It’s almost that time of year when we are besieged by green vegetables. After a few years off planting in my little kitchen garden, I’ve taken an almighty leap and sown all my veggie beds. Many are still tiny shoots but I eagerly anticipate harvesting courgettes, carrots, beetroot, kale, Swiss chard and peas. Assuming (the…
Lunch
Turmeric Houmous with Lightly Pickled Beetroot & Spelt Flatbreads
I can’t remember when I first tasted houmous but I do remember loving the garlicky chickpea dip. Once upon a time in the West it was an ethnic delicacy with a hippy following, now its available in every supermarket! This ancient peasant dish – the authentic version contains chickpeas, mashed and flavoured with sesame seed…
Spanakopita – Greek Spinach & Feta Pie
This spinach pie, is a Greek classic: made from dark leafy greens and salty feta cheese, enclosed in several layers of perfectly crisp, flakey filo pastry. If you’ve never tried it before you’re in for a treat. Delicious hot or cold, perfect to serve vegetarians and suitable for lunch or a light dinner. I like…
Cauliflower Cheese Tart
This was ‘I don’t know where the day has gone and I haven’t planned dinner kind of meal’. In fact I raided the fridge in desperation only to find cauliflower, spinach leaves and cheddar cheese to work with. (I always try to buy vegetables in season and cauliflower is superb at the moment). As a…
Sri Lankan Dhal and Chapatis
With beautiful golden beaches lined with palm trees, tea plantations nestled on misty mountain tops, bustling traffic packed cities, tuk-tuks, elephants, bananas and coconuts. Sri Lanka has so much to offer. We visited the cultural triangle between Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla, it has a profusion of wildlife, exotic plants and World Heritage Sites. The palace…
Smoked Haddock Fishcakes with Lemon Butter Sauce
Having experienced an incredible trip to Sri Lanka and arriving back in the UK in March, Spring and my birthday month, happy days! Our holiday was amazing, the food utterly delicious and the people so warm and welcoming. More on this when I post a few recipes from my time working with a Sri Lankan…
Spiced Lemon Chicken Wraps
I can’t describe myself as a vegetarian but by and large I steer away from meat when I think about what to prepare for our supper. Every now and then however I go through periods of eating meat more regularly. One of our family favourites is roast chicken, free range from my local farm, it’s…
Celeriac, Spiced Apple & Pancetta Soup
I don’t know about you but I really welcome a steaming hot bowl of soup in the winter months. It’s quick to prepare and I generally have a variety of vegetables in my fridge to chop and simmer in a pan to then blitz to have for my lunch. Celeriac or celery root, this…
Healthy Green Vegetable Frittata
The festive season is firmly behind us, my sons have returned to their homes and I have been left with some, (not much) leftovers in my fridge. I don’t know about you but I hate to throw any food away, I have to do something with the odds and ends in my fridge. I catered…
Thai Spiced Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is often a staple when you’re fighting a cold or flu but did you know that homemade chicken soup actually has health benefits too? Cuddling up with a bowl of hot chicken soup is the best cure for colds in the winter months, according to researchers. A study found that chicken soup could…
