Apple and butternut soup

Butternut squash soup in the pot with a wooden spoon.

It's Halloween so it seemed apt to have butternut squash soup for dinner tonight (also known as butternut pumpkin in Australia). Lately I've been thinking it might be worthwhile to share cheap meal ideas since so many people are struggling with bills right now. It's not hard to feed a family of four on a… Continue reading Apple and butternut soup

The Aboyne Games and foraging for dinner

Yesterday we went to the Aboyne Highland Games and Elizabeth competed in the highland dance. It's the first time we've been to the Aboyne games and the first time it has run since before the pandemic. Elizabeth came last or second last in her dances. The other girls were quite a lot better and I'm… Continue reading The Aboyne Games and foraging for dinner

A hair cut, pea and mint soup recipe, and giant violins

I had a bad haircut just before Christmas and couldn't stand it any longer so today, on the spur of the moment, I went in search of a haircut. All the women reading my blog will understand the impossibility of my quest: one does not simply walk into a hair salon on a Saturday afternoon… Continue reading A hair cut, pea and mint soup recipe, and giant violins

Kale, parsnip, and a recipe for bannocks

I went to my plot today to pick some kale. I also found this huge parsnip. It was pretty quiet at the allotments with practically no one there on what is a beautifully warm and sunny spring Sunday. Everything is starting to come to life including the rhubarb. We'll be eating rhubarb crumble before too… Continue reading Kale, parsnip, and a recipe for bannocks

Sometimes we need pancakes for dinner

I'm really snowed under with work and cycling-related activities right now that I couldn't be bothered cooking dinner tonight and since I'm the parent I get to decide what we eat so we had pancakes. The kids were shocked and delighted all at once when they found out. I've found a great recipe for vegan… Continue reading Sometimes we need pancakes for dinner

Recipe for oat milk and cookies for the remaining pulp

I'm so excited about making my own oat milk that I've been experimenting a bit with different recipes to get a flavour that I like. Here's what I've settled on for now: 2 cups oats 1L water 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1-2 tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it) a small slice… Continue reading Recipe for oat milk and cookies for the remaining pulp

Scottish vegan cookbook and lebkuchen

It's lebkuchen time of year which means it's time to share my recipe. It has become a tradition in our family to make numerous batches of lebkuchen every December. Lebkuchen is a German Christmas dish which translates to "ginger bread" but there's no ginger in the recipe. I got the recipe from a German friend… Continue reading Scottish vegan cookbook and lebkuchen

The perfect burger

One of my favourite meals to eat that's super easy to make, vegan, inexpensive, and anyone, even the most cooking-averse among us can easily create is the vegan burger. In my freezer, I have several packs of different types of burgers that I get from the supermarket. There are chickpea burgers, chilli bean burgers, parsnip… Continue reading The perfect burger

A nutritious, cheap, and easy vegan meal that kids like and vegan bodybuilders

I made a delicious and disgustingly healthy meal tonight which was a hit with everyone, including the kids. It was also very simple, indeed half of it required no cooking at all. The cooked half was a recipe from Rukmini Iyer's The Green Roasting Tin which involved bunging orzo and tomatoes in the oven for… Continue reading A nutritious, cheap, and easy vegan meal that kids like and vegan bodybuilders

What to do with a glut of courgettes?

It has been a day of cooking. It's that time of year when my allotment is producing way more courgettes (zucchinis) than we can eat so I had to take desperate measures. I took the advice of an old friend from Christchurch and made chutney. This is my first attempt and I didn't make a… Continue reading What to do with a glut of courgettes?

Fudgy no-bake brownies

Elizabeth made the fudgy no-bake brownies from Dr Gregor's How Not to Die cookbook yesterday. They're so easy to make even a kid can do it. I just helped her a bit with the food processor. They're delicious and healthy. There's no sugar in the recipe and they're gluten-free and vegan. Ingredients 1 cup walnuts… Continue reading Fudgy no-bake brownies

A doggy to cuddle and I made sauerkraut

Today I've had Millie for company. She's an adorable 1-year-old cockapoo. As you can see she's made herself at home 🙂 Millie is our first dog from Borrow My Doggy. Her owner works all day and wanted her to have some company while he's at work. I'm at home working all day and also wanted… Continue reading A doggy to cuddle and I made sauerkraut

How to cook for 10 people for less than £8

They say healthy food is expensive but this isn't my experience. Unhealthy, processed food is expensive but healthy, fresh food is cheap, albeit time-consuming to prepare. Today I made a lentil shepherd's pie for ten people and as I was cooking I couldn't help thinking how cheap the ingredients were so I decided to add… Continue reading How to cook for 10 people for less than Â£8

Vegan haggis with whisky sauce

After our visit to Glenfiddich last weekend I was inspired to make a vegan whisky sauce to go with vegan haggis. All the supermarkets here sell vegetarian haggis and there are two main brands to choose from - Simon Howie and Macsween. Both are very good. Last night we had Simon Howie's haggis which contains… Continue reading Vegan haggis with whisky sauce