Pan Fried Sea Bass with Garlic, Cumin and Bacon

A real classic with a HUGE health twist. Normally Friday calls for Fish and Chips, but not today. Forget the fatty batter and replace with a huge smack of flavour that will leave your wallet, tongue and hips (or lack thereof) doing backflips!

Serves 2

Calorie Count:

430 per serving

Ingredients:
4 Rashers of Bacon

2 Fillets of Sea Bass

A clove of garlic

2 teaspoons of cumin seeds

2 knobs of butter

Olive Oil

Chips or Salad

Steak and Mozzarella Calzone

A revisit to the easy modern classic! Definitely check out my Chilli and Garlic Steak Calzone because it's beautiful! All we need for this is:

3 cups of flour
A tablespoon of yeast
Olive Oil
Basil and Onions
200g of Chestnut Mushrooms
600g of Steak Mince
150g Mozzarella

480 calories per serving
45 minutes prep time
30 mins cooking time

A Perfect Full English Fried Breakfast

Nothing starts the week quite as well as a Full English Breakfast! Not exactly the healthiest choice, but it certainly packs you with energy for the whole day!

Cooked Sausages, Baked Beans, Scrambled Eggs, Mushrooms and Fried Bread. I often feel like I'm missing something...

Roast Chicken Surprise

Cooking makes me so happy, it's something I enjoy doing and something I really enjoying preparing for guests, but nothing can replace when you girlfriend surprises you with a roast chicken!

Near where she works, there is a shop called Crawshaw Butchers and at the end of EVERY DAY they sell their roast chickens for £3!

Click on the link above and find your local store because it was ABSOLUTELY perfect, and a total bargain! Not to mention delicious with vegetables, chips and gravy!

Have a great evening, and I hope you all have fantastic weekends planned!

Dan
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Honey, Garlic, Coriander and Tomato Chicken

I knew tonight that I was going to be in a rush, so the option of using my sauce from my visit to Matlock Bath was the perfect option. This was a Honey, Garlic and Coriander tomato sauce that was sweet, packed with flavour and tangy. With a sauce as good as this all I really needed were three other ingredients and a little forward planning. Other shop bought sauces couldn't be used as effectively this way.

Spiced Cumin Lamb and Onion Pittas

I'm a great believer in waste-not-want-not. I also love breathing new life into the conventional. Everyone in their fridge or freezers would have burgers or mince, and as I've done before in my Minted Lamb Burger Ciabatta blog, it's better, I find, to try something new instead of just whacking a boring old bun on it!

Ingredients:

Lamb Mince or Burgers

Pitta Breads

Onions

Cumin Seeds

Organic Yoghurt

Mint Sauce

This is a great and exciting street food and certainly tastes far better than the conventional burger.

Hunter's Chicken

Here's a dish I actually find it hard to believe myself that I've never made, yet on reflection it's one of the easiest! It's a pub grub classic and it uses ONLY FOUR ingredients, three of which are probably in your fridge right now! A great lazy meal to do on a budget, money-wise and time-wise. It's also a perfect recipe to have ready for the upcoming autumn and winter, especially with September ALREADY upon us!

Ingredients:
1 Chicken Breast per person
1 Rasher of Bacon per person
100g Mature Cheddar
Hunter's Chicken Sauce

(This sauce is sweet, smoky, tangy and spicy. If you make your own, think of it as a marinade that uses sauces like barbecue, worcestershire and tomato. Just keep trying and see what works!)

Matlock Bath

Over the recent bank holiday weekend I was lucky enough to get some time to visit Matlock Bath, which is as well known for it's amusement arcades and fish and chips, as it is for being a meeting place for motorcyclists! It's a small tourist village built along the River Derwent, in Derbyshire, and luckily not too far from where I live, so taking a trip out there is not only fun, but easy! 

Red Coconut Curry

My friend Tia very kindly included my blog for Rocky Road recently on her site. She's a cool blogger currently exploring LA in search of new food experiences!

Lots of her recipes took my eye, but one in particular that really captured the rumblings of my tummy was her recipe for Thai Red Coconut Curry!

Not only is it vegetarian, but it's totally delicious and I'll definitely do my utmost to do it justice soon!

But Tia and I have made a deal...

Chilli and Garlic Steak Calzone

This is EASILY the most MANLY thing I have ever made, a stark contrast to my Rocky Road Bars of yesterday. A calzone is something I've always wanted to make and there's something hugely therapeutic about kneading dough.

Prepare yourself. This is an animal.

Serves 4

430 calories per serving

Prep Time: 45 Minutes Prep

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

600g Steak Mince

200g Mushrooms
200g Cheese (Cheddar)
3 cups of flour
A tablespoon of yeast
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Chilli and Garlic

Classic Rocky Road Bars

This rocky road recipe is not only dead easy to do, but can be a snack for the blokiest of blokes, or girliest of girls. It really does cover every base!

Ingredients:
125g Butter
300g Dark Chocolate
60ml (or 3 tablespoons) of Golden Syrup

200g Mini Marshmallows (but that only because I wanted some to eat whilst I was cooking!)

200g Rich Tea biscuits (or any of the same thickness)

Free Berries!

A great way of minimizing costs for your meals is to go foraging! I'm fortunate enough to have a few blackberry bushes in my garden so I've just been out to pick a few, only a few but it's a start!

It's actually quite therapeutic to go out, either by yourself, as a couple or as a family to pick fruit. To find your own local sites check out Red Pepper or GeoForaging.

These berries are now going straight in a tupperware container in the freezer but what to do with them? That's up to you guys!

Let me know in the comments section below or in the Suggestions Box what you'd like to see get made!

Lemon, Ginger and Soy Salmon with Pepper Salsa

This salmon dish, much like my Chilli Salmon with Fusilli, is another that requires, in general, very little preparation, but a bit of planning. If you know that you're going to be in a rush one night, a little prep the night before goes a long way and really rewards!

Ingredients:
500g Salmon Fillets
200ml Soy Sauce
Ginger
A Lemon and A Lime
2 Peppers
2 Chillis
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

My Mum's Birthday!

So last night was my Mum's 50th Birthday Bash! We had heaps of the family over including my Grandparents who I haven't seen for far too long. Both of them have been very ill, battling cancer, over the past few years so it was great seeing them, AND with them looking and being so healthy. It's amazing what the health service, and a lot of fighting, has done to help.

She's always strived to be the hostess with the mostest, and boy did she achieve it, not only did a party of seven of us have heaps of quality hot and cold grub ALL NIGHT but we were tanked up with booze for the entire night too! Honestly, I felt like I was gonna pop.

I can see why so many people invite me to parties, and always ask me to cook now.... hmm.....

Not only in addition to the shop bought quiches, sausage rolls, salads and pizzas, we had homemade barbecue chicken wings, sweet chilli chicken thighs, samosas, onion bhajis, spicy lamb koftas (one of my favourites) AND more!

Lemon Drizzle Cake

This is one of my previous attempts at Lemon Drizzle Cake, a little heavy on the icing but I think the twirl of lemon adds enough finesse for me to get away with it! I always have butter, sugar, eggs and flour in my house, so if you have any fruit that may be going off, this and my Homemade Banana Bread are absolutely perfect!

Having a recipe like this, or any sponge, is an absolute must for your bakery arsenal. This is the bricks and mortar, and perfect place to start!

Cake Ingredients:
225g Butter (room temperature)
225g Caster Sugar
225g Self Raising Flour
4 eggs
Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
Zest of One Lemon
Drizzle Ingredients:
85g Sugar
Juice of One Lemon

50 Random Facts About Me

I thought it would be good for you all to get to know a little more about me, the guy behind the blog! So HERE are fifty random facts about myself!
Enjoy, and remember to leave a like, a comment and subscribe!

Dan
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Minted Lamb Burger Ciabattas with Tzatziki and Rocket Salad

One of my barbecue favourites here, not only really easy to do, but an easier and much healthier alternative to the regular cheeseburger that most people often plump for.

Ingredients:
2 Lamb Steaks, Burgers or 500g Lamb Mince
A Ciabatta Roll
Rocket Salad
Olive Oil
Tzatziki, Sour Cream or Mayonnaise
Fresh Spring Onions and Cucumbers

Banana Bread

Banana Bread is a great way to use up any bananas that may be at risk of going off, not to mention being absolutely delicious with a cup of tea! It's easy to do and very difficult to get wrong, even for the most amateur of bakers...like myself!

Many thanks to my friend Sherena for this recipe!

All you need is:
2 or 3 over ripe bananas,
125g butter (make sure this is room temperature, it makes it easier to mix together!),
150g sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, an egg and 190g of self raising flour.

Riverside Festival

This weekend was the time of year for the Riverside Festival here in Nottingham.

It's a huge culture fair with masses of music, free activities, fairground rides, sports activities, as well as food stalls. It's all based along the River Trent, that runs through the city, and if the weather holds up (which it did...at least for a few hours), it's great for a family day out! This was entirely the intent for me and my friends, Becky and Holly.

Chicken Korma

A takeaway classic here, and one of the requests from the Suggestions Box. It's so easy to order a takeaway but this costs around a third of the price, but it does take a little more time! This requires a marinade and a fair bit of prep so you're best doing this the night before.

Serves 4
Prep Time 12 hours
Cooking Time 60 minutes

Ingredients:
500g Chicken Breasts
A small knob of Ginger
3 cloves of Garlic
1 Red Chilli
2 Red Onions
400ml Coconut Milk
400ml Plain Yoghurt
4 tbsp of ground almonds
Turmeric, Garam Masala, Coriander

Garlic Tilapia and Saag Aloo

These are the ingredients that lay before me.
I have allowed myself only £1 and the contents of my spice cupboard to conjure something from the ethers.

With a little imagination and creativity an indian inspired fish dish wasn't that much of a stretch of the imagination. With my £1 I bought a large bag of spinach and was on my way!

Serves 2
Calorie Count:
950 per serving

Ingredients:
2 Tilapia fillets
1 red onion
500g new potatoes
150g spinach
Turmeric
Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
6 cloves of garlic
1 red chilli

Fajitas

Fajitas are delicious, and I find, an opportunistic meal. I had a few peppers and an onion in my fridge, with my spice cupboard stocked all I really needed was a little chicken and some tortillas and I was pretty much ready to go!

Serves 2
Calories Count:
350 per serving
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 chicken thighs
2 peppers (different colours)
1 onion
Tortilla Wraps
Turemeric, Salt, Chilli Powder, Cinnamon and Cayenne Pepper.

Chilli Salmon and Mustard Fusilli

After last night I still had a hankering for pasta! PLUS I had a few salmon fillets that were calling my name. This dish has oodles of character and bags of flavour, in my eyes this is a perfect summer dish, fresh tomatoes, beautiful pasta and a wonderfully spiced fish!

Serves 2
Ingredients:
300g Salmon Fillets
300g fusilli pasta
1 tbsp Chopped Tomatoes
100g cherry tomatoes
2 teaspoons of Mustard
Chilli Powder
A teaspoon of dried oregano
A few fresh basil leaves
A few garlic cloves
An egg
...and cayenne pepper!

Fusilli with Chicken, Mushroom and Mascarpone

Tonight I got in from football a little late, I was pretty exhausted so just wanted to make something, quick, simple and nutritious. This is a great dish for even the most amateur of cooks!

Serves 2
Cooking Time 15 Minutes
Calorie Count = 850 Calories per serving

2 Chicken Breasts
200g dried fusilli pasta (penne would also work!)
A punnet of chestnut mushroom (around 150g)
A tub of mascarpone (250g)
Garlic, Basil and Salt

Homemade Satay Chicken with Noodles and Prawn Crackers

I've been watching SuperScrimpers on Channel 4 tonight. I'd count myself as someone who makes gourmet meals without the gourmet budget. All you need is a bit of ingenuity and forward planning.
This dish serves four hungry people, you'll also need noodles and 500g chicken.
Prep Time 15 minutes (Few hours to marinade) Cooking Time 20 minutes.
In my cupboard I had these:

That's turmeric,
fish sauce,
soy sauce
peanut butter,
honey,
a chilli,
ginger,
and three cloves of garlic.

Together, these can makes the BEST satay sauce you'll have EVER tasted!

Spinach and Feta Filo Pie

This is a dish that can go so far, I fed three VERY hungry diners AND still had plenty for leftovers! It's hearty, it's filling AND vegetarian!

Serves 3

Ingredients:
100g Pine Nuts
50g Cheddar Cheese
300 Feta Cheese
5 Whole Eggs
300g Spinach
A Pack of Filo Pastry
Cayenne Pepper
Oregano
Nutmeg
and Butter

Char Siu Pork with Chilli Honey Dressing

This is quite a slow dish and best prepared way in advance. What I like to do is prepare the meat, let it marinade, then freeze this. It'll always be ready for action! Either way this Char Siu Pork has such a fantastic deep flavour. Often this is done with a big loin of pork, but instead I've used more available sausages. JUST pork. This let's me cook this a lot quicker.

Ingredients:
400g Pork Sausages
60ml Hoisin Sauce
2 cloves of garlic
A large knob of ginger (about the size of your thumb)
Star Anise
20g Sugar (4 teaspoons)

Dressing:
1 Red Chilli
60ml Honey
60ml Groundnut Oil

Summer Snacks (Simple Italian Vinaigrette Recipe!)

There are just sometimes where you have just got to go to your local convenience store and pick up nibbles, especially when you have friends visiting! Tonight we had our friends Lynne and Gill (they're sisters) over for an overdue catch-up as Gill was up from London for the week.

Vegetarian Garlic and Soy Chicken

A really quick, delicious and different dish for you here. Great as a full meal or even as a smaller portion for a snack, this Garlic Chicken packs so much punch and crunch in flavour and texture, it'll make your tongue spin.

Serves 2
Cooking Time 25 Minutes
Ingredients:
500g Chicken Breast (Quorn Pieces in this case!)
300g Noodles
3 Spring Onions
4 Garlic Cloves
Groundnut Oil (Vegetable Oil will work too)
2 Tablespoons of Cornflour (Plain Flour is a cheaper alternative)
2 Tablespoons of Chinese Rice Wine
2 Tablespoons of Dark Soy Sauce
Salt, Pepper and Sugar

Banana Filo Pie

I'm a huge advocate of the "waste-not-want-not" policy to mealtimes. I will look at what I have in the cupboards and come up with something using two or three of these, and then maybe buy one more thing from the market. You use what you have, you don't waste money, no food goes to waste AND you flex your culinary muscle.

Chicken Pie, Carrot Mash and French-Style Peas

First off a HUGE thank you to Jamie Oliver for the picture here. This is how the pie SHOULD have looked. Instead I made a monumental error. I must've made this recipe around a dozen times but INSTEAD of using puff pastry I, in my slightly sleep-deprived state, used filo pastry. We are all human, but just roll with the punches I guess. The predominance of this meal was done perfectly and was an absolute joy to make, cook, and eat.

Cooking Time 40 minutes
Serves 4
Chicken Pie:
800g of Chicken Breasts
150g Chestnut Mushrooms
300ml of Chicken Stock (a stock cube in a mug of boiling water will do though!)
A bunch of spring onions
English Mustard
Creme Fraiche
Plain Flour
Butter
An egg
PUFF Pastry.

600g Carrots
2 small lettuces
Another 300ml of chicken stock (the same as above goes though!)
400g Peas (I think the best peas are frozen peas, they'll never go off and they're ready when you are!)
Mint and Thyme

Prawn Balti (Step by Step Process)

I've done this before but I thought it would be good to show the process! One of the things I always have in my cupboard is coconut milk. You can use it for anything from fondants and soups, to curries and puddings...although obviously not all at the same time!
But tonight I just wanted to knock up a really hearty curry. It's been so hot over the last few days that on a cool night like tonight, having something like this really put a smile in my belly.
Cooking Time 15 Minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients:
400g Frozen Prawns
400g Rice
Balti Curry Paste
Coconut Milk
A whole chilli
A small bunch of coriander
Turmeric

Oriental Bream with Szechuan Rice

Admittedly I normally do this dish with mackerel, but I've decided to try this out with bream tonight. It's a bit more of a 'meatier' fish and it isn't as salty, so I've got use a little more soy sauce than I'm used to. It's still pretty much guaranteed to be gorgeous. This isn't a very saucy dish, despite how much actually goes into this, we use it more as a marinade and it mostly caramelises. Absolutely beautiful with very little difficulty as far as cooking goes, this is more preparation time.

Cooking Time 15 Minutes
Prep Time 4 Hours (Left to marinate)
Serves 2
Ingredients:
Two bream fillets (500g)
1 cup of rice (300g)
150ml Soy Sauce
150ml Vegetable Oil
A splash of Toasted Sesame Seed Oil
A clove of garlic
A red chilli
A knob of ginger
A bunch of coriander
Szechuan seasoning powder

Steak Tacos, Salsa and Guacamole

Mexican Food is not only easy to make, but great fun too. It's a great type of food to have at parties because everyone can just tuck in and have what they want, how they want it. I like think with heaps of heat, but I know a lot of you like it a little milder too. SO, here's my guide for a fantastic spicy steak mince, homemade salsa and do-it-yourself guacamole.

Cooking Time 25 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Spicy Mince:

600g Steak Mince

2 Peppers (Green and Red)

1 Red Onion

1 Chilli

A pinch of paprika

Salsa:

2 Whole Tomatoes (I'm using eight cherry tomatoes!)

A clove of garlic

Juice of 1/2 lime

A handful of coriander and basil

Guacamole:
2 Avocados
2 tbsp Creme Fraiche
Juice of 1/2 lime

Calorie Count: 450 per person

Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings are wonderfully easy and, for me, one the must haves in a freezer. I've picked up a box of 12 free range chicken wings for LESS than £2. You can get them in the oven with a little salt and pepper and cook them within an hour for unexpected guests or, as I prefer, let them defrost and give them an entire day (whilst I'm at work!) to sit and soak up a marinade. It really is incredibly variable, you can use citrus fruits, go full on with garlic and chilli, the possibilities are truly endless! Above are a few of my previous experimentations that you can check out at my Instagram profile, but tonight's marinade is a real knockout!

Vegetarian Paella

It's that night of the week where I optionally make a vegetarian dish, don't get me wrong, I love meat, but it's good to try new things! Paella is a fantastic dish for using up any vegetables or rice you have lying around and breathes new life into these for a healthy, hearty dish! It usually has chicken, chorizo, prawns and the like, but for the sake of my diet, I'm just going to stick to Vegetarian Quorn Chicken.

Oriental Food Haul (Price Comparison)

Never before has a little wisdom been so valuable, and planning your month's worth of meals in between paychecks is enormously vital for keeping costs low. One of the biggest recommendations I'd make to you is to look around, don't always go to your high street supermarket and get OUT of your comfort zone. I adore oriental food, and buying products from the supermarket didn't seem too steep, until I realised what you can get for your money by literally crossing the road.

Salmon Filo Parcels with Homemade Greek Pesto

Earlier this week I was challenged by a friend of mine to make my own pesto as she's a bit of a pesto fiend, this recipe not only accommodates for that, but gives it a little bit of a twist and turns humble pesto into a truly impressive dish. Huge shoutout to DailyMix for the recipe which I'll link below.

Cheeky Friday Treat!

Have a fantastic weekend guys, and treat yourself! It's payday...we've just got to hope the weather holds out!

Spring Onion and Cayenne Eggs

Some of you have recently been asking me what I do for breakfast. It takes me ages to properly wake up so I really want breakfast to be easy as possible. So my Cayenne and Spring Onion eggs are a perfect fuss-free breakfast that take such little effort!

Serves 1

Cooking Time 15 minutes

1 Egg

Cayenne Pepper

Spring Onions

2 Slices Wholewheat Bread or Tortilla

Honey, Blueberry and White Chocolate Flapjacks

Something sweet to try out over the weekend, and in this case to celebrate with my workmates on a Friday. (They're so lucky!) Flapjacks are easy to make and are so versatile with what you can add to them. Blueberries are in season, all british berries are, and white chocolate works so well with any of these.

Tuna Pasta Bake

I love Tuna Pasta Bake, it's easy to do, it's fun to do, you can get so many ingredients involved and your kids will love EVERY part of this. It's also a great way to get them familiar with, and eating vegetables!

Serves 4

15 mins prep time 45 minutes cooking time

300g Tuna Steak

200g Pasta (Fusilli Twirls or Farfalle Bows are perfect)

1 chopped red onion (The finer the better!)

150g drained sweetcorn

A 500g Jar of Tuna Pasta Bake sauce

50g grated mature cheese

Cayenne Pepper

Prawn Balchao Curry

It's not often that I actually treat myself to dine anywhere but my own home, but when I do, and if you're in Nottingham, I'd highly recommend visiting Tamatanga, in the Cornerhouse. A fantastically easy, simple, high-quality and excellent value meal. The lunchtime deal is a particular favourite. I order my curry bowl, rice or naan (I go for a naan) and a drink all for around £5! The selection available is fantastic and varied, anything from your Kormas and Buttered Chickens to your Palak Gosht (Spinach and Lamb) and your Karahis. For me, the Prawn Balchao Curry is the King! Especially with a Garlic and Coriander, or Peshwari, Naan and a Mango Lassi!

It really ticks every box, as a smart alternative business lunch, as a quick stop off with your family, a fun experience with friends or a sit down romantic meal with a loved one. Tamatanga is the one!

Dan

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Spaghetti Bolognese

A great fun Italian dish here, Spaghetti Bolognese, a staple for any twenty-something. I have fresh chopped cherry tomatoes and mushrooms in mine, some people don't, or they put onions in etc. It's really dictated by how you feel, but most importantly what you have to hand!

Serves 2

15 Minutes Cooking Time

400g Steak Mince

300g Spaghetti

Garlic Baguette (But I used Tear 'n' Share bread today)

Bolognese Sauce

6 Cherry Tomatoes (a handful)

100g Mushrooms

30g Parmesan/Cheddar/ any strong crumbly cheese

A handful of washed spinach and a handful of washed rocket salad (Arugula Salad)

A few cloves of garlic

Balsamic Vinegar

Cheeky Little Nibbles

And Fridays are for little treats like parma ham, feta cheese, hummus and tiger loaf!

What's your favourite picnic food or nibble?

Dan

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Oriental Vegetarian Chicken and Rice

Another nice little oriental dish similar to yesterday's very popular Vegetarian Chilli Beef Lettuce Wraps and again I'm using Quorn instead of chicken, but chicken would work just as well!

Serves 2

400g diced chicken (Quorn)

2 thinly sliced red peppers

1 cup of rice (easy way of measuring two portions)

Soy Sauce

Oyster Sauce

Sweet Chilli Sauce

Vegetarian Chilli Beef Lettuce Wraps

Occasionally it's good for you go to vegetarian. Not only for your waistline, but for your wallet! This is a brilliant, and fun, alternative to tacos or fajitas. They take no longer than 15 minutes, they're tasty and something that are so easy to improvise and customise depending on who's with you!

Serves 4
800g Mince (Quorn for Vegetarian, Beef or Pork otherwise)
A few cloves of garlic
1/2 a bunch of spring onions
A big nugget of ginger (about the size of a ping-pong ball)
3 red chillies
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Oyster sauce
Gem lettuces (or an Iceberg Lettuce)
A bunch of coriander

Prawn Balti

For years I was so anti-curry. Didn't like the spice, the taste, the texture, anything! So I decided to teach myself how to make a curry...and now I can't get enough of them! This is one of my favourites, my Prawn Balti.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

400g Frozen Prawns

Tin of Coconut Milk

300g Basmati Rice

1 tbsp of Balti Paste

1 White Onion

Bunch of Coriander

3 Red Chillies

2 Naan Bread (what's a curry without a Naan?!)

Lasagne

One thing you'll come to learn about me is my love for Italian food. There's a dish for ANY occasion. But if I could only eat one food for the rest of my life it would be Lasagne. Meat, Pasta, Sauce and Cheese. You CANNOT go wrong!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

800g Mince (Beef, Quorn etc.)

Lasagne Sheets (Enough to cover a dish three times over)

300g Closed Cup Mushrooms

400g bottle of Tomato Lasagne Sauce

400g bottle of Béchamel (White) Lasagne Sauce

150g Cheddar Cheese

150g Mozzarella

1 Red Onion

Balsamic Vinegar

4 Cloves of Garlic (or however much you like, to taste!)

A Brief Introduction

Hello Guys and Girls and Welcome to my blog, Dan's Kitchen.

A little about me;

I'm Dan, I'm from Nottingham and I adore cooking. I love being creative with it and there's nothing like the joy you get from making the tummies of your nearest and dearest happy, not to mention everyone else being green with envy!

My main focuses for every meal are that they are healthy, delicious and affordable, I'm not flush with cash like most TV chefs, I'm an Everyman like you.

But I want your input too;

What works with what?

What would you like to try?

Is there something you just can't get right?

Leave comments and questions and let's get a conversation going!

I hope you enjoy reading through the experiences here, and maybe pick up a few recipes on the way too!

More to come soon,

Dan

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