The Beat That My Heart Skipped

Today is Friday and as of today that means 'recipe day'. In my new post as Food Editor for the newly launched blog ' The Beat That My Heart Skipped' (a daily website dedicated to interior and lifestyle products, run by London-based stylist and writer Rohini Wahi) I will be supplying a weekly recipe of either my own or a contributor. To launch with I am sharing my recipe for cupcakes, in fact, the very cupcakes I made for some recent dear friends birthday's, collectively known as 'The Madges' (that's the friends not the cakes!).
For my first introductory post I have written a piece on food and how for many years it has been an integral part of my life. Much to my delight I have some great recipes from some very inspiring contributors and amazing cooks, that I will post up over the coming weeks.
So I invite all readers, regular or occasional to pop by every Friday to 'The Beat That My Heart Skipped' and grab yourself a recipe for the weekend.
www.thebeatthatmyheartskipped.co.uk

The Last of the Veg Box

Today I collect my weekly organic vegetable box. I got back onto the weekly scheme last week owing to the results of a neglected allotment this summer, due to the birth of baby Arthur. Last weeks' box was great value for money. Every evening something from the box formed the foundation for dinner, plus I made a couple of soups, dinners for the freezer and even a (courgette) cake. One thing I really don't like is food waste. So yesterday, I took at look at what was left from my box. Lurking in the bottom of my fridge, counting down the days till it found a new home in the form of the compost bin were the best part of a bunch of limp carrots and half a yellow courgette. In under 20 minutes I gave them a new lease of life by cooking them in some garlic oil with a red onion, some spices, a can of chickpeas and some stock. Once the carrots and courgette were tender I served this aromatic 'stew' with a good dollop of plain yoghurt, a liberal sprinkling of fresh coriander and a wedge of lemon. There was even some left over for Mr G's packed lunch today.

The First Soup of Autumn

If a gun was held to my head and I had to pick my favourite season, I would plump for Autumn. It is like starting a new chapter, as summer fades away. I love all that Autumn promises, especially the food - a feast of seasonal offerings, many of which are on our own doorstep from English apples with real flavour and plump juicy blackberries to versatile squashes and earthy mushrooms - it's gonna be a rollercoaster ride for our taste buds over the coming weeks! As for meals, I crave soups, stews, bakes and roasts and hearty puddings as the nights begin to slowly draw in. Soup is something I'm am going to prepare on a regular basis with whatever produce I have to hand. It's quick to prepare and will usually stretch out for a couple of days worth of lunches. Lily will eat any soup by the bucket load which is great way to ensure she has at least one good hit of vitamins a day, essential as she is about to start school next week. Today Lily requested a tomato soup for lunch. We whizzed this up in just under 20mins with a bag of ripe tomatoes we picked up from the greengrocers for a pound. To the tomatoes we added a limp carrot destined for the compost bin, a couple of small red onions, garlic, a small potato and some dried oregano. A splash of milk at the end gave it a creamy decadence. Pure comfort in a bowl!

Sugar sprinkles and dolls with pink hair

This morning Lily had her lovely friend Misty over to play. They baked some beautiful muffins topped with icing, sugar sprinkles and smarties. We followed a recipe from one of Lily's library books - yes, she loves to get cook books out the library ... is that a typical 4 year old? ... maybe she's just a chip off the old block!

Save our Flapjack!

WARNING! .... I'm about to go on my first blog rant.
I really do think that this country has gone mad. I have read in today's newspaper that the Food Standards Agency want to put a stop on flapjack being sold in supermarkets to help combat our countries growing obesity problem! Yes, flapjack is full of sugar. so you eat it as an occasional treat like you ought to with most sweet treats. What's next, shut down sweet shops, clamp ice-cream vans, tax people who take sugar in their tea! To me flapjack is very British and nostalgic. It's fudgy aroma transports me back to my childhood when my mum would bake a tray of it for us to indulge in. I would of course rather bake my own flapjack than buy a mass produced version from the supermarket - it's hardly rocket science to make - but for heavens sake Food Standards Agency, get a grip on reality, let people decide for themselves if they want to buy flapjack!

My Kitchen

I love my kitchen. I love any 'good' kitchen. Nothing too slick and minimal - I like a kitchen to be used, loved and lived in. I often come across a few 'finds' for my kitchen such as these vintage Biba food jars which I like to display. I am a huge Biba fan so these are my pride and joy. One once contained dried chickpeas, one dried onions and the other brown sugar ... and there is still some of the original sugar in it!

Coffee Scandi Style

This beautiful Swedish coffee set is currently on 'sale' at Plumo. I just love the blue coffee maker and old fashioned filter!
(www.plumo.com)