Extreme Moderation

All things in moderation (including moderation, of course!) generally seems a sensible life-rule. I shall therefore be glad that my recent kitchen-adventures have gone from one (healthy, virtuous) extreme to... the complete other.

Health and Virtue

Courgette fritters with salad

I made this up to use some courgettes languishing in the fridge - grated courgette, a little bit of strong cheese, an egg and some seasoning all mixed together and formed into fritters, then fried (in Fry Light of course - this is the healthy option) and popped under the grill as they didn't seem flippable. Very delicious, especially mingling with the grated beetroot in the salad.

Guilt-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies  from Chocolate-Covered Katie

Not that I like to feel guilt about eating any sort of cookies, but with these you can feel virtuous(ish) even after eating the whole batch, and they don't taste any different to 'normal' cookies.

She recommends taking them out before they're done as they'll keep cooking out of the oven, but I think mine needed a little bit more baking to be perfect. Luckily I like soft cookies! I might also try wholemeal flour next time as I find it tends to absorb more moisture.

These were also good made into a sort of strawberry shortcake thing. With Quark, not cream, to continue The Health.

The Complete Other

Cheese-Gnocchi-Courgette Bake

(There were a lot of courgettes in the fridge!) 

This could easily have been a healthier option, but I was in a heavy-handed butterandcheese mood. 

I saw this gnocchi recipe on Domestic Sluttery a while back and really wanted to try it - I'd always though that gnocchi were one of those horribly hard and fiddly things to make, but they're really not. A bit time-consuming, so probably better to make the night before and keep in the fridge, but they tasted perfect and used up my glut of potatoes (think they'd been breeding with the courgettes).

I made the gnocchi and boiled them as per the recipe, whilst softening the leeks slowly with butter and garlic, made a cheese sauce and stirred it all together with some halved cherry tomatoes. A bit more cheese sprinkled on top and under the grill 'til it browned. Perfect Sunday night sofa food.

Fudgy Cocoa Brownies from Apple and Spice

Allie brought this recipe to my attention and I think it might be a new favourite. It really is the easiest thing to make, partly because it contains no actual chocolate so you haven't got to faff about with bain-maries or burning it in the microwave, and partly because you can do it all in one pan!

They're also delicious. This is the second batch I've made in a week as Nick took them into work for his birthday and they requested a second lot!