Monday Club - Cooking on a Budget

Yesterday, the members of the club were informed and entertained by Dave and Luke with 2 Healthy and Thrifty recipes. The group were shown how, by making just small changes to tried and tested ideas, they can save money by using alternatives. 

The Pea and Ham Soup went down well and was made within 25 minutes. See below for the recipe:

Pea and Ham Soup:

Ingredients:

Tbs Oil

1 Onion, chopped

1 litre Stock

1 medium Potato, peeled and diced

500gms frozen Peas

300gms thickly sliced Ham, trimmed of fat and diced.

Method:

Heat the oil in a saucepan and when hot, gently cook the onions until softened, but not coloured. Tip in the potato and stir to coat, then pour over the stock. Simmer until softened.

Tip in the frozen peas and bring back to the boil. Cook for a couple of mins. Remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Stir in the diced ham and serve. (serves 4 – 6)

Chicken and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce:

The main dish of Chicken and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce was equally enjoyed by the members. It was again explained how to get the best value from a Chicken before the cooking demonstration.

By the end, the hall was an aroma of beautiful smells. The recipe used is below:

Ingredients:

½ Chicken Breast per person sliced into long pieces.

½ Onion sliced, Sliced peppers, Red, Yellow or Green

Oil to cook.

Black Bean Sauce made with:

1 tbsp dark or light soy sauce

1 tsp sugar (or sucralose)

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp cornflour (or soy flour)

3 cloves of garlic

1 thumb of ginger

3 tbsp black beans

Cold water to mix, hot water to thicken.

Method:

Prepare Chicken, peppers, onions and blend the ingredients for the sauce.

Heat Oil in a wok or frying pan

Add the chicken and cook until coated and white.

Add onions and peppers and cook for 3 – 4 minutes.

Add the prepared sauce and heat through, adjusting for thickness with more flour or water.

Serve with rice or Noodles. 

Many members stayed on for some gentle exercise with Pam. 

The next meeting is on 2nd March, Home Energy Scotland with Lucy Brown.