March Food roundup

Its finally starting to come into Spring! Yey. And that means for me a want to be a bit more healthy and try new things.  There is something about a bit more sun and the idea that all is going to be ok.  Also we have a holiday coming up in June and we all want to be a bit more toned and healthy for that - if only so we can eat what we are like when we get there!  ha ha.

So this month I have been looking at meal prep videos and seeing how people eat on a budget so that I can have healthy living without spending too much.

First up, is this Salmon Sushi Salad which a friend sent me from the Good Food Magazine, also on the website.  I love this kind of food and it seems so simple for me to be able to pack it all up for lunches at work.  Just a bit of planning on a Sunday night I think.

Next is this Not Quite Banana Bread, a few of my friends are currently working their way through Sarah Wilson's, I Quit Sugar book and this recipe looks like a good alternative for a treat.   I love banana bread and as is dairy free too, seems like a good choice for us all.

Bottom left of the pictures, is a bit of a sinful treat in this Rhubarb baked Oatmeal and I can't quite work out what appeals for me most as I am not a big fan of Rhubarb, but I want to try more fruits, so this seemed like a good place to start.  A bit more sinful than the last cake but it looks so good.

Last, but by no means least is this Cauliflower Coconut & Chickpea Curry, all the C's.  I love a good curry and this seems too good to miss.  I have been loving the Mind over Munch website too, so many good ideas for lunches and planning meals.

I am definitely in the meal planning zone at the moment as it saves so much time and money.  For little old me on my own too, its a great way to have a variety and not resorting to bad foods or takeaways.

Do you meal plan?  What are your tips?  I am loving to freeze a portion of everything I make too, so that I can always have it another time, when I am not in the mood to cook.

H,xxx

Please note:  All photographs are from the websites listed with each recipe.

Bloglovin / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google+ / Instagram

February Food Roundup

Hello there and have I got a treat for you this month, pictures of food I have actually made!  Yes, you heard that right.  I have been trying to get my effort levels up of actually cooking and taking a few snaps for this section of the blog.  I can't promise it will happen every month, but I am trying, honest.

First up is this vegetable base that I use for soups, curry and ratatouille.  Its simple really, put all the vegetables in the pan to cook and take out batches for each of the other desired recipes.  This is batch cooking at its best.  I have been trying to get more of this done as not only is it cheaper, but it helps to get through all the vegetables!  Because seriously, have you seen the size of a Butternut squash, it keeps me going for days!

Next up is one of my favourite Saturday night treats, it was always Pizza night on a Saturday growing up and so just because I can't have cows milk, does not mean I should miss out.  Simply pittas, peppers, spinach and goats cheese with a tomato paste base and we are all good.

We go back to breakfast with this one and mushed up avocado on toast with poached eggs, oh yes!  Sometimes I add a bit of smoked salmon too, but it tastes just great the way it is here too.

Lastly is a recipe I adapted from a new you tube obsession of mine, The Domestic Geek has some great meal plan ideas and lots of food to put in jars.  She has spurred me on to plan a bit more for the week too, so it can't be bad.  This Mushroom, spinach and goats cheese pasta is great for lunches, next time I am thinking to add some peppers aswell - why not just add more vegetables in!  The original recipe has Gorgonzola and beef added into it, so check out her channel for more inspiration.

That's all for this month.  It's made me want it all again now.  It's one of the domestic geek's salad ideas for lunch though, so not all bad.

What's your favourite?  Are there any other chefs or you tube channels I should check out?

H, xxx 

Bloglovin / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google+ / Instagram

Christmas Food Round-up

It's nearly here, fill your face with food Christmas time!  I thought a few little treats to keep me on the dairy free straight and narrow would be good to take a look at and of course get me drooling a little bit early!

First up, this perfect roast chicken from Elena's Pantry, lets face it most roast chicken is dairy free, but I am yet to get my roast chicken quite right, so looking up a recipe is always good for me.

Next, these amazing looking sticky roasted parsnips from BBC good food would be the perfect accompaniment with the chicken and some roast potatoes and stuffing of course!

Add a bit of bread like this one from the Pure Dairy free website and you can mop up all that gravy left over.  yum. Seriously I am drooling here just writing this!

Then, the most difficult of projects to get dairy free, the pudding!  I am not a fan of Christmas cake or Christmas Pudding or even Mince pies, but I do love a Chocolate Yule Log!  My mum made this amazing one with Coconut cream last year - hoping for that again if your reading mum.  But this one from Lachie's Allergy Cookbook looks great too.

I definitely need to go and get some lunch now.

What's on your Christmas food list this year, any new food for the table?  Let us know in the comments below and maybe we can add them to our table this year too.

H, xxx

Bloglovin / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google+ / Instagram

Spanish Food Round-up

Photos are courtesy of recipe websites, see below for links

In a few short weeks we will be off to Barcelona, for some relaxation, alot of culture and bestie time and so I thought the food roundup this month could have a little Spanish theme to get us in the mood for all that Catalonian food we will be eating.

First up is of course Paella, well it wouldn't be a trip to Spain without it!  This recipe is from Taste.com.au and so wings it's way over from Australia, but it looked so simple I thought it had to go in the mix.

Next up is the start of the Tapas, I mean, who doesn't love tapas.  I am looking forward to having some real Spanish Tapas, as I haven't really found any in the UK that quite hits the mark - any places I should try please do comment below.

So first up is this Mediterranean Feta Dip I found on Cookie & Kate and I think I may have just found a new food blog to follow, yummers.

Next, is the one and only Potatoes bravas, it's making me drool just thinking about it.  This recipe is from Tesco's website - who knew they had recipes!  Another one to add to the follow list!

and lastly for this post is a Spiced Tortilla, so easy to make and so yummy.  These usually get made in my house on days where I cannot be bothered with anything too complicated, but when I have a few leftovers!  This recipe is from the BBC good food blog, these guys never let me down!

What would be on your Spanish wishlist for food?  I really found it hard to choose.

H, xxx

Bloglovin / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google+ / Instagram

March Food Roundup

This month has seen spring hit and my desire for some new foods.  I am always about eating a bit healthier and I tend to stick to the same old food's I already know how to make, I'm just not very adventurous in the kitchen.

With Masterchef also giving me a bit of inspiration - anyone else love that programme?  I thought I would buy a few new ingredients and make this little lot.  These are not my versions, these are from the websites where you can find the recipes.

So, from top left, we have Iced Jems Vegan Chocolate and Banana cupcakes, who doesn't love a dairy free cupcake!

Next, I saw this Farfalle Pasta with pancetta with peas recipe whilst browsing You tube the other day, the chef Gennaro Contaldo is hilarious and makes everything sound amazing!

Then there is Madeline Shaw's Vegetable Chilli Con Vegetables with Guacamole, which just looks super lovely and I really can't wait to make this one, that's tonight's job.

and, last but definitely not least is this Chia Seed and Coconut pudding which I had in Le Pain Quotidien the other week and have been dreaming about making it myself.  Made from cocount milk it tastes just like a pudding made with cream.

Everytime I do one of these roundups I get really hungry and today is no exception.  If only I bought the ingredients for lunch!

H

Bloglovin / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google+ / Instagram

February Food round-up

Yey, we made it to February, to the snow, to the cold and to the month with Pancakes and Chinese New Year!  What's not to love!

So with that in mind I thought a little round-up of fun food for February was in order.

First up is some dairy free pancakes - of course you can make them non dairy free too, but I thought it would be good to find a recipe that I could have this year.  As I do love pancakes and I don't seem to have them enough!  These ones are from the BBC Good food website, always a great resource for all kinds of recipes.  I have found that its really simple to find recipes for people with intolerance's here too, alongside a search option by the ingredients you have in the cupboard.

Next up is these Sweet Potato Fries - I mean who wouldn't want some of these!  I would skip the cheese part, but apart from that they look so yummy.

Then, of course to go with some fries, try out this Vegan Burger that I saw Jamie making with Ellie Goulding on his Friday Night Feasts programme with Jimmy.  I do eat meat, but this looked so good to try and its always good to have some meat free days, so why not make them really really tasty!

and last, but definately not least, with Chinese New Year upon us soon, why not try your hand at these Chicken Wontons, how good do these look!  I really want to try these and so I feel the year of the Dragon will give me the excuse to have a go.  Not that I need an excuse really, more of a reason to get off my backside and have a go!

I hope you enjoyed this little round-up and of course you can always give one of these a go for Valentine's day.  Although I am not sure the meat lovers will appreciate a Vegan burger, but you could try!  Failing that, there is always the meal for 2 at M&S!

Now, I'm off to make a big shopping list,
H

Bloglovin / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google+ / Instagram

January Food Round-up

It's got to mid January, we all over ate at Christmas, we are all a bit poor and well could do with living a bit healthily this time of year.  But healthy food is boring right???! wrong!  I am all about batch cooking a basic tomato and beef mince mix and then using it for spag bol, chilli, cottage pie or lasagne.  So, it got me thinking that there must be some other great recipe ideas out there that could help us all out in this cold and dull weather, aswell as helping keep the pennies down.

First up is top left with this One Pan Mexican Quinoa from Damn Delicious, which looks amazing and I am all about a one pot dish. I love Quinoa aswell, so this is just a perfect recipe for me. Some may call me lazy, but I just love something I can shove all the ingredients in and it will make something amazing.  Think I should invest in a slow cooker this year too - watch out for a post about slow cooker recipes! lol.

Next on the top right are these crustless Quiches which are perfect for making for your lunch at work.  I found these on Appetite for Life: Secrets of a Dietitian.  They are so easy to make and would be a great thing to take to a party as they are easy finger food.  The whole blog is there to help with nutrition and so you can find loads of bits and pieces on there.

Bottom left is Chorizo, Chicken and Chickpea soup - yummy.  I love the combination of Chicken and Chorizo with chickpeas and so this is right up my street.  I can make a mean stew with that combination too and so and easy way to do a bit of batch cooking I think.  The author of this blog, Ren, also writes for Jamie Oliver.com and the Huffington Post and so it comes from someone who really knows there stuff.

Last but by no means least are these Spinach Artichoke Quesadillas but of course you could make any quesadillas.  I always find it difficult to find good recipes for Artichoke and so these would be perfect to add a different vegetable in your diet.  Of course you can use plenty of other vegetables too, but why not try something different.

I realise that there is actually quite alot of spicy food in this round-up, it must be the cold weather, but you could add more or less as you like.  I do particularly love spicy food though so I would add more!  What recipes do you love to cook at this time of year?  Let us know in the comments below and we can take a look. It's always good to get new food options this time of year to stop the dreaded bored factor and head for the unhealthy stuff.

In fact, it's making me hungry just thinking about it.
H


Bloglovin / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google+ / Instagram

Christmas Food round-up

It's nearly here, that Christmas thing and it's the time of year where we indulge ALOT!  Always with the excuse that it's Christmas! Now it will be my first year knowing that I should try and keep it dairy free, so I thought I would have a look out for a few new recipes to try.

First up is from Jamie Oliver for the main course of Lemon and Rosemary Chicken, yum!  We don't usually have a dairy laden Roast for Christmas Dinner and yes we have Chicken instead of Turkey.  But this year it would be nice to try something a bit different right!

Next up is the parsnips, the perfect accompaniment to a roast.  These ones from the BBC good food site and Honey roast Parsnips, droool.

Then, it's over to pudding and one of the biggest things I miss about being dairy free is Cheesecake and Pannacotta and so I found this recipe for Coconut and Lime Pannacotta on the all recipes website, so I thought it might be worth a try.

And lastly, my new favourite thing to make and a bit of an obsession is these Dairy free chocolate cookies from Lily Pebbles blog.  I saw these the other week and have already made two batches!  They are amazing and so moreish and easy to make.

Yes, I know, your welcome!
H


Bloglovin / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest / Google+ / Instagram