Vibrant summer salad.

First of all, apologies for not updating this blog in a looong time, but finding time to revise for my final university exams and update my cooking has not been easy (plus if I'm honest there have been more than a few late night takeaway pizzas recently...)

The good news is that I am officially finished and graduated and ready to become - gulp - a real adult person, which means I can now find plenty of time for cooking. Hoorah. 


I thought I would start off with one of my go to summer salads, something that's easy to make, looks and tastes delicious, plus is a little more exotic and interesting (both for the eyes and the tongue) than a somewhat overdone caesar salad or chicken club sandwich for when you're feeling like a light meal. I know that, for us Britons at least, the summer really hasn't started, but what the heck - maybe this summertime dish will encourage the weather to finally perk up. 


Quinoa with feta, pomegranate seeds and mint, served with a lemon vinaigrette
Ingredients:
75g quinoa
100g feta
1-2 pomegranates 
handful of mint leaves
50ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
50ml good quality olive oil
salt and pepper, to season

Method:
1. Cook the quinoa following the instructions on the packet, then drain and rinse thoroughly, setting aside for later. 
2. In the meantime, chop the feta into chunks and chop the mint leaves into shreds. Put in a large bowl with the pomegranate seeds (if you're struggling getting the seeds out, try holding half the pomegranate over the bowl and banging with a wooden spoon, never fails for me).
3. In a measuring jug, measure out the lemon juice (making sure to squeeze the lemon through your fingers, in order to catch any pips) and then add the olive oil, mixing thoroughly until combined. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste (obviously you can play around with the quantities - if you like it really lemony then feel free to add more lemon and vice versa)
4. Tip the quinoa into the bowl with the feta, pomegranate seeds and mint, and stir well. Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the top and serve. 
5. Finish with a handful of mint leaves and a few more pomegranate seeds to make it look beautiful. 


And it's as simple as that. The flavours are super clean and fresh, but mainly I love the fact that the dish ends up looking so vibrant and colourful, just perfect for summer (when it finally arrives...)


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Orange glazed hot cross buns.

Happy Easter everyone! I know (if you are anything like me) that you are probably suffering from a sugar induced coma, but if you fancy shaking off those easter egg shakes and making something really special, then read on for my recipe for the perfect hot cross bun. Doughy in the centre, crusty on the outside, sweet from the juicy bursts of the currants, and tart from the tangy citrus orange glaze, who could ask for more?

Yes, they are labour intensive, and yes, they do take a while to make, but hey, Easter is about lazing around the house during the afternoon, so why not set aside several hours and make these with the love and attention they deserve - a lot of the time is spent waiting for things to rise, and so can be spent employed with other activities, like eating chocolate and watching tv. Sounds like the perfect Sunday afternoon to me...


Orange glazed hot cross buns
Ingredients:
For the buns:
600g strong white flour
1tsp salt
3tbsp mixed spice
45g butter
85g sugar
zest 1 lemon
zest 1 orange
2tbsp fast-action yeast
1 egg
275ml warm milk
150g sultanas


For the topping:
3tbsp plain flour
3tbsp water


For the glaze:
100g caster sugar
50ml water
juice 2 oranges


Method:
1. Sieve the flour, salt and mixed spice into a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your hands. 
2. Make a well in the flour and add the zest of the lemon and one orange. 
3. Heat the milk and add a beaten egg to it. Pour slowly into the well and mix until all incorporated and a dough is formed. 
4. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes.
5. Continue kneading, adding in the currants and kneading them into the mixture. Keep kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic.
6. Place into the mixing bowl (you may want to grease the sides with butter), cover with a clean cloth, and place in a warm place to prove for one hour.
7. Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough for a further 5-10 minutes. Place back in the bowl and leave to prove for another half an hour.
8. Cut the dough into twelve pieces and shape into buns. Place on a greased baking tray, cover with greaseproof paper all over, and then wrap with clingfilm. 
9. Leave to prove for 40 minutes.
10. Whilst the buns are rising, preheat the oven to 240°c and mix the flour and water into a paste. 
11. When the buns have risen, score crosses into them and place the flour mixture into the grooves to make crosses. 
12. Cook in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. 
13. Whilst the buns are cooking, place the sugar and water in a pan on the hob, and heat whilst mixing continuously until the sugar has dissolved. Add the juice of two oranges and continue to mix over the heat for a few minutes. 
14. When the buns are out of the oven and still hot, spoon the sticky orange glaze over them, ensuring that each bun is covered and glossy. 


I know this is a long process, but trust me - the finished product is so, so, so worth it! The buns smell incredible (perfect for if you're expecting visitors, or even if you want to pull a chair up to the oven and enjoy the smell yourself), and, once glazed, they look so shiny and perfect you will almost not want to eat them. Oh, and they taste pretty good too!

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Rosewater cupcakes.

I was super excited when I located some cheap rosewater in Sainsbury's, and couldn't wait to try it out. What better way than to experience rose in baking than by baking rosewater cupcakes? These are beautifully light and fluffy (thanks to the Hummingbird Bakery recipe), and have just a hint of rose which makes the cupcakes beautifully light and floral - perfect for the supremely sunny weather we have been having recently. Enjoy with a glass of lemonade, or perhaps whilst smelling  bunch of long-stemmed - you guessed it - roses. 


A perfectly pretty summer treat. 

Perfect pancake day.

There is nothing more delicious than a freshly made pancake, especially when enjoyed on the most sacred of all holy days, Shrove Tuesday, also known as a legitimate excuse to tuck into some delectably fluffy pancakes completely guilt free. This year, I thought I would share some of my more unusual pancake recipes to really put some spice into your celebrations. However, I would like to make it clear that this in no way means that the unbeatable classic of lemon juice and sugar should be ignored. Heaven forbid...

Valentine's menu (of lurvee).

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but I’m inclined to believe that this theory is just as relevant to a woman – there is nothing more romantic than having a man cook for you. 

Yoghurt & marmalade loaf cake.

Wow, I definitely seem to be in the baking mood (to the apparent delight of my loved ones and stomach, and horror of my rapidly expanding waistline). This is one of my most favourite loaf cakes, mainly due to it being criminally moist yet supremely fresh due to the tangy sweet orange flavour permeating the soft sponge. 

Christmas time, mistletoe and wine (and an enormous amount of food).

Merry Christmas everyone! 

I'm writing this in bed (understandably), as I am currently suffering from the very real worry that if I stand up/exert myself whatsoever I will explode. Don't worry, I've got a box of Roses next to me to distract me from my impending doom. 

Yule log with a Christmas twist.

There is nothing quite as festive as a yule log freshly dusted with icing sugar and sitting in all its chocolatey glory in the middle of a well-laden table, I can assure you. 

Christmassy cupcakes.

Cupcakes are supremely appropriate for this time of year for a multitude of reasons, the most important being that as they're conveniently small it's easy to stuff several into your face at once when you're searching for a wintery sugar high. However, as well as this, I like to look on them as little festive bundles of joy, bringing you Christmas cheer in every bite.