snacks and small bites
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buckwheat porridge with dates, almonds and apple
Our house practically runs on oats. Sometimes I feel like the cashier at our local Whole Foods must think I have a pet horse for all the oats I buy from the bulk bins. I usually cook a batch of oats with water and flax seeds twice a week so that we can just grab...
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ten nourishing breakfast ideas
Breakfast can be a big rush in most houses. We all know how important it is to start the day off right but good intentions don’t always win out. These are the breakfasts I love to have at home to start my day feeling nourished and healthy. If I’m eating out I tend to have...
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you say hummus, I say red pepper store cupboard houmous
I know I’m not alone in my love of houmous (yes that’s how we spell it in England). I was a late starter though. I managed to get through the first 18 years of my life without encountering it, which is odd given it has become such a popular kids’ food now. That first batch...
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a gluten and dairy-free chocolate cookie you can eat for breakfast
In a world of no consequences I would eat a chocolate chip cookie every day. But boringly, as I keep telling my boys, there are consequences. So I try and bring some balance and find new ways to get my and their chocolate hit. These dairy free chocolate cookies hit the spot every time. I...
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Palm Springs date, almond, banana shake
The date shake I had at The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs has been on my mind since I got back. Date shakes are one of the must-haves when you visit Palm Springs. Many of them are pretty unhealthy though and rely on ice cream and milk to give substance. I found them a bit...
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the joy of a simple goat’s cheese stuffed apricot
This is barely a recipe, more a point in the right direction. It is a perfect illustration of my mantra – good seasonal ingredients, cooked simply and carefully with love. Perfectly ripe apricots, like melon and tomatoes always remind me of childhood camping trips to France. We’d pull our (non-airconditioned) car over at the side...
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wax on wax off – de-waxing citrus fruit and embracing zest
As a Brit I still cannot get over the thrill of being able to wander outside and pick a lemon, orange of grapefruit off a tree in my California garden. The problem is that once my tree is bare, and my friends have also handed over their spare fruit I really struggle with paying for...
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quick houmus flatbread
This is barely a recipe but as it is something that I make almost every week I wanted to share it. It is so quick and healthy and gets 2 of the 7 a day into whoever is eating it, along with a good dose of protein, good fat and healthy carbs. On nights or...
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Easter treats for lunch and brunch
I’m in England just now and enjoying the four day weekend we have for Easter. Very civilized having Friday and Monday public holidays either side of the weekend as it allows so many of us to travel back to our families. I always feel that it is like Christmas without the hassle of gifts and...
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Pancake Day and the English art of flipping pancakes
As a child growing up in England, Pancake Tuesday or Pancake day was perhaps, one of the most eagerly anticipated days of the year after Christmas and birthdays. The real name for Pancake day, and the name we were supposed to use at school, was Shrove Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent starts....
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buckwheat, coconut and spelt soda bread
Let me start by saying that this buckwheat bread doesn’t taste of coconut. Nor was it born out of any dietary needs. It is delicious and easy and has the rare quality of tasting gorgeous whilst also tasting really healthy. It was, as many of my best discoveries are, a result of me having a...
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ideas for Christmas and holiday party food
I know that what to serve at parties is a hot topic right now so I wanted to share the list I had pulled together of recipes I’d like to eat. Always a good place to start I think. You can also come along to one of my cocktail and appetizer classes if you’d like...
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Welsh Rarebit – no rabbits were harmed in the making of this
I recently hosted a party for my American friends and wanted to introduce them to some British classics. I wanted to make things that I could prep ahead and quickly assemble and heat at the last-minute, so Welsh Rarebit ticked all the boxes. Traditionally, Welsh Rarebit was served as a ‘savoury’, a course after dessert...
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sea salt toffee dipped in dark chocolate
I spent a lot of time cooking with my Mum when I was little. One of the most magical things we used to make was cinder toffee. As a child, realising I could recreate the middle of my favourite Crunchie bar was a revelation. If you are wondering what cinder toffee is, you might know...
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A Brit’s take on Thanksgiving
You may be wondering what right an English girl has to be talking about that most sacred of American holidays, Thanksgiving. Before moving to America I had little clue about what went on at Thanksgiving. My only references were the odd episodes of Friends – what had stuck in my mind was the marshmallow topped sweet...
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orange and rosemary bundt cake
I’m not as confident a baker as I am a cook of savoury things. I’m not by nature a precise person and I think that’s why cakes don’t appeal to me as much. One mistake and things can fall flat – literally. Baking doesn’t have the luxury of being able to be rescued like most...
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stuffed and crunchy courgette (summer squash) flowers
There is one meal that I have every summer, just once or twice usually. Lets be honest, anything fried is usually delicious. Actually, let me backtrack – there is some really bad soggy fried food out there – fried in dodgy oil and using scary ingredients. This recipe takes top-notch, seasonal ingredients and a light...
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flapjacks for lunchboxes, teatime and road trips
I love a good flapjack. We never left home for a holiday when I was little without a tin of flapjacks and shortbread. Long before granola bars had ever been thought of, these were what my Mum packed for us. Like granola bars, they are a real treat but give you a bit of a...
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