Strawberry, Cucumber and Mint Salad with a Pimm's Dressing

It's Pimm's o'clock! The quintessential taste of a British Summer becomes one of your five-a-day in this sensational seasonal salad. Ideal for picnics, parties and barbecues and of course for watching Wimbledon. Enjoy al-fresco dining this summer with my Strawberry, Cucumber and Mint Salad with a Pimm' s Dressing

Summer is teasing us a bit at the moment, certainly here in the far North East corner of Scotland. We've had some absolutely glorious days but others most definitely hold true to the 'ne'er cast a clout til May/June/July be oot' adage! For me one of the unmistakable flavours of Summer is Pimm's. It makes you think of the Chelsea Flower Show, Henley Regatta, Garden Parties, Punting on the Thames, Polo Matches and of course Wimbledon. The recipe I'm sharing with you is perfect for al fresco dining and makes a great BBQ side dish. It was inspired by Nigel Slater who wrote about a sweet strawberry and cucumber fruit salad in his Observer column. I immediately thought of Pimm's and decided to have a go at a savoury version with a Pimm's Dressing. It turned out to be the perfect taste of summer.

Icelandic Blueberry Skyr Smoothie

Blueberry, Mango, Banana and Skyr Smoothie inspired by a visit to Iceland's Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa.

I'm somewhat sad to say that is is the final in my series of four posts about our fantastic trip to Iceland. I'll just have to start saving up so we can return at some point - best buy that lottery ticket. One of the traditional Icelandic foods I did know about before we went to Iceland was Skyr, although I hadn't actually tasted it. Pronounced skee-er, it is officially a sour cheese but is yogurt like in texture with a really creamy flavour and texture. However the rather exciting part is that it has zero fat yet high in protein. Not quite sure how they manage that! We saw it most often served at breakfast natural, flavoured or layered with fruit. A local delicacy since the 11th century it's pretty widely available in UK supermarkets and we've been buying it since we came home and enjoying it for breakfast, as a desert and in smoothies like the one I'm sharing today.

Our first full day in Iceland took us from our accommodation at Keflavik on a journey round the Reykjanes Peninsula finishing up at the famous Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa. As we arrived a gorgeous rainbow appeared as if on cue to confirm the sheer magic of the place. Fear not, there are no photos of us luxuriating in the Lagoon with our face masks. We opted for the comfort package which provides you with a towel, algae mask and a drink. Whilst I quaffed my Prosecco Foodie Boy was raving about his Blueberry Skyr Smoothie and demanding a second. Time to memorise the ingredients so we could attempt to recreate at home. Blue Lagoon is an absolute must visit on any trip to Iceland but be sure to book well in advance as it is so popular. As it's close to the airport it works well do visit on your first or last day in Iceland.

First stop of our first full day had been the Bridge Between Continents. A foot bridge spans a black sand filled gulf between the North American and European plates. Lots of fab photo opportunities including 'holding up the bridge'. From there we headed to Gunnuhver. This was a perfect introduction to mud pools and steam vents. It's name comes from the witch ghost Gunna who was trapped by magic and lured into the boiling water to her death. Best stick to the safety of the Blue Lagoon methinks!

Icelandic Blueberry Skyr Smoothie

1 Banana

1/2 Mango

200g Skyr

150g Frozen Blueberries

Put the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth.

Pour into a glass and enjoy!

(The version served at The Blue Lagoon also included Elderberry Juice in its list of ingreedients so feel free to add some for full authenticity - I need to try and track some down)

Iceland. The land of shoehorns, naked showering at swimming pools, two single duvets on a double bed and a constant smell of sulphur. I do sincerely hope I can return and explore further. Seeing the Northern Lights remains on my bucket list.

Be sure to catch up with my other three posts about our Iceland Adventures

• What we ate and where we stayed in Reykjavik and Iceland
• Icelandic Breakfast and Geothermal Eggs
• Icelandic Lamb Soup and a trip round The Golden Circle

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Linking up to CookBlogShare, Recipe Of The Week & Weekend Brunch Club

The Perfect Warninks Snowball

However you choose to pimp your Snowball it'll be the perfect addition to your festive countdown. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Advocaat. The classic Snowball has been reinvented with a twist to suit all tastebuds and truly get you into the spirit of Christmas. Which one will you choose?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Who am I kidding? I'm already in full blown festive frenzy. For once I'm actually ahead of the game with my Christmas Shopping (famous last words...) and have even wrapped it all! There are some special moments that Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without and for me festive tipples come pretty high up at the top of that list. Many of them only ever make it into my supermarket trolley in December. Yup Mulled Wine, Sherry and Advocaat I'm talking about you! As part of their #NowItsXmas campaign, Warninks, the UK’s number one Advocaat asked me to share some of my favourite moments in the run up to Christmas. Naturally mine are all food related!

I've blogged on a pretty much annual basis about the tradition of a Christmas Eve Gingerbread House built by Foodie Boy and Girl in conjunction with their Aunt. The designs have become increasingly complex over the years, starting out with a shop bought kit and progressing to making their own from scratch. I'm informed that this years plans are for a Gingerbread Barn and Silo. As always there will be a Brussel Sprout in the chimney. 

I've got a Christmas Tree in my kitchen and naturally all of the decorations on it are food related! Above is only a small selection and I'm always on the lookout for new additions. Even my christmas tree lights are cookie cutters. Naturally lots of them are gingerbread themed but I've also got sprouts, pigs in blankets, Tunnock's Teacakes, s'mores, coffee, utensils, fast food, biscuits, cupcakes, Christmas puddings, shellfish and beer! A couple of new additions shall be added from my travels this year to New York and Orlando. Expect a big apple and a gingerbread Minion. 

I absolutely adore cute and creative Christmas food. Back in 2013 I created an online advent calendar and shared a different idea each evening on my Facebook page. It's still one of my most popular ever posts with 24 fab festive foodie ideas. Many of them we make again and again and there will most definitely be a Sausage Wreath, Olive Santa Penguins and Candy Cane bark being made in the run up to the big Ho Ho Ho. 

Taking things back to festive tipples, which is of course what brought us here in the first place. Put simply, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Warninks. It's been made in Holland since 1616 and was one of the original producers of advocaat. Today it uses 16 free range egg yolks in each bottle. The drink is full bodied, sweet and creamy with delicious aromas of vanilla. Advocaat was originally made using avocados by sailors visiting the Caribbean. However, when they returned back to Europe, they discovered they could recreate their new favourite tipple using fresh egg yolks.

Warninks Advocaat really hit the big time in the seventies with the Snowball Cocktail (advocaat, fresh lime and lemonade). It can also be enjoyed neat over ice or in a Fluffy Duck. The classic Snowball has been reinvented with a twist to suit all tastebuds and truly get you into the spirit of Christmas. Which one will you choose? 

The Snowball... to get into the Christmas Spirit (Cinnamon) 

The Snowball... for Party Lovers (Chocolate Powder & Shavings) 

The Snowball... for Winter Nights In (Cinnamon Bark & Star Anise) 

The Snowball... for those with a Sweet Tooth (Gingersnap & Marshmallows) 

Despite not having a particularly sweet tooth I'm completely smitten by the Gingersnap and Marshmallow combination. I can also highly recommend a slug of Warnicks to perk up your coffee or hot chocolate or liberally drizzled over ice cream, waffles or pancakes. However you choose to pimp your Snowball it'll be the perfect addition to your Christmas countdown. 

The Snowball for those with a Sweet Tooth 

Enjoy with a slice of Christmas cake 

50ml Warninks Advocaat 

25ml Lime Juice 

Lemonade or Soda 

Cubed Ice 

Gingersnap Biscuit 

Mini Marshmallows 

Shake 50ml Advocaat and 25ml freshly squeezed lime juice or cordial together, strain into a glass mug and top up with lemonade or soda and some cubed ice. 

Garnish with a gingersnap and lightly toasted mini marshmallows. 

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Disclosure : This is a commissioned post for Warnicks. As always, all views expressed are my own. Cocktail images courtesy of Warnicks.

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you.

Mulled Gin and Ginger Beer Winter Warmer

There's a real pleasure to be had in wrapping your fingers round a warm mug that contains something boozy. It fair warms the cockles of your heart! A Hot Toddy will cure all ills and Christmas just wouldn't be the same without Mulled Wine and intoxicating Hot Chocolate. Regular readers will undoubtedly know that my tipple of choice is Gin so when Fentiman's got in touch with me about creating a Cocktail using one of their new line of 500ml mixers there was no question as to which spirit would be in the mix. As soon as I spotted the bottle of Ginger Beer and Muddled Lime I knew that a Gin & Ginger Beer based Mulled Winter Warmer was on the cards.

If you're not already familiar with Fentiman's existing range of authentic, natural and refreshing mixers where have you been?! Their products are a cut above and as well as making great mixers they are fantastic stand alone drinks. Perfect if you're the designated driver or are looking for a viable alternative to alcohol for whatever reason. With their latest product launch they've opted to go large with 500ml bottles which are perfect for use in a group atmosphere as cocktail mixers. The 500ml range includes Premium Indian Tonic Water, Naturally Light Tonic (30% less sugar), Pink Grapefruit Tonic, Bitter Lemonade, Rose Lemonade, Botanical Tonic Water and Ginger Beer & Muddled Lime. Even on it's own the Ginger Beer packs a real punch with a delightful balance of bitter and sweet. The initial aroma and taste of ginger gets a kick up the backside with the addition of lime. If Gin isn't your thing opt for Vodka for a Moscow Mule or Spicy Rum for a Dark & Stormy. My friend Bintu over at Recipes from a pantry has made an awesome Hibiscus Moscow Mule with West African Flavours. 

I'm going to share with you my top tips for hot cocktails, warm toddies and toasty tipples, do let me know in the comments if you have any others 

• For a large group keep your drink warm in a Slow Cooker at low setting 
• Don't let it boil or you'll evaporate the alcohol 
• Use whole spices rather than ground for a more intense flavour 
• Bundle up any small spices in a muslin bag 
• Preheat the mug/glass with boiling water to avoid it cracking and keep your drink warmer for longer 

Time for my recipe. I've mulled it over and I really can't think or a better way to keep cosy during winter than Mulled Ginger Beer and Gin #sorrynotsorry 

Mulled Gin & Ginger Beer Winter Warmer 

makes 2 generous servings 

500ml Fentimans Ginger Beer and Muddled Lime 

100ml Gin 

2 lime wedges, each studded with 3 cloves 

2 cinnamon sticks 

2 star anise 

2 slices of fresh ginger 

1Tbsp golden caster sugar 

In a small saucepan, simmer all ingredients on low heat for five minutes. 

When ready, place one lime wedge, cinnamon stick, star anise and ginger slice from the saucepan into each serving mug/glass. 

Pour the hot mixture on top and serve immediately. 

If Gin is your thing be sure to check out my Festive Gin Butter and Boozy Gin Mincemeat and for further Fentiman's inspiration my Slow Cooked Ham with Juniper, Lime and Jasmine would make a fantastic Christmas Ham.

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Disclosure : This is a commissioned post for Fentiman's. As always, all views expressed are my own. Thanks to Dunnet Bay Distillers for providing the Rock Rose Gin.

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to continue to share my Edible Scottish Adventures with you.

Pimm's O'Clock Ice Lollies

At long last summer is here! Please don't let it have only been for one solitary day and by the time I publish this post it has reverted to winter again. The mercury has been rising across the UK with temperatures in the 30's. Definitely 'Taps Aff' weather as we say here in Scotland. What better to cool you down in the scorchio heat than an ice lolly? Even better if it's a boozy one! The 'recipe' I'm posting today seems like a wee bit of a fraud. I'm sure there are literally hundreds of version of it already on the internet but when I shared it on my Facebook Page everyone seemed to go crazy for it. Summer = Pimm's. Lets go one step further with Pimm's o'clock Ice Lollies! (or Pimm's Popsicles if you are across the pond)

I actually made these a couple of weeks ago as a icy treat for Wimbledon. Alas the sun didn't really come out to play but I did manage to eat one whilst watching Andy Murray lift the trophy at SW19. I wasn't too sure how the boozy element would work and if I'd end up with a slush rather than a lolly but by pure luck rather than good judgement I seem to have hit on a winning ratio. Make sure you fill your lolly molds up with plenty of cucumber, strawberries and mint as if you only use a few pieces they will all float to the top (which then becomes the bottom!) The more fruit and veg you use the more legitimately you can say that these icy lollies count as one of your 5 a day. I used the mini cucumbers which are just so cute (I get mine in Lidl) but you could use regular slices of cucumber and quarter them. Say cheers and stay cool!

Pimm's O'Clock Ice Lollies

makes 8 large lollies

400ml Lemonade

100ml Pimm's

Punnet Strawberries, chopped into quarters

2 Mini Cucumbers, sliced

Fresh Mint Leaves

• Mix together the Pimm's and Lemonade in a Jug, best to have a wee taste just to check that its OK ;-)
• Fill up your lolly molds with the chopped strawberries, cucumber slices and mint leaves.
• Pour over the Pimm's mixture and insert wooden lolly sticks/lids.
• Leave to freeze overnight. 
• Pray for sunshine.
• Lick and Enjoy!

For more boozy icy treats check out The Hedgecombers Frozen Dark Rum Mojito Cocktail Lolly. Grown up Shandy Lollies from Kavey Eats and a Beer Slushy from Pete Drinks. 

This could get dangerous! 

Bloody Mary Sorbet - Tomato Gelato

I adore Gazpacho. It's the one dish I always look forward to on holiday in Spain. Cold tomato soup may not be everyone's cup of tea but when it's made well, with quality ingredients, it's wonderfully flavourful and refreshing dish. In a similar vein my tipple on a plane is always a Bloody Mary. I'm not quite sure why, but ordering one always mean that I'm off on holiday. As part of my ambassadorship with premium Italian tomato brand Cirio the blogger brief talks about 'new and different ways to use Cirio'. I reckon the recipe that I've created for them today does just exactly that. Tomato Gelato aka Bloody Mary Sorbet. 

If you are turning your nose up in disgust don't diss it until you've tried it. The sweet/savoury/icy combination really does work. And the generous shot of vodka in there is an added bonus. If you're a Gin fan like myself feel free to substitute your spirit. Likewise a Virgin Mary Sorbet will taste almost as good. It can be served as an amuse bouche, starter, palate cleanser, desert or cheeseboard accompaniment. I reckon it would be great as part of a prawn cocktail and downright awesome to put a scoopful in the middle of a bowl of Gazpacho. If you want the ultimate grown up 'Slush Puppie' just let it defrost a bit and serve with a long spoon and wide straw. The possibilities are endless! I used a bottle of Cirio La Napoletana Flavoured Passata which contains 100% Italian tomatoes crushed and enriched with a blend of onion, celery and paprika. How spicy or mild you make your Bloody Mary Sorbet is entirely down to personal taste so feel free to revise the quantities of Tabasco up and down according to your own eat tolerance.

Bloody Mary Sorbet

150g Caster Sugar

150ml Water

1 shallot, peeled

1/2 cucumber

1 red pepper, deseeded

540g Bottle Cirio La Napoletana Flavoured Passata

75ml Vodka

Juice of 1 Lemon

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 Tsp Tobasco Sauce

Freshly ground Black Pepper

Put the sugar and water in a small pan, turn up the heat and boil for 5 minutes until syrupy. Leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile roughly chop the cucumber, pepper and shallot and whiz them to a pulp in a food processor.

Add the Cirio La Napoletana Flavoured Passata, vodka, lemon juice and cooled sugar syrup and blend until combined.

Taste and season with the Worcestershire Sauce, Tabasco and Black Pepper.

Push the mixture through a sieve into a large jug.

Churn the sorbet in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.

(If you don't have an an ice-cream maker you can pour it into a freezer friendly container. Freeze for 6-8 hrs. Soften for about 30 mins, return to the food processor and whizz until just smooth. Then refreeze for at least 2 more hours until firm.)

Take the sorbet out of the freezer and allow it to soften in the fridge for 10 mins before serving in salt rimmed glasses. 

Garnish with celery, lemon, freshly ground black pepper and paprika.

Now that you've dragged the ice cream maker out of the back of the cupboard and dusted it off, why not make it earn it's keep and churn up some more refreshing sorbets? Recipes below are from some of my food blogging colleagues.

• Pineapple & Dark Rum Sorbet
• Kiwi Coconut Sorbet
• Blackberry, Apple and Thyme Sorbet
• Lemon Balm Sorbet
• Mango & Chocolate Sorbet 
• Jungle Juice Sorbet

Disclosure : This is a commissioned recipe for Cirio. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sparkling Mojito Mocktail Juice

A quick impromptu recipe today. I was going be sharing a rather stodgy desert but instead came up with a refreshing juice to match the wonderful sunshine. Of course it's important to stay hydrated in the heat and whilst I'm as partial to a summer cocktail or glass of Pimm's as the next person, folk start to talk if you have them for breakfast! As an alternative today I used my Optimum 600 Cold Press Juicer to make a Sparkling Mojito Mocktail. All the flavours of the real thing but none of the alcohol and definitely counts towards your 5 a day. Cheers!

Sparkling Mojito Mocktail Juice

1 Green Apple

1/2 Cucumber

1 Pear

1 Lime, peeled but leave the pith on

Small handful fresh Mint (use more or less to taste)

Sparkling water

Ice

Juice the apple, cucumber, pear, lime and mint.

I use an Optimum 600 Cold Press Juicer.

Once done pour over ice, top up with sparkling mineral water, garnish and enjoy!

(If the sun is over the yardarm feel free to add a shot of white rum. Your boozy green juice secret is safe with me)

More Mocktails? Check these out

• Elderflower and Green Tea Breeze
• Tropical Fizz Mocktail
• Pink Grapefruit Margarita 
• Pineapple, Passion Fruit & Citrus Mocktail
• Guava Coconut Mocktail
• Non Alcoholic Peach/Mango Bellini 
• Orchard Martini Mocktail
• Pineapple & Ginger Sparkler
• Pina Colada Mocktail

Disclosure I am an Ambassador for Froothie and the links in this article are affiliate links which means that if you buy a juicer through them I will earn a small commission.

Cold Brew Coffee Bloody Mary

I love a Bloody Mary. It's always my tipple of choice when on a aeroplane for some reason. I've never used it as a morning after the night before hangover cure preferring to stick to a Virgin Mary, fry up or Irn Bru for those purposes. However BRITA, the filtered water people, have come up with a fab mocktail recipe with a kick. Instead of alcohol it uses cold brewed coffee. Genius! Devised by the Gentlemen Baristas for this year’s UK Coffee Week this is an energy drink for those with a gourmet palate. A fantastic flavour combination which perhaps shouldn't work but does. Wake Up Mary definitely punches above her weight. A caffeine hit and one of your 5 a day. If you want to add a shot of vodka too I won't judge you for it.

So, cold brewed coffee. It's one of those slightly hipster ideas that has crept up on the foodie scene in recent years. Much more appetising that perhaps it initially sounds sounds and far removed in flavour from hot coffee left to go cold. You don’t even need any particularly fancy equipment, just time, an airtight container and a cafetiere or standard paper coffee filter. You’ll end up with a smooth, concentrated extract that can be diluted with water or ice, enhanced with milk or syrup, used as a recipe ingredient or turned into a creative cocktail or mocktail. When you make any cup of coffee up to 98% is made up of water, so it’s important to ensure you use the best quality. By using a BRITA filter jug you reduce the impurities in tap water like lime scale, chlorine and domestic plumbing leftovers such as lead or copper and the result is great tasting coffee.

Before you Wake Up Mary you'll need to plan ahead and make your cold brew. For this you'll need ground coffee, BRITA Filtered Water, an airtight container and a cafetiere or coffee filter paper. Add the ground coffee and filtered water to the container in the ratio of 1:5 (100g coffee for 500ml) water. Stir the mixture thoroughly until all the coffee is floating on the top. Give it a final stir and leave it in the fridge for 12-16 hours. Filter twice through a cafetiere or other coffee filter and it's ready to enjoy. Any remaining coffee can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Wake Up Mary with BRITA Cold Brew Coffee

Ingredients

75ml cold brew coffee

15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

75ml tomato juice

15ml sugar syrup

Tabasco, Worcestershire Sauce and Black Pepper to Taste

Garnish - Celery Stick & Rosemary Sprig

Method

Make the sugar syrup using 1 part sugar to 2 parts BRITA filtered water.

Fill a glass with ice, add the cold brew, lemon juice, tomato juice, the sugar syrup and mix well.

Adjust to your personal taste with Tabasco, Worcestershire Sauce and freshly ground black pepper.

Garnish with a celery stick and a sprig of rosemary.

For further BRITA Cold Brew Coffee inspiration take a look at the following posts from fellow food bloggers

• Cold Brew Coffee Berry Blast - Recipes from a Pantry
• Perfect Camping Coffee - The Hedgecombers
• Cold Brew Coffee Ketchup - Sneaky Veg

Disclosure : This is a commissioned post for BRITA. All views expressed are my own.

Gin, Strawberry and Cranberry Cocktail

A smashing cocktail which is the perfect serve for Wimbledon fortnight. Tanqueray Gin, Strawberry & Cranberry Cocktail aka 'Game Set Match'. The ideal refreshment for a sensational summer of sport. 

As the days get longer and the evenings brighter thoughts turn to the summer of sport ahead of us with a fantastic line up of events on the calendar for 2016. To help celebrate (or commiserate) thebar.com have devised a selection of cocktail recipes for you to enjoy whilst watching your favourite sporting event. As a Scot unfortunately I won't be cheering on my national team in the European Championships however I will be backing Andy Murray at the French Open and Wimbledon. With that in mind when I was asked to recreate one of the drinks from their Watch The Match line up I immediately zoned in on 'Game, Set & Match'.

My social media followers and regular readers will no doubt be all too aware that when it comes to spirits my tipple of choice is always Gin. As such I've put my own twist on Game Set and Match swapping Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka for Tanqueray London Dry Gin. Launched in 1830, Tanqueray London Dry Gin is double-distilled with distinct citrus botanicals, particularly grapefruit, to the fore. Whether you choose vodka or gin is up to you but I reckon this one would also be great as a Mocktail sans alcohol. To make the vanilla syrup I mixed two parts sugar to one part boiling water and added a splash of vanilla extract. I also brushed this round the rim of the glass before dipping it in caster sugar to create the frosted rim effect. Refreshing, fruity, a real taste of summer and super easy to make. Let's hope it's Game, Set and Match for Andy at Wimbledon this year.

Game, Set & Match

Contains 2.1 units of alcohol per serving

Ingredients...

50ml Tanqueray Gin

5 Strawberries

20ml Vanilla Syrup 

150ml Cranberry Juice 

Equipment... 

1 x Glass 

1 x Muddler 

1 x Knife 

1 x Bar spoon 

1 x Jigger 

1 x Crushed ice 

How to make... 

Place 3 of the strawberries in the bottom of a thick tumbler.

Press down with a muddler to extract the juice and flavour. 

Using a jigger, measure 50ml Tanqueray Gin and 20ml vanilla syrup into the glass. 

Fill the glass with crushed ice, and stir the drink with a bar spoon. 

Top up the glass with 150ml cranberry juice. 

Garnish with strawberries. 

thebar.com is a brilliant resource full of excellent cocktail recipes featuring premium spirits to suit every taste. You can search by what’s in your drinks cupboard, lower-calorie cocktails, classic cocktails and even alcohol-free ‘mocktails’. Whatever team or athlete you choose to support be it at The Grand National, Tour De France, Monaco Grand Prix or the Rio Olympics there's a cocktail to suit. But even if sport isn't your thing what better way to make it more bearable than a tasty tipple. Cheers! 

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Disclosure : This is a commissioned post for thebar.com As always, all views expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

Mango, Pineapple and Coconut Tropical Smoothie Bowl

One of the topics of discussion when I was a guest on BBC Radio Scotland Kitchen Cafe last week was new year new recipes. We asked the question - what dish would you like to master this year? Answers ranged from basics like roast beef, omelettes and stovies to donuts, Thai curry and ravioli. This got me to thinking of my own foodie new years resolutions which are more along the lines of dishes I'd like to make for the first time. The list as it stands is as follows - macarons, smoothie bowl, bundt cake, gazpacho and baking a cake/something sweet in my slow cooker.

I reckoned I may as well strike when the iron is hot and make a start at what's probably one of the easier things to tick off the list - a smoothie bowl. Six months ago I didn't even know what one was! Basically its a thick smoothie, served in a bowl and eaten with a spoon. It's often decorated with fruit, cereals, nuts, seeds and suchlike. I made mine for breakfast and it certainly seemed much more filling than a regular smoothie. I reckon that's partly due to the thickness and the addition of toppings but also due to the fact that you have to sit down and take your time to eat it with a spoon. 

If a fruity breakfast is your thing do check out Bintu's Akara. These banana fritters hail from Sierra Leon and are nutmegy banana pancake balls.

Mango, Pineapple and Coconut Tropical Smoothie Bowl

Smoothie

150g Frozen Mango Chunks (alternatively use fresh mango and a handful of ice)

2 slices tinned Pineapple

1/2 Banana

4 Tbsp Coconut Yoghurt

Toppings

Coconut Chips

1/2 Banana, sliced

Pumpkin Seeds

Dried Pineapple

Blitz together all the smoothie ingredients in a blender, smoothie maker or stick blender. Add a splash of the pineapple juice or water if it's too thick.

Pour into a bowl and decorate with your toppings.

Grab a spoon and enjoy.

Here are 10 more delicious sounding Smoothie Bowl recipes from fellow food bloggers who jumped on the bandwagon long before me!

1. Strawberry & Basil Fruit Soup - Munchies & Munchkins
2. Tropical Fruity Smoothie Bowl with Hidden Veg - Eats Amazing
3. Simple Summer Smoothie Bowl - Rough Measures
4. Superfood Energy-Packed Breakfast Smoothie Bowl - The Petite Cook
5. Red Berry & Coconut Smoothie Bowl - Tin & Thyme
6. Super Food Smoothie Bowl with Lean Greens - Veggie Deserts
7. Watermelon Smoothie Bowl - Eats Amazing
8. Smoothie Bowl - Hungry Healthy Happy
9. Breakfast Green Thickie - Fuss Free Flavours
10. Banana & Apple Butterscotch Green Smoothie Bowl - Celery & Cupcakes

Christmas Pudding Vodka - one of a dozen boozy homemade Christmas gifts

Now we're into November I'm hoping that it's safe enough for me to start mentioning the "C" word? Feel free to burry your head in the sand but the shops are already overloaded with cards, gifts and decorations so I don't feel too guilty about my first festive blog post for this year. It will help you get in the Christmas spirit in more ways than one as today I'm sharing a dozen boozy recipes for homemade Christmas Gifts. First up my own Christmas Pudding Vodka followed by some fantastic recipes from fellow food bloggers. Be sure to enjoy a wee tipple yourself whilst you're hard at work making these gifts for your friends and relatives.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING VODKA

70cl bottle of good quality Vodka

75g Currants

75g Raisins

75g Sultanas

75g Mixed Peel

OR

300g Mixed Dried Fruit

2 Cinnamon Sticks

2 Teaspoons Ground Mixed Spice

6 Cloves

1/2 a Nutmeg freshly ground

150g Dark Brown Sugar

Vanilla Pod - split and seeds removed

Orange - grated zest and juice

Lemon - grated zest and juice

Mix together all the fruits and spices in a Mason Jar or large bowl and pour over the Vodka.

Seal the jar or cover the bowl with clingfilm.

Place in the fridge for 3 days and shake/stir once a day.

Line a sieve with a layer of muslin (or you can use a coffee filter paper or kitchen towel) and place it over a large clean jug

Pour the dried fruit and vodka mixture into the sieve and strain.

Decant into decorative bottles, ideally with the aid of a funnel to avoid a sticky mess.

Serve at room temperature or from the freezer. Straight, on the rocks or with lemonade or tonic.

Use the fruit (with cloves/cinnamon removed) mixed through softened ice cream or as the basis for a boozy mincemeat.

Butcher Baker Baby - Snowball Truffles (Rum)

Foodie Quine - Baileys, Pistachio & Cranberry Fudge

Tin & Thyme - Chilli & Chocolate Mincemeat (Vodka)

Butcher Baker Baby - Christmas Pudding Rum Truffles

The Hedgecombers - Satsumas Poached in Red Wine

Lavender & Lovage - Spiced Brandy Soused Clementines

The Usual Saucepans - Mulled Gin

Veggie Deserts - Pumpkin Mincemeat (Brandy)

Ren Behan Food - Pomegranate and Vanilla Vodka

Supper in the Suburbs - Limoncello (Vodka)

The Crafty Larder - Earl of Orange Gin

Foodie Quine - Christmas Pudding Vodka

If you're still sober after all that you're doing very well! Vodka, Rum, Baileys, Red Wine, Brandy and Gin is quite some cocktail! If you're not quite at the stage yet of being ready for Christmas cooking I've created a wee montage below featuring all the recipes. If Pinterest is your thing that's the one to share so you can easily find all these fab recipes again when you need them.

at TamingTwins and KerryCooks