Leftover Leek and Potato Cakes

I really hate wasting food and this month, especially in the lead up to pay day, I've been making a conscious effort to be more resourceful.

Herb Crusted Roast Rack of Lamb

I absolutely love cooking and have done since I was a little girl. I vividly remember being seven years old and delighted to finally posses my own Winnie the Pooh cook book. Now at the ripe old age of 21 I find it just as exciting, if not more so as I can lick the spoon without fear of being shouted at.

Cooking for Dummies #4: One Dish Dinner

I recently had some time off work and decided to make myself something proper to eat. I'm ashamed to admit that recently more often than not I catch myself eating out, especially as I get a huge discount on food at work. Despite this, I really enjoy cooking when I have the time. I find it relaxing and fun (if you disinclude washing the dishes afterwards).

This dish literally came together as I was going along, but it worked surprisingly well which is why I've chosen to share it. It's ridiculously easy and tastes amazing!

Strawberry Basil Mojito

Okay so I actually planned this post for earlier in the summer, a lot earlier but it's alway cocktail o'clock right? One of my absolute favourite drinks these days is a good ol' Mojito, whatever the flavour you just can't go wrong.

A lot of recipe ideas I get are inspired by something I've tasted before in a restaurant or bar and then tweak and recreate in my own home. This drink is one of those concoctions. At a local bar I experienced for the first time basil in a Mojito and it was a concept so foreign to me that I just had to do it for myself. If you're a bit of a thrill seeker or a cocktail lover then this is the drink for you.

Spicy Rare Beef Salad

Winter Warmers: Lentil Soup Recipe

I made this soup once before during summer and decided it was time to start making it again now that it's getting colder outside! This is literally one of the easiest recipes you will EVER, yes, EVER come across. Even my flatmate who never ever cooks found this recipe easy to follow and it is almost impossible to screw up. So for all you beginner cooks and students who have decided you need some real food - this babys for you!

Cooking for Dummies #2: Puff Pastry Pizza

When starting out on your own cooking meals can be some what of a mission. It is all to easy to get stuck in a rut of microwave meals and Super Noodles, but it doesn't have to be like that. This year I'm going to be continuing my Cooking for Dummies series providing you, my dear readers, with some simple and most importantly tasty dishes to get you on your feet.

Recipe: Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Around this time of year there is always, without doubt, an influx of pumpkins - fairy godmothers eat your hearts out. Since the age we were old enough to effectively go begging for sweets with our friends and families, we have been programmed to believe their sole purpose is to brighten our door steps and scare our loving neighbours. I am here to tell you just like Santa and just like the tooth fairy, this is not the case - you have been lied to.

Why you ask have you been lied to? So your parents could keep this delicious secret all to themselves! Now, I must admit when my flatmate (Becca) bounced into the kitchen telling me tales of roasted pumpkin seeds I was a bit unsure. I'd never heard of such a thing before, and the seeds I'd eaten previously in my Graze boxes were just awful. Despite this, she was my flatmate and if I didn't go along with her crazy ideas who knows it might have been me she roasted next! 

Before committing to making my own I tasted some seeds that Becca, who does not cook unless absolutely necessary, had made and well I was very surprised  They were crunchy and salty and SO DAMN GOOD. How could it be I'd never heard of them before?

If you like myself never had the luxury of making these when you were younger or have heard about their wondrous properties (they're loaded with vitamins and protein), let me educate you on this well kept secret.

I'm sure there are numerous ways and I'm also sure those ways are all very tasty but I'm going to tell you how to roast your seeds Efia style. Okay so first, you need a pumpkin! Once you have captured said pumpkin cut it's top off to reveal the goods and either scoop the seeds out with a spoon or just grab them out with your (clean!) hands. 

Source: www.seriouseats.com/2010/10/roasted-pumpkin-seeds-spicy-sweet-salty-recipes

Once you've retrieved as many seeds as you can rid them of the fleshy pumpkin bits and spread them out on a baking tray - I should mention while you're doing this whack the oven on to 180 degrees or the fan equivalent (160). Now that they're on a baking tray you can prep your master piece! For mine I drizzled them with olive oil, sprinkled with rosemary and also seasoned with a splash of soy sauce and some salt. Becca being the devil in disguise doesn't like chillies or I would have probably added them too.

Once your prep is done put them in the oven and wait for the magic to happen, which is approximately 10mins or when the seeds are no longer chewy/ a light golden brown colour, and enjoy!

These make a great healthy snack or a lovely addition to soups and salads, hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

What about you guys how have you used your pumpkins this year? In the traditional way or have you done something out of the norm? Let me know!

(Please note: Becca is a lovely girl and this story has been dramatised for humorous purposes!)