Well firstly, this was definitely the hottest October that I can remember in the UK. Despite it being so warm, you can see it is Autumn, with all the beautiful colours of orange, yellow and rust in the leaves and in the vegetables in season.

So what to cook, now the weather has changed and it’s getting colder and darker…

As I have said before, fruit and vegetables are at their best, if they are in season and freshly picked, as the flavour is so much more intense. So here are a few ideas on what to cook, with what is in season.

There are so many varieties of pumpkins around now, you can have beautiful colourful warm quinoa salads and curries, full of flavour and vibrant colours. High in vitamin C, B6 and Potassium, Its a great autumn vegetable. Don’t forget you can use pumpkin in baking as well, its great in cupcakes or tarts, cooked with either golden syrup or brown sugar.

Check out my recipe for pumpkin, pea and feta risotto, under the risotto section.

As I am sure you know, there are a lot of root vegetables in season, like beetroot and carrots, but it also includes onions, leeks, garlic and chives. Onions are actually a good vegetable for flavour, colour and they help with fighting inflammation, as they are high in antioxidants.

I am using the red onion this week, in my quinoa salad, for colour and flavour and also in a vegan chilli. Check out the salad section for recipes like the one below.

It is obviously a great season to get apples. You can find them left out on walls, when passing houses sometimes. You can use them in all sorts of recipes, recently I made some apple sauce, which is quick and easy. Mainly contain vitamin C and fibre. Of course you can use them in baking as well. Check out my recipe on apple honey upside down cakes, under cupcakes and small bakes. They taste absolutely delicious.

Well mushrooms always seem to be around, but they are in season. Try out some of the different varieties, as they all have different flavours and textures. They contain protein, potassium and traces of other vitamins like B6. Check out the recipe below, yes another risotto, wild mushroom.

Finally, another good vegetable to use in curries, salads and soup is Beetroot. High in Iron and B9, vitamin C and a variety of other nutrients. Check out the borscht recipe under soups.

Hope you enjoy cooking some of my recipes and please give me feedback!!

Well it has been a while, but I am back to writing again. I have quite a hectic lifestyle, but it is very rewarding. So I have been busy doing art, baking, traveling, Obstacle courses, exercise and generally enjoying the summer with friends.

I thought I would share with you a day in my life! This was actually one day last week and its a typical day, I hope it inspires you to be more active, take up more creative hobbies and generally get the most out of life.

So I started off my day with a bit of stretching, I do so much high intensity exercise, that sometimes you have to stretch out the aches and pains. If you get into a habit of stretching every day, then you are less likely to have any aches. I also did a few minutes of breathing, which really helps to calm the nervous system and allows you to start the day right.

I played some music to help calm my mind and get me through a busy day at work. I popped out at lunch to have a walk around the park and relax under the trees. It is so good to get some fresh air, and let your eyes have a rest if you have been using a computer for hours. It really does make you more productive.

Once I had finished work, I went off to a cat sit, which is one of my many jobs and its so much fun getting some love from the cats and having a walk to visit different homes.

After that I went to bootcamp, which is a great outdoor activity, social and of course you get fit and release endorphins, making you feel great afterwards.

My eating wasn’t too bad as I had walnut toast to start, nuts and apples to snack on, gyoza for lunch and an omelette for dinner. It was quite a packed day, so I had to have quick meals!

Finally, if that wasn’t enough, I did a batch of cupcakes for a charity bake sale.

Then I chilled for a bit before bed, what a great productive day. How was your day, tell me all about it ?!

Well if you cannot guess from lots of my recipes, I absolutely love mushrooms!

I add them to almost everything, but especially if I do not have any protein, as they are a natural plant based source of protein, although they do not contain as much as beans, but they do also contain Vitamin B6.

There are so versatile and can be used in many ways, as well as there being so many different varieties. So here are some of my favourite and ways to use them.

The usual Button, Chestnut or White mushrooms can be used in anything, sliced, fried, baked, even added to salads.

Shitake, Oyster, enoki are best in stir fries or risottos. Porcini mushrooms are full of flavour and make a great stock flavouring for soups or risottos. They tend to come dried, so you need to put in boiling water for a while to hydrate them before use and then you can use the water for stock.

Portabello or wild flat mushrooms are best for baking and stuffing. You can either make a stuffing with rice and vegetables, or just top with things like garlic and cheese.

There are also so many beautiful colours, flavours of mushrooms, so I would recommend being adventurous! These mushrooms I got here, were just a mixed wild selection. They were so good and I used them in a risotto, a soup and added to a mushroom bap!

We all know that eating a healthy balanced diet, helps with wellbeing, but what else helps.

I have tried out and do many wellbeing activities, to maintain a happy and balanced life, but it has not always been that easy. I have found ways to cope with stress, anxiety or depression and now have managed to come to a place that is easier, happier and a lot more balanced.

I am very much into alternative therapy and a healthy balanced lifestyle, rather than taking medications or doctors visits. For some things like meditation, it took me a while to get into, I was always too busy or not able to relax. It took time for me to be able to recognise that changes were being made and to also form habits.

Here are some of the things I believe really help, and it really is repetition and perseverance that is the key.

• Meditation 10-15 minutes – there are some free apps available
• Breathing – through stressful situations, part of meditation
• miracle tones HZ, a type of relaxation music – you can find on spotify
• Stretching and yoga – helps balance the body and mind and takes away aches and pains
• Nature – A good walk every day, some fresh air, sunshine, trees, all help
• Creativity – Some people think they are not creative, but there are so many hobbies you can get connected to, some of mine are art, colouring, baking, reading short stories
• Gratitude – refocuses the mind, when you are having negative thoughts, get into the habit of doing it every day, be grateful for making the bed, or seeing a friend, helping others, a sunny day
• Balanced eating – binge eating causes a spike and drop in sugar levels, causing mood swings. Try to balance your snacks and food and try to eat a variety of fruit and vegetables
• Less tv – It helps with creating more hobbies, away from tv, as it numbs the mind!

You need to incorporate most of these every day, to really make a difference. Remember these are coping and healing mechanisms , but you need to deal with any issues first, to heal, so whether it is talking to someone, after a bad experience, or seeking help in the first instance.

You might think that you do not have enough time to do all of the list, but I can assure you that you do. Perhaps do meditation 10 minutes before you go to bed, or stretches first thing in the morning. Take a lunchtime 30 minute walk and deep breathes on your walk. It really will make a difference to your well being, but remember you must keep doing it!

I hope this helps you too and let me know if you have any ideas or if any of the items above help you as well.

Well I am back, I have had a little bit of time off of blogging, as I have been concentrating on the new Cake business, but hopefully I will still have some time to write.

There is of course a vast list of fruit and vegetables that are in season. So what recipes can we make this month, that takes into consideration the seasonal produce?

Well we still have a lot of winter vegetables in season like beetroot, so why not a delicious Beetroot curry. Believe it or not, beetroot is great in a curry and you can pair this with a lentil curry, if you fancy a bit of a feast. Don’t forget beetroot is high in Iron, as well as Vitamin C, B6, Magnesium and Potassium, so mainly helps with energy levels.

Cucumbers are in season and as well as tossing through a salad are great in smoothies. They are also good for the dark circles under the eyes, if you have this kind of problem! They mainly contain water, so they are good at helping you keep hydrated and have fibre and vitamin k.

Purple sprouting broccoli is a great addition to stir fry’s, pasta and rice dishes, as well as tossed through salads and quinoa for a beautiful addition of colour. Rich in antioxidants of vitamin A and C. Helps with healthy vision and neurological functions, also helps with anti aging and a healthy glow.

Rhubarb which everyone loves, apart from a child reminder, that I got force fed it, because it grows easily and wild!! I like it now though, so it is obviously great in pies, or even cupcakes. Rhubarb has fantastic antioxidants, which have anti bacterial and anti inflammatory properties.

I hope this gives you some inspiration to cook and bake. I will be making some of these recipes and uploading onto my website shortly.

So I thought I would tell you a little bit about my new business. I have only just started advertising it, so its at the very beginning. I have started baking and now I am going to sell cakes.

Currently baking in my tiny little flat, but it is so much fun and I really love it. I am starting off with cupcakes, some floral and other designs. They are all lactose free and I also bake Vegan, with some Gluten Free options.

I have set up Facebook Button Bakes and Instagram Button Bakes Bristol. I am based in Bristol in the UK in the BS4 area. Collection only to begin with. So give me a like, follow or some friendly tips!!

I have also set up a new cupcake page on my website, so you can check out my flavours and a few of my designs.

I will be selling boxes of 12 or cupcake bouquets, so order for your celebration, birthday, afternoon get together or just because its the weekend!

I am so excited, but also so busy, as there is so much to organise, practise and do when you have a new business. Its all falling into place, but its a lot of work and I think I am getting there!

So please tell your friends, neighbours, family about my new venture, and if they are in the Bristol, UK area, please place an order and try out my cakes. You do not have to be lactose intolerant to eat them. They taste amazing, and I do love cake and have tried and tested lots, including ones with dairy!!

Its January and what is in season this month ? Well there are plenty of the winter vegetables still in season and so many meals to be made from them.

Apples, Beetroot, Brussel Sprouts, Artichokes, Kale, Leeks, Mushrooms, Onions, Pears, red and white Cabbage, Squash, Swede and Turnips. These are just some of the variety of vegetables out there and it is good for your diet to keep swapping and changing, building a variety of vitamins and minerals into your diet.

So many more vegetables are available in the winter months, and here are just a few ideas, on what to cook with them.

Beetroot: How about a warm and satisfying Borsht, it originated from Russia and it is a fantastic, filling soup for the winter.

Brussel Sprouts: How about adding these to soups, salads, or a side dish, fried off with cashews and onion. They do not just have to be for Christmas, they are great in so many other dishes.

Apples: These are great added to salads, as well as in juices or make homemade apple sauce, chutney or Apple cakes.

Cabbage: This is a very versatile vegetable and can be used raw in salads, or added to soups, stir fry’s and included in side dishes.

Squash: Part of the pumpkin family of vegetables, there are so many varieties, from the tiny little squash, to different colours and flavours. Its good to try out different ones, so you can roast them, use in curries, make into a sauce for pasta, or boil and use as a mash.

Onions: There are a wide variety of onions available, from large spring onions, purple spring onions, red and white onions. They are great to add as a flavour for cooking in whatever your meal may be. Try out the different ones and use purple ones to add colour to salads.

Leeks: Another great light flavour, can be added to dishes to enhance flavour, or added to sauces. How about lightly frying them off and having as a side dish. High in vitamin C, Iron and B6. They are also high in flavonoids, so are a great antioxidant.

This is a brilliant month to try out the local variety of vegetables, so pop into your local green grocer and buy a few different vegetables to try. You can find all of the recipes above on my website.

Here we are in January, Happy New Year!! I am sure everyone has had a little bit of indulgence and why not. A little too many treats for me, although I enjoyed every one of them and I do not feel guilty at all! I hope you all had a great time too.

However, I do have a little bit of extra tummy fat, so its time to get rid of it. If you are feeling the same, then these are my best tips, which I too am going to follow throughout January and probably February too.

I do always maintain a reasonably healthy lifestyle and diet, but it is so easy to get into the habit of snacking on the sugar and trans fats, like chocolate and potato chips and at Christmas definitely mince pies!. Once you start over eating, that is when you start increasing the fat in the body.

We all need an extra push every now and then and although I do not agree with dieting, even I have to cut back a little bit, to ensure I lose the extra weight.

So how do you get there, well its a lot of hard work, dedication and positive mindset. You have to tell yourself, this is what I want to achieve and therefore I will do it, no matter what it takes.

It is so much harder to lose fat, once you get older, I have definitely noticed this, and yet I exercise all of the time. Also if you have a stressful job or are around stressful situations then, this does not help either. Your body tends to hold onto the fat, to help with energy.

However, it is achievable, so clear out most of the Christmas leftovers and chocolate boxes and start planning your meals for the week.

Not only does it save time, if you plan at the beginning of the week, it also helps to keep you focused on eating the right things.

Start with swapping the snacks for good snacks, then have a look at your overall diet. Are you eating too many trans fats? or too many take outs? is it too much sugar, or is it generally just too much food, for the amount of exercise that you do?.

It generally is simply that you are having too much food, to the amount of exercise and the wrong foods.

Too many carbohydrates is another one, so try to increase your vegetables and protein and reduce the carbohydrates. Cut out the bread at lunch, have a salad and add extra fruit. Swap the crisps for the yoghurt.

Swap the carbohydrates for extra vegetables and increase your fruit and vegetable intake. Increase the amount of water that you drink.

It is not about the size that you are, it is about being happy, having a healthy balance in your eating and lifestyle. Eating the naughty bits in moderation and when things get a bit out of kilter, then being able to reign it in and make simple adjustments.

This also helps for food intolerances. I have had a little bit of cheese and milk chocolate over Christmas and my tummy does not like it, back to bloating and sometimes pain. I do not over indulge on the wrong foods too often as it is just not worth it. It is better to change to alternatives, like vegan cheese and dark chocolate. you have to get used to the taste, but your taste buds change over time.

So for me its going to be a little more cardio workouts, less sugary items, less trans fats, less carbohydrates, like bread and pasta and more fruit, vegetables and water.

Hope this helps for you too!!.

Well here we are in December, the year has passed and I have done so much. I have learnt so much and tried so many things.

Who would have thought that I would be writing blogs every week, but here I am. Lots of ups and downs throughout the year, but I am excited for the party season (if we are allowed!!) and getting ready for Christmas.

Everywhere I look there is already Christmas trees and lights in peoples houses, but I have not got that far yet! Hope to very soon though, looking forward to it. I do enjoy looking at everyone else’s crazy light shows, so much fun, but I am happy to keep it a bit more sedate at my home!

I have started making my Christmas cards, so a print making production on the go, which is great fun and I highly recommend making your own cards. It allows you to be creative, but also makes you think about the people that you love, whilst making them. It does take some time, but if you just do a little bit each night, its amazing what you can make and create. This is not my card below, as I cannot show them yet!

I have also been thinking about what food to make and in particular what desserts to make to take to dinner parties! I get the joy of visiting others, who are cooking for me, which is fantastic.

For me, its going to be a vegan nut roast for Christmas dinner, with a Christmas pudding, because I love Christmas pudding…..

But first it is time to be making vegetarian mince pies and ginger bread men!! So watch out for the recipes soon. I am hoping to make them in the next week. Homemade pastry and homemade biscuits, what more could you want.

I will be making a few delicious desserts too, so I will post them, once they have been eaten and I have decided they are a success!!

I am thinking chocolate log, winter berry sponge, maybe a sticky ginger cake. What do you think? What kind of things do you have for christmas and what are your christmas ideas?

If you are anything like me, you probably spend too much on food and well everything really!

There are times when I have to reign it in as well, so how do you spend less, but still have a balanced and healthy diet? Well there are a few ways that I have discovered and learnt over time.

1. Buy in bulk, yes buy a tray of tomatoes from the market or from a local supermarket, at the end of the supermarket day and make sauce, soup, freeze, use in salads or make food for several days. One of the cheapest options!.
2. Buy from a local grocery store, this seems like an expensive option. When I first started doing this, I definitely noticed that some things are more expensive than the supermarket, however, I also notice how much money I actually save. In the supermarket, I spend so much more on ‘other stuff’, basically either junk food or stuff I do not need. So now I shop local maybe once every three weeks. Not only does it help the local economy, which makes me feel good that I am helping local businesses, but it also helps me stop over spending! There is also a different choice in vegetables, which makes cooking much more interesting.
3. Cook in bulk, stops you wasting so much food. I really try not to waste anything now.
4. Think of meals at the beginning of the week, so that you only buy what you need for those meals. Make a list of meals you are going to make for the week.
5. Plan, that is my main way of saving money, ensure you plan everything, if you buy a cauliflower, what are you going to use it for, will you have some left over after making cauliflower cheese, then make a soup for the week as well. I try to use the same vegetable, so that I do not throw it in the bin, using only a portion of it for one meal.
6. Forage, pick your own apples, pears, mushrooms, nuts, blackberries, whatever you know is actually edible and not poisonous!!
7. Grow your own, even if you do not have a garden, you can still grow your own herbs, try growing chilli’s or garlic in a pot.

There are so many ways to save money, but I hope this gives you some ideas on how to stop spending so much on food, yet still enjoy interesting and different ingredients to cook with. Do not let the cost of food, stop you from making amazing choices for different ingredients and recipes.