the princess and the pea

Ok, so there is no Princess. But. I do adore peas! So much so, that as a 12 year old, I would sometimes eat a big bowl of peas with a dollop of Heinz ketchup as a snack (I know...classy eh?!). People tend to think of these bright little fellas as boring, but don't dumb them down. The pea can be dressed up, just like anything else. They weren't included in a Fairy Tale for nothing. Frozen peas generally have more goodness locked in, just be careful not to overcook them. Here is a different take on Bruschetta (I'm holding my breath, hoping you're all saying it correctly).

the scraps

Take a sweet potato and put it in the oven...

Use some left over ingredients (my vegetable drawer was starting to look a little lack lustre) and make a salad. I had lettuce, cucumber, sweetcorn, feta, mint and coriander. I dressed it with just a little balsamic vinegar and a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and then I seasoned with salt and pepper.

Et voila! An easy quick meal. I find sweet potatoes a little too sweet and rich sometimes and so the feta really adds a much needed sharpness to it. Sun dried tomatoes are also a really good companion.

comfort food

I was feeling a little sorry for myself. The weather was 20 and now it's 12 degrees celsius and my womb was crying out for some love. Oh it's good to wallow in ones own misery sometimes isn't it? Really settle into it. Try and catch a glimpse of your glum face in the mirror and it might just make you laugh again. However, we don't want that just yet, this feels kind of good for one night and it allows for movies like 'Eat Pray Love' and comfort food like mushroom risotto.

What I wanted was mushrooms. I had a huge craving for mushrooms. I was planning to have them sauteed with white wine, butter and parsley. In the fridge I had left over white wine and I also had butter, but no blooming mushrooms...

snack attack

Vita Coco

I am currently glugging on a bottle of refreshingly hydrating Vita Coco coconut water! You can find it in specialist stores or supermarkets. Try drinking it and not getting hooked! It is packed with lots and lots of electrolytes which restores the balance if dehydrated and especially good for those weak muscles during/after training. It also has more potassium then 2 bananas. You can get 100% pure, peach & mango, tangerine, pineapple, acai & pomegranate.

P.S. It's 100% natural. No sugar. No yuck.

I am also snacking on these crunchy roasted broad beans! These are seriously filling to eat (you must know that beans are naturally slow release carbohydrates?) so you will eat less than a bag of cashews. I much prefer these to snacking on nuts and far less fattening.

a day in food

Have you ever done a food diary? Well I can probably guess that you might have missed half the things you ate that day. We like to forget the little things. 'They don't matter...do they?' Well they do and they all add up. This isn't for the purpose of a food diary, but I thought it would be a rather good idea wouldn't it? To photograph everything you eat in the day? Then you really can't get away with it...
Breakfast

Scrambled egg on toast with green pesto

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. My very good flat mate told me of this tip. A dollop of green pesto. Added at the end of cooking really livens it up. I use 2 eggs and I always cook in a little bit of butter.

supper with...

...Sarah Fox, London W6.

It's always nice going over to a friend's for supper. Food (like a cup of tea) always tastes better cooked by someone else, assuming that they can cook in the first place!

The drink: red wine
The snack: The Food Doctor roasted beans
The meal: spaghetti bolognese
The side: salad
The afters: ice-cream with (flash back) 'Askey' sauce

The boys: On the sofa. Why? To watch the football of course (apparently a couple of teams called Chelsea/Man U were playing).
The girls: In the kitchen. Well it's our place isn't it?

Spag bol made with (according to Sarah) L.O.V.E plus the usual offenders. Garlic, onion, minced beef, tinned toms, mushrooms, herbs, spices, Heinz tom ketchup etc.. Salad with mixed rocket/watercress leaves, avocado, cherry toms, spring onions. Cheese, grated by moi.

Can I just say on a side note, how amazing the The Food Doctor roasted beans were. I got them from Waitrose, but I'm sure any other large supermarket will sell them. You can also buy them online.

A non food related tip: Caudalie Eau de Beauté

I stayed over and used this amazing facial spray that Sarah had. I am like single white female when it comes to products. All my favourite foundations, moisturizers and lipsticks come from friends' suggestions. The spray is to be used after washing on a clean face like a toner. It has grape, rosemary, orange blossom, rose, myrrh and organic balm mint. It's so refreshing and it smells heavenly. The fragrance helps you drift peacefully into sleep and it also does WONDERS for your skin. Facial gold. 

a year in my kitchen

Australian head chef at Petersham Restaurant/Cafe (based by Richmond Park) and food writer Skye Gyngell says 'My kitchen is my garden. Everytime I step outside, I am inspired.'

This is food I love. She uses locally sourced, seasonal produce. Everything changes month by month, and is always bursting with colour and flavour.

Meatballs with a twist. Recipe below...

They taste sooooo good. Regular meatballs are extremely dull in comparison. The sour cherries are a brilliant touch to add a tangy sweetness to the spicy mix. Delicious with anything you fancy. We had polenta. They are a little time consuming to make, so perhaps best left to a saturday!

heartbeet superfood

It was 22 degrees out today, so I took the opportunity and treated myself to 1 hour sitting in the sun. I bought my lunch today from pod and it was crunch tastic.

Easy enough to make yourself. The ingredients are below...

market love

Borough Market

Le Marché du Quartier

Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday and located in London Bridge. I'm such a fan of this place. Once in a while, I used to walk here on a Saturday. A big walk, a big lunch! But now I have the pleasure in being able to eat here on a work day. SO much better on a work day.  Little gatherings of crowded suit wearers getting their teeth into a lamb burger, and snap happy tourists flittering from stall to stall. It's people coming together all in the name of food and drink. Word of warning: Saturday is very overcrowded.

Borough Wines

There are so many parts, too many to cover. So here are a few of my favourites...

A family run business, Le Marché du Quartier sources fine French food and wine. Large jars of cassoulet, confit, goose fat and bunches of lavender. I'm all for everything French. Heavenly.

Arabica Food & Spice Company

Arabica Food & Spice Company

Arabica Food & Spice Company

I've tested the tortelloni, the falafel wraps, the lamb burger, the beef burger, the chicken burger, the thai green curry, the melon/mozzarella salad and much much more, but I ALWAYS end up coming back to the Arabica Food & Spice Company. This Eastern Mediterranean delight has plenty of amazing dip tasters. The best taramasalata in town (p.s. proper taramasalata is white), delicious smoked courgette. The salad box is £6 for a choice of 3, but I try and fool them and ask for half and half and get 4. So full of flavour and moreish. Simply the best.

Brindisa

Brindisa

Brindisa

Still running after 20 years, and with some superb restaurants in SE1, SW7 and W1, Brindisa is still one of the best importers of high quality Spanish foods. Their shop is something of a treasure trove. Delicious membrillo and excellent for snacks in the form of padron peppers and salted marcona almonds.

The Cinnamon Tree Bakery

The Cinnamon Tree Bakery

The Cinnamon Tree Bakery

Baked in Camberwell, The Cinnamon Tree Bakery has fast become my favourite seller. High quality ingredients and many things wheat and gluten free. They won me over with the 'tweet tweet' biscuit. Using rye flour, raisins, dates, tahini, seeds and cinnamon, they are INCREDIBLE. To be honest they're filling enough as a breakfast! I tested their rocky road last November, but they took them off the stall to refine. They are now back and are chocolatey rich with vegetarian marshmallow.

Go there and see what takes your fancy!

simple supper for one

Goats cheese and beetroot salad

Whilst waiting for a friend to get ready, I dawdled about in the kitchen where my oldest and dearest friend was just sitting down to supper with her boyfriend. On her plate, beautiful colour and temptation, on his plate, a microwave shepherds pie (he insisted!). I couldn't help but fork it and tonight, I couldn't help but make it myself...

home sweet (or savoury) home

Roasted butternut squash with sweet spices,
lime and green chilli

Finish work. A quick pick up on Drayton Gardens, then belting it down the A3. I'm happy to say I'm back in the bosom of my family for just one night and of course I have a delicious glorious supper to look forward to. Believe it or not, this is just an average Wednesday night. This is how my mother cooks every day of the year!

food desert?

Lunchtime is always a difficult one. Assuming most of us work, there isn't always time to loiter around a kitchen and create a masterpiece. In fact most people, if seen eating at their desks, are allowed about 15-25 minutes before eyeballs start rolling with disapproval.

Said under breath 'slacking greedy pig, aren't they working on that powerpoint presentation I gave them 15 minutes ago...'

little sunday eats

when? sunday
where? my brother's
why? to EAT! (glass of wine optional)


Boy I love to eat. Anyone who knows me, knows that I talk about food a lot. A LOT! I like to think about it. Talk about it. Describe it. Plan it. Look at it. Smell it. Cook it. Eat it and nothing excites me more than the talk of 'eats.'

michael pollan

The Omnivore's Dilema & In Defense of Food

These books are such a good read. Michael Pollan is an incredible writer and for the past twenty-five years, he has been writing books and articles about the places where nature and culture intersect. In these two books, he investigates the political, economical and psychological challenges we face with food today and how we have literally 'forgotten' how to eat. His books make you want to sit up, take note and acknowledge 'real' ingredients again. Who knows, afterwards you might pay more attention to what's on your plate and where it's come from? 

How very primal!

http://michaelpollan.com/

oh what a lovely pear

The pear is extremely underrated and under appreciated compared to its rival, the apple, what with tarte tatin, cider and 'one a day' in their favour. However, there is something old fashioned and comforting about a pear. It's soft, gritty texture and that sweet sweet taste. Wonderful!

a salad or three

I love Jamie Oliver for his no fuss approach. He gets stuck in and everything is doable. Everything looks delicious. You can sense the flavours wafting off the screen. On his latest 'Jamie does..' he 'did' France. Now I'm a sucker for everything French. I'm obsessed with the country and they know about food. Even the children from an early age. I doubt if you asked an English kid to point out an aubergine they would succeed and we are the ones with the weight problems not them. Think about it!