We sneaked off for a wintery weekend in Cheddar Gorge recently on a risky no-booking jaunt. These can go horribly wrong or you can find yourself in a hitherto unsuspected gem, which is just what happened this time. We found ourselves in the tourist office in Shepton Mallet as our first port of call and the town itself didn’t look too promising. But we were directed to Bowlish House, not only a gorgeous C18th manor house, but a restaurant with rooms offering an excellent vegetarian menu!  As this was a sneaky quick trip, I didn’t remember my camera, so please excuse the phone camera quality!

BowlishHouse

The owners were still fairly new, having moved back to the UK after running a place in France, but they had perfected a warm welcome and found great local produce for the kitchen.  The vegetarian menu was imaginative and prepared with great care.  Our vegetarian breakfast the next morning rounded off a lovely stay.

BowlishBedroomSm

heart biscuits 1sm

Happy Valentines Day!

No matter whether you’re entertaining that special someone, or treating yourself to celebrate being single, you might as well make sure the food is good!

A trawl of the web suggested this wonderful menu to me, begun, of course, with champagne…

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Champagne cocktails from the BBC

pumpkin-ravioli

Pumpkin Ravioli from the Vegetarian Society

cherry choc

Jamie Oliver’s Cherry and Chocolate Cheesecake

As January fast approaches, we all start to think about healthy diets and how to fulfill those new year resolutions!  This recipe is one of those with all the benefits of good food and none of the pain, as it takes a disgustingly healthy ingredient (chard) and adds sweetness, flavour and fun.  I got the recipe from Denis Cotter and his wonderful book, Wild Garlic, Gooseberries and Me, but as always didn’t have quite the right ingredients, so made a few adjustments.  Denis Cotter serves this dish stirred into couscous, but it was a delicious light lunch served with quinoa, and made a great side dish to sausages and mash!

Here’s to a wonderful, healthy and tasty 2013!

Chardsm

Chard with Raisins, Pine Nuts and Lemon

85g (3oz) raisins
1kg (2 1/4 lb) chard, including stalks
Olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
A little stock or water

First toast the pine nuts if not already done.  Then soak the raisins in just enough water to cover them for 10 minutes.

Separate the chard leaves and stalks.  Slice the stalks across about 5mm (1/4in) thick.  Cook the leaves in boiling water for 5 minutes, until soft, drain and rinse under cold running water.

Heat some olive oil in a large pan and cook the chard stalks, onion and garlic for 5 minutes over a medium heat.  Add the spices and cook for a few minutes more, then stir in the chard leaves, pine nuts and the raisins in their soaking liquid.  Add a little stock or water if necessary to keep the dish moist.  Add the lemon zest and juice, and season with salt and pepper.

 

Christmas Cookies

A Very Merry and Delicious Christmas and a Happy New Year from Offmotorway!

bizzielizziesOne more (rather belated) word about Swansea, while we’re at it.  We discovered a restaurant on our last trip that was new to us, but which has been serving the city for 25 years.  Bizzie Lizzies is very friendly to vegetarians, with a choice of four main dishes, as well as starters.  The Moroccan Filo Parcel was excellent, with wonderful layers of flavours in every mouthful.  The Wild Mushroom Strogonoff was serious comfort food, creamy and filling.  They are currently doing a Christmas menu, and say they are doing a daily veggie offering as they try and cook with the seasons and what they have available.

Bizzie Lizzies, 55 Walters Road, Swansea SA1 5PY

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Early Vegetarian Recipes – A history of vegetarian food through the recipes.

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