Greek Green Beans

This is such a simple and beautiful dish, inspired by the simple beautiful food of Greece.  I have visited quite a few of the Greek islands during my years before children and have enjoyed similar dishes to this, slow cooked, tender, tangy and rich. This is an excellent way to make good use of a…

Easy Beany Dip

  There is a reason why this post looks similar to my last one… it makes good use of that Green Midsummer Pesto and creates a versatile dip/spread/sauce to use however your imagination decides.  My blogging has been slack recently; the sun is out, work has been crazy, the garden has been demanding (and so…

Green Midsummer Pesto (Vegan)

This is my first recipe of the year using home grown produce.  The kale is doing really well – as it always does, and this year I’ve finally been bothered to protect it from the butterflies with some netting. (I really hope they find somewhere else just as lovely to lay their eggs!)  So I’m…

Roasted Squash Hummus

Squash is still about, these things ripen in the autumn and then are virtually indestructible in storage for several months.  It’s brilliant getting a squash in the veg box, because it will normally become the basis of at least 2 family meals, and depending on the size, maybe other sides and soups along the way……

Baked Spinach Polenta (with a spicy lentil sauce)

When my daughters were really little and learning to eat I used to make a version of this which they loved.  Baked polenta was firm enough and easy to grab in their chubby little fists, yet soft enough to bite with a gummy mouth and smear about the table.  After the need for such perfect…

Ras-El-Hanout {Moroccan Spice Blend}

Recently, out of a desire for a new taste from a different part of the world, I have been trying to recapture the flavours from a distant holiday in Marakesh.  I’ve been working on a vegetable tagine, and during my research, which has led me the believe there is no such thing as a definitive classic…

Tofu, it’s Peanuts!

This is an easy peasy one, good fresh veg, simple tofu, punchy oriental flavours and no bother noodles.  One to shove on the meal plan for a hectic night when everyone’s on the go. I’ve not really addressed firm tofu in this blog before, we don’t eat much tofu, and so this is my own personal reintroduction…

Beetroot Hummus

So, I had a whole new bunch of beetroot in my veg box last week and I’m determined to win over the 3 (oh so nearly 4) year old with this wonderful vegetable.  We are told that eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is a surefire way to know that you’re getting all the…

Vegan Thai Curry Paste

Most supermarket Thai curry pastes are not vegan, they’re not even vegetarian, they contain shrimp paste and fish sauce.  The two vegan organic brands I have tried have been very very hot and slightly over vinegary, which was disappointing (especially considering the price tag) so I resorted to making my own. At first I was…

Avocado Pasta

My youngest daughter loves avocado in all its forms, my eldest is more selective, and prefers hers mashed with salt and lime juice and served on a beany chilli… Either way, I thought I was onto a winner with this pasta dish, linguine and creamy avocado, how could I go wrong? But sadly, my first…

Tangy Red Cabbage Slaw

So, this arrive in my veg box about a week ago, and he’s been lurking in the vegetable rack ever since.  It’s a beautiful beautiful thing, but there’s just so much of it and I wasn’t really sure where to start.  I originally intended to braise it slowly with red wine, apple and spices, but…

Cashew Cream 2 Ways

I have mentioned cashew cream in a couple of my recent posts, so I thought it was about time I elaborated. When cutting down on or omitting dairy from your diet, it’s good to have an arsenal of alternatives right up your sleeve  The shop bought ones can be handy but often make use of…