Coffee and Chocolatines

As the Christmas decorations come down, so the challenge to share 12 recipes with you over the 12 days of Christmas has come to an end. For the last recipe, given how cold it is, I thought you might like a lovely warming soup. This goes well with the Walnut Damper bread from Day 10. My lunch today in the hope that we warm up a bit – the house and weather are a bit chilly (-4 last night!). Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpea soup Serves: 4. Prep time: 15 mins. Cooking time: 1 hr 15 mins + heating time Ingredients 1 butternut squash Olive oil 1 medium shallot (or…

The penultimate day of my 12 days of Christmas recipe collection. I hope you have enjoyed them – let me know. I love making jams and chutneys – there is something so satisfying about rows of jars full of lovely preserves. I also find it quite therapeutic for some reason. Over the coming months I will share some of my favourite jam and chutney recipes. Today, although not quite in season (but early rhubarb will be along soon), one of my favourite chutney recipes, courtesy of the lovely Steve who Max and I met in Birmingham in 2018 Steve’s Curried Rhubarb Chutney 1kg Rhubarb – chopped into small pieces 2…

Something delicious to cheer up a chilly January day – a bit of a change from mince pies. Oaty mincemeat slice Makes 16+ pieces. Prep time: 10 mins. Cooking time: 45-50 mins Ingredients: 175g oats 150g plain flour 160g muscovado sugar ¼ tsp baking powder 170g vegan spread (or butter if not baking a vegan version) ½ -1 tsp ground cardamom (depending on taste) 1 450g jar mincemeat (recipe for this is on Day 2 of this series of recipes) Method 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 2: Line a 20cm square baking tray with greaseproof paper. 3: Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl, and mix well…

Walnut Damper Bread Max and I both love making bread and discovered this really easy recipe, which adapts well to plant milk. The basic recipe is a mixture of flours and plant milk. Ingredients 250g each self-raising flour and wholemeal self-raising flour (you can make your own self-raising flour by adding 2 tsp baking powder to 150g plain flour and sifting well together) 60-100g chopped walnuts (depending on how nutty you want the bread) Plant milk Method 1: Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6 2: Put the flour in a bowl and add the walnuts, mixing thoroughly 3: Mix enough plant milk into the dried ingredients to give a sticky dough.…

Not a very festive recipe, but delicious, winter or summer and vegan. Imam Bayildi (Baked aubergines with tomato sauce) A favourite of ours from Greece, although it originates from Turkey. An easy supper dish, great with salad and sweet potato wedges. Serves 4. Prep time: 30 mins soaking + 30 mins. Cooking time: 45 mins Ingredients 2 medium to large aubergines 150ml olive oil + 4-5 tablespoons for the sauce 2 medium sized onions, sliced 3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced finely 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp oregano 3 tbsps finely chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp tomato paste diluted in a small cup of water Salt and black pepper…