Beetroot dip & oat crackers

Sunday afternoons are for a good movie, a tasty dip and some crackers.
Just like this skinny beetroot dip and oat crackers, which are nothing short of delicious.
Whilst other dips such as hummus use a fair amount of olive oil, this recipe didn't require any for flavour so it is accidentally "skinny". In case hummus is your favourite thing in the world and you are left wondering what on earth would be the issue with the added oil then let me just reassure you: there is no issue. Extra virgin olive oil is considered a healthy fat but as with any oils, moderation is the key.
This recipe gets around that moderation issue somewhat.

Ingredients for the crackers
100g oats
30g flax seeds
200ml water
60ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt

 

Ingredients for the dip
4 medium beetroots (450g), peeled
5 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
1 tsp rapeseed oil
2 tsp tahini (sesame paste)
1 lemon
sea salt and pepper to taste

Method:
To make the beetroot dip:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Cut the beetroots into wedges and put them on a roasting tray. Scatter over the garlic cloves and drizzle with a teaspoon of rapeseed oil. Stir well to combine with the oil and season with sea salt and black pepper.
Roast in the oven for 40 minutes and set it aside to cool.
Once it is cool enough to handle, put the beetroot in a food processor or blender with the tahini, juice of a lemon, a good pinch of sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and 5 tablespoons of water. Peel, the now roasted, garlic and put that in the blender too.
Blend until smooth. Taste the dip and adjust the seasoning as required.

To make the crackers:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Mill the oats and flax seeds into a flour by whizzing it on the highest setting in a blender or food processor. Decant the flour into a large bowl, add the salt, water and olive oil and stir well until completely combined.
Pour the mixture onto the baking tray and spread it out as thinly as it'll go.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, take the baking sheet out and slice the crackers into squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
Return it to the oven and bake for a further 30 minutes.
The crackers should be solid but not browned. Allow them to cool before consuming.

Kale, crispy bacon and borlotti bean salad

September is such a fantastic month for fresh produce.
Salad crops are slowly going out of season, making way for hardy greens, beans and squashes. 
As with any fruit and vegetables, they are the most nutritious when eaten in season and at their peak freshness. Farmers markets and local farms shops are bursting with fresh, seasonal goods this time of the year so make sure you pay one a visit.
The beans and kale for this recipe came from a Derbyshire based farmer and were both picked just a day ago.
Such fresh ingredients are best prepared simply, emphasising their natural flavour and wholesomeness.  

Ingredients (Serves 1)
100g borlotti beans
1 bay leaf
5 black peppercorns
2 rashers of smoked bacon
a large handful of torn kale leaves, approximately 40g
1/2 lemon
extra virgin olive oil

Method:
Pop the beans in a small pan with the bay leaf and black peppercorns. Cover with just enough water to cover and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat, put a lid on the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.
To cook the bacon, heat a frying pan on a medium heat, add a teaspoon of coconut oil or butter and fry the bacon until crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside to cool completely.
Put the torn kale leaves into a large bowl, squeeze over some lemon juice and rub the leaves until they break down to roughly half the original volume. This makes the kale more palatable and digestible.
To plate, put the beans and kale in the same bowl, drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and stir well. Crumble the bacon over the top. Enjoy!

The Chatsworth Country Fair

The Chatsworth Country Fair took place between the 2nd and 4th of September in the grounds of the Chatsworth Estate.
The show is the biggest of its kinds in the Midlands with an array of attractions, including demonstrations, competitions, fly pasts and shopping, keeping even the most discerning visitor entertained.
This year, Jessica Ennis was the appointed show president, opening and closing the event, which 90,000 visitors attended over 3 days.

My weekend at the Chatsworth Country Fair began on Friday morning when I had the honour of making the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and Jessica Ennis-Hill a nutrient-dense smoothie.
Inspired by the British countryside, the smoothie was a reflection of the best, in season, produce.
Blackberries, blueberries, chard, apple, sunflower seeds and oat milk combined to make a delicious drink that is especially beneficial for the skin.
To my delight, everyone present enjoyed the taste.
Here is the recipe:

Chatsworth smoothie.jpg

Ingredients (Serves 2):
100g frozen blueberries
100g frozen blackberries
1/2 apple
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
30g chard or spinach
250ml oat milk

Method: Blend until smooth (30 seconds)

The smoothie was made for the press event, taking in the view of the beautiful Chatsworth House.

I also had the pleasure of carrying out two food demos in the cookery theatre, one demo on the Friday and one on the Saturday.
The atmosphere was fantastic both in the demo theatre and backstage.
As a nutritionist, I firmly believe that we miss key nutrients from our diets. Consequently, both dishes I cooked at the show focused on adding antioxidants, vitamins and minerals but without compromising taste or wasting too much time. 
The recipes can be found on the following links:

Head over to my Instagram page for more pictures and some back stage shots from the event.
With special thanks to some fantastic brands for looking after me:

Beef and noodle salad bowl

Umami is a recent flavour discovery that I've been experimenting with.
Translated from Japanese, it means "pleasant savoury taste" and pleasant it is.
For this recipe, I used umami paste to flavour soba noodles. Crunchy vegetables add vitamins and minerals and complement the meaty flavour of beef.
In case you are vegetarian, the beef is easily left out.

Ingredients (Serves 2)
100g soba noodles, cooked according to packet instructions
1 beef steak
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 spring onions, sliced
100g sugar snap peas, sliced in half lengthways
leaves from a small handful of parsley
sea salt and black pepper to season
2 tsp of sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

For the umami dressing:
1 tbsp Clearspring umami paste with ginger
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey or maple syrup

Method:
Heat a griddle pan over a high heat.
Season the steak with black pepper and sea salt on both sides.
Cook the steak on each side for 3 minutes and set aside to rest.
To make the umami dressing, whisk together all of the ingredients until well combined.
In a large bowl, mix the noodles, parsley leaves and sliced spring onion with the dressing.
Divide the noodles between two bowls, top with the sugar snap peas, carrot and sliced steak and sprinkle over some sesame seeds (if using).