SUMMERY SLOW COOKED ITALIAN RED LENTILS

Whilst the warm weather hangs around making summer in the UK last for just that little bit longer, here is a gorgeous dish that you can pop into your slow cooker and leave to work it's magic whilst you enjoy the remaining sun. This red lentil dish is an Italian favorite that uses a tin of tomatoes and chili, garlic, a variety of herbs, red wine vinegar, a pinch sugar and a good blast of seasoning to great a vibrant side that is a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy, bringing those summer vibes right into your kitchen.

4C AND 1G BISCUIT BITES

So, what's in a name? Well, let me explain what these 4C and 1G biscuit bites are all about. The 4C's are coconut, cinnamon, caramel (used in the biscuity filling) and chocolate (used to coat the bites). The G is ginger which you also add into the biscuit filling to give it a warming spiced lift. Makes perfect sense now doesn't it? Well, I could of called them my dark chocolate coated caramel, coconut, cinnamon, ginger spiced biscuit bites but that's a bit of mouthful really isn't it? One thing I do know is, whatever you call them they are moreish and delicious!

QUALITY QUINOA COATED QUORN FILLETS

The inspiration for fabulous food ideas coming from My Kitchen Rules Australia this year continues with these delicious quinoa coated Quorn fillets. Now don't be put off by the quinoa, I always thought that I didn't like this stuff either but having given it a second chance I was blown away. By cooking and then toasting the quinoa you get a delicious crunchy toasted nutty type texture and flavor to the crust of these Quorn fillets once they are shallow fried. It's such a great alternative to just frying the fillets in breadcrumbs.

"BACK TO SCHOOL" BICCIES

Now that the kids of gone back to school I think they deserve a little treat. It can be very daunting heading back to the world of education so these sweetie topped biccies are the sweet treat that is going to put a smile on any kids face. Also, I think some parents might think they deserve a little treat having putting up with their little cherubs for five weeks (admit it, you gave out a sign of relief didn't you!). This simple biscuit recipe will give you 12 yummy biccies that you can top with whatever choccies you wish!

CRUST LIVERPOOL (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Pizza can often get a bit of bad reputation in the foodie world, whether that's because they have now become associated with dodgy takeaways you'd only dream of going too at 3am in the morning after a night out on the ale or because of the uninspired versions that get churned out at chain restaurants up and down the country. It can be really hard to find the real McCoy but Crust Liverpool hopes to change that perception by "pushing boundaries" with the Italian classic. Quite a bold statement I thought so when I feeling peckish one lunchtime and was passing by it seemed like a good idea to try to see if the goods matched up to the claims!

TAKE PART IN THE LEGENDARY CAKE AND BAKE SHOW COMPETITION!

The Cake & Bake Show in Association with Argos is the UK’s only dedicated baking show and arrives at ExCeL London on 7-9 October and EventCity Manchester on 10-13 November. Online entries are flooding in for one of the key highlights, the prestigious Official Show Cake and Bake Competition, where keen bakers from around the UK compete for a much-coveted winning rosette awarded for Best in Show, then Gold, Silver and Bronze within each category, along with a host of fabulous baking related prizes from Bosch and Kenwood, supplied by Argos. 

THE CAKE AND BAKE SHOW 2016

The Cake & Bake Show, in association with Argos, brings the nation’s best loved bakers, chefs, TV personalities, cake experts and enthusiasts together under one roof in a celebration of all things baking. Arriving at ExCeL, London from 7-9 October and EventCity, Manchester from 10-13 November, the UK’s only dedicated baking show promises a delicious array of culinary activity, inspiration and entertainment. Five of the biggest celebrity names in the baking world will be headlining the show this year and visitors will be able to see them on live on stage, sharing their skills and expertise;

LEFTOVER SLOW COOKED TUSCAN BUTTER BEAN SOUP

So you've made a big batch of my Slow Cooked Tuscan Style Butter Beans for your BBQ and even though they were super delicious you still had a load left over at the end of the evening. No one wants to throw away perfectly good food now do they so why not transform your leftover's into a delicious soup which you can either eat straight away or freeze and enjoy as a quick supper at a later day. All you need is a few vegetables and some garlic to act as the base of your soup, some fresh herbs to give the flavors a kick up the bum and a good vegetable stock.

RAVISHING RED VELVET CAKE

You might look at this red velvet cake and think it doesn't particularly look like the bright red creations you might see up and down the land in cake shops and bakeries. This is because I think that they look quite gaudy and artificial. My take on the red velvet cake gives a more dark red appearance that is more in line with the chocolate flavor of the sponge. The vanilla cream cheese frosting that holds the two sponges together and adorns the top keeps things moist and scrummy making for a delightfully delicious afternoon treat.

TUSCAN STYLE SLOW COOKED BUTTER BEANS

I'm having a bit of a love affair with butter beans at the moment. Ever since I used them in my Thai Veggie patties and for my Tasty Thai Crab Cakes I've realized what an underrated gem they are. This recipe inspired by a Tuscan style of cooking uses just a few ingredients to make the beans the star of the show. By slow cooking the butter beans, they become really beautifully soft, creamy and infused with the flavors of garlic, sage and rosemary which they are simmered with. A fantastically simple recipe perfect for a lazy weekend.