BalanceBlog

Cook without the book : Liven up your lunches

With many children now back at school with packed lunches, as well as office and outdoor workers relying on a packed lunch, it’s clear what an essential contribution lunchboxes make to daily life. However, thinking up inspiring new ideas can be a challenge, with many of us falling into a repetitive routine or relying on the local supermarket lunchtime options . Although it may seem like these quick options are the easy answer, they tend to be high in fat, salt and sugar.

Most of us end up having the same lunch every day, in fact more than a third of office workers have eaten the same midday meal for the last nine months. Does this sound like you ? Break out of your lunchtime habits and eat something that will taste good and can actually save you some money along the way. We’ve selected some of our favourite lunchtime recipes to help you get started.

Pizza Pasta Salad

Tortellini with pesto & broccoli

Ever had a lunchtime craving for a pizza. Why not try this healthy alternative that includes all of your favourite ingredients in a simply salad bowl. Just like making your own custom pizza, you can do the same with this tasty lunch. Pack as much as you need into a small container to make the perfect pasta salad for you.

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl

#A tasty way to get more than 1 of your 5 a day. This simple salad pot if perfect for those who are not keen on spice but love a bit of flavour in their meals. Simple and quick this is the perfect dish for those early starts whether you prepare this the night before or even in the morning.

Lemon Roasted Salmon & Sweet Potatoes

Add some spice to your lunch with this tasty lunchtime treat. If you are a lover of takeaway food this lunch is ideal for you – create a dish that features your favourite blend of spices. If you don’t have time to cook rice the night before or in the morning, simply grab a microwaveable rice bag.

September 7, 2017October 10, 2017

For those of you trying to ensure you are eating clean to follow your fitness routine this lunch is the perfect combination of essential food groups that will help you to keep you going throughout your day at the office as well as your gym sessions.

Cook Without The Book: Simple Student Snacking

All of the months of studying and hard work have finally paid off. As you pack up everything but the kitchen sink to move into your new home at university, your parents will no doubt introduce you to kitchen accessories and appliances that you never knew existed! Once freshers’ week is over and you can’t stomach another takeaway, your only option will be to unpack the kitchen tools and get cooking.

To stop any disputes and make living with your new flatmates a little easier, kit yourself out with some colourful kitchenware, which will help you on your way to becoming the culinary master of your house. We’ve selected our favourite simple recipes to help students get started in their new home away from home.

Pasta Bake

Pasta bakes are an tasty and easy way to ensure you are fuelled for the rest of your day. Cooking a large portion allows you to prepare extra dishes for the rest of the week, when you may find yourself buried in books in the library. This is also a great housewarming dish for students to bring housemates together.

Salter Suggestion : Student accommodation can sometimes have its faults, including the ovens. Ensure you oven cooks at your required temperature with the Salter Cook Bluetooth Thermometer Oven probe.

Thai Curry

If you are tight on a budget the option of take away may not be available, however you can create similar tasty dishes from the comfort of your own home, without breaking the budget. Pack your cupboard full of spices, curry paste and coconut milk and you’ll be ready to whip up a classic Asian curry, whatever the occasion.

Salter Suggestion: Want to make a curry recipe unique for you, edit your recipes via the Salter Cook app and create the perfect custom dish for example if you prefer your curries to be mild or extra spicy.

Granola

Breakfast may be one of those meals at university students often skip or forget about due to the rush to get to a 9AM Lecture. However with this quick and easy recipe can be stored for up to a month in an airtight container and therefore can be great to grab and go to eat on your journey to your lecture hall or society meeting.

Salter Suggestion: Want to measure your quantities accurately sync your recipe on the Salter Cook app to the Salter Cook Bluetooth Kitchen Scale for accuracy.

Omelette

Bluetooth Scales and Thermometer

This recipe is perfect for those days when the food stock in your fridge is running a little low. If you have eggs an omelette is a quick and nutritious meal that can be customised with numerous different ingredients depending on your personal preferences. Add a little spice to your dish with this chilli and cheese omelette.

Salter Suggestions : Want to change the ingredients used? Simply download the recipe onto the Salter Cook app and edit the recipe to include your preferred ingredients.

Kit Out Your Kitchen with these essentials…

Salter Cook provides the unique opportunity to convert online recipes and bring the ultimate interactive kitchen experience to your home. Want to ensure you always have access to your mum’s famous recipes? Simply store them on your Salter Cook app and follow the recipes with ease by syncing your app to the Bluetooth scales and thermometer. You can even have your shopping list at the ready when your at the supermarket and check off ingredients as you go.

Download the Salter Cook App for Free.

Waterproof Kitchen Scale

In student kitchen its not uncommon for spillages to occur, whether that be drinks or food. If you are a keen baker or just want to keep your kitchen clean a waterproof kitchen scale is ideal for you. This scale can join the rest of your dishes in the washing up bowl to avoid any extra mess in your kitchen.

Ensure you are well prepared to create a cooking masterpiece whilst you are away at university. Whilst you creations may only come close to the delight of a home cooked meal – ensuring you are prepared with the right equipment before heading off to university, is the first step and who knows you may be the next applicant for The Great British Bake Off.

August 31, 2017September 1, 2017

Cook without the Book: Fantastic Family Fun

For many of us the heart of our home is the kitchen. It’s where memories are made as the whole family gathers to work together to create fun and tasty recipes to pass down through generations. So how can you spread the fun of food in your family? Well if The Big Family Cooking Showdown is anything to go by it’s simply by getting everyone in the family involved, with basic recipes and before you know it they will become culinary experts. Here are some of our favourite recipes to make family cooking fun for everyone :

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Nothing beats the memories of having your kids helping in the kitchen to help make some brilliant bakes. Want to inspire your little ones for the next Junior Bake Off? . Get the kids involved with making this classic chocolate fudge cake that the whole family can enjoy as a delicious dessert!

Salter Suggestion: Ensure your oven is baking just right by measuring the temperature with the Salter Cook Bluetooth thermometer oven probe. You’d be surprised how much difference there is between the temperatures of different types of ovens!

Simple Stir Fry

There is always time for teenagers to help in the kitchen. By getting your teens in the kitchen they will be prepared for cooking a variety of dishes, before they head off to University, enabling them to have more than just beans on toast. Ensure they are eating a healthy diet and learning the fun of cooking with this simple stir fry packed full of flavour.

Salter Suggestion: Not keen on a specific ingredient? Download the recipe to your Salter Cook app to change the details of the recipe for your preferences.

Fish Cake Fingers

Help your children make a big batch of fish cake fingers for a family dinner or for when their new friends from school are invited over. These are a great way of getting omega-3-rich fish into your child’s diet. There are plenty of jobs for that children of different age groups can involved with, younger children will enjoy mashing and smashing while older children will enjoy shaping the cakes. Once cooked simply serve the dish with pride.

Salter Suggestion: Keep fingers from getting burnt – Sync your Salter Cook app to the Bluetooth Thermometer oven probe, which will ensure your dish is cooked at the correct temperature.

Chocolate Cornflake Cakes

www.salterhousewares.co.uk

Allow the kids to help prepare the perfect treat for their school lunchboxes. This recipe is perfect to get the kids helping in the kitchen whilst also saving parents the rush of finding an extra snack for their lunch box in the early hours of the morning.

Salter Suggestion: Follow recipes with ease by syncing your Salter Cook app to the Bluetooth Kitchen Scale, which will ensure all measurements of ingredients are accurate

Enjoy family fun in the kitchen with Salter!

August 24, 2017August 25, 2017

Cook without the Book : Best of British BBQs

The Summer Bank Holiday is here! For many of us that means an extra-long weekend full of fun in the sun. With that in mind, there is still time to cook up the perfect BBQ for your family and friends, before the kids go back to school and before we all wrap up for the Autumn weather. A BBQ gives you the perfect chance to enjoy the good weather, however the British weather is not the most reliable , why not try the recipes below to cook the perfect platter for your friends and family, rain or shine.

Barbecued Fajita Steak

Adding a twist on a statement dish is the perfect way to add something unique to your BBQ this Summer, without having to depend on the good weather. Whether your preference is a soft fillet steak, tasty sirloin or thriftier cut like rump, care and attention should be paid when cooking your meat. With only a few minutes between rare and well-done, timing and temperatures are key. Ensure everyone has their steak cooked to their preferred type with this temperature guide below.

Steak Doneness	Remove from Grill at this Temperature	Final Cooked Temperature
Rare	130 to 135°F	130 to 140°F
Medium Rare	140°F	145°F
Medium	155°F	160°F
Well Done	165°F	170°F

Salter Suggestion : Why not sync the Salter Cook Bluetooth Thermometer meat probe to this recipe to ensure the meat is cooked at the perfect temperature

Spatchcock Piri Piri Chicken

Why spend unnecessary money at your local Nando’s when you can create a flavour infused feast from the comfort of your own home. Chicken recipes are perfect for the unreliable weather, as almost all recipes can easily be made inside if those pesky showers persist.

Salter Suggestion: Ovens and grills cooking temperatures can vary ensure your meat is cooked at the correct temperature with our Salter Cook Bluetooth Thermometer Oven Probe – This will alert you through your Salter Cook app if the temperature is too high.

Texas BBQ Medley

July 27, 2017August 1, 2017

Not all BBQ-goers can be satisfied with one simple dish. Get the best out of your BBQ with this medley. This recipe requires careful attention to time to ensure the meat is tenderly cooked, as well making sure the meat can can easily come away from the bone. Ensure your dishes burst with flavour with a unique rub, that will have all of your guests asking how their dish has such a terrific taste.

Salter Suggestion: Why not sync the Salter Cook Bluetooth Thermometer meat probe and the Salter Cook App to this recipe to ensure it is cooked at the perfect temperature with alerts for temperature and timings.

Enjoy a Bank Holiday BBQ and have some fun in the sun with Salter Cook!

Salter Cook is available to download for free from the App Store and Google Play Store

For more information please visit

www.saltercook.co.uk

April 14, 2017April 14, 2017

Summer Shape: Keep on track

Summer is finally here! It’s time to whip out the BBQs, grab those swimsuits and enjoy some well-deserved relaxation in the sun. The months leading up to summer can involve intense gym routines and specific nutrition plans to ensure you are on track to reaching your fitness goals. However, all of this hard work does not have to suddenly disappear after enjoying a couple of ice creams at the beach. Below we have included just a few tips on how to keep your progress consistent through summer, until the chilly Autumn weather arrives.

Keep Hydrated

It is essential that every day we keep our body regularly hydrated. In Summer, this is more important than ever with rising temperatures causing dehydration. Make sure you keep a water bottle on hand whether you are at the beach or in the gym. To accurately keep track of your body water percentage why not try using a smart scale? This can help you to keep an eye on your hydration levels. For more information on how much water you should be drinking daily click here.

Take your work out outside

Make the most of the sun and take your training outdoors! Whether you go on a bike ride with friends or have a game of football in the park, you have so many more opportunities outside of the gym to keep yourself active this summer. For outdoor workout tips click here

Season of fruits

Summer is the perfect time of year to satisfy your sweet tooth with a healthy snack with strawberries, blueberries and watermelon being in season. For more information regarding the best seasons for different fruits and vegetables click here.

Keep track of your progress

Everyone has different fitness goals in mind, whether you are training heavily towards an athletic competition or simply wanting to tone up, keeping track of your progress in crucial. Your weight can be influenced by a variety of different factors. Smart Scales are a fantastic way of keep track of your progress, have a look at our body analyser scales for the best results. Click here to find out which scale is perfect for you.

March 27, 2017March 30, 2017

Crème Egg Crispy Cakes

With Easter just around the corner, any party or Easter Egg hunt would be incomplete without these easy and fun-to-make treats. Inspired by the humble crème egg, these are great for anyone with a sweet tooth. The white of the egg is made from marshmallow fluff; this is an American marshmallow-y spread which you can find in most big supermarkets or sweet shops. Happy Easter everyone!

Creme Egg Crispy Cakes

2017-04-14 09:03:16

Ingredients

For the crispy cake base
115g milk chocolate
1 ½ tbsp. golden syrup
65g Rice Krispies
Butter (for greasing)
For the filling
1 jar marshmallow fluff
5 tbsp. lemon curd (approx.)

Instructions

Grease a 12-hole fairy cake tin with some softened butter.
Break the chocolate into small pieces and add to a heatproof bowl with the golden syrup.
Melt this gently over a pan of hot water stirring until it’s smooth.
[TIP: My chocolate mix spilt which hasn’t happened to me before but I managed to pull it back by adding a small knob of butter and a splash of hot water and beating it rapidly until it reformed.]
Combine this mixture with your rice krispies, stirring until well combined. Then spoon a heaped tablespoon into each hole of the tin and push the mix down with the back of a spoon, especially in the middle to create crispy cases.
Pop the cases in the fridge for around 15 minutes to firm up a little.
Scoop a good amount of the marshmallow into a piping bag and cut a medium-large hole out of the end.
[TIP: If you don’t have piping bags, you can use a sandwich bag and put the fluff to one corner]
Take out the cases and pipe a generous amount of fluff into each one. Don’t worry if it looks swirly or uneven because it will settle down and go smooth and glossy by itself.
Now put the lemon curd into another bag but this time cut less off the tip. On each crispy cake pipe a 1p sized blob of lemon curd in the centre. Now, dampen the back of a spoon and use it to gently flatten out the curd until it’s level. Enjoy!
[TIP: Put the lemon curd on before you serve them, as if they’re let to sit for a while the bits of curd tend to sink into the fluff as it’s heavier]

BalanceBlog http://salterbalance.com/balance/

March 22, 2017March 22, 2017

Try my ‘Brookie’

What do you get if you cross a brownie with a cookie?

Imagine the richest brownie you’ve ever tasted. Now top it with a delicious soft-baked cookie. Welcome to the beautiful world of the brookie. A friend introduced me to this amazing recipe which combines two of the world’s yummiest bakes into one beautiful baby, and I have fallen in love.

This recipe may look pretty daunting as it’s basically two recipes for one bake but trust me, not only is it fun and easy to do, the outcome is definitely worth it. Just think how popular you’ll be with your friends and family when you offer them one of these.

Brookie

2017-03-20 11:00:53

Serves 16

Prep Time

50 min

Cook Time

20 min

Prep Time

50 min

Cook Time

20 min

Brownie

2 eggs
85g soft light brown sugar
50g icing sugar
75g unsalted butter
150g dark chocolate
60g flour
½ tsp salt

50g butter
85g soft light brown sugar
1 egg
60g flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 56g Daim bar, chopped into small pieces (or equivalent chocolate chips)

Method

To make the brownie layer

Line a 21cm square tin with baking or greaseproof paper.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugars and the eggs until the mixture is foamy and light in colour, this gives the batter some air.
Next melt together the butter and chocolate (this is essential for the recipe and also makes your kitchen smell fantastic).
Stir the chocolatey mix into the eggs until it’s all combined.
Then combine the dry ingredients and sieve them into your mixture. Mix it all in thoroughly, then pour the batter into your prepared tin and set it to one side.

To make the cookie layer

At this stage, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 200°c
Beat together the sugar and butter until it’s smooth and paler in colour. Then gradually add your egg and don’t worry too much if it splits a bit, it’ll be okay after the flour is added.
Mix in the flour and baking powder so the mix becomes a thick paste. Now mix in the Daim chunks.
Spread this mixture carefully over the top of the brownie batter, trying to get a thin, even layer over the whole tray.
Pop the brookies in the oven for 20 minutes, until they’re evenly golden brown and still a little soft.
Now cool then completely before removing them from the baking tray. Cut them up into the sized pieces you’d like and enjoy!

BalanceBlog http://salterbalance.com/balance/

January 16, 2017February 3, 2017

Baking with Mum

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, but we know you’ve got it covered … haven’t you? If it’s still on your to-do list, don’t fret, we’ve got the perfect idea …

No, it’s not pearls…We want to take things back to the kitchen and get you baking with mum again! From desserts to main meals, as long as you’re doing it together, we’re happy. It doesn’t matter how old you are, we all did baking with mum when we were young, so why not rekindle the tradition?

This year, we’re bringing back the good old days and want to encourage you to get #BakingWithMum. Check out our range of bake-worthy gifts to get the pin rolling ;).

Salter Cook

The ultimate personalised cookbook, Salter Cook can cater to mum’s tastes. Vegan? Sweet tooth? She can simply collect a range of online recipes she likes and store them in the Salter Cook app – accessible at the tap of a button. That’s right, ANY online recipe, and it’s free! This clever app takes all the key information from the webpage and converts it in an easy-to-read, interactive recipe. She can even enter recipes manually to keep track of traditional favourites!

Connecting to the Bluetooth Recipe Scale and Thermometer this range introduces a smarter way of cooking, check out the video to get a feel for it:

Colour Weigh

Simple, stylish and strong spring to mind when using the Salter Disc Scales. Available in a range of colours, there’s a reason this nifty kitchen accessory is a Salter bestseller! Designed with ‘Add & Weigh’ and Aquatronic features, you can measure multiple ingredients in one bowl and even measure liquids! Save time on the washing-up and get accurate measurements from something that looks trendy on the kitchen surface. Make baking easy and fun with a Salter classic!

It’s a match!

A metallic kitchen scale is a must-have for the modern mum who needs an upgrade. Designed with a copper or black glass surface, this stylish scale is eye catching and matches a range of Salter pans and accessories – just in case mum want’s to kit our the whole kitchen ;). The smooth touch sensitive buttons make it a dream to clean, no corners or cracks for dirt to hide!

Retro

Last but not least, we have the Salter Vintage Retro Scale! Getting back to basics, this mechanical scale comes with a dishwasher-safe stainless steel (1.3 litre) bowl. Ideal for those that love the retro look and feelings of nostalgia it brings, you can measure in metric or imperial units fast and easy. This is perfect for the mum that prefers to measure ingredients the classic ‘weigh’. No batteries, no buttons, no hassle ;).

We’re also running a competition over on our Facebook page for the chance to win the Salter Cook range! Get #BakingWithMum to win your very own recipe scale and thermometer now!