Cooking & Lifestyle Blog

In case you'd forgotten, I thought I would use this blog to remind you all that this Sunday is Father's Day. Whilst it's great that there is a day entirely dedicated to those excellent men who spend so much of their lives giving their children lifts, fixing things, teaching them how to ride bikes and generally being an invaluable source of both practical and emotional reassurance, I personally find Father's Day a bit of a challenge.

When the sun comes out, so do the people and their produce. Summer is a great time to get fresh food at great prices, side-stepping busy supermarkets and disgruntled shop assistants. We're proud of our quick and easy recipes, and simple recipes books, but great food also goes hand in hand with great produce. So here are some of the best food markets in the UK that offer great food and a fun environment. 

As this week is National Vegetarian Week I had veggie delights in mind as I scoured simple recipes to share with you. In the end I settled for a hearty and flavoursome Pumpkin & Chickpea Curry, which is a great meat-free alternative to a chicken curry, with a tangy Caribbean kick.

For this week's simple recipe, I thought we would jet off to the sunny climes of South-East Asia. Reputed for its use of fresh ingredients and wealth of incredible flavour combinations, cuisine from this part of the word is both distinctive and delicious. What's more, the use of fresh ingredients helps ensure that recipes are often rich in varied nutrients, boosting their health credentials.

Picture ivory-white sandy beaches, palm trees dipping their fronds into crystalline turquoise waters and sailboats lazily drifting to shore….yes, you've just conjured up a Caribbean paradise. To wish yourself even closer to this idyllic scene, cook up some authentic Caribbean cuisine. The sight, aroma and heady taste sensations are sure to give you an experience of the local flavour that makes this region so special.

Easter certainly came around quickly. Everywhere I look, I seem to see indulgent and incredibly elaborate looking Easter eggs, which I'm pretty sure never existed when I was a child and actually received Easter eggs. I have had to ban myself from going anywhere near a Hotel Chocolat for fear that I will fall prey to their unbeatably chunky eggs.

This week's recipe is the last in the series of Simple Recipes for Healthy Eating, so I thought I'd go veg crazy! Not only is this a delicious and filling recipe, but with reports publicised just yesterday that suggest that eating seven portions of fruit and veg a day can significantly increase life expectancy, it couldn't be more appropriate!

With Mother's Day fast approaching, what better choice for this week's recipe than something delicious, indulgent and perfect as a homemade gift? With their crumbly shortbread, decadent chocolate layer and crunchy almond topping, these Chocolate & Almond Biscuits tick all the boxes.

This week's recipe is the penultimate one in the Simple Recipes for Healthy Eating series, so I thought it best to have something with a bit of oomph. With its oriental vegetables and chilli kick, this recipe for Teriyaki Turkey with Veg is both wholesome and delicious, and will leave you feeling satisfied and pepped up to make the most of the bright Spring weather we've been experiencing lately.