dinner, easy, Lasagne, Uncategorized

Comforting homemade lasagne recipe

What says home cooked comfort food quite like a freshly baked cheesy lasagne straight from the oven? This recipe is like a hug on a plate, with rich hearty ragù sauce layered with creamy, indulgent béchamel sauce and soft pasta sheets, all topped off with a generous covering of gooey melted cheese. If your mouth… Continue reading Comforting homemade lasagne recipe

Homemade pie
Indian, Meat Free Monday, Puff Pastry, Uncategorized

Tandoori Roasted Veggie Pie

This Tandoori Roasted Veggie Pie recipe is a warming, spiced meal that's perfect for chilly evenings! Roasting the veggies before adding them to the pie adds extra flavour, and a delicious sweetness to the carrots, and the Tandoori Masala spice mix is the perfect combination of flavours to warm you up inside. Not to mention… Continue reading Tandoori Roasted Veggie Pie

hearts
Chilli Con Veggie, dinner, easy, Uncategorized

5 ways to make a Valentine’s night in special & 4 things to cook to make them feel loved!

How to make a Valentine’s night in special: Treat yourselves to your favourite meal. Double points if you both love the same food – this makes it much easier to make! And serve it nicely! Sprinkle heats in the table, set places with napkins, wine glasses and a candle (or 10!) to set the mood.… Continue reading 5 ways to make a Valentine’s night in special & 4 things to cook to make them feel loved!

spicy veggie bean chilli
Chilli Con Veggie, dinner, easy, Meat Free Monday, Pepper, Uncategorized

Spicy veggie & bean chilli recipe

This recipe was born one chilli (get it?) January night, when I was craving a rich hearty chilli con carne, but a) had no mince in the house and b) could not muster the effort to go to the shop. So I delved instead into the kitchen cupboard reserves of tinned beans, topped it up with some veggies, added tomatoes, spices, and chillies, and was extremely pleased with the result. (Especially as I had enough over for 2 lunches!) It’s rich, smoky and satisfyingly savoury, despite all the lovely sweet veggies. I even convinced a very reluctant fiancé that it’s good! (With a little encouragement and a LOT of cheese. But you can’t win em all!) In fact, I was so pleased with the flavour that I didn’t miss the meat at all, and aside from what you serve it with (yogurt or cheese), it’s not only a vegetarian recipe, but a vegan one too! A very happy coincidence, as I want to start making some better choices about the food I eat. So naturally, I felt obliged to share this little discovery with you all – and I’d love to know what you think!

Carrot_soup_boil
curry, dinner, easy, Food blog, Indian, Meat Free Monday, Noodles, Uncategorized

3 Comforting & Healthy Recipes to get through a chilly January

In the winter, all I want to eat is comforting, hearty food, and especially over Christmas, I probably eat a little too much of it! In January I still want the comfort and to feel full, but with a bit of health and a lot of veg thrown in. It’s a great way to recover from the over-indulging, and I always feel better when I eat better. I don’t know if that’s psychological or not, but it’s true! There are lots of different recipes to choose from, but these are 3 of my staples which I fall back on time after time. They all pack a huge veggie punch, and don’t feel like diet food either! I’ve included a stir-fry, soup and curry recipe. The stir-fry is quick and easy to cook, perfect for staving off any Chinese takeaway cravings. The carrot soup is warming, and ideal to cook in a batch so there’s some for lunch the next day (or the whole week!) too, and a veggie curry which is one of my favourite Friday or Saturday night treats, and much healthier than ordering in.

Gammon_1
dinner, roast, Uncategorized

The Ham: Honey and Mustard Roasted Gammon Recipe

An alternative to turkey, and the star of and Christmas supper or Boxing Day Buffet, this honey and mustard gammon really is a showstopper. In my parents’ house, we have always had turkey or chicken on Christmas day, but whenever we were hosting the wider family for Boxing Day tea, there as always ham home-cooked ham in the buffet line up. While it was intended for Boxing Day tea, we always cooked it and ate it for dinner on one of the days before Christmas, usually the 23rd or 24th December. Freshly cooked, hot, and served as a roast with potatoes, vegetables and gravy, this has become one of my favourite winter dishes, and is an essential part of Christmas.

Mushroom_carbonara_6
dinner, easy, Essentials, Fast food, Food blog, sauce, Uncategorized

Mushroom Carbonara Recipe

This is a quick and simple dish, perfect when you’re in a hurry. Enjoy with grated Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Cooking time 20 minutes (trust me, it can be done!)

Food_trends_2018
Food blog, Middle Eastern, New, Uncategorized

Food Trends 2018

I cook and eat the food I love and that those around me will enjoy (hopefully!). I don’t often follow trends or diets – I don’t want to force a shoe that doesn’t fit me. It’s just not worth it. It doesn’t make them bad diets or bad ideas, it just means they aren’t meant for me personally. Our likes and dislikes keep the world interesting and full of variety, and keep inventors dreaming up new tasty ideas. I don’t believe that food is a one-size-fits-all situation! However, it is great to keep updated with new ideas. You never know when inspiration will strike, or what new delicious things you might discover! So with that in mind, I’ve had a look at the predicted food trends for 2018 from company Whole Foods, as curated by their team of super trend spotters. I’ve picked my top 5 trends that I’m most excited to find out more about, and here’s a quick round up the 5, with my verdict.

dinner, easy, Puff Pastry, Uncategorized

Steak and ale pie recipe

The ultimate savoury taste of a steak and ale pie I difficult to beat, I love it best when freshly baked: puff pastry layers crackle under the knife, and dark, sticky gravy oozes out onto the edges of the pastry. I love chunky steak, sweet carrots and earthy mushrooms. I love rich saucy gravy edging slowly across my plate, muddling with muddling with creamy, buttery mashed potato. Drooling yet? I am.