Category Archives: Some Basics

The “How To”‘s.

Courgette and Bean Soup

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Bean courgette soup

I’d like to think that I easily fit my ‘5 a day’ recommendation by nutritionist to my daily diet – well how hard can it be? Then again, I think closely and wonder about the possibilities of how and when? How are we suppose to consume it? Cooked or raw, in a salad or a side dish, a snack or a pudding, plain or multi-coloured? Well I have to say all apply, because in each one you truly get to see each fruit/vegetable’s purpose, potential and benefit put to the test. This way you wouldn’t feel it’s a tick box into your list of 5 for that day, and before you know it, you don’t even need to think about counting and start to truly enjoy the diverse and delicious flavours they have to offer. Continue reading →

Mr A salad

Mr A’s Salad

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I kid you not when I say I prepare this salad, every single day, seven days a week, 365 days a year! Well.. apart from the days when we eat out I suppose. I call it Mr A’s salad, because this is what my husband likes with his every meal. Is it worth posting? Probably not, but since I prepare it for him all the time, you might as well know about it. I’m on auto-pilot mode when I’m chopping the vegetables, and I’ll happily do it for him, for as long as he’ll make me his signature omelette. Continue reading →

Rhubarb Compote with Yoghurt

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Rhubarb compoteWhenever we are driving along small A/B roads in the UK, going past the green hills and ancient stone walls, I picture myself sitting under a giant tree transformed back to one of my favourite childhood scenes from Peter Rabbit illustrated by Beatrix Potter. The curious side of me always wants to step over the fence and run into those hills to discover what its really like to be on the other side. Mr A and I had been on a holiday to North Yorkshire recently, admiring the breathtaking landscape the Yorkshire Dales had to offer. There, I got to experience this amazing feeling of climbing over the walls, scaring away a few wild sheep and finally descending into a hidden cave – the excitement I encountered that day was truly priceless! Continue reading →

Ground Green Cardamom

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If there was a spice that I can’t live without, then cardamom would be it. Hang on, not exactly true. Well, alongside cinnamon, cumin and turmeric. I absolutely love them.

whole green cardamomThe sweet and fragrant notes from cardamom are similar to vanilla, both of which leave a slight bitter eucalyptus citrus and pleasant after-taste at the back of the tongue. Cardamom is the vanilla of Middle-Eastern and Asian cuisine and if you use it as much as I do, then you’ll understand why I’ve dedicated a whole post just for it!  Continue reading →

Spelt Soda Bread

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spelt soda bread

Ahhh Bread! Why is there so much negative publicity around it? Is it not a staple food eaten by so many around the globe for over centuries? From a simple flat barley, corn-tortilla or roti bread, to an enriched Parisian delicacy such as croissants; it’s amazing how simple plain grains can be turned into these mouthwatering and irresistible inventions. Continue reading →

A Brave Abstract Cake

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It was my daughter’s 6th birthday this weekend, and as with many birthdays, “comes the ‘birthday cake'”. As a chocolate cake lover, I was surprised she chose a sponge cake this year. Luckily, the weather was beautiful on the day and her friends loved the garden activities organised. 

Merida, Brave Continue reading →

Dieting, fasting, and lentil soup

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Prepare yourself for a long post. Why? It’s about my dieting experience, the latest scientific research about fasting and a quick recipe for a traditional lentil soup, I can’t help it.

lentil soup

Thankfully, I’ve never been overweight, don’t have any food allergies or intolerances and never restricted myself from anything in particular. I’ve even been tested for caeliac disease due to my ongoing struggle with anaemia, tiredness and sometimes bloatedness. As you age, weight slowly and devilishly starts creeping up, then you realise you are no longer the teenager who ate whatever they wanted. In the quest to shed a few kilos I have put my body through the following: Continue reading →