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::Apple and Cinnamon Porridge
2007-08-28 11:04:00
Eating porridge in the morning is one of the most perfect ways to set your body up for the rest of the day. It is high in complex carbohydrates and provides the body with slow releasing energy. In the last few years porridge has slowly become one of the hottest super foods, and understandably so, the oats have so many health benefits that they are often linked to long and healthy lifestyles. Here are just a few benefits of porridge, it can help dieting, prevents childhood obesity, helps concentration, heals the skin, improves sex life, and can even beat depression!I'm going to write a bit about my thoughts on milk and the whole dairy industry issue, but for now let me just recommend that you make your porridge with water and if you can't avoid milk, at least try goats, or soya.Apple and Cinnamon Porridge 1 Cup of porridge oats2 and a half cups of water1 Large apple gratedA good sprinkling of Cinnamon powderA quick drizzle of honeyI know some of you may be thinking this is hardly ...
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Review of Cookes Restaurant
2007-08-27 15:26:00
Cookes Restaurant ,14 South William Street , Dublin, IrelandA quality restaurant, very tasty and inventive food.We went out for dinner in Dublin on Thursday evening, to celebrate Sofie getting a job! We hadn't booked anywhere so we ended up going for a bit of a walk to find a place we both liked! After a walk down South William St, up Georges St, and through Georges St. Arcade we ended up stumbling into Cookes, who were offering a set menu of, starter and main course for ?21.95, probably the best priced set menu for it's class we came across that evening.Unlike my last meal in town, the waiting staff were extremely professional and very attentive. I was asked three times if I was finished my starter but in general they paced the courses quite well, leaving time to digest and have a good chat!For a starter I had a Caesar salad, and Sofie ordered a Beef Carpaccio with rocket. The Caesar salad was very tasty but lacked croutons and had just that bit too much cheese. Sofie's Carpaccio...
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::SWEDISH CRAYFISH PARTY- SVENSK KRÄFTSKIVA
2007-08-23 14:20:00
I was away for the past few days for what is fast becoming my monthly trip to Sweden! Just to give you a brief history about my obsession with the home of europop, I love the Eurovision and in Sweden unlike Ireland it is widely accepted to enjoy that style of music, they also produce the best of it! I was once part of a boyband which saw us play in Sweden and one of the members (Jonathan Fagerlund) was also Swedish , at one stage I practically lived with his great family so I got to learn a lot more about the MANY traditions of Sweden. Ever Since I left the band I continue to visit and my beautiful girlfriend also happens to be from the land of the moose.I have travelled quite a bit through Sweden and even lived there for a while, I would highly recommend you visit Gothenburg city, great shopping, really healthy food, and quite easy to access thanks to Ryanair. Perfect for a short city break. Myself and Sofie were there for the past 5 days with two of our friends so we did a few tour...
More About: Party

::DUCK NOODLE SALAD
2007-08-15 11:59:00
This is such a tasty, fragrant and fresh dish, I have had the idea for this dish for a while now and eventually got round to cooking it last night. The whole process took about 30 mins and was pretty hassle free. The duck is from Silverhill foods, it's a really great product, it's so handy to have in the freezer and is nice and crispy when cooked.There is nothing more appealing to me in fresh cooked food as combining texture's and this dish has it all, crunchiness from the cucumbers, crispiness from the duck, and softness from the aromatic vermicelli noodles.This recipe is a perfect example of experimentation in cookery. I had a vague idea of what I was doing when I started but the dressing itself came purely from my own tastes. That's the way cooking should be, not meticulously following recipe's to the last word, but adding something here, adding something there till it tastes the way YOU want it!So fly my pretties and make MAGIC!AROMATIC DUCK NOODLE SALAD1 Crispy Half duck p...
More About: Salad , Duck

::Stir Fry Lunch
2007-08-14 12:33:00
This is a great little lunch you can prepare the night before, it's simple fresh, tasty, and can be eaten hot or cold! I've started taking lunch in every day to work so it's become interesting experimenting with what works being bundled in a bowl and reheated!QUICK STIR FRY LUNCH (Serves two)2 Cloves of Garlic finely chopped1 Red Onion cut in half moons1 Head of Broccoli 2 Red Peppers2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar1 tablespoon fish sauce1 teaspoon sesame oilPrepare the veg, finely chop the garlic, slice the red onion into half moons, remove all the florets of broccoli, and slice the peppers horizontally. In a hot wok put about a tablespoon of sunflower oil and fry the garlic for 1 min, add the onion and fry for a further 2 mins, then throw in the Broccoli and peppers and stir with the garlic and onion. Keep stirring and add the rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Serve hot or keep in the fridge for lunch tomorrow!
More About: Lunch

::Breakfast Smoothie and Porridge with Honey, Goats Milk, and Blueberries!
2007-08-13 13:47:00
This is what we woke up to this morning. Now if that doesn't get you going on a Monday morning I don't know what will! After a pretty unsettled couple of weeks were back on track with a healthy lifestyle starting with a nice healthy jog last night, unfortunately I know it's going to be broken up yet again when we hit Sweden on Friday!This is a great breakfast to start the week. So many people forget about breakfast, but when your mother told you to eat it, she was right! When you think about it logically, your body hasn't received any nutrients since the night before and is therefore running practically on empty! When you wait till twelve to nourish your body you have wasted a whole morning, when you could have had your body full of nutrients releasing energy.As a general rule it is always better to eat something for breakfast rather than nothing. People who are making the time excuse generally aren't being realistic, I made this breakfast and ate it in 20 mins and it was a fai...
More About: Breakfast , Milk , Honey , Porridge , Goats

:: NUT FREE PESTO
2007-08-13 12:42:00
I've been planning to experiment with this for a while, ever since the girlfriend dropped the bombshell that she was allergic to both soya and nuts (I think I mentioned that before?). Pesto is one of those food items that seemed like it had never been heard of before it became popular and reminds me of a chapter in Nigel Slater's "Toast" where he describes his father bringing home spaghetti for the very first time, and how strange the whole family felt eating this odd foreign food. Pesto for me was the same, I first tasted it on toasted french bread with sun dried tomato at one of my mother's dinner parties when I was younger, and from that moment I fell in love! Pesto was smothered on toast for breakfast, heavily mixed in spaghetti for lunch, and every other combination I could come up with.Pesto is considered one of the oldest oily sauces in culinary history. It's classic ingredients are Basil, Salt, Garlic, Olive Oil, and Parmesan cheese. I did a bit of research on Pesto a...
More About: Free

:: Review of Pizza Stop - Ristorante Italiano
2007-08-09 13:58:00
Pizza Stop - Ristorante Italiano 6/10 Chatham House, Chatham Lane, Off Grafton Street, Dublin 2 We had visitors this weekend so things got very touristy! We visited The Boyne Valley, New grange, Malahide castle, Howth head, and even ended up going to river dance which was staged at the Gaiety theatre in Dublin which is a pretty small venue and I felt took away from the colossal event, the name river dance normally conjures. After River dance we were stuck for a place to eat and everyone was in the mood for Italian so I remembered a little place nuzzled at the back of HMV off Grafton Street. I had been to Pizza Stop - Ristorante Italiano a few years ago and enjoyed the meal then. The restaurant itself has got a bit of charm if not a little grubby, but the staff are very friendly and there was lots of laughing and joking. Our guest and I ordered a Pizza du chef (which the menu promised a blend of tomato sauce, salami, mozzarella, peppers and pepperoni sausage) and my girlfriend had ...
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:: Basic Soup Recipe
2007-08-08 15:53:00
Soups are one of the healthiest and versatile meals you can produce, not only that, they can be frozen and reheated for a quick and simple lunch! There are so many soups that I love, that this post could be extremely long, but as I said already making soup is so versatile and once you have the basic recipe you can adapt it however you wish.Quick Basic Soup Reci pe 4 tsp Vegetable Bouillon powder (I use this but stock cubes can be used or you can make your own)1 and half litre of boiling water2 cloves of garlic1 Large onionA good pinch of salt and pepperSTEP 1-> Boil the water in a kettle, pour into a jug, add the bouillon powder and mix. In a large pot fry the onion and garlic in some oil till they soften and brown.STEP 2-> This where you can experiment, add the rest of your ingredients, I'll include some suggestions at the end of this post, and mix with the onion and garlic mix. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and allow to soften for about a minute. STEP 3-> Then add the vegetabl...
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::The Asian Pantry
2007-08-02 16:24:00
As I think I mentioned before I am a HUGE fan of Asian cuisine, so I thought I would write a post about the essential ingredients for your very own Asian pantry.I have been having a terrible time recently when it comes to cooking Asian inspired dishes because my girlfriend is extremely allergic to soya and nuts. Soya is a staple part of Asian cuisine and in many recipe's hard to avoid. However not one to be beaten I have been adapting some of my favourite dishes without the addition of soya, so I will include some of these here in the future with soya as an option.On to the reason were here, in the ever shrinking world getting your hands on international ingredients has become ever so easy! I would normally have said just pop down to your local Chinese supermarket as this is what I would do in Dublin, but I was living in the north of Ireland for a couple of months recently and asked where the nearest Chinese supermarket was and the answer to which was laughter. There is a great lit...
More About: The A , Pantry

:: GOOEY CHOCOLATE PUDDING
2007-08-01 12:32:00
OK I KNOW I KNOW THIS IS MEANT TO BE A HEALTHY BLOG! But this recipe is not my fault, I made it to cheer someone up! I could play on that whole chocolate is good for you crap but realistically, there are no health benefits to this at all. They do taste great and sure your grand once you eat things like this in moderation! I can't help feel I'm contradicting myself in posting this but here it comes:Gooey Choco lat e Pudding !150g of good quality plain chocolate125g of unsalted butter3 Eggs150g of sugar35g of flourThis one of the easiest baking related recipe's i know, it takes about 10 Min's to prepare. First of all break up the chocolate and microwave with the butter until both are melted. In a bowl mix the eggs sugar and flour together until any lumps are gone. Then slowly incorporate the chocolate and butter mix until mixed through. Grease about eight ramekins or muffin tins, and pour the mixture in. They should only need about ten Min's in an oven at 175 degrees Celsius.Enjoy (...

And Now For The Science Bit! Squash!
2007-07-31 16:30:00
Squash! A bit more exotic to some compared to a regular onion or potato however just as tasty if not more! Squash come from the same family as pumpkin, melon and cucumber and were traditionally buried with dead native Americans for a bit of grub on their final journey. However dead Indians aside Squash full of nutrients which benefit the body and is in season from now until the end of winter. HERE IT COMES THE REASON'S TO EAT SQUASH!It has Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Omega 3 fatty acids, and potassium to name but a few of the many nutrients the mighty squash contains!It is full of beta carotene which has an anti inflammatory effect and is said to reduce the severity of Asthma and osteoporosis.If you are a smoker, eating vitamin A rich foods can vastly reduce the deficiency in the vitamin caused by smoking.
More About: Science , Squash

::Spicy Sticky Roast Squash Salad!
2007-07-31 02:51:00
GOOD MORNING! Well this was dinner last night mainly because I decided that if i didn't use the squash in the fridge it was going to end up in the bin! I love love love roast veggies, when there done properly that is, I mean when there's a little crispy chewy and caramel like on the outside and soft and mushy on the inside, now that's perfection. I have just moved into a new apartment which means a new oven, which means getting used to regulating the heat! I'm used to gas hob and oven so moving to electric isn't exactly great news as it seems much harder to regulate the temperature. But I'm getting there!Also I just want to apologise if you've seen the gaudy yellow plates repetitively in photo's and have had just about enough of them but there all I have at the moment what with the moving and all! Were going to Sweden in a few weeks time so I intend to stock up with a few Ikea essentials.This dish came together as a result of wanting to make a meal out of the squash rather t...
More About: Salad , Spicy , Squash , Roast , Icky

And Now For The Science Bit! Aubergine Parmigiana
2007-07-31 00:07:00
The mystical Vegetable that is THE AUBERGINE!Apart from this beautiful and glossy vegetable being so nice to look at, it also has some interesting health benefits, you'll be interested to know! Aubergine's are from the nightshade family which includes vegetables like peppers, tomato's and potato's, in my opinion they have a very distinct taste and texture, but then that's something you should really discover yourself!AND HERE ARE THE REASONS YOU SHOULD EAT AN AUBERGINE:Right now they are in season and will be until the end of October.Aubergine's contain phytonutrients which apparently have antioxident properties and protect cell membranes. That can only be good right?Aubergine's have been found to have, wait for it, anti cancer and anti cholesterol properties.Aubergine's are extremely low fat, but also extremely absorbant so make sure to roast or grill instead of frying! (I've learned my lesson!)Now I bet you agree, AN AMAZING VEGETABLE!
More About: Science , Berg

::FISHING TRIP! (Part One)
2007-07-30 23:43:00
I reluctantly agreed to go on a fishing trip over the weekend with my dad, I say reluctantly because he asks every weekend! Anyway I agreed mostly because my girlfriend jumps at chance every time she's asked and then gives me the eyes which say you better come, but mostly because I'd get the chance to use my new camera which hasn't really had much use since I got it. I think when you grow up with the sea as part of your life you become accustomed to it and maybe even take it for granted, but even though I moan about being dragged out on the boat, I think there is an element of secretly enjoying it! I also think as I get that bit older I begin start appreciating surrounding's more and more!The intention was to take some pics as the fish were being caught and then picture them as they were being cooked but my battery ran out! But hey that's life! So instead some pics of a Galway Hooker, the fisherman and woman, Howth pier, and Cod in it's last few moment's of life.Fishing trip ...
More About: Trip , Part , Shin

:: Aubergine Parmigiana
2007-07-30 12:52:00
Now I am not going to profess a love for aubergines but I ate this dish on a holiday recently in Rome, and was pleasantly surprised with the fresh full flavoured taste! I immediately wanted to know how to recreate it, so when I came home I looked through some Italian cookbooks and unfortunately what I came up with were deep fried or cheese laden version's. So just the other day I experimented with what I thought was the closest to the recipe I had eaten. I fried the aubergine slices in olive oil but I think it would be easier to grill them in future! So here goes:Aubergine Parmigiana2 Large Aubergine slice length waysA good splash of Olive Oil2 Cloves of Garlic1 Red Onion2 400g Tins of Chopped Tomatoes2 Teaspoons of dried Oregano2 Teaspoons of fresh parsley finely chopped1/3 of a cup of grated Parmesan cheeseI read about preparing Aubergine's and there seems to be some sort of argument over whether or not to soak them in salted water before cooking. But I decided to soak them not ...
More About: Berg

:: SATURDAY STOCKUP!
2007-07-29 00:17:00
Thanks to fresh cut foods for the great fruit and veg! I hope you don't find it demeaning that I labeled the photo's! ;) Raspberries Fruit and Veg For the week!Baby Potato Blackberries Broccoli Leeks Portobella Mushroom AubergineFruit and Veg!
More About: Saturday

:: What is the mood food blog all about?
2007-07-27 14:35:00
I started this blog because I have had this idea for a while now and felt that I needed some sort of outlet for it.I originally started thinking about it when I was sick and, instead of taking all the usual commercial medicine, like those 4 flu tablets, I treated it with lemon juice and honey in boiling water. It was just a normal common cold. I also made sure I ate healthily every 2-3 hours. I went for a walk to get a little exercise, got lots of rest and went to bed early.The next day I felt just fine and it got me thinking that, and I know this is stating the obvious, but most common sickness are caused by a lack of care for yourself. Of course you can pick up things from various bacteria but at the end of the day if your immune system is strong enough it should be able to handle things.I would like to think I have a fairly strong knowledge of nutrition but this train of thought meant I began researching further, the healing properties of different ingredients, how they can affec...
More About: Food , Blog , Mood

:: CHILLI CHICKEN BROCCOLLI ASAPARAGUS NOODLES
2007-07-26 22:06:00
This isn't exactly the most amazingly intricate Chinese dish I have made but I chose to write about it because, if you have all the ingredients it is a very simple, tasty, balanced and healthy meal.The first time I was introduced to real Chinese cuisine (I'm not talking about the deep fried slop from the local take-away which uncontrollably I am partial to now and again) was during a visit to my Aunt's house where a Chinese friend was giving a cooking demonstration to a group of her friends. I was encouraged to try beef, ginger and scallion, a simple dish which seemed to capture the simplicity of this extensive cuisine.A short while after this encounter I was taken on a trip to the Asian market in Dublin city, it was then and there I fell in love! The bottles full of strange and foreign ingredients, the cling wrapped chicken paws poking out the sides of freezers, the huge bags of various assortments of rice and noodles were all enough to create great excitement at such a young ...
More About: Chilli , Chicken , Noodles , Coll , Rocco

And Now For The Science Bit!
2007-07-25 17:03:00
BroccoliIs a food I have only recently taken to eating, as I had only tried the steam variety! The sulphur the veg emits during the cooking process is generally what puts most people off. But now I use broccoli all the time raw in salads and cooked in stir frys, it's the type of veg that can fit well in lots of dishes. Apart from it being tasty, it also has huge health benefits. Broccoli is a member of the cabbage family and as you can imagine shares all the highly nutritious values of it's large green cousin! Here's just three reason's to eat BROCCOLI!Broccoli like cabbage contains cancer fighting properties.One cup of cooked broccoli contains 74 mg of calcium, plus 123 mg of vitamin C, which significantly improves calcium's absorption.It's perfect for building your immune system as its packed with Vitamin C plus small but helpful amount's of zinc and selenium.AsparagusIs another veg which I have only just started a love affair with! This are just so tasty especialy drizzled...
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:: Oregano Lamb Chops and Carrot and Cabbage Salad
2007-07-24 20:38:00
Now generally I am a Chicken and fish fan so this dish mostly came about because my girlfriend gently suggested that I should cook something other than chicken tonight! Not one to dissappoint I head to the butchers with this in mind and picked out some lamb chops. Ok I know carrot and cabbage mixed together is coleslaw but there's something off putting about coleslaw which make my mind conjure up images of soggy cabbage drenched in watery cheap mayonnaise. Ew! So that why I'm sticking with carrot and cabbage salad!Oregano Lamb Chops 4 good quality lamb chops3 cloves of garlic chopped finely3 tablespoon of olive oil1 tablespoon of good quality balsamic vinegar2 teaspoons of dried oreganoA good pinch of sea salt and ground pepperPut the lamb chops in a ziploc food bag and add the chopped garlic plus the rest of the ingredients to the bag. Zip Lock the bag then shake so that the mixture completely coats all the lamb. Then put the bag in the fridge to marinate, while you prepare...
More About: Salad , Carrot , Cabbage

And Now For The Science Bit!
2007-07-24 20:32:00
THE SENSUAL VEGETABLE THAT IS THE CARROT!Carrots have always been and will probably always be my favourite vegetable! Something I read recently pointed to the fact that carrots Beta-carotene levels were not reduced during the cooking process which is great news as roast carrot is one of my favourite dishes! Here's just 4 reasons to EAT CARROTS!They contain lung-healing, immune boosting, beta carotene.One carrot a day will increase the beta-carotene levels in the body. Carrots can regulate blood sugar.And if in fact YOU are a LADY Carrot's can help increase menstrual flow. CABBAGE! CABBAGE! CABBAGE!Now cabbage would have been a completely no go area when I was a kid and I would avoid it like the plague, partly due to I think the memories of the horrible smell coming from the boiled version! However now that I'm just that little bit older, wiser, and slightly more well read, I can say that Cabbage truly is one of the greatest super foods and here's why: Cabbage has a nitrogenous c...
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:: RAINY DAY MEDITERRANEAN HOMEMADE PIZZA
2007-07-23 14:15:00
Getting homemade pizza right is a real art, I used to make it a lot when I was a kid and slowly perfected it over the years! One of my favourite things to do was to try different topping combinations from Asparagus and Spinach, to Feta and Rocket. One of the great things about pizza is that it's just so customisable. I also recommend experimenting with the tomato sauce as it can really enhance the overall flavour. The main thing I find when mixing is always to make sure your dough is not too moist as this creates a really unpleasant doughy taste when cooked. Here is my standard recipe for a great pizza dough, I'm not sure where the original came from as I know it by heart!Basic Pizza Base Dough1 sachet of active dry yeast1 teaspoon of sugar1 cup of warm water1 teaspoon of salt2 tablespoons of Olive Oil3 and 1/2 cups of Strong all purpose flourCombine the yeast with the sugar and warm water in a separate container and leave stand for 15 minutes or until foamy. Then stir in t...
More About: Mediterranea , Mediterranean