Dinosaur Kale Mac and Cheese

Because dinosaurs are cool.

Chili and Lime Black Bean Burger

The perfect vegan burger!

Beer Battered Halloumi

Nom, nom, nom.

Ginger and Chili Tofu

Crispy delicious tofu that's easy to make... say what?

Chocolate Cake Balls

Cakes, but not as you know them.

Sunday 19 January 2014

Maple and Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

When you've been with someone for 7 Christmases (I just googled that to see if it's a real life word, but it still doesn't look right) it's hard to know what to get them. This year I took the easy option and brought Mr Hef Book of Mormon tickets. We're both massive South Park fans so it seemed like an easy gift. The tickets turned in to tickets and a hotel, which then turned in to tickets, a hotel and some gift vouchers for The Breakfast Club (thank you mummy Allford). The Book of Mormon was incredible, I would thoroughly recommend it, unless you are easily offended, a couple walked out about 10 minutes in (they were oldies though, they don't like the swears so much). The whole trip was just lovely, we checked in to our hotel and had a quick trip to Hummus Bros, avoided the rain by having a nap and then took ourselves off to Patty & Bun. Because this was Mr Hef's Christmas present, I wanted to find somewhere that he would like (I would prefer a vegetarian restaurant, obviously, but I save those for my romantic trips with vegan Emma). He loves a good burger, so it seemed like the obvious choice. After my giant portobello mushroom burger, I couldn't fit in a peanut butter choc ice, which left me craving some kind of sweet treat when my burger had gone down. I remembered seeing a Cinnabon somewhere near the hotel, so after the show myself and Mr Hef ran through the rain trying to find it, by the time we found it, ordered and got back to the hotel I was soaked through (the Cinnabon was fine, I carried it under my coat as if it was a small child), but it was totally worth it. Warm cinnamony goodness covered with maple frosting and pecans. Mmmmmm. So basically, the story goes, one wasn't enough, so I made myself a whole batch. Here's the recipe... Enjoy!


Makes around 16

For the dough

1 packet of dry yeast
230 ml warm milk
75g golden caster sugar
110g butter
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
550g plain white flour

For the filling

75g melted butter
225g brown sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
125g pecans

For the frosting

100g icing sugar
25g softened butter
50ml milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp maple syrup 
25g pecans to decorate

  1. Start by tipping the dry yeast in to the warm milk in a large bowl, add a tea spoon of the golden caster sugar and leave for around 10 minutes until it's all bubbly. 
  2. Then pop the rest of the caster sugar, butter, salt and eggs and mix together with the yeasty milk with and electric mixer until well combined. 
  3. Add the flour and fold it, mixing until it forms a dough. 
  4. Tip the dough out on to a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, until you have a lovely smooth dough. 
  5. Pop the dough back in to the bowl, cover it with a tea towel and leave it in a warm place to rise for at least an hour (it should double in size).
  6. Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees then tip to dough on to a floured surface and roll out in to one large rectangle! (21 inches by 16 inches).
  7. Smash up your pecans quite small in a pestle and mortar/food processor/bag with a rolling pin.
  8. Once it's rolled out brush the butter all over it, then mix the cinnamon, sugar and crushed pecans together and sprinkle it all over!
  9. Cut up in to around 16 even sized slices, then pop them in to a greased 8inch baking pan (I put 7 around the outside and 1 in the middle, which fit perfectly!)
  10. Then pop them in to the oven for 15-20 minutes.
  11. While they're baking, make up the icing by creaming the butter and icing sugar together until smooth, then add the milk, vanilla extract and maple syrup and whisk up until smooth. 
  12. When the rolls are golden brown, remove from the oven, cover them in icing and the rest of the pecans and enjoy! 

Friday 10 January 2014

Terre a Terre, Brighton

Happy New Year! It seems that I managed to avoid posting anything for the whole of December, usually me not posting is due to laziness. But the lack of posting in December is due to working a million hours a week and living off of food solely produced by Pret. It's not the best existence and I'm looking forward to reintroducing vegetables and fruit (other than the fruit in mince pies) in to my diet. I'm currently still in the dietary land between Christmas and the rest of the year where it's still totally acceptable to live off of chocolate for a day and treat yourself to decadent meals. So as a post Christmas treat, myself and my friend Hannah G went to Brighton to try the Terre a Terre tapas. I've been to Terre a Terre once before with Mr Hef and I can easily say that it was one of the best meals I've ever had. My meat eating brother has been many more times and claims it's his favourite restaurant!



We got to Brighton and suffered through some freezing torrential rain, a hail storm and winds so strong they nearly blew me off of the street, but it was totally worth it for this. I wish I could remember what everything on this plate was, but when the lady was explaining all I could think about was shoving it in my mouth and it was so good when I did, that I have since forgotten. Everything tasted delicious though and despite there being a lot of different things on the plate the flavours went really well together. The Tapas comes with chunky chips and wine for £39.25, but Hannah and I went for non alcholic cocktails instead (she had a Lychee Blush, lychee and apple juice shaken with ice, topped up with lemonade and drizzled with pomegranate juice and I had can't remember the name of mine, but it contained spiced fruit punch, ginger beer and fresh berries. They were both amazing). I am still in love with Terre a Terre and Brighton in general, so I hope to be off there again soon for more vegetarian delights.

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