Best Banana Smoothie

This smoothie is sweet, creamy and totally delicious

It takes about four minutes to make and is sure to keep you full till lunch time making it a win in my books.

Pistachio and Fig Smoothie

The notion of having pistachio ice cream for breakfast, and feeling good about it, seems as impossible as a Welsh person complementing the English Rugby team.

Yet with my pistachio and fig smoothie you can enjoy a healthy sweet start to the day and feel great.

Chia breakfast pudding

When it comes to pretentious breakfasts, this one is pretty high up there. However its really easy to make and is packed full of goodness. Most important of all, it tastes amazing.

This takes around 5 minutes of prep time, let it rest over night and in the morning you have a breakfast ready to go that you can feel smug about.

Magnificent Minestrone

Packed full of veggies this soup should be enough to ward off the last of the freshers flu

Minestrone is as inexpensive as it is tasty making it ideal for any student. Winter is coming, and this soup will keep you warm and satisfied all day long.

Paprika Hummus

Potentially one of the greatest gifts the middle east has given us, hummus is a staple in my kitchen as its incredibly easy to make, filled to the brim with protein and damn tasty.

 My simple twist on the classic involves paprika and a hint of chili

6 minute Tortilla Chips

I consider the humble tortilla chip to be one of mankind's greatest inventions

 The only thing more exciting than these crunchy vessels of joy is that they can be ready in exactly 6 minutes

Funky Flautas

Ever wondered what the love child of a nacho and a burrito would be? Fear not, for I have the answer: The Flauta.

Crunchy and filled this is the ideal midweek dinner as it's super easy to prepare and incredibly satisfying!

Cowspiracy

As most of my friends will know, I spend a lot of my time on Netflix. I've seen most of the TV series that's worth watching: The Office US, Scandal and House of Cards are just a few of my faves.
But recently when I was browsing Netflix I came across something a little different; the documentary Cowspiracy.

Chili con Veggie

Any variety of Chili is the ultimate freezer food as the flavours only get better with age. This version is way more healthy than a meaty one and is a definite crowd pleaser!

Carrot and Coriander Soup

Carrot and Coriander soup is one of my favorites and can be made in around 25 minutes. This is 10 times better than anything heinz can make so step away from the tins aisle and get ready to make some awesome soup!

Broccoli and Stilton Soup

My Godmother makes the best Broccoli and Stilton soup. Bold statement I know. I haven't changed her recipe one bit as it's perfect!

Smokey Macaroni and Cheese

When thinking of comfort food one dish springs to mind: Macaroni and Cheese

Could there be anything more comforting than soft pasta surrounded by a cheesy sauce and topped with crunchy croutons?

Summer Slaw

Slaw is one of my favorite sides. There's something about the creamy and crunchy combo that I can't get enough of. This twist on a classic is the ideal thing to serve at bbq's and picnics alike.

Chicken Picnic Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks always take me back to parties from my childhood. This overnight version is perfect for adults and children alike and is a new favorite for picnics.

Summery Salsa

Similar to my Bruschetta recipe this is a super speedy dish that takes less than 10 minutes to make. Ideal for a summer bbq or a picnic this salsa always packs a punch.

Pitta Chips

Nachos and dips are one of my all time favorite snacks, and this healthy version is sure to be a winner when having friends over, or just for yourself (no shame).

Simply Bruschetta

This recipe is a winner for me as it takes less time to cook than it does to eat. The secret to making a bruschetta to be proud of is to take care of your ingredients; the better the tomatoes, the better the taste.

Juicy Breaded Chicken

The chicken in the recipe is so delicious and juicy your friends will be fighting over it!

This make ahead dinner can be used alongside my Dauphinoise potatoes for a deceptively easy yet impressive meal. 

Dauphinoise potatoes

This is my go to side dish. It has the winning combination of being super easy and tastes incredible.

It can be made ahead which is always a plus in my books. Who wants to be chopping potatoes when everyone's sat down for dinner? 

Butternut Squash and Lentil Dhal

This is a fantastic store cupboard recipe and a great choice for students or anyone keeping an eye on the pennies.

The flavours are more earthy and spiced than fiery spicy, so if you have a friend who can't handle the heat this is still a great choice.

Eggs in Purgatory

These spicy eggs are the perfect solution to when you want something quick and healthy, but have no food in the house.

You can make them using any store cupboard or random fridge items; all you really need are eggs, chilies and a tin of chopped tomatoes.

Simple Smokey Chicken

On Saturday I was really feeling a BBQ-esqe smokey meaty situation but had no ready made sauce in the house. As I was in full jogging bottom and hair scraped into a bun gear I was definitely not going to leave the house to buy some: I was going to have to make my own.

I had a look in the cupboard and found the flavours I needed: salty, spicy and rich were going to be necessary.

Summer Tomato Gratin with Goats Cheese

This dish has all the flavours and colours of summer in one big glorious bowl.

I came across this dish when planning a nice meal in with my boyfriend a little while back, and after a few adjustments I've made it into a classic summer staple.

Flowbox July 2015

As I've been trying to eat more vegetarian food and discover tasty snacks, I decided to treat myself to the July Flowbox.

I came across Flowbox when browsing a buzzfeed article about healthy snacks. Flowbox offer three different boxes: Classic, Vegan or Gluten free. The products they pick are always natural and mostly organic, and are usually items you can't buy in shops which makes them a proper treat.

Holy Guacamole

Guac and chips are one of my all time favourite snacks. Add a little sour cream and salsa in there and you've got yourself a fiesta!

In summer this is a great dish to prepare for friends coming over: it only takes around 10 minutes to make and is definitely a crowd pleaser!

Zesty Lemon Posset

This is one of my new favourites for a super simple dessert. This takes approximately 10 minutes to prepare, then after chilling in the fridge for a few hours it's ready to go. I love making this for dinner parties as you can rely on it every time.

I saw the recipe for this while watching my favourite show of the week; Saturday Kitchen Live. It's not often that I get to watch this is in full as I often wake up a little too late or am out and about. However when I do get to watch it I’m always left inspired and excited about what to cook that week. As I'm crazy about anything citrus this recipe caught my fancy and I knew I just had to make it.

Fruity Biscotti

I first made this recipe around Christmas time and my mum is now obsessed with them. For the last five years or so I've made my boyfriend’s family a festive hamper, and it's always fun planning what treats to include each year. I stumbled across this and with a few tweaks I know it's one that I'll be including for years to come!

This isn't a very difficult recipe but does require a few harder to find ingredients, such as the pistachios and dried cherries. However I assure you that they are worth finding as they definitely make the recipe! 

Summersault Rugby

My friend Amy and I always meet up for lunch over university holidays to catch up on each others lives, and as it was a Tuesday I knew that good vegetarian food was a must.

Rugby has a delicious vegetarian restaurant called Summersaults where the food is always organic and meat free.

Filo Veggie Parcels

If you're interested in getting your five a day from one meal then my filo parcels is the dinner for you!

This is one of my go to recipes as it's based upon a very simple principle: use what you have in the fridge. I made this a little while ago at University and the filling comprised of leeks, mushrooms and blue cheese. As long as you have plenty of tasty filling and filo pastry, the meal will be a success.

4 reasons why I'm a midweek vegetarian

If you're wondering what this whole diet is all about, please have a read of my first personal blog I wrote for Newcastle University!
Within this blog I write about my inspirations, why I decided to follow a vegetarian diet for five days a week, and how I'm motivated by the environment, ethics, health and cost.

Six essentials I can't cook without

Whenever I cook it's pretty much guaranteed I will have used at least two of these ingredients. These are my go to store cupboard items that I use to add flavor in any number of combinations.

As my style of cooking is 'find food in the fridge and make a meal from it' I rely on having some strong staples to back me up when creating dishes. These are the ones I can't do without

Mildreds London

I was on my own in London recently and decided to treat myself to a nice dinner. Having had to eat dinner solo a few times over my accountancy placement it doesn't really bother me anymore. As it was a Friday I headed out to a veggie restaurant I had been keen to try out for a while: Mildreds

This cosy eatery takes no bookings, which means those who wish to dine there have to wait for it. As I  was alone and pretty content to chill with a cocktail this did not pose an issue. I walked in and put my name down and was told a 45 minute wait was my price to pay. As it was a Friday in Soho I shouldn't have been too surprised!

Easy Cheesy Baked Camembert

While my boyfriend believes that WiFi should be a basic human right, I think that cheese should be.
After a few days in London where I was away from my kitchen I was in dire need of some comfort food. And what could be more comforting than a bowl full of molten french cheese?

As with most comfort food, the ingredients were simple and easy to find.