Red Beans and Ricely Yours…

Red Beans and Ricely Yours…

The famous New Orleans jazz musician Louis Armstrong is said to have loved this classic southern dish so much that he would often sign his name off with “red beans and ricely yours”. Rice and beans are a staple combination across many cuisines, forming between them a complete protein as well as being filling and nutritious, but it’s the Creole cuisine of Louisiana we’re drawing this version from. Traditionally served on a Monday, which was laundry day, it was left to simmer all day with the ham bone from the Sunday meal the day before. This version uses smoked sausage as the meat, but you could easily use bacon, smoked ham hock, or indeed the traditional ham bone if you have access to them. Or leave out the meat entirely and still have a very satisfying bowl of food!

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Breaking the Fast: Part 1 – Oats

Breaking the Fast: Part 1 – Oats

While I don’t quite subscribe to the “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” mentality, it is certainly important to start your day with something that will give you good energy and sustain you through to lunch without tucking into the snack bowl.

Breakfast food varies around the world. For many it is just like any other meal and doesn’t involve any particular foods, but for a lot of cultures there are particular foods associated with this morning routine. In the Western Diet breakfast has often come to be associated with piles of buttery squares of toast, platefuls of processed meats, pancakes, waffles, and sugary cereals. A lot of processed carbohydrates, sugar and saturated fats that cause energy spikes and crashes after a short period. In healthier diets across the world breakfast is often a more balanced affair of complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats and this is something I’ve tried to incorporate into our own eating patterns.

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Courgette, Squash and Lovage Soup

Courgette, Squash and Lovage Soup

My wife dubbed this “healthy soup” after tasting it first time, but did acknowledge that despite tasting “very healthy” it was also “very tasty”. Lovage is an underutilised but interesting herb that adds a lot of flavour to the soup. If you can’t find any then a mix of parsley and celery leaves will provide a similar flavour profile.

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Fish and Vegetables on the BBQ

Fish and Vegetables on the BBQ

When it comes to BBQ season meat is often the star of the show, and with good reason. There’s something about fire and smoke that elevates a cut of meat to new heights. But that doesn’t mean you need to eat heavy meat dishes every time you fire up the grill. This quick and easy dish of fish and vegetables is a great midweek meal.

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Sardine Toast with Vegetables

Sardine Toast with Vegetables

A quick yet satisfying meal using prepared vegetables, tinned sardines and a crusty slice of bread. The richness and sweetness from the oil and vegetables pairs beautifully with the intense salty savouriness of the fish, while the sharp tang of pickles or a dressed salad brings an acidic note to cut through the dish.

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Mediterranean Pork Tenderloin

Mediterranean Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is a fantastic cut of meat. Lean but flavourful it has the versatility of chicken while providing a bit more of a meaty texture like beef. This recipe uses rich Mediterranean flavours to pair with the meaty pork to provide a satisfying dish without too much faff.

If you don’t have pork tenderloin then it would work reasonably well with pork chops, pork loin or even chicken, just adjust the cooking times accordingly.

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