Fresh Start

Hey everyone

I’m back..........
But with a fresh start
New name, new blog and of course new mouth watering recipes
So basically a brand new mission.

We are now known as Pantry of Flavors
Our blog isn’t currently live, but we are working on it.
However, we are on instagram @pantryofflavors where you will find delicious recipes, food inspiration and useful tips.
Please do follow us and share our page
Thank you
Aysha Daud

Boring Potatoes!!!!

How many of you out there make the same type of potatoes when cooking meals???? chips, mash, roast, boiled....... I bet it becomes repetitive and BORING!!!! especially for the kids. Am I right????

Well I know the feeling, but in my house instead of my children finding it boring I find it boring.

There is so much you can do with potatoes and over time I have experimented with so many different types of species, herbs and even the way they are cut and presented.

I personally think presentation of food plays a massive part in encouraging someone to try something, especially for kids. Food needs to look colourful, even if the main focus of the meal being meat, chicken or fish is not colourful at least the trimmings  should be.

Now that I'm back with blogging you will find interesting, mouth watering recipes that will help you turn your dinner table into a feast!!!!!!

Back to potatoes, here is one of my latest new invention of turning boring potatoes into a finger licking side dish that will go with any meal.

I hope you enjoy it, feedback would be much appreciated. 

Thanks

Aysha

Rustic Half Jackets

You will need:

4 roasting potatoes 

olive oil 

salt to taste

a sprinkle of dried chilli flakes

dried mixed herbs

dash of paprika

Method:

Wash and boil the whole potatoes with skin on for about 10 min (don't completely boil them otherwise they will mash)

Once boiled, drain and cut into half long ways, then lightly cut a little of the way into the potatoes longways and the other way (like you would do to a mango to make it look like a hedgehog). Bush the skin side of the potato with olive oil and place skin side down on a baking dish. 

In a small jug pour about 2 tbsp of olive oil and add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well. Drizzle over the potatoes.

It should look like this:

Place into an preheated oven for 40 min or until the potatoes have roasted to your desired colour and texture. You will notice that the potatoes open up a little. This will give it a Rustic look.

Rustic Half Jackets:

Enjoy!!!!!

It's just another way to make potatoes more interesting, I had mine with fresh salad drizzled with dressing and spaghetti. Or try melted cheese!!!!!

How will you eat your???

I'M BACK!!!!!!

Hi everyone, for those of you that don't know me I'm Aysha Daud and I just love cooking and baking, most of all I love to share my ideas with everyone so I created this blog way back in 2011. 

I have already posted loads of mouth watering recipes which I'm sure will definitely leave you licking your fingers.

Its been a really, really long time since I last posted anything on here which is sad 😞

So this little note is just to say that I'm BACK!!!!!!!!!
with loads of new and exciting recipes, food prep ideas, food storage tips and lots more!!!!!!!

Look forward to posting soon.

Aysha 

Grilled Chicken with Turmeric

1 chicken cut into either 4 or 8 with skin

1 chicken stock cube

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 bottle Nandoos sauce (any)

salt/pepper to taste

1 tsp dried parsley

1 mug water

Make a paste using 3 tbsp of warm water the chicken stock, salt/pepper,turmeric and parsley, marinate the chicken with the paste and place in an oven dish and cook in the oven for about 15min, then grill the chicken. Once the chicken is about ¾ cooked add the Nandoos sauce and the water and grill until cooked. Then drain the sauce out into a jug leaving a small amount of sauce. Grill the chicken until golden brown.

Serve with yellow rice which is normal rice cooked with some soaked saffron water or yellow food colour. You can use the remaining sauce a a gravy.

Tasty Grilled Chicken

1 chicken 8 piece with skin

1 cube chicken stock

pinch of pepper

olive oil

1 tbsp bisto gravy

1 lg onion sliced

Dissolve the stock in 1 mug water and add to the chicken, then add pepper and onions, drizzle olive oil and grill. Half way through grilling make gravy paste and add to the chicken and grill until chicken is cooked. Drain out gravy into a gravy jug to use on top of the chicken when eating, grill skin side up until skin becomes brown. Serve with rice.

 

Tasty Fish Bites

2 pk of fish fillets (any kind will do)

1 tin nestle cream

6 green chillis

¼ bunch coriander

1 tsp salt

breadcrumbs

Blend all the above except the fish in a blender. Cut the fish into bite size pieces and add them to the marination, evenly coat each fish piece. Keep in the fridge over night.

The next day coat each fish bite in breadcrumbs and bake in the oven drizzled with olive oil.

Lamb Cutlets

1 lb lamb mince (can use chicken)

1 med onion chopped

2 tsp crushed garlic

coriander chopped

1 tsp crushed ginger

2 tsp dhanya powder

1 egg

salt/pepper to taste

breadcrumbs

Mix all of the above ingredients except for the egg and breadcrumbs. Shape into round cutlet shape, dip in egg and breadcrumbs and bake in the oven on 180 degrees for about 15 min turning them half time.

Enjoy with a mint relish, salad and naan.

Chicken with Mayyonnaise

1 chicken cut into 8 with or without skin

1 bottle Nando's sauce (any strength)

1 small bottle mayonnaise

2 med onions sliced

2 med fresh tomato's sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

Place chicken into an oven dish add both nando's and mayonnaise and olive oil to it and cook in the oven. Once 3/4 cooked and the onion and tomato's on top of the chicken and cook in the oven until brown, serve with rice.

Children fasting in Ramadan........


Many children fast during Ramadan. Even though they are not required to fast before the onset of puberty, many parents encourage children to fast at a younger age to get them accustomed to the ritual of fasting.

Since they are new to this and need getting used to the sense of discipline that fasting requires, it is essential to teach them the right way to do it, especially since Ramadan takes place during the hot summer months this year.

Fasting is not always easy on the little ones given that they are more active, require more energy and fluids. Who should fast and how long a child should fast is a question for parents to consider. Parents should assess the child’s ability to fast based on their health, activity level, tolerance to hunger and eating frequency.

If children are fasting, let them be a part of this decision. Start getting them accustomed to eating less frequently during the day and minimise the number of meals gradually before the month begins.

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Children under ten should start fasting until noon and then increase the fasting time further into the month. Parents are advised to monitor the fasting child’s intake closely to make sure they are meeting their calorie and fluid requirements.

Children should be encouraged to avoid high-intensity exercise and drink lots of fluid during non-fasting hours to remain hydrated. The suhour meal is an essential part of fasting for children. They should have fibre-rich foods such as whole wheat cereals, wholegrains, legumes, fruit and vegetables and good sources of protein such as lean meats, nut butter, eggs and dairy products to stay full for longer. Try to have them avoid high-sugar foods, since it will increase their cravings and provide no nutrients for the calories. Salty foods should also be limited to avoid thirst.

One mistake a lot of parents make is forcing children to overeat at suhour or iftar. Overeating will only cause indigestion, bloating and discomfort. In some cases, it is better for children to split iftar into two meals to prevent overloading of food.

Carbonated drinks, and spicy and fried foods should also be avoided. It is essential for children to meet their calorie requirements during the non-fasting hours to stay nourished.

The most important thing is eating a variety of foods from all food groups, such as wholegrains (wholegrain cereals, brown pasta, wholegrain breads and quinoa), fruits and vegetables, dairy products (milk, yoghurt and cheese), meat and meat alternatives (beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, nuts and legumes) and healthy fats (olive/canola oil, avocado, fatty fish and flax seeds), keeping well hydrated and being lightly active during the fasting hours

Advice on storing, washing and preparing fruit and vegetables to prevent food poisoning, including E. coli.

It is important to wash all fruit and vegetables before you eat them to ensure they are clean and safe to eat.
Most people are aware of the importance of handling meat safely, but many consider the risk of food poisoning from vegetables to be low.
“It’s a myth that a little bit of dirt doesn’t do you any harm,” says Dr Andrew Wadge, chief scientist of the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
“Soil can sometimes carry harmful bacteria and, although food producers have good systems in place to clean vegetables, the risk can never be entirely eliminated.”
Those risks were highlighted in the 2011 Escherichia coli (E. coli) outbreak in the UK. Soil stuck on leeks and potatoes is thought to have been the source of the outbreak, which involved 250 cases of E. coli infection.

Washing veg

Don't just hold vegetables under a running tap. Rub them under water, for example in a bowl of fresh water. Start with the least soiled items first and give each of them a final rinse.

How should fruit and vegetables be washed?

Washing will help to remove bacteria including E.coli from the surface of fruit and vegetables.
Most of the bacteria will be in the soil attached to the produce. Washing to remove any soil is, therefore, particularly important.
When you wash vegetables, don't just hold them under the running tap. Rub them under water, for example in a bowl of fresh water. Start with the least soiled items first and give each of them a final rinse.
Washing loose produce is particularly important as it tends to have more soil attached to it than pre-packaged fruit and vegetables.
It is always advisable to wash all fruit and vegetables before you eat them to ensure that they are clean and to help remove bacteria from the outside.
Peeling or cooking fruit and vegetables can also remove bacteria.

What is the key advice for safely storing, handling and cooking raw vegetables?

• Always wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw food, including vegetables.
• Keep raw food, including vegetables, separate from ready-to-eat foods.
• Use different chopping boards, knives and utensils for raw and ready-to-eat foods, or wash these items thoroughly in between uses.
• Check the label - unless packaging around vegetables says ‘ready-to-eat’ you must wash, peel or cook them before eating.

How can I avoid cross-contamination?

It is better to rub fruit and vegetables under a bowl of water, rather than under a running tap. This will help reduce splashing and the release of bacteria into the air that could result from cleaning directly under a running tap. Try to wash the least soiled items first and give each of them a final rinse.
Brushing off dry soil before washing may help reduce the amount of washing required to clean the vegetables thoroughly.
It’s also important to clean chopping boards, knives and other utensils after preparing vegetables to prevent cross-contamination. Read more about Food safety.

How do bacteria get onto vegetables?

Bacteria can get onto fruit and vegetables in several ways. They may be present in water used for irrigation, organic fertilisers and droppings from birds and other animals that go into fields.

Should people who might be vulnerable to infection handle raw vegetables?

There are no indications that loose vegetables are regularly contaminated with E.coli or other harmful bacteria.
People who are vulnerable to infection, such as pregnant women, the elderly or anyone with a weakened immune system, should follow the guidelines on preparation and good hygiene carefully. There is no need for them to avoid preparing such foods.
If children handle loose vegetables as part of food preparation, shopping or in craft activities they should be encouraged to wash their hands afterwards.

How should I handle loose vegetables when out shopping?

The risk of infection from handling loose vegetables remains small as long as good hygiene practice is observed.
It’s not necessary or practical to wash your hands after handling loose vegetables or fruit every time you’re out shopping. 
If you intend to eat foods immediately after shopping then it would be advisable to wash your hands and those of any children that might have handled loose vegetables.
When selecting loose vegetables, bear in mind that more heavily soiled vegetables may take longer to prepare at home.

Should I avoid buying vegetables with soil on them?

No. Some vegetables are always sold with some soil on them. It’s good practice to remove as much soil as possible when preparing vegetables.
Loose vegetables may involve a bit more preparation than if they are pre-packed but as long as this is done carefully then there is no need to avoid them.
Bear in mind that more heavily soiled vegetables may take longer to prepare for cooking.
It is also important to note that although soil was considered to be the most likely source of the contamination, this is not known for certain.

Why have we now seen a problem with vegetables?

The cause of the E. coli outbreak in the UK is still unclear and investigations are under way to find the source and to prevent a similar outbreak.
There have been several previous outbreaks linked to salad vegetables, which are consumed raw.
However, illness linked to root vegetables is much less common because most root vegetables are cooked before being eaten.
There is always a risk of harmful bacteria on loose vegetables spreading to other food if produce is not stored, washed and cooked properly.