Orange and Raisin Flapjacks

I enjoyed making these flapjacks, especially the zesting of the orange which filled the kitchen with its refreshing citrus scent.  The waft transported me back to Cyprus and our holidays there two years ago with my mother-in-law and late father-in-law.  Ah hot sunny days.  

I have to say, these are by far the best tasting flapjacks I've made for a while. These are dense, chewy and orangey. One slice is truly enough.  If you go back for another, I am really going to call you greedy.  Yes, I am talking to you D in case you are reading this. 

When they are gone, I know that I will be making them again. The only thing I would do differently is purely for presentation. I would press a very thin slice of (crystallised) orange on the top for visual effect. I think that would make them more popular.

I am also sharing it with Family Friendly Fridays.   May's edition of Family Friendly Fridays is being hosted by Clare over at The Vegetarian Experience on behalf of Ren over at Fabulicious Food .

Orange and Raisin Flapjacks
Ingredients
Makes about 16 
250g butter
250g golden caster sugar
175g golden syrup
Zest from 1 large orange
425g rolled oats
Handful of raisins or sultanas
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 4 or 180oc.
Grease a medium sized baking tray.  
In a large saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup and orange zest.Take of the heat, then evenly stir in the oats and raisins.
Using a spatula, carefully turn out into the baking tray and press down. Place the tray in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the sides are golden.Remove from the oven.  Allow to cool, before slicing.

Root Vegetables with Chickpeas and Cobblers

I started writing this blog post yesterday, but got sort of caught up with the howling weather.  Its the worst storms for a decade in Scotland. At one point, I was too afraid to look out of the window, and when I did take a peek - the back of the flat where the commuter train passes.  I noticed the neighbours kids trampoline has been uplifted by the ferocious winds and flung onto the rail tracks, of course we rang the Scotrail.  The only damage in our garden: the bird table knocked down and a scattering of pots.  It was not the same for the front - the fencing that separates ours and the neighbours car parking has come down. Typically landing on our driveway. I guess I should be thankful that no slates have come sliding down or a new leak in the roof.   Its not over yet, more snow and blizzards are predicted.   

Anyway, yesterday I made this simple .  The root vegetale broth is extremely light, so to give it more oomf - substance I made some cheesy cobblers in the shape of bushy tailed foxes.  I've been dreaming of friendly foxes lately. 

You don’t have to make these cobblers and could easily serve this with mashed potatoes, or even rice.  But I liked the delicate aspect of these cobblers that were golden and puff, and almost melted in your mouth.  I think suet dumplings would work wonders too.

I am sharing this frugal recipe with Frugal Food Thursday, Fight Back Friday and Fresh Bites Friday.  
Root Vegetables with Chickpeas and 'Foxy' Cobblers
Serves 4 – 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and cubed
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cubed
½ swede, peeled and cubed
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon of fresh
Salt and pepper to taste
60ml soy sauce or Tamari
400g cooked chickpeas
Method
Saute the onions in the oil until soft and translucent, then stir in the garlic, celery, carrots, parsnips, and swede cubes, along with the seasoning and Tamari and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Add the chickpeas, simmer for a couple of minutes.  Then turn off and allow to cool, before transferring into a casserole dish.  Adapted from Ken Bergeron Professional Vegetarian Cooking.

Ingredients for the Cobbler Topping
225g self raising flour
60g butter
125g Cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 egg, beaten
150ml milk
Salt
To make the cobbler topping
Preheat oven to gas mark 6.
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter, then stir in the cheese and the thyme. Beat together the egg and milk and add enough to the dry ingredients to make a soft dough. Knead lightly, roll out to 1 cm thick and cut into 2 inch rounds.
Arrange the rounds on top of the root vegetables in the casserole dish, brush with the remaining egg and milk.
Bake in the oven for 12 – 15 minutes, until the topping is risen and golden. Serve immediately.

Eating Apple and Blackberry Flapjacks

BBrrrr woke up to a sheet of snow this morning.  I don't think I will be venturing far.

Other than some golden juicy sultanas, I am all out of dried fruit.  So these weekend flapjacks had to be made with frozen blackberries from my freezer, that were foraged from somewhere or other on one of our country road drives.  I also had some blueberries harvested from the garden, but they are for next time I make flapjacks.  

I've had a number of comments on my blog, namely from American readers regarding flapjacks.  You see in the US flapjacks are pancakes.  Therefore I guess I should make it clear what I mean by flapjacks on my blog.    British flapjacks are similar to Breakfast Bars, Muesli Bars or even Granola Bars.  They are not exactly a biscuit or a cake, but a chewy bar usually made with oats and golden syrup.  I am also sharing this with Laura who is hosting the Penny Worthy Project.

Apple and Blackberry Flapjacks
Ingredients
Makes about 8
120g butter
4 tablespoons maple syrup or runny honey
75g golden caster sugar
240g rolled oats
1 eating apple, grated
Handful of blackberries(fresh or frozen).
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 6.  Line a small baking tray with greaseproof paper.  In a large saucepan, melt the butter, syrup (or honey) and sugar until it all melts.  Take of the heat, then stir in the oats and fruit evenly.  Using a spatula, carefully turn out into the baking tray and press down.  Place the tray in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the sides are golden.  Remove from the oven and slice immediately.  Leave them in the tin, when completely cold, slice again and remove from the baking tray. 

Bajan Gungo Pea, Squash and Coconut Soup

Whilst I was vacuuming,  I knocked down one of the paperback cookbooks hidden on the bottom shelf.  A much under-used cookbook called Lean Bean Cuisine.  I flicked through it quickly, finding myself enticed by a number of legume based recipes.

As the book was random, honest - it landed at my feet - it occured to me that I should enter this months No Croutons Required Does Random Recipes.  This is not the way I normally cook, I tend to go by what ingredients are in season and then come up with a recipe, but I was up for a new challenge, moreso as I've never done 'Random Recipes' before either.  So I closed my eyes and flicked through the first few pages and ended up on a 'Gungo Pea and Coconut Soup' recipe.  This made me smile, as I have three tins of gungo peas, also known as pigeon peas and a can of coconut milk at home.  The only ingredient I had to go and pick up was butternut squash.   

The soup was lovely and light, truly embracing the characteristic flavours of the Caribbean: coconut milk, thyme, hot peppers, and rum.  I have to point out though that the flavours of both the jalapeno pepper and rum is mild, so don't worry about it too much;  if you so wish, feel free to omit it.  I think the soup will still be lovely and will transport your mind, if not your soul to the sunset warmth of the Caribbean.

So as mentioned, this is my entry for Novembers No Croutons Required. NCR is a little different this month as Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes has teamed up with Dom at Belleau Kitchen.  to create No Croutons Required Does Random Recipes.   I do hope they like this soup as much as I did.

Bajan Gungo Pea , Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup
Serves 6 – 8
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stick, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper
140g – 180g butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 x 400g canned gungo peas (pigeon peas), drained and rinsed
1 ½ pints vegetable stock
Optional:  2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
200ml canned coconut milk
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and jalapeno pepper.  Saute over medium heat the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes or so.  Add the squash, half of the beans, stock, rum parsley and seasonings.  Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 35 minutes until it begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the coconut milk and continue to simmer for a couple of minutes.  Transfer the soup to a food processor and blitz until smooth.  Return to the pan, add the remaining beans and reheat before serving.  Adapted from Lean Bean Cuisine by Jay Solomon.

Wild Garlic Tabouli

Well the 'Wild Garlic Chronicles' have come to a happy end.  I know some of you will be relieved and some disappointed, but hey there is so much Wild Garlic a girl can eat and I have certainly eaten more than my fair share. 

Just in case any of you have been wondering about 'side effects' to consuming copious amounts of Wild Garlic, I can truthfully report that there have been no belly upsets or wakey wakey nights. I have really found wild garlic agreeable.

The last dish on my blog (for this year at least) to contain fresh wild garlic is Tabouli or Tabbouleh.  Tabouli  is a Lebanese salad made with a grain called bulgar wheat. The salad is enhanced with a lot of fresh parsley, mint and lemon for seasoning. You know there is even a Tabbouli Song. 

The first time I ever had Tabouli was whilst at University. I was invited for lunch at the home of a Scottish-Armenian friend.  I was so amazed to see her put the salad together there right before my eyes.  She made a mound.  A few years later, I saw Tabouli as part of a light buffet.  Tabouli is definitely one of those dishes you make for sharing.  Here is a Fairtrade Tabouli recipe. My recipe is very similar, except in place of the mint I've added about 6 leaves of minced wild garlic, black olives and some red pepper for colour.

Seaside days - Leigh-on-sea

Whilst in Essex, we took full advantage of the dry weather and explored as many scenic places as we could. Leigh-on-sea was one of them.
Leigh-on-sea or 'Leigh' as it is fondly known is a coastal town built on the Thames Estuary off the North Sea. Leigh-on-sea once was a thriving fishing industry: providing fresh native oysters, rock oysters and various shellfish, namely whelks, winkles, prawns, cockles and mussels (good old fashioned East end fare!). Oh I hear a song coming on see link - Molly Malone.

In Dublin's fair city,
Where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"
"Alive, alive, oh,
Alive, alive, oh",
Crying "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh"

Not an English song, I know, but undeniably Old Leigh has Irish links.
Every year, Leigh-on-Sea celebrates Leigh’s fishing industry and heritage, but today it was very quiet. Other than the odd fishing boat here and there, it was relatively quiet and cold. We decided not walk on the gravelly beach, as it was rather muddy and I didn't want to get my shoes mucky. So we decided to head back and walk the streets of Leigh instead. Just look at these charity finds.
I purchased a Pyrex double boiler. I was surprised first to see a double boiler made out of glass, secondly the wooden handles. When I got back home, I looked on the Internet and could not find a similar one. So you can imagine how chuffed I was at my find and at a bargain price of £2.95.

My dear blogger friend Brenda fondly known as GardeningBren in Nova Scotia sent me an etsy link to a very similar looking Wooden handled Pyrex Double Boiler. If you follow the link, you will note that it has a lid. I knew the lid was missing from the one I purchased and wasn't so bothered by it, but I had not noted that the wooden handle was missing from the bottom one. I'm still rather pleased with it and will be extremely careful when I use it. I've just learned the reason behind why the handles were made from wood. Wood was used because the metal had to go to the war effort. This boiler was produced in 1941. There are also numbers and green markings at the bottom of each.
I also purchased two Royal Worcester porcelain egg coddlers with an easy screw top lid. Royal Worcester is Britain's oldest manufacturer of porcelain, and it was here, over a century ago, that the English tradition of Egg Coddlers began. The patterns on these two are called 'Bournemouth' and Lavinia'. Well how could I resist at a bargain price of £4.50 for the two of them.

Gobi Fritters with Carrot Salsa

Instead of having what some people do on a Friday night in Scotland - Fish Supper - we've had Gobi fritters and Beetroot-mint tea cakes. Many of you will be familiar with the word Gobi, its the Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi word for 'cauliflower' and I have to say they were very nice too. The Gobi fritters were lightly spiced. I'd go as far as describing them as cauliflower popcorn, as the bite size pieces were perfect to pick and eat with your fingers.

I accompanied the Gobi fritters and Beetroot-mint tea cakes with a light and refreshing carrot salsa. I really enjoyed the carrot salsa. It was sweet, spicy and herby. I will be making it again, perhaps to serve with some tortilla chips.
Those of you keen on the Beetroot -mint tea cakes will note that I have not posted the recipe, I promise to do so tomorrow.
Carrot salsa
Makes a large bowl
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1 small red onion, peeled and finely minced
2 tablespoons Jalapeño from a jar, roughly chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, minced
Method
Mix all the ingredients together in a dishing dish. Chill for an hour before serving. Adapted from 'Tis the Season.
Gobi Fritters
Ingredients
1 small cauliflower
For the spiced batter
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoons black mustard seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
100g chickpea flour, sifted
Enough water to combine
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Method
For the batter
Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl, then pour in enough water to combine and whisk gently. Season with salt and set aside for flavours to mingle.
Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower. Rinse the cauliflower under water and then chop into bite sized florets.
Heat oil in a deep pan.
Add some of the cauliflower into the batter and coat well, then carefully place them in the hot oil in batches. Turning them now and again, so that they are browned and crisp all over. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon onto a kitchen paper. If you are not serving them immediately, they will keep warm in the oven on low heat for a little while, but they are best eaten immediately.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

Is it spring here yet!? It still feels so wintry.

As well as a hot drink like mulled wine or hot cider, a piece of cake spruced up with a little of ginger would not go amiss either.

On the first day of eating this Chocolate Gingerbread cake, the texture was airy light, almost mousse like. However, a day or two later, the texture firmed up a little, still very tasty. The ginger in the cake certainly kicks you in the mouth on first bite and guess what?! This cake is vegan too.

Chocolate Gingerbread
1/3 cup or 30g cocoa powder
1 1/3 cup or180g plain flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup or 165g brown sugar
1 cup or 200ml strong brewed coffee, cooled
½ cup or 100ml vegetable oil
¼ cup or 55g chopped crystallized ginger
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
Method
Heat the oven to Gas Mark 5. Oil an 8 inch round baking tin.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Stir in the sugar. In a small bowl, combine the coffee with the oil and whisk. Then beat the liquid into the dry ingredients. Stir in the crystallized ginger, and then quickly stir in the vinegar.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until a toothpick in the centre of the cake comes out clean. From Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates.

Beetroot and cumin pasta

Although I have found two ways of enjoying beetroot - in the form of hash browns, and beetroot bulgar. I am still, always on the prowl for other recipes to encourage me to eat more of this deep crimson vegetable. Another reason I can't completely overlook this root vegetable is that D really likes its flavour.

Well whilst surfing the web, I stumbled upon this recipe for 'Beetroot, tomato and cumin pasta' and I just couldn't skip it.
It had beetroot for D, cumin seeds for me and pasta. Its been a long while since we sat down and had a good pasta dish, so this evenings meal was decided there and then. The original recipe recommends papparadelle, but I'm quite clumsy with noodle like pasta. Also at the risk of this beetroot dyed pasta falling off my fork and staining my clothing, I chose casarecce, a pasta that would surely hold and trap both the sauce and the grated beetroot. It was an excellent choice, not a red spot in sight.

This is quite a speedy recipe to make and one I'd recommend making after work. First it was a delight to watch how the pasta transformed in colour, from plain beige to deep Gothic crimson. Secondly, the flavours were absolutely wonderful. The earthy beetroot was uplifted by both the sweetness of the tomatoes and the zingyness of the fresh lemon juice; and the warmth of the spices came through subtle as a hint. I will definitely be making this again. Its a very red dish, so the scattering of fresh parsley will also make a world of difference to you or your guests eyes.
I am submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights or PPN as it is fondly known. This weeks PPN#199 is being hosted by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast. Ruth was also the inspiration behind PPN. As this is quite an unusual dish and relatively cheap to make, I have also decided to submit this to Good (& Cheap) Eats link-up for What's On Your Plate?
Beetroot and cumin pasta
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
1 x 400g tinned tomatoes, blitzed in a food processor
1 medium red onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted
½ tsp chilli flakes
250g cooked beetroot (not in vinegar)
1 small lemon
small handful of flat-leaf parsley, minced
400g casarecce or pappardelle pasta
Optional 100g Greek feta cheese
Method
Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
For the beetroot and cumin sauce
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and stir in the onion. Cook, stirring often, for about 8 min until soft. Stir in the cumin seeds and chilli flakes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste, then adjust the heat so the tomatoes simmer, cooking until thick and sauce like. Meanwhile, peel the beetroot (if necessary) and grate. Stir the beetroot into the tomato and add lemon juice to taste and then scatter over the parsley leaves.
When the pasta is ready, drain and stir well into the sauce so that is is well combined.
Optional Crumble over some feta if using and serve immediately. Adapted from this recipe.

Chocolate Orange Brownies for my heart

I saw some fudgy and decadent looking brownies on Jacquelines blog Tinned Tomatoes. As I read on I learned that the recipe was inspired by fellow blogger Choclette's spicy orange brownies, I've written fondly about Choclette before on my blog, but I am happy to say it again Choclette certainly does come up with some fantastic, innovative and tasty chocolate recipes on her blog Chocolate Log which as the name suggests is dedicated to all things chocolate and chocolaty.

Anyway, not only were theses brownies tempting me, I had planted the idea of these sweet bites in my husbands mind. For the past few days, I have been promising and teasing him that I would make them especially as we had all the ingredients at home, but they were not coming out of the kitchen too quickly for him. So he prompted me early this afternoon 'Where are those brownies you promised me?!' Here is his piece - a heart, garnished with a little edible silver leaf. He is special after all.
True to their words these brownies were easy peasy - not just to make, but to eat too.

I made these Chocolate Orange brownies with chocolate I was sent from 'Chocolate and Love' to try. Chocolate and Love bars are fair trade, organic, gluten free and suitable for vegetarians. They have a number of bars that are suitable for vegans too (always read the label). These brownies should have been made with 100g of chocolate, but D had managed to eat most of the Orange Mantra flavour leaving behind only 80g which is what I ended up using in the recipe. The chocolate is smooth and intense in flavour, not the kind you'd eat in one go, but slowly, piece by piece. I also have to add this is not the kind of bar you would go out and buy every-day as it costs around £3.20 a bar, but its worth a treat or as a gift for the chocolate connoisseur in your life. What I liked about it here was it worked well in this recipe, the zesty kick of the orange still came through every bite of the brownie. It the kind of chocolate I'd be happy to use in my baking.
Chocolate Orange Brownies
Makes 1 x 7 inch by 9 inch tin
Ingredients
100g unsalted butter
100g (I only used 80g as that is all I had) orange dark chocolate
150g dark muscovado sugar
2 medium eggs.
75g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt.
MethodHeat oven to Gas Mark 4.
Melt the chocolate, butter and sugar in a bain marie (or a bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water). Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little, then beat in the eggs.
Stir in the flour, cinnamon and salt. Pour into the tin and bake on middle shelf for 12 minutes. Allow to cool in tin before slicing up and serving.
Here are some more photographs from last weekend. These were taken around Kelvinbridge, not far from Kelvingrove Park and Glasgow University. Its known as the Kelvin Bridge mural, a panoramic patchwork depicting various modes of transport.
I've seen the mural from them distance many times before, when I used to the University, but never up close and personal. We were very impressed by them all, but photographed only those that amused us the most.

Irn Bru - Beloved by some Scottish folk. Instead of having a cuppa tea or a coffee in the morning to get you ready for the day ahead, you will often witness people drinking straight from their large bottles of Irn Bru. Phenomenal! I actually don't mind it, I grew up in Wales and it was a fizzy drink that featured in my parents household on party days, along with Tizer and Lilt.

I read that there are some more murals further down, so may have to visit again. I don't need much of an excuse to visit the West end of Glasgow.

peeking through snowy windows

Its snowing heavy in the U.K, for those of you in warmer climates follow this link and you will see how snow white Britain is right now. I can hardly call it walking in a winter wonderland. Its dark, its cold, its industrial and its sludgy that is what it looks like around me. Trudging through the snow, bobbing along like a penguin to keep my balance, (so not to slip) and then scuttling as fast as my little feet would go ...
to catch the bus to the train station into the city centre. I wish I was like this bulldog on the skateboard.
After just catching the bus, my next mission is to get the train home on the outskirts of Glasgow (that is if it doesn't get cancelled) - Phew I make it! I am absolutely exhausted both mentally and physically when I get home and just want to crash out.
Getting to and fro work this week has been frustrating. Added to this I am finding work utterly depressing. I am at a hard place right now, but I am trying to put on a brave face. Thank goodness for the weekend ahead. All this is way of saying, that it should not be a surprise to say that I have not cooked a single meal all week. D has taken charge in the kitchen and has done me proud. He created a Mojo Potato and pea dish. Shame he did not take a photograph as it certainly was worth sharing. So I am hoping he will make it again to share with you all. I’ll prod him, I promise.

On a different note, Emma of Sunflower Days kindly requested if I could share seven things about me. To be honest, it was quite hard to come up with things that I thought others would find interesting.

1. I am the first person in my family to attend University.
2. I rebelled against my mothers efforts to transform me into a domestic goddess.
3 In my youth, I used to wear a lot of black (now its purple)
4. I always seem to have cold hands and cold feet
5. I am 5 foot 2 ¾ and wear size 4 shoes
6. I've lost my Welsh accent, but when I am passionate or very angry it comes back with a vengeance.
7. still thinking...

I was also tagged a little while ago by the real sumptuous Sophie of Sophies Foodie files. I don’t often do tags. Not because I am shy or anything. I just try my utmost to keep the focus of this blog on seasonality through what I cook or grow, but I’ve decided to play along this time.

1. What is your most memorable meal that you ate in your life and why?
I love my mothers cooking dearly, but I have to admit that my most memorable meal was that my father made (sorry (m)Ummy). It wasn’t the most delicious meal I’ve ever had, but fabulous as greedy children do we all went up for seconds. It was the fact that my father made a South Asian style roast dinner for us: tandoori roasted tangy chicken served with all the trimming, South Asian style with mango or lime achari roast potatoes, giving my mother the day off from the kitchen. It was very unusual for my father to cook a meal for the whole family and I think this is what made it memorable. It felt like more of an occasion – a treat, not just for my mother, but for her little ones too.

2. Why did you start blogging?
I wanted to start blogging in late 2007, but I wasn’t too sure how to set up a blog so resigned myself to reading other peoples blogs. It was in early 2009, that it dawned on me how easy it was to set up and I immediately leaped into blogger world.

It began really to record my amateur allotment antics and what I cooked with the vegetables I grew there. This was fun as it allowed me to pro-actively cook from the many cookbooks on my burgeoning bookshelf, as well as some recipes of my own. The recipes I feature here are a bit like me, always diverse and sometimes a little bit spicy. I no longer have my allotment plot as I lost it in a fire early this year, but I do still make every effort to eat seasonally and grow what I can in my tiny garden plot and pots. The allotment2kitchen blog has become on on-line journal of recipes: eats and treats. I also find it a great way to switch off from the nonsense, manic and stress of the outside world.

3. What is your favourite restaurant, where and why?
I very rarely eat out and honestly, cannot answer this question. But there are a number of places on my list to eat. To list a few: Denis Cotters Café Paradiso in Cork, Ireland, Terre a Terra in Brighton, England and The Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, USA.

4. Which are your 3 most favourite chefs in the whole world and why?
Nadine Abensur was the first vegetarian chef to open my eyes to the versatility of vegetables and different ways to appreciate eating them. She shared diverse and 'ethnic' vegetable based dishes that were 'new' at the time such as falafels, sweet potato chips and dolmades, as well as ingredients. She introduced me to ingredients such as tamarind, couscous, sumac, za’atar and pomegranate molasses. For me she is what Yotam Ottolenghi is today for the Guardian New Vegetarian column readers. Her cooking style was innovative and showed that vegetable dishes should be seen differently, not just a side serving of vegetables on the plate.
Paul Gayler for catering for vegetarians and vegans and creating inventive and exquisite vegetable based meals, that even appealed to those who liked their meat and two veg. This was long before other chefs starting viewing vegetarians and vegans as clientele (rather than a nuisance). I applaud him, as other up-market restaurants (still continue to) serve mushroom risotto, vegetable lasagne or a boring cheesy pasta dish. I have a number of his cookbooks, one adapted recipe from it is this lemony couscous and chermoula mushrooms.
Finally, Denis Cotter. I completely appreciate his seasonal and creative approach to vegetables. This had undoubtedly been heavily influenced by his time in some New Zealand kitchens, but I say Thank goodness for this, vegetable based cuisine that excites my palate.

5. What is your favourite recipe on your own blog and why?
Oooh that is a tough one. I had to go through my entire blog entries to pick one. I ended up choosing this Coriander, cumin and chilli quiche. This quiche has flavours reminisce of my childhood. It came about from memories of my limited vegetarian school dinner options, which was mashed potatoes with peas, or chips with beans; or chips with cheese quiche; and then when I returned home, it was my mothers cooking which often included these three flavours cumin, coriander and chilli. So I decided to combine the two flavours into one dish and this is what we have. The pastry base reminds me a little of a samosa pastry which sometimes has cumin seeds in it

6. To which music do you listen to when you cook and bake and why?
I don’t often listen to music while I am cooking as I like to be alert of my surroundings. I live in shared building and am always conscious of the noise I make, but also of potential hazards below and above me. I usually have the 24/7 news on in the background. I know that’s quite boring. I don’t want you thinking I don’t listen to music, I certainly do and have quite an eclectic taste in music. I am presently listening to: Santigold, Kings of Leon, Amy McDonald and Stornaway.

7. What is the strangest food that you have ever eaten and did you like it or not?
Falooda or Faluda is a traditional summer drink throughout the Indian Subcontinent. Traditionally it is mad with rose syrup, vermicelli and basil seeds along with milk or water. You can describe it as a cross between a milkshake and a tutti frutti. Its 100% vegetarian, but along with the garish pink colour, the beady balls of basil seeds with tiny black speck appears to my eyes like frog spawn floating in flavoured liquid. I just don’t like the texture and the thought of it used to make me gag. These days in place of the basil seeds you will find tapioca, still giving it that gelatinous texture in the mouth and it comes in many flavours, mango, chocolate and saffron. Please don’t let my experience of it put you off, should you ever come across this option, please do give it try. I am willing to give it another try as my tastes have changed enormously over the past 10 years.

8. What is your most lovely food destination in the world and why?
I have not travelled extensively, but through reading cookbooks and watching travel shows, it would perhaps be Northern Africa simply for flavours and colour.

9. What is your most favourite food shop in the world and why?
Sorry I don’t have one. What I would love though is a good, simple local and seasonal grocer or vegetable markets that is fairly priced. I’d be a happy woman. Every village, town and city should have one.

10. Which kitchen gadget do you love the most and why?
My swivel potato peeler - It is one of my purchases from my University days and its still peeling vegetables. Its much more than a potato peeler, peels apples, parsnip, carrots, even butternut squash...I quite like my garlic press too and wooden potato masher.

Snovember

Woke up and looked outside of the window and saw the streets and roads paved with snow....BBrrrrrr....

I would have been quite content staying in the warms of our four walls, but no my husband says lets go out for a walk in the park. The park in question was Kelvingrove Park.
It took us past my old University - Glasgow.

On the other side of the University is Kelvingrove Museum.

Still red berries

Snowy twigs

straddles of the River Kelvin

I don't recall seeing this abstract wooden stick figure before, but to be honest in my student days I had other distractions than the colours of the park. I could not quite figure what the stick figure represented, on first glance I thought it was a Scottish piper,

but upon scraping the snow away, the words 'The Psalmist' were revealed. The Psalmist is a well-defined figure in the Bible. Its by the artist Benno Schotz.

Onwards and upwards, next came the monument of Joseph Lister, a pioneer of antiseptic surgery.

then Lord Kelvin himself.

Although I had my walking boots on, the tippy of my toes were feeling a bit nippy, I wish I had put on thicker socks. So refuge was sought inside the Kelvingrove Museum. I've featured my adventures at the Kelvingrove museum before. If you have not read about it, then please follow this link. Today, we just looked at the new exhibitions.

This eye installations was one of them. Pretty cool I think. The eye followed you as you moved. If you look close, you will see D in this one.

Then me and D together.

Then just me - all smiles. Can you see me wrapped up all snuggly and warm?!

We also wandered again through the Real Glasgow Stories section: How Glasgow inspires and infuriates people. The good - positive contributions of migrant communities and the not so good, such as Sectarianism: religious intolerance between Catholic and Protestant communities.

Then selected work by The Glasgow Boys. These were my favourite exhibits.