Let's talk about FOOD.

MMMMMMmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMmmmm food. Not only do we need it to survive and that, but unlike things we need which we don't like (spoonfuls of cod liver oil, dry swallowing life saving pills etc), we also LOVE and ENJOY eating it!!!!!!!! It's actually win, win (is that how you write win win or win, win or win/win? answers on a postcard). So, yes we've established those two important facts about food...now I'm going to write generally about it.

Firstly, I've been growing some luscious salad and it's coming along nicely. LOOK, a forest of salad leaves:

Had some in a cheese sandwich the other day and it was a taste sensation. Keep your chlorine washed, watery iceberg, I'm chowing down on these peppery delights. Oh, second along in the bottom picture is some spinach and then the one right at the back is a batch of spring onions but they are taking their sweet time in growing.

Moving on and Hoorah and hooray for strawberries, my most favourite fruit in the whole wide world. Some have been growing in a little pot in the garden and I sampled four tiny ones that were very sweet and of course, delicious.

Things I like to do with strawberries include: eating them with ice cream, cream or dipped in chocolate. Using them as an ingredient in eton mess or pavlova. EATING THEM.

It's recipe time!!!! You lucky lot, I bet you didn't think you were going to get a present in the form of a recipe did you?!!! I made this scrummy dinner last night and it is absolutely fantastic because it's super quick but super yummy at the same time. MMMMMMMMMM, I'm caught in the memory of a satisfying evening meal...and you could be too if you follow the steps below! It's from the Innocent Cookbook (which you really should buy, its so full of good ol' fruit and veg you'll getting to five a day without breaking a sweat) and this is what you'll need for SAUSAGE AND SQUASH MASH (serves 4):


8 good-quality pork sausages (Southampton people, we are talking Robinson's Butchers in Bassett).
2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges.
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard.
2 tablespoons runny honey.
a good splash of apple juice.
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into small chunks.
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks.
extra virgin olive oil.


Preheat your oven to 200 degrees/400 fahrenheit/gas mark 6.

Put the sausages inot a baking tray and add the apple wedges.

Mix the mustard, honey and apple juice together in a small bowl, then pour over the sausages and apples and giver it a good stir.

Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, remembering to give the tray a decent shake halfway through to make sure everything is well coated.

While your sausages are cooking, bring a big pan of water to the boil. Add the squash and sweet potatoes, bring back to the boil, then turn down the heat and leave to simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender. Drain in a colander and return the veg to the pan.

Add a glug of olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and mash away.

Serve a generous scoop of squash mash piled up with the sausages, apples and sticky gravy.

NOW REJOICE IN A COLOURFUL, TASTY AND HEALTHY DINNNNNEEERRRRR!





BYYEEE.