I used to work as a waitress in a lovely little local pub. All their food was freshly made and sourced locally and as a result, it was always busy. One of the dishes they served was a Cheesy Broccoli Bake. It was a popular dish consisting of potato, onion and broccoli cooked in a … Continue reading Brassica Bake
This dish is rich and creamy with subtle aromatic flavours and a hint of lemon, perfect for a date night or dinner party. It's ready in about 20 mins and is really easy to prepare. We eat a lot of salmon in our house, we love it. It's such a tasty, versatile fish that's reasonably … Continue reading Creamy Salmon and Broccoli Spaghetti
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
A Vegetable Pasanda is one of my favourite takeaway curry options. It's a very mild curry, but it certainly isn't boring, it's packed with gorgeous nutty, aromatic flavours. Whilst on lock down, I was craving my Pasanda fix, but couldn't bring myself to order the full fat takeaway option made with ghee and double cream, … Continue reading Vegetable Pasanda
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
Lasagne is a dish served in many pubs, cafes and restaurants all over the UK. You usually have two options when ordering lasagne - a meaty one which doesn't usually include any veg other than onion and tomato, but has beef mince in the red sauce, or veggie lasagne which has no protein in it, … Continue reading Veggie Lasagne
I've made Garlic Mayo Dips for years, each time altering the recipe slightly; and this version is by far the best I've ever tasted. It's smooth, creamy and has a definite garlic kick but without being overbearing. It's also really quick and easy to make and needs only 5 ingredients. Serve this dip with a … Continue reading The Best Garlic Mayo Dip
It's St. David's Day on the 1st March - the Patron Saint of Wales; and as I live on the Welsh boarder I thought I'd join in the celebrations with a Welsh recipe. St David, famously, was a strict vegetarian and only drank water - a lifestyle many of us are trying to adopt now; … Continue reading Very Welsh Rarebit
I've worked in a few cafe's and restaurants over the years and picked up a lot of tips and tricks from the other staff members and the chefs I worked with. People in the catering industry do things quite differently to how we home cooks have been taught, as for them, time really is money. … Continue reading How to Prep Cauliflower Like a Pro
What's not to love about Millionaire's Shortbread? - Buttery shortbread, sweet caramel and crunchy chocolate all together in bite sized pieces. Add a hint of champagne and you take it to a whole new level! It's really easy to make too, this recipe doesn't even need you to bake the shortbread. The cooling time between … Continue reading Millionaire’s Champagne Shortbread
Leeks are a great winter veg; they're tasty, versatile and cheep. Use them to bulk out stews and casseroles, to add flavour to soups and pies and they are great fried in butter and black pepper and served with a roast dinner. Part of the onion family, they're full of flavour and really easy to … Continue reading Leek Prep
Mac and cheese is a perfect dish to serve at this time of year. It's really easy to make, it's warm, filling, comforting, and feels just a little bit naughty. I like mac and cheese, but I can't eat much of it, I find it quite rich and sickly; and after a few mouthfuls, a … Continue reading Grown Up Mac and Cheese
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
I love Halloween, it's one of our oldest festivals and one of my favourites. Whether you choose to light a candle and remember loved ones who are no longer with us, eat your body weight in chocolate and scare yourself silly watching horror films or don your finest fancy dress costume, douse yourself in fake … Continue reading Shallow Grave Chocolate Orange Fudge Cake
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
I have this yummy omelette for breakfast 2 or 3 times a week. I always try to start my day with eggs as they are full of iron and us veggies and peskies have to keep a close eye on our iron count to make sure we have the energy we need every day without … Continue reading Super Tasty Mushroom Omelette
Put the lime in the coconut and spread rum icing all over the top . . . that's how the song goes right? This sweet, tangy cake recipe is so summery and yummy it'll keep you going back for more. It's a big hit at parties as it's something a bit different to the usual … Continue reading Lime and Coconut Cake
This simple recipe makes a yummy, tangy, sweet curd that is great in cakes, biscuits and pastries. There's no need for a thermometer or any special equipment or ingredients and unlike jam making, the mixture shouldn't boil, so there's no molten sugar spitting at you. It also makes a lovely homemade gift. Pour into a … Continue reading Easy Lime Curd
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
The weather is picking up now and it's starting to feel like summer, which makes me want big bowls of tasty pasta dishes served alfresco with cold glasses of white wine. Yum! Well this dish certainly fits the bill. It sounds posh and looks pretty impressive, but in reality, it's ready in about 20 mins … Continue reading Crab Tagliatelle
Curly Kale is a fantastic, underappreciated veg. It's similar to cabbage but with a subtler flavour and it's packed full of Iron and nutrients. It's pretty versatile too and can be eaten raw (see my Kale and Broccoli Coleslaw) or boiled and served with a Sunday roast like you would with cabbage. However, this recipe … Continue reading Breakfast Kale
My husband's family quite often visit us on a Sunday and they usually arrive around 10 or 11am. We wont have had anything to eat before they arrive as we're either having a lie in or running round tidying up ready for them (usually the latter). So when they arrive, we're getting pretty hungry and … Continue reading Eggs In Hell
Scouse is a traditional stew from Liverpool made with beef or mutton, carrots and potatoes and was once a staple meal for working class Liverpudlians, as it's cheap, filling and really tasty! Both my parents are from Liverpool and when I was a child, my mum would make up a batch of Scouse and it … Continue reading Blind Scouse
Pesky Recipes 