Fright Night

So it’s Halloween, my favourite holiday and time for some spooky treats.  Well, not really that spooky to be honest.  Just using up left over pumpkins.

A few years ago, my little sister introduced me to the idea of using templates to carve pumpkins.  A revelation which made me forsake the basic face pumpkin forever.  I downloaded the templates online.  A quick google image search will turn up a whole raft of options.  Cut the template to size and tape it to the hollowed out pumpkin.  Then using a skewer push through the paper into the flesh of the pumpkin, following the lines of the template.  Remove the paper and start to carve round the outline.  Carve the most delicate parts first.

The Very Tolerant Boyfriend rebelled against my "no faces" regime, and free-styled a very good pumpkin face.  I think he might just be more creative than me.

Normally I am terrible for throwing away the inside of the pumpkins.  This year I roasted the pumpkin seeds.

Wash all the residual flesh from the seeds, toss them in paprika, olive oil, salt and maybe some cumin and then roast them at 150 degrees for an hour.  Once they’ve cooled they’re a delicious tasty treat which the Very Tolerant Boyfriend has become quite addicted to.  Probably because he’s been forced to give up crisps for Stoptober. 

Speaking of Stoptober, the month is very nearly at its end so there should be a slew of cakes coming the way of this blog fairly shortly.  The Very Tolerant Boyfriend and I are going to celebrate surviving by having Not Afternoon Tea at Harvey Nicks – Cakes and Cocktails.

New obsessions

It's quite a well documented fact that I am utterly obsessed with broccoli.  I am not too sure where this came from, I remember texting Charlie once telling her I was going to bathe in broccoli and things kind of went from there.  Next thing you know the Very Tolerant Boyfriend was giving me broccoli shaped jewellery for my birthday.

I like this dish because it combines two of my very favourite vegetables, broccoli (obviously) and my current obsession beetroot.  I'm something of a late life adopter of beetroot.  I think as early as the beginning of this year, I wouldn't have eaten it through choice.  I am hoping that this happens with olives as well.  I am desperate to like olives.  I think it will be a sign that I am finally grown up.

Sticky pork with broccoli and beetroot

• 1 head(s) broccoli, broken into small florets (I used tenderstem broccoli because I prefer it)
• 30 mls runny honey
• 30 mls sherry (left over white wine)
• 30 mls soy sauce
• 15 mls sunflower or groundnut oil
• 300g/11oz pork strips for stir-frying (I used a finely sliced pork tenderloin)
• 4  vacuum-packed natural beetroot, quartered
• chili flakes (optional)
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander, chopped

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Method

1. Steam broccoli till just tender, drain and set aside. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, sherry and soy sauce and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok. When really hot, add pork and chili and stir-fry till just cooked through. Pour in sauce and bubble till it starts to thicken. Add broccoli and beetroot to pan. 
4. Sprinkle with chopped coriander.  (I threw on some chopped peanuts as a last minute thought)

 I think that this could use some more chili and possibly some garlic as well at the start, but the dish is fairly delicious and quick.  Because we're not eating a huge amount of carbs during the week at the minute, I served this with some green beans.  I think it's meant to be served with rice.

Salad days

So this month is apparently "Stoptober", it's one of these uber trendy made up words, trying to piggy back off the success of Movember ,  Both of which are undeniably good causes, but for some reason irritate me beyond the boundaries of rational thought.  Mainly I think because I can't join in with Movember, so I feel all excluded and hurt.

Actually I can't technically join in with Stoptober either, as I don't smoke, but I've decided to hijack it for my own ends.  One of my sister and my more unattractive traits is our extreme competitiveness.  People don't like playing games with us.  So when I wanted someone to challenge to my very own Stoptober, the answer was clear. Then the very tolerant boyfriend offered to join in, and so the game was afoot.

The rules are these;

No cake

No biscuits

No tarts

No chocolate

No sweets
No crisps

No tasty baked goods of the sweet persuasion of any kind.

Which basically means that this blog is going to be VERY boring for the next four weeks.

The game obviously requires complete and utter honesty from all participants.  It's going to be very hard for the Very Tolerant Boyfriend and I to monitor my little sister, so we'll have to trust her to tell us the truth.  Anyway, the winner is to be the person who lasts the longest without cracking and ramming all of the cake in sight into their face.  The two losers will buy the winner a small present of some nature.

So I thought I would show you one of my favourite salads instead.  It's ridiculously simple to make and it goes with pretty much anything.

Beetroot, Feta and Pea

4 x cooked beetroot diced

2 cups of frozen peas (cooked and cooled)

50g Feta Cheese diced.

mix together, put in your mouth,

Told you it was simple.