Personal Pledges: our no-nonsense resolutions

Resolutions. They're not about making grand gestures you won't keep beyond a week, they're about making small changes you can realistically embrace into your every day. That’s our opinion when it comes to New Year resolutions - and we're re-branding ours as 'Personal Pledges'.

Instead of “must lose weight”, “must be more organised”, and many other promises that bring with them hurdle after hurdle, we've set ourselves the following easy-to-keep (we hope!) goals.

1. Put shoes and coats away as soon as we’re home.

2. Try new, healthy recipes (we've already made these tasty Indian veggie burgers and Yotam Ottolenghi's divine lentils with preserved lemon).

3. Walk more. We're swapping those occasional could-walk hops-on-the-bus for stretching our legs.

4. Connect with one another - without the internet! So no smart phones at supper or bed time. 

Small stuff, right? Yet so far, so good. What have you promised yourself this year? 

Stuffed Butternut Squash

We’re on the cusp, perched right in-between seasons - is it winter? is it spring? Well, while the weather can’t quite decide what it’s doing from one day to the next, we’ve been busy in the kitchen roasting up a mouth-watering Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe (which we then swiftly followed by baking not one, but two loafs of Banana Bread, yum!). 

If you’ve a bit of time to spare, we whole-heartedly recommend trying out the squash - not only is it delicious, but you can also vary the veg and use up whatever you have in the fridge. Just remember to add things like mushrooms to the roasting tray a little later so as to get the best out of them.

What you’ll need (use the whole squash to feed four)...

1 large Butternut Squash (de-seeded)

Your choice of veggies - we used...

1 courgette, chopped roughly

1 red onion, chopped roughly

1 red pepper, chopped roughly

1 large handful of mushrooms, chopped roughly

As many garlic cloves (whole) as you like

Grated mozzarella

What you need to do...

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

2, Cut the butternut in half lengthways, drizzle in oil and roast for about 30 mins.

3. Add the veggies to your roasting tray, drizzle in oil and roast for about 30-40 mins.

4. When the butternut is ready (and the veggies, too), scoop out the flesh, mix it with the veggies and stuff the skin of the butternut with your scrummy veggie mix. 

5. Top with a good sprinkling of mozzarella and roast until the cheese browns and melts.

6. Divide the squash into portions and serve with a cherry-tomato salad. Enjoy.

A few of our favourite things...

Well, we've just about finished our Christmas shopping and we're getting ready to enjoy the Christmas break, and thought  I would share with you five things that I am a little obsessed about this week.

1.  Orlando Gough's Recipe Journal, published by Toast
A very descriptive lovely book about Orlando Gough's culinary journey spanning quite a few decades. 

2. The Original Pop Up Shop
A great little website filled with lovely Christmas decorations, trimmings and wrapping.

3. Cross Stitch Kits by What Delilah Did
I'm determined to finish my little bird over the Christmas break!

4. Herriott Grace
Love, love love it all!

5. Big Bird's Boutique
Yes the lovely Anna (who makes our Giant Floor Cushion) makes these great portable blackboards, and we think they are a bit fab.

Festive Fancies: Christmas panna cotta and truffles

As the season of indulgence is well and truly upon us, we took ourselves to the hub of the home to create two party-perfect recipes: rich Christmas Panna Cotta and toothsome White Chocolate and Pistachio after-dinner truffles.

 

Here's how to make the Christmas Panna Cotta...

You'll need:

6 sheets of gelatine (or Agar Flake for vegetarian friends)

1 litre double cream

120g caster sugar

1/2 tsp ground all spice

3 tbsp Pedro Ximinez

1 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup crumbled Christmas Pudding (can be a shop bought)

A sprinkling of nutmeg

To serve:

2 tbsp raisins

1 tbsp Pedro Ximinez

Method:

Place the raisins and one tablespoon of Pedro Ximinez in a bowl and leave aside to soak. Leave them for at least a few hours, but if you have time, overnight.

Meanwhile, soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water until softened. Drain and squeeze out any excess liquid.

In a heavy-based pan, heat the double cream, sugar and cinnamon, nutmeg and all spices. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking until the sugar has dissolved. If you’re using agar flake instead, follow the instructions on the packet.

Remove the cream mixture from the heat and whisk in the drained gelatine, 2 tablespoons of Pedro Ximinez and the crumbled Christmas pudding.

Pour the mixture into ramekins. Best to fill them up about ¾ full. Leave aside until completely cool then refrigerate until set.

When ready to serve, dip the ramekins briefly into hot water to loosen the Panna Cotta. Place on a plate and top with the Pedro Ximinez and soaked raisins. A touch of gold leaf on top would look ever so pretty, too.

 

For the White Chocolate and Pistachio truffles...

You'll need: 

180g good quality white chocolate (like Green and Blacks)

1/3 cup double cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, finely chopped

1/3 cup desiccated coconut

Method:

Chop the white chocolate into small, even chunks and place into a heatproof bowl. Add the cream and place in microwave (or on a baine marie if you would prefer, but the microwave is amazingly good with chocolate). Microwave the chocolate uncovered, on a medium heat for 2 minutes, then remove and stir with a metal spoon. If there are still lumps, pop the bowl back in for 1 minute, then stir again. 

Once all the chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in the vanilla and chopped coconut and place the mixture in the refrigerator for half an hour to set. Once set, remove and roll into balls, and then into the coconut.

Top tip: pop a handful of truffles into our of our Golden Espresso Cup to make the ideal gift.

Winter quinoa and duck egg salad

All of us have our go-to recipes – the ones we've made time and again and they never fail to disappoint. One of ours is a simple, yet super-healthy winter salad, and it’s really filling, not to mention absolutely delicious.

To serve two, you'll need:
1.5 - 2 cups of quinoa
A bunch of asparagus, grilled in salt and oil
2 duck eggs, poached (or hen’s eggs)
2 large handfuls of rocket
2 handfuls of small-ish potatoes

For the dressing:
Half a cup of olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon of wholegrain mustard
1 teaspoon of honey
A splash of cider vinegar (optional)

Method:
1. Boil the potatoes and add the quinoa to a separate pan of boiling water (you can buy it pre-cooked, too). 2. Roll the asparagus in oil and sea salt, then pop them under the grill for ten minutes or so.
3. When the potatoes, quinoa, and asparagus are nearly done, drop your eggs into another pan of boiling water with a splash of vinegar.
4. Drain the potatoes and quinoa and place them into a large bowl with the asparagus. Add the dressing and mix everything together before splitting the mixture into two bowls.
5. Top each dish with your freshly poached egg, rocket and a good sprinkling of sea salt and pepper. Divine!
 

Easy, healthy, burger dressing

We have the Americans to thank for introducing us to the good old ‘burger and fries’ and it’s a dish Brits (and the rest of us) love just as much.


Burgers in buns make for a wonderful simple supper too, and just by switching a few sides - such as mayonnaise for juicy home-made salsa - gives an old classic a delicious, yet healthy spin.


Here's how to make the salsa (it literally takes minutes and costs next-to-nothing):


Ingredients
4-5 ripe tomatoes
tsp of ground coriander seeds
¼ tsp cumin
1 clove of garlic, smashed
½ a small onion, diced
½ a small green chilli (with or without seeds)
dash or two of freshly squeezed lime juice


Method
Drop all the ingredients into a food processor and give it a whizz - not too long though; the salsa is best a bit chunky.


Pile on freshly grated beetroot, rocket, a sprinkling of mozzarella, and enjoy!

Artichoke Season, Pan-Cooked Artichokes

Artichoke season is here so its the perfect time to start experimenting in the kitchen with this striking yet beautiful vegetable.  When cooking artichokes it's best to keep it simple.  Here is a rather delicious, yet simple recipe is from My Tuscan Kitchen by Aurora Baccheschi Berti, with beautiful imagery by Beth Evans.

Pan-Cooked Artichokes

12 Baby artichokes (violetto variety preferably)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Leaves from 1 bunch parsley, chopped, plus more for serving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash the artichokes, remove the hard outer leaves, and cut off the pointed ends.

Place the artichokes in a saucepan with the oil, garlic, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  Place over low heat, add 1 cup of water, cover the pan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the artichokes are tender.   Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Artichoke Apron, Tea Towel and Hankies by Thornback and Peel is available Exclusively at Roost Living

Spiced up stir-fry

If you’ve tried those ready-to-cook stir fry packs in the supermarket, you’ll know they’re nothing but beansprouts. 


Now, while we’re a fan of those little leaf-topped beans, there are so many more tasty ingredients you can add to one of the healthiest, quickest meals you can make. Better still, you really can throw in almost any old vegetable so it’s a great way to use up odds and ends, too.

Here’s how we make it (or at least, how we did the last time – it changes regualarly!)

Ingredients (makes enough for two):

1 large handful of curly cale (be generous; cale shrinks to nothing when cooked)
1 large handful of bamboo shoots (or beansprouts, if you prefer)
1 carrot
1 packet of pre-marinated tofu
4-5 stalks of asparagus
Half a pepper, any colour
1 medium onion
1-2 cloves of garlic
1-2 packets of ribbon noodles (depending how hungry you are)
A splash of soy sauce
Sprinkling of chilli flakes
The sauce of your choice

Method:


1. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and asparagus to a large oiled wok and fry for about two minutes.
2. Throw in the other vegetables, then noodles, then sauce. 
3. Heat through and serve while hot.


P.S. Our favourite sauce is rich Hoi Sin – but use whichever you like.

The Easter Nest

Easter is a great excuse to get creative, whether it be decorating eggs, making simnel cake or handmade chocolates.

We've been getting messy with our toddler making delicious chocolatey treats, Easter nests. What a treat! And they couldn't be easier.

Ingredients:

• 225g plain chocolate

• 2 tbsp golden syrup
  

• 50g butter

• 75g cornflakes

• 36 mini chocolate eggs

Method:

1. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper cases.

2. Melt the chocolate, golden syrup and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the mixture until smooth.

3. Remove the bowl from the heat and gently stir in the cornflakes.

4. Divide the mixture between the paper cases and press 2 chocolate eggs into the centre of each nest. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour, or until completely set.

Poached eggs & quinoa cakes

Waking up to the sunshine on Sunday and a day of little plans ahead (delightful!), we decided to get creative in the kitchen.

After scrolling through a few ideas online and flipping through well-thumbed cookery books, we settled on an inventive way to have eggs - swapping the somewhat tiresome companion of toasted muffins for home-made and healthy quinoa cakes.

Here's how we made them...

Ingredients, makes 3-4 cakes:

1 cup of cooked quinoa

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

2 egg whites

1 onion (make sure it's finely chopped)

A good handful of mature cheddar

Salt and pepper

Spinach, wilted (or other leaves if you prefer)

3 poached eggs

Method:

1. Mix together the quinoa, egg yolks and whites, onion, cheese, salt and pepper.

2. Add in the bread crumbs and leave to stand for two minutes.

3. Pat mixture into 3-4 rounds, squashing them together with your hands.

4. Fry each cake in a large pan for about 7-10 minutes either side.

5. Top each cake with the leaves of your choice and a drippy poached egg.

Enjoy!