Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Ever wondered how you make pumpkin puree for those autumn/Halloween bakes? Look no further…

Ingredients
A pumpkin!

Instructions 
Preheat the oven to 175c and slice your pumpkin in half. Take care to remove all the seeds and stringy bits and then slice into smaller segments.

Place the segments of pumpkin onto a baking tray and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes – the pumpkin will be done once it falls off the fork when pierced.

Let the pumpkin cool for a couple of minutes, then begin to peel the skin off the back of the segments – you should be able to do this with your hands but you can use a knife if needed! Pop the pumpkin in a food processor and blend until smooth.

#TaDah

Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Bread for Halloween

This is so delicious, perfect treat for this years Halloween :)

Ingredients (serves 12):
* Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
* 220g plain flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 2 tsp ground cinnamon
* ¼ tsp nutmeg
* ¼ tsp ground cloves
* ½ tsp salt
* 2 large eggs
* 150g granulated sugar
* 100g dark brown sugar
* 340g pumpkin puree
* 120ml melted coconut oil
* 60ml orange juice
* 120g chocolate chips

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 175c and grease a loaf tin with some butter. In a large bowl, pop the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in and mix together.

In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until combined. Then add the pumpkin, orange juice and oil. Once all combined, add the wet mix to the dry mix and mix together gently with a wooden spoon. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the cake mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 60 minutes in total – cover the loaf with some tin foil after 30 minutes to stop the top burning! The cake should be moist so will be done once a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Enjoy!

#TaDah

Healthy Cheesecake

A fun way to enjoy breakfast, pretending you are being naughty!

Ingredients (Makes 2):
* 2 x ryvitas
* 2 tbsp flaxseed
* 2 tbsp honey
* small handful of unsalted peanuts
* 8 tbsp natural yoghurt
* 1 tsp chia seeds
* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* 75g raspberries

Instructions:
Let’s start with the base! Pop two ryvita (or rye crackers) in a food processor and add the flax seeds, nuts (we used peanuts) and honey. Pulse until it begins to look like the biscuit base of a cheesecake. Spoon out into the jar and pat down lightly to create the base.

To create the creamy middle, add natural yoghurt into a bowl and add the chia seeds. Mix together and leave for a couple of minutes to allow the chia to absorb the yoghurt to make it a little thicker. Then add a little bit of vanilla extract and mix through until evenly distributed.

Now for the fruit topping! We chose raspberries but you could choose anything you like – smash these up in a bowl and then pop on top of your ‘cheesecake’.  Place in the fridge to chill, then enjoy!

#TaDah

Quick, Hearty Chorizo & Veg Stew

A great quick midweek meal for after work :) 

Ingredients (serves 2):
* 1 xRed Onion
* Chorizo
* 300g mixed beans
* 1 x portobello mushroom
* 390g chopped tomatoes
* 1 whole tomato
* 1 medium carrot
* 1 yellow pepper
* 1 tbsp paprika
* 1 tbsp basil
* 1 tsp chili flakes
* salt and pepper
* 70g flour
* 15ml water

Instructions:
Chop up all your ingredients. Add the red onion to a hot pan to soften and then add the chorizo and carrot. Then add the pepper, mushroom and tomatoes. Drain your tinned beans and add them to the mix, followed by the chopped tomatoes. Add chilli flakes, basil and paprika to taste, followed by a little salt and pepper.

Leave to simmer on the hob while you make your flatbread. Place the flour and water in a food processor and mix until it forms a big ball. Roll out the dough so it's flat and heat up a griddle pan. place the flatbread in the pan, and flip over once it looks cooked on the underneath.

Once the flatbread is cooked, your stew will be ready! Serve together and enjoy.

#TaDah

Homemade Turkey Mince Lasagne

Using Turkey Mince in this dish you can reduce your fat intake. Still tastes amazing for comfort food :)

Ingredients (serves 4):
* 500g turkey mince
* 1 white onion
* 1 red pepper
* 1 carrot
* handful of green beans
* 390g chopped tomatoes
* 1 tbsp american mustard
* 1 tbsp paprika
* 1 tbsp dried coriander
* 1 tbsp tomato puree
* 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
* salt and pepper
* lasagne sheets

Cheese Sauce:
* 40g flour
* 40g butter
* 200ml milk
* 200g cheese
* 1/2 tsp nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

Instructions:
Chop the onion and pop into a frying pan until softened. Then add the mince and keep stirring to ensure it all gets cooked. Then add the carrots, pepper and green beans. (Once all cooked, you may want to drain any fat from the mince away!) Now add the chopped tomatoes, the chilli flakes, paprika, american mustard and coriander and leave to simmer while you make up the cheese sauce and preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 200c. Pop the butter in a pan and melt slightly, then add the flour and mix together until it forms a paste-like consistency. Then add the milk and stir on a low heat until it begins to thicken - this could take up to 10 mins. Add nutmeg and dijon mustard to the mixture. Once thick, add 150g of the cheese to the pan and mix through until melted.

You can now begin to construct your lasagne. Add one layer of the meat mixture to a oven dish, then a layer of lasagne sheets and then a layer of the cheese sauce. Repeat the layers and sprinkle the remaining 50g cheese on top. Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes and enjoy!

#TaDah

Blueberries & Banana Overnight Oats

These are a great alternative to make your breakfast more exciting, a bowl of bran flakes can get boring.

Ingredients (Makes 2):
* 40g porridge oats
* 1 banana
* 100ml almond milk
* 4tbsp yoghurt (we used soya coconut yoghurt)
* 1 tbsp peanut butter
* Honey
* Blueberries
* Half tsp cinnamon
* Half tsp nutmeg
* Toppings- we like more blueberries, nuts and more honey...!

Instructions:
Mash up a banana in a bowl, making sure there are no chunks. Add your oats, milk and yoghurt to the bowl and mix together.

Pop in a handful of blueberries, and while mixing them in, try and squash them to infuse the flavour. Then add the peanut butter, mix together well to spread the peanut butter, and then some honey to taste. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and stir well.

Place in the fridge overnight....then in the morning, stir and add your toppings!

#TaDah

Afternoon Tea at Bea's of Bloomsbury

At the weekend, I headed out for a spot of afternoon tea with my good friend Catherine. She had booked us a table at Bea's of Bloomsbury following a recommendation in the Tea & Cake London book (which I had bought her for her birthday!) I'd also heard good things so was very excited!

The cafe itself was very kitsch, with teapots and teacups for lampshades and lots of other pretty touches. And of course, there were so many delicious treats on show - I'm tempted to go back to try one of their chocolate swirls or a Nutella duffin (a kind of donut/muffin hybrid)....mmm.

Our afternoon tea arrived, and although I was slightly disappointed at the lack of salmon sandwiches, the bread used to make the sandwiches was amazing, it tasted like sea salt and rosemary focaccia. SO good. Also included in our afternoon tea tower was a selection of mini chocolate brownies, blondies, meringues and marshmallows, a scone each with jam and cream and a cupcake each. I picked the lemon meringue one, while Catherine got a red velvet. With bellies too full to even tackle the cupcakes, we had those boxed up and I picked up a jam duffin to take back for Matthew (good girlfriend points!)

So all in all, Bea's of Bloomsbury provided a good place to catch up on a deep Bake Off chat and enjoy some sweet treats while eyeing up Nutella cheesecake! Pretty much the perfect Saturday afternoon... I recommend :)

Lauren