Broccoli, Stilton and Walnut Pasta

This is a relatively simple and easy to make dish; the recipe came out of one of those evenings when I got back from work and there was not much 'fresh' food in the house and I couldn't be bothered to go shopping. I had some Stilton that needed using up and some frozen broccoli in the freeze so thought I'd combine them in a pasta sauce. I normally have some walnuts in the baking cupboard and I thought for a change I'd try adding it to this pasta sauce. It worked really well, adding a lovely flavour and texture.

American Pancakes: Plain, Blueberry or Gluten Free!

Pancake day was this week in the UK and it reminded me that I had not made American Pancakes in quite some time... something I rectified immediately this weekend :) These pancakes are a great Saturday morning treat, taste amazing, and are ridiculously easy to make. You can make them plain, or add blueberries for a real wow factor. I once experimented with making these gluten free, by using cornflour, and it worked well - though since cornflour has a distinctive taste, it is best to add blueberries or other fruits.

When cooking, the mixture will spread out before rising, so it helps to use a small pan. This is particularly true if using cornflour as the batter will be thinner. Serve these with maple syrup - or if you don't want to shell out for it as its pricey, golden syrup also tastes great.

Edit: A commenter on the blog suggested that buckwheat flour is a good alternative for those wanting a gluten free option, so you may want to use this instead of cornflour; I may be experimenting with it myself in the future!

Roasted Halloumi and Vegetables

A pretty easy and very tasty roasted dish. I mixed this with plain cous cous to make a salad, but you could serve it hot with pasta, rice, pitta bread, wraps - basically anything you fancy. Feel free to mix up the vegetables, though I have to admit the super combo of sweet peppers, sweet potatoes and red onion really did it for me.

Spicy Paprika Sweet Potato Chips

Chips (or fries, if you like) are a luxury I allow myself from time to time though I always roast my chips  as it's healthier than frying, and requires less effort - you just put them in the oven and shake occasionally. This recipe comes courtesy of my cousin Lucíola and it is fabulous! The trick is to coat the chips evenly in a bowl before roasting. I used one white flesh and one orange fleshed sweet potato, but you could also do this recipe with normal potatoes too.

Courgette (Zucchini) Pesto Pasta

A very simple recipe today, and one that cooks up rather quickly too. I peeled the courgettes (otherwise known as zucchini) but if you can't be bothered, just slice them. You could also grate them as I have done this before with courgette pasta sauces and it works very well.