November 2018 - The November meeting was as noisy and lively as it usually is. I have recently bought a Deliciously Ella cook book - like I need any more, I have hundreds! Inspired by the lovely ideas in it, this month we made a recipe from that book - Oven Baked Sun Dried Tomato Falafel. This was really delicious, although we all preferred it before it was baked, used like a hummus. Next time I make this, I think I will fry them in a little olive oil to give a crispy finish rather than oven bake them
We went on to make Savoury Flapjacks, something I investigated a while ago now when coming up with ideas for people who prefer savoury to sweet. They are flavoured with sweet chilli sauce, rosemary, garlic and pumpkin seeds
Then we finished up with a salad that I'd invented that morning and here's the recipe for it
Roasted Pumpkin and Maple Walnut Salad
Rehydrate some sundried tomatoes so they are soft, or use some from a jar
Roast an oiled and seasoned pumpkin wedge, peel and then cut into chunks
Drizzle a little maple syrup over a handful of walnut halves and bake in the oven until roasted. They will take about 10 minutes, but keep your eye on them, they'll burn in a flash.
Place the pumpkin in a salad bowl, toss in the drained tomatoes, crumble over a little feta, grate over the zest from half a lemon. Top with the walnuts and serve with watercress.
Delicious!
There was no meeting in September as Lesley was away.
August 2018 - in August we made a couple of savoury jams, a bacon and a tomato one. Savoury jams are quite popular at the moment. They were both delicious, although the bacon version uses extravagant amounts of bacon
While the jams were cooking down, we made a caramelised onion tart with a cheesy pastry which is good hot, cold or warm. The final thing we tried this month was a mixed bean and carrot bahji made with green beans and butter beans originally, but participants weren't keen on butter beans, so we substituted chickpeas.
July 2018 - this month we made some salads for the hot weather we are having. A couscous salad, crammed with veg; grilled mixed peppers with dill; cabbage, apple and mint with sesame; and my favourite, chickpea, feta, red onion and cumin
June 2018 - this meeting was cancelled as Lesley was on holiday in Lake Como, and very lovely it was too
May 2018 - granola breakfast bars, just like the ones in Sainsbury, but a fraction of the cost. We also explored beetroot hummus and a French style chicken with peas and bacon
April 2018 - more hummus, this time parsnip and sweetcorn. Then we did a wonderful chicken and mango salad, a sweet and sour chicken and breakfast oats flavoured with fruit and baked in the oven - it comes out like cake! Poor Lesley was trying to do all this with no hob - it had gone bang!
March 2018 - we did a cheese gourgere, pea hummus and crispy chips made with tortilla, flavoured with mixed spice or Parmesan and garlic
February 2018 - At this months meeting, we did a couple of things suitable for a Valentines dinner. A warm salad of puy lentil, early asparagus, crispy bacon and a soft boiled egg, all pulled together with a mustardy vinaigrette. Pudding was a wonderful little chocolately thing. Ginger biscuits, topped with dark chocolate mousse laced with rum and crystalised ginger.
January 2018 - we had no meeting this month as it was too close to New Years Day