Recipe: Kale, pork and sesame stir fry - Sainsbury's Magazine

What better way to celebrate Chinese new year than with a quick and easy delicious Asian dish that is both nutritious and full of flavour. The March issue of Sainsbury's Magazine hosts whole feature on kale recipes, including this fabulously tasty noodle dish.

Kale is a trend that's sweeping the globe one curly green leaf at a time. Whether its kale smoothies, kale crisps or even kale ice cream, this member of the cabbage family is now a staple in the diets of the health-concious. Even Beyonce seems to be a fan, regularly sporting a 'KALE' slogan sweatshirt - if Queen Bey likes it then so do I.

The method of this dish is really straightforward and the result is a really delicious, fresh and fragrant dish perfect for a quick midweek dinner, and just in time for Chinese new year! Find the recipe on the Sainsbury's Magazine website here.

(Ps. Check out this Anthropoligie style tableware, also available in Sainsbury's for a fraction of the price)

Bread & Butter - Gourmet eatery and coffee shop

If there is one thing Leamington Spa has an abundance of - it's coffee shops (along with expensive vintage shops of course). Every time I visit it seems as if there is always somewhere new to get your caffeine fix. When my mum enthusiastically suggested heading to Bread & Butter for Brunch last week I was keen to find out what it was like. My mum knows her coffee, and by knows I mean that even Starbucks doesn't quite make the cut for her. I knew she meant business when she dubbed the coffee from Bread & Butter as 'the best coffee in Leamington' - and she was right!

Besides from fantastic coffee, Bread & Butter also offer a really lovely food menu offering a quite short (but impressive all the same) list of dishes. They offer gourmet toasties, posh brekkies and mouth-watering cakes amongst a range of other tasty goodies. To eat, I chose their parma ham, brie, pear and rocket wholemeal toastie, an unusual choice for someone who doesn't like ham! But the risk paid off - gooey melted brie, sweet pear, salty ham and sharp peppery rocket made a delicious combination making me salivate even at the thought! My mum chose the haggis and a (perfectly oozy - action shot below!) poached egg on ciabatta. I had to have a bite and can safely say that my first taste of haggis was actually really tasty.

Being a sucker for beautiful interiors (my Pinterest board says it all...) it was the rustic look and feel of Bread & Butter that really struck a chord with me. Mason jar filament lamps, natural wood and even autumn leaves on the floor, this place feels really wholesome but also very tasteful.

So if you're ever in Leamington and fancy a proper coffee and some fabulous food, pop down to Bread & Butter - I think you'll love it.

Saturday at Borough Market

I love a market. Whether it be a clothes market, street food market or even an antique market, there is nothing I like more. So what better way to spend a Saturday than at Borough Market, drooling over stalls and stalls of delicious produce from all over the world. Located in Southwark (where it has been for a thousand years!), Borough Market is the most renowned food market across the capital, and for good reason. The market offers a range of glorious fruit and veg grown by our very own British farmers as well as everything else from brownies to burgers, chorizo to cheesecake. 

My friend and I spent the best part of today oogling all the delicious food the vendors have to offer whilst taking photos of all of the gorgeous, vibrant produce that was for sale. After traipsing through rows and rows of stalls showcasing the creme de la creme of mouth-watering food -inevitably - hunger hit. The wonderful thing about Borough Market is that there are also a fair few hot food stalls, offering lunch on the go as well alongside their own produce. Initially we both picked up a giant white chocolate cookie (by giant I mean it was the size of a large plate) which we both agreed were amazingly gooey. Following that, we gravitated towards the hog roast stall, even though it had the longest queue of them all, we just couldn't resist. The most succulent of meat from the spit in a ciabatta bun with apple sauce and rocket, it was delish.

For anyone who loves to cook and eat delicious quality food (or just like a good market like me!) Borough Market is a must visit.

Top 10 foodie bits of 2014

Goodbye 2014 and hello 2015 - I know everyone says it, but the past year has gone so quickly! 2014 has probably been the most eventful year of my life so far; an internship, finishing my second year of University, starting my placement, moving to London and not to mention starting this blog at the beginning of the year, it's been a hectic one. And what better way to end the year than giving a run down on what I've loved over the past 12 months! Where I've been eating, what I've been making and what I've been using to make it- here are my top 10 foodie highlights of 2014.

1. Lakeland ceramic knives:
The best knives I've ever used. I got a set of 3 for Christmas and they make slicing and dicing a walk in the park.

2. Avocados:
Always been a personal fave, but since moving to London I eat an average of 4 a week. In salads, on toast or mashed into a quick homemade gaucamole - I'm obsessed (they're even in my eye cream!)

3. Leon:
I won't say too much about Leon (you can read more about why I love it here), but their cookbooks and restaurants are a game-changer for healthy fast food.

4. Juilenne peeler:
Although I am a self-confessed pasta lover, in 2014 I discovered courgetti (courgettes sliced into spaghetti like strips using a julienne peeler) and used it to substitute pasta in some dishes. I cook it for around 5 minutes on a medium heat with olive oil, black pepper, salt and crushed garlic.

5. Chorizo:
A fridge staple in my eyes, chorizo keeps forever and can work wonders with a pasta dish (like this one) or can be added to risottos and salads for a smokey meaty kick.

6. Stax Diner:
A must visit for anyone in central London. The best burgers in town, read my review here.

7. Seeds:
All year I have been adding seeds to my salads and soups, as well as mixing them in with breadcrumb batters for fishcakes, These food doctor ones are my favourite and add a good source of protein to any meal.

8. Starbucks egg nogg latte:
It's probably a good thing that these are a Christmas exclusive because they have the same amount of calories as a full meal. This doesn't stop me having at least one a week around Christmas time - creamy, sweet, caffeine goodness, who could resist!

9. Granola:
What I start every work day with. My favourite is by Sensible Dave who kindly sent me some packs in the post. So delicious and keep you full until lunchtime!

10. Street food:
From Leather Lane to The Urban food fest in Shoreditch, I have become a street food convert. Who'd have thought food that comes out the back of a van could taste so good?!

Stax Diner - A Review

Anyone who knows me knows there's nothing I like more than indulging in a filthy burger. From Five Guys to Byron, I have tried most burger joints in existence, but I'm pretty sure I'm onto a winner with Stax Diner...

When I first moved to London, a friend and I spent the day in Central and stumbled upon Kingly Court. The square is nestled behind the bustling Carnaby Street and has three stories of the best foodie haunts in London - Pizza Pilgrims, Senor Ceviche and Rum Kitchen to name a few. Kingley Court is the ideal setting for dining. With al fresco seating perfect for the warmer months and dripping in Christmas lights later in the year, it is lovely all year round.

It was a hot, stuffy day in London when my friend and I were on the hunt for a milkshake and Stax Diner delivered the goods. A peanut butter milkshake and a portion of chips later, we were sold. The following week we went back with another friend in tow, but this time to try their burgers.

The menu is relatively limited, but in this case less is definitely more. The burgers are fuss free fantasticness at a very reasonable price. They serve milkshakes (standard and alcoholic), buttermilk fried chicken and something called a cajun onion blossom which looks like a giant tear and share onion ring *drool*. They also offer a variety of unusual lagers, ales and stouts that differ from day to day, as well as a mouth-watering brunch menu.

The interior is like their food - fuss free and authentic. The place is small, the walls covered in vinyl records and band posters and the furniture has an industrial feel painted yellow, red and black. And of course a diner isn't complete without a neon sign.

If there is one person who rivals my burger obsession, it's my boyfriend, so when we spent the weekend in London I knew where we had to go for late lunch. To drink I had a deliciously tangy fresh pink lemonade, served in a mason jar. We both went for 'bring home the bacon' burger; juicy medium rare beef patty inside a bouncy brioche bun with cheese of your choice, caramelised onions and maple glazed beef bacon - what burger dreams are made of. We also shared a portion of their 'boardwalk fries' - skin on cajun flavoured chips to you and I. We wolfed down our burgers and following a few grunts of appreciation, all that was left on the greaseproof paper was a small pool of burger juice and some stray onions (I had to restrain myself from polishing off both).

For all my fellow burger buddies out there, head to Stax - you won't regret it.

Recipe: Creamy Moroccan style butternut squash soup

One of my favourite things to make in the Autumn/Winter months is soup. This recipe is one of my favourites - affordable, different and delicious (if I do say so myself!). Adapted from my first butternut squash soup recipe, I've altered the ingredients slightly to make the flavour a lot more north African by adding harissa, goats cheese, coconut milk, curry powder and some other spices. This soup makes a delicious lunch and should keep for about a week in an airtight container in the fridge.

This recipe makes around 4 to 5 bowls.

Ingredients:
1 whole butternut squash (skinless, roughly cut into 2cm cubes)
1 whole red pepper (deseeded and roughly chopped)
1 whole red onion (roughly chopped)
2 teaspoons of ginger paste
2 cloves of garlic crushed
100g of goat's cheese
500ml of chicken stock (a stock cube + water is fine)
Olive oil
1 teaspoon of harissa paste
1 teaspoon of clear honey
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of curry powder
1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon of crushed chilli flakes
2/3 a can of coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Put squash, pepper and onions into large roasting tin and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Toss to all vegetables are coated.
2. Add garlic, ginger, harissa, honey, lemon juice, curry powder, chilli powder and flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste (you can always add some more later). Toss veg again to seasoning is evenly distributed.
3. Put into the oven on a medium to high heat until squash is soft. In my oven this took around 40 mins, but keep an eye on it. It doesn't matter if your peppers and onions are slightly charred at the edges!
4. Remove roasting tin from oven and transfer contents into large saucepan if you have a handheld blender like me (put it straight into a free standing blender if you have one).
5. Roughly blitz veg to get it started, then add stock and blend again.
6. Crumble in the goat's cheese stirring it through to ensure it melts. Blend again.
7. Then add coconut milk and blend for the final time until consistency is smooth and silky.Taste, and add extra seasoning if it needs it.
8. Reheat if required and serve with a warm flatbread.

Urban Food Fest - Shoreditch

I only really ever started to appreciate how good street food can be when I was working for Sainsbury's Magazine in Farringdon. Before then, if you said street food, I would immediately think of the dirty burger vans my hometown had to offer. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing awful about the greasy grub served by 'Dave's Tasty Bites' and 'Nice Buns' (yes, it really is called that) but street food has come along way from plasticy cheese, stale burger buns and sticky ketchup bottles. Believe it or not, some of London's most loved restaurants started off as street food stalls (Pizza Pilgrims - we salute you and your van-come-pizza oven).

The Sainsbury's Magazine offices were a stones throw away from some of London's best street food haunts. Leather Lane and Exmouth Market are streets lined both sides with culinary expertise from all over the world and all from the back of a van - who'd have thought it?! Leather Lane has it all, from authentic burritos at Daddy Donkey to fantastic falafel wraps at Greek Expectations ('Nice Buns' take note - 'Greek Expectations' = jokey name done right). Food from the vendors at Leather Lane and Exmouth Market win my vote over a Tesco meal deal any day - and not to mention there is the occasional stall selling 'discounted' Topshop clothes (which may or may not have been nicked off the back of a lorry).

Last week my boyfriend (who is currently living in France) came back to England for a week. One of our favourite things to do is eat, especially gourmet fast food. I'd read about the Urban Food Fest in Time Out and knew we had to visit. Located in a Shoreditch car park, the festival opens at 5pm every Saturday and closes at midnight. There are a number of Street Food vendors, live music and even cocktails bars. Louis and I both shared a hot dog, with ALL the trimmings, some 'don fries' (chips covered in cheese and Vietnamese pork) and an amazing gin and elderflower cocktail. The place was packed and the atmosphere was great, my only criticism is that we did struggle to find a seat! Each dish is normally between 4 and 7 pounds and everything is made right in front of you.

The food was delish and there was plenty of choice. Where else can you get a Perurvian burger and an authentic Italian stonebaked pizza at the same time?!