Warm butternut and barley salad

 

This recipe is inspired by a recent segment I did on the Expresso show where we prepared a dish with barley, and it reminded me that it’s been a while since I enjoyed this chewy and nutty grain. As winter draws closer for us in the southern hemisphere this is a wonderfully warming and satisfying salad to make and enjoy.

 

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Bogeyman’s brioche buns

 

My kids get very excited when I take the stand mixer out to make homemade bread, they can’t get enough of it! These kaleidoscopic brioche buns are bright and bold but there’s nothing spooky about the flavour – I mean, is there anything better than enjoying a soft, fresh bread roll that’s still warm from the oven?

 

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Herby chickpeas with yoghurt

 

I absolutely love chickpeas and trying new ways of serving them. Usually I go for the tinned variety as that is the most convenient option, but lately I’ve been buying dried chickpeas, cooking them in large batches and freezing them to use for hummus and dishes like this one. It’s not too much of a faff if you do a big batch each time, and works out to be more cost effective. Chickpeas have a rather earthy flavour with a touch of nuttiness, and I love cooking them with lots of spices, particularly cumin and chilli.  These spicy and herby chickpeas can be served as a simple side dish or lunch alongside a salad.

 

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Easy yoghurt flatbreads and 10 ways to enjoy them

Easy yoghurt flatbreads

 

I’ve been making these flatbreads for my family lately and they have been such a hit that I just had to share the recipe. These versatile flatbreads can be enjoyed in so many ways, and don’t contain yeast making them quick and easy to prepare.

 

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Spicy beef tray bake nachos

 

I’m always up for Mexican food, especially when nachos are on the menu! This deliciously spicy recipe is a crowd pleaser and screams weekend food (although frankly the days are all merging into one at the moment, what day is it again?). Packed with fresh ingredients and plenty of flavour these crunchy tray bake nachos topped with spicy beef and melted cheese are super tasty. Don’t forget the guacamole and sour cream and you’re all set for a fantastic dinner.

 

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Aubergine parmigiana

Aubergine parmigiana

 

An oldie but a goodie, aubergine parmigiana is a scrumptious side dish that I absolutely love. This is classic comfort food that’s perfect for serving to a crowd alongside a main meal, (although I’ll happily enjoy it for lunch with a fresh side salad too).

 

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Cheesy mielie and bacon bread

Mielie bread recipe with bacon and cheddar cheese.

 

Spring is in the air and with it the enticing aroma of braais (barbecues) being lit in back gardens all around the neighbourhood. Don’t you get serious lunch envy when you walk outside and smell someone else’s braai on the go, or is that just me?

No braai (in my humble opinion) is complete with some carbs in one form or another to accompany the main course, and sweetcorn bread makes a fantastic and easy side dish to pop on the table. I updated one of my old mielie bread recipes to include plenty of cheese, bacon bits and fresh herbs to up the flavour. Serve this easy, cheesy mielie and bacon bread warm from the oven with plenty of butter to enjoy alongside your braai feast.

 

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Bacon and cheese potato bake

Potato bake recipe with bacon and cheese.

 

It has been a long time since I made a good old potato bake, but I had a sudden craving a few weeks ago! So I grabbed my James Martin cookbook, scribbled down his recipe for dauphinois which I had been wanting to try and took it on our holiday to make for the fam on one of our braai evenings. Me being me I tweaked the recipe and added a few extra bits and pieces, and it tasted amazing! Potatoes, cream, two cheeses and bacon – I’m there! And making a dish that gets a thumbs up from the entire family is always a bonus.

 

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