These are great for a gluten free friend as a gift or perfect for all the family when you want to make your own mince pies for a special festive treat. Our mincemeat is sugar free but still sweet and the pastry is short and delicious. Decorate the tops with cut out pastry shapes to make them extra pretty! What better to get you in the festive spirit!…
Snacks
Chocolate Dipped Figs
This is a very easy way to give a gluten free or vegan friend a foodie present for Christmas – or any time really! You need very few ingredients or cooking to do this – just a little bit of time to allow the chocolate to set. Wrap in a little box to give your friend a special surprise as they open up! They also make an excellent nibble for after dinner. …
Savoury Pumpkin Muffins
Every year around Halloween, we wonder what to do with scraped out pumpkin flesh and an abundance of vibrant other squashes. Here’s one of a few solutions we have newly invented this year. A tasty savoury pumpkin muffin – a perfect alternative to bread to have with soup or great as a breakfast muffin or quick snack….
Tapas Time! Tortilla
Tortilla or Spanish Omelette is perhaps the most known tapas dish outside of Spain, but these days doesn’t feature so much on the tapas menus in a new wave of fancy restaurants and bars serving this ever popular cuisine. We thought we’d give a little tribute to the lovely tortilla even so, and hope you’ll enjoy making it! It’s easy, but you need to be careful not to burn the base whilst it cooks. Serve with lots of fresh parsley and preferably some Sun!!…
Tapas Time! Chard and Chickpea Salad
This is quite an earthy tapas dish, really lifted by a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Chickpeas and chard are both extremely good for you – full of nutrients and protein. If you can’t get chard, you could use spinach instead – it works just as well. Be sure not to overcook the greens to ensure you get a nice taste (it goes bitter if it’s overdone) and preserve the maximum nutrients. Serve warm or at room temperature….
Tapas Time! Roast Pepper Salad
You can use any type of pepper for this dish, but the long skinny, even slightly spicy, ones work really well. If your peppers have very tough skins you could remove them after roasting by putting them in a plastic bag and waiting till they’ve cooled. Then remove the skins – they should come off fairly easily. With fresh, seasonal peppers, this shouldn’t really be necessary. Use good quality olives – it really makes a difference to this dish!…
Tapas time! Patatas Bravas
Making some tasty tapas dishes is a easy way to cook relaxed meal for friends. Patatas bravas or roast potatoes in spiced tomato sauce are a mainstay on the tapas scene and there are many different versions – some with a very smooth sauce, others more chunky (like ours). The potatoes should be lightly roasted so they have some colour but you don’t want the skins to be too crisp. Serve along with other dishes to make a lovely colourful table at any time of year. …
Borlotti Bean humous
Borlotti beans have a lovely silky smooth texture when turned into humous. The addition of lemon oil adds a lovely sharp zing to the the mix. Serve with some biscuits or crackers or spread on toast with some fresh or sun dried tomatoes. …
Coconut Ice Lollies
If you’ve ever read the ingredients on a shop bought ice lolly, you’ll know they’re invariably packed full of sugar and all kinds of other ingredients that are almost certainly not healthy. This is a super speedy, healthy and delicious alternative. Fresh fruit, agave syrup and coconut milk and literally nothing else! …
Cucumber Boats
These look really fancy and make perfect canapés for a party without the fuss. Quick and easy, they will impress with next to no effort. A good fresh cucumber is essential – no flabby, passed it affair will be up to scratch – invest in an organic one! Pink peppercorns to top add a subtle crunch and spice without being overpowering. …