All posts filed under: Ingredients

Chilli Flakes

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You may notice that I like using chilli flakes in my recipes! Adding a little chilli to our food whether fresh or dried is so good for us. For me, its the intense little bursts of heat that chilli can give a recipe that I love! Chilli flakes are crushed dried chillies whereas chilli powder is made from dried chillies which are then ground down into a fine powder. When the chillies are dried the flesh turns a lovely intense orangey red, so the flakes add a great splash of colour to whatever you’re cooking. Don’t worry about the seeds, they’re not as fiery as you might think. This is because the seeds are not actually the hottest part of the chilli, but it’s in fact the white membranes that attach the seeds to the flesh that contains the heat. The great thing is, you can add a little at first and if you’d like to turn up the heat then just sprinkle over a little more! I often add chilli flakes to roasting vegetables or sprinkle a pinch over …

Quinoa

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For my first ingredients post I’ve decided to write about Quinoa. Now the first time I tried this I really wasn’t too keen but now I’m a complete convert! Apparently quinoa is not a true grain, in fact its the seeds that we actually eat!  Over recent years its become increasingly popular because its a ‘complete’ plant based food, packed full of protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre as well as enzymes, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Which all sounds great but what does it mean?! Basically its just so good for you! Its very unusual for a plant to contain so much protein and all the essential amino acids to support a healthy body so quinoa is obviously perfect for vegetarians. But it doesn’t mean its not for non vegetarians as being nutrient dense it makes a cheap and incredibly healthy addition to the diet. Its also low in carbohydrates which means it won’t spike your blood sugar levels and releases its energy slowly into the body. Quinoa is available three varieties, white, red and black. These are …