Nom Nom

Ummmm OK so if you know me then you'll know that right now I'm just really in to my fresh juices? (if you're my brother this will be funny, if you're not then I sound like a dick). I am actually trying to get my healthy eating back on track. I have good days and not so good days. Today I ate half a Soreen Malt Loaf. Not so good day. But it's not about guilt. It's not about hunger and it's not about hate. I love food. It's just about putting in fresh, healthy, delicious ingredients in a realistic one human portion as opposed to eating enough for a family of four. Below is one of my fave recipes from one of my fave chefs, Jack Monroe.

Ingredients:
1 courgette,
1 egg, 
Handful of fresh mint, coriander and parsley,
Heaped tablespoon or two of plain flour,
50g natural yoghurt

How to:
1. Finely grate the courgette into a large mixing bowl.
2. Chop the herbs and add most (three quarters) to the courgette. Set half aside for the yoghurt dip.
3. Add the egg to the courgette and herbs and mix in with a fork. Add the flour and continue to mix until it has formed a batter. You may need to add more flour, it should be thicker than pancake mix. Mine stuck to the prongs of the fork but came loose with a shake, if that’s any indication.
4. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and dollop a pretty level tablespoon of batter in. Flatten with the back of the spoon and shape the edges to form rough circles. Repeat until you run out of space in the pan, with a little gap around each for ease of turning. You may have to do these in batches! Fry on a low heat for a few minutes until golden and crispy on the underside. Using a spatula, turn over and cook on the other side.
5. Repeat until all batter is used, mine made 6 nice sized fritters.
6. Stir the remaining herbs into the natural yoghurt and serve with the fritters. Goes well with cous cous, salad and fresh vegetables.

Guy Fawkes Night

Remember remember the 5th of November,

Gunpowder, Treason, Plot!

I vaguely managed to quench my Autumnal thirst the other. Sarah, Lynsey and Barns came over for a feast of cheese and chutney, Mexican bean hotpot and blueberry tart washed down with a bottle of red wine and crusty baguettes. We then apple bobbed in a bucket before cycling down to the river with sparklers and barely working lighters. It was glorious! Check out all Sarah's handiwork with a slow shutter-speed and lots of screaming. Those are our initials bitches!

Mama Mac's Mexican Bean Hotpot

Serves 4

2 x potatoes peeled and chopped

1 x red pepper chopped

3 x carrots peeled and chopped

1 x leak chopped

Handful of green beans chopped

1 x tin of baked beans

1 x tin chopped tomatoes

½ x tin chic peas

1 x lg onion chopped

2 x cloves of garlic, crushed

½ tsp chilli powder

2 x level tsps. Paprika

Dash of mixed herbs

2 x tsps. Marmite

1 x bayleaf

Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil the carrots and potatoes in a large pot on the hob in just enough unsalted water to cover them.

When they are almost cooked add all the other ingredients except for the marmite and simmer.

Just before serving add 2 tsps of marmite and a little salt and pepper (not too much as the marmite is salty) and stir.

Serve hot with crusty bread, rice or lentils

(All veg can be swapped for something else depending on your tastes as can the beans. Red Kidney beans are always a winner)