My Mushroom Pate

I love the idea of pate, but really struggle to eat it because I can't stand offal. As such, I've played around with a few ingredients and come up with my own vegetarian one that's absolutely delicious and so, so easy to make!

Tasty Tomato & Red Pepper Soup

Winter is the perfect excuse to enjoy delicious homemade soups. I tend to make batches and freeze them in individual portions, so that I can defrost a different one each day for my lunch at work.

SimplyCook.com

I recently discovered a fantastic company called SimplyCook.com. They describe themselves as "a group of people dedicated to helping others cook great food easily at home" - and based on my experience - that's exactly what they are!

Coconut Dahl

This dahl is quick and simple, but is perfect on its own or as an accompaniment for a good, homemade curry such as my almost chicken balti.

L xx

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are quick and easy, but can look impressive. Serve them with dressed green leaves and they are the perfect starter or snack! Allow one mushroom per person.

L xx

Arrabiata Spinach Spaghetti

Sometimes you just want an easy dinner, made from store cupboard ingredients and requiring minimal effort. This is one of those!

The BEST Chilli!

Hot food is one of my favourites. Not so hot that it annihilates my tastebuds, but hot enough to leave my lips buzzing. I love to cook chilli because it is so versatile - enjoy it with rice, nachos, on jacket potatoes, over a salad - even cold inside a pitta bread or tortilla with some salad!

Almost Chicken Balti

One of my favorite things to do, is create delicious dishes. This is a recipe that I was given years ago, that I have since tweaked in my own way. The result is similar to a balti - perfect served with shop bought naan bread and some rice, to quash those takeaway cravings!

Roasted Rhubarb

Rhubarb is technically in season in May here in the UK - but my plant is already flourishing in my back garden!

Chicken with Leek Potato Cakes & Wild Garlic Mushroom Sauce

There is something very special about cooking with foraged foods. Whether it's berries, leaves or flowers, it's a sense of achievement knowing that you went out and picked it yourself, before creating a wholesome meal.

This recipe is utterly delicious. You can scale it up or down to create a starter, or feed more people, and the mushroom sauce is fantastic by itself with some toasted ciabatta.

Healthy,easy pizza

As part of my healthy eating/diet plan, I've been curious to find a way to enjoy the naughtier foods that I love, without undoing all my hard work.

Proper Homemade Leek & Potato Soup

Between Christmas and New Year I was feeling really sorry for myself. As well as my children insisting on waking up at 5.45am every day, despite the fact that we all had two weeks off (yay..!), numerous delicate mornings following too much fun with friends the night before, and the usual Christmas mania, I had a nasty case of sinusitis.

Would you like cheese with that?

I'm very fortunate to have a pretty epic job, working in an industry I am both passionate about and really enjoy. Going to work every day is something to look forward to (as much as I miss my children), and Monday morning is a friend rather than a foe.

Five easy starters/snacks/canapes

My other half does like to drop me in it where entertaining is concerned. I get home from work, get the dogs walked, children to bed, iron on ready to tackle the usual mountain range of school uniforms, work shirts, tshirts.... and he announces that friends will be here shortly. For dinner. For drinks. For something I am utterly unprepared for.

Salad. But good.

Every year starts with the intention to eat well, exercise more, and drink less. By January 2nd that's all gone out of the window and I'm snuggled up on the sofa in my comfies, stuffing my face with chocolate and glugging wine.