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Welcome all readers of Hostgator Magazine! I was absolutely delighted to be Hostgators featured site this month. Its always nice to receive some recognition especially from my favourite hosting company!

Over the course of the last ten years my sites have been hosted with so many hosting companies I have lost track. Nearly every single one of them failed on reliability or customer service. The company I was with prior to migrating my sites to Hostgator caused my sites to have massive amounts of downtime during the 6 months prior to the move. Each time they were offline days at a time – and each time they would shut off live chat and refuse to respond to support tickets. It was a nightmare. As I host the sites of my design clients I also lost a lot of trade myself.

Hostgator was recommended to me by a friend and having done plenty of research via google (where would we be without it?) I considered them worth a try – I have never regreted it!

As part of my reseller account they migrated every single one of mine and my clients sites free of charge! Ever since they have shown themselves to be reliable, trustworthy and have awesome customer service! If I have a problem I need but submit a support ticket or chat with them via live support and it is dealt with promptly.

For that reason I have recommended them to my clients and my friends as one of the best hosting companies on the web!

If you are looking for a host which offers great packages at affordable prices without sacrificing on reliability or support then you can do no better than Hostgator!

Living abroad sometimes I feel the need for some home comforts – such as a nice simple cottage or shepherds pie. But I like to spice things up now and again, and being me, cannot resist putting my own slant on things. This spicy tomato cottage pie arose out of one of those “experiments” and I am pleased to say it was a triumph!

My Grandmothers Cottage Pie, bless her, was one of the blandest things I have ever tasted. Her pies (rhubarb, apple or egg custards) were her speciality. But she was far too attached to the oxo cube and bisto gravy granules for my tastes when it came to stews or cottage pies etc.

I live in Spain and occasionally have a few locals over for dinner. I could not resist putting a slightly spanish twist in with the use of “Pimienton Dulce” (sweet paprika)… and then, having a few red chillies in the fridge still to use, I cast one of those in the pot as well!

Filling

1tbsp Oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 1/4 Minced Beef or Quorn
14oz Can Tomatoes
8fl oz Beef or Vegetable Stock
1 bay leaf
Salt & Pepper
2 tsps Pimienton Dulce / Spanish Sweet Paprika
1 red chilli (with or without seeds depending on your preferences)

Topping

1lb of Sweet Potato
Cheddar Cheese
1 small onion finely diced

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and carrot and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened but still al dente.
3. Add the mince and cook for 3 minutes to brown. Add Pimienton Dulce and mix well.
4. Add the tomatoes, beef stock, bay leaf, and 1 finely chopped red chilli.
5. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season. Spoon the meat into a dish, level out and place in the fridge whilst you create the mash (makes spreading the mash over much easier!)
6. Make the mash: steam or boil the sweet potatoes until soft. Drain, mash with the butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Take the meat out of the fridge and top with the mash. Sprinkle with onion and cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

If you are ever in Torrevieja do not forget to venture to the Friday Market and sample some pastries from one the stalls. I can never remember the name but it is located on a corner plot amidst all the fruit and vegetables sellers.

The lady is absolutely wonderful – but not nearly as wonderful as the delightful savoury and sweet pastries and cakes she sells!

Her ensaimadas are to die for – but this week I tried something I have never seen before. It was a large flaky pastry (so delicate and flaky, totally unlike any pastry I have ever had in Spain before) and it was both filled and decorated with a soft citrus meringue like cream. My God, it might not look the prettiest pastry but the taste was out of this world!

So, thats Torrevieja market in Alicante, Spain. It is a small corner stall amidst all the fruit and vegetables retailers. She sells everything from bread to savoury / sweet pastries!

Now I just have to try and break down the thing and try to re-create! Otherwise its a very long drive in our future!

Health is a bowl is one of the most delightfully nourishing dishes I have come across in a long time. It quite simply reaches the parts no other dish can reach – packed with barley, lentils, and vegetables it is a dish futher enhanced with the addition of ham on the bone. A simple elegant meal which does not compromise on taste in order to be healthy, nourishing and more importantly, good for your gut! Don´t forget Gut Week 23rd-29th August.

SERVES 8

450g (1lb) thick-cut ham on the bone, chopped
2.4 litres (4 pints) chicken stock
4 tablespoons pearl barley
2 tablespoons Puy lentils
2 medium onions, sliced
4­6 medium carrots, diced
2 medium parsnips, diced
1/2 medium swede, diced
Ground black pepper
2 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
Sprig of parsley
450g (1lb) potatoes in their skins, diced
1 small cabbage, chopped
1 leek, chopped
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
400g (14oz) tin of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 tablespoons snipped chives

1 Place the ham in a saucepan and cover with stock. Bring to the boil, skim any scum, then add the pearl barley and lentils.

2 Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, parsnips, swede, pepper, thyme, bay leaves and parsley. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for a further 15 minutes.

3 Add the potatoes and cabbage and return to the boil. Simmer until they are just tender (about 15 minutes).

4 Add the chopped leek and parsley and cook for a further
5 minutes or until the leek is just tender.

5 Add the beans and warm through. Ladle into soup bowls and serve sprinkled with chives.

Per portion: 264 kcal, 3g fat, 0.8g sat fat, 0.97g sodium

Here is a quick reminder about Gut Week which runs between 23rd-29th August.  Last month we featured a delicious Oriental tofu, onion and mushroom kebabs,  Moroccan Lamb Stew and a refreshing herby fruit salad.

With Gut Week just around the corner this week we are featuring a delectable steamed salmon recipe (one of my favourite fish, and something I absolutely adore to cook!)

Here the salmon is marinated in coriander, ginger, mint, lime juice and chillies. Serve with brown basmati rice or rice noodles and steamed green beans or pak choy.

SERVES 4

Small bunch of coriander, washed
12 mint leaves, washed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 green chillies, de-seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon golden caster sugar
1 teaspoon peeled and chopped ginger
1 tablespoon fish sauce (Nam Pla)
4 x 125g (41/2oz) salmon fillets

1 In a food-processor blend together the coriander leaves and stalks, mint leaves, salt, garlic and chillies to make a rough paste. Add the lime juice, caster sugar, ginger and fish sauce and process until fairly smooth. Spoon the sauce into a heatproof bowl and combine with the salmon, then marinate for 20 minutes.

2 Boil some water in the bottom half of a steamer. Place the bowl with the marinated salmon in the top half and steam for 6­8 minutes.

3 Serve immediately with the rice or noodles and vegetables.

Per portion: 254 kcal, 14g fat, 2.4g sat fat, 0.37g sodium

Following on from my earliest post on Gut Week, which contained a delicious recipes for Oriental Tofu Kebabs and Moroccan Lamb Stew, here is the third recipe suggestion – courtesy of Love your Gut – A twist on a classic fruit salad, the Asian influence of coriander and coconut milk is unusual yet refreshing ­ perfect after a heavy meal.

Mark the 23rd-29th August and pay a visit to loveyourgut.com for helpful hints and tipes for getting your gut in shape!  Digestive problems are no fun for any of us and you would be surprised how just a few changes to your diet (a little extra fruit & veg and more wholegrain particularly) and an active lifestyle can really helpful get your gut back on track!

SERVES 4-­6

4 tablespoons reduced-fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon liquid honey

Lemon or lime juice, to taste

2 blood oranges or small pink grapefruit, peeled and sliced

1 small pineapple, peeled and diced

1 pink-skinned apple, cored and diced

1 banana, peeled and sliced

1 small mango, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Mix the coconut milk, honey and lemon juice. Toss the fruits and coriander in this dressing.

Per portion: 141 kcal, 0.5g fat, 0.1g sat fat, 0.02g sodium

Following on from my earliest post on Gut Week, which contained a delicious recipe for Oriental Tofu Kebabs, here is the second recipe suggestion – courtesy of Love your Gut

This is one of my favourite recipes, full of colour and flavour. Harissa and pickled lemons are an integral part of North African cooking and are a perfect foil for lamb in this satisfying dish.

Serve with bulgur wheat or warmed flatbread. I madfe this dish over the weekend and served it with warmed flatbread – a suggestion I heartily recommend!

Moroccan lamb stew with pumpkin and pickled lemon

SERVES 4

450g (1lb) lean leg of lamb, cut into 2.5cm (1in) cubes

11/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 large onion, roughly diced

4 garlic cloves, crushed

4 tomatoes, skinned and diced

1 tablespoon harissa or hot pepper paste

400g (14oz) tin of chickpeas in water, drained and rinsed

350g (12oz) trimmed and peeled pumpkin, cut into 2.5cm (1in) cubes 1 pickled lemon, finely diced 2 tablespoons chopped mint 1 tablespoon chopped coriander

1  Coat the lamb in the black pepper.

2  Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan, add the lamb and cook until it has browned all over. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and is slightly brown, adding a splash of water if necessary to prevent sticking.

3  Add the tomatoes, harissa and 425ml (3/4 pint) water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over a medium heat for 11/4­11/2 hours, topping up with water as necessary, until the lamb is almost tender.

4  Add the chickpeas and pumpkin and cook for a further

15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Add the lemon, mint and coriander. Serve immediately.

Per portion: 357 kcal, 18g fat, 6.6g sat fat, 0.28g sodium

Gut Week 2010 is an annual week that runs this year from 23rd-29th August. Gut Week aims to help people understand the importance of good digestive health by providing free information and advice on how to achieve a healthy gut (more information/food advice can be found on  www.loveyourgut.com)

Tom Smith, chief executive at charity, Core, says, ‘We are, as they say,  quite literally, what we eat, so need to be careful about our choices of  food and drinks. In the summer months, we’re often tempted by pub meals or  BBQs but starchy snacks like chips and crisps can be hard to digest. As  the season changes, how about a change of eating habits too? Eat more lean  meat or fish and try steaming or grilling, rather than frying. Try to have  more fruit and vegetables for their fibre content too as they provide the  bulk your insides need for good digestion,’

Here is the first of three wonderfully delicious recipes that love your gut!

Oriental tofu, onion and mushroom kebabs

These are great kebabs for the barbecue or grill. Tofu is fermented soya bean curd, which not only contains protein but is also full of beneficial phytoestrogens. Serve with brown rice.

SERVES 4

75ml (3fl oz) light soy sauce
75ml (3fl oz) fresh unsweetened orange juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped chilli
1 head pak choy
450g (1lb) firm tofu, drained and cut in 2.5cm (1in) cubes
20 shiitake or button mushrooms
1 red onion, cut lengthways into 8 wedges
Wooden skewers, soaked in water for about 30 minutes

1 Prepare the marinade by combining the first eight ingredients.

2 Separate the pak choy leaves and cut the stems into
2.5cm (1in) sections. Marinate with the tofu, mushrooms and onion for up to 1 hour, depending on how strong a flavour you want.

3 Thread the ingredients (you¹ll need to roll the pak choy leaves) onto four large (or twelve small) thick wooden skewers, and cook on a barbecue or under a grill for 7¬10 minutes, basting with the marinade and turning regularly.

Per portion: 242 kcal, 8g fat, 1.0g sat fat, 0.02g sodium

This is one of those dishes I created when, in the spur of the moment, I wanted a quick and simple meal using some turkey mince and leftover veggies (which were desperately in need of using. I have to admit that the resulting dish was surprising and would be absolutely superb for someone who wanted to mask the veggies (provided you cut them fine enough!)

An interesting twist which, for me, added a wonderful addition was to roast and skin the peppers in advance.

This is not a traditional chilli by any stretch of the imagination – it was a quick toss together that was simple and quick, but tasted wonderful.

Ingredients

1 lb of Minced Turkey
2 Carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 Onion, finely diced
1 red pepper, deseeded, finely diced
1 yellow pepper, deseeded, finely diced
1 Handle of Diced Brocoli
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Tin of Chopped Tomatoes (in their own juice preferably)
1 Tin (use equal to chopped tomatoes) of Chicken Stock
Chilli to Taste
Seasoning

1. Lightly fry mince and onions under mince is browned and onions softened. Add the Garlic & sweat for a minute
2. Toss in all the other vegetables along with chopped tomatoes, and chicken stock
3. Add Chilli according to taste. I generally add 1-2 teaspoons of Hot Chilli Powder depending on the heat required. If you do not like a hot chilli consider one or less.
4. Put in oven for around 30-40 minutes.
5. Serve with whatever takes your fancy!

When my mother was young the joint of meat was not cooked in a roasting tin, but placed directly onto the oven runner with a roasting tray underneath so that the juices could drop into the tin. The Yorkshire pudding was poured into this dish just before the rest of the meal was ready and cooked until brown on the outside, but still soft on the inside. It was served as a starter so that children were quite full before the main course. They each had a quarter of a large pudding with onion gravy. The meat was then used in other dishes during the week, ie “hash”, again with Yorkshire pudding or dumplings, or cold with pickles, bread and salad. We used a tablespoon to mix (or beat) the batter

Ingredients::

4 oz of plain flour
Pinch of salt and white pepper
2 eggs
½ pint of milk/water

Method::

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre and break in the eggs, beat to combine, while gradually adding a little milk. When all ingredients are combined and the mixture is lump free, whisk in the remaining milk with a balloon whisk or fork. The mixture should be the consistency of single cream. You can, if you wish, put the mixture into the refrigerator for about an hour and before use.

Place some dripping into a baking tin and put into a hot oven until the fat begins to smoke, then quickly pour in the batter and return immediately to the oven. Reduce the oven temperature after about 15 minutes and remove when the crust is crisp and golden brown and the inside soft.

This can be served as a dessert with double cream and golden syrup

Alternative method: whisk the eggs and milk together, put to one side for 15 minutes, sift the flour and salt together and tip into the egg mixture, whisk until fully combined, smooth and lump free. Cook as above.