chicken thighs are always in my freezer and a regular choice if i don’t want to have to think too much about what to cook. i love to marinade them overnight (lemon, garlic and herbs or harissa paste being two favourites) and then roast them to accompany a salad and some good bread.

however familiarity is not always a good thing so i decided to branch out this week and try nigel slater’s bang-bang,-it’s-bonfire-night-what-can-i-feed-to-the-hordes chicken with black-eyed beans casserole recipe.

Click to read more ...

well, it’s been a lousy couple of weeks for me – i’ve had the sniffles, a sore throat and chesty cough for most of it and am still suffering. hopefully you’ll all be in better shape than me but if not, or if you just want to make sure you stay ahead of the nasties check out these immune-boosting diet tips.

read more over at the daily tiffin, a blog that helps people have a healthy family lifestyle. i'll write about healthy eating, over at the daily tiffin, every fortnight.

chicory is a great winter vegetable that doesn’t taste at all wintry. which means that when you need a break from all those roasted roots and sautéed cabbage dishes you have a perfect seasonal substitute.

this salad was incredible easy to make and is a nice alternative to the more traditional chicory salad with blue cheese and toasted walnuts.

Click to read more ...

tanna from my kitchen in half cups chose this month’s daring bakers challenge – tender potato bread.

the only bread i make regularly is flat bread so i was looking forward to trying this, especially given tanna’s descriptions: “potatoes and potato water give this bread wonderful flavour and texture… once baked, the crumb is tender and airy, with tiny soft pieces of potato in it and a fine flecking of whole wheat.” the recipe offered the option of making different shapes with the dough but i was sold on the fact that “the focaccia is memorable.”

a reread of the recipe triggered a slight nervousness in me as the dough is apparently very soft and moist, so i steeled myself for some very messy kitchen baking! and then things got interesting – there was a baking supplement in the saturday paper which included dan lepard’s recipe for olive oil and potato focaccia-style flatbread.

Click to read more ...

i’m always on the look out for delicious pasta recipes that i can throw together quickly and easily. a particular favourite is garlic, chilli, lemon zest and parsley but increasingly i prefer ones that contain vegetables so i can eat at least one portion of my daily five.

i tried this dish after a friend referred to “hot pasta with feta, peas and black olives” as a favourite emergency supper. i really enjoyed the contrast of the sweet peas and the salty olives and feta. the cupboards really were bare when i made this otherwise i’d have added some herbs as well – basil or mint would be my choices.

Click to read more ...