A couple of years ago, my husband and I went to Mexico on holiday. The food was good at the hotel, though it was all aimed at tourists. There was a vast difference between the 'posh' version of Mexican food we were served in the hotel, and the street food we ate in the towns … Continue reading Refried Beans
I love roasted butternut squash. I usually chop a full squash into chunks and roast it in oil, seasoning and garlic, then keep it in an air-tight container in my fridge. I can then add it to pasta dishes or use it top pizza with, or microwave it for a few mins so it's hot … Continue reading Butternut Squash and Bean Bake
You can't get through half-time at a football match without a pie and a pint. It's almost the law in Britain (or so my husband tells me). Like most of Britain, he's been glued to the Euro's. He's enjoyed the TV coverage, and loved seeing fans back in the stadiums, but watching it on TV … Continue reading Jackfruit Tikka Pies
I can't begin to describe how good these little fritters taste. Everyone who eats them, loves them, including those who aren't keen on courgette or feta cheese. There's something about the combination of herbs, spices and veg that just makes them incredibly moreish. And when dunked in Tzatziki, they're divine! These Courgette Fritters are incredibly … Continue reading Courgette Fritters
I love quiche, I think it's underrated. Served with a simple salad, a few chunky chips and a big scoop of coleslaw, it's the perfect lunch; and this particular one is really good. It's light, easy to make and tasty - packed with feta cheese, peppers, courgette and herbs, sat in a bed of homemade … Continue reading Feta, Courgette and Red Pepper Quiche
There's nothing more comforting on a cold, wet, winter's day than a steaming bowl of hot tomato soup. You can, of course, buy very good tinned soups, but if like me, you get a lot of joy, and take a lot of pride in cooking things from scratch, then you'll enjoy making your own. And … Continue reading Easy Homemade Tomato Soup
In 2011 I went to Italy for the first time. One night, I ordered a Caprese Salad, and I couldn't believe it when a plate of just mozzarella and tomatoes arrived on the table - That's not a salad! Where's the lettuce?! I gave it a go anyway, not wanting to show my ignorance and … Continue reading Caprese Bruschetta
Stuffed peppers make for a lovely, fresh, summery meal. They're perfect served at a BBQ or garden party as an alternative to charred meat, and they need only a simple mixed leaf salad for an accompaniment to make a yummy light lunch, plus a few cheeky chips for an evening meal. Vegetarian stuffed peppers are … Continue reading Stuffed Peppers
Mexican food was always my go-to option whenever I had people round for dinner when I first moved out and started learning how to cook. Chilli Con Carne (recipe here) was the first recipe I ever mastered, and my friends loved it. Then I discovered the Fajita and Enchilada kits you can buy in supermarkets. … Continue reading Black Bean Quesadillas
I'm not sure why cheese savoury is called cheese savoury, I've never seen a sweet cheese based sandwich filling, but that's what it's called. It just means a mixture of cheese, mayonnaise and salad veg. It's yummy in sandwiches and on jacket potatoes, but I'm going to show you how to use it to create … Continue reading Cheese Savoury Pinwheels
When I was a student I worked weekends and evenings in a corner shop - stacking the shelves and serving on the tills. I loved it, the majority of the customers were pleasant and polite and I got on really well with the other staff, we would chat and laugh all shift. The late shifts … Continue reading Cheese and Poppy Seed Twists
Today is St. Georges Day - the Patron Saint of England, and as I'm English, I thought we could celebrate with a traditional English picnic on the lawn, complete with Salmon and Cress Sandwiches. St. George wasn't actually English, he was born in what is now Turkey, but he was a good soldier (legend has … Continue reading Salmon and Cress Sandwiches
I first made these tartlets to use up some left over ingredients - half a jar of this, a handful of that, things that were just sat in the fridge waiting to go off. But they were so tasty, I ended up buying all the ingredients again and making more. This recipe makes 6 tartlets, … Continue reading Goat’s Cheese Tartlets
I make Pumpkin soup every October, I love it. It's really easy to make, tasty, comforting and this recipe makes a big batch which I freeze in portions and work my way through throughout the month. There is a great pumpkin soup recipe in my Vegetarian Cookery book (see my About page for more info) … Continue reading Pumpkin and Red Pepper Soup
Finally in the Ultimate Toasty Series, we have my Spicy Bean Vegan Toasty. Just because you don't eat cheese doesn't mean you have to miss out on a yummy toasted sandwich! I am a bit of a cheese-oholic, but I really didn't miss it in this recipe. The veggies and toast provide all the textures … Continue reading The Ultimate Spicy Bean, Vegan Toasty
Next in The Ultimate Toasty Series is the tuna melt. I'm a big fan of tuna - in a jacket potato, with pasta, on pizza, and of course, in a sandwich; and how do you make a tasty tuna butty even better? Add gorgeous mozzarella cheese, tangy red onion, aromatic herbs and heat it all … Continue reading The Ultimate Tuna Melt
The glorious cheese and tomato toasty: molten slices of tomato, sandwiched between gooey cheddar cheese and crunchy toast. It's good, but we can do better. How about crumbly, salty, feta cheese combined with tangy sun-dried tomatoes and aromatic herbs? Now we're talking! This toasty can of course be made using a toasty machine like in … Continue reading The Ultimate Cheese and Tomato Toasty
Everyone loves a toasted sandwich, right? The night's are drawing in now and there's a nip in the air. Soon we're going to be digging out our winter coats and defrosting our cars; and on cold, grey days, a boring butty for lunch just isn't going to cut it. Stuff it with layers of gorgeous … Continue reading The Ultimate Cheese and Onion Toasty
BBQs are great. I prep the food and decorate as I would for any party, but once the guests arrive my work is done. My husband takes over the cooking and I can put my feet up. Usually everything gets cooked from scratch on the BBQ, but I've found people get impatient waiting for each … Continue reading Teriyaki Salmon Skewers
These delicious little orange boats are perfect as a starter or a lunch served with salad. They re-heat well in the microwave, though the skins do loose their crispness, they don't loose any flavour. Stuffed potato skins are served at a lot of restaurants now and they're usually white potatoes stuffed with bacon or ham … Continue reading Sour Cream and Chive Sweet Potato Skins
I first had a Bhaji Butty at an airport. We were hungry but didn't have enough time to sit and have a proper meal at one of the restaurants so we grabbed some pre-packed sandwiches from a shop. They didn't have a great veggie selection, it was either this or plain cheese, which I thought … Continue reading Bhaji Butties
Greek food is my absolute favourite! I love their use of fresh herbs, gorgeous veg and aromatic spices, and they always seem to have loads of delicious dishes that just happen to be veggie. They're not added to the menu to tick an inclusivity box, they're fantastic, authentic recipes that just don't require meat. I'm … Continue reading Greek Pasties
Quiches (or flans depending on what part of the world you're from) are so versatile and easy to make. As long as you have the pastry case and the quantities of eggs to milk right you can put pretty much put anything you like into it. They can be served hot or cold, so are … Continue reading Cheese and Chutney Quiche
Pesky Recipes 