Month: Sep 2023

Cherry and almond cake

~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

A summery gluten free treat, rich with almonds and riddled with sweet juicy fruit.

  • 60g caster sugar
  • 60g butter, softened
  • 180g ground almonds
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 160g fresh cherries, pitted and left whole (I know, it looks like you murdered someone in the kitchen)
  • Handful flaked almonds
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C fan (180C) and line a loaf tin or a 20cm baking tin
  2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
  3. Break in the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously as you do so
  4. Add the almond extract and whisk in
  5. In another bowl (or in the bowl of the scales to avoid unnecessary washing up), mix together the ground almonds, baking powder and salt
  6. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet, and then add the cherries, stirring them into the mixture
  7. Spoon into the tin, smooth out the top with a spoon and then sprinkle over the flaked almonds
  8. Bake for 40 mins until golden on top and cooked through
  9. Leave in the tin for 10 mins and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely
  10. Serve with vanilla ice cream, custard or cream

Kimchi fried rice

~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

How has it taken me this long to discover kimchi fried rice? It’s SO GOOD. Just make it and pop a fried egg on top. You will not be sorry. Feeds 2

  • 250g cooked rice (either cook it yourself and cool it or use a cooked rice pouch)
  • 100g kimchi, cut into small pieces if it needs it
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1″ piece ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp gochujang
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp veg oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 spring onion, finely chopped
  • Sesame seeds
  1. Melt the butter in a wok or large frying pan on a medium-low heat
  2. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry gently for 5 mins until soft
  3. Add the kimchi and a little of its juice, the gochujang and the rice
  4. Toss everything together until the rice is coated (without being over-enthusiastic and ending up with mush)
  5. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and stir in
  6. In a separate pan, heat a little veg oil and fry the eggs
  7. Serve the rice, topped with your perfectly fried egg and strewn with spring onion and sesame seeds

Tasty tofu

~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

No, no stay with me! It’s good

  • 280g firm tofu, patted dry and crumbled into pieces
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 4 tbsp veg oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp pul biber (or other flavourings of your choice – you could go chipotle chilli flakes, cumin and cinnamon … cumin, coriander and allspice … garam masala, turmeric, cumin – so many choices!)
  1. Heat a big frying pan over medium heat
  2. Add all the ingredients except the tofu and fry gently, stirring, for 4-5 mins
  3. Add in the crumbled tofu and stir into the flavoured oil
  4. Cook for a couple of mins more, until the tofu absorbs all the delicious flavour

And that’s it. Use it to top salads, stir it into tomato sauce, mix with pasta, add an an ingredient to a curry or chilli. A quick and easy way to up the protein content without it feeling too tofu-y