Simple Globe Artichokes

These were absolutely divine. Ambrosia.

The new season is just starting to release some of it's goodies to our hungry selves, and I am taking full advantage. I must have eaten asparagus 4 times this week! The combination of the first greens - prima verde - on a plate is simple and satisfying. I've been creating a mixed herb pistou and drizzling it over asparagus, purple sprouting broccoli, peas and jersey royals. It takes no more than half an hour to prepare and steam it all, and you come out with something that is healthy and delicious.

Globe artichokes are just coming into season, although they tend to be french imports as Britain doesn't grow many.

I made a shallot vinagrette to dip the leaves in, but I actually ended up savouring the flavour of the artichoke alone - it was delicious as is. So I guess this isn't actually much of a recipe and more a cooking suggestion.

1, To prepare the artichoke, break off the stem at level with the leaves.
2, Run cold water into the flower head and then shake to remove any dirt or insects.
3, Place them in a pan of boiling water - with a splash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice - keep the water boiling.
4, The artichokes are cooked when the outside leaves come away when pulled towards the head of the flower.
5, Drain the artichokes by placing them upside down in a colander.
6, Serve them warm with melted butter, a hollandaise, a sauce made of creme fraiche, a vinagrette, tartare sauce... The list is endless and really down to personal taste. Experiment with your flavours!
7, To eat, tear away a leaf at a time and dip in your chosen sauce. Holding the tip of the leaf, bite down on the fleshy part and pull the flesh from it with your teeth. When you reach the centre of the flower and have devoured all the tender baby leaves inside, you will come to the choke which is inedible.

I didn't have the foresight to take a photo of the choke, but this diagram is self explanatory.

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.

Vegan beetroot chocolate fudge cake

Saturday night and everyone had to work... cue crazy cake! This delightful creation sends some people up the wall - one girl at work didn't sleep after having a little slice. To others, it's just a very yummy chocolate cake. It's moist to the level of a brownie. And it's dirty little secret: it's very healthy, for a chocolate cake. There's almost no flour in it, and I've quite often forgotten to add the oil at the end and it's still been great. This version is vegan, but if you're not a follower, then subsitute the 3 bananas for 3 large organic/free range eggs. Whenever I make cakes for work, I always feel sorry for the vegan staff who can't have any, so today was their treat, too.

3 ripe bananas
250g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tblsp maple syrup
80g plain flour (spelt would work too)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
25g cocoa powder
50g ground almonds
250g quality dark chocolate
250g cooked beetroot, grated
100ml strong coffee, espresso style
30ml rapeseed/sunflower oil

Preheat your oven to 160 and line a 20cm round cake tin, or treat at brownies and use a square tin.

1, In a large bowl, crush the bananas with a fork until pureed. A mixer would make this easier if you have one, but the manual method works too. Mix the caster sugar, maple syrup and vanilla in thoroughly, until you have a smoothie like texture.
2, In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt, cocoa powder and ground almonds. Gently fold this into the banana mix.
3, Over a pan of simmering water, place a bowl large enough to hold the chocolate and melt slowly. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for about ten minutes.
4, While this is cooling, add the beetroot, coffee and oil to the cake mix. It will be quite liquid in comparison to a regular cake mix.
5, Finally, mix in the melted chocolate and pour into the cake tin.
6, On the middle shelf, cook for 1 hour. When this is done, cover with foil and return to the oven for another 45 mins-1 hour.

While the cake is cooling, make the icing up.
150g good-quality dark chocolate
45ml strong coffee, espresso style
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tblsp maple syrup


1, Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
2, Mix in the coffee, vanilla extract and maple syrup. The mixture may seize but keep mixing and it will come back to being thick and glossy.
3, Spread loosely over the cake top and sides, swirling with the back of a spoon.


Serve in big chunky slices and wait for the reaction.

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!