How to make Oven Roast Vegetables with Basil, Garlic and Olive Oil (Vegan friendly)

 To make the best roast vegetables you need plenty of garlic to balance out the flavours, and a good addition of ground black pepper. Here we have used five good sized cloves of garlic crushed. Always use red onion for the sweeter taste, aubergine which is traditionally bitter to taste, roasts really well with the olive oil too and makes it taste delicious. Courgette tastes good this way, and so do all the coloured bell peppers. Topped with the torn Basil leaves at the end tastes just divine.  I would stick with this veg combination, don't use sweet potato or anything else here.  We usually serve this with either pasta or mash, chips, new potatoes, or even just on its own as a larger portion. There is never any left over!! Healthwise garlic is anti-bacterial, anti-septic, anti-viral, a blood thinner and good for skin complaints, phew. Coupled with the other vegetables makes for a really tasty and super healthy meal.

Here is the Recipe

   

How to make Stilton Stuffed Mushrooms With A Hint Of Red Wine

 You know it is coming Christmas when the Stilton comes out, and any left over sits well on cream crackers afterwards - for me anyway! You have got to use the freshest breakfast (large) mushrooms for this recipe. You can make your own breadcrumbs or you can buy them, up to you. This is a very simple yet delicious recipe, using just stilton, mushrooms, butter, garlic, onion and wholemeal bread and a little red wine. If you find stilton cheese a little strong you could probably use blue cheese instead. You can serve these with a side salad as a main meal, or with chips and carrots say, or you can serve one as a starter with a small side salad. Mushrooms are fat free and low calorie too, for the health conscious out there!!

Here is the Recipe 

How to make Minestrone Soup (Vegan friendly)

Minestrone soup should always contain some sort of pasta. Here we used spaghetti cut into short strands. Then you can add anything that is left in the fridge. Courgettes whatever, just an even mix of vegetables. Then use parsley as the herb here. Always use the garlic, onion, potato and tomatoes as the base for the  minestrone though. Crusty rolls at the ready!

Here is the recipe

  

How to make Garlic Mushrooms with or without Mozzarella.

Who doesn't like garlic mushrooms? If you haven't made this yet its quite easy and tasty. Make sure that the garlic cloves are a good size in here. This is as good with or without the Mozzarella. Use the closed cup or button mushrooms, and same again, only fresh and white ones. Use the curly parsley in here too, not the flat leaf, as the curly parsley has a far superior taste! I like this with the Lurpak or Kerrygold, but again use your favourite butter. We usually have this with maybe a fresh salad, and garlic bread can be good here too, to mop up the juices,,,,

Here is the recipe

Tzatziki

This is a real cooling, refreshing dish. You can even use fresh garlic instead of dried in it if you wish. Don't forget to put it in the fridge as soon as you have made it so it is properly chilled. The first time I tried out this dip was on my mum and her friend when i bought some onion bhajis. Her friend frank said he didn't like cucumber. Fast forward to the end of the meal and mum's friend picks up the bowl and said "Can I finish this off?" So I let him - even though I also had my eye on finishing it off too! This goes really well with the onion bhajis on the YouTube channel even though it is a traditional Greek dish!

Here is the recipe

Spinach and Edam bake

 This recipe was one that I tested out from a book. I then added more spinach, messed about with the ingredients and got a much nicer taste. If you want a runnier bake and to put them in small separate dishes, don't drain the spinach as in the video and you will end up with little creamier bakes. We sometimes have this with just a salad or you can have it with new potatoes and veg of your choice! 

Here is the recipe.

Garlic Dip

This recipe came from a friend of mine who's parents used to run a restaurant. He gave me the basics  which is mayonnaise, black pepper and crushed garlic. Try it first with two dessert spoons of mayonnaise, one small crushed garlic clove and some ground black pepper. For a hint of garlic use more mayonnaise then adjust to taste. I like it best served with carrot and celery batons.

Here is the recipe