Blackberry Blues

Berrilicious bubbles of vitamin c,


Bursting life into your cells.


Antioxidants glide in deepest purple hue,


Oh ho! These berries are mightily good for you!!!!

I love blackberries, and I’m learning a lot about antioxidants at the mo, if vitality is a destination you’d like to live, it is in berries and other such like freshlings that you'll find it, not in a five a day way, instead in a fifteen a day a way! 

Think fresh, think rainbows, feel great!

The other day I watched with rapture “Nigellisima”, she oozes food lore and loveliness, her recipes look and sound delicious, but how they configure with the bodies blood sugar levels, is another thing altogether.

There is a school of thought that believes our emotions really are found/ felt in our guts! In fact studies have shown that our cellular memory is held in the gut, the very core of our being. Is it any wonder so many people use food as a means to cope and self medicate, rather than to nourish and heal?

My mantra is “Balance, beautiful balance,” there is of course a time for meatza and cheesecake, though luscious smoothies and fresh juices are simply begging your bodies to dive into everyday. 

SPLASH!

I love nothing more than to sip some lemon water each morning (alkalising is the way forward), followed by a juice and my favourite breakfast, porridge with seasonal berries. Right now, you guessed it – Blackberries!!!

PS – Better than drinking blackberries, picking them with loved ones in the autumnal sunshine and making jam!

Lots of love,

FFX

Blackberry Smoothie

SERVES 4

Blackberries, 120g

Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp

Smooth orange juice, 250ml

Milk, 500ml

Ground flaxseed, 1 tbsp

Honey, 1 tbsp

Vanilla extract, 1 tbsp

Rolled Oats, 1 tbsp

BLITZ all ingredients in a blender for a minute or so.

POUR into a chilled glass for a morning wake up that will bring freshness and plenty of goodness to your day.

Apples in Autumn

The entrance to the Apple Orchard

Hello! I hope you enjoyed a relaxing and restful summer, I'm back now with some yumtastic recipes and restorative thoughts to share. I'm feeling nourished and natures great outdoors has inspired my cooking.

The lovely thing about being healthy, is that LOVE becomes the guiding force, not fear, and as with all things made with love, the result is beautiful, more love! Just like you! There's a song that comes to mind... one of my favourties.

Here is a picture of my two sons, that I took over the summer.

Summer...

A time for quiet and laughter. And a time for cherishing and thinking about, long after.

That’s the best bit about special times; they linger on and transform our outlooks, etching positivity into every moment. Sometimes, it's what we don't say that's most revealing, and truth is not always as clear and pure as we may like, especially when it’s got a motive attached. Summer gave me the time to sift through my thoughts and the break has left me feeling clearer, thank goodness for that! 

Autumn whispers and summer’s relaxed adieu begins - AND - what a summer? Deeply peaceful and calm. The first, in a few years, and very much appreciated. 

I’m sharing a recipe for a healthy yet sweet humble Angel Apple pie, with a hint of citrus and a caramel longing, the softly baked apples  are irresistible.

Think of falling apples, gently landing on soft golden meadows where the freshest of air lulls the senses, and sipping hot sweet tea with your nearest and dearest along with a slice of Angel Apple Pie. It is a celebration of autumn, it is gluten-free, it is fuss free and to the point - it is fresh and delicious, yet crumbly and mouth watering all the while. It is made with fallen apples and dusted with Angel glee, share some with a loved one, it's to good not too.

Love to you, and may autumn bring golden times in abundance to you!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - Be true, be you!

FFXOX

Angel apple pie

FOR THE PASTRY

Rice flour, 250g
Fruit Sugar, 1tbsp

Orange essence, 2 tsp

Butter, 150g cut into cubes

Baking powder, 1 tsp

Egg, 1 beaten

Salt, a pinch

FOR THE FILLING                                                                                                                                             

Apples, 5 (a selection of your favourite) cored, peeled and cut into chunks

Butter, 50g

Rice flour, 1 tbsp

Fruit sugar, 3tbs                                                                                                                                                               

Cinnamon, a generous sprinkle, if you like, otherwise leave out

Chai tea or Earl Grey, 60ml                                                                                                                                                  

FOR THE GLAZE

Milk, a dash

Maple Syrup, 1 tsp

PRE-HEAT oven to 220, gas 7.

MAKE pastry by sifting flour and salt into a bowl/ food processor.

ADD fruit sugar and butter, rub between your fingers until the mixture is crumb like, alternatively blitz for a few seconds.

POUR in orange essence and beaten egg into the mixture, work to a soft dough.

CUT pastry dough into two halves, wrap in clingfilm and pat into discs.

REST for thirty minutes in the fridge.

FOR THE FILLING

MELT butter and stir in flour to form a paste.

ADD fruit sugar and Chai tea, stirring all the while, when thickened to a sauce, turn of the heat and leave to one side.

FOR THE PIE

UNWRAP dough and leave sheet of cling film on surface.

ROLL  pastry to line the base of a 25-30cm (10-12in) greased tart pan/ or oven proof dish, take care here, the rice flour makes for a crumbly and more delicate dough, TLC is needed.

SPOON apple and raisins onto the base, to form a little mountain of yumminess.

POUR over sauce and sprinkle with cinnamon, to your taste.

ROLL out second dough ball to cover the apple mixture.

FLUTE the edges of the pie and cut four steam slits on the top of the pie, but don’t join the slits.

BAKE in the centre of the oven at gas 7 for 15 minutes, then reduce to gas 4, 180 for roughly 40 minutes.

BEST served warm with crème fraiche, double cream or vanilla ice cream.
ENJOY 

Pretty Perfume

“Who looks outside, dreams;

Who looks inside wakes.”

C. G. Jung

I’m going away for a few weeks on summer holiday! I'm looking forward to taking my baby son for his first splash in the sea, watching my older son sail. I will try my hand at painting, read a few books, jog each morning, enjoy yoga on the pier, meditate, stroke "Rusty" the cat, watch period drama's and chat away the hours, there will be lots of wholesome cooking too.

I won’t be writing my blog for a few weeks, so before I go, I wanted to share a special seasonal summer fruits recipe. This recipe is like a warm hug for the taste buds. Summer is full of little fruity gems, bursting with flavour, natural goodness, sweetness and fragrant perfume. The fruity scents and spices make this recipe irresistible. When you smell the wafting perfume, you may be very glad indeed that you tried this out. The freshness is like a sea view, both cleansing and healing...

A stones throw from where we stay

Feel free to choose your favourite fruits, though perhaps first time round, follow the recipe. I’m using a selection of my favourite summer fruits, including cherries; they are a good source of vitamin A and potassium, peaches, plump and lustrous skin will be yours for the taking - food like this nourishes on so many levels. Gorgeous figs promote a good nights sleep, so this would finish off a special meal beautifully.

The kitchen is quiet, the sky brightest blue, baby is sleeping and the kettle gently whistling. Breakfast time, one of summertime’s sweetest sojourns, watching the sunrise is a special joy and I’m reminded that each day brings new possibilities and promise.

I’m quietly considering, like a lion bathing in the shade, this is the stuff that dreams are made of… 

Wishing you all the most wonderful rest of summer, full of laughter and reflective insight!

FFX

Roasted Summer Fruits

Peach, 1 stoned and cut into wedges

Nectarine, 1 stoned and cut into wedges

Cherries, 12 stoned and halved

Figs, 4 trimmed and quartered

Black pepper, a small pinch

Grape juice, 4 tbsp

Sweet freedom/ maple syrup, 4 tbsp

Cinnamon stick, 1

Vanilla pod, halved and seeds scraped

PRE-HEAT oven to 180C/ gas 4.

SCATTER fruit, cinnamon stick and vanilla pod over a lined baking tray.

WHISK together the grape juice, sweet freedom, vanilla seeds and black pepper in a small bowl.

DRIZZLE over the fruit.

BAKE for 25 minutes.

SERVE warm or cold and most of all enjoy.

The Olympic Fergie Burgy

Golden burgers...

Homemade burgers, with blue cheese, red onions, parsley, smooth Dijon and Italian robust tomatoes make this post's recipe so utterly apt, delicious and timely. Last week I went to an Olympic party at our friends, “The Fergies,” everyone brought a dish to represent the different countries involved in the Olympics. I brought along a Chinese offering with some fortune cookies!

Our hosts shared some deliciously inspired burgers, filled with all the colours of the Olympic rings! As is the way with great food experiences, I’ve been inspired to create my own version of these beauties. Thank you, lovely Fergie family!


Now, my eldest son is a burger connoisseur. I’ve asked him to explain what makes a good burger, we've made quite a few of these patties and with a fondness for Byron, and notes duly taken, we made these delights. There is something very special about cooking in the company of someone you love. I love the care my son takes as he cooks. Who'd have thought making burgers could be beautiful, it is!

Hattie's lovely heart tri-colore shaped salad!

Burgers are by there very natures are a meat lover’s meandering to magnificence. They fall into two categories, tired/ forgettable and transcendental/ taste bud bloomers!

Theses Olympic Fergie Burgies are transcendental with opulent blooming buds! I’m sharing with you a few tips from the secret garden of beautiful burgers. There is a small collection of all-important things to consider before making your burgers/ burgies! 

Cooking takes time, one of our most precious commodities and if you’re going to invest some of yours into burger making, it’s worth giving a thought or two!

The meat needs a marbling of fat (fat gives meaty flavour) select your favourite cut, if beef, I steer towards sirloin or chuck steak, if lamb or pork, perhaps choose the shoulder cuts. Whatever you choose, make sure the meat is of good quality; it makes the world of difference. The burger is the star of this dish, the gold medal if you like, so source from a butcher who cares. Ask you butcher to grind it roughly; alternatively an already minced version will do nicely. When mixing the meat with other ingredients, handle gentle and take care not to over mix or press to firmly. Tender loving care is the key.

The bun must be toasted, this prevents the sometimes-soggy offering than an untoasted bun may bring. Think toasty and any sauces and added extras will be cushioned well, leaving the mouth watering and the taste buds celebrating.

Season well with salt and pepper, add a touch of fragrant outdoors, think lush green fields, throw in some finely chopped parsley, a squidge of garlic paste and any other particular favourites. My son loves to add some ketchup to the mix, be creative, though sparing.

The cheese is like the butter to jam, the honey to milk, it is essential in the burger steaks, so with this recipe I’m going all out with a blue offering. My Dad’s favourite cheese was Cashel blue, I couldn’t find any, so have opted for a lovely Cornish variety. Lush places often boast the most delicious of foods, and the Cornish countryside is in parts breath taking.

The London skyline on the night of the opening ceremony

The magic extras are tomatoes with plump flesh and flavour; pickles are a must for me, the sharpness/ acidity, balances the meatiness deliciously and offers a pleasant contrast. Now is a great time of year to pat some patties and celebrate the Olympics with a TV supper. I'm a stickler for eating at the table, though as the Olympics come once every four years and right now they're down the road, a more relaxed approach is happily here.

I hope you enjoy these Olympic Fergie Burgies and that your summer is blossoming pinkly and prettily.

FFX

The Olympic Fergie Burgie

SERVES 4

Beef mince, 500g

Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp

Garlic, 1 clove crushed to a paste

Egg, 1

Water, 1 tbsp

Blue cheese, 175g crumbled

Flat leaf Parsley, 1 tbsp finely chopped

Worcester sauce, a dash

TO SERVE

Buns, I love ciabatta, (CHOOSE YOUR FAVOURITE)

Tomato, 1 sliced

Avocado, 1 sliced

Baby gem lettuce, a few leaves

Mayonnaise/ Ketchup, Barbecue, again choose your favourite

GENTLY mix burger ingredients together in a large bowl.

SEASON generously.

SHAPE into six patties.

PLACE on a plate and cover with cling film.

REFRIGERATE for an hour or until hunger strikes!

GRILL under a high heat for five minutes on each side, turning once,

SERVE with your favourite additions; sauce and a few crispy fries wont go amiss either.

ENJOY and savour!

YUM!

Summer is going Papaya

Creamy, cooling and decadent, this fool is no fool on the fuel front! Gluten-free, dairy-free and totally delicious, summer seems like the perfect time to enjoy this Papaya lime fool. So lithe, its lime light and refreshing, few will be able to resist the charms of this pud. The recipe is refreshingly rejuvenating and the list of ingredients are simple to source. 

Desserts like these may be easily adapted to make the most of seasonal fruits. Though in the current heat wave, tropical fruit seems to hit the spot better than fellow berries. Needless to say, my baby boy loves his blueberries more than his cubed papaya pieces. One can’t please everyone, and nor should we try. Choose your favourite fruit, though I urge you to give papaya a whirl. 

PAPAYA IS IMPORTANT FOR SKINCARE, AND WILL GIVE YOU A LOVELY SUMMER GLOW NATURALLY!

Its gently sweet nutty flavour is lifted lovingly by the tart lime, which is only hinted at, papaya is the star of this fool.

I added a little ground cinnamon and vanilla extract, which brings an almost healthy caramel taste to the blend, if there is such a thing? A sprinkle of blueberries and coconut flakes make this a dessert to dream of and share happily. For extra special times, I squeeze a gloop of sweet freedom at the bottom of the glass. I love surprises and enjoy adding a few to my recipes.

I hope your summer is balmy and bright, and even if the weather is overcast, who cares, truly the seasons are in our hearts, and after a long winter, it's time to bloom!!!

Lots of love,

FFX

Papaya Lime Fool

SERVES 4

Papaya, 3 ripe, peeled and deseeded

Limejuice, 2 tbsp

Sweet freedom/ maple syrup. 50g

Vanilla extract, ½ tsp

Silken tofu, 1 carton, roughly 390g

Ground cinnamon, a sprinkle

Blueberries, a scattering

Shredded coconut flakes, a small handful (optional)

PLACE all ingredients, except, blueberries and coconut, in a blender.

PULSE until velvety smooth.

TASTE and adjust with either a little more lime, or sweeten, depending on your taste buds!

GARNISH with coconut, papaya pieces and blueberries.