All posts filed under: Summer

Elderberry & Echinacea Tincture

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September has arrived, drawing Summer to a close. Things are slowly starting to change, the temperature is getting that bit cooler, the evenings are drawing in. It’s time to think ahead to those even colder, shorter, darker days when flu rears its head. Why, you might ask… … because the elderberries are out and they are well known to help prevent and ease symptoms of colds and flu. So although Summer has barely had a chance to say goodbye, it’s time to prepare for Winter! At the first sign of a cold or flu many of us run to the pharmacy to buy some concoction of paracetamol and caffeine. But never mind those nonsense chemical lemon sachets, elderberries are readily available (more than likely not very far from your doorstep) and with only a little bit of effort, they make the perfect, natural cold and flu prevention tonic. Last year I made an elderberry syrup which I froze in ice-cubes but this year I have a new found skill that I want to put to the test, tinctures! Tinctures …

Mallorcan Tumbet

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We seem to be racing through August, yes it is August… You may have indeed forgotten it is actually Summer with all these cloudy grey days and rain. But luckily for us the crops are still managing to realise what season we’re in! So yes, hello August, hello Mediterranean vegetables! There’s tomatoes, courgettes, peppers, aubergine galore. If you get a seasonal veg bag no doubt you’ve already had plenty of British grown med veg : ) If you don’t, get yourself down to your local farmers market and taste the delights, it’s a world away from the stuff you buy in a supermarket in the middle of winter imported from who knows where! Now the Mediterranean isn’t normally associated with vegan cuisine but I discovered a traditional vegan dish in Mallorca when on holiday there earlier in the year. With all these wonderful Medeterrean vegetables in season in the UK, I can now finally recreate it at home. Wohoo! This dish is wonderfully simple but oh so delicious!! Mallorcan Tumbet 1 aubergine 2 courgettes 1 onion 2 …

Summer Green Juice

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I have to confess, I’m a bit of a green juice addict. They’re so refreshing and nourishing, it’s like drinking a glass of pure health. In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact that juicers are an absolute pain in the arse to clean, I would genuinely be an addict! With all this said, I have just one particular favourite juice that I pretty much make all the time! The only trouble being is that it has apple in it and right now, in the height of summer, we are all out of last seasons apple stores and a few months away from this years season – so I’m having to come up with summer juice alternatives! This one is made with refreshing fennel and cucumber, giving you the perfect taste of summer! It is a pure green juice as it contains only vegetables with only a tiny piece of sneaky lime. It’s not too sweet but it’s crisp and fresh, perfect for a hot August day! Summer Green Juice 1/2 small fennel bulb 1/4 …

Stuffed Marrow

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  Well we’re in the height of summer, although you wouldn’t believe it looking at today’s weather, it’s been freezing! I’m really enjoying the new variety of vegetables that are in season. This weekend we celebrated Amy’s birthday; we ventured to the local pick your own farm before heading home for all things cider and BBQ based. Whilst we were mainly picking the last of the strawberries and finding the best raspberries and redcurrants to bury into the freezer to get us through the winter we also found some marrows.     Marrows are one of those vegetables, which can be a bit boring. I’m a fan of boring and really like marrows but I can understand why some people may not really appreciate them quite so much. So, when life brings you marrow…..stuff them!   Stuffed marrows with puy lentils and tomatoes Serves 6 3 marrows 250g puy lentils 1 cartoon of passata 2 tbsp dried basil 2 cloves of garlic Olive oil 1. In a saucepan cover the lentils with boiling water and simmer …

Vegan Strawberry Mousse

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We’ve waited a very long, dark winter and rather rainy spring for soft fruits to come back round into season. And I know I’m not the only one gorging themselves now it is finally upon us. Strawberries are of course the first of the year to ripen (just in time for Wimbledon) and there’s plenty to make with them! Unless you’re my Mum of course who thinks they are so good you should just eat them raw… Well Veronica had different ideas with her Strawberry Galette which she shared with us last strawberry season. I have kept them raw, strictly speaking but have blended them up with cashews to make this delicious and creamy raw strawberry and cashew mousse. It’s so quick and easy to make you have to give it a try. It makes the perfect dessert for a long, warm summer’s evening. Vegan Strawberry Mousse 150g raw cashews 300g strawberries 1 tsp coconut oil 2 tbsp agave syrup Soak the cashew in cold water for at least two hours or preferably overnight. Rinse them thoroughly and leave …

Peppery Radish Salad

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One of the things I love about summer is salads. I know…..salad….boring! Wrong. You’ve just got to make it more interesting. Now we’re well and truly into summer I’m starting to get some more vegetables in my veg box to make my salads that little bit more exciting. One thing I love about getting a veg box is the variety of lettuces we get to eat. I’m not talking about your typical iceberg or your cos lettuce here, oh no sir-ee. I’m talking flavoursome salad leaves, peppery leaves, unidentifiable leaves…..basically you’ve got to get some flavour in the base layer of your salad. This week we also received a bundle of vibrant pink radishes. They look just how radishes should look, all different shapes and sizes, slightly different to the uniform round ones you get in the supermarket. These taste so good.Any good salad isn’t complete until you’ve got the dressing. This is where you make or break it. Often I just drizzle a little olive oil or balsamic vinegar but nothing beats putting a little …