Citrus basil vinaigrette for summer salads

I recently discovered this flavoursome vinaigrette in a supermarket magazine (always great for simple recipes!) and will be using it a lot from now on. The combination of oil, orange and lemon juice, basil, honey and white wine vinegar is a winner, especially with grain or pasta salads. I had the vinaigrette with a couscous, soya bean, sweet potato and feta salad but I think you could try it with anything that takes your fancy! It’s a great little recipe to have up your sleeve when you want to liven up a salad. I have visions of it going nicely with lentils, salad leaves, chicken, fish, quorn and quinoa.

Ingredients for citrus basil vinaigrette (based on salad for 4)

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp lemon juice
Zest of 1/4 lemon
2 tsp honey
1 tsp white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Bunch of fresh basil, chopped

Combine all the ingredients in a jar, put the lid on and shake. Pour over salad!

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My Gourmandize UK interview!

Despite a quiet few weeks blog wise, I was very flattered to be asked to do an interview for the new website Gourmandize UK. It’s an extremely user friendly site where you can add your own recipes, and the team behind it like to feature and support us food bloggers. Click here for my interview: http://www.gourmandize.co.uk/member-CFKLhz-interview.htm?utm_source=email&utm_medium=periodic&utm_campaign=interviewThanks

Otherwise, I am still trying to get the ratios in my strawberry mojito right so expect a recipe for this soon! I’m old enough to know better but that doesn’t stop me feeling all grown up having a bottle of Bacardi in the house…

Awesome hob-to-table veggie moussaka in 30 mins

I have always loved Greek moussaka, but always hated all that salt business when preparing aubergines the proper way, and that is why I absolutely love this dish. Even my boyfriend said ‘this is GREAT’ when he had it, and he is a carnivore who usually makes enthusiastic comments about twice a year. It is made with veggie mince but you could always use the real thing.

It has a few fresh ingredients that you can quickly prepare, cinnamon for that exotic touch, and then one star ingredient that saves you a ton of time and introduces instant richness and awesome flavour – chargrilled aubergine pesto.

This dish takes about 30 minutes to make and you can do it all in one pan, then sprinkle it with feta and fresh mint and let people tuck in (it would work fine if you prepared the main bit the night before then added the feta and mint before eating). I am so happy about it that I can’t stop smiling. Seriously!

Ingredients for hob-to-table moussaka (serves 6)

Olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Good shake dried mixed herbs
500g quorn mince (or cheaper alternative)
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Jar Sacla chargrilled aubergine pesto
300g feta, crumbled
Handful of mint, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the onions, garlic and dried herbs, until soft. Add the veggie mince and simmer for about 10 mins then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, cinnamon, chargrilled aubergine pesto and salt and pepper. Simmer for another 10 mins. Sprinkle the feta and mint over the top, drizzle with olive oil and serve! Perhaps with a light salad.

Adapted from BBC GoodFood 101 One-pot dishes