Autumn baked apples with pecan and dried fruit stuffing

It is that time of year again. It is getting cold, wet and blustery outside, Autumn is now in full swing. The rain was so heavy this evening that my bicycle brakes failed on me as I was hurtling down a hill, narrowly missing a head on collision with an oncoming bus. Thankfully I weaved onto the path just in time, but it put the s**ts up me enough to think it may be time to buy that new bike I've been banging on about for an eternity. But anyway, enough about my near-death experiences, Autumn is a time of soft fruits, golden trees, soft light and harvest moons. I do love this time of year.

This is a proper Autumnal recipe. Hot, soft baked apples with nuts and dried fruit and a big dollop of hot custard. I imagine Greek yogurt would go well with this too, or good quality ice cream. This recipe wasn't spiced, however to make this an even more special seasonal dish, adding any or all of the traditional Christmas spices* could set this recipe alight.

This is my Mum's recipes. She doesn't remember where she got it from, so all measurements are estimated (as with all my recipes.. sorry, it runs in the family). It is really easy, and you can use whatever you have in the cupboards. It is highly adaptable. The recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, whatever you like. A great, easy, healthy dessert.

Autumn baked apples with pecan and dried fruit stuffing 

 Serves 3 (can easily be doubled)
3 large eating apples
30g butter/ non-dairy margarine
45g demarera sugar
1 tsp mixed spice* (see below, optional)
Handful pecans (and/or other nuts, flaked almonds are LOVELY)
Handful raisins, sultanas, cranberries (or whatever you have)

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees
2. Core the apples using an apple corer
3. Score the outside of the apples, just above the centre
4. Mix the butter, sugar, spice (if using), nuts and fruits together in a bowl
5. Stuff the mixture into the cored apples
6. Place the apples in an oven proof dish
7. Pile any extra mixture on top of the apples
8. Add a splash of water to the dish to help the apples soften in the oven
9. Place in the oven for around 35 minutes, until the apples are soft
10. Place an uncooked pecan on top of each baked apple
11. Serve with custard, Greek yogurt or ice cream

*Spice mix
You can buy mixed spice from the supermarket, or make your own.
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground allspice
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground cloves
1tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground coriander

1. Blend all spices together, and store in a sealed jar away from light.

Avocado and Marmite on toast (a homage to the black stuff)

Ok, so I can't call this cooking, it is more of an amalgamation of a handful of ingredients (well, isn't all cooking, really?). If you have never tried avocado and Marmite together, DO IT NOW! Alright, so Marmite has the whole love/hate thing going on, therefore it may not be to everyone's taste. But if you are a lover as I am, then the creamy taste of avocado compliments the umami (savory), salty taste of Marmite incredibly well.

I read a while ago about a professor coming up with the theory that if we send Marmite to the Middle East, it could bring peace to the Arab-Israeli conflict due to the high zinc content it possesses. You can find the article HERE. It was also on the BBC show QI if you prefer Stephen Fry to charm you with the story (as I unequivocally do).

Whilst on my hunt for Marmite trivia, I also stumbled across THIS very interesting article. After the March 2012 earthquake in Christchurch NZ, one of the cooling towers in the only Marmite factory in New Zealand got damaged, forcing the factory to close. This in turn caused a shortage in Marmite, causing panic buying, with the media sparking the term 'MARMAGEDDON'. They offered advice such as only rationing your Marmite usage to once a day, and only using it on toast so it spreads thinner and ultimately lasts longer. Oh Marmite, what a life it would be without you.

Anyway... try this recipe, it's yummy!

Avocado and Marmite on toast

Serves 1 
2 x good quality wholemeal/ multi seeded bread
Butter (or dairy free alternative)
Marmite (to taste)
1/2 ripe avocado
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves, torn
Spinach
Cherry tomatoes

1. Toast the bread 
2. Once toasted, butter one side of the toast and spread the Marmite to you taste. Due to the creaminess of the avocado, you can definitely apply a little more Marmite than usual, as the avocado neutrilises the strong flavour of the Marmite.
3. Split the avocado into half, and mash it up to make a kind of spread.
4. Spread the avocado onto the toast.
5. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper on top and scatter the basil leaves on top.
6. Wash the spinach and quarter the cherry tomatoes, and add as a side salad.

West Indian style bangers and mash

You British foodie purists will probably say this is blasphemy, but we dabbled with the good ol' classic bangers and mash. Well, it has elements of the classic, but in fact if you dissect it, it actually contains none of the essential ingredients. There is no meat for one. Or [much] potato. Or gravy really.... but it does shout comfort food, and my goodness does it taste good.

It's not a looker, but it doesn't half pack in some great West Indian-esque flavours. Enjoy!

West Indian style bangers and mash

Serves 3
'Chorizo' style smoky spicy sausages:
115g dried sosmix (e.g. Granose)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli flakes
2-3 sprigs thyme

Roasted butternut squash mash:
1 butternut squash
2 red skinned potatoes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Butter (optional)

West Indian coconut gravy:
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
Coconut cream
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 veg stock cube
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme

Steamed broccoli with toasted soya cumin mixed seeds:
1 Broccoli head
Large handful mixed seeds (sunflower, sesame, poppy, linseeds, whateve you have on hand)
Soya sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin

1. Turn the oven onto 220 degrees.
2. Peel and chop the butternut squash into 6-8 lenghways pieces. Deseed.
3. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and salt
4. Place in the oven and cook for 40 minutes, or until soft and slightly charred in places
5. Meanwhile, add the sosmix to a bowl. 
6. Chop the garlic and add, along with the thyme leaves, chilli and smoked paprika. 
7. Follow the packet instructions for amount of water needed, stir and leave for 3-4 minutes
8. Finely chop the onion and garlic for the gravy, and add to a pan on a medium heat with a splash of olive oil. Cook down to soften the onions, about 10-15 minutes.
9. Add the stock cube, chilli flakes, thyme and coconut cream. Add a splash of water to thin the gravy out. 
10. Place on a low heat to thicken and let the flavours develop
11. Roll sosmix into 12 chipolata style sausages. Place in a frying pan with a splash of olive oil and fry, turning occasionally.
12. Bring a pan of salted water up to a boil. Peel the potatoes, chop and add to the pan. Boil for about 10 minutes.
13. Place a steamer over the potato pan. Chop the broccoli into florets and steam for 8-10 minutes.
14. Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add the seeds to the pan and toast for 2-3 minutes. Add cumin powder and a splash of soya sauce. Take off heat and set aside. 
15. Once the squash is done, place in a bowl and mash with the potatoes. Check seasoning and add olive oil/ butter for richness.
16. Plate up the squash mash, sausages, broccoli and seeds.

Spring green soup

This was meant to be just a standard pea and mint soup, but I kept on finding other green things to stick into it. I wanted to up the protein to make it a meal so I threw in some edamame beans, and some mung beans I had started sprouting a couple of days before. All in all a satisfactory healthy green soup. Really quick to make and full of nutrients.

Spring green soup

 Serves 2

1 garlic clove

1 veg stock cube

100g frozen petit pois (or garden peas)

Handful spinach

50g frozen podded edamame beans

30g sprouted mung beans*

3 tbsp creme fraiche (or can use soya/greek yogurt)

Handful fresh chopped chives

Handful fresh chopped mint

Salt and pepper

Chive flowers and mint leaves to garnish

1. Place a saucepan on a medium heat. Finely chop the garlic and add to the saucepan along with the stock cube and about 300ml water
2. Add the edamame and mung beans to the stock and cook for 3-4 minutes
3. Turn down the heat so the water is at a simmer. Add the petit pois, mint and spinach and cook for a further 4-5 minutes
4. Add the chives and creme fraiche (or alternative)
5. Heat gently for 1-2 minutes
6. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed
7. Whizz up using a hand blender or food processor
8. Garnish with chive flowers, mint leaves, chives or more creme fraiche

*To sprout mung beans, soak however many you want in a bowl of cold water overnight. In the morning, drain the water off, rinse the mung beans in the bowl and cover with a plate. Each morning, rinse the mung beans so they are damp but not sitting in water. Within 2 days you should see the beans bursting out of their casing. They should keep on growing into beansprouts in about a week. Great in salads, soups, stir frys, curries, anything. AND they are AMAZING for you.

Jamaican rice and peas with saffron rice

Madhur Jaffrey is definitely my favorite food author. I have 3 cookbooks by her and counting. My favorite cookbook by her is Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian. It is my vegetarian bible. Every recipe I have made has been delicious. Unlike many vegetarian cookbooks that try to replace meat with alternatives, she uses traditional vegetarian recipes from all over the world. I would highly recommend it, although you will  need to build up quite a collection of different spices that need to be tracked down from international supermarkets.

This recipe is so hearty and filling. It is also amazingly cheap and can be made in bulk to feed a crowd (something I seem to always end up doing). Don't be fooled by the name, there are actually no peas involved at all, but red kidney beans. I also added chickpeas to this recipe to bulk it out a little more, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Jamaican rice and peas with saffron rice

 Serves 4-6
2 cans kidney beans
1 can chickpeas 
475 ml Coconut milk
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 3/4 tea spoon dried
4 tablespoons of finely chopped chives or 6 tablespoons finely sliced spring onions (white and green)
1 Scotch bonnet chilli, or other chilli to taste (I used crushed chilli flakes because that is what I had)
2 cloves garlic
1 finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice*
1 teaspoon paprika

1. Heat a splash of olive oil to a pan and add the onion. Fry for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the coconut milk, chilli, thyme, chives, ground allspice and paprika. 
4. Turn the heat down low, cover the pan and simmer for 25 minutes. 
5. Check seasoning by tasting. Remove the chilli (if using fresh whole) and sprigs of thyme before serving.

Saffron rice
300g basmati rice
Pinch saffron
Vegetable stock cube
Chilli flavoured olive oil

1. Add 1 part basmati rice to 2 parts boiling water (from kettle) to a pan on a medium heat.
2. Add the stock cube and saffron.
3. Cover tightly and turn heat to low.
4. Cook for 12 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed by the rice
5. Try not to stir the rice or remove the lid, as this lets the rice steam and not become sticky
6. Check that the rice is cooked, adjust seasoning if necessary and fluff up the rice. 
7. Serve and drizzle with chilli olive oil

*Allspice is a Jamaican peppercorn that you can pick up in international supermarkets, or online if you don't have access to such stores. It has a flavour of a mix of ginger, cloves cinnamon, so if you can't access this lovely spice, you can use a blend of those spices. They look like peppercorns the size of peas. I buy it whole and crush the spice in a pestle and mortar.

One happy customer !

Tofu stir fry with coconut satay sauce and buckwheat noodles

Ok so there are a few reasons why I haven't been blogging recently. One, because I just haven't found the time, and two, because I keep on forgetting to take photos of my creations. I know this is a bit of a weak excuse, but I find reading about food much more exciting when there is a picture included, so if I don't capture it, I don't blog about it. 

Well, I thought sod it, yes I made some good food, and yes I munched it down without stopping to think about you my lovely readers, so I'm sorry I didn't take a picture. I have however been cheeky and searched online to find something similar, so I have stolen this picture from Marcus Samuelsson's website.

I used this satay style sauce as a marinade for tofu, but I think it would be good as a dipping sauce, or I have seen Veggie num num use satay sauce as a topping for burgers. It is very versatile so use it as you wish.

Tofu stir fry with coconut satay sauce and buckwheat noodles

Serves 2

Half block firm tofu, chopped into 2cm chunks
Half yellow pepper, chopped into sticks
4-5 leaves of spring greens, sliced
Edamame (soya) beans
5-6 asparagus spears
Cherry tomatoes, whole
Buckwheat noodles

1. Marinade the tofu in the coconut satay sauce (below) for at least half an hour.
2. Heat some oil in a wok, pick the tofu out of the sauce and add to the wok.
3. Fry for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally to brown.
4. Add the spring greens, yellow pepper, asparagus spears and edamame beans, and fry for a further 4-5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat a pan of water and cook the buckwheat noodles for 3-4 minutes, or as packet instructions.
6. Drain the noodles and place in cold water.
7. Throw the cherry tomatoes into the wok and heat for a further 1 minute.
8. Add the noodles to the wok and add the coconut satay sauce. Heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring, and serve.
9. Sprinkle over some more fresh coriander, and a squeeze of lime.

Coconut satay sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
large handful fresh coriander, chopped (stalks and all)
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter (I use 100% peanut butter, no added sugar, salt or oil)
1 tsp demerara sugar (palm sugar would be best but I didn't have any)
1 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
Half can of coconut milk
Juice of 1 lime
1 green chilli, chopped
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
Splash water

1. Mix everything up. 

Spinach Pesto pasta

I made this to carb load the night before my triathlon (yes I have now completed my first triathlon and am very smug, I came 8th). It was perfect because it had wholemeal carbohydrates for energy, protein from the nuts, iron from the spinach and olive oil for the heart. My pesto is vegan as I don't add cheese, but you can add some if you like.

This meal was a favorite in my student house as it is cheap. To make it cheaper I often use walnuts, sunflower seeds or mixed nuts instead of pine nuts.

Sorry about the picture, again I forgot to take a picture of the actual meal so this is a photo of the leftovers. The main meal also included a huge avocado salad and rye and spelt bread, mmm.

Spinach Pesto Pasta

Serves 3
180g Wholemeal pasta
2 large handfuls fresh spinach (or 4-5 blocks frozen spinach, thawed)
Handful fresh basil (optional, this meal did not include this)
Handful pine nuts (or other nuts or seeds)
1 clove garlic
Olive oil
Nutritional Yeast*/ Cheese (optional, I didn't use any but you can add some if you wish)
Salt and pepper

1.  Place the wholemeal pasta in boiling salted water, cover and leave to cook according to packet instructions. Once cooked, drain.
2. In a dry pan over a high heat, add the pine nuts (or alternative) and toast until they have taken on a golden colour. 
3. Also add the garlic (skin still on) to the pan to cook a little to take away the strength of raw garlic. Once the garlic looks browned, crush and finely chop.
4. In a blender or food processor, add the spinach, basil (if adding), toasted pine nuts, garlic, nutritional yeast/cheese (if using), salt and pepper. 
5. Add about 1tbsp olive oil and begin to process. Slowly keep on adding olive oil until the ingredients have mixed and it has formed a paste. 
6. Check seasonings, add to the cooked pasta and serve with a big salad and good bread.

*Nutritional yeast has a nutty savory flavour, similar to cheese. You can get it from most good health food stores. It is great in pesto, mashed potato, anything that needs that savory taste that cheese can bring.

Homemade pizzas

Hi all, sorry I have neglected the blog recently, I have still been cooking but just forgetting to take a photo. I will try to remake the recent recipes so I can share what I have dreamed up with you.

This recipe was made by my mum at a family get together, so not really my own recipe. It is worth sharing though because my mum and I don't eat cheese, so I want to show that it is possible to have yummy pizza without cheese. Other family member's pizzas did have cheese and they also thoroughly enjoyed theirs.

Homemade pizzas

                           My Mum's cheese free pizza

 

                          My cheese free pizza        My brother-in-law and sister's cheesy pizza

 

                                     My Dad's cheesy pizza
Pizza dough

250g strong white bread flour
250g plain white flour
5g powdered dried yeast
10g salt
325ml warm water
About 1 tbsp olive oil
1 handful coarse flour (rye, semolina or polenta), for dusting

1. In a bowl, mix the flours, yeast, salt and water to form a sticky dough. Mix in the oil, then turn out on to a clean work surface and knead until smooth and silky. (Alternatively, if you have a mixer with a dough hook, mix the flours, yeast, salt and water on a low speed, add the oil and knead for 10 minutes). Shape into a round, and leave to rise in a clean bowl, covered with cling film until doubled in size.
2. Preheat the oven as high as it will go. Take a lime-sized piece of dough and roll it into a 5mm thick round. 

Tomato sauce
3 cartons passata 
1 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan and add olive oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes, ensuring it does not burn.
2. Add passata, sugar, salt and pepper to the garlic, turn down heat and let heat through
   

Toppings
This is where you can get inventive. A selection of topping that we had included:
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Onion
Olives
Courgette
Mushroom
Peppers
Sundried tomatoes
Cheese (goats/cheddar etc.)
Cured ham
Olive oil

To cook

1. Dust a rimless baking tray with coarse flour and lay the dough on it.
2. Add your tomato sauce and your toppings. 
3. Brush the crust with olive oil to crisp up the edges.
4. Bake until  the base is taking on some colour, seven to nine minutes. Scatter over any leaves or raw toppings, and tuck in.

Butterbean and beetroot bulgur wheat salad

I love beetroot, but I don't cook with it enough. I really want to make beetroot brownies sometime, I love the idea of earthy red beetroot with dark gooey chocolate, mmmm. Look out for this recipe, I might make some for my birthday to take into work. They already think I'm a little mad, so it probably won't help my reputation, but as Hugh says in the recipe link above, if carrot cake works so well, why not beetroot brownies?

This is a slightly healthier beetroot recipe. VERY quick and easy with few ingredients, and excellent the next day once the flavours have infused to take into work. If you don't have bulgur wheat then you could use quinoa or couscous, or even rice. It is very adaptable.

I made this recipe a little while ago so I'm not 100% sure I have included all the ingredients. As with all my recipes, experiment with flavors and see what works for you.

Butterbean and beetroot bulgur wheat salad

Serves 2
1 cooked beetroot, chopped (I buy the vacuum packed beetroot, NOT in vinegar)
Half a 400g can butterbeans, drained and rinsed
1 large tomato, chopped
3 blocks of thawed frozen spinach, or 2 handfuls fresh spinach, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
Lemon juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
100g bulgar wheat
1 good quality vegetable stock cube (I use Kallo organic)
Salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
Handful sunflower seeds 

1. In a saucepan on a low heat, add the bulgar wheat and stock cube, cover with about double the amount of boiling water and let simmer.  
2.  Chop the beetroot, tomatoes and spinach, and drain and rinse the butterbeans
3. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice together, add a little salt and lots of black pepper
4. Once the bulgar wheat is cooked (the water should have completely evaporated by the time the bulgar wheat is ready, about 4-5 minutes), place in a bowl and let cool
5. Meanwhile, toast some sunflower seeds in a dry panover a medium heat until they begin to take colour, about 3-4 minutes
6. Combine all the ingredients, add the dressing, toss, check seasoning and serve with the toasted sunflower seeds sprinkled on top

TST (tofu, spinach and tomato) sandwich

There is nothing better than a hot breakfast sandwich on a Sunday morning. I came up with this recipe whilst I was a student in Leeds, so it is uncomplicated and cheap to make. I have seen many different recipes for vegetarian "bacon", but this recipe is the simplest with only 3 ingredients. I think it saves a lot of faffing around and still produces a yummy result.

If you're expecting it to taste anything like bacon you are sorely mistaken, but it does give you the smokey, salty goodness that a good breakfast sandwich should. I load it up with spinach and tomato, and maybe even some brown sauce if I'm feeling a little daring.

TST sandwich

Serves 1
Olive oil
Extra firm tofu, sliced thinly into 4-5 slices
Dark soy sauce (better for colour but light is fine if you have that)
Half tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 slices wholemeal bread (or a roll)
Handful spinach, washed
1 beef tomato or 3 cherry tomatoes, sliced thinly
Brown sauce (optional)

1. Heat a griddle pan on a high heat and add a splash of olive oil
2. Add the sliced tofu, and sprinkle on the soy sauce and half of the smoked paprika on top
3. With the back of a spoon, spread the smoked paprika over the tofu to cover the top side
4. After 3-4 minutes, flip the tofu. It should be nicely browned on one side
5. Add some more soy sauce and the rest of the paprika, covering the tofu again
6. Meanwhile, toast your bread or warm your roll
7. After another 3-4 minutes, flip the tofu and cook on each side for around 1 minute to ensure it has taken on enough colour
8. Add a squeeze of brown sauce (if using) to your toast and layer your tofu up on top
9. Add your tomato and spinach, cut in half and serve with a lovely mug of Earl Grey

Super green mango smoothie

I have amazingly kept up my new years resolutions and have been going to the gym. When I get home from work I'm usually pretty hungry, so I have started making smoothies to have before going to a class later in the evening. Now some of you may think a green smoothie is taking the health thing a little too far, but I love the colour and it makes me feel good to know I'm packing in a hell of a nutritional punch into that little glass of green joy.

Another new years resolution was to start this blog. I have slowed my posting down in the past few weeks so sorry I haven't been updating it more. I will try to get back to a steady flow of a couple of posts a week.

Super green mango smoothie

 Serves 2
1/2 ripe mango, cubed into 1cm chunks
1 banana
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 large handful spinach
75ml soya milk (or alternative)
150ml water (or until you have the right consistency)
1 tbsp Agave nectar (or honey)

1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend
2. Check consistency of smoothie and add more water/milk until you have the right consistency for you.

 NOTE: I did not measure the amount of milk/water I put into the blender, so these are only estimates. Use your own initiative when adding the liquids to get the consistency you wish for.

Spicy tofu peanut stew

A few weeks ago I took my other half away for a long weekend in North Wales. We stayed at an amazing retreat called Trigonos, which serves incredibly imaginative and tasty vegetarian and vegan food. On the first night we stayed there we were served a really good tofu tomato and peanut stew. As I didn't write down the ingredients I could taste at the time and my other half has swanned off to Indonesia, I had to try to guess what was in it. I am pretty pleased with the outcome, and will happily attempt it again.

The peanut butter really thickens up the sauce and gives it a very luxurious texture. I used 100% peanut butter with no added oil/sugar/salt as I find the normal sugary peanut butters too sweet. I did however add sugar to the recipe to sweeten the tomatoes, so you can use whatever peanut butter you have in your cupboard. If you have decent quality tinned tomatoes or sugary peanut butter you could completely miss out the sugar.

Spicy tofu peanut stew

Serves 2
Olive oil
Half a block of tofu (I used Cauldron firm tofu), chopped into 2cm pieces
1/4 aubergine, chopped into 2cm pieces
 1 large handful kale
2 chestnut mushrooms
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter (I used no Meridian no added sugar/salt)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 vegetable stock cube
40ml soya milk (or alternative)
1tsp sugar (optional, depending on your peanut butter and quality of chopped tomatoes)
1tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
a few dashes of soy sauce

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a saucepan over a medium/high heat and add the tofu
2. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the tofu has begun to brown
3. Add a few splashes of soy sauce to add colour to the tofu
4. Add the aubergines and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
5. Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, stock cube, peanut butter, sugar, paprika and chilli flakes
6. Turn the heat down to low/medium and cover the pan
7. After 5 minutes, add the kale and soya milk, and taste to check seasoning and adjust if necessary
8. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until the kale is cooked with a little bite
9. Serve with rice or bulghar wheat (as above)

Spicy sweetcorn chowder

Hi all, sorry I haven't posted anything recently, life has got in the way and stopped me having time to blog. I have been cooking though and taking photos when I can, so hopefully I'll find time to post about the recipes before I forget how I made them.

I made this recipe this evening, and only just finished eating. It was really good and took less than 15 minutes to make from start to finish. Sorry about the photo, I wasn't going to write about it so I started eating, then decided it was nice so took a quick picture.

Spicy sweetcorn chowder

Serves 2-3
Olive oil
1 medium white onion
1 garlic clove
1 vegetable stock cube
1 mild red chilli (or to taste)
half a red bell pepper
1 340g tin sweetcorn (or frozen sweetcorn)
100ml milk (I used soya milk)
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
half tsp ground cumin
half tsp ground coriander
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

1. Add a dash of olive oil to a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Finely chop the onion and garlic and cook, stirring until turning translucent and taking on colour, about 7-8 minutes.
2. Finely chop the red chilli and add to the onion garlic mix whilst it is cooking.
3. Meanwhile, chop the red bell pepper into about 1.5cm chunks
4. Throw in the stock cube, cumin and ground coriander and add some water until the onions are covered.
5. Whizz up the cooked onions, garlic and spices with a hand blender (you can miss this part out, but I chopped my onions a little big. This stage also thickens the sauce nicely).
6. Throw in the red pepper, sweetcorn and fresh coriander.
7. Add the milk and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, so the pepper still has crunch but has softened.
8. Taste for seasoning, and add black pepper (optional)
9. Serve with bread, could be good with cheesy toast (just a random idea).

Most recipes call for potato, so you could add 1or 2 in when you are cooking the onions. Increase the cooking time by 5 minutes. Chop the potato into 1-2cm chunks. I didn't have any to hand, but still found it lovely without.

Spicy carrot, parsnip and lentil soup

This is a really hearty warming soup, excellent for chilly weather. Really cheap and easy to make. The carrot and parsnips give it a really sweet earthy taste, while the lentils add protein, texture and thickness to ensure a well balanced, filling lunch.

Spicy carrot, parsnip and lentil soup

Serves 2-3
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
3 parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks
50g lentils
Good quality vegetable stock
1 inch piece creamed coconut (or 1/3 tin coconut milk)
1 tsp hot chilli flakes (or to taste)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sprinkle paprika

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium heavy bottom saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the garlic, stir and cook for another 5 minutes. 
2. Throw in the cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli, and cook with the onions and garlic for another 5 minutes, stirring, until the spices begin to give off an aroma.
3. Add the carrots, parsnips and lentils, and add enough stock to cover the vegetable by double. Reserve more stock, as the lentils will soak up a lot of water and thicken the soup. You can always add more stock/ water throughout the cooking process.
4. Add the creamed coconut/ coconut milk, cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally and adding more water/stock if it is getting too thick.
5. Blitz the soup with a hand blender (or a food processor in batches) to make a smooth soup. Check the seasoning, and serve with a sprinkle of paprika and black pepper. Great with chunky bread.

Yellow split pea daal with spinach and cherry tomatoes

My all time favourite comfort food is daal. I love spinach in curries, so I will nearly always add it to daal if I have it to hand. Today I didn't have fresh spinach, so I just used frozen. I find the frozen spinach blocks really handy, especially for curries, pesto and soups.

I added more water to my daal to make it more soupy, so I could have some toast with it. I would normally have it with brown rice and a chapatti or pitta. I also like to use a mix of lentils like chana daal, red lentils and masoor daal but today I just fancied the humble split pea. Mix it up if you fancy, different lentils give different textures and tastes.

Yellow spit pea daal with spinach and cherry tomatoes

Serves 2-3
150g dried yellow split peas
Vegetable stock
1 inch piece creamed coconut (the block of concentrated coconut)
1 large clove garlic, chopped finely
1 tbsp panch phoran*
2 blocks frozen spinach, thawed, or a couple of handfuls fresh spinach
Handful cherry tomatoes
1 medium chilli, chopped
Squeeze lemon juice

1. Place the split peas in 4 times the amount of vegetable stock in a pan and bring to the boil. Cover, and simmer for about 1 - 1.5 hours or until the peas have become soft but still hold some shape and the water has thickened.
2. Add the coconut, garlic and chilli to the split peas. Add more water if you feel it is getting too thick. Stir to ensure the peas are not sticking to base of the pan.
3. In a dry frying pan, fry the panch phoran for about a minute, or until beginning to colour and give off an aroma. Add the spices and a squeeze of lemon to the split peas.
4. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Add the spinach and whole cherry tomatoes, heat through and serve in bowls over rice, or add more stock/water to produce a more soupy consistency.

*Panch phoran is a is a spice blend used in Bangladesh and Eastern India. The spices typically used are fenugreek, Nigella seed, cumin seed, radhuni and fennel seed in equal parts. Celery seed sometimes is used in place of radhuni.
You can buy panch phoran in nearly all international supermarkets and some good supermarkets.

Sicilian smoked paprika aubergine, olive and tomato spaghetti

Today I made the mistake of waltzing into a gym class without looking at the description. I saw Body Pump, so I thought aerobics, some heart pumping exercises... how wrong was I. Now I realise 'pump' probably stands for 'pumping iron', I was sandwiched between a bunch of ripped men and women, having to do bench presses and squats for an entire hour. I can still barely lift my arms, so I needed something comforting, carby and quick to cook when I got home.

This recipe ticked all the boxes, with very few ingredients and good full bodied flavours. I have called the recipe Sicilian because it was a take on a Jamie Oliver Caponata recipe, which can be found here: Incredible Sicilian aubergine stew. I also found a really good looking recipe by Sophie Dahl, which I will hopefully be testing out soon Sophie Dahl's spicy aubergine and tomato with poached eggs.

Sicilian smoked paprika aubergine, olive and tomato spaghetti

 Serves 2-3
Olive oil
1 medium purple aubergine, cut into 2cm cubes
1 large garlic clove, crushed and chopped finely
1 red onion, chopped roughly
1 can chopped Italian tomatoes
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Splash balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful olives, chopped roughly
100g wholemeal spaghetti
70g rocket leaves
1/2 avocado
Lemon juice

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a medium sized saucepan over a medium heat and throw in the aubergine with a pinch of salt. Shake the pan every so often to ensure the aubergine doesn't burn, and so it colours on every side (about 4-5 minutes).
2.  Place the wholemeal spaghetti in a pan of boiling, slightly salted water and cover. Turn down the heat and leave at a rolling boil. Keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn't bubble over. (Note: if you are using white pasta, it will take around 5 minutes less to cook, depending on the brand, so start this step after you have completed the next step)
3. Add the red onion and garlic to the aubergine, and leave to cook through for another 5-6 minutes, or until the onions begin to turn translucent.
4. Throw in a splash of balsamic vinegar and let this evaporate away.
5. Add the smoked paprika, black pepper, olives and chopped tomatoes. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, wash some rocket leaves (or the salad leaves of your choice) and dice up some ripe avocado. Squeeze some lemon juice on the salad to stop the avocado turning brown.
7. The pasta should be al dente now, so check it is cooked and drain.
8. Check the seasoning of your sauce and adjust if necessary, and pour over your cooked pasta. Mix all together and serve with the salad.

Cream of mushroom and spinach soup

I promise will start posting more adventurous recipes other than soup, but it is cold outside and soups are a healthy, cheap way of filling up. One of my new year's resolutions is to make my lunch for work every day, so I am cooking lots of soups to keep up my resolution. Sandwiches just don't cut it in the winter.

Now, my other half has a love/hate relationship with mushrooms so this recipe won't go down too well with him, but I am a fan of the funghi. There is nothing better than a good mushroom soup when you're feeling a little under the weather. I also try to get as many iron-rich leafy greens into my diet as possible, and this recipe is no exception. This soup is a pale greenish colour, which I think is much more interesting than the boring beige of most mushroom soups.

Cream of mushroom and spinach soup

Olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, diced
1 litre vegetable stock
Pepper
15-20 mushrooms, chopped (I use button and chestnut but any mushroom is lovely)
Handful fresh baby spinach
Fresh Alpro Soya cream (or dairy cream)

Handful freshly chopped chives, plus extra to serve

1. Heat the olive oil on a medium heat in a heavy based pot and throw in the chopped onions. Stir until onions are beginning to turn see-through, about 5 minutes, then throw in the garlic. Turn down the heat and stir occasionally for about 15 minutes or until the onions have begun to slightly brown.
2. Add the mushrooms and stir occasionally until they begin to release water take on colour, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, a good pinch of pepper and cream and heat through, but do not boil.
3. Add chopped chives and fresh spinach at the last second, blitz with a hand blender/food processor and check seasoning. If the soup is too thick, add more stock.
4. Ladle into bowls and dress with chopped chives.

A very hippy happy breakfast smoothie

Saturday... a day for many that usually brings a sore head, and today I join the masses. That bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon in hindsight was a terrible idea. I would usually turn to a big British fry up right now, but after last night's Birthday cakes (yes, there were three) and a new blender, I thought I would start the day off with a nice healthy smoothie.

This kept me going for a fair while and was nicely satisfying. The ground flaxseed is added for extra protein. If you don't have any than I'd recommend buying a bag from your local healthfood store, it is about £4.50 but a bag lasts you ages and keeps well in the fridge. It is great in porridge/salads/soup/smoothies/sauces and is soooo good for you.

Blueberry breakfast smoothie

100g of blueberries
1 banana (if you don't like bananas, leave it out and add more oats to thicken)
Handful of oats
Soya milk (or dairy milk)
Squeeze of agave nectar (or honey)
1 tsp ground flaxseed
Dash of vanilla extract

1. Stick it all in a blender and blend
2. Add more milk until you get the right consistency
3. Serve over ice for a chillier start to the day

Butternut Squash, Ginger and Lentil Soup

Yes, another soup. It was a VERY frosty morning this morning and cycling into work was not the enjoyable feat it usually is. However, knowing I had a lovely thick and warming soup to look forward to for lunch gave me the courage to plough on.

I have had a huge butternut squash in my kitchen for a while now, I think the size of it daunted me, but I have finally finished it by making 2 soups and a curry out of it. If my next few recipes are butternut squash based, now you know why.

This soup is great for when you're feeling ill, especially in this chilly weather.

 

Serves 3-4

1 onion, diced

2 inch piece peeland and grated fresh ginger

500ml vegetable stock

1/3 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks

1 can chopped tomatoes

75g red lentils

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Sauté the onion in a medium pan on a low-medium in a splash of olive oil until translucent. 
2. Add the ginger and squash and cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the stock, tomatoes, lentils, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the squash and lentils are cooked.
4. Puree the soup until smooth with a hand blender or food processor. Return to the pot, reheat, and check seasoning.
5. Serve with warm crusty bread.

Butternut Squash, Ginger and Lentil Soup

Avocado, apple chilli jam and salad pitta pockets

I'm a big fan of avocado. It is so creamy and delicious. When I am feeling lazy I like to make this for a quick dinner with a nice big side salad. It is great for packed lunches too.

My friend Rachael's mum made the apple chilli jam and it goes wonderfully in this recipe. I will have to see if I can get the recipe, but it may be a Bloomer family secret... Another friend Lucy B inspired me to put chilli with avocado, and my god does it work. To be honest, my friends are my main inspiration, I love you guys :)

Avocado, apple chilli jam and salad pitta pockets

Serves 2 

2 wholemeal pitta breads

Extra virgin olive oil

1 medium ripe avocado

sunflower seeds, lightly toasted in a dry pan

Apple chilli jam

Lemon juice

Paprika

Salad leaves (I like spinach but use whatever you like)

Cucumber

Tomato

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Toast the pitta bread until warm and cut open the pocket on one side. Sprinkle a little olive oil into the open pocket.Spread on a good portion of apple chilli jam.
2.  Slice open the avocado by cutting all around from end to end. Twist the avocado, pull apart and take out the stone. Using a spoon, spoon out the flesh of each side of the avocado and place into a bowl.
3. Squirt with a little lemon juice and a sprinkle of paprika and mash, seasoning to taste.
4. Wash the salad, tomato and cucumber and cut up.
5. Add the avocado in to the pittas and sprinkle on the sunflower seeds. Place the salad onto the top of the filling and serve.
   
   Variations: Use lime juice instead of lemon, salsa instead of chilli jam and fresh coriander for a more Mexican style sandwich. Good with tortilla chips.