Twinings - Gingery Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe is great for keeping away colds and bugs, or warming you up on these chilly winter days. The kale crisps add a delicious crunchy texture to the soup, and the Root Ginger tea accentuates the fiery ginger flavours. Check out my full recipe here: http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2016/january/gingery-butternut-squash-soup

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.

Super Simple Parma Ham Egg Muffins

This is one to wow your guests! The effort is minimal but the impact is great :) Perfect for any brunch or breakfast, adding a little diversity. Plus, they're divine.

Ingredients

- eggs

- 1 piece of parma ham for every egg

- a couple of tomatoes, finely sliced (optional)

- chilli flakes

- any herbs or mixed herbs

1. Turn the oven to 180°c, or the grill if you prefer.

2. Rub your muffin tin with a little oil or butter.

3. Line the holes with one slice of parma ham each, trying not to leave any gaps.

4. Place a tomato slice at the bottom (if using), and then crack an egg in each hole. 

5. Top with chilli flakes or herbs, and season well with pepper. The parma ham is already pretty salty!

6. Put them in the oven for around 6-8 minutes, or until the white is cooked and the yolk looks runny.

Eat straight away!

Gluten Free Lemon and Almond Cake

A fail safe recipe that goes down a treat! Perfect for any dinner party, or as a sweet fix with a cup of tea. When I first acquired this recipe from a friend, I changed the quantities as it didn't need 6oz sugar or butter - feel free to add more sugar if you like it sweet though! It still tastes great and it's got just the right amount of sweetness which compliments the sourness of the lemon zest. This got demolished by 6 girls last night, so you might want to make two if you've got 10-12 people over. 

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

- 6oz ground almonds (I whizz them up in a blender for a few minutes as it's cheaper than buying them ground, and adds a crunch to the cake)

- 5oz butter

- 4 oz sugar

- 3 eggs

- zest of 2 lemons

- 1 tsp gluten free baking powder (or normal)

- a few drops of almond essence (this is essential!)

for the icing -

- 3oz icing sugar
- juice from half a lemon

1. Heat the oven to 170°c.  

2. Blitz the almonds if you're doing them yourself, until they resemble granulated sugar or thereabouts. * Try not to over blitz them or they might start turning into almond butter * Remove them from the blender and set aside.

3. Beat the butter and the sugar together in a bowl or food processor for a few minutes until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time. * You may need a spatular to scrape down the sides occasionally *

4. Finally, spoon in the ground almonds, lemon zest, baking powder and essence to form a good cake consistency.

5. Pour the mixture into a smallish cake tin lined with parchment paper, and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until it is cooked right through.

5. When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and leave it to cool for around 10 minutes, before transferring it to a plate or cake tin. Make the icing while it is cooling and pour it over the cake while it is still warm. When the cake completely cools, you'll have a tangy, crispy and delicious topping to add extra moisture to the cake.

6. Top with pomegranate seeds or almonds whilst the icing is still wet.

* Serve hot or cold, on it's own or accompanied with yoghurt or ice cream *

Obsessed About Pomelo - How to Tackle, Eat and Use it

I have fallen in love with this fruit, and I hope if you're reading this, you will too! A somewhat overlooked orangey yellow ball which not many people know what to do with. Pomelo it a citrus fruit, and originates from South and Southeast Asia. Like the orange, it is high in Vitamin C. It's reasonably cheap - ranging between £1-£2, feeds between three and four, easy to dissect and of course, very sweet, healthy and scrumptious. If you haven't purchased one before, now is the time. Pomelo can be found in most independent grocery shops in and around London, often for only £1, and it can also be bought in Lidl for £1.49.

Where to Start!

1. Carefully cut off the plastic covering. You will be left with this, or something similar.

2. Slice off the top until a small amount of the inside is showing. Then make incisions down the sides in order to help you peel it (shown in the photo on the right).

3. Start to peel away the outside like an orange. The skin should come away easily.

4. Discard the skin and put your thumbs in the middle of the fruit, peeling the two sides away from each other. As you will notice, it is much like an orange or grapefruit.

5. The skin is tough and unpleasant, therefore it will need to be removed. It should come away from the flesh easily by pulling the segments apart and peeling off the sides. This is what it looks like when it is ready to eat. Voila!!

Once I have started peeling the pomelo, I usually peel it all and keep any leftovers in a tuppaware in the fridge. It seems to last well and it good to nibble on. Also perfect for a light pudding, or sprinkled on salad and curries.