Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Posted on at 12:20 pm.

Written by Kristam Moffett

Vegan Stuff Sweet Potatoes

Servings:2

Preparation Time:15

Cooking Time:30-45

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet Potatoes
1 teaspoon oil
1 can chick peas drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup tahini
2 garlic cloves
2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
Salt & Pepper
1/2 cup Fresh Parsley chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Poke a few holes into the sweet potatoes with a fork to release steam. Place in the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender.
While the potatoes are cooking, make the chickpeas.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chickpeas, the paprika and the cumin. Stir together and cook for five minutes until heated through.
Place the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water and a pinch salt of pepper in a blender/food processor and puree until creamy and smooth. Depending on the power of your blender, you may need to add more lemon juice or water.
Split the sweet potatoes and divide the chickpeas and parsley on top. Drizzle with tahini sauce.

Asian Black Bean & Chicken Noodles

Posted on at 10:48 am.

Written by Kristam Moffett

Asian Black Bean & Chicken Noodles

Servings:2

Preparation Time:10

Cooking Time:5

Ingredients

1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
400 grams Chicken fillets diced
1 garlic clove crushed or sliced
1 red pepper thinly sliced
1 small bunch Spring Onion sliced
100 grams bean sprout
1 sachet Blue Dragon Black Bean Stir Fry Sauce

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then stir-fry the chicken for about 3 mins, until golden.
2. Throw in the garlic and pepper and cook for 2 mins more.
3. Add the spring onions, beansprouts, noodles, sauce and 5 tbsp water and toss everything together for a final 2 mins cooking.
4. Serve immediately.

Honey Glazed DC Gammon

Posted on at 2:21 pm.

Written by Kristam Moffett

Honey Glazed DC Gammon

Servings:4

Preparation Time:10

Cooking Time:6

Ingredients

1 whole gammon joint all fat removed
1.5 ltr diet coke
1 onion chopped
1 medium carrot peeled & chopped
1/2 tsp Cinnamon ground
1 bay leaf
12 peppercorns
2 tsp honey runny

Method

Remove all fat from the gammon.
Then place it in a pan, covered with water and boil for 10 minutes to remove any excess salt and scum.
Discard the water and place the gammon in a slow cooker along with all the herbs, spices and veg.
Now pour over the cola.
Place the lid on top and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7.
Once cooked, preheat your oven on 200 degrees.
Remove the gammon from the juice and brush with the runny honey.
Place the gammon in a roasting dish and cook in the oven for 20 minutes until golden, turning half way and slice to serve.

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

Posted on at 3:26 pm.

Written by Kristam Moffett

Slow Cooker Mulled Wine

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

Ingredients

2 70cl bottles red wine
100 ml Cointreau
2 large Oranges peeled zest and juice
1 pared zest of Lemon
120 g golden caster sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
3 Star anise
4 Cloves
1 orange Sliced

Method

Put all the ingredients (except the slices of orange) in a slow cooker on low for 1 1/2 - 2hrs until hot. Ladle into heatproof glasses and serve with slices of orange. Using the 'keep warm' setting (if your cooker has one) will ensure the mulled wine stays hot during the party.

Centra Scoops Three Wins at Leading NI Retail Awards

Posted on at 3:03 pm.

Written by Kristam Moffett

Three Centra stores were among the big winners at the 21^st Neighbourhood Retailer Awards held last night in Belfast.

McGoveran’s Centra Cathedral Quarter were named Neighbourhood Store of the Year (category 1), Watson’s Centra in Portaferry were crowned Neighbourhood Store of the Year (category 2) and Centra Carrickfergus took home the title of Forecourt of the Year (category 1).

Congratulating the stores, Michael McCormack Managing Director of Centra in Northern Ireland said –

“Congratulations to all our stores on what is a great achievement to be honoured at this level. These wins are testament to the great value, customer service and offering we have across our store network but also the hard work and dedication that is put in by our teams. Well done to all involved.”

The awards, a focal point for the retail industry every year, have been rewarding excellence and celebrating success in retailing since 1998. Independently and rigorously judged by Spotcheck, the Neighbourhood Retailer Awards are widely regarded as NI’s premier awards event for the industry, locally and nationally.

Charity Partnership is One in 3 Million

Posted on at 11:34 am.

Written by Kristam Moffett

SuperValu & Centra reach milestone £3 million fundraising target for Action Cancer

In what is a ground-breaking achievement, SuperValu and Centra retailers have reached a landmark fundraising target of £3 million for Action Cancer – one of the largest amounts ever raised by a company for an individual charity in Northern Ireland.

Thanks to the commitment of SuperValu and Centra retailers in Northern Ireland, Action Cancer is able to provide life-saving services in local communities through the Big Bus as well as the Health Action Programme (HAP).

Michael McCormack, Managing Director of SuperValu and Centra said

“We are proud to have reached our £3 million fundraising target for Action Cancer. Our retailers and colleagues have worked tirelessly over the years to raise money and this impressive result is testament to their dedication.”

The Health Action Programme is all about championing health promotion and empowering local children to make the right choices when it comes to their health and lifestyles. The programme has worked with nearly 500,000 pupils across Northern Ireland and Michael McCormack stresses the importance of delivering a healthy lifestyle message to today’s younger generation.

Commenting on the impact of the programme, Mr McCormack said:

“Encouraging healthier lifestyles in younger years can reduce the risks of cancer in later life, so ensuring that this message resonates with our young people is something that SuperValu and Centra passionately support. Our retailers have worked tirelessly to raise over £3miillion, to enable Action Cancer to continue providing this fantastic service.”

The Big Bus, which now visits both SuperValu and Centra stores, is a mobile resource centre, providing digital breast screening for women as well as offering M.O.T. health checks for men and women aged 16 and over. In the first half of 2019, the Big Bus has travelled to over 151 locations, providing over 1,963 MOT Health Checks and over 3,624 breast screenings, with an average of six women diagnosed with Breast Cancer per 1,000 women screened.

Gareth Kirk, CEO of Action Cancer stresses the importance of keeping this service on the road –

“The Big Bus touches people’s lives in different ways. For some women, it’s an early breast cancer detection, saving their lives. For others, it’s reassurance that they do not have the disease. Many other men and women gain valuable first-hand insights about their health and how to reduce their risk of cancer. The Big Bus is fuelled by the passion and commitment of our staff, alongside our partners at SuperValu and Centra whose valuable fundraising has made this crucial service possible; together we make a difference to local people every day.”

The longstanding partnership goes back 18 years to 2001 with SuperValu and Centra retailers supporting the vital work of Action Cancer and making a tangible and valuable impact to the people of Northern Ireland. The SuperValu, Centra and Action Cancer partnership continues to go from strength to strength with plans already in place for a brand-new Big Bus to be unveiled in 2020 and retailers actively looking at new ways to fundraiser.

Michael McCormack, Managing Director of SuperValu and Centra, concludes –

“This fundraising milestone is a result of the dedication of our retailers and colleagues – and importantly – the generosity of our customers; we want to say thank you to them for helping us to support the incredible work of Action Cancer.”

Jack-O-Lantern Cocktail

Posted on at 4:42 pm.

Written by Kristam Moffett

Jack-O-Lantern Cocktail

Servings:1

Preparation Time:2

Cooking Time:0

Ingredients

10 ml Aperol
10 ml Lemon juice
20 ml orange juice
25 ml Gin (your preferred)
1 bottle Prosecco
1 whole orange sliced and burned

Method

Shake aperol, lemon juice, orange juice, and gin in a cocktail shaker.
Top with a dash of prosecco and garnish with burned orange skin.

Tuna Veggie Pasta

Posted on at 2:44 pm.

Written by Kristam Moffett

Tuna Veggie Pasta

A delicious and healthy lunch or dinner for all the family!

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

Ingredients

2 cups Pasta
1 can tuna
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 cups arugula
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

Method

1. Cook the pasta of your choice according to package instructions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, cut the zucchini and cherry tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.
3. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large pan and allow to heat up for a few minutes, then add the zucchini and cherry tomatoes to the pan, sauteing for about 5 – 10 minutes with a little sea salt and pepper.
4. During the final minute of sauteing the vegetables add in the arugula and cook until almost wilted.
5. Drain most of the pasta, reserving just a tbsp or two of the pasta water and pour the pasta back into the pot with the olive oil and lemon juice. Add in the canned tuna (chopped up with a fork) and sauteed vegetables.
6. Divide between two plates, sprinkle some black pepper on top and enjoy.

Protein Pancakes

Posted on at 2:34 pm.

Written by Kristam Moffett

Protein Pancakes

Delicious post workout pancakes, perfect for refueling!

Servings:4

Preparation Time:2

Cooking Time:10

Ingredients

25 grams whey protein powder
100 ml milk
1 lrg Egg
50 grams porridge oats
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
light cooking spray

Method

1. Add the oats to a blender and blitz until it resembles a fine flour. Add the protein powder, baking powder, egg, milk and cinnamon to the blender too and blitz everything until you have a texture like pancake batter.
2. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat. Pour the mixture onto the pan, using approximately ¼ of the total mixture for each protein pancake.
3. Tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
4. Cook the pancake for about 50 seconds until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a flexible spatula or fish-slice, flip over and cook the other side. Serve hot with your filling of choice. Recommendation: Fresh fruit & toppings of your choice.

Espresso Martini Cake

Posted on at 10:09 am.

Written by Kristam Moffett

Espresso Martini Cake

Bake Off honoured the roaring Twenties last night, and so are we... Try this delicious tiered alcohol cake - Espresso Martini Cake to WOW your guests at any occasion.

Servings:12-16

Preparation Time:15

Cooking Time:40

Ingredients

200 grams unsalted butter (7oz)
250 grams self raising flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
50 grams sifted cocoa powder (2oz)
125 grams each light muscovado and caster sugar (4oz)
150 ml tub soured cream 5 fl oz (¼ pint)
3 large Eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp espresso/strong coffee, cooled
2 tbsp Kahlùa
100 ml freshly made espresso or strong coffee, cooled (3 ½ fl oz)
3 tbsp Kahlùa
75 grams caster sugar (3oz)
400 grams full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature – option: Philadelphia 14oz
100 grams unsalted butter, softened (at room temperature) (3 ½oz)
100 grams sifted icing sugar (3 ½oz)
2 tsp espresso coffee powder dissolved in 1tbsp water
1 tbsp chocolate coffee beans

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. For the cakes, grease and line 2 x 20.5cm (8in) round vake tins. Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa, sugars and a pinch of salt into a large bowl or freestanding mixer. Into a jug, measure the soured cream, eggs and vanilla. Whisk briefly to combine. Pour on to the dry ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated, then whisk in the melted butter, coffee and Kahlúa. Divide the mixture equally between the tins.
2. Bake for 25-30min until risen and firm. Leave to cool for 10min in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. For the espresso syrup, put the espresso, Kahlúa and caster sugar into a small pan, heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then increase the heat and simmer for 4-5min until reduced and syrupy. Set aside to cool.
4. When the cakes are cool, cut each in half horizontally to make 4 even layers. Make sure all of them are cut-side up, then drizzle each layer with 1tbsp espresso syrup.
5. For the icing, whisk together the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar until smooth. Then whisk in the coffee mixture until combined.
To assemble, place the first layer of cake on a cake stand, spread with a thin layer of cream cheese icing, top with another cake layer and repeat twice more, finishing with the final cake layer. Top with the remaining icing. Scatter with chocolate coffee beans and drizzle with the remaining syrup.