I’m quite proud of this one because I wrote the recipe. We tried something a little different tonight and managed to make this in one pot (yes, even the spaghetti). Less washing up makes everyone happy! Just a note that Worcestershire sauce isn’t vegetarian but you can add balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar instead.

I was scrolling through Pinterest the other day and noticed a one-pot chicken alfredo recipe. “Why can’t I just do this with all pasta dishes?” I thought… I can confirm that you don’t need to have pots and pans all over your kitchen in order to make a decent pasta anymore! Maybe this is normal and I’ve just been missing a trick, but you really can just bung the pasta in with the sauce and some stock…

Jess’ veggie bolognese

Ingredients

Serves 2-4 people (freeze some for later!)

• Olive oil 
• Red onion – ½
• Garlic- 1 clove
• Red Pepper- ½
• Ripe tomatoes- a handful
• Oregano 1 tsp
• Paprika 1 tsp
• Chopped chilli- go easy
• Quorn mince (about ⅓ of a pack- don’t go crazy; you get a lot of bulk from the vegetables)
• Red wine (optional)
• Chopped tomatoes- half a can
• Curry ketchup (or tomato paste) – a good squeeze or a couple tbsps if you want to be precise
• Worcestershire sauce (or balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar)- 1-2tbsp
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Veggie stock- 300-500ml (add as needed)
• Linguine/spaghetti/fusilli- 100-130g

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over a medium- high heat and cook garlic, red onions, and peppers.
2. Add oregano, paprika, and chopped chilli being careful not to burn.
3. Throw in the tinned and fresh tomatoes.
4. Add curry ketchup and Worcestershire sauce (or balsamic vinegar) .
5. Add Quorn straight from the freezer and pour in the stock.
6. Add uncooked pasta straight to the pan.
7. Cook until ragu-like and the pasta is done (about 12 minutes). Add cornflour if necessary to thicken the sauce. NOTE Quorn requires a fair amount of liquid not to dry up.
8. Salt and pepper to taste
9. Add a bit of Parmesan if desired…

A quick one today (quite literally)!

I discovered this meat substitute from ‘THIS isn’t chicken’ some time last year. They’re now stocked widely in Waitrose, Co-op, Holland & Barrett’s and many more!

Even my meat eating partner loves this meat substitute and it is the closest we have found to the real thing. The brand were also behind a hilarious publicity stunt involving an Ed Sheehan lookalike. What’s not to love?

These fajitas/ burritos/ wraps (or whatever you want to call them) are vegan and super fast to make.

You can add anything you like to these- the world’s your oyster…

Ingredients

• THIS isn’t chicken goujons or similar
• Salad leaves of your choice
• Fajita wraps or flatbreads (most are vegan, check first)
• Sriracha mayonnaise or a dressing of your choice!

Instructions

1. Cook the THIS isn’t chicken in a pan with a little oil until crispy/ browned.
2. Lay salad leaves on the wrap/s.
3. Lay the cooked ‘chicken’ on top.
4. Smother in sriracha mayo or similar.
5. Wrap them up and place them under the grill for a minute or two to crisp up further if desired.
6. That’s it!

I am in love with this recipe. I had never made doughnuts before but these turned out absolutely perfectly. I’d go as far as saying these are the best doughnuts I have ever had.

Because there are only two of us in the house, I halved all the quantities in the recipe. Setting me loose with 20 doughnuts is a dangerous idea!!

If you are an avid baker (or are thinking about getting into baking), keep some packets of yeast or a tin of active dried yeast in your cupboard as you never know when you might need it!

I see no reason why this recipe can’t be made with vegan substitutes too. I haven’t tried this yet…

I’m from the UK so I tend to stay away from recipes which use cup measurements. However, you can use any size cup for a recipe like this as long as you use the same sized cup to measure all the ingredients; to keep everything in proportion.

Do leave the dough to rise overnight (you won’t regret it)…

Recipe from Kitchn with notes from me in bold

Dough ingredients for 20 doughnuts

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 2 large eggs 
• 4 cups all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2 quarts canola or peanut oil, for deep frying

Glaze ingredients (optional)

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 
• 2 cups powdered sugar (10 ounces)
• 1/4 cup whole milk (I used semi-skimmed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• (You can also add colouring or flavours to the glaze)

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bow and set aside.
2. Microwave 1 cup whole milk (I used semi-skimmed and it came out just fine) in a microwave-safe mug or measuring cup for 1 minute until warm but not hot.
3. Transfer the warm milk to a stand mixer (or a large bowl) and whisk in 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
4. Sprinkle 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active yeast over the milk and set aside for 5 minutes. The yeast should get bubbly and look like foam.
5. Whisk the butter and eggs into the milk mixture. Pour the cooled butter into the milk mixture.
6. Add 2 large eggs. Whisk to combine and break up the eggs.
7. Add 4 cups all-purpose flour (that’s plain flour to UK readers) and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Using the dough hook attachment, beat the dough on low speed until it comes together, about 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the dough is smooth and tacky, about 3 minutes more.
8. If kneading by hand (like I did), stir in the flour and salt until a sticky dough forms, then knead on a floured work surface until the dough is smooth and tacky, about 5 minutes.
9. Shape the dough into a tight, smooth ball. Sprinkle the dough with a little additional flour (about 1 tablespoon). Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap (please avoid using kitchen wrap- use a lidded container or tea towel instead) and refrigerate until doubled in bulk (8 to 12 hours).
10. (Alternatively, you can just let the dough rose at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before frying — the finished donuts with be denser but still delicious). (I would recommend waiting the full 12 hours).
11. (12 hours later…) Cover a work surface with about 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, then transfer the dough onto it. Pat the dough down into a thick round, then use a rolling pin to roll it out about 1/3-inch thick.
12. Using a donut cutter or a 3-inch round cutter (a glass or plastic tumbler will do) cut out as many rounds as possible. Use a 1-inch round cutter to cut out the holes if needed (I used a bottle cap). Do not reroll the scraps (by this, the recipe means the centres you cut out-fry these too).
13. Transfer the do(ugh)nuts and do(ugh)nut holes to 2 lightly floured baking sheets.
14. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until puffy, at least 30 minutes (do make sure to do this). Meanwhile, make the glaze.
15. Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup whole milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. You can also just do all this in a bowl and melt the butter in the microwave.
16. Set up a cooling station: line a baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire rack over the paper towels. This will help wick oil away from the finished doughnuts while keeping them tender crisp.
17. Pour 2 quarts of canola oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. For safety, always have a fire blanket, open window or door, and a clear kitchen with no trip hazards. Never throw water over flaming oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 355 to 365ºF. Reduce the heat slightly to maintain this heat.
18. Fry in batches of 4 doughnuts. You can transfer the doughnuts using a pair of chopsticks (my favorite tool for flipping and removing the doughnuts too) or with a flat spatula (I actually just used tongs as I found chopsticks to be hopeless). Fry until puffed and golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Use tongs or chopsticks to remove the doughnuts from the hot oil, hold them over the pot for a minute to drain off excess oil, then place on the rack.
19. While the donuts are warm, carefully dunk them in the glaze (or just pour it over). You can coat just one side or both. If the glaze has cooled and thickened, place back over low heat and stir until loose again. Set the glazed doughnuts back on the cooling rack and let the glaze set for 3 minutes before serving.
20. Fry the doughnut holes until browned, about 1 minute. Transfer to the rack and cool for 1 minute before glazing.

This is a game changer… I enjoy a good naan bread when we make curry but sometimes we have none!

This happened some time last year and I traipsed the internet for a quick solution.

It turns out you can make some great flatbreads with two ingredients. Now that’s my kind of cooking…

Ingredients

• Plain yoghurt 100g
• Plain flour 100g
• Parsley or coriander (optional)
• Garlic (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat a non-stick frying pan (medium to high heat) with a drop of oil.
2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.
3. Mix in the yoghurt until a dough is formed.
4. Roll out into rough circles on a well-floured surface or using your hands.
5. Add to the preheated pan and push down occasionally with a spatula.
6. Cook and flip until each side has golden brown spots.
7. Serve on top of kitchen roll to absorb excess oil.
8. Add toppings of choice (I like to add chopped garlic and home-grown parsley to mine).

It has been over a year since my last post! A lot has happened in that time… I managed to get my dream job as a journalist and I’m now on furlough leave…

I’m still a vegetarian which I am quite impressed at because it takes a lot for me to keep a habit!

In-keeping with old things, I found some blackberries which are probably as old as this blog on Easter Sunday.

I love a good dessert but lacked the motivation to do much after a heavy vegetarian roast dinner!

Nevertheless, I managed to find a really easy pastry recipe and a blackberry pie recipe to go with it. This should serve around 6 people depending on your dish size.

This is a motivational message to always freeze your blackberries and to pick up all your old projects for that matter…

For the pastry

• 225g flour
• 100g butter
• Pinch of salt
• A few tablespoons of water
• Milk for glazing
• Sprinkling of sugar for the top

For the filling

• A couple hundred grams of blackberries (enough to cover the base of your dish and then some)
• Handful of flour
• Handful of sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180•c (fan).
2. Sift flour and add salt.
3. Cut the butter into rough cubes and add to flour.
4. Use a knife to coat the butter in flour. This also prevents it from melting or becoming overworked.
5. Continue to work the butter and flour mixture with the knife until crumb like.
6. Add a few tablespoons of water and continue mixing to form a dough. Add more if necessary to create a dough.
7. Refrigerate the dough for at least half an hour before rolling.
8. Add blackberries to an ovenproof dish.
9. Combine with a little flour and sugar.
10. Top with the rolled pastry (freeze any leftovers for later). Bear in mind that the pastry may sink to the level of the filling when baking.
11. Seal the edges of the pastry to the dish with a fork.
12. Brush the pastry with some milk or egg yolk and sprinkle over some sugar.
13. Slit the top of the pastry case to allow steam to escape.
14. Place the dish onto a baking sheet to guard against any fruity leaks! Bake for 20-25 minutes until pastry is crisp and golden.
15. Enjoy warm with some cream or ice cream.

It all started when croissants were missing from my grocery order. I love pastries and was really excited for their arrival… So, I looked up a recipe for croissants and checked to see if I had all of the ingredients. I was in luck! I’ve managed to build up a steady supply of flour, butter, and sugar so that I can always bake something.

I’d heard croissants were demanding and difficult to make so I was a little apprehensive. I decided to start them anyway, even after realising they’d not be ready until the next morning. 

My biggest challenge was ‘laminating’ the pastry. I never usually make puff pastry so this was a little alien to me. My pastry did laminate but it could have been better and there were still lumps of butter in the mix. I think this was down to my shoddy folding and possibly over-rolling the dough in a steam roller like fashion (oops)…

The labour-intensive dough sat in my messy fridge overnight, awaiting further work in the morning…

It was midday by the time they got to the oven! They needed to be rolled, shaped, and left to rise for a further two hours. The familiar shape delighted me and brought back memories of holidays in the South of France.

I rolled several of the croissants slightly too large but this made for entertaining viewing as they swelled in the oven.

Finally they came out of the oven. Probably owing to their size, they took double the recommended time to cook.

Unfortunately, I had some burnt bottoms (that’ll be the lumps of butter) and they were slightly too salty! I managed to salvage them with jam and butter but Geoffrey said he liked them as they were! Bear in mind that he puts salt on everything and won’t mind me saying so…

Geoffrey’s rating 8/10

More layers, less salt. “Good for a first attempt”.

Jess’ rating 6/10

I was really disappointed that I had added too much salt. I knew I should have gone with my gut feeling and not added salt to the egg wash, as per the recipe. Geoffrey agrees with me above.

It has been almost two weeks since the last post and so many food experiments have passed without mention! I can’t even remember how long ago ‘pancake day’ was. I have fond memories of it from childhood and was very upset when I forgot about it last year. “You can make pancakes any day” said Geoffrey, to which I replied “But it’s not PANCAKE DAY!”.

I relish scaring the living daylights out of him when I flip the pancakes over by throwing them in the air… Recently, I’ve been converted to fluffier pancakes and I’ve stopped eating them with Nutella and started dousing them with maple syrup.

I get really annoyed when I see ready-made pancake mixes in shops; they’re so easy to make that you could have them for breakfast most days if you wanted… I used to use a ‘classic’ pancake recipe of flour, eggs, milk but discovered that adding a few extra ingredients makes them look like shop-bought, fluffy pancakes!

I found this recipe online when looking for a ‘normal’ flat pancake recipe and had to try it. I really enjoy the feeling of smugness having made something that looks like it came from a shop. This was one of those occasions. By simply adding a bit of baking powder, butter, and sugar directly to the mix, the pancakes go from flat to fluffy. I’ll be using this recipe from now on.

Geoff’s rating: 8/10

He tells me he likes them but that he prefers the flat ones with lemon and sugar, his usual topping.

Jess’ rating: 10/10

I much prefer these to the flat pancakes and, as chief pancake maker, this will be my new recipe to enjoy with some maple syrup and some berries.

The first time I had this was at Christmas time. Our student union bar went a bit gastro pub and added halloumi ‘fish’ and chips to its menu.

I’d never had halloumi before and have never been a lover of cheese but I had heard good things and wanted to give it a go. I was very impressed. Every now and then I get cravings for halloumi fish and chips…

The halloumi could have almost been mistaken for fish and there were piles of the battered stuff. This paired with chunky ‘pub’ chips and mushy peas was heaven on a cold day.

Whilst searching for veggie recipes, this was among the first things that popped into my head. I wanted a really simple recipe that could rival our old favourite cod and chips recipe (more on that later).

This is definitely a keeper and you do get more batter than you need so go easy. 1/2-3/4 of a pack of halloumi was enough for four ‘fish’ fillet-type wads; enough for two of us.

Geoff’s rating: 9/10

It was tasty, a good replacement for cod if you’re looking for one. Doesn’t quite pass as fish, but close.

Jess’ rating: 9/10

Airy, crunchy and golden batter… Salty, firm, and delicious halloumi. What more could you ask for? The deducted point was for the slightly rubbery taste and the fact I forgot mushy peas…

This recipe was from the RNLI! With depleting fish stocks pretty much all over the place, why not do your bit and swap cod for halloumi occasionally? I wouldn’t rule out experimenting with a vegan substitute either… Click here for this glorious, golden recipe.

“No paint… No painting…” (My dad, some time in the 2000s)

After meaning to start a blog for an eon, I’ve finally done it. My main worry is that posts will be in no way regular… But we will see.

The basic idea of this blog is to share the recipes that we love and the trials and tribulations of cooking with different diets. I’m a vegetarian but my boyfriend still swears he can’t live without meat. My hope is that we’ll both be able to post here and relive memories through recipes.

I also adore baking and it really does help me to de-stress; unless, that is, I’m baking someone’s birthday cake. Then I really feel the pressure. As for Geoffrey, his first cake was accidentally sans egg. However, he persisted and produced a coffee and walnut cake I was quite jealous of…

We’re not chefs, we don’t usually write our own recipes. We just want to share ideas, inspiration and tips from two people who love cooking.