Recipes, lots of them, all delicious. Here are some suggestions to get you going…
Hint: If you have a particular ingredient or meal in mind, try a search
Starters
Recipes for starters or aperitifs or when you need a little something but not too much.
Mini potato and chorizo frittata
Mini frittata are just the right size for smaller hands and can be served warm or cold.
Tuscan Bean Soup with Pesto and Soda Bread
This is a fabulously healthy meal of a soup, great for cold days and a good way of using up vegetables in your veg box.
Mini Pork Pies
There is a fabulous butchery chain in North Yorkshire called Newboulds who make the best pork pies on the planet, especially their Midgets. These are…
Mulligatawny Soup
This Indian soup is a whole meal in itself, adjust the chili if you prefer a milder version. Delicious with naan or cumin scented scones.
Roast tomato, chicken and lentil soup
This soup was made up from leftovers in my fridge. A few sad looking tomatoes and red peppers, left over chicken from a Sunday roast…
Greek Meze
On a warm summer’s day these will remind you of holidays in the Med; Greece, Turkey, Morocco, Israel, wherever. They are delicious and lovely to…
Summer Canapés with Edible Tulip Petals
I love edible flowers, they add colour and texture to many different dishes and create a ‘wow’ factor on even the most plain, simple dishes.…
Roast veg with cous cous and harissa canape
This is a lovely recipe to make at home as you can use some of it for lunch or as a superfood salad and serve…
Watermelon and Feta Canapes on Edible Tulips
Super dooper easy canapes that look spectactular served on edible tulip leaves from Greens of Devon.
Chicken Tikka Salad Canape
These taste delicious and there is a great cheat here too. You could make the tikka yourself or you could buy it ready made, up…
Tomato, Feta and Spinach Filo Tartlets
These are slightly lower fat than standard tartlets as they use filo pastry instead of shortcrust pastry but you make up for that by brushing…
French Onion Soup
A delicious taste of France in early spring and a great way to use up onions, this soup will keep well in the fridge for…
Beetroot Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Beetroot is packed with antioxidants and vitamins and is lovely grated raw with apples and carrots and sprinkled with lemon juice, this recipe makes the…
Roast Pepper and Tomato Soup
A simple soup full of goodness and just as nice served hot in winter or chilled for summer, serve with foccacia or lovely crusty bread.…
Sausage and Mash Cupcakes
These are sausage and mash presented in a cupcake case rather than sausage and mash flavour cupcakes, not sure about this one, could be ‘interesting’.…
Tiny Stuffed Jacket Potatoes
Super easy canapes for Christmas and New Year, all you need is a bag of small Charlotte potatoes and some toppings, some of which you…
Parmesan Lollipops
Fabulous canapes to serve with drinks, lollipops for grown ups. They are quick to make, ideal to get children involved to grate the cheese as…
Soured Cream Pastry and Sausage Rolls
This is a wonderful cheat version of rough puff pastry and can all be done in a food processor very easily and quickly. It’s brilliant…
Sausage Rolls with Rough Puff Pastry
Homemade sausage rolls taste wonderful and are worth the effort. This recipe uses rough puff pastry which is quicker than flaky pastry and there is…
Beetroot and Walnut Hummus – great for Halloween
Beetroot hummus is healthy, packed with vitamins and antioxidants and also brilliant for using at Halloween parties for a gruesome purple dip.
Chinese Roast Pork Pasties
Delicious little roast pork pasties, great for Chinese New Year, picnics or as canapes
Chinese Dumplings
Chinese Dumplings are handcrafted morsels of deliciousness, also known as Pot Sticker dumplings as they stick to the pot.
Pumpkin Soup
A lovely warming soup, great for sharing on Halloween or Bonfire Night. If you can get hold of small squash or mini pumpkins try slicing…
Main Course
These are a selection of recipes suitable for main courses, lunch or supper, enjoy.
How to Eat Like a Local in Puglia with Villa Plus
Imagine…..you’ve arrived at your gorgeous villa in Puglia, the sun is shining, you’ve stopped off at a local market heaving with fabulously ripe, fresh local…
Chicken Ramen – healthy version of Pot Noodle
This is my version of Chicken Ramen, a healthy Pot Noodle, popular at Wagamamas and Noodle Bars. Cook the noodles as instructed on the packet…
Goulash with Herby Dumplings
This is a classic winter warmer recipe, originating in Hungary and heavy on paprika it’s a delicious winter casserole that benefits from long, slow cooking…
Purple sprouting broccoli and pistachio pesto
Purple sprouting broccoli is in season in the Autumn and Winter in England and it’s packed full of vitamins and minerals which are not lost…
Slow Roast Shoulder of Lamb with a Moroccan Twist
This is a fabulously easy meal that is equally good for a midweek family meal, Sunday lunch or supper for friends.
Chicken Tagine with Couscous and Harissa
This makes a delicious family friendly midweek meal. You can start making it the night before or in them morning and allow it to marinade,…
Cheese and Ham Ravioli
Homemade pasta is really easy to make, you can mix it in a food processor or mixer using a dough hook. ‘OO’ flour gives the…
Bean Burgers with homemade slaw
These are not your average boring bean burgers; these are packed with flavour and taste fabulous, serve them with homemade coleslaw and if you don’t…
Low Carb Pizza – cauliflower base
This pizza base is made from cauliflower, so it’s low carb and suitable for anyone with a gluten or wheat allergy. It is surprisingly filling…
Warm chicken salad with matcha pesto dressing
The dressing is delicious with either fresh pesto or a jar of pesto and the extra healthy bit is the matcha green tea powder, I…
Desserts & Puddings
Recipes for delicious sweet things you know aren’t particularly good for you but you cant resist occasionally
Cherry and Coconut Ripple Ice Lollies
If you’re trying to cut out sugar, reduce your carbs or just want to eat healthily these ice lollies are a great way to get…
Sour Cherry Ripple Ice Cream – sugar free version too
I’ve attempted to recreate the Sour Cherry Ice Cream I tried at Boho Ice Cream in Weymouth which, I have to say, is my favourite,…
Blackcurrant Ripple Ice Cream – sugar free version too
My husband’s favourite, use either frozen or fresh blackcurrants or substitute blackcurrants for raspberries for a classic raspberry ripple ice cream.
Rhubarb and ginger crumble ice cream – sugar free version too
This is tangy, gingery and sweet. The rhubarb cuts through the sweetness of the ice cream complimented by the ginger crunch crumble making a totally…
Ice Cream Base – sugar free
This is Creme Anglaise or Custard and is an ideal base to use for making all sorts of ice cream and it’s sugar free too.
Watermelon Shark
This is a shark carved from a watermelon. You’ll need a ‘torpedo’ shaped watermelon as the round ones look a little too cute. Fab, healthy…
Berry Yoghurt Ice Lollies
Homemade ice lollies, lower in sugar and much healthier than the shop bought ones and just the ticket for this lovely hot weather we’re having.…
Plum and hazelnut mini pavlova or torte
The issue with this recipe is it’s so good you don’t want to make this when you’re trying to cut down your sugar intake and…
Chocolate Coconut Ice Lollies or Popsicles – sugar free, low carb
If you’re trying to cut out sugar, reduce your carbs or just want to eat healthily these ice lollies are a great way to get…
Cinnamon Ice Cream with Lotus Biscoff crunch
I warn you, this is not a healthy ice cream recipe and it’s dangerous moreish. It would be wonderful served with apple pie or crumble…
Creme Anglaise and Ice Cream Base
This is Creme Anglaise or Custard and is an ideal base to use for making all sorts of ice cream. Serve warm as Creme Anglaise…
Pear Crumbles with Chocolate Custard
These delicious individual crumbles are a different take on a pear and chocolate crumble. The pears are poached whole, lying on a bed of chocolate…
Pancakes with a superfood twist
Healthy version of classic pancakes, this time using buckwheat flour and dairy free milk to make dairy free, sugar free fluffy pancakes.
Surprise chocolate, beetroot and blackcurrant pudding
What’s the surprise? Two of them a) it has a ‘magic’ chocolate sauce that starts on top and ends up in the bottom when it’s…
Jelly Brains for Halloween
These take around 20 minutes to set due to use of Geloozoon or Gellan Gum, a molecular gastronomy powder which makes instant setting jelly. If…
Plum and almond canapés
This is an adapted version of my pesche alla Piedmontese recipe, you’ll need ripe peaches, plums or nectarines as you won’t be cooking them. Edible…
Upside down rhubarb crumbles
The ‘crumble’ is a biscuit base, just a like the ones you make for a cheesecake and the rhubarb requires around 10 minutes cooking. They…
Ricotta Cream
I love this and can eat it out of the bowl, but if I restrain myself it is fantastic served with stone fruit and ideal…
Plum and Almond Bites
This is an adaptation of my Pesche alla Piemontese recipe, these little canapes are delightful served on an edible tulip petal from Green’s of Devon
Pesche alla Piemontese
Deliciously ripe peaches stuffed with amaretti biscuits and almonds and baked until juicy. This works with ripe peaches or unripe ones, just cook the unripe…
No-cook Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake
This is soo good it’s untrue and the addition of the raspberries helps you kid yourself that it’s slightly healthy, it isn’t really. For a…
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce
This is one of my favourite puddings, the dates work really well to add at least a small ‘healthy’ item, you don’t taste them either…
Eve’s Pudding
Eve’s pudding is so named as the recipe uses apples, I’ve made a winter version using apples and a mixture of other winter fruits: blackberries…
Yorkshire Cheesecakes or Curd Cakes
I grew up eating these as cheesecakes, when I moved to London and ordered a cheesecake, this is what I expected. It turned up raw…
Cardamom Ice Cream or Creme Anglaise
Proper custard……..not a tin of Bird’s in sight, or you can turn it into ice cream
Cheat Cherry Brownies
This is a very quick, cheat version of black forest gateau using shop bought brownies so all you have to do is arrange them on…
Traditional Christmas Pudding
Beverley’s classic Christmas Pudding recipe, traditionally made on Stir Up Sunday, 6 weeks before Christmas.
Rhubarb and Apple Oaty Crumble
This is a classic crumble with a flapjack twist, delicious with rhubarb and apple or any other fruit combination that fancy trying, gooseberries work really…
Italian Stuffed Peaches or Plums
Deliciously ripe peaches stuffed with amaretti biscuits and almonds and baked until juicy. This works with ripe peaches or unripe ones, just cook the unripe…
Pear and Frangipane Tart
These are a firm favourite when holidaying in France, you could use stone fruit such as peaches, nectarines or plums instead of pears if they’re…
Freeform Fruit Tart
These very easy fruit tarts use sweet shortcrust pastry which is similar to a basic biscuit, they work well with rhubarb and gooseberries.
Free Dark Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Coulis
This recipe is based on Herve This’ Chocolate Chantilly. It’s ‘free’ as it’s free from dairy, wheat, egg, basically anything apart from a really good…
Orange and Fig Pancakes
Encourage children to make up the pancake mix and slice figs with a round bladed knife. If you’re feeling brave and have extra batter (!)…
Chocolate Banana Pancakes
The only healthy thing about these pancakes is the sliced banana but at least there is no added fat in the mixture. Once in a…
Basic Pancake Mix
Encourage children to make up the pancake mix. If you’re feeling brave and have extra batter (!) then you can try tossing the pancakes to…
Pancake Recipes
Shrove Tuesday is Pancake Day, it falls the day before Ash Wednesday and can be between the beginning of February and mid March depending on…
Drinks and Other Things
Homemade drinks and other recipes that I have no idea where to put
Elderberry Cordial
Elderberries make the most wonderful winter cordial and with the addition of the cloves the finished drink is lovely and soothing for winter sore throats.…
Elderflower Cordial
Elderflower Cordial is free food, elderflowers grow on hedgerows from June to mid July in England, so all you need is a sunny day (elderflowers…
Homemade Tomato Ketchup
This knocks the socks of the normal variety; it’s much healthier too.
Damson Jam Recipe
Damsons grow wild and are often found amongst blackthorn (sloe) bushes but be careful not to get sloes and damsons mixed up. They look alike…
Latest Recipes
Hint: If you have a particular ingredient or meal in mind, try a search
Gingerbread and rhubarb mini loaf cakes with lemon icing
Gloriously stick gingerbread with tart rhubarb complimented with lemon icing, delicious.
How to Eat Like a Local in Puglia with Villa Plus
Imagine…..you’ve arrived at your gorgeous villa in Puglia, the sun is shining, you’ve stopped off…
Chocolate Panettone
Panettone is an Italian Christmas cake. This version makes smaller panettone that are lovely to…
Chocolate Mini Rolls
Chocolate mini rolls featured on he Great British Bake Off made by my Saturday crew…
Pesto Mini Muffins
These savoury muffins are ideal for lunch boxes, picnics, parties and snacks. Lovely served warm…
Mini potato and chorizo frittata
Mini frittata are just the right size for smaller hands and can be served warm…
Cherry and Coconut Ripple Ice Lollies
If you’re trying to cut out sugar, reduce your carbs or just want to eat…
Sour Cherry Ripple Ice Cream – sugar free version too
I’ve attempted to recreate the Sour Cherry Ice Cream I tried at Boho Ice Cream…
Blackcurrant Ripple Ice Cream – sugar free version too
My husband’s favourite, use either frozen or fresh blackcurrants or substitute blackcurrants for raspberries for…
Rhubarb and ginger crumble ice cream – sugar free version too
This is tangy, gingery and sweet. The rhubarb cuts through the sweetness of the ice…
Ice Cream Base – sugar free
This is Creme Anglaise or Custard and is an ideal base to use for making…
Chocolate Chip Cookies – Sugar and gluten free
I make these weekly, try to limit myself to two per day, one with coffee…
Llamas in Hats birthday cake
My son loves the YouTube cartoon Llamas in Hats, personally I don’t. It’s pretty bloody…
Gingerbread – low carb, sugar free, gluten free
Not entirely sugar free as there is a tablespoon of treacle in the recipe, hwoever,…
Coconut Macaroons – low carb, low sugar
I love coconut, good job as it’s a fantastic ingredient to use for making low…
Watermelon Shark
This is a shark carved from a watermelon. You’ll need a ‘torpedo’ shaped watermelon as…
Sugar Free Sweet Potato and Orange Cupcakes
I have changed this version of my original Sweet Potato and Orange cupcakes by replacing…
Rhubarb and Pecan Brownies
This version of brownies has rhubarb which ‘cuts’ through the sweetness and works really well…
Tuscan Bean Soup with Pesto and Soda Bread
This is a fabulously healthy meal of a soup, great for cold days and a…
Almond Slices
This is a cake from my childhood. A mixture of sweet almond sponge mixed with…
Berry Yoghurt Ice Lollies
Homemade ice lollies, lower in sugar and much healthier than the shop bought ones and…
Black Bean Brownies – low carb, sugar, gluten and dairy free
High in protein, low carbs, low GI, sugar free, dairy free and gluten free but…
Plum and hazelnut mini pavlova or torte
The issue with this recipe is it’s so good you don’t want to make this…
Raw Chocolate Coconut Bars aka Sugar Free Bounty Bars
I’m trying hard to wean myself off sugar (again) but I have such a sweet…
Chocolate Coconut Ice Lollies or Popsicles – sugar free, low carb
If you’re trying to cut out sugar, reduce your carbs or just want to eat…
Cinnamon Ice Cream with Lotus Biscoff crunch
I warn you, this is not a healthy ice cream recipe and it’s dangerous moreish.…
Creme Anglaise and Ice Cream Base
This is Creme Anglaise or Custard and is an ideal base to use for making…
Mini Pork Pies
There is a fabulous butchery chain in North Yorkshire called Newboulds who make the best…
Pear Crumbles with Chocolate Custard
These delicious individual crumbles are a different take on a pear and chocolate crumble. The…
Chicken Ramen – healthy version of Pot Noodle
This is my version of Chicken Ramen, a healthy Pot Noodle, popular at Wagamamas and…
Pancakes with a superfood twist
Healthy version of classic pancakes, this time using buckwheat flour and dairy free milk to…
Raw Carrot Cake – gluten free, dairy free, grain free, sugar free
This cake retains all the goodness in the nuts and carrots as they are not…
Goulash with Herby Dumplings
This is a classic winter warmer recipe, originating in Hungary and heavy on paprika it’s…
Salted Peanut Brittle
A classic homemade sweetie, I have used salted peanuts which takes the edge off the…
Granola Bars
These are great for lunch boxes and to keep the kids going for extra curricular…
Kale Cupcakes
These are super cool orange-flavoured-green-cupcakes. They still contain the same calories, sugar and fat as…
Surprise chocolate, beetroot and blackcurrant pudding
What’s the surprise? Two of them a) it has a ‘magic’ chocolate sauce that starts…
Mulligatawny Soup
This Indian soup is a whole meal in itself, adjust the chili if you prefer…
Mini snowball truffles
A white chocolate version of my popular Ginger Chocolate Truffles, great for children to make…
Ginger chocolate truffles
The easiest truffles in the world to make and ideal for young children to make…
Purple sprouting broccoli and pistachio pesto
Purple sprouting broccoli is in season in the Autumn and Winter in England and it’s…
Healthy Oat and Choc Chip Cookies
Healthy as they have no sugar and include bananas, oats, pumpkin seeds and brazil nuts,…
Plum Cake with Quinoa
This delicious cake has a hint of gingerbread and the addition of quinoa to add…
Grandma’s Easy Fruitcake
This is my Mother-in-law’s recipe, it’s lovely, light and super easy to make and stores…
Chocolate Lipsticks
My middle daughter is 15 years old tomorrow, so I figured this was a good…
Jelly Brains for Halloween
These take around 20 minutes to set due to use of Geloozoon or Gellan Gum,…
Roast tomato, chicken and lentil soup
This soup was made up from leftovers in my fridge. A few sad looking tomatoes…
Slow Roast Shoulder of Lamb with a Moroccan Twist
This is a fabulously easy meal that is equally good for a midweek family meal,…
Chicken Tagine with Couscous and Harissa
This makes a delicious family friendly midweek meal. You can start making it the night…
Cheese and Ham Ravioli
Homemade pasta is really easy to make, you can mix it in a food processor…
Bean Burgers with homemade slaw
These are not your average boring bean burgers; these are packed with flavour and taste…
Ginger Snaps with spelt flour
One of my favourite classic English biscuits, ideal for dunking into tea or coffee and…
Elderberry Cordial
Elderberries make the most wonderful winter cordial and with the addition of the cloves the…
Low Carb Pizza – cauliflower base
This pizza base is made from cauliflower, so it’s low carb and suitable for anyone…
Chocolate Banana Muffins – low sugar version
These are my classic chocolate banana muffins but with the sugar removed, they’re still sweet,…
Warm chicken salad with matcha pesto dressing
The dressing is delicious with either fresh pesto or a jar of pesto and the…
Tarragon Chicken
This is a firm family favourite, easy to make and it is delicious warmed up…
Summer Canapés with Edible Tulip Petals
I love edible flowers, they add colour and texture to many different dishes and create…
Plum and almond canapés
This is an adapted version of my pesche alla Piedmontese recipe, you’ll need ripe peaches,…
Roast veg with cous cous and harissa canape
This is a lovely recipe to make at home as you can use some of…
Watermelon and Feta Canapes on Edible Tulips
Super dooper easy canapes that look spectactular served on edible tulip leaves from Greens of…
Chicken Tikka Salad Canape
These taste delicious and there is a great cheat here too. You could make the…
Easter biscuits
A little like a Fruit Shortcake biscuit but made with orange zest to add more…
Upside down rhubarb crumbles
The ‘crumble’ is a biscuit base, just a like the ones you make for a…
Plum and Almond Bites
This is an adaptation of my Pesche alla Piemontese recipe, these little canapes are delightful…
Pesche alla Piemontese
Deliciously ripe peaches stuffed with amaretti biscuits and almonds and baked until juicy. This works…
No-cook Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake
This is soo good it’s untrue and the addition of the raspberries helps you kid…
Flower Pot Bread
These are great as a cooking project to do with children and equally impressive to…
Tomato, Feta and Spinach Filo Tartlets
These are slightly lower fat than standard tartlets as they use filo pastry instead of…
Bunny Buns or Carrot Cakes
These Cakes are really yummy and ever so slightly healthy, thanks to the addition of…
Easter Nest Cakes
Delicious chocolate cupcakes decorated to look like easter nests, great to make with the children…
Hot Cross Scones
These are a scone version of Hot Cross Buns, very quick to make without needing…
Gorgonzola Sauce for Gnocchi or Pasta
Super easy, super delicious recipe, serve with gnocchi or pasta as a sauce or as…
Beetroot Falafel with Tahini Sauce
Beetroot is packed with antioxidants and vitamins and is lovely grated raw with apples and…
Minecraft Creeper Cake
My son is mad on Minecraft and asked for a ‘Creeper’ cake for his birthday,…
Ginger Snaps
A classic English biscuit, different to gingerbread as these have a ‘crackle’ effect when baked…
Bourbon Biscuits
Bourbon biscuits are a classic English chocolate biscuit, sandwiched together with a chocolate cream, delicious…
Simnel Mini Loaf Cakes with Edible Flowers
Simnel cakes are traditionally given on Mothering Sunday. If you don’t have a mini loaf…
Flower Pot Cupcakes for Mother’s Day
These are amazing cakes that look just like a pot plant, they will fool anyone,…
Roast Pepper and Tomato Soup
A simple soup full of goodness and just as nice served hot in winter or…
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce
This is one of my favourite puddings, the dates work really well to add at…
Jaffa Cakes
This is a homemade version of the classic Jaffa Cake biscuit using old fashioned sponge…
Eve’s Pudding
Eve’s pudding is so named as the recipe uses apples, I’ve made a winter version…
Low Fat Sugar free Banana Breakfast Muffins
A low fat and sugar free version of classic muffins with half wholemeal flour making…
Low Fat Blackcurrant Muffins
Low fat version of classic muffins with half wholemeal flour to make them slightly more…
Yorkshire Cheesecakes or Curd Cakes
I grew up eating these as cheesecakes, when I moved to London and ordered a…
Cardamom Ice Cream or Creme Anglaise
Proper custard……..not a tin of Bird’s in sight, or you can turn it into ice…
Bread – Beverley’s method
This is Beverley’s basic white bread recipe, this will form the basis of a great…