Sharing a love of good food
Homemade Digestive Biscuits crunchy, crumbly, and with a satisfying wholemeal, oaty flavour, are miles ahead of packet versions. Making them yourself is so easy and you’ll avoid the palm oil and ultra-processed ingredients found in big brands. Perfect for dunking in a cuppa, you can …Read more
Cheese Sandwich Crackers are light, crispy and cheesy biscuits sandwiched together with an intensely cheesy filling. Perfect for snacking, they’re inspired by TUC brand cheese sandwich crackers but with no palm oil or ultra processed ingredients. Plus, instead of their measly 5 per cent dried …Read more
Smoky Tomato Chilli Chutney, spicy with a sweet edge, is utterly addictive. Great for using up homegrown tomatoes and/or chillies, its smokiness comes from a generous amount of Spanish paprika. Delicious and versatile, you’ll love it not just with cheese and crackers, but with kebabs, burgers and …Read more
Creamy White Bean Soup with Fresh Tomatoes & Basil is no ordinary bean and tomato soup. The creaminess of this plant-based soup comes from cannellini beans simmered in a garlicky fennel seed broth, then pureed. Taking that simple base to the next level is a …Read more
Raisin & Lemon Oatmeal Scones are a delightful variation on classic British sultana scones. With plumped raisins and fresh lemon zest, swapping in oatmeal for some of the wheat flour in these light and fluffy scones brings a hint of nutty flavour and makes them …Read more
Easy Seed Crackers are light, crispy and delicious. Grain-free, gluten-free, made with nothing but seeds including chia, water and your chosen seasonings, they’re the perfect crunchy accompaniment to spreads, dips, soups or cheese. Great for adding to lunch boxes or enjoyed as a healthy nibble. This …Read more
Jam making needn’t be difficult or involve lots of fancy equipment. In this beginner’s guide I’ll tell you everything you need to know as well as taking you through the process step-by-step. Understand the principles, follow my tips, and after trying a few of my …Read more
Blackberry Brandy is a satisfying, easy project made with seasonal, foraged fruit. The spirit is flavoured with blackberries and sweetened with sugar to make a delicious, liqueur-like drink. Swap the brandy for gin, vodka, whisky, or dark rum if you prefer. Made using fresh or frozen …Read more
Dog Friendly Eating & Drinking in Staffordshire is a personal guide to my favourite independent dog friendly pubs, restaurants and cafés. Besides enjoying the beautiful Staffordshire countryside with my cocker spaniel Larkin, eating and drinking is how I spend a lot of my leisure time. …Read more
Picnic food doesn’t have to be all about sandwiches. In this post I share more than eighty of my favourite recipes for a tasty, varied picnic. From fresh salads, savoury bakes, pies and dips, to sweet treats, you’ll find lots to tempt you outdoors whether …Read more
For any home baker, it’s a real boon to have plenty of Bread Roll and Baguette Recipes in your repertoire to accompany any type of meal. And in this post you’ll find almost a dozen, many made with my easy no-knead method. Recipes include healthy …Read more
English Muffins are traditional pan or griddle cooked bread rolls that have been around since at least the eighteenth century. In the same family as crumpets, bread muffins are easy to make at home with my no-knead method. Fermenting the dough overnight gives these delicious …Read more
Main course salads are a great way of eating. Packed with veggies, proteins, and flavourful ingredients, they’ll keep you satisfied for hours. So forget relegating salad to a side dish and take a look at my round-up of 25+ favourite main course salads. Tap …Read more
Potato Farls, sometimes called Irish potato cakes, tattie scones, or potato bread, are so easy to make. Containing just seasoned mashed potato, flour, plus optional butter, they’re surprisingly tasty. Fantastic with poached or fried eggs, baked beans and cheese, or in a big traditional breakfast. …Read more
Egg & Bacon Pie is a tasty traditional British cold pie. Perfect for picnics, lunch boxes and buffets, for my super-simple version, all you need for the filling are half a dozen eggs and some smoked bacon. Baked in crispy shortcrust pastry then cooled, this …Read more
Sicilian Sesame Biscuits, also known as biscotti regina or reginelle, are wonderfully aromatic and crunchy with the delightful flavour of vanilla and optional citrus plus a sesame seed coating that’s earthy and nutty. Surprisingly simple to make, they’re an incredibly moreish treat with coffee, hot …Read more
Nutty Wholefood Grain Salad is packed with loads of nutritious foods and tastes fantastic. A punchy soy and ginger dressing enhances wholegrains, crispy toasted nuts and seeds, vegetables, and protein-rich beans. Served with greens like rocket, kale, or spinach it’s a satisfying, complete meal in …Read more
Potato, Cheese & Onion Pasties are proof that simple CAN be tasty and satisfying. With a classic flavour combination of tender potato, tangy Cheddar cheese, plus a hint of onion all encased in crisp shortcrust pastry, these easy single serve pasties are great hot or …Read more
Iced Tea is one of the most refreshing, cooling drinks there is. But there’s no need to buy expensive bottles because it’s so easy – and cheap – to make at home. Brew a litre of your favourite tea (black, green, fruity, or herbal) then sweeten …Read more
Light Spelt, Wholemeal & Rye Loaf is a no-knead, flavourful and nutritious bread that avoids heaviness with a fifty-fifty blend of white and wholemeal flours. Almost as light as a one hundred per cent white loaf, but with the added nutty sweetness of wholemeal spelt, …Read more
Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream brings together two favourites: sweet but tangy rhubarb crumble and rich vanilla ice cream. Cooked rhubarb is rippled through an easy, egg-free ice cream along with nuggets of crunchy, oaty crumble. Delicious whether you eat scoops from a bowl or enjoy …Read more
Toasted Coconut Ice Cream is so rich and creamy with full-on, extra-nutty, enhanced coconut flavour. With just 4 ingredients (coconut milk, sugar, double cream, and toasted desiccated coconut) this egg-free ice cream is easy to make at home using a simple ice cream maker or …Read more
Spiced Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables is a wonderful Moroccan-inspired dish that makes a healthy, delicious lunch, or can be served as a side to fish or meat. Or eat as one of several small plates, mezze style. Disclosure: this post may contain affiliate links. …Read more
Sausage & Onion Lattice Pie is a delicious savoury cold pie, perfect for picnics, buffets, and lunch boxes. The shortcrust pastry base is filled with a mix of chopped onion gently cooked in butter to bring out its sweetness, pork sausage meat and sage. Finished …Read more
Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo Salad is easy and delicious. Tender pasta absorbs the great flavours of a garlicky, herby sun-dried tomato dressing, and is then mixed with sweet roasted red pepper, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan and fresh basil. Makes a wonderful lunch over rocket or spinach …Read more