Black and White Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Snadwiches

This pic got rather a lot of likes on instagr.am the other day, proper food porn! And utterly delicious to eat too, if a tad messy! Making the cookies with vitalite not only makes them easier as you don't need to remember to leave the butter out or faff about softening it if you forget; but it also gives them a better texture. Contrasting the dark bitter chocolate with the white sweet chocolate works really well. I prefer the two flavours to adding in milk chocolate too for triple chocolate cookies. This recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson's totally chocolate chocolate chip cookies from Nigella Express.

For about 20 cookies, depending on size, you need

125g dark chocolate

150g plain flour

30g cocoa powder

1tsp bicarb

½ tsp salt

125g vitalite

75g soft light brown sugar

50g white sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

350g white chocolate chunks or chocolate cut into chunks

Ice cream of your choice to serve.

Melt the dark chocolate in a bain marie and leave to cool slightly.

Beat the sugars and vitalite in a free standing mixer until light and fluffy. Then add everything else, mixing thoroughly.

Place teaspoon sized blobs onto a lined baking tray. You should be able to get 9-12 cookies on a normal sized tray and they don't spread that much whilst cooking. 

Cook in a moderate (170 degree) oven for 10 mins until cooked but not browned. Leave to cool on the tray for a few mins. If you try and move them too soon they will break but they will harden upon cooling. 

Sandwich your favourite ice cream in the middle and scoff. Nomtastic!

Chickpea Dhal (v)

Fuz and I had beef madras last night, but Lex is still veggie so I made him a quick and tasty chickpea dhal to have for his tea whilst we tucked into the rich beefy goodness. The dhal was a lovely side dish to our meal and Lex thoroughly enjoyed it too.

For 2-3 portions you need
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp rogan josh curry paste
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tin chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup red lentils
250ml water

Fry the paste in the oil for 2-3 mins until the oil separates and the aromas are released. Add everything else and bring to the boil. Simmer slowly for 20 mins or so until the lentils are cooked. Serve with rice and whatever else you fancy (in Lex's case this is cucumber slices topped with mango chutney!).

Beef Madras

It's soooooooo cold out, but this curry will keep you warm from the inside. Spicy and aromatic, it doesn't take long to throw together but does need at least an hour of gently bubbling. If you have time, make in advance and then reheat to allow the flavours to really develop and mingle into the tender beef. This recipe is taken from the BBC Good Food site.

For 2-3 portions you need

Curry

1 kg braising steak cut into bite sized cubes

2tbsp tomato puree

300ml Beef Stock

2tbsp veg or sunflower oil

1 large onion, diced

Curry Paste

1/2tsp ground black pepper

1/2tsp chilli flakes

2 fresh birds eye chillies, slit up the length of the chilli, stalk left on

2tbsp ground coriander

2tbsp lemon juice

1tbsp ground cumin

1 heaped tsp turmeric

2tbsp of grated ginger

6 cloves of garlic, crushed

Begin by softening the onions in a large heavy based pan over a medium heat in the oil till cooked and golden. Stir often so they don't burn. Once they are cooked, remove with a slotted spoon to a plate whilst you seal the beef.

Place the beef in the hot pan (you may need to do this in more than one batch to avoid over crowding the pan). Seal it and remove from the pan and place with the onions.

Place all the curry paste ingredients in the pan and cook for a few mins. Add everything else to the pan, including the tomato puree and stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce to a slow simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for an hour, stirring every so often. Remove the lid for the last 10 mins to allow the sauce to thicken. Serve with rice and a nice cold beer or tall glass of sweet lassi. We also had some chickpea dhal alongside it as my son doesn't eat meat.

Roast Shoulder of Pork with Cider Sauce and Baked Apples

I've been a bit nervous about blogging this recipe as it's clearly a meat recipe, and I know a lot of the people who follow my posts do so because they're mainly veggie/vegan. So apologies in advance if this offends/annoys you but my eating habits have changed, and so, therefore, must my blog posts...

I've been experimenting with different cuts of meat recently as I've never learned to cook it as I was veggie for so many years. This is a very economical cut, but can be a bit fatty. Abel and Cole didn't disappoint however and delivered me a reasonably lean joint with a nice bit of skin on the top for crackling. I'd done quite a lot of research into how I was going to cook it and had toyed with the idea of doing pulled pork, but frankly waiting 16-24 hours for my tea wasn't what I wanted so I simply roasted it, following Hugh's advice for the 20 min high heat sizzle to begin with before a more gentle roast and then a last 15 min blast of heat for the crackling.

For 2-3 people you need
Roast
1kg shoulder of pork joint
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cut into thirds for roasting
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 onions, cut into quarters
2 apples, cored and cut into quarters, skin left on
salt and pepper
1 head broccoli, cut into florets and steamed

Sauce
300ml dry cider
2 tsp plain flour
salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees. Season the meat with salt and pepper and place on a rack in a roasting pan and pop in the oven for 20-30 mins to seal the meat and give it some initial colour. After the sizzle time is up, reduce the oven to 160 degrees. Scatter the potatoes and carrots in the tin under the rack and add 250ml boiling water. Place back in the oven for 45 mins.

After this time, turn the meat to ensure even cooking. Add the onion and apple quarters to the pan and top up with a little more water if it's all evaporated. The water helps to create steam which keeps the meat moist, and also ensures the veggies cook with minimum additional fat.

Cook at 160 degrees for a further 30-45 mins, checking to ensure the meat doesn't over cook. Remove from the oven after 2 hours total cooking time, or when the meat is done. Cut off the crackling if you want it extra crispy and place on a baking tray. Cover the joint in foil on a carving dish to rest. Turn the oven up to 220 degrees again. Season the crackling with a little more salt and roast in the hot oven for 15 mins till totally crunchy deliciousness.

To make the sauce put the flour into the roasting tin and heat gently. Cook the flour for a few mins and then add the cider. Stir thoroughly to avoid lumps and heat until reduced and slightly thickened. Carve the meat and serve the veggies and sauce and enjoy enjoy enjoy!

Nigella's Malteser Cake

I've never made this cake before, despite lots of people raving about it. So when Fuz turned 40 a few weeks ago I dug out Feast and made it for him and his family. I can't say I liked it that much, the cake is quite chewy and chocolate cake is my least favourite type of cake, but I did like the malteser flavoured icing and everyone else loved it... It's such a simple cake to make, and the decoration takes no time at all so you can pass it off as something you have slaved over when in reality it's taken you five minutes. Result!

For a cake that serves 8-10 you need
Cake
150g soft brown sugar
100g caster sugar
3 large eggs
175ml milk
15g butter
2 tablespoons Horlicks powder
175g plain flour
25g cocoa, sieved
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda


For the icing and decoration
250g icing sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa
45g Horlicks
125g vegan spread
3 tbsp raspberry jam
2 x 37g packets Maltesers


Beat the sugars and eggs together in a free standing mixer for 10 mins until light and fluffy. Meanwhile heat the milk, butter and horlicks in a pan until just below boiling. Carefully pour this mixture into the eggs and sugar and mix thoroughly. Add everything else and then pour into two lined cake tins.

Bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven until risen and springy (about 20-30 mins). Take care not to over bake or the cake will be too chewy.

Leave to cook on a wire rack and make the icing.

In a free standing mixer, beat together everything apart from the jam and maltesters. Once the cake is cooled, spread 1/3 of the icing on one cake and top with the jam. Sandwich the second cake on top and then decorate with the remaining icing and maltesers. For a special cake for my son I used marshmallows and a crumbled crunchie bar on top as he prefers those to maltesters.

Tiger Striped Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake

Lex requested marble cake for his lunch box last week and I'd been meaning to try out a tiger cake following the recent craze for them created by Lorraine Pascale. So I used her method for creating the stripes in my own normal victoria sponge cake base. It worked really well but I have to say was a right faff and took forever to splodge into the tin. The things mums do to make their children happy eh ;-)

For one cake that serves 8-10 people you need
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract, added to the egg jug for easier mixing
8oz self raising flour
8oz caster sugar
8oz vegan spread (e.g. vitalite)
1-2 tbsp soya milk
2 tbsp cocoa powder mixed with 1 tbsp boiling water

Make the cake base the usual way: place the spread and sugar into a free standing mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on high for 10 mins until pale, light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and flour on slow speed.

Once the batter is made, divide into two bowls. Add the cocoa powder liquid to one bowl and mix thoroughly. Add enough milk to the vanilla bowl to make the batter the same consistency as the chocolate batter.

In a greased 20cm cake tin, place alternating spoonfuls of the batters into the middle. Start with vanilla, then place a spoonful of the chocolate batter directly on top of the splodge of vanilla batter. Keep repeating and the batter will start to spread out into the tin. It is this process which gives the cake its stripes. It will take 10 mins or so to carefully and patiently use up all the mix. It is vital the batters are the same consistency or one will spread too much and the other will be too thick.

Once all the batter is in the tin (and congratulations if you did it properly and didn't give up at the end like me and lob spoonfuls anywhere in the tin towards the end ;-) bake in a moderate (160 degree) oven for 30-45 mins until the cake is risen and cooked. Leave to cool and then slice and marvel at the petty pwatterns on the inside of the cake.

Mixed Summer Berry Fruit Pie (v)

I cleaned out the freezer last week in readiness for this seasons new crops. Lurking at the back of the freezer were bags of last summers fruit: red currants, black currants, strawberries, gooseberries, blackberries, raspberries. I made some jam from strawberries and red currants, but still had enough fruit left over to create this pie.

For 6-8 portions you need
Pastry
8oz plain flour
4oz vegan margarine
cold water

Filling
4 cups mixed fruit
1/2 cup vanilla sugar (or to taste)
2 tbsp cornflour

Place the flour and vegan spread in a food processor and blitz till it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water a little at a time until a dough is formed. Push into a disc shape in clingfilm and leave to rest for 5 mins.

Gently heat the berries and sugar in a pan for 3-4 mins until the juices run. Strain off any liquid (this prevents the pie from becoming too soggy). Mix in the cornflour to the strained fruit.

Cut the pastry into two chunks of 1/3 and 2/3. Roll out the large portion and use to line a pie dish. Fill with the fruit and then roll out the remaining pastry to form a lid. Brush with soya milk and sprinkle over a little extra caster sugar.

Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 30-45 mins until the pie is golden brown and crisp.

Lentil Bolognese (v)

This recipe is a good base recipe for all sorts of things, but today we used it for pasta sauce. It's dead cheap, uber healthy and very yummy. Permission to feel ultra smug when creating and consuming granted ;-)

For 6-8 portions you need
2 cups green/brown lentils (not puy)
2 cans chopped tomatoes
2 onions, finely diced
4 coves garlic, crushed
pinch sugar
salt and pepper
vegetarian stock powder
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 bay leaves
2 tsp dried oregano

Begin by placing the lentils in a large pan of water. Bring to the boil and then boil fast for 10 mins. Reduce to a simmer and then cook for a further 15 mins or so until they are tender and cooked. The actual cooking time will vary depending on the lentils so keep checking for done-ness every 5 mins after the initial 15 mins of simmering.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion for 5 mins till translucent. Add the carrots and garlic and continue to fry for another 5 mins. Add everything else to the pan and bring to the boil. Check the seasoning and simmer for 20 mins until thickened and delicious.

Add the drained cooked lentils to the pan and heat through thoroughly. Serve over pasta with shredded fresh basil and veggie parmesan if you're not vegan.

Vegetarian Black Pudding and Poached Egg Salad

My boyfriend didn't believe that veggie black pudding would taste very nice, so I created this to prove to him it works. Even tho it's a weird thing to make veggie!

For two people you need
Salad
2 eggs
1 pack veggie black pudding
salad leaves
croutons
1 tsp malt vinegar
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Dressing
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Slice the black pudding into thick rounds (you'll get about 8 slices from one pack). Heat the oil and fry gently for 2-3 mins on each side until crispy.

Meanwhile, poach the eggs on simmering water which you have added the vinegar to.

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together until emulsified. Season to taste.

Arrange the salad leaves on a plate and scatter over the croutons. Place the fried black pudding and egg on the leaves and drizzle over the dressing.

Pasta with Tomato Sauce

OK OK this doesn't sound like the most exciting recipe anyone has ever made, but according to one blog it's the most talked about tomato pasta sauce recipe on the internetz... Hmmm I thought and then I made it and I could see why. It tastes of perfect pasta sauce like you get in a good Italian. Rich but light, tasty and moreish.

For two people you need:
150-200g pasta
1 medium onion, cut in half
1 can chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper
3 tbsp butter

Place the butter, tomatoes and onion in a pan and heat to a gentle simmer. Leave bubbling away for 30 mins, making sure you keep an eye on it so it doesn't catch and burn on the bottom.

Cook the pasta and when it's nearly done, blitz the sauce until smooth. Check the seasoning and serve. Totally yummy and so easy to make!

Noodles with Vegetables and Peanut Chilli Sauce (v)

I thought I didn't like kale, but last weeks veg box showed me that it can be really nice. So this week, when another culinary nemesis, chard, arrived, I thought I would do the same. However, I have decided I really, really, _really_ don't like chard. The rest of this recipe is nice tho, and if you like chard I'm sure you'll find it delicious.

For one person you need
1 bundle noodles
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 head broccoli, sliced into small florets
2 leaves chard, sliced
1 small onion, sliced

Dressing
1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp chilli flakes (or a whole chilli, sliced)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp dark soya sauce
pinch sugar
juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon or lime

Place the noodles in a pan and cover with boiling water. Cook for 1-2 mins then add the veggies and cook for a further 1-2 mins until the noodles are tender and the veggies al dente.

Meanwhile mix all the dressing ingredients together. Drain the pan and dress the noodles in the hot pan. Eat.

Three Good Things: Cucumber, Coriander and Yogurt Raita (v)

Another three good things recipe here, this time a simple raita to complement the bhajis. Take half a cucumber, diced, and add to 1 cup of plain yogurt along with a large handful of chopped fresh coriander. It's the perfect thing to balance the spice of a hot curry or a nice cooling dip to contrast the crispy, crunchy bhajis. Nom.

Three Good Things: Onion, Coriander and Cauliflower Bhajis (v,gf)

My lovely boyfriend made us a lovely curry over the weekend and I rustled up these to stave off the hunger pangs and to use up some of the stuff languishing in the bottom of the veg box. Based on River Cottage's three good things principle, they showcase three yummy ingredients perfectly and are, I have to say, the bestest bhajis I have ever made *polishes halo*.

For 10-12 bhajis you need
2 onions, sliced
1/2 cauliflower, the florets cut into thin slices
2 large handfuls of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1/2 cup garam flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
salt and pepper
water to mix the batter
Oil for deep frying

Place the garam flour, baking powder and salt and pepper in a bowl and add enough warm water to make a batter with the consistency of fresh custard (you should be able to run your finger through it and it not fill back up again iyswim...). Toss in the veg and mix thoroughly.

Heat the oil and fry teaspoonfulls of the batter in the oil until golden brown. Turn over half way through to ensure even cooking. You can make larger ones if you want, but I find they tend to be a bit underdone in the middle and prefer the canape approach.

Serve with chutney or raita or whatever else you fancy. Leave some space for the main course! They keep well and are nice cold the next day for a packed lunch or you can reheat in an oven for about 10 mins.

Sunshine in a Glass aka Apple; Blood Orange and Pineapple Juice (v)

The perfect antidote to the snow outside. A glass of perky, sweet, delicious juice that makes you feel good from the inside out. You need a juicer to make this, obviously...

For one pint of goodness take 2 oranges (peel and pith cut off), 3 apples and half a pineapple. Juice together and enjoy the radiant glow.

Apple and Banana Crumble with Nutmeg Cream

It's cold. And I have a cold. And a fruit bowl brimming with apples and bananas that needed to be eaten. So I created this and it warmed me. But it didn't cure my cold, boo.

For 4-6 portions you need
4-5 eating apples, peeled and roughly chopped into bite sized chunks
3 bananas, peeled and sliced into thick slices
2 tbsp cinnamon demerara sugar
1/2 cup jumbo oats
1/2 cup plain flour
75g cold butter, coarsely grated
1/3 cup cinnamon demerara sugar

To serve: double cream and a fresh grating of nutmeg.

Place the fruit in an oven proof dish and sprinkle over the sugar. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and place on top of the fruit. Bake in a moderate oven (180 degrees) for 20-30 minutes until the topping is cooked and golden brown and the fruit is bubbling. Serve with lightly whipped double cream topped with a fresh grating of lovely nutmeg. Yummy.

Sweet CousCous with Rose Jam and Cashew & Pistachio Caramel (v)

I made my first tagine in a proper tagine over the weekend and wanted something deliciously light and sweet to eat afterwards. This hit the spot perfectly and combined delicate middle eastern flavours with a light but tasty finish to the end of the meal. Serve with a light orange and cinnamon sorbet to really intensify the flavours if you want!

For 4 portions you need
CousCous
1/2 cup couscous
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp each of rose water and orange flower water
1/2 tsp each of ground cinnamon, cardamon powder and freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tbsp sultanas
1 tbsp rose petal jam (optional)
A few rose petals to decorate

Place everything apart from the jam and rose petals into a bowl and stir well. Leave to steep for 5-10 mins until the water has been absorbed. Pack into a lightly greased bowl and push down well before inverting on a serving plate. Top with the jam and some rose petals.

Cashew and Pistachio Caramel
1 tbsp raw cashew nuts
1 tbsp raw pistachios
1 tsp agarve nectar (or honey if you're not vegan)
2 tbsp vegan marge (or butter if you're not vegan)

Place the nuts and butter/marge in a pan over a slow heat and gently toast the nuts. Add the nectar/honey and boil for 1-2 mins until the caramel is a light brown colour and the nuts are deliciously toasted. Take care not to burn or catch the pan! Tip onto a well oiled surface and leave to cool. Break into bite sized pieces once cooled and scatter over the cous cous.

Kale Chips (v)

And so my kale odyssey has ended. I'm more amenable towards the leafy green veg now than I was before this veg box, but it's never going to be something I love as much as other veggies. This last recipe has been raved about for years by a Stateside friend but I'd never tried it. More fool me! They're quick, delicious and very easy to both make and eat. So if that kale is languishing about in your fridge, make this and me converted :)

Wash and dry the kale thoroughly, having stripped it from the tough inner stalks first. Toss in a little olive oil and sprinkle over a little salt. Then roast in a hot (180 degree) oven for 10-15 mins until crispy, crunchy and utterly delicious. You may find some of the leaves turn a little dark brown but don't worry about that, as long as they don't go blackened and burnt you're fine!

Kale and Smoked Paprika Stew with Butter Beans and Potatoes (v)

Yeah, another kale recipe! Again from the BBC Good Food website for initial inspiration... Tho, clearly this doesn't have chorizo in it! But the echoes of the juicy flavours from chorizo are there in the sweet smoked paprika that is added. If you can get hold of Redwood Vegan Chorizo style chunks then add those to this for a delicious vegan alternative, but it works just as well without. Lex loved this as much as I did and it was the perfect dinner for a cold, dreary January evening.

For 3-4 portions you need
3-4 potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks, skin left on
2 leeks, sliced
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can butter beans in water
1 tsp vegan stock
2 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper
pinch sugar
2-3 cups kale, stripped from the inner stalk and well washed
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 pepper, cut into bite sized chunks

Begin by sauteeing the leeks in the oil. After 2-3 mins add the garlic and smoked paprika powder. Add everything else apart from the kale and peppers and bring to the boil, adding a little more water if you want a thinner sauce. Simmer for 10 mins then add the kale and peppers. Continue to cook for a further 5 mins until the potatoes are done, then serve with crusty bread to soak up all the gorgeous juices. Delicious!

Kale, Mushroom and Peanut Stir Fry with Hoisin Sauce (v)

My veg box came overloaded with kale this week. And I am not that keen on kale... I usually lob it into a minestrone style soup or steam it and have it with mash but wanted some different inspiration this week. Google showed me this rather yummy idea from BBC Good Food so I adapted it to what I had in the fridge and cupboards and a delicious, healthy lunch was created.

For one person you need
1 tbsp unsalted, shelled peanuts
1 tbsp veg oil
4-5 mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 leek, thinly sliced
2-3 cups of kale, stripped off of the tough inner stalk and well washed
2-3 tbsp hoisin sauce

Heat the oil in a wok and add the peanuts to it. Toss about for 2-3 mins until lightly browned then add the leeks and mushrooms. Keep the veggies moving about and cook for 2-3 mins till lightly browned. Add the kale and cover with a lid. Keep the veggies moving so nothing burns and cook for a further 2-3 mins. Add the hoisin sauce, recover and heat through for a final 1-2 mins. Nom.

Pasta with Onion, Leek and Tomato Cinnamon Sauce and Fresh Basil (v)

My mum makes a mean pasta sauce which uses cinnamon in it to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. It's utterly delicious. This is a version of it for a quick, tasty and healthy dinner following an exhausting hike over Ilkley Moor this afternoon!

For 4 portions you need
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 small onions, chopped
1 leek, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp veggie stock powder
freshly ground black pepper
150ml water
2 tbsp olive oil
Handful fresh basil, roughly shredded

Begin by sauteeing the leek and onion in the olive oil for 5-10 mins until soft. Add everything else and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 10 mins. Blend to a puree and check the seasoning. Serve on pasta topped with fresh basil. Nom.

Fruit with Sesame and Coconut Dip (v)

New Year, new food habits of course! So January should see the start of some more healthy recipes than of late as the excess of the festive period makes way for clean healthy flavours instead. This sesame and coconut dip is a variation of one I saw in a waitrose food magazine. It works brilliantly as a tasty textured contrast to the juicy soft fruit beneath it. It's also delicious on top of yogurt for a healthy breakfast.

For 10-12 portions of dip you need
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 tbsp demerara sugar

Place the coconut and sesame seeds in a pan and gently toast over a low heat till golden brown. Don't be tempted to turn up the heat and rush this process or it will burn!

Serve with fruit of your choice :) We had melon, papaya, passion fruit, oranges and pineapple.

Chocolate Christmas Trifle

I used to be able to make lovely trifles, but my trifle mojo has been usurped by my boyfriend's mum who makes a very mean one indeed. So much so Lex requested I didn't make another for fear that it didn't live up to one of hers...! However, this creation puts my mojo firmly back in contention I am pleased to say. It started as a way to use up some (embarrassingly) out of date sponge flan cases. But upon further inspection they were rock solid. So a chocolate swiss roll was purchased and the chocolate Christmas trifle extravaganza was born. It has the perfect combination of sour raspberries and strawberries to counter the sweet jelly and not-too-sweet chocolate custard. Decorate as you wish, we wanted sparkly poo so had a heavy hand with the festive glitter ;-)

For 12-14 portions you need
1/2 chocolate swiss roll
1 tin strawberries, drained
1/2 pack frozen raspberries
1 packet halal jelly (or any other veggie jelly)
2 tbsp sweet sherry
2 tins ready to eat custard
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp boiling water
450ml double cream
decoration of your choice, we used chocolate vermicelli; glitter and stars for extra bliiiiiiiiiing

Slice the swiss roll into 1cm slices. Place these in the bottom of a trifle dish and cover with the sherry, raspberries and strawberries. Make the jelly up according to the packet instructions and pour over the base. Leave to set.

Meanwhile mix the cocoa powder with the boiling water to make a smooth paste. Add to the custard and mix well. Once the jelly is set, pour over.

Whip the cream to soft peak stage and put into a piping bag. Pipe over the custard and then go wild with the decoration. Eat, eat and be merry!

Proper Boozy Egg Nog

Christmas isn't Christmas without a belly full of dangerously alcoholic egg nog. Not in my book anyway.

For 6-8 glasses you need
1/2 pint double cream
1/2 pint milk
3 eggs
4 tbsp icing sugar
3 measures each rum, brandy and whisky
freshly grated nutmeg
cocktail cherries to serve

Place everything apart from the nutmeg and cherries into a blender and blend for 2-3 mins till smooth and thoroughly combined. Strain through a fine meshed sieve into a jug and decorate with lashings of freshly grated nutmeg. Serve topped with enough cocktail cherries to just make you start to feel rather sick. Hic.

Christmas Soup

So called as it's a taste of Christmas in a bowl :) A very quick and easy dish to throw together in seconds but tastes like you've spent ages making it!

For one hungry person you need
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, roughly chopped plus the leaves of some, finely chopped for decoration
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp veggie stilton
1 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic
400ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 tsp vegetable oil

Begin by sauteeing the celery, carrots and onion in a pan with the oil for 8-10 mins until tender. Add everything else, apart from the celery leaves and stilton, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins until the veggies are all cooked then add the cheese and blitz until the soup is lovely and smooth. Reheat, season and serve decorated with the celery leaves. Perfect December fare.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Pesto (v)

I finally got round to watching some of the many, many episodes of Three Good Things I've had stacked up on my tivo box for the last few weeks, and in one of the episodes The Huge Furry Whipping Tool (as he is known in our house, Hugh FWS to everyone else...) made pasta with tomatoes and blue cheese. My boyfriend does *not* like blue cheese so I ditched that aspect and instead made some yummy pesto as my third thing. It perfectly used up some rapidly-going-past-their-best baby plum tomatoes that had been hanging round the kitchen for tooooooo long, and also allowed me to try out the Gourmet Garden, Fresh Made Easy basil and garlic combo in a fresh pesto. The verdict was deeeeeeeeeeelicious. Excellent.

For two people you need

2 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic

1 whole tube Gourmet Garden chopped basil

2 tbsp pine nuts

salt and pepper

1/2 pack ripe baby plum tomatoes (or whatever tomatoes you have to hand)

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil

175g cooked pasta (I used shells to capture the sauce)

1 large handful fresh basil

Begin by marinating the tomatoes. Quarter them and chop into eighths if large, and place in  a bowl. Add 1 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic, the balsamic vinegar, some salt and pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix gently and leave to one side.

Meanwhile heat a pan and gently toast the pine nuts till golden brown. Place 2/3 into a mini food processor bowl along with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp Gourmet Garden crushed garlic and the fresh basil leaves. Pulse for a few seconds till roughly combined. Add the tube of Gourmet Garden chopped basil and the remaining pine nuts and season to taste.

Cook the pasta and drain. Add the tomatoes and pesto and scoff down. Yum yum yum.

Thai Yellow Curry (v)

This was a very quick, throw it all together a la Jamie, creation earlier in the week where I *really* didn't feel like cooking at all. It also made the most of the delicious Gourmet Garden, Fresh Made Easy herbs and spices I am trying out for a blogging competition. Double win.

For one hungry person you need
1 small can coconut cream and same quantity of water (fill the can to measure and rinse it out)
Handful sugar snap peas
2 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
3-4 mushrooms, thickly sliced
Handful spinach
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp each of gourmet garden crushed ginger; crushed chilli; crushed Thai spices; crushed garlic and chopped coriander
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp vegetable oil
Rice to serve

Begin by heating the oil in a pan and sauteeing the onion for a few minutes. Add the Gourmet Garden ginger, garlic, chilli and Thai spices and the turmeric powder and fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the carrots, coconut cream and water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3-4 mins then add everything else and cook for a further 1-2 mins. Serve steaming hot over rice and enjoy the taste of paradise on an otherwise bleak, wet and cold British December evening.

Festive Flapjacks

So called because the festive season calls for an added layer of luxury in terms of ingredients, and I CBA to melt two different types of chocolate to decorate them at any other time of the year ;-) Beware, these flapjacks are addictive and FULL OF CALORIES! But that's why they taste so good ;-)

For 12-16 bars you need
(sorry can only remember this recipe in imperial measurements!)
6oz butter
6oz sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
10oz rolled oats (not cheap ones, proper scottish decent ones but not jumbo ones)
1/4 cup sultanas
1/4 glace cherries
100g each milk and white chocolate, melted

Begin by placing everything apart from the oats and chocolate in a large pan and letting the butter melt. Meanwhile, line a swiss roll tin with baking paper. Once the butter et al is melted, add the oats and mix well. Press into the lined tin and bake in a moderate (180 degree) oven for 15-20 mins until bubbling and golden brown. Take care not to overbake or the edges and sides will become brittle and too crunchy when it's cooled.

Remove from the oven once cooked and leave to cool for 30 mins or so before sliding out of the tin. Leave on the baking paper to cool totally. Drizzle/spread over the melted chocolate in any pattern you like and then cut into bars once the chocolate has set. Deeeelishous!!!

Probably The Most Awesome Vegan Pie Ever (v)

OK, OK, I am feeling rather smug after tonight's dinner marvel, but it was delicious. Really, really delicious. And it was also very easy to make, and used up some of the veg that has been looking sadly up at me from the bottom of the fridge for the last week. Because it's vegan, there's no cream in the recipe, just some soya milk which makes a lovely creamy sauce. And this makes it a healthy choice too if you're watching the calories, what more do you need to convince you to try it ;-)

For 4-6 portions you need
1 sheet puff pastry, rolled out to .5cm thickness
1 leek, finely sliced
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2-3 parsnips, ditto the carrots
4-5 mushrooms cut into chunky slices
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1/2 pint soya milk plus a little extra for glazing the top of the pie
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp stock powder
2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsely
salt and pepper

Begin by sauteeing the vegetables in the oil in a large pan. Cover with a lid and allow the veggies to steam fry for 5 mins or so. Remove the lid and increase the heat a little to evaporate off the mushroom juices.

Sprinkle over the flour and stock powder and allow to cook out. Add the mustard and slowly add the soya milk until it's all absorbed and the sauce is nicely thickened. Season and add the parsley.

Place the vegetables and sauce in a pie dish. Put the puff pastry on the top and seal the edges. You don't have to use a pie funnel but it will help to cook the inside out if you have one and prevent a soggy pastry lid. Crimp the edges of the pie and brush the top with a little extra soya milk.

Bake the pie in a hot (180 degree) oven for 30-40 mins until the pastry is golden, crispy and cooked through. Serve with baby jacket potatoes, steamed cauliflower and lashings of yummy gravy. Nomtastic.

Coconut Dhal Soup with Carrot and Parsnip (v)

This is a perfect autumnal warming dish, and it only takes a few minutes to make. I guess if you were Jamie you could do it in 15 mins, but I am not so did it in a more sedate 22 and made less mess than he would have... It used up some sad carrots and parsnips that were languishing at the bottom of my fridge nicely. It freezes well and you can adjust the quantities easily to feed more or less people.

For 2-3 portions you need
1 can coconut milk
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup red lentils
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, bashed
1 inch piece ginger, grated
A little water, depending on how thin you want your finished soup
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp each mustard seeds and ground garam masala, tumeric, coriander, cumin
Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Splash chilli oil

Being by frying the spices in the oil until the mustard seeds pop. Add all the veggies and cover with a lid and sautee for a few mins. Add the lentils and fry for another 1-2 mins. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 mins until the lentils and veggies are cooked. Blitz to a puree and add some water if it's too thick. Re-heat and serve garnished with the fresh coriander and a drizzle of chilli oil. Delish!

Hoisin Glazed Tofu with Rice Noodles, Carrot & Coriander Salad

This photo got picked up by VeganFoodShare on instagr.am, go me! It really does taste as good as it looks, promise, and is a very easy quick after work recipe to create too.

For four people you need

Tofu
1 pack firm tofu, drained and cut into strips as per pic
1 bottle hoisin sauce

Salad
2 large carrots, coarsely grated
1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
1 red onion, sliced
Juice of one lime
1-2 red chillies, sliced (add more or less depending on how hot you want it!)
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Noodles
4 bundles rice noodles

Method

Begin by marinating the tofu in the hoisin sauce. This can be done in advance and left in the fridge (for up to 3 days). If you don't prepare ahead of time, leave it to marinate for 15 mins or so.

Place the noodles in a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave to soak.

Put all of the salad ingredients, reserving a little of the chopped coriander for a garnish, into an bowl and mix gently.

Place the marinated tofu in a shallow pan with a little oil and pan fry over a medium heat until the outside is sticky and glazed and the inside is hot.

Once the noodles are soaked, drain and refresh in cold water. Place on a plate and top with the salad. Put the cooked tofu on top and add a little extra of the hoisin marinade. Decorate with some chilli slices and coriander and then scoff. Delicious, healthy and so so tasty!

River Cottage Puy Lentils with Capers and Olives (v)

I wanted something savoury and tasty to go with a glut of potatoes, and an idle google suggested the savoury lentils in River Cottage Veg were just the thing. I have adapted the original recipe by adding extra capers and olives along with a diced red onion for extra tang and crunch.

For four portions you need
250g puy lentils
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed to release the juices
1 packet pitted green chilli olives
1/3 jar capers, well rinsed
2 tsp stock powder
1 red onion, finely diced

Place the puy lentils in a pan with lots of water. Bring to the boil and boil for one minute only. Drain and put back in the pan with just enough stock to cover them. Add the garlic and simmer for about 10-15 mins until the lentils are al dente. Once cooked, add the onion, capers and olives and leave to steam gently (off the heat) for 5 mins to infuse. Serve with a crisp salad. It's also lovely cold the following day for your lunch :)

Proper Potato Rosti (v)

These are a cinch to make, as long as you give them enough time, but taste amazing and are such a nice contrast to the ubiquitous chip.

For one rosti that feeds 2-3 you need
3-4 small to medium potatoes. Floury ones are best, waxy ones won't work!\
1/2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp vegan marge (or butter)

Coarsely grate the potatoes. Heat the oil and fat in a large non stick frying pan till the fat bubbles. Place the grated potatoes in the pan and squish down to form an even layer. Season with salt and pepper.

Over a low to medium heat cook the potatoes until the bottom side is totally golden brown and starting to crisp. Place a dinner plate over the pan and invert, then slide the uncooked side of the rosti into the hot pan and cook for another 10 mins or so until both sides are golden, crisp and cooked. Serve as you wish. I had it with seasoned puy lentils and a soft side salad. Utter bliss and total comfort food :)

Double Chocolate Banana Cake (v)

This is an adaptation of Nigella's banana bread from her Domestic Goddess book. I got so sick of making the plain banana cake as although lots of my friends and family liked it, I wasn't that keen (unless I was eating the raw batter!). However, the addition of chocolate to it makes it utterly delicious. Why I haven't made this one before is beyond me, but I have now, and so must you :)

For 2 x 2lb loaf cakes you need
6 very ripe bananas, mashed to a puree
25g cocoa powder
100g sultanas
75ml southern comfort (or other booze of your choice)
150g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarb
100ml sunflower oil
150g caster sugar
100g plain chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preferably soak the sultanas in the booze overnight, but if you're short of time, place in a saucepan and heat gently then leave to speed soak for 15-30 mins.

Mix everything together and scrape into two lined loaf tins. Bake in a moderate (170 degree) oven for 45-60 mins until the cakes are risen and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool. Eat with copious cups of tea.

Side Salad (v)

Yeah, I know, you hardly need a recipe for a side salad right? Well, I was asked to do some simple basic recipes as part of the Vegan MoFo, along with what I normally blog, so here you go :) This is my fave side salad for all sorts of things, but most especially pasta.

For one person you need
Mixed salad leaves
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Red pepper
Red onion
Salt and pepper
Balsamic syrup
Olive oil

Place the lettuce leaves in a bowl and then top with the cucumber, tomatoes, onion and pepper. Drizzle over balsamic syrup and 1-2 tsp oil before seasoning and consuming. Yum.

Pasta with Courgette, Tomato and Lemon Garlic Sauce (v)

This was a spur of the moment, what on earth do I cook for dinner, how can I use up some languishing ingredients dinner and very tasty it was too.

For 2 portions you need
1 courgette, cut into slices then quarters as in pic
6-8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 clove garlic, crushed
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
pasta of your choice

Begin by cooking the pasta as per the instructions on the packet.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil gently and sautee off the courgette until softened and lightly browned (keep the heat quite high to ensure it browns before going mushy). Add the tomatoes, zest and garlic and cook for another 1-2 mins to warm everything through. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the pasta and then place in the sauce pan and coat everything with the sauce. Scoff. Nom.

Roasted Squash, Carrot and Onion Soup with Chilli (v)

It's definitely autumn here now: cold, misty, and in need of filling, warming food! This soup hits the spot fair and square. It's a delicious combination of velvety smooth pureed squash and warming chilli and spices. A doddle to make, but luxurious to eat.

For 2-3 portions you need
1 spaghetti & 1 acorn squash (or equivalents of other squashes!) deseeded and cut into rough slices, skin on
1 onion, peeled and quartered
3-4 carrots, cut into rough chunks
1 tsp each of cumin, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
2-3 birds eye chillies
1-1.5 litres of vegan stock (depending on thickness of soup desired)

Place the squash, carrots and onions onto a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle over the spices and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a moderate (170 degree) oven for about 30 mins until soft and cooked.

Scoop the squash off of the skin and place in a pan along with the onions, carrot and chillies. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Puree using a stick blender, check seasoning and serve with oodles of fresh crusty bread. Delicious!

Cauliflower (non)Cheese (v)

And so the Vegan MoFo has begun, and here is my first offering... Made yesterday as part of a roast dinner requested by my boy, this is cauliflower baked in a tangy, tasty mustard sauce. Just like cauliflower cheese, sans the cheese...

For 3-6 portions, depending on greed and other bits with it you need
1 cauliflower, de-leaved but left whole
2oz vegan margarine
2oz plain flour
1 pint soya milk
salt and pepper
1 tsp french (Dijon) mustard
1 tsp english mustard

Place the whole head of cauliflower in a pan and add 1-2 cms of boiling water froma  kettle. Cover with a lid and leave to cook for 10 mins. You want the tougher base cooked in the water, with the florets steamed. Once cooked, drain and leave to cool.

For the sauce, place the marge and flour in a pan and melt to form the roux. Once it's mixed together, gently heat and allow to cook out for 2-3 mins. Add the soya milk in stages, mixing well between each addition to minimise lumps forming. I find a whisk the easiest to use but not in a non-stick pan! Once all the milk is mixed in, allow the sauce to cook thoroughly and thicken. Season with salt and pepper and add the mustards and mix well.

Place the cauliflower in an oven proof dish and pour over the sauce. Bake in a hot oven for 15 mins until bubbling and delicious. Serve as you wish, we had it with roasted spuds and parsnips and steamed cabbage. Delicious on a murky, yukky autumnal day.