We Love Cooking!:
wholewheat

On Tuesday I traveled down to Cork for the first time ever to meet with the guys in Mercier press to discuss the release of the cookbook and the interior design. When I arrived they had a full mock up of the book to leaf through and I'm really thrilled with the look were going for. There's lots of bits to add here and there but it's much easier to work on it when you can see something that resembles the finished product.

I'm finally getting settled back into a some sort of normal routine after a fairly exciting but disruptive Christmas period, which means I'm getting to do a lot more cooking and photo's! I cooked two pasta dishes with goats cheese yesterday, one with sundried tomatoes and basil and this one here with garlic and mushrooms.

I'm a huge fan of goats cheese not only because of its distict flavour but there is recent research that suggests goats milk and cheese can be digested by the human body far easier than cow's. As it contains a similar calcium and nutrient content as cow's milk, it's has become common knowledge that people who suffer from a lactose intolerance can often use goat's milk and cheese as a dairy alternative.

Garlic Mushroom and Goats Cheese Pasta

Garlic and mushroom is a classic combination and works super in this tasty pasta dish. Crumbling the goats cheese over the hot pasta creates a creamy coating and leaves the dish with a distinctive tangy taste. The dish only takes the time to cook the pasta and is perfect to make a little extra and stick in a lunchbox for tomorrow.

250g of wholemeal penne pasta.
1 tablespoon of olive oil.
3 cloves of garlic chopped finely.
1 onion chopped into thin half moon slices.
150g of mushrooms sliced thinly (Approx. 6 large mushrooms).
75g of goats cheese.
A generous pinch of black pepper.
A generous pinch of sea salt.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the pasta. While the pasta is cooking prepare the garlic and onion.
In a large frying pan heat the oil, add the garlic and onion and fry gently until softened and browned. Then add the mushrooms and cook until soft. The mushrooms will turn from white to a nice creamy brown colour.
When the pasta is cooked drain in a colander and put back in the pot. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and add the mushrooms, garlic and onion. Crumble in the goats cheese, add the salt and pepper and stir together until everything is combined evenly.
Serve straight away in deep dishes and season with a little extra black pepper.

Pasta is a super way to beat the credit crunch, not only is it cheap but it is also a great source of carbohydrates, which provide the body with energy. I buy wholewheat pasta as it contains more fiber and has more health benefits than its plain counterpart. You can easily choose wholemeal pasta in most supermarkets and Irish brand Roma has wholewheat options on both its penne and spaghetti.

Sundried Tomato, Basil and Goats Cheese Pasta
This is a tasty variation on my mushroom and goats cheese pasta, for those of you who just can't stand fungi! I actually originally made this with sunblushed tomatoes but I think sundried give a more intense flavour to the dish.

150g of sundried tomatoes (plus a little of the oil they are stored in).
75g of goats cheese.
25g of fresh basil leaves.
250g of wholemeal penne pasta.
A good pinch of sea salt.
A few slices of good crunchy toasted bread to serve.

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, remove the tomatoes from the oil they are stored and set aside to add to the pasta later. Roughly chop the basil leaves and sundried tomatoes and set aside.
When the pasta is cooked drain in a colander and put back in the pot. Drizzle with the sundried tomato oil and add the basil and sundried tomatoes, stir to combine.
Crumble in the goats cheese and using a large serving spoon stir the cheese through the pasta.
Serve straight away or this also works really well as a tasty lunch box filler.

There has been a few new Irish food blogs but check out the latest blog I came across CheapEats.ie which is great for spotting shopping bargains on offer across the country! Another cool one particularly for its travel pics is thefood.ie warblings check them out, it's always great to see new blogs!

This recipe is actually one I wrote for the book. I had toyed with whether or not to include a Sweets chapter, and in the end decided I couldn't do without. The cookies took a few tries to get the mix right especially using whole wheat flour, but the end result is a chewy sweet cookie which is really tasty. They literally take minutes to make and have quickly become my solution to the TV watching munchies!

Peanut Butter Cookies
These are incredibly tasty little cookies which are so easy to make. Perfect for cooking with kids!

Makes approximately 9 cookies.
4 rounded tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter.
1 large egg.
2/3 cup of dark brown sugar.
1/3 cup of whole wheat flour.
Place the sugar, and flour in a large mixing bowl and combine. With a wooden spoon create a well in the center of the bowl and add the egg and peanut butter. Beat the egg and peanut butter with the flour and sugar until a thick dough forms. If the dough is too moist simply add a little extra flour. Allow the dough to sit in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
Remove from the fridge and place rounded tablespoons of the dough onto a greased baking sheet.
Bake in the oven at 180oC/ for approximately 15 minutes or until the cookies brown slightly.
Remove from the baking sheet and allow to cool.

I finally sent off the manuscript of text for the book to Mercier press last week, so things have finally calmed down a little here in the Good Mood Kitchen! I have to say the whole process has been a major learning process and has been totally enjoyable. The most exciting part of the entire project had to be spending the two days working hell for leather in September with Jocasta the lovely food photographer and Erica my lovely food stylist/sous chef/psychiatrist/ and Auntie!! I picked up so many great little tips, so I'll have to do an extra special post detailing them all. For now here's a great quick dinner, which I made the other night, it's super tasty and so easy to make.

Mushy Roast Garlic and Cherry Tomato Pasta

This is an absolutely delicious dish which is so easy to prepare and is perfect for entertaining. I roast all the ingredients in a large roasting tray and when they are cooked using a fork mash them altogether to create a super tasty thick tomato sauce. Don’t be put off my roasting the whole garlic bulb, it produces a really rich, deep and faintly sweet flavour and makes it a lot more palatable than in its raw state.

250g of Wholewheat Penne Pasta.
1 large bulb of garlic.
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes.
1 large red onion.
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
3 tablespoons of olive oil.
A good pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper.
An extra glug of olive oil.
A large handful of grated parmesan cheese.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 4.
Slice the top off the bulb of garlic so that almost all the cloves are exposed. Place the garlic in a large roasting tray. Prepare the cherry tomatoes by slicing them in half. A quick tip I picked up recently is that in order to always get an open faced halved tomato, look for the small dimple at the top of the tomato. Always slice across this bump and you will end up with perfectly sliced tomato faces!
Place the tomatoes in the roasting tray. Prepare the red onion by peeling and slicing into rough quarters, place alongside the tomatoes and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and using a pastry brush, brush the mix over the tomatoes, the red onion, and the garlic bulb. Sprinkle the tomatoes, garlic, and onion with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
Roast the tray in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the tomatoes have reduced to half their size.
While the garlic, tomatoes, and onion are roasting, bring a medium sized pot of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.

When the tomatoes, garlic and onion are cooked remove from the oven and using a fork, mash all the ingredients together until you have a thick mushy sauce. Tumble the cooked pasta into the roasting tray and add the Parmesan cheese and an extra glug of olive oil. Toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated. Serve in a large bowl and enjoy!

I thought I would post one last recipe for the week before we head off to Galway. We've decided to head towards The Burren for a bit of tourist style exploring, and then on to the cliffs of Moher, so you can expect some pictures next week!

This is one of the quickest little dishes I make when I'm stuck for time, but am in need of a big bowl of comfort without skimping on the nutrition. It's not exactly the most decadant uses of Asparagus, but when I first made it, I was trying to use them up before they went off. Doesn't that make this recipe sound appealing?! But honestly you can have this whole dish cooked in the time it takes to boil the pasta.

Aparagus and Garlic Pasta (Serves 2)

1. 225g of Wholemeal Spaghetti.
2. 400g of Aspargus Spears.
3. 1 Clove of Garlic.
4. A Squeeze of Lemon Juice.
5. One handful of Fresh Parsley.
6. Pinch of Salt and Pepper.
7. Parmesan Cheese.

Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain the water and return to the pot. Tip in the vivid green asparagus paste and mix through, serve in two bowls, topped with grated Parmesan and a generous sprinkling of black pepper. A quick fix for any hungry belly!

First of all- TasteSpotting.com! Most of the online foodies out there will know exactly what I'm talking about, but if you have no idea, this site was pure indulgence for food porn enthusiasts! It hand picked some of the best photo's and recipe's from food blogs across the world, and displayed them in one handy site. I'm sure there will a similar site soon, as Tastespotting will be sorely missed.

And now, how about a recipe?

Dishes which are packed with healthy ingredients and stunning colors, are not only a cure for hunger, they can really improve your mood too. With the summer in full flow, there is so much in season veg and fresh herbs that it can get a bit traumatic knowing what exactly to with it- this quick pasta salad is a great solution as it's basically a raid on the contents of your fridge which you can transform too your very own taste. It definitely beats the image of soggy mayonnaise laden pasta salads sitting in plastic containers at your local supermarket!

I made this in about 15-20 mins right after I collected Sofie from the airport recently and not only does it hit the spot- it's a really handy and healthy little pasta salad. This is the way I do it;

:: SESAME PASTA SALAD

1. Wholemeal Pasta
2. 1 Red Onion slice into half moons.
3. 1 Carrot finely chopped.
4. 1/2 small cucumber finely chopped.
5. Feta Cheese
6. Handful of Basil finely chopped.
7. 2 tbs of Olive Oil
8. 1 Tbs of Balsamic Vinegar
9. A handful of toasted Sesame Seeds.
   
10. A good pinch of Salt and Pepper.

In a large mixing bowl, add the vinegar and oil and give it a quick whisk. Then add all the veg cheese and herbs and combine with the pasta. Give it a good pinch of salt and pepper and serve. Top the finished dishes with golden toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy!