All That I'm Eating

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

Pea, Bacon and Sundried Tomato Risotto

By 11 Comments

forkful of pea and bacon risotto

I love how a recipe evolves over time. Many risottos have been made in my kitchen over the years and I have to say a pea risotto has got to be one of my favourites. This recipe for pea, bacon and sundried tomato risotto is, in my opinion, the very best it can be. Other variations have included chorizo, fried speck, mint, goat’s cheese or spinach but this combination of ingredients gives such a variety and depth of flavour that is hard to beat.

ingredients

You will need (for two people):

  • 1 small onion, finely diced (preferably not a red onion)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 4 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped or sliced
  • 175g risotto rice
  • 500-600ml hot vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 mug full frozen peas
  • Small knob of butter
  • 4 rashers smoked bacon, chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 25g Parmesan cheese, grated

method

Start by adding the oil and onion to a saucepan and frying gently for at least 15 minutes until the onion is softened and not coloured. Add the garlic and sundried tomatoes and continue frying for a few more minutes. read more

Artichoke and Red Pepper Gratin

By 11 Comments

artichoke and red pepper gratin

It was one of those days where I wanted something simple but interesting. A dish which would take a few minutes to make and take plenty of time to enjoy eating it. I tried something similar to this artichoke and red pepper gratin when in France last year and have wanted to have a go at making it myself for ages. It’s a perfect recipe for a rainy Sunday afternoon and although made from a few simple ingredients is so much more than the sum of its parts.

Ingredients

You will need (for two greedy people or four less-so-greedy people): read more

Carrot, Chickpea and Harissa Soup

By 10 Comments

I meal plan. Only the dinners mind you. I’d like to think I was organised enough to plan fantastic breakfasts and fabulous lunches but I’d much rather have longer in bed each morning than fuss around with an avocado and quickly grab something easy for lunch in the week. However, there are consequences to this nonchalant attitude of mine. What if disaster strikes? What if, as I enjoy my chicken sandwich for lunch I realise that chicken is on the meal plan for that night? It doesn’t bear thinking about. So I don’t; I have a very simple way round this predicament instead. Make lunches vegan, and if not vegan, vegetarian. Hello Carrot, Chickpea and Harissa Soup. read more

Smoked Pea and Potato Soup

By 16 Comments

There’s been a spate of soup recipes appearing on my blog recently. I’ll tell you for why: because there’s nothing more comforting I would like to have for lunch during the week. Sure, a steaming bowl of cauliflower cheese would be a fantastic winter luncheon but that’s more effort than I am willing to put in for what is effectively the most rushed meal of the week. So instead I take a bit of time at the weekend and batch cook some soup, freeze it and reap the rewards in the weeks to come. This Smoked Pea and Potato Soup is probably one of my favourite soups of all; all the salty, smoky tang as if it had bacon or ham in but it’s vegan. read more

Tomato, Butterbean and Spinach Pesto Soup

By 11 Comments

Sometimes I make something like a veggie stew or pasta sauce and realise that it could become a delicious soup with just a little extra water. That’s exactly how this Tomato, Butterbean and Spinach Pesto Soup came about. I had made it as a sauce for baking with gnocchi, similar to this recipe, and I thought it would make a great soup; something a bit different from a normal tomato soup. And I was right. Full of flavour, colour and easy to make from a few ingredients you probably already have in the cupboards. read more

Roasted Superfood Salad with Baxters Super Good Soups

By 13 Comments

Comforting, nourishing and wholesome; there’s nothing quite like a bowl of soup. It’s my lunch of choice, especially during the week when I want something quick and easy. I like to vary what I have with my soup and more often than not I don’t have it with bread, preferring to have a salad or some leftovers on the side. This recipe for roasted superfood salad works particularly well with Baxters new Super Good Chicken Noodle Soup because the turmeric, chillies and carrots in the soup mirror the flavours of the salad. The Baxters Super Good range is made to help you eat well and feel great; full of flavour and health-boosting ingredients. read more

Cauliflower and Sundried Tomato Pasta

By 15 Comments

ingredients for cauliflower pasta

I always think cauliflower is at its very best when served with cheese. As much as I think this is still true I have been really enjoying roasting and frying it lately and this cauliflower and sundried tomato pasta is my current favourite way to eat cauliflower. Cheap to make, vegan, delicious and so fast to cook; we’re talking 15 minutes from fridge to table. If only all weeknight cooking could be like this!

Ingredients

You will need (for four servings):

  • 300g pasta £0.30
  • 1 small romanesco (or other) cauliflower, chopped into small florets £1.50
  • 6 sundried tomatoes, finely chopped £0.30
  • 2 small garlic cloves, crushed £0.10
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil £0.15
  • Pinch saffron £0.50
  • Salt and pepper £0.02

Total £2.87

Method

You’ll need a pan full of boiling water with a steamer to go on top. It’s no problem if you don’t have a steamer; you’ll just need an extra pan of boiling water for the cauliflower. read more

Beetroot, Horseradish and Salmon Sandwiches

By 14 Comments

Just look at those Chioggia beetroot. Aren’t they beautiful? Not only do these beetroot, also known as candy beetroot, look brilliant their vibrant stripes can’t fail to cheer you up even on the gloomiest of days. These beetroot, horseradish and salmon sandwiches came about because I love the combination of earthy, sweet beetroot and fiery horseradish with smoked foods. That, and I fancied something for lunch that wasn’t just toast! Another great thing about this variety of beetroot is that you don’t need to clean the entire kitchen after peeling them; they have hardly any of the staining power of their deep purple cousin. read more

Roasted Baby Onions with Cheese on Toast

By 7 Comments

baby onions

There’s always something leftover at this time of year; some sort of ingredient hanging around in the fridge that needs using up. I’d bought some baby onions for making a boeuf bourguignon and had half the pack left. I thought about slicing them and lightly pickling them but I then realised I also had some leftover cheese. You can never go wrong with cheese and onion so half an hour later we were tucking into roasted baby onions with cheese on toast.

Ingredients

You will need (for two):

  • 12 (ish) baby onions, peeled
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 4 slices white bread, the crustier the better
  • Leftover cheese, grated

Method

Put the onions and rosemary into a baking dish and drizzle over a little oil and salt and pepper. Roll the onions round in the dish so they get well coated in the oil and seasoning. read more

Chipotle and Bean Soup

By 11 Comments

mixed bean, sweetcorn and chipotle chilli soup

I really struggle to know what to have for lunch sometimes. Usually I am scrambling round in the cupboards trying to find some sort of suitable sandwich filling but I do get terribly bored of sandwiches. If I’m lucky I’ll have some keptovers to warm up and I do pay a visit to a local independent café from time to time too. Well enough is enough. I have decided to batch cook and freeze a range of healthy, filling, vegan soups; one of which is this Chipotle and Bean Soup. So that I can grab whichever soup I fancy and not have to think about what’s on the meal plan for dinner I am making them vegan, stuffed full of veg and flavour packed. I hate to have the same thing for lunch and dinner you see! read more

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