Flossie's Delicious Pumpkin Soup

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while, things have been busy! My friend Floss cooked an amazing soup for me this week that I thought I ought to recreate and share - all credit goes to her. It is super fresh and tasty, with very few ingredients and perfect for October.

Ingredients (serves 4)

- 2 red onions, chopped

- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped in half

- 3 carrots, roughly chopped

- 2 sweet potatoes, roughly chopped with their skins on

- 1/4 medium pumpkin or 1/2 a small one, peeled and roughly chopped

- 1 chilli, chopped with or without seeds depending on your spice tolerance

- 1 tin of coconut milk

- 1 litre stock using 1 vegetable stock cube and 1/2 chicken stock cube

- 1 tsp dried basil

- salt and pepper

1. There is no need to use any oil, simply put your onions and garlic into a large heated saucepan and then add the coconut milk. Simmer away slowly while you prepare the veg.

2. Put everything else into the saucepan and cook with a lid on for 20-25 mins on a medium-high heat, until the vegetables are soft. 

3. Blitz the vegetables in a food mixer or smoothie blender - do this a little at a time or the heat might cause the soup to overflow or splash everywhere.

Serve with fresh bread and a sprinkling of seeds.

Twinings Tea Recipes

I am excited to announce that I will be creating and executing some more recipes for Twinings over the winter months, using a number of their new teas. Visit www.twinings.co.uk/blog in the next few weeks to find some of my recipes. I have included some images and links below of my summer Twinings recipes.

Gluten, Dairy and Sugar Free Apple & Rosehip Raw Cheesecake

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/gluten,-dairy-and-sugar-free-cheesecake

Dairy, Sugar Free Apple & Pear Fruits Summer Pudding

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/dairy,-sugar-free-summer-pear-berry-fruits-pudding

Dairy Free Fudge Melts Green Tea Carrot and Raisin Cake

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/dairy-free-fudge-melts-green-tea-carrot-and-raisin

Dairy and Gluten Free Blueberry and Courgette Muffins with Earl Grey Green Tea

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/dg-free-blueberry-and-courgette-muffins

Intensely Lime & Ginger Prawn Asian Noodle Broth

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/prawn-noodle-asian-broth-with-lime-ginger-tea

Inspired by Zoe McNulty - Summer Salad with Lemon Zest Chicken and Blueberries

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/july/summer-salad-with-lemon-zest-chicken

  

Healthy Nutty Granola with Coconut, Rice Puffs and Goji Berries

This granola is perfection! The amount of syrup has been reduced to just the right quantity, making it nice and healthy, whilst retaining its deliciousness. The gluten free rice puffs are a must.

Ingredients (makes 15 servings)

to bake -

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp sweet freedom syrup or agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract

300g oats

50g sunflower seeds

50g pumpkin seeds

4 tbsp sesame seeds

100g almonds, roughly chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

to add at the end -

2 handfuls of puffed rice

1 handful of brazil nuts

3 tbsp linseeds

2 tbsp goji berriess

6 tbsp desiccated coconut

1. Set the oven to 150°c. Line two baking trays with parchment or baking paper and set aside.

2. Pour all the wet ingredients into a large bowl and stir well. Add the rest of the baking ingredients to the bowl and mix until combined. (Leave the last 5 ingredients until the granola has cooked.)

3. Spread the mixture even between two baking trays in a thin layer and cook for 20 minutes.

4. After 20 minutes, remove the trays from the oven and move the granola about so that it does not burn. Place them back in the oven for a further 15 minutes until golden.

5. Allow the granola to cool for at least 10 minutes, and then combine the two trays together in a bowl.

6. Add the final ingredients, mix thoroughly, then pour into a suitable airtight container.

Eat this delicious granola for breakfast, with yoghurt or milk, or simply sprinkle on salads and other food to add a sweet crunch.

C Food London - A Hidden Pop-Up Gem

I thought this was worth a blog review as it was such a special evening, and the food was stunning! Having seen a few photos posted on Instagram from friends, I knew this one was a must visit. C Food is a pop-up alfresco restaurant at 29 Peckham Road and is home to oysters and other fresh seafood delights every Sunday evening, as well as some lovely young staff; until 27th September.

 The venue is stunning, everything has it's place, and if you go on the right night, you'll be treated and greeted with live music! As you step into the courtyard, your worries subside and you feel like you're in the South of France for one night only. An exotic healthy alcoholic beverage will be waiting for you at the bar, and there is also a wide selection of other thirst-quenching drinks.

The starter is a large plate of oysters, and wow are they delicious! Having thought I would only try one (as I'm not a great fan), one turned into three, and would have been more, if it hadn't been for the hungry band members who we were sharing with. 

Salt water, lemon, tabasco and Norfolk oyster = dreamy!

After much chatting and mingling, the piece de resistance arrives. You'll find your eyes bulging so wide that your vision is blurred (check photo above). Time to feast on huge prawns, dressed crab, amazing homemade fish pate, smoked salmon, mussels, radishes, new potatoes, salad, fresh bread, and delicious homemade aioli. 

You'll soon find that it has turned dark and you don't want to leave. Great atmosphere and divine food - Thank you C Food London.

@CFoodLondon

www.cfoodlondon.com

Dairy-Free Carrot, Cinnamon and Walnut Cake

This was a perfect dinner party dessert last week, a recipe that never fails! Sunflower oil is used instead of butter, which helps keep the cake moist and light. It's delicious served with a yoghurt topping, for those that can eat dairy, or simply dusted with icing sugar or cinnamon.

Ingredients (serves 8)

- 6oz (170g) caster or light brown sugar

- 6oz (170g) sunflower or vegetable oil

- 3 eggs

- 5.4oz (153g) plain flour

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 1/3 tsp baking powder

- 2 tsp cinnamon

- 12oz (340g) grated carrot, roughly 2 1/2 large carrots

- 1oz (28g) walnut pieces (or more!) 

* I didn't use raisins this time, but you can add a handful if you feel like it *

1. Heat the oven to 170°c.

2. Mix the sugar and the oil in a bowl and then add the eggs one at a time. * Don't worry if the mixture curdles a bit *

3. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon into another bowl and mix well. Fold the flour mix into the egg mix and stir until combined.

4. Then stir in the grated carrots and walnuts into the cake mix (and raisins if using) and place in a suitable round cake tin with a removable base. 

5. Cook the cake at 170°c for 25 minutes and then turn the heat down to 160°c and cook for a further 20/25 minutes.

6. When the cake is ready, remove it from the oven and leave it to cool for around 10 minutes (otherwise it will deflate in size). Then gently scrape around the sides with a spatular to remove it from the edge. 

* Sieve some icing sugar or grated cinnamon on top for decoration *

My Baba Ganoush

It's an odd thing cooking a whole aubergine, but then again, it's pretty satisfying. Baga Ganoush is quite straight forward, tasty and healthy - however it's a bit of an effort too! Most recipes will ask for tahini, but I prefer to use peanut butter as it's less strong. One aubergine doesn't go very far, and then it's gone in a flash. So if you're making this dip for a lot of people, try double or tripling the quantities. 

Ingredients (makes a small bowl)

- 1 whole aubergine, washed

- 1 small clove of garlic

- 4 sprigs of mint, stalks removed and leaves kept

- a few drops of sesame oil

- 1/2 tbsp smooth peanut butter 

- juice of half a lemon

- salt and pepper

1. Turn the oven to 200c and cover a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Place your aubergine in the oven for 40-50 minutes, turning occasionally. *Some recipes say to prick the aubergine first, but this makes it harder to peel when it's cooked*

2. When the aubergine is charred and flattened slightly, take it out of the oven and peel off the skin.

*The aubergine will let off some water*

3. The water needs to be removed to form a smooth creamy texture. Put the aubergine in a sieve and push out the water with a spoon.

4. Mix all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

 

Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds to add a little colour.

Naughty Chocolatey Brownies

A brownie recipe that never fails! I made these for 30-40 people in the summer and they were a huge hit. The brownie mix is extremely good, so expect to eat half the mix before cooking!

Ingredients (makes 8 very large pieces)

- 100g plain flour (I have made them using gluten-free flour and they're still very good. Next time I want to try ground almonds)

- 250g unsalted butter

- 300g caster sugar or soft brown sugar

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 75g good quality cocoa powder

- 4 eggs

- 100g plain chocolate or white chocolate (drops or from a bar - not too dark unless you like rich brownies), mashed into small pieces

1. Start by turning the oven to 180°c. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer for a few minutes and then gradually add the eggs one at a time.

2. Add the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and blitz until smooth. 

3. Stir in the chopped chocolate drops or pieces and then place in a suitable lined square cake tin.

4. Put the brownies on the floor of the oven for 25 minutes and then turn the oven down to 140°c (simmering oven) and bake for another 20 minutes in the centre of the oven.

* If you have doubled the mixture, then 40 minutes for baking and 35 for simmering * Try adding chopped nuts or raspberries for someting different *

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free - Date and Banana Flapjacks

A post that will hopefully make you feel even more festive the day before Christmas. If you're struggling with a few presents, why not cook these super quick flapjacks, wrap them up, and make someone smile tomorrow - there's still time! I found this recipe online a couple of months ago and have made a couple of batches of flapjacks since. Both of which were extremely delicious, super easy, and very quick.

Ingredients (makes 9 rectangles)

- 180g oats (gluten free if intolerant)

- 175g dates, chopped

- 2 very ripe bananas

- 80ml vegetable oil

- 1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Start by turning your oven to 175°c. Mash the bananas well in a large bowl and then add the chopped dates and oil.

2. Next stir in the oats and vanilla essence, and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so that the oats absorb the oil.

3. Place the mixture into a suitable greased baking dish/tray (I used a rectangular glass one) and flatten it down. Cook for 25-30 minutes, until golden.

Spring Salads with a Variety of Dressings

Quinoa and Barley Salad with Ratatouille and Roasted Nuts

Ratatouille is so simple to make, and I love putting it in salads. Add it to quinoa or barley, mix in some chopped coriander and a few squeezes of lemon juice, then top it with roasted nuts for a yummy alternative to standard salads. 

Cucumber and Pomegranate Salad with Mixed Nuts and Seeds

Pomegranates add that extra sweetness to salads, and if matched with a sour lemon dressing, you can't go wrong. Mix 2 tsp mayonnaise with 2 tsp dijon mustard, then add the juice or half a small lemon. Gradually pour in good quality olive oil until it reaches a good consistency.

Seafood Salad with Chicory, Grapes, Tomatoes and Fresh Coriander

Seafood mixes are a great way to bulk up salads and make them look and taste exotic. Use the dressing mentioned above, and add some honey to sweeten it up a little.

Mushroom and Pomegranate Salad with an Assortment of Nuts

Match the sweet pomegranate seeds with a balsamic dressing. Shake up 4 tbsp good quality olive oil with 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, half a garlic clove (crushed), 1 tsp dijon mustard, a few dashes of worcester sauce and a pinch of sugar in a jam jar. If you shake it well, the ingredients won't separate. Add another sprinkle of vinegar if you want it extra tangy.

Vegetarian Quiche with Goats Cheese and Tomatoes

Everyone seems to be scared of pastry, but it needn't be so daunting. It's one to wow the cavalry for sure. Quiche fillings are endless, so it's a great thing to try when you have a mish mash of ingredients in the fridge; and we all know using up leftovers will save the pennies. For those meat lovers, add some bacon bits or leftover roast chicken to the mix.

Ingredients (serves 8-10)

for the pastry -

- 225g plain flour

- 100g butter from the fridge, cut into small pieces

- a pinch of salt

- 3-4 tbsp water

for the filling -

- 3 spring onions, chopped

- 8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

- one handful of mangetout

- 2 large broccoli florets, chopped

- 6 mushrooms, chopped

- 2 eggs

- 100g soured cream or single cream

- 60g milk

- 100g grated goats cheese, cheddar or parmesan

- pepper

1. Set the oven to 180°c and then start making the pastry. Sift the flour into a bowl, then add the salt and pieces of butter. Using your fingertips (your palms should be clean), rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs and all the starch is mixed in. When adding the water, it is important to do it gradually so that the pastry isn't too wet. Once the pastry forms a ball, knead it for a minute in the bowl. This will also help pick up any excess pastry. Wrap the pastry in cling film and place it in the fridge for around 10-20 minutes. (If you are the organised type, you could prepare the pastry up to a day in advance).

2. While the pastry is resting, you can get on with the filling. Add a little sunflower oil to a frying pan and brown the spring onions. After a few minutes, put in all the other vegetables, apart from the mushrooms (as they need less time to cook). Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes on a medium/high heat.

3. Leave the vegetables on a low heat and begin to blind bake your pastry. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the pastry. Place it over a suitable shallow dish and gently cut the excess bits off with a pair of scissors. (The excess can be used to make a smaller tart or saved for another occasion). You will need some baking parchment to separate the pastry from your blind baking beans (as shown below). Cook the pastry in the oven for 10 minutes.

4. While the pastry is in the oven, add the mushrooms to the rest of the vegetables and cook for a few minutes.

5. In a bowl, mix the eggs, milk, soured cream, grated cheese of your choice and pepper. Then add the cooked vegetables to the mixture, and pour everything over the pastry once it had been blind baked.

6. Cook the quiche in the oven for 25 minutes until golden and delicious, and serve with a light salad.

Banana, Date and Yoghurt Smoothie

This made my morning! Inspired by Waitrose Kitchen Magazine, I adapted their recipe to make this easy, scrumptious and filling breakfast smoothie. To find out my recipe for homemade flaxseed, check out my previous posts.

Ingredients (serves 2)

- 1 large banana

- 4 medjool dates

- 30g plain oats

- 100ml plain yoghurt

- 100ml apple juice (I used Cawston's Apple and Carrot Juice as that's all I had)

- 1 tbsp homemade mixed seed flaxseed 

1. Simply whizz all the ingredients together in a tall blender until they are at the right consistency. Add more apple juice to make it more runny, or more yoghurt to make it thicker. 

January Seville Marmalade

I have always relied on my mum to make delicious marmalade, but I thought it was about time I attempted my own. It's safe to say now that it's not as easy as it looks! Don't expect it to be the same process as other jams, it's a tedious and long journey...but so worth it in the end. If it's your first time (like me), don't rush it, or the marmalade won't set properly. I'm not going to lie, that's what happened to this batch - it wasn't fun! I will now cherish every pot of homemade marmalade like it's gold. I owe this post to my wonderful mother for teaching me the ways of marmalade making.

Ingredients (makes roughly 6 odd sized jars)

- 1kg seville oranges

- 3 large lemons (100g each)

- 2.3kg cold water (equal quantity of water to fruit)

- 2.6kg granulated sugar (double the quantity of fruit)

- 6-8 suitable jam jars, clean and hot

- jam jar wax discs

- cellophane jam pot covers and elastic bands or jam jar lids

1. Start by turning on the oven to 130°c for your clean jam jars later. Place the oranges and lemons into a large pressure cooker (preferably stainless steel). Cover the fruit with the measured water and place on the hob on a high heat with the lid on. When the steam vent starts spinning round, turn the heat down to very low and simmer for 10 minutes. Take it off the heat after 10 minutes and spoon out the fruit, preserving the citrus flavoured water.

2. Now for the tedious process of dealing with the fruit. Start by cutting each piece of fruit in half and spooning out the middle. Put the middle pulp into a sieve on top of a measuring jug or bowl and place the skins aside into another bowl. Gradually pulverize the pulp through the sieve using a spoon, until you've got all the juice out, and then throw away the contents of the sieve. Continue this process until you have dealt with all the fruit.

3. Before you go any further, you need to put your clean jam jars (N.B. these can be made clean in the dishwasher) in the preheated oven to warm up. It's time to cut up the fruit skins into small pieces or to your desired size. Some people use a mixer to cut up their orange peel, but mum has always advised me to do it by hand.

4. Measure out the fruit pulp and top it up with the fruity water until it measures the right amount (equal quantity of water to original fruit - in this case 2.3kg).

5. Pour the pulp, fruit water, orange peel pieces and sugar back into your large pressure cooker. Heat the ingredients slowly on a low heat (without the lid) until the sugar is dissolved, and then turn the heat to full. 

6. Cook the marmalade on high, stirring frequently so that it doesn't stick to the bottom, for about 20-25 minutes after it starts bubbling. Make sure you don't try to take it off before it's set, otherwise you'll have to re-cook it all! To see if it's properly set, stick a wooden spoon in and lift it up so you can see it drip. The very last drip should start to drip but rest half dropped. You should be able to waggle the spoon without the half drip dropping off. The marmalade should also be darker in colour than at the beginning. If you're like my uncle, who likes his marmalade very dark, just cook it for longer.

7. Take the jam jars out of the oven, and remember to be wary, as they're very hot! Carefully pour your marmalade into a plastic measuring jug so it's easy to pour into the jam jars. Make sure you do this slowly, or it might splatter everywhere. 

8. Now you can pour the marmalade into the hot jam jars. Make sure you fill each jar to the top, otherwise it'll go off rather quickly. It's inevitably going to spill a bit, so have a wet cloth nearby to clean the jar sides. 

9. It is important to cover your marmalade jars as soon as possible. Place suitable sized wax discs on top of the marmalade. If you're using jam jar lids, make sure they are clean and dry, and screw them on tightly. If you're using cellophane jam pot covers, wet them one at a time, individually with a cloth before stretching them over each jar. Use a rubber band to secure them and pull the cellophane tight to form a flat lid. 

You can either leave your marmalade pretty and natural, cover the lids with round pieces of material, or make special labels.