Carrot, Sweet Potato and Turmeric Soup

The days are getting shorter, the nights longer and it is generally colder and more miserable all round. Winter is coming. 

It is tempting during this period to indulge a little more than normal, to comfort and to feel better. Salads in Winter are a huge no, but in the long run indulgent and heavy meals won't make you feel better either.

The best thing to do in Winter is to make soup. Tons and tons of soup. Soups are like hugs in a bowl: warm and comforing, just what you need on a cold night. And you can fill them with so much goodness, it's like a superfood cocktail.

Aside from the fact they are so healthy for you, another major bonus is that they are ridiculously cheap and easy to make and you can make huge batches in one go and keep them for the rest of the week.

So, what make this soup a superfood cocktail?

Restaurant Review: Oldroyd

It was the day of the London Tube Strikes. I had a booking at Oldroyd at 7pm.  I had four options:

Option 1: Forget about the booking. But there was no way I was letting this one go. I was more excited to visit this restaurant than other in the past few months.

Option 2: Take a bike. I would have taken this option (even though I am scared stiff of riding on London roads - and haven't ridden a bike in 10 years) but I had two heavy bags with me, one bag on each handle? I would be never be able to balance myself.

Otion 3: Take a taxi. The last time there was a tube strike, the usual 30 minute journey took an hour in a taxi. I am not one to be late!!

Option 4: Walk. I walked 55 minutes from Soho to Islington with two heavy bags. All in the name of food eh? Definitely deserved the dinner after that.

Restaurant Review: Taberno Do Mercardo, Spitalfields

I'm going to lay my cards on the table right now. I am such a fan of Nuno Mendes. I loved Corner Room and I loved Chiltern Firehouse, so I was always going to look favourably on Taberno do Mercardo.

Portugese food intrigues me, I've never had it before and didn't know what to expect.

Taberno is probably the furthest you could get away from Firehouse, which I'm sure was a very conscious decision. The restaurant decor is very simple: whitewashed, wooden tables and spindly chairs. It's all about the food here.

Courgetti Puttanesca: Healthy Comfort Food

I haven't eaten pasta at home in a long time. I've been making a lot of brown rice and quinoa salads lately, which are great, but I've been craving that comforting feeling that only a big bowl of delicious pasta and ragu can give.

I decided to switch things up and make it super low carb and healthy instead, by making courgetti! Or spaghetti made out of courgette.

And it was honestly delicious, even the boyfriend didn't miss pasta. It was warming, delicious but didn't leave me bloated or heavy. Just what I was after!!

Recipe after the jump!

Pear, Spinach and Avocado Smoothie

I'm making it a mission to find the best tasting green smoothies out there, with enough vegetables that still make them super healthy. My previous "Ultimate Green Smoothie" went down a treat, but I think I might have an even better one here! 

Ottolenghi's Shakshuka

If you haven't already guessed from my instagram, brunch is my favourite meal of the day. There are a myriad of reasons why it's the best meal. It's at the perfect, not really sure when, time of day, it contains eggs and can be made healthy or unhealthy with the addition of bacon/cheese or avocado, depending on how you feel, and it is fairly difficult to get wrong.

Yotam Ottolenghi will probably go down as the man who mainstreamed shakshuka in the UK. By including it in his incredibly popular recipe books, and then on his menu at his restaruants and delis in London, he made it extremely accessible for anyone to try this exotic sounding dish; the shakshuka. Factor in our ever growing fondness for brunch and middle eastern foods, this dish of baked eggs and spices was always going to be a big hit. That and the fact it's delicious, of course!

I decided to make a little version the other day. The original recipe calls for 8 eggs, I think two for two people is enough.

It's pretty simple, one-pan meal. You just need to prepare all the food and spices, throw it in the pan and let it simmer and cook. 

My favourite kind of cooking: one that I don't have to worry about, with very little washing.

The Ultimate Tasty Green Smoothie!

I've finally cracked it. 

I've made a green smoothie that is actually delicious - and still healthy! 

I call it the ultimate, tasty, green smoothie!

Recipe after the jump!