Halloumi, Tomato, Cucumber and Couscous Salad:

Ingredients:
50g couscous
80g halloumi, sliced
1 tomato, cut into 1cm chunks
¼ cucumber, cut into 1cm chunks
5 black olives, pitted
2 sprigs mint, leaves picked
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

(Haloumi Cheese purchased in Aldi!)

Halloumi, Tomato, Cucumber and Couscous Salad:

Method:
Cook the couscous according to packet instructions.
Heat a pan over a high heat and dry fry the halloumi slices for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown stripes appear on the cheese surface. Place the couscous in the bowl you plan to eat from and add the halloumi, tomato, cucumber, olives and mint.
Drizzle liberally with the oil and season with salt and pepper.
​Eat straight away or pack in your lunchbox ready to take to work.

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Courgettes, Feta & Mint Quiche
Makes 8 small quiches or 1 large quiche

​Ingredients:
1 (or 2 if you’re using small tins)  roll, ready-made shortcrust pastry
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
700g fresh courgette, grated
handful fresh mint, finely chopped
3 rounds of Feta cheese
4 large eggs
250ml cream / milk
salt & pepper to taste

Courgettes, Feta & Mint Quiche

Method:
​Roll out the shortcrust pastry to fit into the quiche tin(s).
Pre-heat the oven to 180°c and Blind Bake the pastry for 10 minutes until golden brown. Set aside.
In a large pan, fry the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the grated courgettes and fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Transfer the mixture into a colander and allow to drain for 5 minutes. Add the chopped mint.
Beat together the eggs, milk and seasoning.
Spoon the zucchini mixture on top of the pastry and cover with the egg mixture. Crumble over the Feta cheese and grind over some black pepper.
Bake for 15-20 minutes (10 for mini quiches) until the quiche is set but still slightly soft in the middle.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

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Autumn/Winter recipies. Soups lifting your spirits in the depths of winter.

Parsnip Soup:
Ingredients:
I large parsnip
125g chopped onion
1 crushed clove of garlic
90g butter
1 tablespoon of flour
1 rounded teaspoon of curry powder
1.2 litres of hot stock
salt & pepper
150ml cream, chopped chive
​croutons of bread fried in oil or butter.

Parsnip Soup
Method:
Put peeled and sliced parsnip, onion and garlic into a heavy pan and cook slowly for ten minutes with butter - keeping the lid on the pan.
The vegetables must not brown but absorb the butter gently. Then add the flour and curry powder which will take up the fat and be incorporated with the hot stock.
Simmer until the parsnip is cooked, then liquidize.
Continue to cook in the pan adding salt, pepper and more curry powder if desired, but try to keep the flavour mild.
Add cream and a sprinkling of chives then serve with croutons.

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Celeriac Soup
​Ingredients:
1 large head of celeriac - peeled & chopped
2 large onions - peeled & chopped
2 sticks of celery
2 or 3 large potatoes - peeled & chopped
1 litre vegetable stock
fresh thyme leaves
40g butter
100ml cream
salt
​freshly ground black pepper

Celeriac Soup
​Method:
Cook the chopped onions in butter for 6 to 8 minutes on a very low heat in a large heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally until softened.
Now add the diced potatoes, celeriac and celery with the hot stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables are properly cooked.
Remove from the heat and the cream and thyme - liquidize until smooth.
Season to your taste.