“A good dinner is of great importance to good talk. One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Virginia Woolf
When I was about fourteen, my younger brother and I decided to experiment cooking. We tried all sorts, some more and some less successfully. But one thing that ended up being our favourite go-to dish was baked feta. If you’ve not tried it yet. Well, what are you waiting for?!
I love cooking meat free dishes that are comforting, nutritious and versatile. That aren’t difficult to put together, feed lots and don’t break the bank. [We’re currently 7 around a table so big pots and multiplied ingredients it is]
Throw in three toddlers who all have different favourites and only unite over pasta and tomato sauce and you have a little conundrum.
Apart from maybe cheese in tomato sauce? If you’ve never had baked feta … you are in for a treat. This dish is sooooo yummy, filling and full of amazing flavours. A must try! Scroll down for recipe.
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Serves 6 adults
Prep > 10 minutes
Cooks 30 - 40 minutes
Ingredients:
– 2 tins chickpeas (drained - keep the liquid for some great vegan mayo or meringues)
– 2 tins plum tomatoes
– 2 tbsps tomato puree
– 2 tsp ground cumin
– ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
– ½ tsp cinnamon
– 1tsp smoked paprika
– 2tbsps runny honey
– 150g cavolo nero, stems removed + chopped into bite size pieces
– 1 onion, finely diced
– 5 garlic cloves, minced
– 2 blocks of feta, cut into large squares
– Olive oil
– S&P to season
To serve:
– Couscous
Method:
01. Pre-heat the oven to 200˚C (top & bottom heat is best).
02. Add a splash of olive oil to a large skillet and sauté the onions over a medium heat for about five minutes, until they turn glassy.
03. Add the minced garlic, tomato puree and spices and fry for another 2 minutes, stirring to avoid burning.
04. Add the plum tomatoes and roughly chop up with a spoon.
05. Simmer for 20 - 25 minutes until the sauce thickens and has intensified in flavour. If you feel it’s getting too thick, add a splash of water.
06. Add the honey, chickpeas and season with salt and pepper. Give it a good stir and simmer for 5 more minutes.
07. Stir in the cavolo nero and top with the feta. Drizzle with a little olive oil and place on the top shelf of your oven.
08. Bake for 15 minutes or until the feta starts to brown.
09.Serve with steamed couscous.
Who else has stockpiled bags and bags of flour with the aim of going back to basics and baking their own bread? And who else is looking at those bags of flour and thinking - where do I even start? Or have you tried and failed miserably because you just can’t face the whole kneading and proofing business? Don’t worry - I’ve got you!
This recipe makes the moistest and fluffiest loaf with the most divine crust. There are hardly any ingredients and in comparison to the £1.50 you would usually spend on a shop bought loaf (or lots more on organic loafs from your local bakery) this bread will only cost you pennies.
Using white flour gives you an airy consistency with a thin, crispy crust, similar to the bread you get at your favourite Italian, whereas using wholemeal flour will create a slightly denser, more substantial dough with more bite and stronger flavours, similar to an Irish soda bread (without the soda flavour). I’ve used a mixture of both and really like the consistency but feel free to experiment.
An absolute fool proof must try!
Makes an approx. 700g loaf
Preparation 5mins
Resting 12-18hrs
Cooks 45mins
Ingredients:
– 400g plain or strong white bread flour
– 120g wholemeal four
– 1 tsp instant dry yeast
– 1 tsp salt
– 350ml tepid water
Preparation method:
01. In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Add the water and roughly combine everything with a wooden spoon until the mix resembles a dough.
02. Cover the bowl or place in a clean plastic bag and place in a warm-ish place for 12-18 hours but don’t worry if it rests longer. You can mix it in the evening and then bake it the next morning or even leave it until you come back from work in the evening.
03. Heavily flour a clean work surface (I mean a very generous handful of flour). Place your dough in the middle of the surface and form a ball by tucking the dough under itself. Make sure your dough is covered in flour. If it sticks to the surface add a little more flour. Cover the dough with a large bowl or your plastic bag and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
04. Pre-heat the oven to 450˚F (230˚C) and place a good size cast iron pot in it to heat up. If you don’t own one of these beauties a large stainless steel pot with a lid or even an enamel pot will do the job beautifully.
05. Once your bread has rested for 30 minutes, take out the hot pot from the oven and carefully place the bread into it. You don’t need to grease the pot, the bread won’t stick and will come out no problem at all. Put the lid on the pot and place the bread in the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
06. After 30 minutes take the lid off and bake the bread for a further 15 minutes. Depending on your oven your bread might need a little more or less. Have a look at the crust if it’s a beautiful golden brown and not too springy to the touch it should be done.
07. Take the bread out of the oven and leave to rest on a cooling rack or just cut into it, smother in butter and devour!
After a few days simply give your bread a fresh breath of life by toasting or grilling it. And once it’s gone a little stale it is the perfect bread to use for Panzanella. Although I doubt it’ll get to that point. Enjoy!
Sometimes you just need a comforting meal that is made from your store cupboard, that doesn’t take hours, that’s comforting and healthy.
We stumbled upon this idea last summer and have evolved it into a weekly favourite. It’s super versatile and can be eaten as a traditional chili with rice, cheddar, spring onions, avocado and coriander or as fancy beans on toast, served on German rye bread with vintage cheddar, jammy eggs and spring onions. So good! (See below for recipe)
Serves 5 adults
Prep >10mins
Cooks 20-30mins
Ingredients:
– 1 large onions finely diced
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1tbsp tomato puree
– 1 heaped tsp chipotle flakes (or smoked paprika if you are cooking for kids)
– 2 tsp ground cumin
– 1 tsp ground coriander
– Olive Oil
– 2 tins mixed beans in mild chili sauce
– 1 tin black beans, drained and rinsed
– 1 tin cherry tomatoes (in the summer I like to roast my own tomatoes instead. Simply roast 300g cherry tomatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil at 190˚C for 20-30 mins until starting to char)
– Salt and pepper
To serve:
Brown rice, grated cheddar, spring onions, avocado, coriander, toast, fried egg, boiled egg…
Method:
1. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and fry the onions for five minutes or so, until they start to soften and go transluscent. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the spices and tomato puree and fry for a further 2 minutes until nice and fragrant.
3. Add your cherry tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes until they start to reduce down.
4. Add the beans and cook for 15-20 minutes on a medium heat.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Done!
This is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day! So delicious.
Today I am moving out of realm of the kitchen and taking you into our bathroom. While I still feel that our plastic waste is way beyond what it should be I am also proud of the small steps we have taken to reduce our single plastic use while supporting independent UK businesses. I feel that as long as a swap doesn’t break the bank, does the same/better job as your previous off the shelf product and doesn’t inconvenience you ridiculously - there is no excuse.
So here’s a little breakdown of the swaps I’ve made and am so happy with.
DEODORANT – We swapped from the usual Doves and Sures out there to a Salt of The Earth stone years ago and were super happy with it. I loved the fact that I wasn’t clogging up my arm pits with chemicals and artificial scents. Did you know that Aluminium-based complexes in regular deodorants react with the electrolytes in the sweat to form a gel plug in the duct of the sweat gland? Yup. Grim. BUT unfortunately this lovely product comes in a plastic holder. So after some research I ordered Carr Greens sample set of cream deodorants and was converted. Our favourite scent is Lemon and Geranium and it works soooo well. We’ve signed up to their subscription and get a new tin every 3 months. This costs £10 and lasts two adults (one of which has a very active job) perfectly.
SHAMPOO BAR – this is a difficult one and I have tried quite a few in the past with little success. While I didn’t find the process of using the bar as complex as I thought I would the earlier products I purchased left my hair with a thin layer of grease on them. But I persevered and finally came across Wild Sage + Co. Their Rosemary + Lavender shampoo bar is to die for. It leaves my hair nourished, soft and clean. I even had people comment on my hair looking healthier post bubba! And for £6 a bar (or £5.40 if you buy a multi pack) it’s not extortionate. Love love love.
BODY + FACE – I’ve got a little thing for Wild Sage + Co and am a real sucker for the way they present their brand, the way they create their products and their ethos in general. I have combination skin and since having a child my skin has behaved in all sorts of weird ways. Wild Sage’s Charcoal Detox soap is amazing. It leaves my face nice and clean as well as moisturised at the same time. I’ve also recently purchased their Pink Himalayan Soap which we use as a body wash and is exfoliating and invigorating all at the same time.
SHAVE – I’ve been talking about this for ages but for some reason never took the plunge… until Mat finally got me a safety razor for Christmas. Aaaaand I am a convert. It honestly is so easy to use. Your initial investment may be a little higher but the blades going forward are super affordable. My one is by Edwin Jagger and is so well made.
PERIOD – I am still in the testing stage of this but a few of my friends recommended I try a mooncup. I am so aware of the amount of waste period products produce and am determined to find a routine that works for me. So far I am liking it but haven’t dared venture out on longer trips yet.
So the only products I still haven’t managed to swap/find are: Toothpaste/Toothbrush – I have tricky gums and have to be careful what products I use. An electric toothbrush is an absolute MUST and so is a good toothpaste. I just worry that the natural tabs out there won’t cut it.
Facecream – This feels like a never ending journey. I have tried quite a few eco friendly products but still haven’t found one that suits my temperamental skin.
Body Lotion – as with the facecream I still haven’t found a good body lotion. I tried using coconut oil after showers and although it absorbs into my skin ok I still feel it’t too greasy :-(
So here you have it - a little list of our swaps + challenges. What sustainable beauty products do you love to use?