Criss cross potatoes

Cut the potatoes in half and score the flesh with a diamond pattern no deeper than 3mm.
Lay on a baking tray and splash with olive oil,
sprinkle in salt and pop in the oven for 45 mins.
Tasty! 👍

✔️top tip: for a change try sprinkling with chilli flakes or crushed garlic before baking

Butternut squash soup

I love homemade soup. This is so easy to prepare and has a lovely sweet taste and creamy texture. 

600g butternut squash
1 onion
20g butter
1/2 tsp chilli salt
Salt and pepper to taste
1 veg stock cube

1. Peel and chop butternut squash into small cubes, removing the seeds
2. Finely chop the onion
3. Heat butter in large pan, add onion and cook until it starts to soften
4. Add butternut squash and chilli salt, stir and fry for 5 mins
5. Cover the squash with boiling water, add stock cube and bring to the boil
6. Cover with a lid, turn down to low simmer and cook for 20-30 mins until squash is softened
7. Blend with a hand blender or in the food processor, add extra boiled water if too thick and salt and pepper to taste
8. Return to pan to warm through then serve

Fabulous! 

Sultana loaf

This is so easy to make and who doesn't love a slice of fruit cake? Perfect with an afternoon cuppa. 

*8oz self raising flour
*6 oz Demerara sugar
*6 fl oz cold tea
*8 oz sultanas
*1 egg
*Pinch salt

1)Place the sultanas in a large bowl and cover with the tea for 5 hours or overnight so they are plump and juicy
2)Pre heat oven to 180 C
3)Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin 
4)stir in the flour, sugar and salt into the sultanas and mix well
5)beat the egg and stir into the mix
6)spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and spread evenly
7)pop in the oven and cook for 1 hour, use a skewer to check it comes out dry, if not cover with foil and leave for another 10 mins and check again
8)leave in the tin for 15 mins then turn out on a wire rack to cool

✔️top tip: if you want a softer crust, cover with a tea towel whilst cooling - the steam will soften it. 

Leek and potato soup

Perfect for a cold day or if you need a healthy pick me up

25g butter
6 leeks sliced into circles
1 clove of garlic chopped finely 
1 large potato peeled and chopped into small chunks
400ml veg stock
Sprinkle of chilli salt 

1)heat 25g butter in a large saucepan on a low heat until melted
2)gently fry the garlic, leeks and potato until soft for about 10 mins
3) sprinkle with chilli salt and cook for another couple of mins
3)add veg stock and cook and bring to a bubble 
4)put on a lid and simmer for 20 mins
5) remove from the heat and blend in a food processor or blender 
6)when ready to eat return to heat and warm through 
7) season with salt and pepper and serve 🍵

So tasty!

Check it out on Instagram Leek and potato soup

Cottage pie with sweet potato mash

500g beef mince
400g tin chopped tomatoes 
1 onion
1 leek
2 handfuls of chopped butternut squash
500ml beef stock 
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper seasoning
2 tsp chopped dried oregano 🌿 
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large sweet potatoes 


1. fry the onion and leek n the oil until softened 
2. Add the mince and cook until browned 
3. Add the chopped butternut squash, chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, oregano and beef stock and bring to the boil. Then turn to low heat and simmer for 30 mins
4. While this is cooking, peel and chop the potatoes, add to a large pan of water and and bring to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 15-20 mins until soft and ready to mash. 
5. Mash the potatoes, adding splash of milk if too dry
6. Add the mince to a ovenproof dish and top with the mash
7. Cook in oven 180 degrees c for 30 mins until mince is bubbling underneath the mash
8. Enjoy!
✔️top tip sprinkle the top with grated cheese for the last 5 mins of cooking

Check it out on Instagram: sweet potato cottage pie

Goan Fish curry

Serves 2 •

3 cloves garlic chopped
•3cm ginger chopped
•1 green chilli chopped and seeds removed
•2 tomatoes chopped
•1 tbsp coconut oil
•1 red onion, diced
•1 tbsp garam masala
•1 tbsp ground cumin
•1 x 400ml tin of full-fat coconut milk
•500g haddock fillet, skinned and cut into large chunks
•juice of 1 lime
•½ bunch of coriander

1)chop the garlic, ginger, chilli and tomatoes in a food processor until smooth, then leave to one side.
2)Melt the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat
3)add the onion and fry for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. 4)stir in the garam masala and cumin and fry, stirring continuously, for 30 seconds. 
5)Pour in the blended ingredients and bring to the boil  before pouring in the coconut milk. 
6)Return to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes.
7)Add the haddock pieces to the curry, and bring back to a simmer. 
8)Cook the fish for about 3 minutes, or until it is just cooked through.
9)Stir in the lime juice and coriander, then serve
✔️top tip, add mushrooms at the same time as the onions or spinach at the same time as fish for a different twist

Check it out on Instagram: fish curry

Peanut Butter Cookies 🍪

These are so naughty but sooooo good 👍warning, they won't last long!

•225g peanut butter
•100g soft light brown sugar
•1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
•Pinch salt
•1 large egg
•50g chocolate chips
•1 tsp vanilla essence

1) Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
2)In a large bowl beat together the peanut butter, sugar, bicarbonate and salt.
3) Beat in the egg and vanilla essence into the mixture gently
4)Fold in the chocolate chips.
5)scoop out heaped tablespoons of the cookie dough onto the lined baking sheet about 5cm apart.
6) Bake for 10 minutes until they are slightly darker around the edges but still look uncooked.
7)Leave them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes as they will be fragile. Then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Gorgeous!

✔️top tip: try adding different types of chocolate chips (dark, milk or white) or a mix of 2 or 3@for a different flavour😁🍪

Check it out on Instagram:

Peanut butter cookies 🍪🍪

Sticky banana bake

This is a fantastic cake but can be served a small a pudding too. Delicious hot or cold.

Topping
* 50g butter
* 50g soft light brown sugar

Sponge
* 150g butter
* 175g light brown sugar
* 3 eggs
* vanilla essence
* 100g self raising flour
* 75g plain flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 2 bananas
* 1 tbsp treacle

1. Grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment and grease again. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. First make the sticky topping. Place the butter and brown sugar in a pan over a medium heat. Once the butter is melted, turn up the heat and let the mixture bubble for a few minutes, until it begins to thicken slightly. Stir it frequently so it does not catch on the bottom.
3. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the lined tin and tip the tin back and forth to spread it out evenly. The mixture will eventually solidify in the tin so make sure to spread it out now
4. Now make the sponge mixture. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at time and beat well. Then add a few drops of vanilla essence
5. Fold in both flours, the baking powder, cinnamon, treacle and set aside.
6. Slice the bananas into 5mm thick pieces. Arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of the tin. Pack them in tight so they don’t move around once the cake mix goes over.
7. Carefully sprea the cake mix over the bananas and gently spread it out with the back of a spoon or palate knife, levelling the top. Pop it in the oven for about 45 mins.
8. After 35 mins, remove the cake from the oven and insert a metal skewer into the centre (but not touching the bottom). It should come out completely clean. If there is some wet mixture on it put it back in the oven for another five minutes or so.
9. Once the cake is cooked remove it from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes. Then put a large flat plate over the top of the tin and holding the tin and the plate, flip the whole lot over so the tin is now upside down. Gently remove the tin & carefully peel off the baking parchment
10. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold
✔️Top tip: try adding pecans for a different taste!

Check it out on Instagram:sticky banana bake

Veg and prawn stir fry 🍤 🍴

This is so easy and a great way to use up any left over veg.

•1 carrot
•1 red onion
•1 onion
•6 broccoli florets
•2 handfuls of Savoy cabbage
•200g peeled and cooked prawns
•8 cherry tomatoes
•1 tbsp coconut oil
•1 fresh red chilli
•Salt and pepper to season
1) finely chop the vegetables and chilli removing the seeds
2)heat the coconut oil and stir fry the vegetables and chilli on a high heat for 5 mins or until they start to soften
3)slice the tomatoes in half and add to the mix.
4)fry until the tomatoes start to soften
5)add the prawns and heat through for a couple of minutes
6) season with salt and pepper and serve

✔️top tip: add a handful of olives at the same time as the prawns 👍

Veg and Prawn stir fry