Love Your Freezer Part 2: Vegetables & Herbs (General Tso’s Chicken & Frittata)

Yesterday I shared how I use frozen fruit to my advantage. Today I am going to share the way I use frozen vegetables and herbs with a recipe that highlights the best of both and another that is a family favorite!

When I was at University I used to treat myself to a General Tso’s Chicken from the local Chinese restaurant on the occasional weekend night I had to work late. I was shocked and appalled when I couldn't find General Tso’s Chicken on any menu here in the UK. So, I have tried a few different recipes trying to find the one that reminded me most of the one I used to get at home and this one so far has most resembled it!

This recipe really showcases frozen herbs as it uses 3 of the most common when it comes to making Chinese food: garlic, ginger, and chili! I also use frozen broccoli! 

General Tso’s Chicken:

3 tbsp corn flour

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

vegetable oil

3-4 chicken breast, cubed

400g frozen broccoli, blanched

rice, cooked according to the package

sauce:

1 tbsp corn flour

120ml/4oz cold water

1 tbsp frozen chopped garlic

1 tbsp frozen chopped ginger

1 ½ tsp frozen chopped chili

3 tbsp honey

2 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp Chinese rice wine

Combine the corn flour, salt, and pepper and coat the chicken cubes in the flour and leave to one side.

To make the sauce combine the corn flour and cold water and mix until there are no corn flour lumps. Then add all the chopped herbs, honey, soy sauce, and rice wine and mix until combined. Set aside.

Heat a splash or two of vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan. Shake any excess flour off the chicken cubes and fry in the oil for 4-6 minutes. Add the sauce mixture, leave on a medium to low heat until the sauce has thickened. Make sure the broccoli is well drained before adding to the pan and coat in the sauce.

Serve with rice and enjoy!

I always have frozen spinach in my fridge because spinach is easily hidden in food and it’s super good for you. It works great it in Bolognese, curries, and as a side for almost any chicken dinner. However it is particularly great in this frittata from Jamie Oliver’s Save with Jamie.

Sweet Potato, Spinach, & Feta Frittata

2 sweet potatoes, roasted

200-300g frozen spinach

½ tsp ground nutmeg

6-8 large eggs

splash of milk

70g feta cheese

40g cheddar cheese or red leister, grated

Roast the sweet potatoes with a little bit of oil and salt in a pre-heated oven at 190C for about 50 minutes or until soft and smushy.

About 10 minutes before the sweet potatoes are done start the rest of the frittata by frying the spinach with a splash of oil, salt, and nutmeg.

While you are waiting for the spinach to wilt and the excess water to evaporate beat the eggs with a splash of milk. Once mixed crumble in half of the feta cheese and half the cheddar cheese, mix until combined.

The sweet potatoes should be out of the oven by now and slightly cooled.

Once all the water has evaporated take the pan off the heat, pour the eggy mixture into the pan. Sprinkle chunks of the soft sweet potato (skin, no skin up to you) all over the mixture and top with the remaining cheese.

Place in the already heated oven for 13-15 minutes. It should be nice and fluffy when it’s ready to come out. We cut it into wedges and serve with hotsauce and a fresh green salad!

What recipes that use frozen vegetables or herbs do you make on a regular basis? Are their any freezer tips or tricks you use? I’d love to hear them, please leave a comment below!

notes: In association with Sainsbury’s for their campaign Love Your Freezer. General Tso’s Chicken recipe is adapted from The Chew: Food. Life. Fun. by the cast of The Chew. Sweet Potato, Spinach, & Feta Frittata is as it says before adapted from Save with Jamie by Jamie Oliver.  

Hummus & Carrot Sticks

My blog is for the most part about the sweeter side of food. That is because I genuinely enjoy sweet foods.

However my blog probably gives a false impression on my eating habits. I have had more then one of my friends comment on how much cake I must eat.

To be honest I don’t, I eat one or two slices/pieces/squares/cookies etc… then the rest is shared among my friends and family.

“Everything in moderation,” is something that I try to live by for everything I do in my life.

Including my cake eating habits.

If I really ate sweet stuff 24/7 I would be way unhealthy and my teeth would have probably fallen out of my face by now.

When I saw a competition on the Simplyhealth website asking bloggers to share a recipe that used one of the ingredients listed here (page removed). I thought it would be a great opportunity to share something that I enjoy eating that isn't cake or cookies and that is good for you! 

My favorite lunch is hummus and carrot sticks. It is also my girls’ favorite lunch, I have taught them well.

Hummus is so easy to make at home, you throw everything into a food processor and lunch is made. It’s also a great base to add different flavors. This one just has some hot sauce drizzled on top to give it a bit of a kick. 

Hummus served with Carrot Sticks:

1 can of chickpeas

3 ½ tbsp of chickpea liquid

2 tsp tahini

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tsp sea salt    

1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of Paprika

Hot sauce (optional)

Carrot Sticks

Drain the chickpeas, but reserve the liquid. Place the chickpeas, tahini, garlic clove, salt, chickpea liquid, and vinegar in a food processor. Pulse a couple of times before adding the olive oil. Blend until completely smooth.

Place in a dish and drizzle with hot sauce and scoop up with carrots!

Carrots are good for you because they have a lot of Vitamin A, which is a great way to keep your teeth happy and healthy. Also carrot sticks can act as a natural toothbrush! Bonus!

notes: I have entered this competition, hosted by Simplyhealth, on my own accord. For more information please see my contact/policy page above. There is still time to enter if you are interested! 

Roasted Red Pepper Dip & Walkers new Market Deli: Anglesey Sea Salt w/Cracked Black Pepper Tortilla Chips

On Tuesday I made a quick trip up to London to see Tom Aikens make the best macaroni and cheese I have ever had.

I didn't know it was going to be the best macaroni and cheese I ever had before I went, but it definitely made the trip worth taking! That and all the gorgeous canapés , wine, and chips!   

Mr. Aikens’ mac and cheese was inspired by Walkers new Market Deli range of chips!

He started out with a basic white sauce then he added not only cheese, but ham and sun dried tomatoes too! It was delicious!

Which is why we were all there! To try the new flavors of chips and to have a good time of course! 

Each new flavor had it’s own display that showcased the ingredients used to create the crisps. Along with someone to give us some further information on the ingredients used. Overall I really enjoyed all the new flavors! My favorites were the pita chips.

There are four flavors of potato chips:

Cornish Mature Cheddar,

Wiltshire Cured Ham, mature cheddar, and Farmhouse Chutney,

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, and

Flame Grilled Spanish Chorizo with Roasted Onion.

Along with two flavors of tortilla chips:

Anglesey Sea Salt with Cracked Black Pepper and

Roasted Red Chilli with Mediterranean Sun dried Tomatoes.

There also two flavor of pita chips (my favorite):

Roasted Garlic with Mediterranean Herbs and

Roasted Red Pepper with English Tomato. 

After all the chips were tried and tested we sat down to watch Tom Aikens cook and while I was watching him I was thinking of a roasted red pepper dip I had once at a friends house.

When I was on the train back I did a little research and note taking and settled decided I would try this Roasted Red Pepper Dip.

It is made with roasted red peppers, fresh basil leaves from my green house, garlic and cream cheese. I used full-fat, but you can substitute with low fat if you'd like to make it lighter. 

It was a great pairing with the Anglesey Sea Salt with Cracked Black Pepper tortilla chips. My girls and I had it for lunch one afternoon with chips and veggie sticks. 

Roasted Red Pepper Dip:

200g jarred roasted red peppers, drained & chopped

handful of fresh basil leaves

1 clove of garlic (small one for a hint or a slightly bigger one for a bit of a punch)

150g cream cheese (low-fat or full-fat)

Place the chopped peppers, basil leaves, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until mostly smooth. Then add the cream cheese and mix until combined. Sit in the fridge for at least one hour or longer to develop the flavors. Before serving chop up a small bit of roasted red pepper and place in the middle of the dip and add a few fresh basil leaves. Dip in chips or veggie sticks and enjoy!

The dip was a perfect pairing for the Anglesey Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper Tortilla Chips!

notes: The chips will be available nationwide from the 23rd of June. The crisps were part of the goodie bag for attending the event. For further information please read my content/policy page above. I love the fact that they are called chips and crisps. Recipe inspired by a Betty Crocker recipe.