An Edible Voyage

March 2021 It seems I came late to the party on the concept of baked oats - apparently they have been a 'thing' for quite some time, and understandably so. When breakfast looks like dessert, it's proof that breakfast is the best meal of the day!  Add in the quick and easy preparation, and we're on to a winner. Simply blend 30g almonds, 40g oats, 1 tsp nut butter, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, sprinkling of cinnamon, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ banana and 200ml milk.  Pour in to an ovenproof dish, poke in a few chunks of dark chocolate if you're feeling extra decadent, and bake at 200C for 20-25 mins.  What you get is a comforting sort of porridge souffle, warming, satisfying and nutritious but with all the taste and texture of naughtiness. This is a great one for experimenting with flavour combinations - why not try vanilla and nut butter, or let your imagination run wild.

September 2019 Simply named 'chocolate biscuit', this is so much more than a chocolate biscuit!  A little bit sweet, a little bit chewy, a little bit nutty, delicate meringue and almond base contrasts with silky smooth chocolate buttercream, and glazed in crisp chocolate to give a satisfying crunch as you bite through in to the soft layers below.   Find it at Abisko STF hut, Sweden.

April 2020 This was a lockdown accident! I decided to make a dish called 'Creamy Cashew Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes and Kale', only to find I didn't own the 3 key ingredients.  A bit of improvisation, however, hugely paid off! In the recipe, cashews are blitzed with garlic and lemon to make a sort of pesto so I substituted almonds.  I had made some tomato and red pepper granita the previous day and thought the sweetness of the red peppers could make up for the lack of sundried tomatoes.  Can you put ice on your hot pasta dish?  It seems yes! The result was a creamy, yet fresh and citrusy sauce, with a touch of heat from the garlic, and sweetness from the granita which gave refreshing little cold 'pops' on my tongue.  A few dry fried almonds sprinkled on top finished it off, adding a satisfying crunch and toasted flavours.