Recipe: Chicken Dim Sum

I love rediscovering cookbooks. Do you ever find that you end up cooking the same things over and over when you're in a rush, and things just get a little boring? That's when I return to my little library of cookbooks.

When time's an issue Jamie's 15 Minute Meals is the perfect companion. Ok, it might not take 15 minutes, and some of the ingredients are hideously expensive, as are lots of the specialised equipment he uses, but with careful tweaking you can still make a tasty dinner without breaking the bank.

Old Mother Hubbard

I was away last weekend and, when I returned on Monday, I wanted something quick, healthy and tasty.

Summerberry Scrunch

This recipe is a super healthy, delicious mix of soft greek yogurt, summer fruits and crumbly oat topping. The oaty topping is full of protein rich nuts and seeds and uses margarine to help reduce 'bad' cholesterol by lowering the amount of LDLs (low density lipoproteins) in the blood. The use of honey and Agave syrup with minimal muscovado sugar provide sweetness in the most natural way possible. Omitting double cream and using greek yoghurt gives a healthy creamy contrast to the sharpness of the summer fruits.

Recipe: Almond and Lemon Roulade

I've mentioned hundreds of times before that I adore meringue, and, after sampling my friend Andy's delicious chocolate roulade, I knew it was about time that I tried my hand at making one.

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Because I'm fond of sharp, citrussy flavours, it had to be a lemon one, an almond and lemon one to be exact. I borrowed the recipe from the BBC Good Food website (the reason why I no longer buy any new cook books - this website is a life saver)

Buckwheat Eggs Benedict

I've been meaning to make savoury buckwheat pancakes for what feels like forever. Unfortunately the supermarkets had other plans and I couldn't find buckwheat flour anywhere.

Inevitably, I ended up in Wholefoods, and seeing that this packet of buckwheat pancake mix was on offer, I couldn't resist snapping one up.

Buckwheat is an excellent flour to use for people with food intolerance. This is because it's wheat, gluten, dairy, yeast, soy and egg free, as well as being suitable for vegans. While many people believe that buckwheat is a cereal grain, it is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb and sorrel. In terms of texture, buckwheat is pretty dense and heavy. You certainly feel pretty full after a pancake or two!

Ribs and Romance

M and I recently celebrated our four year anniversary. This, more than anything, is a perfect reason to eat out. And we all know that I don't need an excuse to do that! Usually, if I haven't eaten out by the time Wednesday comes around, I've started suffering withdrawal symptoms and broken out in a cold sweat.

Ok that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it's not too far off the truth...

For once we decided to celebrate a special occasion by staying in, cooking up a storm, and sharing a bottle of prosecco.

Diet? What Diet?! 2 Ingredient Banana Pancakes

I just have to share these insane pancakes. They're the healthiest, tastiest pancakes around and best of all they're made from just two ingredients.

Recipe: Goat's Cheese and Butternut Squash Tartlet

We had a fantastic meal last Saturday at The Stag, Offchurch. My delicious vegetarian main inspired me to make my own version. This is an incredibly easy weekday meal, which is both beautiful to look at and to eat. I served my tart with steamed kale, my current favourite vegetable.

Goat's Cheese Tartlet with squash, red onion marmalade and pumpkin seeds.