All That I'm Eating

Recipe ideas for budget meals, everyday cooking and a little indulgence. Travel inspiration and restaurant reviews too.

Salmon Nicoise Quiche

By 6 Comments

This quiche is full of vegetables and that is a great way to disguise the fact it’s actually got double carbs in. Potatoes AND pastry; who doesn’t love that? My salmon nicoise quiche is a great way to take leftovers to another level. I made the nicoise salad, so everything was prepped and cooked, and then assembled the quiche the next day. Served alongside some mustard flecked dressed lettuce, this is a perfect lunch for me.

Delicious served warm from the oven you can slice this nicoise quiche into portions and freeze them individually, ready to be defrosted and warmed up another day. read more

Smoked Salmon and Broccoli Quiche

By 29 Comments

I used to think of quiche as a dull, beige pastry which got wheeled out from old cookery books from time to time and no one was particularly fussed about it. Turns out I was wrong. It’s a most excellent pastry. I cooked my smoked salmon and broccoli quiche a few weeks ago, divided it up and froze it in wedges. Now I’m working from home I love to have something interesting for lunch. When it’s quiche day, it’s the best day of the week.

The freshness of the broccoli and spinach combined with the flavourful smoked salmon is a winning combination. It feels rather luxurious to have it for lunch. read more

Baked Eggs with Spinach and Cheddar

By 16 Comments

Also known as eggs en cocotte this is a classic recipe and one I can’t believe I’ve never made before! My baked eggs with spinach and cheddar take no time at all to make; it’s on the table in under 15 minutes. Don’t be fooled though, this simple recipe is seriously luxurious and packed with comforting flavours.

Once your fork (or spoon!) hits that runny yolk it mixes with the soft spinach, melted cheese and double cream and it is truly a joy to eat. The egg white should be just set and the yolk still runny. They are delicious served on their own but served with some crusty bread for dipping you really can’t go wrong. read more

Blackcurrant Frangipane Tart

By 31 Comments

I can’t say no to blackcurrants; whatever they are in I will like it. They have such a distinctive flavour and when I found some at the market I had to set about making a blackcurrant frangipane tart. This tart is a marriage of two of my favourite things: blackcurrants and sweet almond frangipane.

The best thing about this tart comes from using raw blackcurrants. As they cook in the frangipane filling they burst and become sweet and sticky. The blackcurrants retain their sharp berry flavour but taint the tart with splashes of deep purple impromptu jam. With autumn just around the corner I can’t think of anything else I would rather spoon into my face. read more

Oat and Raisin Cookies

By 23 Comments

Oat and Raisin Cookies close up

I had such a craving for some proper oat and raisin cookies. Ones which are crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle and about the same size as my face. I’ve tried several recipes in the past and they’ve tended to be not quite what I’m after in my perfect cookie. Until now. If you’re after a healthy cookie I wouldn’t read on any further.

ingredients

You will need (for 10 cookies):

  • 225g unsalted butter, softened
  • 200g light brown sugar
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 190g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 240g rolled oats
  • 140g raisins

Method

I made these in a food mixer but you can make them with an electric hand whisk, or by hand if you prefer. read more

Rainbow Carrot Tart with Summer Herbs and Goat’s Cheese

By 26 Comments

I often get left with carrots at the bottom of the fridge. They play an overlooked, but important, base in so many meals: part of a mirepoix, in casseroles and in pies to name a few. Rarely, in my kitchen anyway, do the carrots get to be the star of the dish. So when some beautiful rainbow carrots arrived in the veg box it would have been rude to simply chuck them into various dinners. This time, I wanted to celebrate this lovely root in a rainbow carrot tart with summer herbs and goat’s cheese. A seasonal halfway tart if you will; one that is both full of summer flavours and the anticipation of autumn. read more

Banana Bread with Chocolate, Oats and Honey

By 10 Comments

banana bread with chocolate, oats and honey

You know those bananas that you keep avoiding in the fruit bowl? The ones which got a bit speckled a few days ago and now are fully fledged brown? Well, throw out your normal go-to recipe because my banana bread with chocolate, oats and honey is the way to go. Adding a few extra ingredients gives it a delicious flavour and texture and I have been very much enjoying having a slice for breakfast each morning. Any excuse to start the day with chocolate.

ingredients

You will need (for one banana bread loaf):

  • 125g butter
  • 3 medium overripe bananas
  • 2 eggs
  • 100g honey
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 250g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 75g oats, plus a few extra
  • 100g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

method

Grease and line a loaf tin and preheat the oven to 160C.

Melt the butter and honey together in a small saucepan and stir to ensure they are well combined.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl then pour in the butter and honey and crack in the eggs. Whisk everything together well.

Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder into the banana mix and fold everything in gently. Stir in the oats and most of the chocolate chunks.

Pour the mix into the prepared tin and then sprinkle the extra oats and leftover chocolate over the top.

Bake for an hour, then check on the loaf to see if a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle. If not, keep baking and checking it every 5-10 minutes until fully baked.

Leave the loaf to cool in the tin for a few minutes before removing and leaving to cool on a wire rack.

The oats on top of the banana bread have a lovely toasted flavour and the oats inside the bread swell up and have a deliciously chewy texture. Who can resist a slice of warm banana bread? It’s even harder to resist when you know it’s covered in and is full of melted chocolate. Dark chocolate is definitely the best choice for this as it works so well with the sweetness from the bananas, sugar and honey. The honey gives the cake a beautiful mellow flavour and slight sticky texture. If your banana bread lasts a few days and you want to freshen it up, try lightly grilling or microwaving it and serving with plain yoghurt. Honestly one of the best breakfasts imaginable.

Upside Down Lime Cake

By 14 Comments

upside down lime cake sliced and served

Citrus in January is obligatory as far as I’m concerned. Whether its limes, lemons, grapefruits, blood oranges or, if you’re lucky, bergamot lemons there’s always got to be something citrussy in the kitchen. That sharp hit of acidic, fresh taste is just what I need on these cold, grey days and if that lifting flavour can be added to a cake then it’s all the better. This Upside Down Lime Cake was born out of necessity; my need to be greedy and a need to use up all the limes I had in my fruit bowl.

Ingredients

You will need:

  • 100ml golden syrup
  • 1 lime, finely sliced
  • 100g unsalted butter, softened
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 100g self raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Zest 1 lime

Method

Start by greasing a 20cm cake tin. Don’t use a springform cake tin otherwise the golden syrup will leak out!

Pour the golden syrup into the tin and then put the lime slices on top.

Preheat an oven to 180C.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Properly softened butter is the key to this.

Slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar beating well after each addition.

Fold the flour, baking powder and lime zest into the mix then pour everything into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is baked through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15-20 minutes then turn the cake out upside down onto a plate.

I was amazed how much the limes had shrunk after I turned the cake out; all that flavour had seeped into the syrup and sponge. The flavour of lime is so distinctive, I think it’s one of my favourite tastes, and this cake distracted me completely from the drizzle outside. The limes themselves are a real treat to chew on after the sponge has been eaten; so sharp, sticky and intense. Also, I don’t think I’m biased in saying this is an excellent cake, the OH described it as, “The best cake ever”.

Mince Pie Fruit Loaf

By 18 Comments

Mince Pie Fruit Loaf Baked

I love a mince pie, but they have to be just right. I want the pastry to mince filling ratio to be almost 50:50; too much filling and you can forget it. Preferably my mince pies will be warm and covered in (clotted, ideally) cream. However, I can’t possibly eat that every single day and I still need my mince pie fix. This is how my Mince Pie Fruit Loaf came about; designed to have all the fruity spiciness from a mince pie but without the pastry and cream. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of butter for spreading!

Ingredients

You will need for one loaf:

  • 30g dried cranberries
  • 125g raisins or sultanas
  • 60g dried figs, chopped
  • 300ml strong Lady Grey tea
  • 425g strong white bread flour
  • 7g fast action yeast
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg, grated
  • 1/2 tsp mixed spice
  • 30g caster sugar
  • Zest 1 orange
  • 60g butter, melted
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 150ml milk, plus extra for brushing

Method

Stir the cranberries, raisins and figs together with the tea then leave to stand for an hour or so. Drain well and put to one side.

I used a mixer for this recipe but you could easily make it by hand with a bowl and a wooden spoon.

Add the flour, yeast, spices, sugar and orange zest to a mixing bowl and stir lightly to mix it all together.

Whisk the melted butter, milk and egg together in a small bowl. While the mixer is on a low speed slowly pour in the milk mixture. Once it’s all been added increase the speed slightly and tip in the drained fruit.

Knead the bread in the mixer for five minutes or so. Cover the bowl and leave the bread in a warm place for 50 minutes or until doubled in size.

Lightly flour a standard sized loaf tin. Knock back the dough lightly then shape it to fit the loaf tin and pop it into the tin. Cover again and leave in a warm place for another 30 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 190C. Brush the top of the bread with a little milk then bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes and the top is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little before removing from the tin and cooling on a wire rack.

This fruit loaf is wonderful in two ways. Firstly, take a slice when it’s cooling down after baking and just watch the butter melt into the bread. The photo above shows my very lumpy butter, that’s how I like it so it forms pools across the slice as it melts. Secondly, serve it toasted for breakfast, again with a good scraping of butter. The fruit, spices and orange are so festive and it keeps so well you can enjoy it for days.

Peanut Butter and Raspberry Brownies

By 12 Comments

peanut butter brownies out of the oven

I’m not sure these Peanut Butter and Raspberry Brownies need an introduction; just the name gets my mouth watering and a hankering for a piece with a coffee shortly follows. I’ll be honest from the outset, these are not exactly what you’d call healthy. They are full fat, properly indulgent, to-hell-with-it brownies. And frankly, when you’ve been working hard all day coming home to one of these and a cuppa is like a hug for the soul. A gooey, chocolatey, nutty…stop it…slice of comfort.

Ingredients

You will need:

  • 100g salted butter
  • 170g golden caster sugar
  • 50g light muscovado sugar
  • 100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 1 1/2 tbsp golden syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • 100g self raising flour
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 150g crunchy peanut butter
  • 100g fresh raspberries

Method

Grease and line a 9 inch square cake tin. Preheat an oven to 180C.

Add the butter, sugars, chocolate and golden syrup to a saucepan and melt over a low heat. Stir occasionally until everything is melted and well combined. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little.

Beat the eggs in a bowl then add the melted chocolate mixture.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl and then fold through the mixture. Stir through half the raspberries.

Tip the brownie mix into the tin. Dollop the peanut butter over the top then swirl this through the brownie with a skewer. Top with the remaining raspberries.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before removing and cooling on a wire rack. Mark into portions when cold.

The raspberries on the top have a completely different texture to the brownies inside the mix; a lovely acidic, fresh contrast to everything that’s going on around it. Chocolate brownie wise you’re looking at a cakey on the outside, gooey in the middle kind of situation; full of the richness from the dark chocolate and cocoa and just sweet enough. Using crunchy peanut butter means they have a wonderful additional crunch and texture. As autumn creeps up on us these will give you as much warmth as any blanket. If you’re loving the look of these brownies, perhaps you might be interested to try my Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake Brownies (yes, you read that correctly) or my White Chocolate and Blackcurrant Blondies.

If you find yourself in the awkward situation that I did where there was one peanut butter and raspberry brownie left and two people wanting to eat it I have an excellent plan for such an occurrence. Take two bowls and scoop some vanilla ice cream into each one, warm the brownie up slightly, then divide warm brownie between bowls. Thank me later.

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