Lemon Curd Crumble Bars

These deliciously zingy, crumbly bars are to die for. Bright and tangy lemon curd sandwiched between a buttery biscuit base and a nutty, oaty crumble layer. Simply brew up a pot of Earl Grey and enjoy.

Cake pit stops are vital for any day out, don't you agree?  For me, it simply isn't a successful outing if we haven't stopped for a spot of tea and cake.  A few weeks ago, Kris and I were on one of our many antique hunting trips (I saw we, I mean me while he follows me through dusty piles of vintage kitchenware, grumbling under his breath) when we passed the cutest little cake shop.  Obviously it's against the law to be British and ignore tea and cake so in we went.  Instantly my eyes went straight to a pile of lemon shortbread crumble bars. Not other cake mattered to me in that instance, this was the sweet treat for me. So I ordered myself a bar and a cup of Earl Grey (Kris had something mile high and covered with chocolate, standard) and settled down by the window to enjoy my spoils.  Needless to say, dear reader, it was crap! It tasted like it had been sat out since the dawn of time, cardboard would have packed a better punch than this sorry affair.  Is there anything more disappointing?   I left, deflated and unsatisfied, with a solemn vow never to return and to make my own version at home. A version that is not, indeed, crap.  Well, I think I nailed it!

A super buttery shortbread base, laced with lemon zest topped with creamy lemon curd before an oaty, crumble layer is added. Screw your cardboard cakes, this sucker has lemony goodness in every mouthful.

I just love these bars, not only are they super simple to make but I always seem to have the ingredients to hand. I mean, if you don't constantly have a jar of lemon curd in your cupboard, can we even be friends?

Lemon Curd Crumble Bars
(adapted from Waitrose Magazine)

Ingredients:

• 170g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 285g plain flour
• 75g caster sugar
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1 large, free range egg yolk
• 1 lemon zested
• 50g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 20g demerera sugar
• 25g rolled oats
• 20g flaked almonds
• 20g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 325g jar of best quality lemon curd

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C, grease and line a 22cm square tin with baking parchment. In a food processor, pulse together the butter and flour until soft crumbs form. Stir in the caster sugar and salt, then remove 1 /3 of the mixture and set aside in a bowl.
2. Add the baking powder, egg yolk and lemon zest to the remaining mixture in the food processor and continue to pulse until combined. Tip into the baking tin and press down to form an even layer. Bake for 15 minutes, then allow to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add the demerara sugar, oats and nuts to the reserved mixture with the butter and add 1tbsp water. Using your fingers rub the butter into the dry mixture until it's all nice and chunky.
4. Spread the lemon curd over the biscuit base, then top with the crumble mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool completely in the tin.
5. Remove from the tin and slice into bars. 

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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Baked Doughnuts

These moist and delicious chocolate chip studded, banana bread doughnuts are dipped in a rich chocolate ganache before being sprinkled with chopped pecans for added crunch. You'll be back for seconds, or even thirds.

Banana bread is one of my favourite, and most baked recipes in the world.  There's nothing better than the rich fug emanating from the kitchen when you've got a banana bread or two in the oven. It's the first thing I recommend for baking novices, and the first thing I think to bake for friends and family. It truly is a staple in my life.  That being said, I've never turned it into doughnuts... until now.

Chocolate chip banana bread baked doughnuts, it just rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it? Well, I can promise you that these little buggers are a much better mouthful than their name.  Just don't try to say it with your mouth full of doughnut, trust me.

I just love baked doughnuts, aren't they just the cutest? All the fun of the fair without the big old hassle of deep frying. Not that I don't like fried doughnuts, they're just more of an event.  I'm an equal opportunities doughnut fan.

You're gonna need a 6 hole doughnut pan for this recipe. If you don't already have one, this is the one I use. I've had it for absolutely years now and it's still going strong.

Still looking for bananary inspiration? Check out my other banana bread recipes here: Double Chocolate Banana Bread / Hazelnut Banana Bread / Banana & Chocolate French Toast / Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Baked Doughnuts

Ingredients:

• 2 medium, very ripe bananas, mashed
• 100g light brown sugar
• 75g unsalted butter, melted
• 150g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large, free range egg
• 100g chocolate chips
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 400ml double cream
• 50g chopped pecans

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 175C and grease the hollows of a doughnut pan.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer mix together the mashed banana, melted butter and egg. Stir through the flour, baking powder and cinnamon until just combined. Stir through the chocolate chips.
3. Pour the batter into a large piping bag and pipe into the prepared doughnut pan, filling each hollow to the top. Bake for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.
4. To make the chocolate glaze place the chopped chocolate into a bowl and set aside. Heat the double cream to just below boiling point, pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Stir the cream and chocolate together until fully melted and glossy.
5. Dip each cooled doughnut into the chocolate glaze and sprinkle with the chopped pecans.

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Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chocolate chip cookies use ground pecans and coconut in the flour mixture and the darkest chocolate to give them a deep, sophisticated taste.  This is a cookie for the adults, no kids allowed. Unless they've been really good...

I wonder how many chocolate chip cookie recipes I can possibly fit on this blog?  The funny thing is, I'm not anywhere near done yet.  As long as different variations on this ultimate classic exist, I'll keep baking 'em.  It's hard work, but someone has to do it.

I'm definitely team nut (and team raisin, I'll fight anyone who disagrees) when it comes to cookies, I'll always choose a pecan studded number over a plain chocolate chip.  Nuts add a wonderful texture to a cookie, or muffin, or any sweet treat if you ask me.  It works out perfectly in my house as Kris is an avid nut (and raisin) hater, so I know that if I want a treat and not have to worry about it vanishing, I can always whip up a big batch of these pecan chocolate chip cookies.

At least that's what I thought. I made a batch of these cookies, smugly knowing they were just for me, when I noticed Kris loitering around the kitchen. He was a little too interested in what was going on for my liking. 'They're full of nuts, you won't like them!' I shouted, brandishing a wooden spoon protectively.  He simply shrugged and popped a full cookie in his mouth.  Over the next few days I'd say he ate around 80% of the batch, I still haven't decided whether it was a failure or a success.  I'd failed in making something just for me but succeeded in making something so delicious that even a nut hater would renounce his stance and devour the lot.  

Nope, I'm still thinking....

So, are you a fan of nuts in cookies, and more importantly, will you be giving these babies a go to test your alliance?   Give them a go; you never know, they might change your mind.

Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 75g desiccated coconut
• 150g pecans
• 125g plain flour
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1/4tsp salt
• 125g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 80g light brown sugar
• 50g caster sugar
• 1 large, free range egg
• 2tbsp black treacle
• 200g best quality dark chocolate, chopped

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line two cookie sheets with baking parchment. Spread the coconut and pecans onto each of the lined cookie sheets and bake for 8 minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant. Allow to cool.
2. Take 50g of the toasted pecan nuts and transfer them to a food processor and pulse until they form fine crumbs. Chop the remaining pecans roughly and set aside.
3. Stir the toasted coconut, pecan crumbs, flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer mix together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, around 5 minutes. Beat in the egg followed by the black treacle then dump the flour mixture in and mix slowly until just combined. Stir through the chocolate and chopped pecans then cover the bowl with cling film and rest in the fridge for 1 hour or up to overnight.
4. When you're ready to bake the cookies scoop out heaped tablespoons of the dough and place on the prepared baking sheets from toasting the nuts, giving the cookies a little room to spread. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, allow to cool slightly on the baking tray before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

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Persian Love Cake

Persian Love Cake is a beautifully scented, rich and delicious cake. Filled with exotic the flavours of cardamon, saffron and rose water this cake is truly a slice of luxury.  Loaded with ground almonds and creamy yogurt then drizzled with a sticky citrus syrup, this cake will keep perfectly for a few days while still retaining the moist texture. 

Isn't the name of this cake just beautiful, Persian Love Cake. I feel like a fairytale princess whenever I make it. Legend has it that a Persian woman concocted this cake and filled it with love magic in order to make a handsome Prince fall in love with her. Nobody can agree on whether the tale has a happy ending or not, but I like to think the Prince fell head over heels for the woman and they lived happily ever after. I mean, who could deny the loving powers of this cake.

Traditionally a Persian Love Cake is decorated with dried rose petals and chopped pistachios. Unfortunately I was unable to find dried rose petals... okay okay, I couldn't be bothered to look for them, you got me, so chopped pistachios and live roses will have to do. I still think it looks rather enchanting.

Persian Love Cake

Ingredients:

• 6 cardamom pods
• 100ml full fat milk
• pinch of saffron strands
• 6 large free range eggs
• 250g caster sugar
• 250ml full fat greek yogurt
• 200g ground almonds
• 100g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tsp rose water
• 75g pistachios, chopped
• 1 orange, zested (reserve juice for syrup)
• 1 lemon, zested (reserve juice for syrup)


• For the syrup:
• lemon juice from zested lemon
• orange juice from zested orange
• 50ml water
• 125g caster sugar
• 2tsp rosewater

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and grease and line a 22cm cake tin.
2. Remove the cardamom seeds from their pods and lightly crush with a pestle and mortar.
3. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until warm (do not allow to boil) and add in the saffron strands, set aside while you make the cake.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer mix the eggs and sugar together till thick and creamy. Fold in the almonds, flour, baking powder and yogurt. Add the orange and lemon zest and the chopped pistachios and cardamon and gently fold through until just combined. Stir in the milk and rosewater.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
6. While the cake is baking, make the syrup. In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan combine the orange and lemon juice, water, sugar and rosewater and simmer over a medium low heat until the liquid has reduced by half. Around 10 minutes. Brush onto the warm cake and allow to cool in the tin.
7. Decorate with rose petals and more chopped pistachios and dust with icing sugar.

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Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

There are few things in life that make me feel as smug as overnight cinnamon rolls. A few simple steps the night before rewards you with the most satisfying breakfast ever, and don't get me started on how amazing your house will smell. That cinnamon laced fug is like a warm hug on a cold Winter morning. Talk about taking the whole Hygge movement to another level.

Whipping up a yeasted bake might seem a little daunting to some, yeast is a notorious son of a bitch to work with sometimes, but I've made these rolls tonnes of time now and they've never failed. Once, I prepped them after a girls night in, more than a few glasses of wine deep. Ahem. If I can do them drunk, a monkey could probably make them sober. Plus, morning after Katie was over the moon with tipsy Katie. That rarely happens....

I've made these rolls with butter and I've made them with margarine, honestly, there isn't an ounce of difference between the two. The only thing I noticed was if you make the frosting with marg it gets a wee yellow tinge, which isn't overly appetising. These days I prep the rolls with margarine and make the frosting with butter. Bish bash bosh. Anything to keep these damn rising butter prices down.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

• For the dough :
• 7g (1 sachet) active dried yeast
• 220g lukewarm, whole milk
• 100g caster sugar
• 75g margarine
• 2 large, free range eggs
• 480g plain flour


• For the filling :
• 200g light brown sugar
• 4tbsp cinnamon
• 75g margarine, softened


• For the frosting :
• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g icing sugar
• 50g cream cheese
• 1/2tsp vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

1. To make the dough first pour the warm milk into a jug and stir in the yeast, set aside for 5 minutes to activate. You'll know it's working if the yeast has begun to froth.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook add the sugar, margarine, eggs, and flour and mix together. While the mixer is still running at the lowest speed, pour the milk into the dry ingredients in a slow, steady stream. Mix until everything is incorporated then turn the mixer up to medium and leave for 3 minutes.
3. Spray a large mixing bowl with olive oil and pop the dough into the greased bowl, cover with a sheet of oiled cling film and leave until doubled in size. This usually takes around an hour. Don't worry if it takes a little longer, just keep an eye on it.
4. Stir the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside.
5. Grease a 9x13" high sided baking tray with butter and set aside while you prepare your rolls.
6. Roll your dough out on a lightly floured surface until you get a rectangular shape measuring around 19x15". Spread the dough with the margarine then sprinkle liberally with the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Take the longest edge of the dough and carefully roll it up into a long sausage. Cut the sausage in half then cut each half into six equally sized pieces. Place the cut rolls into the greased baking tray.
7. Wrap the baking tray in clingfilm and place in the fridge overnight. The rolls will continue to rise but at a much slower pace.
8. When you're about ready to bake your rolls remove them from the fridge and check if they've doubled in size. If not just leave them in a warm place for 30 minutes to puff up. Once they're doubled in size pop them into a preheated oven at 175°C and bake for 20 minutes.
9. While the rolls are baking, mix the butter, icing sugar, cream cheese and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth and spreadable. Once the rolls have finished baking, allow to cool for 5 minutes before spreading with the frosting and serve immediately.
10. The rolls can be kept, wrapped in cling film, for 5 days. Simply reheat for 30 seconds in a microwave.

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Linzer Cookies

Linzer cookies are one of my absolute favourite cookies to make around the festive season. Not only are they quick and easy, they always look so beautiful.  Like delicate little works of art, worthy of any artisan baker's window display. It's all down to that light dusting of icing sugar right at the end, like little snow flecked ornaments, too pretty to eat. Whoever would have guessed you can knock them up in under an hour.  

You can use any jam you like in Linzer cookies, I like strawberry as it's traditional, but I think they would be delicious with any fruity flavours you have in your cupboard. I'm desperate to make some with some home-made cherry and amaretto jam, you just know that sounds delicious.

These cookies also make the most darling holiday gifts, all stacked up in little cellophane bags tied beautifully with some festive ribbon. Who wouldn't be thrilled by such a lovely, handmade present? Plus if you're lucky, the recipient may even invite you in for a cuppa and a Linzer. Win-win.

I like to customise the little jammy windows to the occasion I'm baking for. I used delicate little snowflakes here but I'm also partial to a wee heart or star.  You can go as wild as you like, fancy a little cat shaped window? Go for it, you do you!

Linzer Cookies

Ingredients:

• 230g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 230g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2tsp fine salt
• 100g cornflour
• 450g plain flour
• 1 jar good quality strawberry jam
• 2tbsp icing sugar

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment.
2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat together on medium-low speed until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, salt, and cornstarch. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing on medium-low speed after each addition.
3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to around 3/8-inch thick. Use a round, fluted cookie cutter to cut circles then use a smaller cutter (I used a snowflake but you can use any shape you like to reflect the occasion)
4. to cut little windows in half of the cookies. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 12 minutes or until barely coloured.
5. Cool completely. Spread a tablespoon of strawberry jam onto the bottom round cookies then top with the windowed cookies. Sift over a tbsp of icing sugar and serve.

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Brussels Sprouts, Blue Cheese and Chestnut Pasta

Brussels sprouts often get a bad rap. They're the villain of the Christmas table. Poor, over cooked, farty specimens are pushed to the side of plates nationwide. I was the only person who would devour my sprouts round our table. My brothers wouldn't even entertain the thought of having them on their plate, and even my vegetarian mother would sneakily hide hers under leftover mashed potato.  People, we need to give sprouts a second chance. Wipe that mushy memory from your minds and instead think of delicious, garlicky sprouts, caramelised in bubbling butter and tossed with blue cheese and chestnuts. Doesn't that sound devine?!

I found this recipe in an amazing cookbook I picked up a few days ago, Pasta Secrets by Laura Santtini. I've poured over the pages of the book so many times since I bought it, there are mountains delightful sounding pasta dishes, as well as tips on how to make your own pasta or how to get the best from the dried variety. I absolutely adore it and would recommend this one to any pasta lovers out there!

Up until I made this pasta, I had no idea that sprouts were named brussels sprouts and not just brussel sprouts. Maybe it's because of the words running in to each other that I've never noticed this glaring gap in my knowledge of the English language. My long suffering other half often complains of this problem. The last letter of his first name is the same as the first letter of his surname resulting in a snakelike hiss whenever you pronounce it in full. I think this is the perfect reason for him to adopt my surname should we ever get married, but I doubt I'll win that fight ;)

Brussels Sprout, Blue Cheese and Chestnut Pasta

Ingredients:

• 60g butter
• 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 250g brussels sprouts, halved
• 1/2tsp dried chilli flakes
• 180g pack of cooked chestnuts, halved
• 200g dried pasta
• 150g blue cheese, crumbled
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Directions:

1. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil.
2. Heat the butter in a large, heavy bottomed frying pan, add the crushed garlic cloves then place the brussels sprouts in the pan, flat side down, in a single layer. Throw in some salt, pepper and the dried chilli flakes and allow to cook until the sprouts start to caramelise. Add in the chestnuts and sauté with the sprouts for a few minutes until the sprouts are cooked through and not too soft. Remove from the heat.
3. When the water is at a rolling boil add in the dried pasta and cook according to the packet instructions.
4. Reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining. Tip the pasta into the sprouts and add the crumbled blue cheese. Toss together over a high heat, adding in a little of the pasta water to loosen.
5. Serve immediately with plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

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Cookies and Cream Cookies

No, you're not reading that title wrong, these are indeed cookies and cream cookies. Or, inception cookies as Kris likes to refer to them.

By now you all know my feelings about cookies, I've always got to have a stash hiding away in my freezer for when you just have to have a warm, melty cookie in your life. These moments seem to happen an awful lot in my house and there's no problem that a warm cookie won't fix.  These babies are my current favorite emergency cookies, I've had to resort to hiding them behind the frozen peas to ensure Kris doesn't spot them and gobble them all up. The lengths I have to go to, right?!

Milk powder might sound like a weird ingredient to use in cookies but they add an unbelievable richness and a chew to die for. You can find it in most supermarkets by the UHT milk (but there's no demand for that because it's shite! (holla to all my Father Ted fans))

If you love cookies as much as me, check out these babes: Nutella Swirl Cookies / Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies / Levain Bakery Copycat Cookies / Nutella Melting Middle Cookies / Kick Ass Chocolate Chunk Cookies /  Dairy Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookies and Cream Cookies

Ingredients:

• 150g full fat cream cheese
• 125g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 200g soft brown sugar
• 1 large, free range egg
• 1tsp vanilla paste
• 180g plain flour
• 60g milk powder
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 20 oreo cookies, chopped up small
• 100g milk chocolate chips

Cooking Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the cream cheese and butter until light, fluffy and fully mixed together. Around 1-2minutes mixing at a medium speed. Add the brown sugar, egg and vanilla and mix until pale and fluffy.
2. In a medium bowl sift the flour, milk powder, baking soda and baking powder together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour in the oreos and chocolate chips and mix until everything is evenly distributed. Cover the bowl in cling film and chill for two hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 175C and line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll heaping tablespooons of the chilled cookie dough into balls and place on the baking sheet, giving each cookie room to spread.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until just starting to colour around the edges. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking try before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Or, you know, eat them warm, who am I to tell you how to eat cookies?!

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Recipes: Cornflake Tart

When people talk about the 80's I still think it was only about 10 years ago, and don't even get me started on the 90's.  It seems like only yesterday I was whizzing around on a little skateboard, pretending to be Marty McFly. Where does the time go?  One of the memories I hold dearest was going to school, I went to primary school in Sunderland and boy was it a beautiful building. A huge red brick Victorian number which still had the segregated boys and girls entrances, though we didn't use them.  I'm not that old.  Sadly it was pulled down to make way for a new modern school, a travesty if you ask me.  

One of my favourite things about school was the school dinners, well the desserts more than the dinners. You can't really look back on liver and onions with much fondness.  The anticipation as we entered the dining hall was always high. Would there be any strawberry milk left, what sweet treats awaited our eager selves or would we be stuck with a crappy portion of spotted dick?  There was one pudding that we always crossed our fingers for, the magestic cornflake tart. Always served in squares cut from a huge silver tray and drenched in thick creamy custard, it was the king of the school dinner. 

I completely forgot about this childhood treat until a few weeks ago my bestie brought up the subject of school dinners at work. We started discussing our favourite meals with childish nostalgia, and the ones that left a bad taste in our mouth. There was one thing we both agreed on, cornflake tart was the best.  Somehow she convinced me to whip one up and bring it into work for us to enjoy over a cup of tea, I mean it didn't really take much persuarion if I'm honest. I went home and made it that very night. What a great friend I am!

If, like me, you look back on this tart with fondness, or if you've never had it. Maybe you were a packed lunch kid? I can highly recommend reliving a little bit of your childhood and spending an afternoon in the kitchen recreating a little bit of your school days. 

Cornflake Tart

Ingredients:

• For the pastry :
• 125g plain flour
• 50g ground almonds
• 100g butter, cold from the fridge and cut into cubes
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 small lemon, zested


• For the tart :
• 75g butter
• 150g golden syrup
• 50g caster sugar
• pinch salt
• 150g cornflakes
• 25g desicated coconut
• 100g good quality raspberry jam

Cooking Directions:

1. To make the pastry, put the flour, ground almonds and salt into the bowl of a food processor, sprinkle in the butter and pulse until you get a breadbrumb like consistency. Add in the sugar, lemon and the egg yolk and pulse again until the pastry comes together in a ball. If it isn't quite coming together add a tsp of cold water until you realy the right consistency.
2. Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured workbench and bring it together into a flat disc. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 1hr minimum or up to 12hrs.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured work surface to about 3mm thick. Line a 23cm tart tin with the pastry, trim any excess, prick the base with a fork and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Line your chilled pastry base with greasproof paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake the case for 20 minutes, remove the paper and beans and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool.
5. For the filling combine the butter, syrup, sugar and salt in a saucepan set over a lowheat and melt, stirring slowly. Remove from the heat, then tip in the cornflakes and coconut and mix in gently ensuring to give everything a good coating of syrup.
6. Spread the raspberry jam over the bottom of the cooked pastry case and top with the cornflake mixture. Pop back into the oven for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving warm with lashings of vanilla custard.

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Chickpea & Chili Veggie Burgers

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll have noticed that I enjoy a good burger.  They're my biggest weakness. I can be on the biggest health kick ever, but I crumble like a cheap Christmas card the second someone mentions burger and fries . Despite being president of the burger fan club, I hardly ever make them at home, and I certainly never even attempted to make a veggie burger.  I always thought it was best left to the professionals,  I was wrong. These chickpea chili burgers are some of the best veggie burgers I've ever had. Kinda like a cross between falafel and a burger, you can style them up however you like. Smothered in mayo and ketchup or maybe slathered in houmous and tzatziki. You can't go wrong!

These burgers freeze perfectly, so depending on the size of your food processor you can double up on the mixture and pop some patties in the freezer for another time. I've got six more just sitting, waiting for a rainy day. 

So, why not celebrate national burger day by whipping up a batch of these delicious chickpea chili burgers? Even the most hardened carnivore won't miss the meat.  

I simply can't wait to start experimenting with different combinations.  What's your favourite burger? I'm always looking for inspiration.

Chickpea Chili Burgers

Ingredients:

• 400g tin of chickpeas, drained
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1tsp hot paprika
• 1 red chili, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1 small bunch coriander, chopped
• 1 large, free range egg
• 80g fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• salt and pepper
• 4 brioche buns, toasted
• 1 tomato sliced
• 1 little gem lettuce
• 4tbsp houmous
• 4tbsp red coleslaw
• 4 slices of cheese
• Drizzle of chili sauce

Cooking Directions:

1. Place the chickpeas, cumin, paprika, chili, half the coriander, the egg and some seasoning into the bowl of a food processor and whizz up to a chunky paste. Scrape into a bowl and mix in the breadcrumbs and the diced onions. Form into four burger patties and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot then turn the heat down to medium low. Fry the burgers for 5 minutes on each side. To serve, slather a tbsp of houmous on the bottom bun, top with a leaf of lettuce followed by the burger, slice of cheese, tbsp of coleslaw and a drizzle of chili sauce. Sprinkle with the left over coriander and sandwich with the top bun.

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Fully Loaded Nachos

Isn't it just the worst when you're sat in a bar, waiting for a huge plate of nachos to arrive? Dreaming of lashings of fresh guacamole, mountains of melted cheese, cascading mounds of pico de gallo.  You're drooling right about now, aren't you? You're so ready for this meal, you could burst, then the waiter plops down the saddest plate of crisps you've ever seen. Store bought guac, jarred salsa and woe betide, disgusting gritty cheese sauce.  What's the point in life, why would you do something like that to the majestic nacho?!  Well, screw that, make your own and never be disappointed again.

It might seem like a lot of work, making your own guacamole and pico de gallo but trust me, it's worth it and hardly takes any time at all.   Plus, did I mention it's delicious and a million times better than store bought?

For some strange reason some people aren't big fans of coriander or jalapenos, Weird right?  So don't feel like you have to cover your nachos in the green stuff.  I absolutely love it so added a tonne at the end. Not only does it taste freaking amazing but it makes your nachos look bloody mouthwatering!

P.S. little tip, never EVER put lime in Blue Moon. I learned that the hard way, orange slices only. 

Fully Loaded Nachos

Ingredients

• For the Pico De Gallo :
• 3 tomatoes deseeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion finely chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1tbsp chopped coriander
• salt & pepper


• For the Guacamole :
• 1 large, ripe avocado
• 1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1tbsp lime juice
• salt & pepper


• To Assemble the Nachos :
• 1 bag lightly salted tortilla chips
• 150g grated cheese (your choice)
• 1 tin black beans, drained and rinsed
• 150ml sour cream
• 1tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 jar pickled jalapenos

Cooking Directions

1. First of all, make the pico de gallo but mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
2. For the guacamole, place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Check the seasoning and set aside.
3. To assemble the nachos, spread half of the bag of tortilla chips over a large ovenproof plate or tray and sprinkle with half of the grated cheese and half of the black beans. Top with the remaining nachos, cheese and beans, place into a preheated oven (170°C) for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Dollop spoon fulls of the pico de galo, guacamole and sour cream on top of the nachos and sprinkle with chopped coriander and pickled jalapenos.
4. Serve with an ice cold beer and a good film.

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