the spice market, where you can buy herbs, spices, dried friut, nuts, seeds, rice and cereals, and pulses and grains!

We are carrying on our spring / Easter vibe with this fab  garden patch dish.
Its great on its own  with some crusty bread for a vegetarian treat or makes a lovely accompaniment to any grilled meats.
A fresh and colourful dish, just like spring time!

Ingredients:  

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium courgette, cut into 1/4-inch slicesÂ
1 medium squash, cut into 1/4-inch slicesÂ
a good handful of sliced mushrooms
a good handful cherry or baby plum tomatoes, cut in half
a pinch of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon tomato, olive and basil salt
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh chives (optional) 

Method

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook courgettes, squash and mushrooms in oil for 4 to 5 minutes.

Along with the pinch of garlic powder. I like the powder much better than fresh as I find garlic cooks and burns easily and the powder has all the flavour without the burn!

Stir everything frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. 

2. Stir in tomatoes. Sprinkle vegetables with herbs and tomato, olive and basil salt.

Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, just until tomatoes begin to soften. 

Pile into a nice big serving bowl, with some fresh bread and maybe oven baked chicken breast, YUM!

chocolate crispy cakes

I bet there are not many people in the western hemisphere that haven’t tried the odd chocolate crispy cake. They have been a favourite thing to make with children for as long as there have been rice crispies, or children! These ones are a little more adventurous than most as they have bits of yummy dried fruit in them. Great for getting in a little extra fibre (without the kids knowing). They also have the added benefit of looking like little pretty jewels nestling in the paper cases.

Ingredients: 

50g butter
4 tbsp golden syrup
150 g good quality dark or milk chocolate, depending on your preference
75g rice crispies
a handful of dried apricots
a handful of dried blueberries
a handful of banana chips
a handful of sour cherries (more…)

Veggie Casserole

We are carrying on our spring time recipe theme with this delicious, light casserole. Full of flavour and with enough substance for even the most hardened meat eater! It’s also a fab way to get some of your five a day, and because its meat free (here at the spice market home we are trying to have one veggie night a week)  its really economical too!

Ingredients

FOR THE DUMPLINGS

100g self-rising flour
50g butter at room temperature, cut in pieces
50g mature cheddar , finely grated
1 good pinch of parsley and thyme salt

FOR THE CASSEROLE (more…)