recently taken up an exercise regime in the new year, give these a go for a protein packed guilt free snack, with only 5g of sugar per bar. The peanut butter brownie flavour is a proper sweet tooth fix. £35.99p (Box of 18).
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Gaylord, London
In the Oxford Circus area lies a rather well renowned traditional Indian cuisine restaurant, Gaylord. A typical Indian restaurant vibe via both decor and ambience, which soon filled to maximum capacity on a Tuesday eve, and after 48 years of trading, it’s evident the restaurant has built up many fans. A bottle of Prosecco to match the bubbly atmos. (and a good one at £25 you’ll be tempted to have two).
True to tradition arrive the airy light and crisp poppadum and an array of pickles and pastes- their slightly sour lime pickle was my favourite closely followed by a minty herby paste which tasted garden fresh zingy. The fresh theme was followed throughout the entire meal from the usually overlooked side salads through to the meat and accompanying sauces etc.
We ordered from the menu, but as we had been invited to dine at the restaurant, the on duty manager advised he would bring some extras to the table.
Golgappa Shots (£6.50) were brought to the table; a rather off-putting savoury murky green liquid in six shot glasses, each with a puffed cracker atop. I think the idea is to pour the liquid from the shot glass into the cracker, and then eat. I found the whole thing awkward and unnecessary. There is an option to add a shot of Grey Goose vodka (£5), which could hold the secret to making the tamarind tangy ‘spiced aromatic water’ a little less odd. But I doubt it.
A nice bit of fusion coming in from Mexico with Gaylord’s taco selection, we shared the Pulled Chicken (£8.50) version which came out from the kitchen presented in the backseat of a metal wire car. Kinda felt like a kids meal was taking a joyride on the wrong table, but the flavour was lovely, being rich, piquant and herby. Amongst the silky pulled chicken I, unfortunately, found a small bone which was a shame.
Hitching a lift onto the table was the Mix Vegetable Pakoras (£9.50), which were dry and lacked any flavour. The fun is taken out of having a mixture platter when you are unable to identify the different ingredients.
From the moment the Prawn Puri (£10) arrived to the table, the nightmares of the murky green liquid and garish metal wire cars started to leave us. These prawns looked HENCH. The kind of prawns that eat seahorse for breakfast. Perfect plump juicy king prawns in a very light jalfrezi coating, like a very thin batter almost. When flavour, texture, and the cooking of a humble prawn is so on point- the chemistry is celestial.
With the table slowly losing any available space, my personally selected starters from the ‘Tribute to royalty; Maharaja Feast’ (£29.50/3 course) arrived in the form of “the best of Gaylord kebabs”. The Lamb Seekh Kebab being minced and sausage-shaped, was well seasoned and abundant in herbs. The chicken kebab being a typical tandoori was my least favourite being a little dry all round. The lamb chop, however, was beautiful, simply spiced and with a plain creamy yoghurt- lamb is so delicious, I can’t bear when its limelight is stolen via a kitchen being overly spice-happy.
I can’t believe we are only just approaching the main course! The portions are very generous we no way needed the extras brought to the table. The Lamb Rogan Josh as part of my Maharaja Feast which had a citrus gravy with strong cardamom and cinnamon notes, extremely aromatic and came with a cloud of pilau.
Murg Korma (£15) for my friend with a mushroom pilau. The korma was creamy as you like, with hints of cashews and a suspicion of sweet. The mushroom pilau was really well-cooked rice that had an intense mushroom/umami flavour with a spritz of lemon juice run through there too. Perfect with the korma.
Lamb Shank (£18- and another off-piste bestowal by the restaurant). The menu dictates a special Gaylord spice mix, however, the flavour was lacking altogether other than the dominant tomato- even with the flesh of the lamb, which subsequently was not falling off the bone.
You cannot possibly dine in an Indian restaurant without getting your Bombay Aloo on (£8.50). The flavours were tart and chutney-like which always gets thumbs up from me. A kind of candied ginger meets spicy smoky chilli gravy flavour to it- cleverly constructed. I would recommend you order this as a side.
Dessert was a sharing platter (£8.50) and at this point, I’m not sure what is what in terms of items we ordered. An icy almond-y kulfi stole the show on the platter. Homemade carrot pudding (or Halwa) was served warm and abandoned after sampling as it just was not nice. Rasmalai, cottage cheese patties were spongy and strange- a dish you continue to graze on and wonder about. I enjoy dishes that make you think, and the pistachios alongside were a good call.
Phew! Food over and done with! I cannot help but feel a little sorry for Gaylord. This review may well have panned out a little better for them if they hadn’t of been so generous and loaded the table up with dishes like the murky Golgappa shots, the taco that had the bone in, that we did not order, and other nothing to sing about dishes I haven’t even typed up (naan/raita).
We didn’t have much luck with the majority of the starters, other than those perfect prawns. The mains were very good as were the Bombay potatoes. And next time, I would have the kulfi on its own. And yes, I would dine again at Gaylord.
Reviewed by @LohanJordan
ADDRESS: 79-81 Mortimer Street, London W1W 7SJ, UK
PHONE: 020 7580 3615
PRICE: ££££
STAR RATING: ***
TIPPING POLICY: http://gaylordlondon.com/contact.php
RECIPE | Dark Chocolate Sorbet
This is ridiculously easy to prepare, make, and eat. Surprisingly creamy and smooth considering there is no milk or cream element to this, hence why it’s a sorbet.
I made a batch of Homemade Honeycomb and smashed some pieces over the top for decoration along with some pomegranate jewels
DARK CHOCOLATE – You wouldn’t want to eat it in one sitting obviously but just to show you, based on 70-85% cocoa; 100g dark chocolate contains the following percentages of your recommended daily intake; 67% iron, 58% magnesium, 89% copper (great for immune system), 98% manganese, along with potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and selenium.
Ingredients.
200g caster sugar
80g cocoa (I used Bournville)
175g dark chocolate (blitzed or bashed into small pieces)
1 tsp vanilla extract
530ml water
Method.
- Mix the sugar, cocoa and just 375ml of the water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Stirring frequently while you continue to boil it for a minute.
- Take off the heat and stir in the blitzed chocolate and vanilla and remaining 180ml of water.
- At this point you could now either use an electric whisk or pour into a blender to smooth the mixture for 30 seconds.
- Pour into a container and chill thoroughly.
- Once chilled, follow your ice cream machine’s manufacturer instructions to making the sorbet. I used a Magimix Le Glacier which churned the sorbet for 30 minutes.
RECIPE | Vegetarian Polski Pate
Makes 6-8 slices
Vegetarian / Starter
Traditionally, the courgette is the vegetable of choice used to make this pate / vegetable loaf in Poland. I like having a wedge of this cold with something pickled alongside it, like little cornichons.
COURGETTES – A helpful source of vitamin C. The dietary fibre in courgettes can also help lower our cholesterol levels. The same fibre matched with the courgette’s water content will also make you feel full. The fibres and anti-oxidants help destroy carcinogens and their toxins from settling in the colon. Courgette’s are also great for our skin; hydration, anti-ageing, collagen formation, and puffy eyes.
MUSHROOMS – Mushrooms contain high levels of vitamin D, which is a vitamin a lot of us are deficient in without even realising. Polysaccharides and beta glucans within mushrooms are beneficial to the immune system function.
Ingredients.
400g courgette, grated
200g baby mushrooms, finely chopped
250g breadcrumbs (I used a gluten free bread and blitzed)
200g grated mature cheddar
1 onion, finely chopped
3 eggs, divided into yolks & whites
2 fat cloves garlic
15g fresh parsley
1 tsp dried marjoram
Method.
Preheat your oven to 180c / 160c (fan) / Gas Mark 4
- In a large saucepan cook your mushrooms in a tiny glug of oil until they have browned, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine; courgette, cheese, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, fresh parsley, marjoram, 3 egg yolks, cooked mushrooms and a good serving of freshly cracked black pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon thoroughly.
- With the 3 egg whites, begin to beat and continue until stiff.
- Incorporate the egg whites gradually, delicately into the courgette mix.
- Line a greased loaf tin with baking paper.
- Transfer the courgette mix carefully by the spoonful into the prepared loaf tin, smoothing over the top of the mix once completely transferred.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Remove and set aside to cool. Use the baking paper edges to carefully lift the loaf out of its tin. I love this from the fridge kinda cold!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Ice Cream Makers
If like us, you enjoy a scoop of something sweet in the summer sun, then here are our top two ice cream machines to help you complete your creamy cravings!
Both machines have been picked for their simplicity and quality of ice creams they produce.
Magimix Le Glacier – from £40 for a 1.1 ltr / £55 for a 1.5 ltr
For around an extra £15 it’s definitely worth opting for the 1.5ltr, even then the price is still reasonable- and why wouldn’t you want more ice cream? The machine itself is extremely compact so makes great for those with limited space.
When comparing to the other machine I’ve picked, the Le Glacier’s only downfall is having to have pre-freeze the bowl. Although you could just keep the bowl in the freezer ready for when you want to use it. This machine is marginally noisier than the Cuisinart, I would give noise level 7/10.
Putting together the parts of the product can be a little bit fiddly to begin with, but
the quality of ice cream the machine makes is fab and some recipes you only have to churn for 20 minutes.
Cuisinart Gelato & Ice Cream Professional- from £200
Probably my favourite out of the two. Requires a larger space in the kitchen as it is a bit chunky, but the reason for that is that it freezes and cools whilst churning and no pre-freezing is required, meaning it is good to go whenever you are!
The machine is durable as I made three ice creams in one go, with the product only requiring a 10 minute cooling time after the second was made. If you wanted to do that with the other machine (Magimix), you would have had to re-freeze the bowl for each ice cream.
Some appliances can be daunting from the point you open the box and see all the contraptions that come with it, but Cuisinart have kept this minimal and simple.
Pretty much a plug and play product and has a timer you can set for how long you want to churn with an auto-off function.
It comes with a cute little ice cream pail and two different paddles (one for normal ice cream and the other gelato/sorbet) and the quality is seriously superior.
JUICERS: Battle of the Budget Buys
Our Food and Drinks expert Jordan Lohan takes a look at two juicers this month.
Both of these juicers have the same amount of parts that come with the product (being seven, six of which require cleaning and are dishwasher safe).
This also makes both machines a little fiddly when first getting to grips with what goes where. This is pretty much universal throughout other juicers out there so those points will not be considered in the comparison.
Russell Hobbs- Aura Juice Extractor
Available from £60
Its clunky exterior means you are able to add whole fruits which reduces time preparing fruit and vegetables for juicing as opposed to the other machine.
The manual is extremely user-friendly and comprehensive, kitted with a list of certain ingredients and how to prepare them (I found this really useful), even encouraging you to utilize the extracted pulp in composting or even to thicken soups etc. 35 recipes were included which a few had nice introductions to as to why they were included (stress busting/energizing / beautiful skin etc.)
2 speed settings for the motor dependent on if you’re using soft / hard ingredients, and although I found this a bit annoying, it does mean you are supposed to get more out of the ingredients used.
This was the noisier out of the two machines tested and I found that there was more pulpy bits and less juice extracted compared to the other. The cord was a good length enabling you to position freely on your worktop.
Overall, the juices that the Russell Hobbs made came out clean and of good quality, although I felt a little “short-changed” with the amount of produce I had put into the machine.
Cuisinart Compact Juicer
Available from £70
A lovely looking compact product perfect for smaller spaces, although the cable is extremely short meaning you’re limited to where you can place it in your kitchen if yours is gadget-laden like mine.
A glossy manual, although wasted as no ingredient guidelines like the other product. Simple recipes just listing ingredients, although I do like their more innovative approach to using the machine with recipes for a dressing and even pineapple muffins.
Simple on and off function with one speed setting, although this would suggest you are compromising the quality of juice extracted, and there is also more preparation involved (chopping down in size)- however out of the two, this product produced less “waste”. I had to clean the path for the pulp as it had a lot of build up throughout juicing. This was also the more difficult of the products to clean.
Like the Russell Hobbs product, I enjoyed the juices I was able to create. Probably more so as I was aware how much less waste there was in comparison. Its good points are it’s aesthetics, size, lower noise level and less waste than the other machine tested.
In conclusion, it would appear you’re likely to see the same traits amongst budget juicers, with various pros and cons out weighing each other making it difficult to decide on the ultimate budget juicer. If you can afford it, you want to find a juicer that uses the cold-press method and one you can make “milks” out of from nuts etc for optimum nutritional / functional use.
RECIPE | Lemon And Garlic Roasted Halloumi
Serves 2 | Prep 5 mins | Cook 30 mins
The flavours of this summon fond memories of visiting family in Cyprus when I was younger. The marriage of flavours is perfection. Sweet, salty, lemony, garlicky, and herby. For my palette it ticks every box for a simple starter. This could easily become a main by having quinoa or couscous along side it. As a starter, just a plain green salad with cucumber slices, and spring onion goes perfectly. You could even add some pistachios to the salad for extra texture.
HALLOUMI- A reduced fat or lighter halloumi will provide you with more protein within the cheese. Around 30g of the cheese provides you with 20% of your recommended intake of calcium. Usually made from goat’s or sheep’s milk, all milk contains tryptophans. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that cannot be manufactured within our body. Tryptophan is what we are able to produce serotonin out of, which encourages positive mood and better sleep.
Ingredients.
2 tsp herbes de Provence
2 tbsp olive oil
1 block light Halloumi, Sliced into 4
1 tbsp honey
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 lemon
Method.
Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c (fan) / Gas Mark 6
- Use a quarter of the lemon to slice into 4 rounds that will sit on top of the halloumi pieces.
- Squeeze the remainder of the lemon into a bowl and mix with the garlic, honey, olive oil and herbs.
- Sit the halloumi pieces in the bowl and toss gently in the marinade.
- Place the halloumi pieces in a baking dish, top with a lemon round each and drizzle over any marinade from the bowl.
- Roast in the oven for 15 minutes and turn each halloumi piece over.
- Roast for a further 10-15 minutes until the edges of the cheese start to turn golden.
- Remove from the oven and using a spatula to remove the halloumi, flip over onto plates so they are served lemon side up.
RECIPE | Baked Sweet Potato Burgers
Makes 4 burgers | Prep 10 mins Cook 1 hour
Smoky sweet potato burgers that are packed with antioxidant power. It may seem like a while to cook, but these delicate patties will pay you back in health benefits, as opposed to a normal beef burger. I make a simple garlic mayo for these using 1 garlic clove finely chopped, 3 tbsp light mayo and a handful of chopped parsley. These are also beautiful with my Fennel & Red Cabbage Slaw.
You could follow the recipe up to step 5 and then keep the patties in the fridge to be cooked the next day.
SWEET POTATO – One medium (200g) of sweet potato will provide the following DRI; 213% vitamin A, 52% vitamin C, 49% manganese (bone production & skin integrity), 35% copper (immune system), 35% B5 (good for acne / oily skin), 33% B6 (the “good mood” vitamin, brain function), 28% biotin (good for hair loss, nails, healthy skin, supports metabolism and could aid weight loss, lowers cholesterol, regulate blood sugar), 27% potassium (counteracts sodium, lowers blood pressure, healthy digestion), 26% fibre, 18% B3, 17% B1, 16% B2, 15% phosphorous. (SOURCE: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64 )
RED ONION – The red onion contains a bioflavanoid called Quercetin. Quercetin has been found to contain anti : fungal / bacterial / inflammatory, and cancer fighting properties. One study suggests that half an onion a day could reduce the risk of stomach cancer by 50%. (SOURCE: http://www.healwithfood.org/health-benefits/eating-red-onions.php )
Ingredients.
1 red onion, chopped
½ large sweet potato, peeled and in small cubes
1 garlic
¼ tsp cumin
½ tsp herbes de Provence or Italian herbs
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp sweetcorn (frozen is fine)
4 tbsp kidney beans, cooked
6 tbsp breadcrumbs (I used a gluten-free seeded brown bread)
Method.
Preheat your oven to 230 c / 210c (fan) / Gas Mark 8
- In a large saucepan heat two tablespoons of olive oil and fry the onion, garlic and sweet potato over a low heat for 15-20 mins or until soft.
- Transfer the onion, garlic and sweet potato into a large bowl where you will now mash together along with all the spices. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the sweetcorn, kidney beans, and breadcrumbs and mix well to combine.
- Wet your hands for the next bit. Mould the burger mix into 4 equally shaped patties.
- Put a sheet of greaseproof paper on a baking sheet, and then put your patties on top.
- Put in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully flip with a spatula. Put back in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes.
- Serve on buns with salad, tomato, onion rings, or however you wish to dress it.