I love chocolate. I’m such a ridiculous chocoholic that as you might have noticed I have a bit of a preference towards creating chocolatey recipes. And it seems like I’m in good company as my most popular recipes are all chocolate-based ones – you guys have good taste! Continue reading
One pot dishes are just the best things ever, especially if like me you love a bit of batch cooking. So often it gets to Sunday night and I realise that there’s nothing in the fridge, I don’t fancy a takeaway but at the same time I can’t really be bothered to cook. Luckily for me (and Mr H) I’ve got into a bit of a habit of cooking massive amounts of food and freezing the leftovers for such occasions, and I’ll tell you it’s a real lifesaver sometimes (not to mention a money-saver too)! Continue reading
I’ve been trying to have a bit of a kitchen clear out recently, as there just seems to be so much stuff everywhere and it had gotten to the point where everything was a bit higgeldy-piggeldy (a phrase you just don’t hear enough these days) and it was really beginning to annoy me, so I started tackling it bit by bit. So, while baby H napped soundly, I got my cupboards in order, reshuffled the cabinets and then set to work on the freezer. Continue reading
I was making my Christmas granola, and as I sprinkled in the figs at the end I realised that in all my time creating healthy recipes I’ve kind of neglected them as a fruit! So this recipe is effectively my apology to all the figs out there, although for all I know, they probably don’t even give a fig. Right then, obligatory fig pun out of the way let’s forget it ever happened and cut to the chase shall we? Continue reading
Is it going to be a white Christmas? Probably not – it seems to only ever snow at weird times like March these days, never in December when I swear it’s supposed to, and when I’m sure it used to. I can’t wait to take baby H out in the snow for the first time, but I reckon we’ve got a few months to wait before that happens. Worst comes to worst we are going skiing with Mr H’s family in Feb, so fingers crossed that’ll be snowy otherwise it’ll be a bit of a wasted trip! Continue reading
I’ve decided to try and make most of my Christmas presents this year, as I feel like I’m so often just buying people more ‘stuff’ that they may not necessarily want or need and I just wanted to do something a bit more personal.
Plus with baby H around leisurely perusing (be it online or in-store) for thoughtful gifts is pretty much a thing of the past, but on the flip side I do have a lot more time on my hands (during nap times at least) to get creative at home. Continue reading
Ginger makes me think of a lot of lovely people;
1) my grandpa, who used to use it by the tonne in his vegetable soups (they were delicious but boy did they make my nose run)
2) my mum, who loves those boxes you get of dark chocolate covered crystallised gingers
3) my dad, who always has a lemon and ginger tea when he comes over and the kettle’s on; and
4) my lovely husband, who also uses it by the shedload when he makes us juices in the morning (yep, he’s a keeper) Continue reading
I swear these days every other photo I see on Instagram is a smoothie bowl. And these aren’t just any smoothie bowls people, these are works of art – seriously some of them are downright gallery worthy. Next year’s Turner prize perhaps? It’d get my vote over an unmade bed any day that’s for sure. Continue reading
There’s no denying that a baked potato covered with baked beans is just the ultimate in easy, simple comfort foods. It’s the classic university student staple as it doesn’t require much in the way of culinary genius and it’s a really inexpensive (but still filling) meal. Although it’s certainly not the worst thing you could eat, along with most dishes favoured by those making their first foray into the kitchen it’s not the healthiest thing ever as tinned baked beans tend to be full of sugar (and other unfavourables) and potatoes can be very starchy and therefore quite stodgy. Continue reading
Poor old Santa. Not only does he have the busiest day ever on Christmas Eve rushing around the WHOLE WORLD delivering presents, but all he gets from well-meaning parents around the globe to keep him going is a stodgy mince pie or two. No wonder he’s so fat. Personally I think Rudolph gets the better deal – I’d take a carrot over a mince pie any day of the week to avoid all that refined sugar and gluten in my tum.
Well this year, things are going to change in the Hollingsworth household. After having to help squeeze her husband out of one chimney too many, Mrs Claus has had a word with Mrs H and together we’ve decided that what the big FC needs are energy balls. But he’d be upset if they didn’t have a festive touch (he does wait around for it for 364 days a year in the most freezing country ever after all) so I’ve come up with these Christmas pudding energy balls.
They’re just divine – fruity, chewy and packed with Christmas spices and flavours – and they’re totally guilt free! And they look pretty cute too – I’ll be serving some up on the 25th for sure as Santa shouldn’t be the only one who gets to enjoy these! And who knows, the man himself might be cutting a much svelter figure this time next year!
Ingredients
For the icing
To decorate
For the balls, pop the ingredients in a food processor and whizz for 2-3 minutes until gorgeously sticky and gooey. Put the mixture in the fridge for half an hour to allow it to harden a little, then roll into balls and place in the freezer for at least an hour so that the icing sticks nicely.
To make the icing, simply add the ingredients to a blender or mixing bowl, and blend or stir until everything is completely combined and you have a lovely runny icing. Remove the balls from the freezer and drizzle the icing on top with a teaspoon. Decorate with mint leaves and berries and there you have it!
Love, Mrs H xx
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