a mingling of flavour

When you treat your body well, then everything feels great. Ok, so there are still a few things that suck [might have underestimated on the 'few']. One being, that I've continued to eye up the Adidas by Stella McCartney collection in the window on Fulham Road, and unfortunately I'm still performing a debit account countdown in my head. [When will this end? I'm almost 30!]. But, when considering one's own finely tuned machine, there will be something to feel great about. Your mind and emotions will be cruising on more of an even keel, every cell coming alive and buzzing along to the hum drum beat of your physical prowess. Tempted yet?

What I was tempted by recently, was a bag of Aero bubbles. Strange, seeing as I'm usually more of a 75% cocoa content kinda girl. Even more extraordinary seeing as I was trying to hold it together in the unexplainable July heatwave. Chocolate should have been the last thing on my mind. But there they were, winking at me. Since when did Aero get all over the flavour pairing? Chefs have been doing it for centuries, but it seems to have become a little more daring of late.

Loving to explore different flavours myself, but on more of a holiday countdown [including 'Hell Week' at Barry's Bootcamp] sort of mood, I decided to save those chocolates for a rainy day, and created a healthier stylish flavour combo myself!

It's been hot, so I settled on something fresh, vibrant and full of colour.

Vegetable and fruit. Fruit and vegetable. Do they go together? Yes!

Beetroot and pear salad

Raw beetroot is such a joy. Nothing like the soft pre-cooked balls you pick up in the supermarket. It's deeply earthy, sweet and best of all, crunchy. The crunchier a salad, the better for me. It makes such a huge difference, and hits those senses at every angle. The pear, less acidic than an apple, but sweet, aromatic and has a little more grittiness and character.

The sweet nature of this salad calls for a sharpness to cut through it, and the pear makes a great partner for ingredients with a tannic edge, such as red wine vinegar. Throw in some bitter-sweet jeweled pomegranate seeds that'll burst in your mouth, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and some toasted pumpkin seeds for a nuttiness, and you've got yourself a little party in your mouth! Feel free to use mint, but more delicate herbs, like the feathery subtlety of dill or even fennel to heighten and freshen are better, as the mint runs the risk of taking over everything. Mint is very competitive!

Serving alone? Goes really well with salty cubes of feta cheese to complement the sweetness of the salad.
Serving with? The salad is very moreish and will go with anything like fish cakes, fish, grilled meats etc.

It also keeps very well in the fridge, keeping it's colour and it's crunch.

The breakdown: serves 4

4 good-size beetroots, scrubbed, peeled, cut into fine strips (mandoline makes this easy)
2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, cut into fine strips
Juice of one lemon
10 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
Drizzle of red wine vinegar (taste and test how much/little you want)
1 large handful of toasted pumpkin seeds
Sea salt and fresh black pepper to season
2 tbsp dill, roughly chopped - feel free to use fennel or mint

october roots

Brown rice salad with sweet potato, prune, apricot

It's finally hit me.

I tried to avoid it.

I ignored all the signs.

I have a cold...

At least it's an excuse to lay low for a while and feel a little seasonal. I wondered why I'd been craving chai tea, sweet potato, and extra cinnamon in my porridge.

This is a very 'warming' rice salad, inspired by Ottolenghi (of course) and includes what I was crying out for:

A few ingredients

• 200g of brown rice
• 2 small sweet potatoes (or 1 large), chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• handful of pistachio nuts, lightly toasted
• handful of pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 4-5 dried apricots, finely chopped
• 4-5 prunes, finely chopped
• handful of coriander
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Boil the rice until al dente, and set aside to cool.

The raw sweet potato ready for roasting

While the rice is boiling, chop up the sweet potato and put into a deep non stick oven pan. Throw in the garlic (un-peeled). Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle sumac, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper ontop, making sure to cover every piece. Pop in the oven to roast for about 25-35 minutes, on about 200'C. Occasionally check on the sweet potato and stir well.

Be careful not to burn! Toasting pistachio and pine nuts

Lightly toast the pistachio nuts and pine nuts and set aside, with the chopped spring onion, dried apricots, prunes and coriander.

Once the rice has cooled, add all the ingredients and toss together. Mix in the cooked sweet potato and extract the garlic pulp, and add the lemon juice and another little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I marinated some chicken breast in the same sweet potato spices and pan fried. Alternatively, eat a larger portion of the rice for a packed lunch and add some chopped feta cheese.

Pan fry a little chicken to go with...

If you're still stuck for ideas with that roasted sweet potato, try having on a bed of rocket and sprinkle with feta and toasted pine nuts for a lunch or light supper...

Need another idea?

back with a bang?

Bulgar wheat, pomegranate seed, feta salad

To say my being back in London has run without any glitches would be a lie.

...but to say I've remained impeccably calm throughout would be absolutely SPOT ON!

I'm not sure entirely what has happened, it might have been Southern Italian island living, but I am currently living a very stress free life...

I saw 'Bridesmaids' the other day and a phrase was said, that sounded like it was from my own mouth

'you are the problem, but you are also the solution'

Before I talk about food, let me share some wisdom with you...

In the two weeks that I have been back a few 'unfortunate' happenings have occurred:

1. I suffered a hypoglycemic attack when I arrived at Gatwick
2. I suffered another hypoglycemic attack when I finally got home
3. I missed my bus
4. I decided to walk on from bus stop and my bus zoomed past
5. My happy manicure has since ruined every single finger
6. My iPhone camera (my livelihood) has broken
7. I overheated on the train to work and almost fainted
8. I left my shopping in a cafe
9. I got rained on without an umbrella
10. I have had invisalign braces fitted
11. A girl tumbled out of the bus door as we departed the bus stop
12. I saw a girl collapsed in front of the bus, with an ambulance near by
13. Two cars crashed into each other on a quiet corner
14. Two cars almost crashed into each other on the same quiet corner

These are all things we deal with on a daily basis.

Did it dampen my spirits?...No
Did it stress me out?...No
Did I think it was a sign?...No
Did I think I was an unlucky person?...No
Did I think 'oh why has this happened to me?'...No
Did I recognise it was unfortunate?...Yes...so did I let it ruin my day...No, I moved on
Was I late for anything as a result?...NO, in fact I was on time

This is how I reacted:

1. I recognised the signs early and calmly bought myself a coca cola without causing a scene
2. I walked back calmly and quietly and got on with making wholemeal pasta at 2am
3. I thought 'oh well, it won't make a difference' I'll start walking
4. I thought 'well I'm almost there now'
5. I've learnt a lesson not to go back there and I've also learnt how to treat burnt skin
6. It's ok, I'm in no rush to take photos, I'll take it to get fixed when I have time.  A blog can wait
7. I warned my work. I sat down for 10 minutes and took time to cool down. Things can wait. The world can continue without me for a few moments
8. I ran back laughing at my lost head and the waitress had also run out to find me. All was well. My shopping was there. A customer sitting next to me had handed it in
   
9. I also soon dried off
10. I could have worried about my social life but not many can see them, 10 months goes quickly and I'll be the one with straight teeth!
11. I saw if there was anything I could help with but she was alright enough to get back up, run after the bus and shout at the bus driver
12. I recognised a sad moment, but there was nothing I could do, I was on another bus, and the situation was being taken care of, I hoped she would be ok
13. I observed it from a table, as did others, but they both got out the car and exchanged details
14. They avoided it with an inch to spare

In the past I have allowed 'unfortunate' things to completely take over and rule the order of the day. As the first little bit of adrenaline circulates and hits your stomach, and anxiety invades every cell of your brain and body, suddenly, no matter what you do, one is late for everything and 'everything' goes wrong...

The truth is...'shit happens.'

It can't be 'normal' all the time. Bad things do happen, but so do good things. We are always so quick to forget the little good things that happen and love to talk about the bad things. If things aren't just normal then we love to stamp it (either good or bad) as some greater meaning or 'sign.' Perhaps we should stop exhausting ourselves and instead take the time to enjoy a beautiful moment or happy coincidence, just as we should accept a little unfortunate happening and move on.

There were some good things too:

1. I walked past M.I.A in the street with her child
2. I randomly bumped into a friend I had thought about a lot recently and had wanted to see
3. A rather large red wine stain was removed from my dress
4. I met up with my new friend that I traveled to Naples with from meeting at 4.30am on Clapham Junction station
5. I picked up a penny (heads up)
6. A funny coincidence happened involving two friends who didn't know each other, a brother, a photo and a festival
7. By sharing my mistakes/learnings and 'wisdom' I helped a few friends with their worries
8. A builder dropped a hammer off a lorry and since I was walking past I picked it up and gave it back, he smiled with surprise and said thank you. It made my day that I made his day
9. I offered my seat (actually thinking that if I endured the journey standing up then I might faint). The lady thanked me, and said that I had probably had a more tiring day and refused the offer
10. I've laughed 'a lot' to the point that I considered having a brain tumour for the feeling of drunkeness I was experiencing when only having had sparkling water
11. My friends and I were bought a bottle of champagne on a Sunday afternoon. No hidden agenda. No expectations.
12. I've enjoyed everyday. The good, the bad, and the ugly

These are the last photos I took before my camera broke 2 weeks ago. I am sorting out the problem today (hopefully).

This is all I dreamt about when I was in Italy. These are the flavours that I was craving to have again as soon as I touched down in London. I was desperate for some sharp feta cheese, the burst of sweetness from a pomegranate seed popping in your mouth, the substantial headiness of bulgar wheat and a flash of mint. My favourite salad from a firm favourite food place 'The Grocer on...' created by the New Zealand duo behind the 'Sugar Club.' If you find yourself on the move and hungry on the King's Road in Chelsea or Elgin Crescent in Notting Hill then please take the time to pop in and eat. They do the best carrot cake too and the best crispy flakey croissant (but they did take one of the Sugar Club chefs with them).

Some bakery goods

Cookies

Cakes

Some New Zealand candy

My favourite pomegranate salad

Deliciously artisan sandwiches

Candies looking elegant

Granola

cult of beauty

For many, white cabbage is just a memory. The over cooked, strong smelling kind that added to ill tasting school meals...

(I myself didn't have this experience. I always rave on to this day about my school meals as they were so darn spectacular).

But for those of you who didn't share this pleasant experience, I think I need to introduce you to cabbage in a new kind of way.

I have just been to 'The Cult of Beauty' exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Fantastic, and in their words 'an extraordinary artistic movement which sought to escape the ugliness and materialism of the Victorian era by creating a new kind of art and beauty.' I have two new loves. Albert Moore. Dante Gabriel Rossetti. 

Albert Moore 'Midsummer'

Dante Gabriel Rossetti 'Lady Lilith'

So a new kind of art and beauty? 

Can this be applied to cabbage phobias?

I think so

Welcome and hello Nigella Lawson's Vietnamese chicken salad. It seems complicated. It's not. You're still frightened of cabbage? You won't be afterwards.

The checklist:

• 1 chilli, preferably a hot Thai one, seeded and minced
• 1 fat garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce (nuoc nam or nam pla)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Half a medium onion, finely sliced
• Black pepper
• 200g white cabbage, shredded
• 1 medium carrot, shredded, julienned or grated
• 200g cooked chicken breast, shredded or cut into fine strips fat
• Bunch of mint, about 40g stemmed weight

In a bowl, mix the chilli, garlic, sugar, rice vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, vegetable oil, onion and black pepper together. Leave to marinate together for at least 30 minutes.

Then into a large bowl, put the shredded cabbage. Shredded carrot. Shredded cooked chicken breast (I just cooked with a bit of oil/salt/pepper in oven beforehand or during preparation). Chopped mint.

Finally, add the dressing and mix/toss well.

Nigella's looks all finely chopped, but mine is a little more haphazardly cut. This is seriously the BEST salad i have ever tasted. Slightly addictive.

This is NOT, by any means, a generic salad!

paschal lamb

I don't know about you, but I went a little doolally over the double bank holiday weekend. Too much time, sugar and celebration sometimes isn't good for one. I'm glad that wedding fever is firmly off our radar (except for following Kate's vanishing waistline or Pippa's derriere) and chocolate eating can be left for depression. Phew!

Heston's Roast leg of lamb

Needless to say, you don't have to wait until Easter again to gnaw on a good old lamb leg with some flavoursome accompaniments, any Sunday will do! Some dare to say that they find lamb too lamb'ish in taste (I might mention that it's not meant to taste of beef) but I find it always deliciously juicy and moreish and a welcome treat away from the usuals. So sip a glass of Beaujolais and get cooking.

The brain, memory and senses are a wonderful thing. This picture is making me salivate a wee bit, so I'm hoping you feel the same, otherwise I'm just a greedy f***er! Once again this is Mr Heston Blumenthal for Waitrose. Such an easy, simple recipe so it doesn't need re-writing. Everything you need is all there!

Our lamb was beautifully paired with a warm potato puttanesca and a pea, broad bean and edamame bean salad (both of which were found in the Telegraph Magazine).

colourful notes

Beetroot, orange, red onion and olive salad

I love colour. I need some more colour in my life. Most importantly, I need colour on my plate. This is a very unlikely pairing. Beetroot? Orange? Onion? Olive? Mint? Individually. Delightful. Together? You might say 'not in a thousand years' as Somerset Maugham famously quoted in 'The Alien Corn.' However, these sweet and zingy ingredients bode very well together indeed and they look ever so pretty don't they?

'Sweetest taboo' by Sade happened to be humming in the background. I'd forgotten this treasure. These musical notes seem to be a perfect match of depth, colour and simplicity to this salad.

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.

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. 

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...