I DO(n't) like Mondays!

As more and more people are cutting down on their meat intake for personal health or financial reasons, to help combat global warming or just to try out new and exciting recipes, the idea of Meat Free Monday has become more and more popular. Obviously this does not have to be on a Monday but the theory is that meat eaters should have a day off and enjoy the foods that we vegetarians eat. There is a website offering support, recipes, celebrity endorsements and restaurant reviews as well as a book which can be purchased.

Some friends started with Meat Free Monday and have now extended it to two days a week. They once served me the following dish and, instead of me giving them vegetarian recipes, they have given me the following.

Roast vegetables of your choice (e.g. Courgettes, aubergines, onions, tomatoes, peppers) in a little oil. With around 10 minutes to go, add slices of halloumi cheese to the roasting tin.

Cook your choice of pasta (e.g. Fusilli)

Add Sacla pesto to the pasta (I use part roasted pepper or sun dried tomato and part fiery chilli)

Stir in the roasted veggies and halloumi

Easy and delicious for vegetarians and Mondays!

Telling Porkies!

Yesterday I met the daughter of a friend on the train. She is at University studying food technology and was very excited about a forthcoming interview for an internship with a company who predominantly produce baking ingredients.

A few years ago I participated in several market research sessions, one of which was for that same company. The research concentrated on their packaging rather than their product but was, nevertheless, interesting. I have also discussed sofas, mobile phones, crisps and snacks (accompanied by free samples) and ... PORK! 

'Charlatan!" I hear you cry. Well, yes, the pay offered was certainly an incentive and no, I did not disclose the fact that I was a vegetarian (nor was I asked) but, thankfully, they were not offering free samples! In actual fact the survey questioned the provenance of meat and how the labelling of pork can influence our decision to buy.

For example, Red Tractor is a farm and quality food assurance scheme launched by the food industry to promote clearer labelling and ensure food originates from a trustworthy source. As this covers dairy, cereals, fruit and vegetables (as well as meat) I felt I could answer the questions by substituting the word "pork" in my head with "vegetarian foods". Anyway, that was my reasoning and I'm sticking by it!

I do believe that all food products should have clear labelling and, being vegetarian, it certainly helps.

Below are some of the labels we have come to trust.

So, now you know the extent of my deceit. However, I am not alone. Whilst chatting to other market research participants, I discovered a non-smoker who did one on cigarettes and a man who had to pretend he ate several bars of chocolate a day! If only I could have been on that session ...

Inspect-a-Gadget!

A friend of mine was listing the fabulous kitchen gadgets she had acquired recently but bemoaned the fact she didn't own a spiraliser. "That's so last year" I comforted her. However, it seems the spiraliser is here to stay and, if you don't own one, you can buy pre-spiraliser food from the supermarket.

Every year has its share of gadgets. The 1960s saw refrigerators becoming popular and revolutionising the way we shopped and ate. My own favourite 1960s gadget was a wall mounted tin opener in our pantry. I would slide the door shut and then wind the tin opener before announcing "third floor - ladies hats!" Yes, I did have a vivid imagination.

During the 1970s home freezers brought women freedom. They could buy ready frozen foods and cooked in batches to freeze food for future meals. This eased the time constraints caused by more women working. The other 70s gadgets I remember were the fondue and the soda siphon - ideal for any dinner (or anyone aspiring to host their own Abigail's Party!)

With the 1980s came sandwich toasters, electric carving knives and, of course, the microwave. This used an electromagnetic wave to cook in a fraction of the time of a conventional oven. It could also be used to defrost frozen foods. A scare about waves escaping and harming humans meant people invested in another gadget which would then monitor whether or not the microwave was leaking!

The 1990s continued what the 80s had started - to show off with cafetières and pasta machines. Where previously there was a cupboard cemetery of unused and unloved gadgets, now your items were on show and no trendy kitchen would be seen without a Philip Starke juicer standing like an alien upon your worktop.

In the noughties I remember watching Ready Steady Cook with my young children who would hand me plates of plastic egg and chips or pizza at the "stop cooking" command. I would then have to hold up a green pepper or red tomato to whichever dish looked the most (erm) appetising! After watching this programme sales of kitchen blowtorches took off, enabling us to make perfect creme brulees.

Christmas 2015 saw us with a new waffle maker and some onion glasses. Whilst chopping onions I can now look like Dame Edna without shedding a tear - erm, and that's a good thing?!

A Box of Delights!

On a very wet Tuesday lunchtime in mid December my octogenarian parents treated my sister and I to lunch at the Box Tree restaurant in Ilkley, Yorkshire. The Box Tree was originally established in 1962 (as was I!) and is the Michelin star restaurant where Marco Pierre White started out. The Michelin star rating has had its ups and downs but appears stable now in the hands of Simon Gueller. From the outside it still looks like a chocolate box cottage and the inside is a warren of rooms with an old fashioned feel. The ambience is formal, 'though not grand.

Having downed my umbrella at the door I stepped into the old fashioned warmth of the lounge area and was relieved of my coat by the attentive maitre d before joining my family. We enjoyed pre-drinks and nibbles whilst choosing from the menu and ordering. The French menu is fairly extensive although my decision was hastened by the arrival of the vegetarian menu:-

Starter

Oranges, fennel, asparagus and coriander

Main Course (as pictured below)

Printaniere vegetables

Carrot and anise

Salt baked roots

Dessert

Cherry cheesecake basically - I forget the description!

This was all very delicious, though fairly minimal portion-wise! Therefore it was a treat to return to the antique filled lounge and enjoy coffees and teas with chocolates served with tweezers (and great aplomb) from a wooden box on legs - bizarre but delicious. The service throughout had been formal yet friendly with lengthy descriptions of food and attentive advice on wine.

Whilst the vegetarian menu was delicious, I think meat and fish eaters would probably appreciate it more. This is a restaurant to visit for a special occasion, for a foodie or for a person with a large wallet!

Leaping in to the New Year!

Only three days in to January and enjoyed a lovely brunch with friends at a healthy eating cafe. Topics of conversation included Dry January, detoxing and the NutriBullet! What a sign of the times; our age, our lifestyle and the world around us!

Over the festive period I received a text message from WaterAid asking me to only drink water for the month of January, presumably to be sponsored and raise money for this worthwhile cause. Whilst I can give up alcohol for a month, cups of tea might be a stretch too far! 

I picked up a leaflet in said healthy eating cafe this morning entitled Juice and Soup Cleanse information pack. Basically there are three cleanse programmes to choose from, all of which include a lot of liquid and very little solids. I take my hat off to anyone who likes that much soup, juice, hot water and herbal tea and who gets excited by a handful of nuts! Personally I'm a believer in everything in moderation so will not be partaking in this extreme diet.

However I am planning to do Dry January again. I'm not a massive drinker anyway but quite like the idea of restoring the December/January equilibrium! I'll drink more water with occasional lime or elderflower sodas and maybe even have a mocktail for a treat.

As for food, I have eaten enough individually wrapped chocolates and toffees from tubs and will not crave another for a little while.

On New Years Eve at a Murder Mystery Dinner I took the part of Mae Vest and enjoyed researching quotes by Mae West to throw into conversation. One of my favourites was:

I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.

Haha - well said Mae!