RecipeVix

RecipeVix is a once-a-week email newsletter that feeds you inspiration for you and your kitchen. You’ll get five hand picked recipes, foodie tips, in-depth reviews of what I’ve been cooking and much more. All of this, direct to your inbox! Suitable for all foodie lovers, both vegans and meat-eaters! Home / About

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For some it’s shoes, for others it’s handbags, but for me, cookery books are my weakness!

I’m not certain when it started, but I think it has something to do with summer trips to Eastbourne, seeing Peter’s Mum’s collection growing and talking to her about her latest purchase, food and all things cooking. My bookshelf is still relatively bare in comparison, but I thought I’d talk to you about the four books which are shaping my cooking at the moment and why I love them.

Find out why I love them by reading the complete post here:

http://recipevix.co.uk/4-tasty-cookery-books-im-loving-right-now/

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An Evening with Deliciously Ella

An evening with Deliciously Ella at the Oxford Union. Top tips and general foodie inspiration.

Peter and I had a brilliant evening at the Deliciously Ella Oxford Union Q&A session. If you get a chance, Ella’s events are well worth going to. Find out more by reading my review and maybe get some good tips too!

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Yum!

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Hemsley Hemsley Meatballs & Cauliflower Tabbouleh - Recipe Vix

This weekend I bought myself some new (well.. new to me!) plates for RecipeVix, and I’m so pleased I did, as I came away with the beautiful blue plate pictured...

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A Little More about Me: 10 of My Favourite Things...Part 2

Writing Part 1 & 2 of this blog post has made me realise my passion for learning. I’ve realised that I’m happiest when I’m learning new things, be it about a...

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I've never made banana bread before, and so I thought I'd give Healthy Natty's recipe a whirl (while you're checking out the recipe, have a look around her blog, it's lovely!). The recipe doesn't use refined sugars and can be made with almond milk and wholemeal flour. I don't buy almond milk and so I used dairy, and I also had an unopened packet of ordinary self-raising flour so I used this instead of wholemeal. I think the almond milk might have added a little extra sweetness and perhaps also enhanced the nutty flavour from the pecans. Natalie suggests using medjool dates but I've found a great substitute for these in Tesco's, which are Halawi Dates. They're under half the price of medjool dates and, although they're not quite as big or as squidgy, they're just as yummy. Because of the size difference in the dates, I doubled the quantity that Natalie recommended. This bread (or cake?!) made a lovely accompaniment to a cup of tea, and a healthy snack for a long train journey. Make sure you use up those ripe bananas for this beauty. One thing I'd also add, it matures beautifully! I think it was at its best after two days and possibly could have got better, however it was gone before then!! 

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My New Roots Black Lentil Salad

My New Roots Black Lentil Salad with Tzatziki, Avocado and Pea Shoots recipe review.

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4 Foodie Blogs I Love

Four foodie blogs I love and you should too!

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veganrecipecollection: (via Eggplant Caponata Crostini Recipe… (Source) VeganFoodPornPictures.com | Vegan Cookbooks On Sale! Like Us On Facebook | Follow Us On Twitter

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I've not been feeling 100% over the last week, thanks to hayfever! So I wanted a fairly simple new recipe to review for you guys this week and opted for this Honey&Co Medias - Courgettes filled with Lemon Rice and Currants (this link sends you to the Google Books page and if you pop in the title you'll get the recipe.. all bar one paragraph which isn't crucial, just baste the courgettes with the liquid after the second 30minutes of cooking is up and then serve). Reading through the recipe you might think that it sounds a bit complicated and faffy, but it really isn't. Plus, once it's in the oven, you can settle down to do something else for an hour (but remember to check it half way through!) I've always loved courgettes, so I needed no convincing but if you're still undecided, you really should try this before you relegate them to your naughty list. I think some people are put off by their texture, but by removing their seedy centre,  they don't go that characteristic mushy state when cooked. Instead, they remain strong holders for the beautifully spiced yellow rice. I thought it was a bit odd that the risotto rice didn't get much cooking time on the hob, but it made sense when I read through the method to see that both the courgettes and rice are in effect steamed in the oven - clever aye? This is done by adding the risotto water to the tray to half cover the courgette boats, then the tray gets sealed with foil so that steam stays in. Just be careful when you're checking them! I think my favourite part of this dish is the addition of currants in the rice. When steamed they turn a lovely sweet flavour and burst in your mouth. Yum! Peter and I enjoyed this meal with a handful of rocket leaves and had 1 and a half courgettes to ourselves. It might take an hour, but it's well worth the wait.

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Grilled Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad

Really nice recipes. Every hour.

Show me what you cooked!

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Watermelon Feta Orzo Salad with Lemon and Basil

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I'll let you in to a secret, I don't faff around with breakfast in the mornings. It's too much hassle and not enough time and so I don't bother. Instead, I make DeliciouslyElla's Bircher Muesli the night before, whilst dinner's on the go or while Peter's washing up, and then whip it out the fridge in the morning with no effort at all (apart from peeling a banana and getting a spoon out the drawer). This bowl full of oats, fruit and seeds is so satisfying in the early morning and extremely quick to prep in the evening. All you need to do is mash up a banana along with some blueberries (I use frozen so I take them out of the freezer about 15mins before I start mashing) and add in some milk. Ella uses Almond milk because of her allergies but I use dairy instead. Then add in the oats, which are your standard porridge oats, along with some seeds (pumpkin, sunflower and chai). Chai seeds are available in supermarkets and health food stores, and help to thicken it up - they're also a great source of Omega-3. Then just pop in the fridge and let it do its thing! All you need to do is leave it overnight for at least 8-hours and hey presto! I promise you'll never want to skip breakie again. If you're wondering where the idea for Bircher muesli came from, read this interesting article which also includes tips on how to make the best bowl. Also, here's Jamie's take on the dish.

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Butternut & broccoli super salad with mackerel

Serve a vibrant, crunchy and extra-nutritious vegetable salad with tasty mackerel packed with omega-3

Cooking this amazing beast for supper tonight. So simple. So tasty. 

Listening to this Spotify playlist - https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/7r3RldkEron0dbIi0YQEkm

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Peter gave me this cookery book for my birthday, it follows on from Sarah Britton's very successful blog, My New Roots which is all about eating seasonally and enjoying whole foods. Last week I cooked two recipes from the book (albeit I didn't quite have all the required ingredients) and loved them both. The first one I tried out was Celeriac Ribbon Salad with Toasted Cumin and Pomegranate, which I was so pleased I found. Celeriac can be eaten raw! So this recipe requires no cooking of the veg, instead all you need to do is peel the outside, and then peel the celeriac into short ribbons - so easy! The toasted cumin and lemon adds a lovely freshness and really brings out the aniseed flavour of the celeriac. I didn't have any pomegranate seeds so I left those out, and I only fresh coriander so used that instead of parsley. Worked really well! Don't be scared of celeriac, it really is a gorgeous underrated veg. I served this with a big bowl of salad and some cooked chicken.

The second recipe I tried... or perhaps I should say, inspired by (considering I only had the courgettes!) was Grilled Courgettes and Spring Onions with Baby Spinach and Hazelnuts. In my fridge/cupboard I had a courgette, an aubergine, mixed salad, crushed chillies and sunflower seeds (and the ingredients for the dressing). So, as Sarah suggested, I grilled the courgettes, along with the additional sliced aubergine in a griddle pan. Once these were nicely charred, I toasted the sunflower seeds (which replaced the missing hazelnuts). I added a teaspoon of crushed chillies to the dressing to add a kick. To make the meal go that bit further, I served it with some quinoa which had been cooked with a splash of Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce). I layered the bowl up with a spoonful of the quinoa, a handful of salad and then a few ribbons of courgette / aubergine and sprinkled over the sunflower seeds. With a drizzle of the dressing, it made for a yummy dinner and an even more gorgeous lunch. The charred veggies added a lovely faint smokey flavour. When I have all the required ingredients, I will definitely make this again. But... I must admit, I was very proud of my concoction! Quick Tip: If you find a recipe which you like, but don't have all the ingredients, don't give up - just find similar substitutes and follow the method with the bits you do have. It's so fun experimenting! 

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It turns out, I went for a Middle Eastern themed picnic (excluding the pud'). This Red Rice Salad from Persiana (Page 181) is so special! The recipe uses a french variety of wild rice, grown in the south of France in Camargue (where the rice takes its name). After the second World War, marshlands in France were used for agriculture, specifically for growing white rice. As time went on, cross pollination occurred between the white rice and nearby populations of wild rice, forming a new variety, Camargue Rice. I really like this rice as it's simple to cook (just like long grain rice, but about 10mins longer) and has a much nuttier taste. I think it's harder to go wrong with this variety as it's naturally a lot tougher / chewier and so it's less likely to turn to mush... which sometimes happens to my white rice when I don't look after it! Mixed together with grilled aubergines and courgettes, a big helping of fresh herbs, some dried cranberries (which replace the barberries) and toasted blanched almonds, the rice really comes alive and makes a wonderful salad, perfect for dinner, a cold lunch or, a picnic! Go on, give it a whirl!