Lemon Drizzle Shortbread

This shortbread is incredibly short, crumbly and melts in your mouth with each bite you take. You could easily omit the lemon zest and juice for a decadent shortbread, but the freshness of the lemon really gives it that unique taste.

Ingredients 

For the shortbread:

250g Butter

125g Caster Sugar

250g Plain Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

150g Chocolate Chips (this isn't needed, but chocolate is a MUST for me)

1 Lemon zested

For the drizzle:

4 teaspoons of icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice


Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190C.
2. Combine the butter and sugar, until it lightens in colour slightly.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, chocolate chips, lemon zest.
4. Grease a cookie sheet and spoon on the dough. 
5. Cook for 12-15 minutes.
6. Allow to cool.  Mix together the icing sugar lemon juice and drizzle over the cookies.
7. Enjoy!

Quick Breakfast Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients 

1/2 Mango

8 Strawberries

2 Frozen Bananans, chopped

Handful of Granola

1 teaspoon of Chia seeds

1 tablespoon of agave nectar

1 teaspoon of cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Blend the frozen banana until it becomes a smooth paste.  This may take some time and look powdery but keep blending it magically turns smooth.

2. Add the cinnamon and cocoa powder and stir throughly.  Place into a large bowl.

3. Chop up the fruit and place over the banana ice-cream. 

4. Place the granola over the ice-cream.

5. Sprinkle over the chia seeds, and drizzle over the agave nectar. 

How to grow your own vegetables

Part 2

Tomatoes need sunshine, so choose an open, warm site. They do fantastically well in a greenhouse but you can gain very good results outside in a container against a warm wall. They need a well drained, fertile soil, that doesn't dry out too quickly.

If growing in containers, use a specially formulated grow bag or good quality potting compost.

• Plant out tomato plants using a stake for support.
• Cut out any side shoots, as they appear to keep to a central stem.
• Water and feed regularly  with a liquid tomato.
• Pick the fruit as soon as they ripen.
• If frost is forecast, harvest the tomatoes green and allow to ripen in doors.
• Tomatoes are definitely best picked fresh but, if do need to store a glut, perhaps consider cooking, pulping and freeze for a burst of summer in the winter months.

We have lots of recipes using this base tomato sauce!

How to grown your own vegetables

Part 1: Potatoes

Anyone can grow potatoes, even if you are living in the city and don't have a garden!  

There is something quite special about growing your own organic produce, harvesting and then eating.

I've used the plastic potato sacks (3 in a pack with carrying handles … reusable) from the garden centre.  You could use a thick black bin liner, an old tin drum etc.  Just make sure there is drainage holes.  Seed potatoes are available from the garden centre, spring to autumn.

• If you plant the seed potatoes in intervals, 4-6 weeks, you can harvest over a longer period.
• Each shop bought planter is suitable for about 5 seed potatoes.
• Line the planter with good quality potting compost to 4cm.  Place the seed potatoes with the shoots facing upwards and cover with a further 6cm of potting compost.
• Keep the soil damp but not waterlogged.  Feed with a high potash/ low nitrogen feed.
• If there is danger of frost, then cover with a fleece until this has passed.
• When the shoots have grown 7cms high add another layer of compost,  so it covers the tips by a couple of CMS.  Continue to do this until the shoot are CMS above the planter.
• Now leave the plant to grow.  Watering when its dry but not too saturate the soil. Feed as before, periodically.
• The plant should produce small flowers and once these have died then then potatoes are ready to harvest.  
• Some varieties don't flower but start to die off.  Just feel beneath the soil to see if there is any hidden treasure… there probably is so its time to harvest!
• Tip the bag out, collect your treasure and wash.
• Wash out you bag, if you used a commercial one and plan your Maris Pipers for Christmas lunch.
• I've just planted mine today. (27 Aug 15)

A Summer Decadent Pavlova

Pilled high with fresh summer berries, this pavlova is the ultimate show-stopper.  Great for any special occasion and easy to cater to your preference! 

Ingredients 

4 large egg whites

8oz caster sugar

1 tsp of vinegar

1 tsp of cornflour

1 Large carton of whipping cream (600ml)

Summer fruit, e.g. Strawberries and raspberries 

Mint leaf for decoration

Icing sugar

Instructions

*Top Tip

1. Place a sheet of grease proof paper on a baking sheet and mark a large dinner plate on it as a guide.  Roughly 12 inch or 30 cm.
2. Preheat oven to 150 C / gas mark 2. In a bowl  * ( I always use a stainless steel bowl, wiped out with half a lemon and then rinsed and dried with a paper towel)  I do this because the slightest speck of grease will make your meringue collapse. With the electric mixer on  full speed, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
3. Now add the caster sugar a table spoon at a time, beating well to each addition.  The mixture will start to look firm and glossy.  Before the last spoonful of caster sugar is incorporated
4. Mix the cornflour and vinegar into a paste.  Add to the egg whites and when incorporated add the last of the caster sugar and beat.  Don't over-beat.
5. Pile to meringue mixture onto the baking sheet and try to keep to the outline circle. The mixture should be stiff, glossy and form peaks on the back of your spoon.  Peak the mixture up, build the sides up and hollow out the middle slightly for the filling.
6. Reduce the oven to 140 C / gas mark 1, pop the meringue into the oven and bake for 80 to 85 mins or until pale cream in colour.  * I usually put the meringue in last thing in the evening,  on a timer, so the oven switches off after baking and then the meringue can dry out overnight.
7. In the morning remove from the oven and carefully peel off the grease proof paper and place onto a service platter.
8. Whip up the cream into soft peaks, but be carefully not to over whip.  It should still have some slackness in it.  I then put a little icing sugar into the mix to take off the cream taste.  This is entirely personal preference but I have found most people really like it as it doesn't taste obviously sweetened.
9. Prepare the strawberries by hulling, rinsing and drying.  Raspberries by rinsing and drying.
10. Pile the cream into the centre of the meringue and then pile the fruit on top.
11. It you want a little extra height then put a second, smaller layer of cream onto of the fruit and decorate with the last of the fruit and then a sprig of fresh mint.
12. When you are ready to serve.  Dredge icing sugar lightly over the top.

Other summer fruit can be substituted if your not keen on strawberries or raspberries.  Why not try kiwi!