All posts tagged: homemade

Courgetti Ratatouille

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So the bountiful August is well and truly in swing… filled with beans, potatoes, herbs, carrots, garlic, beetroot and of course courgettes… Our Allotmenting this year has been less productive than in previous years, mainly because I’ve been focused on getting my yoga class up and running alongside studying…I’m spread pretty thin but Tim and the kids have done a fab job of just about staying on top of the growth…and salvaging veg before the birds / rabbits / deer get there!  So here’s a vegan ratatouille recipe, originally posted on my instagram account, tried and tested by the lovely Mel Bevan (who’s family have given their seal of approval)!     Ingredients (serves 2): 1 red onion 2 cloves garlic 1/2 red pepper 1 red chilli Pinch sea salt and crack of black pepper Sprig of fresh rosemary and thyme 1 can plum tomatoes 8 medium mushrooms 1 tsp agave nectar 1 large courgette 1 tbsp rapeseed oil Method: 1) Heat a tbsp rapeseed oil in a large pan or wok. 2) Finely slice …

Homemade Burgers & BBQ Salads

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So in the spirit of Summer (apparently it’s here in Britain although you wouldn’t know)… here’s my home-made BBQ.  Albeit to be consumed under a brolly in a shivering 16C whilst pretending it’s not raining and it’s actually hot… I’m not complaining, I’m not I’m not…   In a bid to cut out the sulphites, the nasty preservatives found in a lot of processed meat I’ve made my own burgers.. The recipe is simple and the flavour is delicate and that’s mainly because the kids complain if they are any other way… But the salad are a little more hearty, and the potatoes are home grown…whoopee (pat on the back for keeping a plant alive)…   Burger Ingredients (Makes 6):   400g Organic lean beef mince 1 red onion 1 tsp maple syrup 1 egg 50g breadcrumbs Pinch salt & pepper Knob of butter Sprinkling of plain flour to shape the burgers Potato Salad (serves 4): Around 24 new potatoes (either whole or halved) 2 handfuls fresh broad beans Knob of Butter Handful of Fresh …

Reasons to be healthy, 1…2…3…or Bending over backwards for health!

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This is Lupa the Immortal.  Well, technically speaking this is an offspring of Lupa the Immortal, my sourdough starter which came in to being in the very early days of writing this blog (read more in ‘Sourdough, the worlds slowest bread‘).   Lupa spends most of her time in the fridge, slowly fermenting… sometimes she’s really active, bubbling away, being fed and nurtured, and sometimes she’s so forgotten, that when I come to her she needs a little TLC before she’ll produce a healthy offspring… The reason I’m using my bread as an analogy in a post about health is two-fold.  One, that (if you read the original blog post you’ll see) I prefer to cut out the additives, preservatives, bulking agents and sugar that many commercial bread products come laden with, and make my own bread instead.  And two, that I see this simple sourdough starter bloom when nourished and cared for and fade when it’s needs are not being met.  It reminds me of how I so often feel.  It’s only been through …

Pink Potato, Fennel & Leek Soup

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The temperature has dropped again and it seems like everyone is poorly… Mine included.  So we’re bundled up with sniffs and snivels and only hot soup and toast will do.  That along with chamomile tea and ginger biscuits!  No problem though, snuggling on the sofa and reading back to back Roald Dahl is a treat… We’re on ‘Danny the Champion of the World’… so gripping…The link to the site here is great too, lots of lovely interactive Roald Dahl quizzes, recipes and ideals for entertaining kids… So back to the soup.  Leek and Potato is always a favourite, but I had a bag of ‘Red Emmelie’ heritage potatoes delivered this week  from our good friends at Abel & Cole and they’re delicious.  They’ve also given this soup its lovely pink colour… It’s sweet and hearty and full of vegetable goodness!  I hope you enjoy it as much as us! Ingredients: 1/2 head large fennel 1 large onion 2 cloves garlic 2 large leeks 6 red emmelie potatoes 1 sachet red miso paste 2 tsp vegetable …

Spaghetti Puttanesca for One…

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There’s something quite wonderful about being home alone, just myself to please and my own whims and fancies to indulge… It means strong salty flavours, preserved fish, anchovies, smoked mackerel, salmon and carbs.  There’s a whole lot of love wrapped up in a dish for one, and this spaghetti puttanesca sums it up for me… accompanied by a glass of red wine and ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ for company… Heaven!   Ingredients: 1 onion 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp chilli flakes 1 tsp mixed herbs 2 tbsp chopped anchovy fillets 1 Large handful kalamata olives 1 can plum tomatoes 1 large handful chopped parsley 1 tsp maple syrup Black pepper to taste 75g dried spaghetti Olive oil Method: 1) Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt once its boiling and add the spaghetti.  Stir as the spaghetti cooks to avoid sticking. 2) Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan on the hob. 3) Finely slice the onion, crush the garlic and add to the pan along with the …

Chicken Pasanda With Cauliflower, Coconut & Almond ‘Rice’

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This isn’t a fad.  Don’t mistake this one for a carb-avoiding gluten-free fashion supper… Although it happens to be those things!  For me it’s an alternative, I just didn’t fancy rice, and I do love cauliflower, and it does happen to be delicious!  Have you tried my vegetarian Mushroom Pasanda recipe by the way?  This is the same recipe (almost) with chicken!  So here it is!     Ingredients (serves 2):  1/2 large onion 4 cloves garlic 1/2 thumb ginger 1 red chilli (de-seeded) 1/2 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp each of ground cinnamon, turmeric & mild curry powder 2 Organic Chicken Breasts 1 can plum tomatoes 1 can coconut milk 100mls white wine 1 small bunch chopped coriander 1 small head of cauliflower 1 handful whole almonds 3 tbsp desiccated coconut 2 tbsp coconut oil Salt & pepper Method: 1. Heat a tbsp coconut oil in a pan on the hob & pre-head the oven to 200C. 2. Finely slice the onion, crush and chop the garlic and soften in the pan for a …

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs…

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Kids love Meatballs!  It’s another food that could contain literally anything as far as they are concerned (and depending where they come from its possible they do)… but home-made it’s possible that they’re full of good nourishment, love and a few hidden extras if you like?  This recipe is very simple, it makes 18 meatballs which can be frozen.  If you’re feeling adventurous you could split the meat 50/50 beef & pork (or anything else you fancy), add baked sweet potato, beetroot, onions…Jello (no not really) Ingredients: 450g Organic Beef Mince 100g Homemade Breadcrumbs 1 egg yolk 1 tsp salt 2 tsp mixed herbs Method: 1. Use a food processor to blend the mince, breadcrumbs, egg yolk, salt & mixed herbs. 2. Use a desert spoon to scoop up the mixture and form balls between the palms. 3. If freezing, place them straight in to a plastic storage pot. 4. To cook immediately, heat a couple of tsps olive oil in a pan on the hob.  Add the meatballs, gently turning every couple of minutes …

Lasagne & Roast Potatoes Anyone? Or Herby Red Lentil Lasagne…

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It wasn’t until I was a grown up that anyone questioned our standard family supper of lasagne and roast potatoes… It gives me quite a giggle to think about it now!  What a carb fest, extreme comfort food!  Although I’ve dropped the addition of roast potatoes from this dish, I do often make a lasagne, especially in the winter months and it’s usually always vegetarian.  It still feels like comfort food to me, and I’m sure my children are inheriting the same feeling… So here it is in all its carby, cheesy, tomato glory!   Ingredients (serves 6): 350g egg lasagne Ingredients for the tomato sauce: 2 tins tomatoes 100g red lentils 1 red onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed 125mls red wine 2 tsp maple syrup 1 tsp mixed herbs 2 sprigs fresh rosemary salt & black pepper additional water to top up when the lentils absorb the liquid Ingredients for the cheese sauce: 100g butter* 100g flour 100g mature cheddar* 1 pint milk* 1 tsp dijon mustard 1/2 tsp ground nutmet crack …

Chilli Chicken Bestival Kebabs

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So Tim spent last weekend at Bestival on the Isle of Wight… And amongst yoga, live music, DJs, Henna Tattoos and Ping Pong, there was food… Festival fuel!  Sadly I wasn’t there to experience it… But I did get a little flavour of the festival on Thursday night when Tim put together these ‘a little bit delicious’ (to borrow a phrase from our little one) Chilli Chicken Kebabs… My mouth is watering writing this up… Let us know how you get on with these because really they are a taste sensation!   Ingredients for 2 kebabs: at at the end you’ll need a spread of Houmous… Ingrdients for the wrap: 250g Wholemeal spelt flour 100ml warm water 2 tbsp rapeseed oil salt pepper 1tsp ground coriander Method for the wrap: 1. mix together the ingredients adding the water slowly. You need a dough that will roll out easily so not too sticky. 2. Split the dough in two, and roll out as thin as possible. Lay a 9″ plate (or size to fit your frying …