Carrot Noodle Salad with Charred Courgettes

Whilst I write this the sun is shining bright, not a cloud in the sky, and I'm enjoying a super-refreshing green juice. These are the kind of days I crave. The warmth of the summer sun on your skin makes you feel truly nourished and relaxed. The increase in temperature also means using more fresh and raw ingredients in my cooking, which are great to help give you that summer glow. 

This is a lovely little salad, making use of my current favourite kitchen toy: The Spiralizer. Seriously, if you don't have one already I seriously recommend buying one. They aren't expensive and make rustling up quick, highly nutritious and seriously satisfying meals super easy. They're also really versatile making noodles, spaghetti and ribbons out of a massive selection of veggies. Mine is by HemsleyHemsley but there are a quite a few different types available if you're interested. If you don't have a spiralizer then don't worry you can also julienne or grate your carrot for this recipe.

To serve 2, for a main meal, you will need:

2-3 Carrots

1½ Courgettes

4 Spring Onions

Handful of Pumpkin seeds

3 tbsp cold-pressed Rapeseed Oil

1 tsp Wholegrain Mustard

2 Lemons

Salt Flakes

Coarsely ground black peppercorns

Carrot Tops, to garnish

Heat a cast-iron skillet / griddle pan to top heat. Slice the courgette diagonally, no thicker than 1cm. Pour 1 tbsp rapeseed oil into a small bowl with ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Brush the oil onto the courgette slices and set aside the remainder. The pan should be really hot now, press the courgette slices onto the griddle and let them sizzle. Cook on top heat for around 5 mins per side, this should ensure that you have great charring in the form of thick black stripes. If you are making this salad as part of a BBQ then char them on the BBQ if you like - they appreciate a good smoke. Once cooked remove from the pan onto a plate and set aside.

Set up your spiralizer and scrub your carrots. Chop off the top and bottom of the carrot to create flat, parallel edges. Fit your desired blade, I have used the thin-noodle attachment. Attach the carrot to the spiralizer with the thinnest end near the blade. It can take a few practices to get it right at first, especially with a vegetable as slender as a carrot. Once you have made your carrot noodles pull them apart and pop them into a large bowl.

Now for the dressing. Grab the bowl with the remainder of the oil, salt and pepper mix from earlier. Add the mustard, juice of 1 lemon and another ½ tsp black pepper. Whisk together and pour over the carrots. Use your hands make sure the noodles are all fully coated. 

Plate the courgettes and carrot noodles together. Slice the spring onions and throw on top. Wash a small handful of carrot tops before ripping up and adding to the plate with a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds. Serve with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over at the table and enjoy!

I love the vitality of this salad, it's so fresh and full of goodness. This dressing is so incredibly versatile too and I use it on all sorts of salads! It's earthiness with a touch of zest is great with root vegetables like carrots and it's a great match for beetroot or celeriac. 

The veggies used in this recipe have mainly come from our weekly veg delivery from Abel & Cole. It's great getting fresh, organic goodness delivered at home and I'd definitely recommend trying it if it's available in your area.

Lush Cauliflower Curry

I adore Indian food. In our house there's nothing more exciting or tempting as having a delicious curry, whether homemade or takeaway. Although I do prefer to make my own, I love getting an Indian takeaway for the wealth of veggie options. We tend to order in a little feast when we do! Fresh ingredients are an absolute must when cooking Indian, lots of vitality to soak up all the delicious spices. My favourite thing about this Lush Cauliflower Curry is the slight sourness. Feel free to use dried turmeric, ginger and so on, but if you can get hold of the fresh roots you're onto a winner. It's a nice slow-cook in the oven which gives it a deliciously deep flavour and texture. 

This recipe serves 4 with breads, I used ready-made chapatti's to serve with mine but of course you can also use rice. I actually made it to serve 2 and kept the second half in a container in the fridge which will keep for 2-3 days. Perfect for a quick week-night dinner. You will need:

1 Cauliflower
1 large White Onion
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh Turmeric root
1 thumb-sized piece of Ginger
4 small Garlic cloves
4 dried Curry Leaves
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground Cardamom
½ tsp ground Coriander
1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds
½ tsp ground Cumin
1 tsp Salt flakes
4 med-sized Yellow Tomatoes
6 Cherry Tomatoes
Sachet of Creamed Coconut or 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
To garnish: Fennel tops, Mint leaves, Black Onion seeds.

Firstly set the oven to 180°c  Roughly chop the onion and add to a food processer, chopper or pulser. Peel and finely slice the ginger, turmeric and garlic then add to the onions. Then add all the spices and give a few good pulses until it's a coarse paste. Don't worry if you don't have a food processer, I'd suggest finely chopping and grating all the ingredients and mixing together well. Leave the salt, pepper and curry leaves out at this stage.

On the hob, put a casserole dish on a medium heat. You'll need to make sure you use a dish with a lid. Melt the creamed coconut or coconut oil then add the paste. Move around the pan releasing the aromatics for 2 minutes before adding the curry leaves and cooking for another couple of minutes. Dice the tomatoes and add to the dish, lower the heat slightly and let them cook down for 5-7 minutes until soft. Keep stirring throughout to ensure no serious sticking. 

Make up 500ml vegetable stock and add to the pan. Mix everything together well and bring to the boil. In the meantime break up a whole head of Cauliflower into florets. Once boiled bring the heat back down to a simmer and add the florets, spooning over the sauce. Put the lid on your casserole dish and then into the oven for 2 hours.

Take the curry out of the oven a couple of times during cooking to stir and make sure it's the right consistency. You don't want it to be too dry too early on and if it is I'd suggest using a little more stock and / or turning the oven heat down. For the final half hour of cooking I take off the lid and up the heat to 200°c to brown off the tops of the cauliflower slightly. It also reduces the sauce nicely to give it the perfect saucy consistency. 

Once out of the oven, taste and season with salt and pepper. Scatter some ripped up Mint leaves, Fennel fronds and Black onion seeds then serve with your favourite bread or rice accompaniment... and Enjoy!! 

Suma Bloggers Network: Delicious Summer Dips

So, it's been way too long since I last blogged. 2015 has been manic so far (mostly in a good way) and I've had limited down-time. It's meant not enough time in the kitchen, which I hate, and not enough time to focus on food in general! But this long-awaited blog for Suma Wholefoods signals my return. I hope you enjoy it!

I'm so glad to finally see some sunshine, it really is good for the soul. And these two dips are perfect for this time of year. Their versatility means you can make them in bulk and add them to lunches and dinners throughout the week. The first is a Pickled Chilli & Parsley Hummus and the second is a Butter Bean & Semi-dried Tomato Dip. They're great for sandwiches, salads, dipping and the latter is a splendid addition to pasta. 

Both recipes follow a very similar process with a few cross-over ingredients and you'll need to grab your blender for this one. Suma have an incredible selection of dried goods including these fab Chickpeas and Butter Beans, they're brilliant to buy and cook in bulk for ease of use during the week. I say this because when I get home from a long day at work there are times when I really don't have the energy to fully scratch cook, I'm sure you can relate. A fridge full of ready to eat and quick-cook meals really is a necessity. The Cooks & Co jarred products are brilliant too and I love adding the chillies and tomatoes to a massive variety of meals. Check out the Suma Bloggers Network for all the other recipes using their great range of ingredients!

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

Butter Bean and Semi-dried Tomato Dip:
200g soaked and boiled Butter Beans 
10-12 Cooks & Co Semi Dried Tomatoes
Handful of Basil leaves
1 tsp Organic Seaweed - The Atlantic Kelp Company
3 tbsp Olive Oil from the jarred Tomatoes
1 tbsp cold-pressed Flaxseed Oil
2 med Garlic cloves
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 tsp coarsely ground Black Pepper
½ tsp Cornish Sea Salt

Pickled Chilli & Parsley Hummus:
200g soaked, boiled and peeled Chickpeas
Handful of Parsley, leaves and stalks
1 tsp Organic Seaweed - The Atlantic Kelp Company
2 tbsp Light Organic Tahini 
1 tbsp cold-pressed Flaxseed Oil
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 large Garlic cloves
½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp Cornish Sea Salt
½ tsp coarsely ground Black Pepper
Juice of 1 large Lemon

Let's start with the Hummus! I used approximately ¼ of the 500g bag of chickpeas and soaked overnight. They were cooked for around 1 hour until nice and tender. You then need to slip the skins off. This might sound like a fiddly task but it's actually quite quick and easy when they've been cooked long enough. Once you've peeled the chickpeas add them to the blender with the Basil leaves, oils, tahini, chillies, lemon juice, crushed garlic and seasoning. Then blitz until it's smooth as you like. I prefer mine a little chunky but feel free to keep blitzing if you like it smoother. 

Now for the Butter Bean Dip. I soaked around ¼ of the 500g bag of Butter Beans from Suma overnight, I then cooked them for approximately 1 hour 30 mins to make sure they were super-tender. Of this I used 200g cooked Butter Beans for this recipe. I put the rest into a container and used for lunch salads. Legumes are a great source of protein to keep you fuelled up.

Add the cooked and cooled Butter Beans to your blender with the Basil leaves, tomatoes, oils, lemon juice, seaweed and seasoning. Then use a garlic press to crush the garlic and add. Once you've added all the ingredients blitz until smooth. Simple. 

The flavours of each are divine. So fresh and zingy but with a real depth. The seaweed really helps to add that umami goodness. If you're a chilli lover like me you can add a little more cayenne to the hummus. You can use extra olive oil if you haven't got flaxseed oil but it does add a great nutritional kick, especially if you follow a fully vegan diet. Both dips will keep in sealed containers in the fridge for a few days. 

Enjoy!

Pumped-up Pear, Cinnamon & Date Porridge

This is my latest post for Suma Bloggers Network. And I've made a super-comforting and power-packed festive brekkie! The products I ordered from Suma are: Rude Health Organic Sprouted Porridge Oats, Organic Linusprout Cinnamon, Zaytoun Palestinian Medjoul Dates, Suma Organic Pumpkin Seeds and Suma Organic Dried Sweetened Cranberries.

This porridge is the bomb. I know that nobody has said that since like 1996 but it's true. It really is. It's uber festive and pumped with nutrition. It's comfort food at it's absolute best, especially for this time of year. And as well as being dairy-free, it's also gluten-free too! 

Now, down to business. Sprouted Oats are going to be THE THING for 2015. I hate silly food fads, I really do, but this trend could really be the start of something. I could try and re-hash the information for you, or I could just let you know what Rude Health say (because let's face it, they know best):

"An unsprouted grain is dormant, waiting for the right time to germinate. It's nutrients are locked up and well protected, making dormant grains harder to digest... When soaked in water, the grain wakes up and starts to sprout. Enzyme activity breaks down growth inhibitors, transforming and multiplying nutrients into their more easily digestible forms... The sprouted grain is slow dried to preserve it's valuable nutrients."

So there you have it. Along with the Sprouted Oats I've also added Linusit's Organic Linusprout with Cinnamon. It's Organic Flaxseed Powder which has also benefited from being sprouted and has Organic Cinnamon included. Flax is a great source of plant protein, Omega 3 and fibre. Suma have a really great selection of products with high nutritional value and source only the best. 

To serve 2 this simple and tasty porridge you will need:

1 cup Rude Health Sprouted Oats
1½ cup of Rude Health Brown Rice Milk (or any dairy-free milk you like)
1 tbsp Organic Linusprout Cinnamon
1 Pear
2 tbsp Agave Syrup
2 Medjool Dates (diced)
Good grating of fresh Nutmeg
Pinch of Salt
Pumpkin Seeds & Cranberries to garnish

Firstly put your oats in a pan with the milk. On a medium heat bring them up to heat, once they've started to bubble lower the heat a little for a gentle simmer. Cook for 12 minutes stirring regularly - if at any point the porridge is starting to get too dry add a drop more milk.

Meanwhile peel and roughly chop your pear. Put in a pan with the agave syrup and set to a medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until bubbling and the pear is starting to soften. It should be releasing juices and getting syrupy. Remove from the heat and set aside.

After the 12 minutes your porridge should have a lovely creamy consistency. Take off the heat whilst you add the pears and syrup, the linusprout, dates, nutmeg and salt. Mix together well then pop back on the heat for another 2-3 minutes. Then you're ready to serve...

Add to a bowl then top with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. A little squeeze more of agave (if you like things extra sweet) and another light grating of nutmeg to finish. Perfect!

I hope you're all ready for Christmas and getting into the festivities. It really is the most wonderful time of the year! Merry Christmas to all & all the very best for 2015!

Miso Broth with Shiitakes, Pak Choi & Soba Noodles

It's that time again! Another delicious recipe for Suma Bloggers Network... this time it's one of my absolute favourite dishes. A regular go-to in our house, especially if you feel like you need a boost. I adore Clearspring products and Suma Wholefoods have gathered together the best bits of their range. These are the products I have chosen...

(L-R: Clearspring Organic Brown Rice Miso, Kallo Organic Mushroom Stock, Clearspring Japanese Organic Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Clearspring Organic Tamari Soya Sauce, Clearspring 100% Buckwheat Soba Noodles)

With such amazing ingredients you'd be hard-pushed not to be able to create something delicious. Miso soup is a Japanese staple and this version is packed with goodness. Warming and hydrating with an immense depth of flavour, my Miso Broth with Shiitakes, Pak Choi & Soba Noodles is incredibly satisfying. The pak choi delivers a fresh element in contrast to the richness of the broth and the whole thing is just plain mouth-watering.

To serve 2, you will need:

1 medium White Onion

1 tbsp Coconut Oil

1/2 Celery Heart, with leaves

25g Clearspring Japanese Organic Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

500ml Kallo Organic Mushroom Stock 

1 med/hot Chilli 

2 x Pak Choi

80g Soba Noodles

Splash of Clearspring Tamari Soya Sauce

1 tbsp Clearspring Organic Brown Rice Miso

Firstly soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes. Whilst they're soaking finely dice the white onion and celery heart. Heat the coconut oil in a large, deep pan and add the onion and celery. On a medium heat sweat for 7 minutes. 

Use your personal heat preference in choosing your chilli. I like to use a scotch bonnet in this recipe but a large med-hot green chilli will do if you want to keep it to a more manageable heat. Finely slice your choice of chilli, removing the seeds if you wish, and add to the pan. Cook with the onion and celery for 3-4 minutes. 

Drain the shiitakes and slice some of them up. I like to leave some of them whole. Add to the pan and mix everything together, cooking for 3 minutes. Make up 500ml mushroom stock and set aside.

Add the miso to the pan and ensure everything is coated then add the stock. Mix together and bring to the boil very briefly. Set at a medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. In the meantime bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the soba noodles for 7 minutes. 

Halve the pak choi's and lay on top of the broth. Put the lid on and cook for 3-4 minutes until they are wilted but will still hold some crunch at the core.

Drain the soba noodles and share between 2 bowls. Throw a splash of soya sauce onto the noodles. Using a ladle to top them with the pak choi then pour over the broth. 

Enjoy!

Roasted Harlequin Squash with Miso, Shiitake & Chilli Lentils

Despite the warm September weather I've started to feel brilliantly Autumnal! Heading into October it's lovely to see the leaves starting to change colour... such beautiful oranges and reds, I feel totally spoilt by nature. Autumn is all about starting to cosy-up, layer-up and put some good old comfort food on the menu. I think this one is really my definition of comfort food. Warm, filling, full of flavour and seriously satisfying. As I write this it's raining hard outside and a bowl of this would be amazing!

I'm a little bit obsessed with Miso right now, trying to sneak it into all sorts of dishes. And it seems to work, with everything!! A deliciously deep, umami flavour that adds another dimension to dishes. Being soy-based it has a great natural saltiness so you won't need to add any salt. And fermented foods are so great for you - the fermentation process creates beneficial enzymes that preserve nutrients and breaks them down into a form that's easier to digest. The crispy sage was also a total revelation. For some reason I've never really given sage a chance but now I want to eat it crispy with EVERYTHING! 

For my Roasted Harlequin Squash with Miso, Shiitake & Chilli Lentils to serve 2, you'll need:

½ Harlequin Squash

1 Garlic Clove

4 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Red Onion

1 Cayenne Chilli Pepper (or medium-hot chilli of your choice)

100g Green Lentils

5-6 Shiitake Mushrooms

1 tbsp Organic Brown Rice Miso - I use Clearspring

70 ml water

Black Pepper

6 Sage Leaves

The picture's not great, what with the lack of evening light, but trust me this dish was delicious - my best friend was bowled over by the flavour, and she usually hates mushrooms!

Firstly set your oven to 210°c. Peel the Harlequin Squash & cut into wedges. You can use another type of squash here but the Harlequin has a lovely, gentle flavour if you can get one. Throw into a bowl with 1½ tbsp olive oil. Crush the garlic and add to the bowl with a few grinds of coarse black pepper. Shake the bowl well until all the wedges are coated. Lay a sheet of baking paper out onto a baking tray and lay out the wedges. Drizzle over all the oil and garlic left in the bowl. Put into the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes. They should sizzle and brown nicely!

Now cook the green lentils in a pan of boiling water, as per the instructions on the packet - about 25 minutes. I like mine to be just-cooked so that they do not go stodgy. 

Meanwhile finely dice the red onion, slice the cayenne chilli and finely chop the shiitakes. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and sweat the onions on a medium heat for around 8 minutes. Then add the chilli and shiitakes and cook for a further 10 minutes. If your squash is now cooked then remove from the oven and cover until needed. 

Drain the lentils and add to the frying pan with the miso. Mix together thoroughly, making sure there are no lumps of miso present, and add the water. Turn up the heat and let this sizzle for a minute, continuing to mix. Remove from the heat. 

In a little frying pan heat the remaining olive oil to high. Plate up the lentils and top with the squash wedges. To crispy-fry the sage add to the pan and within a few seconds the leaf will crisp up. Remove quickly with tongs before they turn brown and add to the dish.

Serve and enjoy!

Earthy Mograbiah with Kale, Mushrooms & Asparagus

Mograbiah is one of my absolute favourite things to have for a wholesome weeknight dinner. It's a type of couscous made from Semolina and has the most interesting texture. Slightly chewy and quite dense, unlike the lighter giant pearl couscous, it's a delicious filler. Best of all it goes with pretty much anything and cooks in just 15 minutes. Easy peasy! I tend to get mine from Ottolenghi online as I've not found anywhere selling it locally, but I'm probably not looking hard enough - Nottingham has such fantastic diversity I'm sure it's available!

This recipe for Mograbiah with Kale, Mushrooms & Asparagus is so deliciously earthy and satisfying. The Truffle Oil is a must here as it really enhances the other flavours. White Truffle Oil is quite mild and if you are substituting this with Black Truffle Oil I would suggest halving the quantity. To serve 2 you will need:

200g Mograbiah
2 tbsp White Truffle Oil
1 tbsp Olive Oil
4-5 Brown Chestnut Mushrooms
80g Kale
10 Asparagus Tips
1 tbsp Pine Nuts
Black Pepper
Salt Flakes

Firstly bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add the mograbiah. Cook for 15 minutes, or as directed on the packet. 

In the meantime cut the woody ends off the asparagus, leaving approximately 4 inches of tender green tip. Slice the mushrooms and kale - leaving out any thick kale stalk.

Heat the truffle oil in a deep frying pan on a medium heat & add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes then add the kale to the pan with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper. Put the lid on and cook for another 5-6 minutes, mixing throughout to stop anything from sticking. The idea is to fully wilt the kale and brown the edges slightly.

While the kale is cooking heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot add the Asparagus to the pan with a sprinkle of black pepper. Cook with the lid on for 6-7 minutes whilst giving the pan a regular shake to keep the asparagus moving around.

Drain the Mograbieh and put back into the pan, off the heat. Add the mushrooms and kale, with any remaining oil from the pan, then mix well. Taste then season with salt flakes and pepper. Plate this mixture then top with the Asparagus. 

On the hob, heat a small pan to high and throw in the pine nuts. They will take no more than 1-2 minutes to toast. Keep them moving and make sure not to burn them - this can happen in a second! As soon as they start turning brown pull them off the heat and sprinkle them over the dish. 

Enjoy!

Suma Bloggers Network : Raspberry Coconut Macaroons

This post is a bittersweet treat in conjunction with Suma Wholefoods. As a member of their Bloggers Network I always look forward to whipping up a recipe bi-monthly using a selection of their great products. When I received their last catalogue I was thrilled to see a number of new Suma own-brand coconut-based products on offer. They're all organic too which ticks another box! Brilliant! These are the products I chose:

(Suma Organic Coconut Sugar, Suma Organic Cacao Nibs, Suma Organic Coconut Flour & Divine 85% Dark Chocolate)

I've made Raspberry Coconut Macaroons before but I wanted to spruce them up a little bit. Dark Chocolate and Cacao Nibs are great additions - I love the bitterness, especially when balanced with something fruity and sweet. The cacao nibs are also full of goodness, jam-packed with antioxidants, plus magnesium, fibre and iron! 

Having never used Coconut Sugar before I was extremely impressed. It's a deep brown colour with a Demerera-like depth of flavour. Unlike normal sugar it retains more natural nutrients during processing and while I'm not suggesting it's a health food I'd definitely say it was the lesser of two evils! I did not use the Coconut Flour in this recipe but I'm experimenting and will hopefully have a recipe up on my blog soon including this.

To make approximately 16 macaroons you will need:

150g Raspberries

170g Desiccated Coconut

2 tbsp Suma Organic Cacao Nibs

3 tbsp / 60g Suma Organic Coconut Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

3 eggs equivalent of Orgran Egg Replacer

100g Divine 85% Dark Chocolate

Couple of pinches of Salt

Dried Rose Petals (optional)

Firstly set your oven to 190°c and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

In a large bowl bash up your raspberries lightly with the side of a spoon so that the chunks vary in size. Try not to over do it otherwise you'll end up with more of a raspberry paste. Add the coconut to the raspberries with the coconut sugar, baking powder, cacao nibs and a pinch of salt. 

In a measuring jug mix together your egg replacer with the required amount of water and whisk well. You can of course use eggs here - I'm sure 2 whisked would do the trick. Fold the egg replacer into the mixture gently until everything is combined. Now time to get your hands dirty - get stuck in with around a tablespoons worth of mixture per macaroon. Gently roll the mixture in the palms of your hands to create balls. These can be as neat or as messy as you like. If they are squeezed together too hard they will come out too dense. The aim is to create a macaroon which is slightly crunchy on the outside and deliciously soft within, so be gentle.

Lay the macaroons onto the baking sheet. They will not rise so don't worry too much about spacing. Put into the preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until they have an even browning on the outside.

Remove from the oven once the outside is fully toasted. Try to remove them gently from the baking sheet as soon as you can, to prevent them from sticking as they cool, and lay out on a cooling rack.

Once they have cooled fully lay them out onto a plate or another suitable surface. Heat a small saucepan of water on the hob. Break up the Dark Chocolate into a glass bowl with a pinch of salt then sit this on top of the saucepan. Keeping the hob at a low-medium heat melt the chocolate slowly. Once you have a bowl of molten chocolate remove the bowl from the heat and use a spoon to drizzle it over the macaroons. Nice opportunity for a spoon-lick or two here!

If you're using them rip up some dried rose petals and scatter over the macaroons while the chocolate is still wet. Then pop the macaroons into the fridge for 30 minutes or so to let the chocolate set. You can keep them in tupperware for a few days at room temperature, I don't like to keep them in the fridge as they become too hard. 

Head to Suma Bloggers Network to see the other brilliant bloggers who are part of the network! There's some amazing vegetarian and vegan recipes available!

Enjoy!

Fennel, Courgette & Chilli Risotto

As it was my birthday on Monday I had a long weekend of celebrations. It was an excellent time with excellent friends. I ate terribly, drunk wayyy too much and felt pretty shoddy by the end... but that's what birthdays are for, right??? This week I have needed good old comfort food to get me back on top. Lots of fruit, veggies and plenty of hydration. The temperature has also dropped which has meant a good chance to indulge in cold-weather favourites including soups, broths and risottos. Happy days!

This Fennel, Courgette & Chilli Risotto was thrown together with random bits left in the fridge and is just so satisfying. Also, I managed to keep my inner chilli fiend locked up and so it's warmth is manageable for most. Well done me. 

I adore Risotto and the key is to keep it moist and keep everything moving. Don't rush the process, just take it easy. I also really love al dente rice, so it is 'just' cooked and therefore not at all stodgy, but you can cook it whichever way you like it!

To serve 2, you will need:

1 tbsp Dairy Free Spread (feel free to use Butter if you are not dairy-free)

1 large Fennel bulb, finely sliced (reserve Fennel tops for decoration)

1 medium Courgette, roughly diced

1 large Red Chilli (medium heat), finely chopped

180g Arborio Risotto Rice

Juice of 1 Lemon

500ml Organic Vegetable Stock

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

½ tsp Black Peppercorns

Salt flakes

Small handful of Parsley

In a heavy-based deep-sided frying pan, heat the Dairy Free Spread until melted then add the sliced fennel. Cook at a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring throughout, to soften. Turn the heat up to full for 2 minutes following this to get a little browning on the fennel.

Turn the hob back down to medium heat then add the diced Courgette. Cook for 5 minutes then add the chilli. Mix together well then cook for a further 5 minutes. In the meantime crush the fennel seeds with the black peppercorns and add to the pan, then make up 500ml vegetable stock in a jug.

Add the rice to the pan and coat fully by mixing well, then squeeze over the lemon juice. Let this sizzle away for a minute or two, keeping everything moving, then add the first 100ml of your stock. The aim is to let each bit of liquid get absorbed fully before pouring in the next. So gradually add the stock bit by bit over the course of 20-30 minutes until the rice is cooked to your liking. If you need more liquid add more stock or even water straight from the kettle.

Once the risotto rice is cooked to your liking remove from the heat. Taste and then season with salt accordingly. Finely chop a small handful of Parsley leaves and mix through. Then serve ripping up the Fennel tops to use as a garnish for the top. 

The great thing about the use of courgette in this recipe is that some pieces stay whole and even relatively firm. Whilst other pieces soften and get mixed through to create an almost creaminess. Overall the Risotto is really fresh-tasting, with a lovely aniseed warmth from the fennel and a definite zing from the lemon and chilli. I hope you enjoy!

Watch this space for my next blog post for Suma Wholefoods coming soon! It's a fruity delight!

Aubergine & Courgette Tagine

One thing that my husband has really missed since going meat-free at home is those long, slow-cooked meaty dishes. The boeuf bourguignons and Sunday casseroles. This rich veggie tagine is a great meat-free alternative to those dishes. And we just adore the sour kicks you get from those lush Moroccan flavours! 

In our house we can't manage particularly large portions but dishes were practically licked clean after this. After I posted a photo of the meal on Instagram, a friend asked for the recipe and so I thought I may as well share it here too! It's a corker. 

To serve 2, you will need:

5 baby Courgettes, sliced

2-3 baby Aubergines, sliced

1 large White Onion, roughly chopped

10 Cherry Tomatoes, quartered

500ml Veg Stock

1 Cinnamon Stick

Bulb of Garlic, separated into cloves

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsp Coriander Seeds, ground

1 tsp ground Turmeric

1-2 Preserved Lemons, finely chopped

10 Kalamata Olives (stone in)

Handful of fresh Coriander, finely chopped

Salt & Pepper

Heat oven to 190°c. In a large deep pan (or casserole dish you can put on the hob) heat a glug of olive oil and sweat onions for 7 minutes. 

Keeping on a low-medium heat, add all the spices, cinnamon stick and whole garlic cloves. Mix well then add the Courgette and Aubergine slices, followed by the Preserved Lemons and Olives. Coat everything well in the spices then throw in the Tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add the stock and season with salt and pepper.

Mix well, bring to the boil then decant into a casserole dish (no need to decant if you used casserole dish from the beginning). I used a tagine but I don't like to use it on the hob. Put in the oven and cook for at least 90 -100 minutes, stirring a couple of times during. Cook for longer to thicken sauce, I tend to remove the lid for the last 20-30 minutes of cooking to do this.

Once ready check the seasoning, remove cinnamon stick and mix through fresh coriander. I served with couscous with black pepper and coriander mixed through - lovely jubbly!

Roasted Baby Turnips with Black Quinoa & Samphire

Yesterday was a strange day. We were awoken at 5.55am by a huge Sycamore tree falling into our backyard. I thought the crash was part of my dream. But once the dust had settled I found myself lamenting the loss of this beautiful old tree. The creatures that lived there; thrushes, squirrels, insects... a habitat lost. I will definitely miss the bunches of sycamore keys hanging in the sun, the dappled light it cast and the bustling life inside. 

Nature is something beautiful to be cherished. A massive part of our day-to-day connection with our planet. And that's another reason I love the plant-based lifestyle. It just makes sense.  

I love simple ingredients that take the best of natures goodness. Things can be so easily over-complicated when most of the time, it's the simplest things that are the best. This recipe for Roasted Baby Turnips with Black Quinoa & Samphire is lovely and barely-seasoned. The saltiness from the Samphire, pepperiness from the Turnips and just a little Lemon and Parsley to bring it all together.

To serve 2, you will need:

150g Black Quinoa
10 Baby Sweet Turnips
90g Samphire
Juice of 1 Lemon
Handful of Parsley
2 tbsp Olive Oil
½ tsp Black Pepper
½ tsp Salt Flakes

Firstly preheat your oven to 200°c. Halve the turnips and chop off most of the stalk. Place them face down in a small baking dish. Pour over 1½ tbsp Olive Oil, sprinkle with the salt and bake for 30 minutes. Turn at least once during baking to ensure even browning.

While the turnips are cooking bring a pan of water to the boil then add the Quinoa. Simmer steadily for 20 minutes (or as per packet instructions). Drain and set aside.

Once you have cooked the Quinoa put the remaining Olive Oil into a frying pan on a high heat. Throw in the Samphire and sprinkle over the Black Pepper. Cook for no more than 2 minutes moving around the pan frequently with a wooden spoon.

Put the Quinoa into a bowl and squeeze in the lemon juice. Add the samphire, turnips and parsley. Mix together then serve.

This is such a delicious summer dinner. Ready in just over half an hour as well. Simplicity rules!

Suma Bloggers Network: Moroccan Pearl Couscous Salad with Charred Aubergine

I'm really pleased to announce that I've become part of Suma Wholefoods new Blogger's Network. It brings together a crack team of vegan and vegetarian bloggers who will contribute recipes to the Suma site bi-monthly. I feel really privileged to get to be a part of this network and hope you will all enjoy the dishes I have to offer!

As some of you will already know, Suma have an incredible product range. If you adopt a vegetarian lifestyle or simply like to eat natural, healthy or organic products you're in the right place. I'm here to pick out some of my favourites and show you how to cook up a storm with them. Check out the Blogger's Network by following the link to the right!

As we are getting into the swing of summer I thought a lovely morocco-inspired salad would be a wonderful place to start. These are the products I chose from Suma:

(Clockwise from top: Artisan Grains Pearl Couscous, Gaea Kalamata Olives, Al'fez Preserved Lemons, and Biona Smoked Garlic Paste)

I can't resist flavours that pack a punch so I guess that's why I love Moroccan food! Such depth of flavour with sour notes, zing and a great deal of freshness. This dish, a Moroccan Pearl Couscous Salad with Charred Aubergine, is a real treat and full of flavour. It is lush on it's own, with a little garlic flatbread, or as part of a summer buffet. To serve 2, you will need:

¾ of an Aubergine

½ a pack of Artisan Grains Pearl Couscous (125g)

1 - 1½ Preserved Lemons, finely chopped

16 Kalamata Olives

Large-pea-sized piece of Biona Smoked Garlic Paste

3 tbsp good quality Olive Oil

1 tsp Coconut Oil

2 tsp Salt Flakes

1½ tsp Black Peppercorns, coarsely crushed

Small handful of Mint

Large handful of Parsley

Firstly slice your Aubergine into rounds about 1cm thick. Lay out on a chopping board and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt flakes. Cover with a dry tea towel and leave for at least 15 minutes.

In the meantime bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt and the coconut oil. Add the pearl couscous and cook for 10-12 minutes. I prefer the couscous cooked for no more than 10 mins to keep a little bite but it is up to your personal preference. Once cooked drain and set aside.

Next pour 2 tbsp of the olive oil into a ramekin and brush over the aubergine slices until lightly coated all over. Heat your griddle pan to high for a couple of minutes then add the aubergine slices. Press them down onto the griddle to ensure they char as they cook. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes per side - they will start smoking but this is a good thing and will add enormously to the flavour. I need all my doors and windows open for this!! Once cooked and nicely charred remove from the pan and set aside.

Put the couscous into a bowl and fluff up with a fork. Mix the remaining olive oil with the smoked garlic paste then add to the couscous. Add the preserved lemon and olives to the bowl and mix well. 

Remove the stalks from your herbs, roughly chop and add to the bowl. Mix well and taste then season accordingly with the remaining salt and pepper. Now you're ready to serve!

This dish is lovely warm or cold and perfect for a summers day in the garden, now we just need to keep our fingers crossed for sunshine! 

Enjoy!