Coconut Cakes

Hi everyone! I hope you are all okay. What have you been up to? I am reaching the end of my teaching placement now - it has been great to get back to things after a few months ill and I am looking forward to my final placement in September.

Today's recipe is for some healthy coconut cakes - this recipe is one that I adapted from a couple I found on various baking sites, primarily to fit in with what I had available at the time!

To make 9 cakes, you will need:

• 140g unsweetened dessicated coconut
• 20g spelt flour
• 30g ground almonds
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 egg whites
• 4 tbsp agave nectar

1. To make, simply blend all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add a tablespoon or two of the mixture into cupcake cases.
3. Bake at 180c for around 15-20 minutes, until starting to go golden around the edges.
   

I'd love to know what you think?

Thanks for reading!

Healthy Dinner Idea (no.2)

Hello everyone! How are you all? I hope you are well. Today's post isn't a recipe as such, more of an idea for a healthy dinner that is super quick to make.

I bought the root mash and vegetable and halloumi kebabs from Asda but made the crispy carrots myself.

To make the crispy carrots, you simply need:

• 1 - 2 carrots
• Seasoning

1. Finely chop the carrots into slices, around 1 cm thick.
2. Spread onto a baking tray and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Bake at 180c for 20 minutes.

You could always add some cooked chicken onto the kebabs too if you prefer some meat with your main!

What do you think?

Thanks for reading!

Shopping List

Hello everyone! Today I thought I would do a post on my shopping list staples. Although this might seem fairly straightforward, I thought I would tell you some of the basics I always like to have in my cupboard. I find these lists helpful to read, so hopefully you will too!

Carrots – I always like to keep carrots in, mainly because they act as such a good, healthy ingredient to bulk up dishes. I use them all the time in pasta sauces, bakes, etc. I find that they can help a dish that would normally only last the one night go a much longer way!

Chopped tomatoes – I always have at least 3 or 4 cans of these in! I buy Sainsbury’s basics for 35p a carton; there really is very little difference between them and the expensive tins so don’t fork out for the pricey ones.

Lentils - As you might have gathered from a lot of my recipes, I love lentils and they are so handy to have in! I tend to keep a bag of red lentils and a bag of green puy lentils in my cupboard - they are worth buying as they really do go a long way. 

Tinned fruit/Frozen fruit – I always try to eat fresh fruit but I always find it handy to have some tinned fruit in my cupboard or frozen fruit in my freezer. You can use them for desserts or just as a snack and you don't have the problem of them going off quickly!

Wholegrain pasta – I know the majority of people will always have a pack of pasta in their cupboard anyway but we recently made the switch to wholegrain pasta and I love it! I actually prefer the taste and texture and it has the added health benefits in comparison to regular pasta.

Balsamic vinegar – Although some bottles of this can be quite pricey, I would definitely recommend investing in a good quality bottle of this. It works great as a dressing and I love adding it to all my tomato-based dishes as it adds an extra depth of flavour.

What do you always like to have in?

Let me know if you like this post and I could do another one!

Thanks for reading! 

Home Decor Wishlist

Hi everyone! How are you all today? How is your week going? I love buying lovely things for our flat and making everywhere feel 'homey' - I have a bit of an obsession with things like blankets (like the one my Mum kindly made for us - see that HERE). Anyway, like my recent garden wishlist, I thought I would put together a post of all the home things I have my eye on at the moment.

Oliver Bonas - Tealight Holder

Oliver Bonas - Astrid Cup

Cath Kidston - Patchwork Doorstop

Laura Ashley - Egyptian Cotton Duvet Cover

Laura Ashley - Tenby Storage Boxes

Thanks for reading!

The British Tag

Hi everyone! How are you all doing? A slightly different post today but I thought this looked really fun to answer so I thought I would give it a go. Why don't you have a go too?

1. How many cups of tea do you have a day? + How many sugars?

This has changed a lot over the past couple of years. I used to have two, then one and now for the past few weeks I have been having it without (yes, you heard right!).

2. Favourite part of your Roast?

Roast parsnips - mmm. Although my Mum's Sunday Roast is pretty amazing all round really.

3. Favourite Biscuits

This is a tricky one - I think I would have to say a Bourbon. Or just your standard cookie.

4. Favourite British past time

Relaxing in the garden with a cup of tea! (I struggled to think of specifically British ones sorry..)

5. Favourite Part of Britain?

I feel I have been quite spoilt with where I have lived. My family home is fairly close to the Lake District which is beautiful, but I am also now spoilt by the Sussex coast and South Downs where I currently live.

6. Favourite British Holiday?

From when I was tiny to when I was probably around 13/14, I used to visit Cornwall every year and still have fond memories of some of the lovely places we visited.

7. Favourite sweet

Do I really have to pick a favourite? I like too many (oops) - Jelly Babies?

8. What would your pub be called?

My pub would be called The Garden (it would have a lovely outside area) and would serve lovely British ciders (my favourite!).

9. No.1 British person

I'm sure there are better people I could have chosen here but the first person who comes to mind is Michael McIntyre - I think he is hilarious.

10. Favourite Coastline

This has definately got to be the Sussex Coast - since moving down here last August, I am gradually getting to see more and more of the coast and it truly is beautiful. Some days you can even forget you're in England!

11.  Favourite British Artist?

I would have to say Mumford and Sons or Ben Howard.

12. Opinions on Marmite?

As far as I know I don't like it...although I haven't tried it in a very long time so who knows now. Maybe I should try it again, or maybe not. What do you think?

Thanks for reading!

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

Hello everyone! I hope you are all okay - what have you all been up to? I am very busy with teaching but am enjoying it. Today's recipe is for Lemon Drizzle cupcakes. The recipe is taken from Mary Berry but then I decided to split the mixture into cupcakes rather than do a traybake.

To make you will need:

• 225g (8 oz) butter 
• 225g (8 oz) caster sugar
• 275g (10 oz) self-raising flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 4 tablespoons milk
• Finely grated rind of 2 lemons

For the topping

• 175g (6 oz) granulated sugar
• Juice of 2 lemons

1. Simply blend the main ingredients in a bowl and place a spoonful in cupcake cases - I made 22 cupcakes.
2. Bake at 180c for around 10-15 minutes until starting to go golden brown.
3. Allow to cool for a few minutes. 
4. Mix the granulated sugar and lemon juice together until it makes a paste. Drizzle over the top of your cupcakes.

Thanks for reading!

Spelt Biscuits - Sharpham Park

Hi everyone! I hope you are all okay. I was recently sent a couple of products to try out from Sharpham Park* - the Organic Spelt Grain and a range of Organic Spelt and Rye Flour. Spelt is an increasingly popular alternative to wheat and is widely agreed to be suitable for those with wheat intolerances (although this isn't to be confused with gluten intolerances). I was really excited to try these organic products out in my baking as I had never worked with spelt before!

I decided to have a go at making some spelt savoury biscuits - the perfect accompaniment to some cheese and chutneys!

To make, you will need:

• 80g Spelt flour
• 40g butter/margarine
• 20g Spelt grain
• 15g sunflower seeds

1. Simply blend the flour, butter, grain and seeds together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Gradually add the water to bind the mixture.
3. Flatten mounds of the mixture onto a lined baking tray.
4. Bake at 180c for 10-15 minutes.

Overall, I really enjoyed the spelt flour and grain and look forward to using the rest of it! It had a lovely, nutty flavour.

Thanks for reading!

CeruLondon - Blogger Event

Hello everyone! How are you all? I hope you are all well. I recently attended my first foodie event at Ceru in London on the Riviera, right by Tower Bridge. It was a great night and it was so lovely to meet some fellow bloggers, including Amanda who I have spoken to since I started this blog. I got the opportunity to try lots of delicious Eastern Mediterranean cuisine and taste some cocktails too! The perfect combination! Overall, I loved spending my evening in the gorgeous sunshine by the river with some great food and company - it made for a memorable first blogger's event.

Zucchini and Mussel Fritters

Calamari

Slow Roasted Lamb

Cauliflower with Pomegranate and Walnuts

I would definately recommend stopping by here if you are in the area!

I hope you have enjoyed reading.

Creamy Pasta and Vegetable Bake

Hello everyone! How are you all? Today's recipe is for a creamy pasta and vegetable bake - the perfect dish when you fancy some comfort food! You can use whatever vegetables you have in but I think broccoli and cauliflower work really well.

To make, you will need:

• Half a broccoli (chopped)
• Half a cauliflower (chopped)
• One bowl of dried pasta 
• 1 oz plain flour
• 1 oz butter
• 1 pint of milk
• A few handfuls of grated cheese (you can add as much as you like - I like mine quite cheesy!)

1. In a pan, boil the broccoli, cauliflower and pasta for 10 minutes. 
2. Drain and place in an ovenproof dish and leave to the side.
3. In a pan, add the flour, butter and milk and gently simmer until the mixture thickens, stirring continuously. 
4. Once the sauce starts to thicken, add the cheese and stir.
5. Pour the cheese sauce over the vegetables and pasta and pop in the oven at 180c for around 10-15 minutes.
6. I like to top my bake with some oats and sesame seeds to make a crunchy topping!

Let me know what you think?

Thanks for reading!

Stoats

Hello everyone! How are you all today? I hope you are well. I was recently contacted by the lovely people over at Stoats to see if I would be interested in trying some of their porridge oat products*. As a big breakfast fan (as you might have already gathered) - I was very keen to get involved and give them a try.

Here are the products and what I thought about them:

Oatcakes: Rustic and Chipotle Chilli

These oatcakes are the perfect snack to have with some cheese or pate. Although I wouldn't necessary have these on their own as they would be rather dry, they make the perfect alternative to breadsticks or crackers. The chilli flavoured oatcakes also have that extra bit of zing to them!

 Porridge: Scottish and Apple and Cinnamon

 Porridge to go pots: Cranberry and Blueberry, Classic and Apple and Cinnamon

Porridge: Apricot and Sultana, Sunflower and Poppy Seed

I am generally a big fan of porridge and love a bowl full, especially when you are feeling a bit under the weather or tired. So when all these lovely boxes and pots arrived for me to try I was very excited. The larger boxes will last me for a little while longer I'm sure as a small bowl of porridge can go a long way in terms of filling me up.

I also enjoyed the small on the go pots as they are really handy to take to work.

Overall, my favourite flavours were Cranberry and Blueberry for the rich, fruity flavours and the Sunflower and Poppy Seed for the texture.

Cereal oat bars: Apple and Cinnamon, Blueberry and Honey, Raspberry and Honey

I love cereal bars so I was looking forward to trying these out. From the look of the bars, I was a little worried that they might be a bit dry and stodgy because sometimes oat bars can be. However, I really enjoyed these and found them to be a light but filling snack.

Thanks for reading!

Choc Chip Cookies

Hi everyone! Hope you are all okay. I am busy busy with teaching but there is always time to bake choc chip cookies - isn't there? Yum!

To make, you will need:

• 150g caster sugar
• 150g butter
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 200g self raising flour
• 1 egg
• 100g chocolate (broken into chunks)

1. In a large bowl, blend the sugar, butter and vanilla essence.
2. Add the egg and flour and blend together. 
3. Gently stir in the chocolate chunks.
4. Spoon out mounds of the mixture onto a lined baking tray - I made 18 cookies.
5. Bake at 180c for around 10-15 minutes until starting to go golden brown around the edges - I like to keep an eye on these as they bake so I can catch them while they are still a bit gooey in the centre!

What do you think of this recipe?! I hope you like it, let me know.

Thanks for reading!