Humble Hummus

Hummus/Houmous has been around for thousands of years and yet it's only in the last few years that we have embraced it in the UK. Originating in the Middle East, it is debatable which country actually invented it. The rise in popularity over recent years could be due to more of us eating vegan, vegetarian, dairy free and gluten free diets. Houmous literally ticks all the boxes. 

There is the classic version but now we can buy a variety of flavours including caramelised onion, lemon and coriander, chilli, red pepper, pesto infused ...

Accompaniments include various breads, crackers, crisps and raw vegetables.

It's sold everywhere so is easy to buy but is also incredibly easy to make. Here is the recipe for classic houmous. Once you've made it you can experiment with new flavours.

Can of rinsed chickpeas, 2tbsp lemon juice, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1tsp ground cumin, pinch salt, 1tbsp tahini paste, 4tbsp water. Blend together in a food processor for 5 mins until smooth. Serve in a bowl or plate. Drizzle with virgin olive oil, sprinkle with paprika and decorate with a few reserved chickpeas. Voila! 

Bake Off

Just going to share an easy peasy recipe. It's a variation on a theme but quick, easy and tasty.

Italian roast vegetable bake:-

Slice up vegetables such as aubergine, courgette, tomatoes, peppers, drizzle with oil, season and roast in oven. 

Add a drained jar of black olives.

Cook pasta such as penne or rigatoni.

Add roast tomato sauce (homemade or jar).

Combine pasta, sauce and vegetables in an ovenproof dish.

Top with halved mozzarella pearls.

Season and bake for 10-15mins until mozzarella melted.

Easy in Ibiza

In Ibiza my day starts with homemade yogurt served with muesli and fruit kebabs followed by a choice of breads, pastries and eggs.

After catching some rays and swimming a few lengths it's time for lunch. I've enjoyed a quinoa and beetroot salad, avocado burrito and asparagus risotto. 

Yesterday I chose a simple dish, so easy to replicate back in Blighty and so refreshing in the current heatwave.

Chunks of watermelon and feta, chopped mint and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Done! Easy as that!

Delicioso.

Clean eating Bandits

Whilst proud of having a blog since 2015, I am by no means a tech-savvy person and have only just joined the crowds of Instagrammers around the world. I don't do face-book, snap-chat and I'm certainly not a tweeter. I like to text and whatsap but I constantly have a back-log of emails. You get the picture.

Fuelled by a younger generation, social media is being used as a platform to share vegan and vegetarian food stories, pictures, information, recipes and guides, often sponsored and endorsed by the very celebrities we follow. So far so good. I love to gaze at plates of beautifully presented food. My only quibble is when so called experts pop up claiming miracle diets which heal. It seems there is always someone out there ready to endorse one of these:-

Gluten free, sugar free, processed food free, dairy free, anti-cancer, meat free, healthy heart food, anti proteins in grains, alkaline eating, plant-based, clean eating ...

They begin with a beautiful/handsome healthy looking person cooking, presenting and eating the food and replacing everything we know with a substitute. These people are well-meaning and whatever they're doing has worked for them but it might not suit everyone. Their theories are not scientific. They are not always qualified nutritionists. The medical industry does not always recognise their theories.

Our diet is a personal thing and we can choose to follow whatever suits us. I am a happy vegetarian who does eat dairy. I have pescatarian, flexitarian, gluten free and vegan friends and family. There is nothing wrong with anyone's choices. All I'm saying is that social media, rightly or wrongly, has driven this way of eating and there is a pressure on us for everything (and everyone) to look perfect.

Father's role

It's Father's Day here in the UK. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages although we probably followed the Americans who began this celebration in 1910. A young girl named Grace Golden Clayton lost her own father in a mining accident along with 360 others. This left approximately a thousand fatherless children. She suggested to her pastor that we honour fathers everywhere.

My maiden name is also Clayton, although I am not blessed with the same middle name. We have celebrated today with my own father, father-in-law and husband and father to my children. 

Here is the card my husband received -

What about vegetarian sausage rolls, vegetarian spring rolls, vegetarian sushi rolls ...

Bet they don't make cards for we vegetarians!

Holly and The Ivy

This week was my third visit to The Ivy in Harrogate. Once with husband of our anniversary, once as a treat for my daughter Holly post university exams and pre trip to do Camp America. This week was a visit with my octogenarian parents. 

The Ivy was first founded in 1917 as an Italian cafe in London and its proximity to theatre-land made it popular with theatre goers, actors and celebrities. This Art Deco gem has been rolled out across the country in the form of Ivy Cafes and Ivy Brasseries.

My daughter and I had recently visited the Granary Square Brasserie near Kings Cross and had enjoyed our rushed meal very much before having to rush for our train. On visiting The Ivy Harrogate we were struck by the similarities and now realise they are part of the Ivy Collection.

On both occasions I went for a roasted butternut squash base with chickpeas, feta, leaves and pomegranate. Both delicious. (The Granary Square was a bigger portion!)

Dad had steak with eggs and chips. He didn't manage all the steak and so we asked to take it home for my dog. Beautifully packaged, I won't show you what's inside the box!

This little veggie went to market

On 26.11.17 I wrote a blog about vegetarian eateries in London. A further visit this weekend led to another discovery. 

If you're seeking tasty vegetarian and vegan food, like any little piggy, you must go to market. Camden Market to be precise. As well as finding bric a brac, jewellery, clothing, art and music, there are food stands galore. KERB has 34 street food stalls open 7 days a week and there are many more besides. It's like taking a trip around the world from the Caribbean to Indonesia, Mexico to the USA, Holland to India, Hungary to China ... You get the idea.

The stall holders take pride in their food and the presentation is a delight. We brunched at Cafe Chula which serves authentic Mexican food bursting with flavour and colour. I ate the breakfast taco - soft tacos with tomato, avocado and eggs emitting a comforting bit of heat presumably from chillis. On offer were hot sauces to accompany - rather like playing Russian Roulette!

Camden Market is definitely worth a visit. There is a great vibe, good shopping and fantastic food. Take in another sight and burn off those calories by taking a ten minute walk to Primrose Hill, sit on a bench and admire the view.