Rainbow bowl

The impulse to buy the exciting new season vegetables is one that I can rarely resist. Be it the abundance of mushrooms in Autumn or the new asparagus in Spring, there's something really beautiful about knowing that the food you're about to eat has been harvested freshly and locally and grown naturally.

I picked the best of the seasonal veg we had at work - all UK grown and abundant at this time of year. Round yellow courgettes, cheery cherry plum tomatoes (which are so sweet and succulent and ripe), beautiful fresh spring onions, and broad beans (need I explain the beauty of the first fresh broad beans?).

When surveying the fresh display at work, I usually create some recipe in my mind. Pulling all of the the ingredients that are in the cupboard at home and what's available to me there and then, I imagine what I can make out of these and then buy accordingly. This evening: quinoa with these beautiful, multi-coloured vegetables and feta.

This could be created using whatever is available - not everyone has the option to just pick up a round yellow courgette, for instance. Substitute where necessary but the more colours you can fit in the dish, the more appetising it will look and also the greater variety of vitamins you will receive from eating it.

2 round yellow courgettes
250g cherry plum tomatoes
250g broad beans - weight before shelling
a bunch of spring onions
100g quinoa
100g feta cheese (optional)
a handful of fresh mint
salt and pepper to taste

1, Start by cutting the courgettes into wedges - I chose to do them in sixths, but that is down to the size of the courgette itself. You need them to be thick enough that they won't turn to mush when you griddle or fry them. Drizzle the pieces in olive or rapeseed oil.
2, Place the broad beans in a small pan of slightly salted boiling water. Cook them for about 3-4 minutes, then drain.
3, Heat the griddle and lay the courgette out on it's flesh, then turn when they have browned. You may need to do more than one set, depending on the size of your griddle. If you are frying, follow the same instructions, taking care not to brown the skin.
4, Place the quinoa in a pan of boiling water with a little salt. Watch over it as it absorbs water quickly and the cooking time varies between brands. Keep the water a few centimetres over it and stir occasionally. It's ready when it has unfurled - a tail will have come out.
5, While the quinoa is cooking, slice the spring onion and the tomatoes. Place these in a large bowl and add the courgette and broad beans.
6, Break the feta cheese into cubes and sprinkle over the vegetables. Finely cut or tear the mint and add it, too.
7, Mix the drained quinoa through the vegetables and serve as a main on as a side dish.

'Healthy' oat biscuits

This is a request by my friend Rhona, looking to satisfy a sugar addict in her life.

5oz/125g plain flour
5oz/125g porridge oats
4oz/100g desiccated coconut
4oz/100g soft brown sugar
5oz/125g butter
2tbsp golden syrup/light agave nectar
1tsp bicarbonate of soda

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3

1 Mix the flour, oats, coconut and sugar together in a large bowl.
2 In a small pan, melt the butter and golden syrup/agave with 2 tablespoons of water over a low heat.
3 Stir the bicarb into the melty mixture - it will froth a little.
4 Make a well in the dry goods and pour the liquid mixture into it. Stir until all incorporated.
5 Roll mixture into balls using the palms of your hands (about a tablespoon of mixture) and place on a lined baking tray, about 5cm apart. Flatten slightly using the back of a spoon.
6 Bake for 10 mins or until golden - they will still be soft but will harden up as they cool.

I'm tempted to add sunflower seeds and maybe some maca or mesquite to these to make them that little bit more special, but they are delicious and chewy as they are.

Almond and Cherry Flapjacks

About two years ago I discovered that flapjacks are the most wonderful, versatile and healthy sweet treats to be made. I always have a load of porridge oats in the cupboard, so when a sweet craving came over me the other day it was decided: a new batch of flapjacks.

Since the introduction  of superfoods to my cupboard, I try to include some in all my baking. The most popular one for the workplace is maca. It gives everyone an energy boost like no other - the boys in logistics love anything laced with maca, they work twice as fast and feel good for it.

When deciding what to put in to the mix, I use whatever combinations work in the cupboard. For this mix I've made almond and cherry. In the past I've used anything from chopped apricots, sultanas, goji berries... any dried fruit is worth experimenting with. I always put in plenty of seeds for the extra healthy feel...

350g porridge oats
200g butter
125g light brown sugar
100g (or 6tblsp) golden syrup or agave syrup
100g flaked almonds
50g dried tart cherries
1 tblsp maca powder (optional)
50g sunflower seeds
50g brown or golden flax seeds
2 apples, chopped finely or grated

1, Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a medium size baking dish or cake tin with greaseproof paper.
2, Melt the butter, sugar and syrup together in a pan over a low heat.
3, Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl.
4, Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir thoroughly. It will feel too dry at first but keep stiring and it should come together. If it is very dry and doesn't stick together after stiring, melt more butter and syrup in small portions and add a little at a time, stiring vigorously.
5, Put the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25 mins, until golden brown on top.
6, When the flapjacks have almost fully cooled, cut to desired size. This can be done when cool but it is easier when they are slightly warm.

Share amongst friends or family, and if maca was involved stand back and be amazed!

Wheatgrass Smoothie

As part of my new healthier phase (cliche New Year) I've started to try and take wheatgrass. Having failed taking is as is in water, I decided that a smoothie is the only way forward. Wheatgrass is super good for you - filled with every vitamin and mineral the body needs. Unfortunately I can't stomach taking it alone so here comes the easy wheatgrass taking recipe...

For two:

3 over ripe bananas

1 tsp wheatgrass

A generous amount of apple juice

Using a food processor or a hand blender mix the banana to a paste first. 

Add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.

It's very very delicous and the funny texture that powdered wheatgrass gives is masked by the thickness of the banana. Bananas are packed full of potassium which should also give a happy boost, too :)

To a New Year!