Main meals

Cauliflower cheese topped cottage pie

02.20.2016 by georgie // 8 Comments

I’m back!

I’ve been away from here for a shockingly long time and my excuses are many – I really need to learn multitask. The main reason though is a good one though, I swear, I’ve written a book! (Chances are you’ve come via Instagram and you probably already know that, but just in case…). Yes, a book, a real life cookbook. I’ve wanted to write cookbooks for years now, it really is a lifelong dream come true, and I’m beyond thrilled to say it’ll be released on 9th June this year. It’s called ‘Stirring Slowly – recipes to restore and revive’, and it’s all about comforting, calming cooking – food that will make you feel good from the inside. No faddy diets or overly fussy recipes, just proper home cooking that will reconnect you to the kitchen. You can preoder it on amazon already, or just have a nosey at the (gold foiled!) cover:

Stirring Slowly: Recipes to Restore and Revive

I’m sure over the next few months I’ll be including more on Stirring Slowly, cheeky extracts and pictures, behind the scenes stuff, but for now a recipe that could easily have made it into the book. A comforting and warming classic, with a twist.

Cottage pie and greens

I’ll often ask Pete if there’s anything he fancies for dinner during the week and this week brought a new dish to our household: the humble cottage pie. By new, I just mean for us, it’s not something that frequents the Hayden dinner table, especially as I tend to opt for lamb (shepherd’s) over beef (cottage). Happy to oblige off I went, adamant I’d make him something incredible (and better than the one he gets from his favourite lunch spot – Fuzzy’s). The result was a classic cottage pie, with a cheesy cauliflower mash on top – a combination of 2 of Pete’s favourite dishes. Serve with a little English mustard and you’re winning.

Ps Exciting times, the website is about to get a make over. Please bear with me while it undergoes some changes.

Read on for recipe…

Crispy pork and chilli egg fried rice

05.11.2015 by georgie // 2 Comments

Happy Monday!

We’ve just got back from a week in Tulum and I’m pretty jet-lagged. Thankfully I’ve got a day at home to sort through a tonne of photos (expect a Mexico picture post next!) and reflect on all the amazing things we have seen and done this last week, it was an incredibly inspiring trip.

May is proving to be a difficult month for us, a lot of memories and a lot of build up to Archie’s birthday. There was some serious soul searching whilst we were away, a lot of reflection and we made some resolutions about what we’d like to do differently when we get home. There aren’t lots but it’s quality over quantity, and things that are achievable. Small things like waking up earlier, make time every week to exercise together (like we were doing before, we’ve been slack), small changes that will make a big difference. My weekly shop is one of those resolutions. When I first started cooking again in the early days, doing my weekly shop and meal planning gave me such a sense of achievement. I felt good knowing I was doing the best I could by feeding us well, as well as relaxing by spending time in the kitchen.

Pork chilli egg fried rice — Pork and chilli egg fried rice

So today I did my first weekly shop. Lots of fruit and veg, organic yoghurts for breakfast, tea smoked fish for a seasonal asparagus salad, ham hocks for our favourite hash, chicken to have with mole sauce… For lunch today however I wanted something comforting and homely (although it is supposedly warm by UK standards, I’m not convinced – I’m not bringing the Birkenstocks back out just yet). Read more…

Easter Kleftiko

04.03.2015 by georgie // 4 Comments

Happy Good Friday!

Today I’m off to my Yiayia’s house to do some traditional Greek Easter baking, the highlight of Easter time for me. Our Easter isn’t until next week, but there is a lot to be done and that means tonnes of prep (my grandma doesn’t do things by halves – hundreds of breads, pastries and biscuits. Basically enough to feed the entire London Greek Cypriot community). Cooking with her is sheer joy, no measuring or precision, everything by eye and instinctive. It’s loud and fun and utter chaos. My favourite time of year!

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to shoot a Greek Cypriot Easter story for Jamie Magazine, with my gorgeous grandparents and sister, cooking all the traditional foods and hanging out with them all day. Essentially what we do normally but in front of a camera, they loved it. So, today I’m posting an oldie but a goodie for you. A traditional (but with a twist) kleftiko recipe, that is perfect for Easter Sunday. And hopefully in time for you all to add to your shopping list to make this weekend.

Continue for recipe…