Slow cooked Chicken Provencal

I cook from scratch, love it and have discovered since breaking my finger,three months and still in a splint I was destined to have personal sous chefs! Chris and Paige have been great choppers,dicers and peelers, so I can still keep my hand in and cook. I may continue this routine hehe!! 

We do more food planning so that all my ingredients are chopped the day before and then I can cook at leisure,pan lifting is a bit tricky so my slow cooker has been on the side permanently. Its really helped with the heat of summer an unexpected bonus, we have been  eat a great cooked meal without melting from the heat of the oven.

 I reviewed the Tefal slow cooker http://given-to-distracting-others.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/judge-slow-cooker-review.html

I have had great success with it, my best question and find was Can you cook bread in a slow cooker? The answer was a very successful yes!! Look out for the giveaway to win one!
http://given-to-distracting-others.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/slow-cooker-bread.html

Back to this weeks recipe I so waffle, I have been reviewing more products to make life simple designed for busy cooks not just broken digits. The latest is the Just Add range herbs and spice in an easy tube,I love them, they have a three week shelf life if refrigerated,I am already half way through the garlic in a week.

Just Add removes the fiddly task of chopping when cooking meaning that you can simply reach for the squeezy tube or one shot sachet to add your desired taste sensation, which includes: Garlic, Chili, Basil, Ginger and Coriander. They are perfect for a fuss free, flavorsome supper across a range of cuisines, for example, the Coriander is great in curries and stir-frys and the Ginger makes a delicious marinade. Available from Tesco Asda, Waitrose and Ocado
http://www.justadd.me.uk/

I used the Just Add Garlic and Basil for this slow cooked chicken, its a lovely alternative to snipping leaves or crushing garlic and stringy ginger.The basil especially had a lovely fresh aroma and in  the finished dish it was very evident.

To make a Slimming World Chicken Provencal, just use fresh garlic and basil.
I made this a rather herby chicken,feel free to omit or add herbs of your choice,most  of the recipes start as a certain dish then I tinker!

Do not be alarmed by the size of the dish above I doubled up my recipe,as I was taking some to London for my Mum and Dad.



Serves 4
Ingredients

1 red pepper, cut into large chunks
1 green pepper, cut into large chunks

1 onion sliced

450 grams chicken breast or thigh
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbs tomato purée
1 tsp Just Add garlic
1 tsp Just Add basil

A few sprigs of fresh thyme

Black pepper

Method

Fry the chicken if you want to but I did not this time as using breast pieces. It tastes the same either way and saves even more time.

The method again is very simple,place all ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours!

Disclosure Just Add sent me the Garlic, Basil and chill range to try. I received no other payment,my views are my own.

Aah Bisto Meatballs and Mash

My meatball recipes in the past have been a spicy or tomato based dish. I realised talking to my friend yesterday who is from St Kitts that my cooking catalogue tends to be global and I rarely make midweek meals that are English. That said the meatball I made for the Bisto challenge have herbs in that are Italian flavoured so I still did not quite make it.

What I loved about the recipe was making smaller meatballs meant they could be oven baked in 15 minutes, this helps with the broken finger problem. I will be doing this again as it was easier and healthier without frying even in Frylight or low cal oil sprays. 

The carrot made them moister, then the Bisto added a lovely rich beefy flavour. I am actually sold on the taste of Bisto granules, as I said before my Sunday roast gravy has always been Bisto powder. Its three generations of family that have used it. But I will be using this as a fast option more now especially on weekdays.

Savoy cabbage was a perfect accompaniment, I love the tatse and surprisingly Paige ate a mega plate full too, I think the gravy helped.

For my Slimming World eating, (now at target, but still am careful to stay that way) its good. Bisto Favourite Gravy Granules are 1 syn per tsp, six tsps used, serving four,so 1 and 1/2syns. As I rarely get through my daily syn allowance,this makes for quicky low syn meals, I am happy with those figures.

The recipe below also has milk for the mash,so check your allowance if you are on Slimming World and I suggest fat free fromage frais or your usual mash recipe.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

You will need the following:

• 1kg (2lb 4oz) potatoes, cut into chunks

• 500g (1lb 2oz) extra lean minced beef

• 1 large carrot, grated 

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs

• 1 small Savoy or white cabbage, shredded

• 2 tablespoons milk 

• 6 heaped teaspoons Bisto Favourite Gravy Granules

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.Preheat the oven to 200°C / fan oven 180°C / Gas Mark 6.

2.Put the potatoes into a large saucepan. Cover with boiling water and add a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender.

3.Meanwhile, put the mince into a mixing bowl and add the carrot, onion and herbs. Season with salt and pepper, then shape into about 24 meatballs (it helps if you have wet hands). Put them onto 2 baking sheets as you make them. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

4.Shortly before the meatballs are ready, cook the cabbage in a small amount of boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then mash them with the milk and season with black pepper.

5.Sprinkle the 6 teaspoons of Bisto Favourite Gravy Granules into a jug, add 450ml (3/4 pint) boiling water and stir until thickened and smooth. 

Serve with the meatballs, mash and cabbage.

Bisto Gravy Granules are available in Favourite, Chicken, Onion, Turkey, Vegetable, and Reduced Salt varieties, there's a flavour to suit all dishes. 

http://www.aahnight.co.uk

Disclosure I was sent Bisto Gravy Granules and a £20 shopping voucher to cook the meals. No other incentive or payment was given. My views are my own.

Sizzled Turkey with Leek and Turkey Gravy

As I mentioned yesterday I am taking part in a 'Midweek Meal' Challenge with Bisto. To be exact Bisto Gravy Granules,I previously only used them to add to casseroles and thicken up dishes. Quite mad as I use all the other Bisto products and like them. They've been around since 1979 and have a good few varieties to choose from.

The first I wanted to try was the Bisto Turkey Gravy this recipe is not a mix up and pour over, but a 'cook in' ingredient which was why it appealed.

My sous chef husband kindly did all the prep as I am not allowed near knives as my splint makes it tricky and a steak knife through the finger  a few weeks ago proved this a bit more.

I was allowed to do all the cooking and found this a really easy recipe to follow.

The leeks really softened well and cooked in the gravy first made them really flavoursome.I am actually keen to try the granules just with boiling water. Oh and you must get a big slice of bread to mop up any gravy,its scrummy. I used thyme, oh and I would possibly use a little more Bisto at the end to boost the flavour and thicken the gravy, the leeks give out a fair amount of liquid.but that would be my only change.

The end result was a lovely meal, light and lemony, the gravy with leeks was scrummy and I will be using again.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 heaped teaspoons Bisto Turkey Gravy

• 1 large leek, thinly sliced

• 1kg (2lb 4oz) potatoes, cut into chunks

• 4 x 125g (5oz) turkey breast steaks

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

• Few sprigs of rosemary or thyme

• 1 head broccoli, broken into florets

• 200g (7oz) frozen peas

• 2 tablespoons milk

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Sprinkle the 6 teaspoons of Bisto Turkey Gravy Granules into a saucepan and add 450ml (3/4 pint) boiling water, stirring until thickened and smooth. Add the leek, then, cook over a very low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little extra water if the gravy reduces down too much.

2. Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a large saucepan. Cover with boiling water and add a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender.

3. Preheat a char-grill pan or the grill. Brush both sides of the turkey steaks with vegetable oil, then char-grill or grill on one side for 4-5 minutes. Turn over and sprinkle with the lemon zest, lemon juice and herbs. Cook for another few minutes until done. Check with a sharp knife – the juices should run clear.

4. At the same time, cook the broccoli for 5-6 minutes in boiling water, adding the peas for the final 2 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then, mash them with the milk and season with black pepper. Serve with the turkey steaks and vegetables, with the leek and turkey gravy poured over.

Bisto Gravy Granules are available in Favourite, Chicken, Onion, Turkey, Vegetable, and Reduced Salt varieties, there's a flavour to suit all dishes. 

http://www.aahnight.co.uk

Bisto Midweek Meal Challenge

Now its Monday and not strictly midweek, but Bisto asked me if I would like to try out some recipes using their gravy granules  and supplied me with a stack of midweek meal recipes and a shopping voucher to buy the ingredients. Now regular readers know I have a broken finger,splinted and being a complete pain,I am really missing cooking and relying on Chris and Paige to do my ingredients prep and washing up (I like that bit)

Bisto gravy powder is my usual gravy of choice, not many friends I know actually use it, I make it with meat stock and veggie water and really get a fab result.This is a Sunday 'must have' Its more time consuming than instant gravy but worth it.

I use Bisto gravy granules to thicken casseroles, but rarely as a gravy on a meal, so this is my chance to try it as a few of my friends swear by it. It will be way easier to make a meal and nice to have a few gravy dinners midweek. I also use the Bisto Instant Gravy tubes, they are really good and very tasty.

I have decided to make Aah Bisto Meatballs and mash, I usually make Italian meatballs or meatball curry so again this would be a new dish to eat.

I also like the sound of the Sizzlied Turkey Steaks with Leek and Turkey Gravy, I adore leek and poultry dishes ,you may have seen my Filo chicken and Leek pie recipe. They go together so well and Bisto have a Turkey Gravy so I am keen to try that too.

So pop back tomorrow for the first instalment.

 Bisto Gravy Granules are available in Favourite, Chicken, Onion, Turkey, Vegetable, and Reduced Salt varieties, there's a flavour to suit all dishes. 

http://www.aahnight.co.uk

Hellman's Flavoured Mayonnaise Review

I already buy Hellman's mayo, it saved the day when I was on Slimming World it meant I could use the Lighter than Light Mayonnaise and add to make salads more tasty and potato salad just as good. If you are one of my Slimming World readers its 1/2 syns for a whole tablespoon, now that is very good. It also is great in cakes as us slimmers know,it replaces butter well and makes a moister cake.

I wrote to several companies after watching Hugh's Chicken Out campaign and asked would they consider using free range eggs in their products,most ignored the email or wrote back about cost effectiveness, Hellman's were the only company to write back with a promise that they would be doing this,so they already have my loyalty. All their mayos are made using free range eggs. A massive thumbs up fromme!

I loved the Hellman's mayo with garlic, I am sad this has gone,one because the taste was great and two because it was another low synned item that made all sorts of meals more flavourful.

Recently Hellman's invited me to 'Add some spark to my meals with Hellman,s  Flavoured Mayonnaises to bring an exciting twist to everyday dishes including Mayonnaise with a Twist of Pepper and Mayonnaise with a Spark of Chilli' I was sent the Pinch of Mustard and I noticed online https://www.hellmanns.co.uk/products/flavouredmayonnaise/index.aspx there is a Mayonnaise with a touch of Garlic so I will be checking that out.

The new range are in squeezy bottles, and its very easy to get to your mayo quickly,the lid makes it nice and clean and its sits upside down in the fridge door which also saves me space.

Taste wise I decided to be simple and had a cheese salad roll for lunch with a generous squeeze of the mayo, it is sweeter than I imagined, the mustard is not hot for those who do not like the mustard kick. I do  but it still has a nice mustardy note.

I have also added to mash whencooking sausages and its very good,especially if serving onion gravy,I may just try adding to a roux sauce to see how that turns out.

Hellman's have a great selection of recipes online and I have been getting some inspiration there.

I also have learnt a few unusual tips and I thought you would like to know those too.

 Hellmann’s is also great for hair! Massage it into your hair and scalp, cover your head with a shower cap, wait several minutes and then shampoo. The mayonnaise will moisturise your hair and give it a 

lustrous sheen 

Mayonnaise also makes plant leaves shiny! Professional florists use this trick to keep house-plant leaves vibrant and clean. You can do just the same thing at home. Just rub a bit of mayonnaise on the leaves with a paper towel and they will stay bright for weeks and weeks at a time!

Apologies for wandering off topic, back to the new additions, with the mustard one being a success, I will be trying a few more now. I have my eye on Spark of Chilli, as you know I like a kick in a recipe. The Zing of Lemon will also get a trial and again this blog is littered with my love for citrus. 

https://www.hellmanns.co.uk

Sharwoods Indian Sauce range

I was sent the Sharwood's delicious new range of cooking sauces to try and the whole family were catered for.

They include some Indian restaurant favourites, Paige often chooses the Butter Chicken, she likes a mild curry on occasion if we are out, she eats hot at home but some restaurants do go a bit fiery on the medium range dishes.

I like a Balti or a Dopiaza as the onion flavour if cooked well is lovely.Plus if you have read my blog previously and saw that Chris did a hottest curry in the world and has eaten some very fierce chilli sauces,you will know he loves a Vindaloo, 

At only £1.69 per jar a meal for the family they area fraction of the price of a take-away!

They are simplicity itself to make, its a case of frying chicken or veg and adding the sauce. I added mushrooms to the chicken to bulk it out a bit and to use up leftovers.

Its far too hot weather wise at the moment so we ate without rice adding samosa and onion bhajis that were already in the fridge.

I like Sharwood's sauces, I can rely on them to be good tasting if its a favourite meal.

Chris said the Vindaloo was 'top' and I'm afraid to say we passed up on it, I will be trying when the weather has cooled down a little.

Butter Chicken is a mild, creamy curry mixed with the perfect blend of spices to please any palate; Dopiaza is a dark, savoury curry characterised by spicy onions in a rich tomato base; and Vindaloo, a traditional fiery dish, blends tomatoes and onions with chillies for a spicy sauce that is not for the faint of heart.

The new Sharwood’s sauces are available in all major supermarkets from April with an RRP of £1.69.

Disclosure I was sent the new Sharwood range to try, my views are my own, I did not receive any payment.

Whats For Dinner Tonight with Schwartz 2In1

Whats for Dinner tonight? Its a question I now slightly groan at, I consider myself a good 'from scratch' cook, its a hobby not a chore and I often wandered shops looking for different ingredients, look at prepared meals and working out  how to make it myself. 

Now I am crazily busy, drop dead exhausted most days, I care for my Grandma as many of you know, I adore cooking and before was often making meals from scratch. But I have to prioritise what I do and often making a big meal is abandoned.

Now I like to spend my time with my Granny and I have resorted to easier meals, sometimes just faster home cooked faves,but I also use packet mixes.

With my broken finger and just being told yesterday its going to be a minimum of 8 weeks with my hand out of full action, its definitely the time I need easy options.

Schwartz have always been in my cupboard, from herbs to spices, I love it when they come out with a new range, the new 2in1 packs really appeal. So when I saw the Britmums challenge to use them and feature here, I thought I would have a go.

Тhe new 2in1 range offers easy to use recipe mix sachets in one handy pack: one sachet flavours the main dish whilst the other contains а seasoning for a complementary side dish or topping. With 5 different varieties to choose from, and an easy recipe on the back of each pack, it’s a great way to try out new dishes or transform an existing family favourite.

I decided to start with the Garlic and Thyme Roast Chicken with Crispy Roast Potatoes,I could manage this one more or lesson my own, Chris did the peeling of potatoes and I was good to go. The seasoning is mixed with oil and spread over the chicken.

I decided the chicken breast and part of the legs should be skinned, I ditched the brush and used my hand to really rub in the mix, I then left it to infuse.None of these are needed if you are in a rush.

Chicken ready to pop in the oven,foil to cover for the first half, and then my trusty sous chef was left to peel the spuds! 

I parboiled the potatoes for 10 minutes then mixed the potato seasoning with oil, I used Extra Virgin oil as I find its fab and more healthy then popped into the oven to roast. 

The aroma that fills the kitchen is great, we were ravenous by the end. The chicken reminded me of a blackened chicken recipe I make, mine did look dark,but it was perfect.

The roast potatoes were done to perfection.
Just had to plate up,we ate this midweek meal with salad as we were also roasting in the summer sun.

This got an all round seal of approval, Paige said the only thing wrong with it was that she did not have two platefuls! The chicken was succulent,the seasoning being rubbed in and left to marinate really makes for more tender meat, I believe. The potatoes really crispy and just melt in the mouth fluffy inside, I use Maris Pipers for roasting, they just are delicious.

We had enough chicken for a few sandwiches next day, with a nice garlic mayo, just right for lunch in the garden!

On to the Mediterranean Chicken Pasta and Cheesy Crumb Topping, again Chris prepped the chicken and peppers needed for the mix, opened the can of tomatoes and did my heavy lifting, (I could get used to having an assistant for food blogging!)

The method again was simplistic,the grill was switched on to preheat, meanwhile the chicken is fried, I added the peppers after 7 minutes. Then the Mediterranean mix was stirred into the water and along with the chopped tomatoes added to the pan.

I decided to simmer this mix for about 10 minutes,this was to sweeten the tomatoes a little more. Then I mixed in the pasta, giving it a good stir, being a Mediterranean dish I popped in some left over Feta and a few olives just to add more flavour.
Then the final touch before grilling is to sprinkle over the Cheesy  Crumb topping and the grated cheese,being a fan of cheese I used more than suggested.

It looked and smelled really good,I am glad I added the extra cheese it gave it a boost and the cheese nicely melted through the tomato base.

We gave this one a thumbs up too, loved the chicken pasta base, the crispy Crumb topping had an strong ingredient that I could not quite work out and if I could, I would like less of it, it left a not awful but pungent aftertaste,it was possibly the onion powder, but I was the only person who felt this. 

I will make again and next time add red and green peppers to give a little more colour, maybe some courgettes as well.

I loved trying the range and am keen to make the other mixes now, see the link below for more details.

 “This post is an entry for BritMums ‘What’s for Dinner Tonight?’ sponsored by Schwartz. Find out more about the new 2in1 mixes here”

 www.schwartz.co.uk/Products/Recipe-Mixes/2-in-1.aspx.

Pelia Olive Oil Review

I have loved reviewing olive oils, last year, I took part in a blind taste test and was happy to say I passed and guessed correctly the one that was not heavily blended. So I was happy to try another mini bottle of olive oil, this time from Greece,

I can identify easily a good olive oil now and it really makes a difference to foods, I added the Pelia Olive oil to my salad tonight, feta to keep in with the Greek theme, extra olives.The Pelia is fresh, smells summery, almost grassy and really made a difference to the taste. 

I also use extra virgin olive oil to cook with, this came from my Slimming World allowances and now I am at my target weight nearly two years later, I still do. 

I used to think you could not cook with it, but it is used for cooking in many of the countries it is produced. It just needs to be heated gradually and obviously not for deep frying at high temperatures.

PELIA - THE PUREST GREEK OLIVE OIL DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR DOOR

Pelia brings Greek olive oil in its purest form, with the launch of their UK web shop  

Olive oil has become a firm favourite in the British kitchen, used in everyday cooking, from drizzling over salads to roasting meat and vegetables.  Pelia has a light golden colour and delicate taste that makes it ideal for use in both its raw form and for cooking.

Pelia cold pressed extra virgin olive oil owes its unique flavour to the relatively unknown Manaki variety of olive. The olives are hand-picked from small family owned groves in the northern Peloponnese where the olive oil is extracted on the same day at the local olive press. The olive oil is then packaged and sealed on site, ensuring that the customer receives it in its very purest form allowing them to enjoy it in the same way as locals that have produced it for over a thousand years.   

Co-founder of Pelia, Phillip Tsatsos says ‘Pelia has a really original taste, very different from what we are used to. It’s always exciting for me to see people try the oil for the first time, it is also very surprising how quickly they recognise the difference in quality and flavour. We are really looking forward to seeing more people sampling and cooking with the oil and are confident it can help transform the most ordinary meal in to something extraordinary’.

What a lot of us don’t know is that most extra virgin olive oil on the market is mass produced, involving heavy blending and resulting in loss of flavour not to mention highly reduced nutritional and health benefits.  Good olive oil should not only enhance the taste of food but should also contribute towards a healthy lifestyle.

Pelia olive oil is available online at www.pelia.co.uk and is sold in 3lt bag-in-box form.

Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce Recipe Competition

Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce

Create Your Own Recipe

To celebrate the exciting launch of the new Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce are inviting my readers to experiment with Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce and create their own recipes.

The best recipe entry, as judged by me, will be rewarded with a Chinese-themed goodie bag valued at £50, courtesy of Amoy!

I will judge the recipes based on ease of preparation, innovative use of flavours and recipe originality. Each will be marked out of 100, with 100 being the best, and added up to give the participant an overall score. In the event of a tie, I will use my discretion to choose a winner. My decision is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.

Amoy would also love to provide a selection of Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce to give to  first 5 followers, who enter.  [Please see terms and conditions below for more details].

Please remember to leave your email or Twitter name as I have no way of contacting you if your recipe gets chosen.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS – FOR ENTRANTS

RULES FOR ENTRY

1.       There are 5 bottles of Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce 250ml available to be distributed on a first come, first served basis to people wishing to take part in this competition. Requests for product from each entrant must be made by midnight on 24.05.2013 by  contacting the blogger via email with their full name and address.

2.       A third party (Cohn & Wolfe) will be responsible for shipping the product to the entrant wishing to take part in the competition. Cohn and Wolfe will pay for the cost of shipping via standard delivery in the UK.

3.       After the five bottles have been allocated it is still possible to participate in the competition by purchasing a bottle in a food supermarket (Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce 250ml is available in selected Waitrose, Tesco and Co-op stores). Any costs incurred when purchasing the product must be covered by the entrant and will not be covered by HJ Heinz Foods Ltd, Amoy, the blogger or Cohn&Wolfe

4.       To enter, recipe creations must be posted as a ‘comment’ onto the blog post on the blog that is hosting the competition.

5.       All recipes must use Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce 250ml to be eligible to win.

6.       Open to UK residents (excluding Northern Ireland) aged 18 or over at time of entry, except employees and their immediate families of HJ Heinz Foods Ltd, Cohn & Wolfe and anyone connected to this Promotion.

7.       Entries must be received by midnight on 31.05.2013.

SELECTING THE WINNER

1.       The winning recipe will be chosen by the blogger (Jo Bryan) who will judge the recipes based on ease of preparation, innovative use of flavours and recipe originality. Each will be marked out of 100, with 100 being the best, and added up to give the participant an overall score. In the event of a tie, the blogger will use their discretion to choose a winner. The blogger’s decision is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.

2.       The winning recipe will be chosen by the blogger and the winner will be awarded with an Amoy goodie bag (‘the prize’) consisting of Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce 250ml and other selected Amoy products up to the value of £50. The exact contents of the prize are at the discretion of HJ Heinz Foods Ltd and Cohn & Wolfe.

 There is no cash alternative to the prize.

3.       Winners will be notified by the blogger hosting the competition by 14.06.2013, whereby they will require contact details by 21.06.2013 (name, email, telephone number and delivery address) for prize distribution.

4.       HJ Heinz Foods Ltd retain the right to distribute or reproduce all recipes submitted into the competition.

Geeta's Spice Route Review

Geeta Samtani has spent years researching recipes in India and the recipes have been handed down the family for generations. I am glad they decided to share them, I have tried a few dishes at the Good Food show and usually grab a few mixes to try out myself.

The new spice Route range is the latest and I was sent two to try for myself.

Now I can easily grab spices from my two large spice crates and blend, but I am so so busy now, these ready made mixes suit me well.

I decided to try the kebab mix for my readers as its a food I love but try and avoid as its generally quite unhealthy, made at home though with lean lambs mince or even chicken its a tasty healthier option.

I omitted the oil in the mix and saving further time I put the entire mixture in a loaf tin to cook in the oven. Then sliced the meatloaf and served in wonderful fresh naans for a local Indian supermarket I am lucky enough to be near.

For Slimming World followers lambs mince from Asda the one that is under 16% fat makes one quarter portion work out at 4 syns if like me you omit the oil.

The finished result is lovely, different taste from the kebab meat in a shop, this is spicy, really flavoursome and so easy to make.

Full of a mixture of expertly selected Indian herbs and spices, Geeta’s new Spice Route range is sure to add some much-needed flavour into your kitchen whilst making it simple to prepare delicious, authentic Indian food at home.

Choose from a selection of seven tasty combinations including Dhansak, Tandoori, Rogan Josh, Keralan, Tikka and Kebab and combine with vegetables, meat or fish of your choice to make a tasty regional Indian meal – perfect to warm you up on these colder winter evenings.

The versatile range is priced at £1.39 for a 30g pack, enough for four servings, and can be used as a marinade to make a curry or as seasoning mix for spicy kebabs or meatballs. Each spice mix is from a particular region of India and champions the spices and herbs typical of that area.

As a perfect dry marinade why not grill or BBQ chicken or prawns with either the Tandoori mix combining roasted cumin, ginger and cardamom, or the Tikka, which has a zingy blend of roasted coriander, cardamom and chilli before cooking? Or if you’re looking for more of a sauce-based dish then try the Keralan, Rogan Josh, Chettinad or Dhansak mix and follow Geeta’s simple recipe, which is included on each packet.

The Kebab mix blends the Indian spice blend Garam Masala with roasted cumin and black pepper and is perfect mixed with minced lamb to make delicious Indian kofta or meatball. This is proving the belief of Geeta’s that Indian cooking methods are simply a balance of a few good quality ingredients and the spice route range aims to inspire you to be adventurous in the kitchen and try new recipes.

Using recipes handed down through the generations of Geeta Samtani’s family as well as Geeta’s personal research and travels across India, the Spice Route range truly celebrates India’s vast culinary regions including Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab and Kashmir.   

The Geeta’s Spice Route range is available from Asda, www.geetasfo ods.com and from various independent retailers priced at £1.49.

For recipe inspiration or more information visit www.geetasfoods.com and follow us on Twitter (@GeetasFoods)

 Disclosure I was given a free product. I was under no obligation to receive the sample or talk about this company. I get no additional benefits for talking about the product or company.