bliss in a glass v
The flavour of late summer! Use 225g (8oz) juicy ripe blackberries instead of the strawberries.
Blueberry bliss in a glass v
Deep purple, delicious and wonderful (so they say) for keeping those brain cells lively and youthful, blueberries make a great smoothie. Add 225g (8oz) of them instead of the strawberries.
Pomegranate bliss in a glass v
Leave out the strawberries and instead pop the juicy red seeds out of 1 large pomegranate by cutting it in half then bending back each half to release the seeds, dislodging them with the aid of a small pointed knife. Add the pomegranate seeds to the blender along with the other fruit and whiz until completely smooth.
Green bliss in a glass v
Try adding a good handful of baby spinach leaves to any of these smoothies. You won’t taste the spinach – it will be just like a fruit smoothie – but you’ll notice the extra, sustained energy that the green leaves give you. A green smoothie must be one of the most health-giving drinks on the planet. You can use other dark green leaves too; kale, for instance. Start with a few leaves and add more once you get used to the flavour.
Yoghurt and orange smoothie v
This is calming, revitalising and quick to make.
MAKES ABOUT ONE 250ML (9FL OZ) GLASS
1 orange, peeled
150ml (5fl oz) natural yoghurt or vegan yoghurt
a little clear honey (optional)
Break the orange into segments and place in blender. Add the yoghurt, then whizz for 30–60 seconds or until fairly smooth, adding a little honey to taste, if you like. There will still be some chunky pieces of orange, but these give the drink ‘body’ and provide extra fibre.
A sauce can provide the perfect finishing touch to a dish; it can make the difference between ordinary and exceptional and transform some of your favourite dishes into something really special.
In this chapter you’ll find many easy sauces and relishes that can accompany a variety of dishes – try some tangy Béarnaise with crispy aubergine fritters or creamy mushroom and Marsala sauce with tofu escalopes. You’ll also find many reliable classics – tomato sauce for pizza and delicious hollandaise. The good news is that they are all simple to make. Plus, if you’re in a hurry, my ultra-easy blender béchamel sauces will turn a simple dish of steamed vegetables into a main course with just a topping of breadcrumbs, a scattering of grated cheese and a flash under a hot grill.
Apple sauce
You can use cooking apples, which cook to a lovely, soft, fluffy purée, or sweet eating apples, which require less sugar. Either way, the result is a pleasant, fruity sauce that goes well with lentil loaf or pease pudding.
SERVES 4–6
450g (1lb) apples
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp sugar
15g (½oz) butter
salt
Peel and core the apples, then cut them into smallish pieces.
Put the apple pieces, water, sugar and butter into a medium-sized heavy-based saucepan and cook gently, with a lid on the pan, until the apples are soft.
Season with a little salt, then mash the mixture slightly with a wooden spoon to break up the apple. (Or you can blend it if you prefer a smoother consistency.)
VARIATION
Apple and cranberry sauce
For this version, cook 125g (4oz) fresh cranberries, washed and picked over, with the apples. You’ll need to add more sugar as cranberries are very sharp.
Apple and redcurrant sauce
Use redcurrants instead of the cranberries or just soften the apples in 2 rounded tablespoons of redcurrant (or cranberry) jelly and leave out the sugar.
Blender Béarnaise sauce
This is a quick version of the classic rich French sauce. First, you reduce the vinegar in a saucepan to concentrate the flavour, then add it to the egg yolks in a blender and pour in the melted butter. It only takes a few minutes to make and is superb with dishes such as lentil and mushroom burgers or cashew and dill fritters. A pleasant variation is to stir 125g (4oz) of fromage frais into the finished sauce – this lightens it and makes enough to serve eight people.
SERVES 6
125g (4oz) butter
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp very finely chopped onion 8 peppercorns, lightly crushed
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
Heat the vinegar, onion and peppercorns together in another small pan until the vinegar has reduced by half.
Put the egg yolks and lemon juice into a blender and purée until just creamy, then strain in the vinegar mixture and blend again.
With the blender still going, slowly pour the melted butter in. As you do so, the mixture will thicken to a beautiful creamy consistency.
Season with salt and pepper and serve while still warm. If you need to keep it warm, transfer it to a bowl and stand in a saucepan or roasting tin of boiling
