Butternut squash dip

This dip is a great alternative to hummus. It is much lighter than hummus, and will undoubtedly leave you reaching for more - but that doesn't matter as there is nothing bad which goes into this. It goes great with lightly salted tortilla chips, but can be enjoyed equally as much with numerous other dippers. Whatever you like to eat your hummus with, you will be able to eat this with too.

Soup Series 1: Roasted butternut squash and sweet potato chilli soup

Home-made soup on a cold winters night is so warming, it is the perfect meal. A small portion can be enjoyed as a starter, or you could go for a bigger portion and have it as your dinner. It is such a healthy meal too as you can easily pile in loads of vegetables, and a great way to get kids to eat their veg - they will have no idea what has gone in! So because of this, I have decided to do a soup series. Over the remaining weeks of winter, I will post six soup recipes... 

The Six Soup Series!

This soup's main ingredients are butternut squash and sweet potato, which make it so filling. It is a lovely thick and creamy soup, which is full of flavour with an extra little kick from the chilli.

Scrambled Egg and Spears

One thing I love about the weekends is being able to spend extra time on my breakfast, rather than just throwing some cereal in a bowl or some bread in the toaster as I run out the door for work. There are endless studies which say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it should also be one of your biggest meals of the day. Whether this is true or not, I think it is fairly obvious that your body needs energy when you wake up, as you have just gone an extended period without food. Breakfast actually means breaking your fast. Your body needs fuel to function, so why deprive yourself of it? There's nothing like a good breakfast to set you up for the day, so that's why at the weekend when I have the time, I always make extra effort with my breakfasts.

Smoothie Saturday!

I absolutely love starting my day with a smoothie. Packed full of fruit, you know they are full of goodness and will help start your day off right. Here I show you two smoothies, one a deep red colour and the other green.

 

I absolutely love starting my day with a smoothie. Packed full of fruit, you know they are full of goodness and will help start your day off right. Here I show you two smoothies, one a deep red colour and the other green.

Nutty Berry Bars

Today I am going to share with you my take on granola bars. Absolutely packed with flavour, they are very substantial and will easily keep the hunger at bay for a few hours. They are a very good alternative to chocolate bars as they have much better nutritional value, are much healthier, and will keep you full for much longer! They really are more tasty too.

Hummus

Today I am going to share with you a basic recipe for hummus. I love hummus, it is a perfect thing to have in the fridge for a snack, or part of a sharing platter. You can dip so many varied things in it, from healthy options such as vegetables, or more carby options like pita bread or tortilla chips. I have to admit, I usually reach for the latter two!

As with a lot of foods, hummus is so much healthier when homemade, which is why I much prefer to make my own. I also think it is much tastier, and you can season it to exactly your taste.

A Simple Banana Loaf

I'm going to kick off my blog with a really simple, yet really tasty recipe. It is one of my favourites to rustle up in the nick of time as it is so quick and easy to prepare, with minimal mess! What I love about this banana loaf is that it light, yet filling. Whether you are having it for a snack, dessert, or you are having friends over, you can be sure nobody will be left with rumbling bellies.