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Recipe BookletRecipe Booklet

Spice for Life Spice for Life

Spice for Life

Food First Project — Spice For life

This recipe booklet is based on recipes carried out in our Spice For Life Cookery Classes.

The 4-week taster course has been designed for men over the age of 60 and has been a

huge success.

Despite the common myth that the kitchen is perceived as foreign territory for a lot of

men; our attendees have managed to successfully whip up a 2 course meal every week.

The aim of the class was to promote and develop a variety of cooking skills & nutritional

knowledge. Sessions also explored some of the common barriers to home cooking

including:

Meal planning

Cooking on a budget

Food storage

In order to overcome these barriers, each recipe contains an individualised summary box

to help quickly identify the cost, storage and preparation needed for each meal.

The recipes are based on foods rich in fluid and calories to support the Food first project

which aims to raise awareness of the risks of malnutrition and dehydration throughout

Luton & South Bedfordshire.

How to use the recipe booklet

Symbol What does

it stand

for?

What does it mean?

Hydration

Rating

Each cup in this book represents 250ml = 1 of your

recommended 6-8 cups of fluid a day. All recipes in this

booklet contain 1 or more cups per serving and are classified

as ‘High’ in fluid.

Health Benefits: Provides the body with more energy,

reduces chance of infection and prevents liver, joint &

muscle damage.

What counts: Water, tea, coffee, milk and fluid rich

foods.

5-a-day Guidelines recommend: Aim to have 5 portions of fruit and

vegetables a day to maintain a healthy balanced diet.

Health benefits: Lowering the risk of infections, heart

disease, stroke and some cancers.

What counts: 80g/3oz of Fresh, Frozen or Canned Fruit

or Veg. One glass (150ml/5oz) of fruit/veg juice per day.

Omega-3

Omega-3 is a family of good fats found particularly in oily

fish.

Health benefits: Helps to maintain a healthy heart

What Counts: Oily fish contains the highest amount of

omega-3, whilst white fish contains much less; however

both count towards your recommended 2-a-week.

1 adult portion size: 140g /5oz of fresh fish or 1 small

can of oily fish.

Everybody should aim to have 2 portions of fish a week,

one of which should be oily to get the most benefit.

Hydration

Booster

This symbol represents foods that have a high water content.

Around 20% of our daily intake of fluid is contained

within the food we eat every day.

Opting for hydration boosters can be a great way to

boost fluid intake, if you are struggling to increase the

amount you drink.

Throughout this recipe booklet are symbols to help you quickly identify the nutritional

and hydration benefits of each recipe. Below explains what each symbol represents:

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Ready in: 50 minutes

Hydration rating per serving:

High

Price: £1.80 per serving

Fridge: 3-4 days

Freezer: 4-6 months

2 of your 5-a-day

Chop Mushrooms into

medium slices. (Put to

one side)

Heat pan on a low/med

heat for 1-2mins.

Then add 1 x tbsp of

olive oil. Wait for oil to

heat.

Slowly scrape

onions into pan. Stir

until onions start

to brown. Add Cumin

& Chilli powder.

Mix all of mince with

onions, until light

Brown.

Serves 2

Add mushrooms to

mince and onions.

Add a small tin of

kidney beans to

mince & onions.

Add 1 x tin of

tomatoes. Mixture

should be slightly

watery. Put lid

on and leave to

simmer for 30mins.

1

3

4

6

5

7

½ x tbsp oil

150g/5oz x Beef mince

1 x Medium onion

1 x 400g tin of tomatoes

½ x tsp chilli powder

½ x tsp cumin

½ x tsp chilli powder

250g/9oz x mushrooms

Pepper

140g/5oz x Rice (raw)

1 x small can of kidney

Beans

Helpful Hints: Instead of mushrooms try using red peppers or carrots. Also to

intensify flavour try adding 2 x tsp of tomato puree or ketchup.

Serves 1-2 Mild Chilli Con Carne

-Week 1-

8

Boil water on a

medium heat, bring

to boil, place rice in

for 20mins until soft.

2

Preheat the oven

to 180C/350F/

Gas 4.

Slice and core 2

medium apples

into small chucks

Add ½ x tsp

cinnamon and 2 x

tsp raisins. Put to

one side.

2 x dessert apples

1 x tbsp of cold butter

3 x tsp sugar

1 x tbsp plain flour

2 x tbsp rolled oats

1 x mini pot of custard

Helpful Hints:

Rubbing in technique: Use finger tips to get as much air into crumble mixture as

possible until it looks like breadcrumbs. Butter needs to be cold to get best results.

Also Try using other spring fruits such as rhubarb to get a slightly richer taste. Tinned

fruits are also a cheaper just as tasty alternative.

Using hands: mix 1 x tbsp flour,

3 x tsp sugar & 1 x tbsp butter

(*See below)

Then mix in 2 x tbsp rolled

oats until mixture looks like

breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle crumble over apples

(step 3). Place in oven for 40-

45 mins (until Brown). Serve

with warm custard.

Add mushrooms to

mince and onions.

Add a small tin of

kidney beans to

mince & onions.

Apple Crumble

-Week 1-

Serves 1

Optional:

2 x tsp raisins

½ x tsp cinnamon or

nutmeg

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ready in: 40 minutes

Hydration rating:

Med

Price: 27p

Fridge: 2 days

Freezer: 4-6 months

3

4

5

6

2

1

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ready in: 25 minutes

Hydration rating:

Med

Price: £1.99

Fridge: 2 days

Freezer: 4-6 months

Omega-3: 1 of your 2-a-week

Preheat oven to 180ºc/

350F/Gas 4. Place fish into

oven proof dish for 20mins

and cover with tin foil (or)

Add 2 x tins of pink salmon.

Leave in dish and put to one

side. Leave oven on.

Bring to boil and add pasta,

after 10 mins, then add 3 x

tbsp of frozen veg to the

same saucepan. Boil for a

further 5-7mins (until soft).

Drain pasta & vegetables.

Add pasta/veg to cooked

(or) tinned salmon in the

casserole dish. Put to one

side.

Serves 2

Pasta Bake:

200g/7oz x pasta

3 x tbsp of frozen vegetables

2 x salmon fillets

Topping

2 x handfuls of grated cheese

For the white sauce:

1½ x heaped tbsp of plain

Flour (sieved)

400ml/⅔ pint whole milk

1 x heaped tbsp butter

(Will need Casserole Dish)

Helpful Hints

To avoid sieving flour, a cheat is to add 1 x tbsp of flour to 40ml of Cold water

and stir to separate flour until a paste is formed. Then add to milk mixture.

Fish Pasta Bake

-Week 2- Serves 2

1

Turn hob to a med/

low flame. Add

butter and milk.

Stir in 2 x tbsp of

sieved flour. (See

Hints)

2

3

4

5

6

Continue stirring for

5-10mins until

sauce thickens.

(Should be like a

cream consistency).

Pour white sauce

over prepared fish/

veg mix. Sprinkle

grated cheese.

Place in oven

(180ºc/350F/Gas

4) for 20-25mins.

Original Recipe

1 x hot cross bun

½ x tsp sugar

1 x small egg

1 x tsp raisins

½ x tsp nutmeg

90ml x milk

Easter Bread & Butter Pudding

-Week 2-

Serves 1

Helpful Hints: Stale bread is perfect for this recipe to get a nice crisp taste, for an

even crispier taste, just soak the bottom layer of hot cross bun.

Preheat the oven to

180C/350F/Gas 4. Slice

hot cross bun in ½ and

butter generously. Then

cut buns into 4 triangles.

Sprinkle ½ x tsp of

nutmeg over buttered

slices. Put to one side.

Sprinkle

nutmeg over buttered

slices. Put to one side.

Wisk 1 x small egg in a

bowl and add milk,

cream & sugar. Optional:

Add raisins & vanilla

Essence.

Place 4 triangle slices

into mixture to soak

for 5mins.

Line slices diagonally

across butter side up

in dish for the first

layer. Repeat for se-

cond layer.

Pour over mixture.

Dust with nutmeg.

Place dish into oven

for 50mins. Serve

with cream/custard.

Optional

3 x tsp cream

Other breads to use:

Croissants

Brown/white/seeded

Panatonne

1

2

3

4

6

5

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Ready in: 50 minutes

Hydration rating per serving:

High

Price: 27p

Fridge Storage: 3-4 days

Freezer Storage: 2-3 months

Chicken Casserole

-Week 3-

Serves 1-2

Original Recipe

4 x chicken thighs

1 x jacket potato

12 x button mushrooms

Handful of green beans

Sauce

1 x tbsp of plain flour

100ml/3floz x of cold water

1 x chicken stock cube +

(480ml/16floz x hot water)

250/8floz ml x gravy

Helpful Hints:

To help seal the flavour, try browning the chicken by frying it for 2-3mins on a medi-

um heat before putting into the casserole dish. You can also try this with the veg.

Prep Time: 20mins

Ready in: 1 hour

Hydration rating:

High

Price: 70p per serving

Fridge: 3-4 days

Freezer: 4-6 months

1½ of your 5-a-day

Preheat the oven to

160C/325F/Gas 3. Chop

mushrooms and onion

into medium slices. Put to

one side.

Peel and slice 1 x jacket

potato into 8 small

potato segments. Put to

one side.

On a medium heat, dissolve 1

stock cube in 480ml x water

and add flour paste (Step 3).

Continue stirring for 5-10mins

until sauce thickens.

For the sauce: Add 1 x

tbsp of flour to 100ml of

cold water and stir until a

paste is formed.

Add 250ml/8floz of gravy to

sauce and stir. Place 4 chick-

en thighs, potatoes, green-

beans and mushrooms into

the dish.

Put lid on and place in the ov-

en for 1 hour at 160C/325F/

Gas 3. Take out of oven and

serve.

Hydration

Recipe

Winner

1

2

3

4

5

6

Walnut & Banana Muffin

-Week 3- Makes 6

Prep Time: 15mins

Ready in: 25mins

Fridge: 1 week

Freezer: 2-3 months

Price: 40p per serving

Helpful Hints:

When stirring the dry and wet ingredients together mix sparingly to give a slightly

heavier texture.

1 x egg

1 x tbsp oil

80ml/3oz x milk

½ x tsp cinnamon

4 x tbsp of sugar

½ x tsp baking powder

4 x heaped tbsp self-raising flour

2 x tbsp wholemeal flour

1 x banana

2 x tbsp of walnuts

Other alternatives

2 x tbsp almond flakes

1 x grated apple

2 x tbsp sultanas

Preheat the oven to

180C/350F/Gas 4.

Chop 1 x banana into

small slices.

Mix all dry ingredients

together in a bowl:

Both Flours/Sugar/

baking powder &

cinnamon.

In a separate bowl:

Wisk 1 egg & add milk

x 80ml/3floz.

Add chopped banana

and walnuts (See

ingredients list for other

alternatives). Grease

baking tray with butter.

Spoon mixture into

backing tray. Place in

centre of the oven for

25mins. Place a knife

through centre of muffin

to check they are

cooked through.

Add 1 x tbsp of oil to

milk/egg mixture. Add

dry ingredients (step 2)

to the mixture. (See

hints). 1

3

2

4

5

6

The Lazy Man’s Roast

-Week 4-

Serves 1

1 x Jacket potato

1 x carrot

1 x parsnip

3 x tsp gravy

1 x Chicken Breast

1 x bacon rasher

2 x tsp plain flour

25g/1oz x (medium slice) lard

1 x tbsp olive oil

2 x tsp of stuffing

Preheat the oven to 200C/392F/Gas 6.

Peel and Chop 1 x medium carrot and 1 x medium

parsnip into long medium strips.

The thinner/smaller the veg is cut = Crispier Finish

Place chopped parsnips and carrots into one half of

the larger foil container (Leaving room for chicken).

Spread 1 x tbsp of oil over veg, using hands to ensure

even coverage. Sprinkle over ½ x tsp rosemary.

Put to one side.

Peel & Chop 1 x jacket potato into 8 small segments.

Making the potatoes slightly smaller will allow you to

cook them on a slightly lower heat and still achieve a

nice crisp taste.

Place potatoes in a pan and pour just enough cold

water to cover them. Add a pinch of salt. Place hob

on a high flame until water is boiling vigorously for

2mins. Turn heat down and simmer for a further

8mins. Potatoes should still be hard, but slightly fluffy

on the outside. Drain potatoes and put back in the

pan.

0 Min

20 Min

Prep Time: 20 mins

Ready in: 1 hour

Hydration rating:

Price: £1.99

Fridge: 3-5 days

Freezer: 2-3 months

2 of your 5-a-day

Prep time 20 mins

1

2

3

4

Place 2 x tsp of gravy granules in a pan and add

140ml x boiling water, stirring sauce until it begins to

thicken. Leave to stand until chicken/Veg/Potatoes

are ready (1 hour) and use the juices from the chick-

en and veg to season the gravy.

Chop 25g/1oz (medium slice) of lard and place in ov-

en for 2mins, until melted

Whilst waiting for lard to melt— Go to next step

Return to the drained potatoes (Step 4) and shake

pan vigorously until outside of the potatoes become

slightly fluffy. (Helps to keep outside crisp during

cooking). Sprinkle over 1 x tsp of rosemary & 2 x tsp

of plain flour. Ensure potatoes are equally covered.

Using oven gloves remove melted lard from oven and

carefully place 8 potatoes into foil container. Using a

spoon to ensure all potatoes are covered in melted

fat.

0 Min

5 Mins

30 Min

Place seasoned vegetables prepared earlier into the

oven for 1 hour

Cooking time - 1 hour - Cook everything on 200ºc/392F/Gas 6

Mix 2 x heaped tsp of stuffing mix with 2 x tbsp of

boiling water until mixture turns into a sticky ball.

Put to one side.

Slice 1 x chicken breast so a pocket is formed in the

middle, spread stuffing mixture in the middle . Fold

the chicken breast over and wrap 1 x rasher of bacon

around the stuffed chicken to seal it.

:

:

:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Starting time

Put veg in oven for 1 hour/200ºc/392F/Gas 6

Put potatoes in oven for 55min/200ºc/392F/Gas 6

Put chicken in oven for 30mins200ºc/392F/Gas6

1 hour

:

Vanilla & chocolate

Marble Cake

-Week 4- Makes 10 slices

4 x eggs

225g/8oz x soft butter

12 x tbsp caster sugar

11 x tbsp self-raising flour

2 x tbsp milk

1½ x tbsp cocoa powder

2 x tbsp hot water

½ x tsp vanilla essence

Alternative:

Orange & Chocolate

1 x large orange, zest

1 x tbsp orange juice

2 x tbsp orange chocolate

Prep Time: 20mins

Ready in: 1 hour

Fridge: 1 week

Freezer: 2-3 months

Price: 30p per serving

Helpful Hints:

Before putting the mixture in the oven take a fork and swirl it around the mixture, to

give an even mix of both mixtures

2

1

3

4

5

6

Preheat the oven to

180°C/325°F/Gas 3.

Mix together: Flour,

Sugar, Milk, Butter &

Vanilla. Beat the eggs

in 1 at a time.

Mixture should be a

smooth creamy con-

sistency. Separate half

the mixture into

another bowl.

In a separate cup add

the cocoa powder and

hot water, until a paste

is formed. Add cocoa

paste to one of the mix-

tures.

Grease a loaf tin with

butter, add the first

layer of the original

vanilla mixture

Alternate between

the vanilla and choco-

late mixtures random-

ly, until all mixture is

used up.

Gently level surface of

mixture and place in

the oven for 1 hour,

until cooked all the

way through.