All That I'm Eating

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

Ultimate Hot Chocolate Gifts

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Assembling the hot chocolate gifts in jars

I love a good hot chocolate; not too sweet, not too bitter but full of chocolate flavour and I have been working on perfecting my recipe for the ultimate hot chocolate. This recipe is too good not to share, and what nicer way to share it than making some (ever so pretty) make-your-own hot chocolate gifts. You need only four ingredients, a few empty jars, some string, paper and your very neatest handwriting. A word of warning: make sure you make enough to keep one for yourself.

Below are the amounts to make enough mixture for one person so double, triple, quadruple and all sorts depending on who you are making for. read more

Homemade Easy Granola

By 14 Comments

Why bother making your own granola? I mean, the stuff that comes in a nice box all full of stuff can’t really be that different and making your own sounds like such a hassle right? Nope. As it turns out making your own is not only ridiculously easy but it’s so much tastier than anything I’ve tried pre-bought. I find the readymade ones are far too sweet and you spend every morning searching for the elusive hazelnuts you’re pretty sure are meant to be in there. With my homemade easy granola you make up your mind and decide exactly what goes in your breakfast. read more

Spaghetti with Balsamic Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Olives

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Spaghetti with Balsamic Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Olives

Sometimes you end up with all sorts of bits and pieces in your fridge; half a bit of something there, a few nibbly bits leftover here and I find these little pieces a great source of inspiration. This recipe is a speedy one which makes use of a few ingredients I can find in my fridge more often than not. Lovingly referred to as ‘pasta with fridge bits’ this particular version was a delicious Spaghetti with Balsamic Tomatoes, Olives and Mozzarella.

Ingredients

You will need (for two):

  • 10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 175g spaghetti
  • 1 ball mozzarella, torn into smaller pieces
  • Small handful olives, roughly chopped
  • Small handful fresh basil, large stalks removed, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat an oven to 200C. Put the cherry tomatoes into an oven proof dish in a single layer. Drizzle over the vinegar, olive oil, thyme and salt and pepper. Put the tomatoes into the oven for 20 minutes. read more

Easy Meatballs with Herby Tomato Sauce

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Easy Meatballs with Herby Tomato Sauce

I often get left with a collection of fresh herbs. I don’t have a freezer so can’t freeze them for future use and even if they come in a pot, they always seem to die on me. This recipe is a great one for using up almost any fresh herbs you have hanging around (except maybe mint, keep that for the gin). As if this recipe wasn’t useful enough already it also contains super easy meatballs, made from sausages, for minimum fuss and maximum taste.

You will need (for four):

  • 4 large herby sausages
  • 350g tagliatelle (you can use any other pasta)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 small garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped, most of the seeds removed
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • Small handful fresh basil and parsley, large stalks removed, roughly chopped
  • Oil for cooking
  • Salt and pepper

Get a large frying pan onto a low heat and add a little oil. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook gently, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10-15 minutes. read more

Spicy Tomato Fusilli with Garlic Pangrattato

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Spicy Tomato Fusilli and Garlic Pangrattato

The next pasta recipe up my sleeves is a super quick one; ideal for a midweek meal you need in a hurry but still want it to be tasty too. My Spicy Tomato Fusilli with Garlic Pangrattato takes less than thirty minutes from fridge to plate, is super cheap and great at using up odds and ends you may already have in the fridge and cupboards. 

You will need (for two):

  • 175g pasta (I used fusilli)
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 chilli, diced (I used a jalapeño but use whatever you have)
  • Oil for cooking
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 slice stale white bread
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed

Heat a little oil in a saucepan on a medium heat and add the onion. Fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the onion cooks blend the bread in a food processor until you have breadcrumbs. read more

Creamy Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pasta Bake

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Creamy Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Pasta Bake

This is the first of a series of recipes aimed at giving you a few new ideas for the next time you’re after pasta for dinner. I’m sure I am in the majority of people who eat pasta at least once a week. And why not? It’s a carbohydrate that goes with everything and sometimes is at its best simply served with butter and cheese; because you chose to not because the fridge is empty. Of course. The first of these new pasta recipes is for Creamy Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pasta Bake.

You will need (for four): read more

Blackberry and Pear Pavlova

By 19 Comments

Blackberry and Pear Pavlova

This is only my second pavlova. To me, meringue has always been steeped in mystery and wonder and I found it slightly intimidating. Crispy on the outside, gooey in the middle; is this all really achievable with just two ingredients? Well yes, turns out it is. My two attempts I couldn’t have been more pleased with; previously a summer berry version and this time my Blackberry and Pear Pavlova (which also happens to be all organic) and the pudding portion of my #thriftyorganic challenge.

You will need (all ingredients organic): read more

Pea and Bacon Soup for a #thriftyorganic challenge

By 14 Comments

In case it has escaped your attention, September is the month where people make a fuss about organic; aptly named Organic September. I have to admit that the majority of food that I buy is already organic so for me I wanted to try some new organic ingredients that I hadn’t tried before. I loaded up my weekly veg box with tomatillos, Homity pies and all sorts. I was challenged as part of Organic September to make an all organic three course meal, for four people, which cost less than £30.

I have done a few dinner parties before but not a budget conscious one so I was looking forward to seeing what I could make without going over the allowance. Initially I thought a roast chicken would be quite a good idea but with the cold weather closing in I wanted to make something a bit more hearty and autumnal. read more

Summer Green, Smoked Bacon and Potato Bake

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Potatoes, sliced and baked with cream have to be one of the best things ever. At least in my opinion. Maybe a little bit of garlic, or some sliced onion, even some smoked bacon added for extra deliciousness. Although undeniably tasty they always feel more suited to the colder months than in the middle of summer. Don’t worry though, I’ve found a way round this; and I had a swanky new baking dish to try out. By adding some summer greens and using a lighter sauce my summer green, smoked bacon and potato bake fills that dauphinoise hole perfectly. read more

Mushy Peas Potatoes and Ham

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Mushy Peas Potatoes and Ham

I absolutely love peas. For me, a life without peas isn’t worth living. I moved house late last year and I don’t have a freezer; no more emergency frozen peas for me. Happily it’s pea season now so lovely fresh peas are popping up in the veg box, at the farmers’ market and in the garden. If there’s one thing I like even more than peas it’s mushy peas. So for a deliciously easy summer dinner my mushy peas potatoes and ham is perfect.You will need:

  • Lots of fresh peas, podded (at least one mug full, the more the better)
  • 500g Jersey Royal potatoes, scrubbed, any larger ones halved or quartered
  • A few thin slices cured ham (I used Serrano), roughly torn
  • A couple fresh mint leaves, shredded
  • Small knob of butter
  • Salt and pepper

Start by podding the peas. This is one of my favourite kitchen jobs, no sarcasm. read more

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