Lentil Soup
Finally Spring is here, even though a little late in Ireland this year. The hedgerow is blooming at last. Nettles, wild garlic, hawthorne, primrose and violets ready to eat! So, get walking on the paths and lanes and start foraging to make your own!

Red Lentil Loaf
Pair this with roasted potatoes, ginger honey carrots and soy gravy from Mary Sheehan's cookbook Coming Home to Cook and you have a hearty, impressive meal. Enjoy!

Chocolate Guinness Cake
Not many desserts are better than a delicious, moist chocolate cake with a creamy icing, unless you add tangy, creamy guinness stout to the batter. Then, you have perfection!
This is a dense, rich cake that works with any kind of good, dark porter or stout. Why not try it as an alternative to the traditional pies and xmas puddings, your family and quests will be truly impressed! It will keep up to a week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Summer Salad with Edible Flowers & Basil Vinaigrette
This almost looks too good to eat! A fresh salad picked minutes before from your garden truly sums up the joys of summer.

Stuffed Zucchini blossoms over butternut squash-coconut puree
Mid July and it’s finally summer in Ireland. Everyone was afraid that week of perfect weather in May was it for the season. So, as the sun shines down on us, the gardens are finally coming into bloom. I picked zucchini, blossoms and  parsley, kale and fennel that were as green as you would expect on the Emerald Isle.  Zucchini blossoms are traditionally dredged in flour, milk and egg and batter fried or stuffed with meat and cheese

Black Bean Hummus
Having tired of the same old chick pea hummos, as good as it is (!) I decided to try something different to serve as an appetizer. This little plate of summer fresh delicacies are straight from the garden.

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Sticky Toffee Pudding