March’s Simple and in Season Round-Up

Well I’ve so loved hosting my first ever bloggie challenge, thanks again for entrusting me with your baby Ren!. Not only have I discovered some wonderful new and super-seasonal recipes but a whole host of new-to-me foodie bloggers which is always exciting. And what a cold, wet, snowy and miserable month March has been? Here’s hoping April might just remember it’s supposed to be British Summer Time and show us some sun and warmth. On a happier note my Purple Sprouting Broccoli has finally come good, after almost a year of excited but impatient waiting I now have more than I possibly know what to do with! So I’ll be eagerly watching out for some recipes appearing on April’s Simple and in Season, to be hosted by Ren herself.

So without further ado here’s March’s tasty offerings. Perhaps the most unusual recipe of all came in first from Sarah of The Garden Deli with her Sumac spiced Nettles and Beans. Being a big cannellini bean fan myself and handily having half a garden full of nettles (that I’ve yet to put to use in the kitchen) I’m really excited about trying this recipe soon.

Another intriguing recipe came from Janet at The Taste Space with her incredibly moorish looking Crispy Beer-Soaked Sweet Potato Fries. I must admit I’ve never heard of  soaking chips (white potato or sweet potato) in beer before but I’m so going to give them a go, especially as they’re healthily oven roasted rather than fried which is always my preference. She’s also compiled a list of other wonderful culinary ideas for cooking with beer.

And then we had Vanesther of Bangers & Mash’s Beetroot and Carrot Pancakes with Herby Mascarpone. Er hello, yes puuuurlease! Another newbie on me, savory pancake batter. They have to be good. I’m reckoning these might just go down a storm with my pancake-loving kids too, and be a fab novel way to sneak in a few extra veggies to little tums.

Next up came a recipe from myself, Winter Roasted Roots and an Easy Roasted Roots Pizza. A very quick and easy wholemeal scone-based pizza which is a perfect (and healthy) mid-week supper for the little ones in your life.

Jen from Blue Kitchen Bakes came up with a bowl of seasonal green loveliness with her cheese-less dairy-free and thus vegan Watercress, Rocket, Spinach & Almond Pesto. And anyone who reads my blog will well know I’m a bit of pesto fiend/obsessive these days, so I totally approve Jen!. And I so further approve of serving a dollop of the green loveliness on a sweet baked potato AND even more so with pasta and flaked trout – I’ve yet to try pesto with fish but I’m betting it’s a delicious combo!

Next up was a recipe for delicious Thyme Courgettes with Leeks and Feta from London Busy Body. I must admit to being a bit boring when it comes to cooking my courgettes, usually only plain steamed or griddled, but the addition of leeks, feta and thyme would make such a wonderfully interesting side dish.

Jen of Blue Kitchen Bakes entered again with her lovely Leftover Roast Lamb Shepherd’s Pie and I could have a good punt that using extra flavoursome pre-roasted lamb must really add oomphs of flavour to this pie. Jen’s also running a linky for all your ideas of how to use up roast dinner leftovers so do bob along for a bit of inspiration or to add your own recipe to the collection.

Fabulicious Food‘s Ren herself sent over a recipe for ‘Almost Spring’ Lamb Hotpot, and with the now-beyond-ridiculously-awful so called ‘spring’ we’ve been having I think you’ll all agree this one pot wonder of deliciousness could be the perfect antidote.

There followed a one pot wonder from myself, one of my own family favourites, Spanish Stylie Baked Chicken, Rice & Seasonal Veggies. My kids LOVE this and it’s a great way of getting them to eat plenty of veggies.

Now on to a wonderful winter Roasted Vegetable Salad from It’s a Fine, Fine Life using roasted yellow beetroot (I agree to loving the flavour of ordinary red beetroot but get a tad grumpy at it’s staining of absolutely everything it comes into contact with!), celeriac (my veggie of the moment!), apple, carrots and topped with goats cheese. Now that’s my kind of salad.

Next up yet another Chez Foti recipe I’m afraid, but I promise it’s the last for this month!. This time a hearty pie made with roasted rosemary winter roots encased in lashings of Gruyère and Parmesan sauce and topped with homemade rough puff pastry. Veggie foodie heaven if you ask me!. A Winter Roasted Roots & Gruyère Pie.

From Katie of Feeding Boys and a Firefighter we had a gorgeously vibrant and Polish inspired Beetroot Soup, interesting made with juiced beetroot rather than the whole veggie so as to yield a smoother, clearer and lighter soup. Even better that it’s 5:2 diet friendly, a diet I’m determined to start myself this week having just finished reading The Fast Diet book and so spurred on by all the positive feedback I’m getting from the foodie blogging world.

Next up was a wonderfully warming and oh so tempting Parsnip & Bacon Gratin with Leeks, Hazelnuts & Blue Cheese from Recipe Junkie. What a fabulously heady mix of flavours?! Which also reminds me AGAIN I still haven’t been for a dig around to see if there are any Chez Foti parsnips still lurking within the weeds, fingers crossed.

Last but most certainly not least we had a glorious Mussel Puttanesca Barley Risotto from Anneli at Delicieux. I’m thinking this dish has my name written all over it. LOVE Puttanesca, LOVE Risotto, LOVE Mussels. I’ve yet to make a barley risotto but I’m sooo going to go for it now with this exact same recipe, and especially as mussels are in season right now!.

So Round-Up complete. A huge thank you to everyone who kindly linked up their fabulously seasonal and innovative recipes. It’s back home to Fabulicious Food for April’s Simple and in Season. Thanks again for entrusting me with hosting Ren, I’ve loved it!

Louisa

My PSB has finally come good!