Growing up, meal times were quite the event in our house. We always sat around the table to eat, (unless Mum was away and then Dad would let us have fish and chips in front of the TV) the 6 of us, congregating and discussing our days. Someone would be chief table-setter, something my oldest brother managed to get out of, on the excuse that he didn’t like the noise of the cutlery clanging together! Someone else would get the drinks, another would help hold the plates while Mum served up the food. Sometimes there would be tantrums, storming off upstairs, but mostly it was good old-fashioned chit-chat. Proper family dinner times. I am grateful to of had those times, and ‘proper’ mealtimes are still important to me now. To know you have that half an hour where you can focus on each other, check in and catch up. To be fully focussed on listening to voices, and tasting the food on your plate. It is something that seems to be a luxury that many of us don’t take the time to do anymore.

Back to those mealtimes, after the feast, there would always be pudding. Oh, the puddings. Crumbles, chocolate sponges, ginger orange cream pies, and cheesecakes, lots of cheesecakes. The zestiest lemon cheesecake my mouth ever did taste. Not baked, just chilled and rich, creamy and fruity. My sister has carried on the cheesecake repertoire and is doing my Mum proud. Where there is a Davy meal, there will most likely be cheesecake.

This creation is an ode to those mealtimes. The Matcha in this gives it an awesome green colour, the lime a refreshing citrus kick, and the coconut adds a smooth creamy texture.

This recipe does require a bit of planning the day before, read over it and get everything soaking / chilling the night before. Then the next day will be easy! Don’t be put off by the list of ingredients either, it’s worth it.

Matcha and Lime Cheesecake (v) (gf)

Ingredients:

For the base:
100g cashews
100g walnuts
1 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
150g pitted dates (soaked for 10 mins in boiling water)
1 tsp raw cacao powder
1 tsp date syrup

For the filling:
150g cashews (soaked for at least 2 hours – best to soak the night before)
100g brazil nuts (soaked with cashews)
2 limes
1 tin coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)
1 tsp Matcha powder (I used Teapigs)
1 tsp arrowroot powder (I tried this recipe with, and without arrowroot. It works without, but doesn’t set so well. Don’t panic if you don’t have it, just leave it longer to chill before eating)
Pinch salt

METHOD

For the base, blitz your cashews and walnuts in a food processor with the cacao powder, until crumbly.

Add the rest of the base ingredients, and pulse until mix starts to stick together. It should stick together easily when pressed.

Line a round springform tin with greaseproof paper, push the base mix evenly into the bottom. Use a spatula / knife to make sure its quite compact.

Rinse your soaked nuts well under cold water.

Add all your filling ingredients to a high-speed blender, blend for a few minutes. You want the mix to be very smooth with no bits of nuts.

Pour mix into your tin, covering the base.

Chill for a minimum of 4 hours, the longer the better. I put mine in the freezer for 3 hours and it was just about set.

Teapigs kindly sent me some Matcha to try. I was not paid for this post and my opinions are my own. I genuinely like Matcha and think it’s a great ingredient. 

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I know I say this a lot, but seriously where has this week gone? Time is going by at an alarming rate at the minute, I want to grab it by the reigns and pull it back, ever so slightly, to a gentle trot. My weeks are all blurring into one and it’s gonna be half way through the year in no time.

It’s been glorious in the South West this last week, blue skies and sunny days. Fields of green everywhere. Longer evenings, filled with music, friends and food outdoors. The kinda week you want to put in a bottle and keep forever. Long walks and fresh air make me the happiest. This life we lead on the water is a good one.

Spring is so refreshing, to see the end of the long winter. New life in the fields, lambs bounding around each other. Fresh vegetation blossoming and sprouting, ready for another British summer. Wild garlic taking over the woodlands, like an army surging over land.

Wild garlic is taking over my home county right now. Wafting its smell through the wind. On a run earlier this week, we stopped and foraged a big bag of it. What followed was two days of wild-garlic-in-everythannnggg-meals. From pesto, to infused oils and then to these scones. These scones are packing a punch full of flavour, perfect lunch addition or afternoon snack. Keep those vampires away. nb these scones are not recommended before a hot date – just saying.

Wild Garlic Scones (v)

Makes 6-8 scones

INGREDIENTS:

170g organic rye flour
40g organic wholemeal flour
100ml almond milk
5 wild garlic leaves (washed and patted dry)
5 tablespoons coconut oil
Handful of rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of sea salt

METHOD

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180 C

In a bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder and salt/pepper. Mix to combine.

Roughly chop the garlic leaves and add them into a food processor along with the dry ingredients.

Add the coconut oil to the mix and pulse for 30 seconds.

With the motor running, slowly pour in your milk. The mix should start to form a dough. Add a touch more milk if necessary.

Scoop out dough and place on a floured surface. Pat down into a firm circle shape, about 1-1.5 inch thick.

Using a knife, cut the dough into even pieces.

Place scones on a lined baking tray, spread apart slightly.

Bake for 15-20 mins, until they start to brown at the edges. Remove from oven and leave to cool. Spread with pesto, coconut oil or any other tasty treats.

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The sun is still shining in the West Country. Parks are rammed with passed out sun worshippers. Beer gardens are brimming with smiley cider faces. I’m going to leave it on that note and join those smiley, cider drinking, sun worshippers. Enjoy this weeks recipe friends!

Cookies are always a good idea. A must have lunch box addition. The best rucksack snack. Mid morning bite. Cookies are my favourite.

I’m really into nut flours at the moment. Yes, they are slightly more expensive than regular flour. But they provide much more flavour and protein to a recipe. Plus it means these little gems are gluten free!

Peanut and Chocolate Chunk Cookies (gf) (df)

Makes 6-8 Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

100g peanut flour (I used Sukrin)
Handful GF rolled oats
40g unrefined Muscavado sugar (can be light or dark)
100g dairy free 80% dark chocolate (crushed into small chunks)
2 eggs
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon date syrup (sub with maple syrup if you don’t have date)
2 tablespoons almond milk – if needed

METHOD

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180 C

In a bowl, mix flour, oats, baking powder, sugar and chocolate chunks.

Whisk together the eggs and the date syrup, for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Mix wet with dry, add a touch of milk if needed.

Chill cookie mix in fridge for 1 hour

Remove dough from fridge. Mould into balls and place on a lined baking tray, press down on the cookies to form circles about ½ inch thick.

Bake for 10-12 mins. Leave to cool fully before enjoying.

Sukrin kindly donated the flour for this recipe. Opinions are all mine.

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I feel I have been neglecting the blog recently. Not out of choice or dislike. But mainly because, life.

Life doesn’t stop for us, it doesn’t give us more time on the days we need to fit that extra errand in, or squeeze in one more hour to get that to-do list finished. Nope, selfish life just carries on. Days turn into nights too quickly and then it all starts again. Sometimes some things have to take a back seat for a day or so, unfortunately for us, we can’t give everything all our attention at once. Trying to find a happy balance in life can be difficult. It seems that as soon as you start giving one thing a bit more attention, something else niggles away needing your time. Multi-tasking everything with an even amount of love and effort isn’t something that comes easily. My mind swings from focussing wholly on one thing, to catapulting back and focussing on something else. I need to learn to balance all my loves in life, and make sure things don’t get left gathering cobwebs in the corner (ahem sorry yoga mat!)

So I’m sorry little blog, for leaving you abandoned for a week, not giving you the attention you deserve. But I’m still here, and I haven’t forgotten about you. Thanks for being my trusty friend and sticking by me.

This weeks recipe is an old favourite of mine. Shakshuka is a great breakfast, brunch and even lunch treat. Heck, I’d eat it all day if I could. This is a recipe for one, simply multiply ingredients if making it for more.

Here’s my take on this tasty tomato dish.

Shakshuka with Chickpeas (gf)

INGREDIENTS:

½ tin organic chopped tomatoes
½ red onion
1 small red chilli (I used scotch bonnet because I like it spicy, use which ever chilli you wish)
1 small garlic clove
1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout spice mix
1 egg
100g chickpeas (soaked overnight)
Sea salt + pepper
Parsley

METHOD

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 5 / 190 C

Peel and dice the onion. Add a bit of oil to a frying pan and add onion with salt and pepper.

Chop and de-seed chilli and add it to the pan with the onion. Fry on a low heat for 10 mins.

Add the Ras el Hanout to the pan and stir well.

Finely dice the garlic and add into the mix. Fry for another 5 mins.

Pour in the chopped tomatoes and add the chickpeas. Stir mix well and leave to simmer for a further 5 mins.

Pour tomato mix into a ovenproof dish and make a well in the centre. Crack egg into it and bake in the oven for 10 mins, until the egg has just cooked. You could do all of this on the hob in the same pan, however I prefer the consistency of the eggs baked, rather than poached in the pan.

Scatter with parsley and serve with crusty bread. Happy bellies.

I’m entering this dish into this month’s Breakfast Club – hosted by Andrea from Made with Pink and Sarah from Maison Cupcake

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The boat is currently moored in a nice secluded woody area, surrounded by humungous trees and fields of horses. It also appears to be a bit of a black hole, connection wise. No internet, no phone signal. Just me and my mind. It’s been both good and bad. I don’t like feeling disconnected. But I also know that this current world is full of too much information. My brain feels like a matrix of words and news sometimes, forever buzzing and processing all the information we have access to. Social media has made switching off and being present much harder. Anxiety levels are on the rise in everybody, because life has turned into one big popularity contest.

It scares me a lot, how much this world now relies on constant sources of information and technology. We’ve forgotten how to appreciate the simple things in life, like the birds singing their songs, fresh from their migration back to the UK, fields of yellow popping up as the warmer weather arrives, the crisp morning air. We need to revel in the marvel that is this beautiful planet. Put down that screen and look outside, and around you. Breathe life.

These bars are a great energy source, a vital addition to any lunchbox and a great snack for that afternoon stroll through the countryside. They’re also free of all the rubbish that you get in store bought bars.

Ever so slightly adapted from this fantastic one

Banana and Blueberry Granola Bars (v) (gf)

Makes 8-10 bars

INGREDIENTS

2 very ripe bananas
3 tablespoons almond butter (homemade or you can use pre-bought, I love this one)
80ml date syrup
Large handful blueberries
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon hemp protein powder (I used this one)
200g gluten free rolled oats
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
Handful cacao nibs
Handful pumpkin seeds

METHOD

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180 C

Line a baking tray with baking paper, and then grease it with coconut oil / EVOO

In a food processor, combine bananas, almond butter, coconut oil, date syrup, half of the blueberries, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix until completely combined and you have a thick paste mixture.

In a frying pan, gently toast the nuts and seeds for 3-5 minutes, until slightly brown. Leave to cool. Once cooled, roughly chop the nuts.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, hemp powder, chia seeds, coconut, cacao nibs, the rest of the blueberries and toasted nut/seeds.

Stir the banana paste mix into the oat mix and combine.

Pour mix into your lined tray. Push down with a spatula to ensure mixture is evenly packed.

Bake for 30-40 mins, until lightly golden. These bars are quite soft, if you wish for them to be slightly crunchier, then bake for 10-15 more mins, but keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!

Leave to cool for 10 mins, then tip onto wire rack and let cool completely.

These will keep (in a sealed tub) for around a week.

Like these granola bars? Try these ones too:

Bad Ass Breakfast Bars from Happy Hearted Kitchen

Chilli Peanut Butter Granola Bars from Planet Veggie

Oaty No-Bake Bars from BakingQueen74

Smoked Chilli Energy Bars from Tin and Thyme

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I’ve come to the conclusion, that at the ripe age of 26, I am a grown up. This revelation came to me when I was stood in my local whole foods store, amongst the quinoa and coconut oil. There I was, amongst this amazing array of colourful veg, beautiful nuts, and the best selection of whole-grains, and I was excited, so excited. The same kind of excitement that I used to get when I bought a new dress from Topshop, or a new pair of shoes (OK the latter still excites me). But now, going to the supermarket to stock up on supplies, this is my addiction. I love just looking around the shelves in stores, just to hunt out that new spice, or oil, to jazz up my dinner. Sometimes I’ll just walk around the isles, knowing I don’t need to buy anything, but just walking around, to take it all in. The local market man laughs at me sometimes, because some days I just go and look at his daily selection of produce, just to absorb its wonderfulness, he and I knowing that I stocked up on it all, just the day before. Yes, this is what it must feel like to be a grown up.

I caught up with some old school friends last week, who agreed with me that we must be ‘real’ grown ups now. Gone are our conversations of the latest fashion trend, or crazy tale from a wild club night. In their place now; which is the best vegetable brownie recipe? How else can we use tahini? And how the world food section in a certain supermarket is the a hidden gem and gold mine for worldwide treats.

I pretty much have food on my mind every minute I am awake. And most of my dreams are food related. As soon as I’ve finished a meal, I’m picturing my next snack or dish. It’s great. I’m one of those people who needs to eat pretty often. Snacking is pretty high up on my priority list. I get hungry super quickly, so need something healthy and energy-packed on hand at all times.

These energy balls combine some of my favourite snack foods – dates and nuts. Spirulina is packed full of vitamin B12 (good for those following a meat free diet). It’s also high in magnesium and iron, great for helping boost your immune system and keeping your nervous system in good nick.

This is a very rough recipe, throw whatever you feel like in.

Spirulina Energy Balls (v) (gf) (sf)

Makes 8-12

INGREDIENTS:

2 large handfuls of dates
1 tablespoon goji berries
100g cashews (any nuts will work)
50g pistachios
1 teaspoon Spirulina powder

Raw cacao powder / desiccated coconut – to roll balls in

METHOD

Place dates and goji berries in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 10 mins.

In a food processor, blitz the nuts until crumbly.

Drain the dates and goji berries, add to the food processor along with the Spirulina powder.

Pulse mixture for a few mins, until it forms a dough (you may need to stop and scrape mixture off sides)

Now for the fun messy bit.

Scoop small amounts of the dough mix with your hands, and roll mixture into balls. Roll a third of the balls in cacao powder, a third in coconut, and leave the last third as they are.

Store in a container in the fridge.

Super snacking is a go!

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This week seems to have been a pretty busy one. I’m not one for filling my diary with dinners, social events and brunches all day, every day. I don’t think I could call myself a social butterfly. I like to have at least 3 days a week, event free, just to know I can come back to the boat and relax. To come home and try out a new recipe, I like to have time to create in the kitchen and not feel rushed. Some days, I just like to flop down on our (albeit rather uncomfortable) sofa, put my feet up and CHILL. But not this week, it’s been crammed full with socialising, days to vintage markets by the seaside, and visiting friends who’ve had a new baby! It’s been great, but also exhausting. I used to hate being on my own, I feared the loneliness, the quiet. Now I embrace it.

I’m not used to this lifestyle, I’ve got an old soul and don’t like the fast-paced life. This morning I took myself out for a run in the sunshine, nice and early, before the Saturday crowds rose. Once back at the boat, I sat with my tea and completely zoned out for a good hour. It was like magic. Like readjusting that internal pendulum, to get it swinging back to your beat.

Chia seeds are so versatile, and have been getting more and more popular over the last few years. They are packed to the brim with nutrients, full of fibre and protein, and those amazing vitamins like potassium, zinc and vitamins B1, B2 and B3. What more could you want from a tiny little seed?

This Chocolate Chia seed pudding is such a great all-rounder. It’s creamy and decadent, but completely guilt free. Have it for breakfast, pudding, or keep a few pots in the fridge for a quick afternoon snack. It takes about 30 seconds to make, make it the night before and it’ll be good to go for breakfast the next day!

Chocolate Chia Pudding (v) (gf) 

Makes 2-4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

160g (½ cup) chia seeds
650ml hazelnut milk (any milk would work)
4 tablespoons raw cacao powder
½ banana

Optional toppings: Cacao nibs / goji berries / maple syrup / coconut yoghurt / chilli flakes 

METHOD

In a bowl, combine the seeds, milk and cacao powder. Whisk or mix really well, until fully combined.

Leave in an airtight container, in the fridge, overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Layer the banana at the bottom of a jar, pour the pudding on top and enjoy.

Don’t forget you can follow me on instagram –  tag #roughmeasures so I can see all your creations!

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6 months ago, I started this blog, as the result of an online WordPress course. I started it as a means to get me out of the hole I felt I was in. I needed something to focus on, to work towards. I had just had a fantastic summer of fun, working at festivals with some of my closest friends, then all of a sudden, the fun stops. I wasn’t really sure where I was going in life (and still am unclear) and felt I needed to do something to get me excited about things again.

Originally, once I had built the blog, I wasn’t planning on showing anyone. I was scared of the reaction, or lack of reaction. What if no-one ever looked at it? My photos weren’t as good as all the other blogs I read. Why would anyone want to read what I’d cooked the day before? What if it was a total flop and a waste of time? After a few weeks, I decided I had nothing to lose. I was willing to give it a shot. I loved having to think up new recipe ideas every week, and I’m pretty sure Charlie loved coming home to get to be the official taste tester. So I shared it with the world.

I thought, if I was lucky, I’d get maybe 10 views a day, all from family and friends. I never imagined that people from Australia and America and Canada would look at my site. It started slowly, but the more I wrote, the more people seemed to take an interest. I joined blogging pages on FB, communities on twitter and Instagram, and have met so many amazing people, purely just because I started this blog. It’s opening up doors for me, exciting projects, that I never thought I was ever capable of doing.

Yesterday, Rough Measures passed 10,000 views. 10,000 visits to my little space. I’m overwhelmed by it. I know there are other blogs who have more hits than that daily. But this is massive for me. I’m just a twenty-something girl, living on a boat in a small South-Western city, who needed something to keep her going.

So I just wanted to say Thank You. From the bottom of my food-loving-heart. Thanks for taking the time to view my recipes, to give me feedback, to share my page with others, liking my photos on Instagram, everything. You are all AMAZING. Here’s a virtual cookie to you all.

Summer is almost upon us, the weather is creeping up into the mid-teens (baby steps yeah, this is the UK guys), the sun is shining more days than not. The fields have that super green glow they get between spring and summer. Yep, summer is making itself known.

This tart is the perfect summer lunch, alfresco dinner or picnic plate option. Fresh and zesty, with tangy mint, it’s my new meal du jour.

I tried to make this vegan, but it just wasn’t holding the flavour that I was looking for. By all means make it with dairy-free milk, but I think the eggs are a necessity here.

I’m not gonna lie, I had a bit of a fight with my Mum’s big range oven on this one (give me my temperamental, tiny boat one any day, we’ve formed quite the relationship over this past year!). Eventually I got it pretty bang on. A tasty crunchy base, with that creamy, fresh filling.

Asparagus, Chard and Mint Buckwheat Tart

INGREDIENTS:

For the pastry:

300g buckwheat flour
Zest of 1 lemon
60ml extra virgin olive oil
100ml cold water
1 sprig fresh (or dried) rosemary
Pinch salt

For the filling:

1 bunch asparagus
1 large bunch Swiss Chard – roughly chopped and stalks discarded
1 shallot
2 large organic free range eggs
250ml buttermilk
Large bunch of mint
1 teaspoon coconut oil

METHOD

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 7  / 220 C

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, herbs and lemon zest. Slowly add olive oil. Then add water until a dough forms (you could do this in a food processor)

Roll out your dough onto a floured work surface. You want it about 1/3cm thick. Carefully lift it onto a 8-10″ tart / spring form tray.

Bake your crust for 5 – 7 mins (no need for baking balls) Remove from oven and set aside.

In a pan, heat the coconut oil, add the shallots and cook for 5 mins, stirring frequently. Add in the chopped chard and cook for 3 mins, until the chard has wilted. Set aside.

Chop about 1 inch from the bottom of the asparagus. Roughly peel the stalks to remove their tough skin.

Bring a shallow pan of water to the boil, add asparagus and boil for 4 mins, just enough to soften them up. Drain them in a colander.

Arrange your asparagus, onions and chard onto your pastry.

In a bowl, combine your eggs, buttermilk, lemon zest, chopped mint and S+P – whisk well and then pour into your tart. Make sure the asparagus aren’t sticking out too much, or they will catch and burn.

Bake in the oven for 25 mins, until your egg mixture has set.

Serve immediately, or leave to cool and enjoy cold.

Don’t forget, let me see your creations by tagging #roughmeasures – you can find me over on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest too!

Here’s some other tart inspiration for you all!

Herby Mushroom and Olive Oil Galette from Happy Hearted Kitchen

Leek, Mushroom and Goat’s Cheese Tart from Planet Veggie 

Tomato, Broccoli and Pea Puree Quiche from Tinned Tomatoes

Leek, Feta and Lemon Quiche from London Bakes

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This week started on a bit of a downer. We got news on Tuesday that our current house buying venture had fallen through. The seller changed their mind and decided not to sell. It felt seriously unfair and totally sucked. But, there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it, so I’m trying to stay positive and listen to the constant ‘It obviously wasn’t meant to be’. I do try to stick to the attitude that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes it’s a little hard to swallow though. But hey ho.

However, any house buying ventures are going to have to take a backseat for a few months. As we are OFF ON THE ROAD. The road of festivals. As I mentioned before, Charlie has set up an awesome Glamping business – Dreamcatcher Cabins – which he’s now ready to take to some festivals this summer. We’ll also be working for another great company who do a similar thing. I’m going to be the cook for the hungry staff. Making sure they’re fed and watered well, keeping those bellies happy and all cheeky grins stay grinning. So, recipes might be a little haphazard for a few months. I’m going to try my best, adapting my boat-kitchen skills over to caravan/tent-kitchen-cook-extraordinaire.

I’m counting on my little caravan oven to be as lovingly, tempramental-yet-somehow-still-works as the boat oven. That if I whisper sweet nothings to it (what, none of you talk to your oven?!), it will bake me that perfect cookie, or doughy loaf of bread. It’s going to be an adventure, please do join me!

Now, onto more pressing matters.

This smoothie-juice concoction that I like to call Crush. Tangy pineapple with fiery ginger. Perfect to get that morning energy flowing, kick that hangover out the door, and face the day head on. And if someone were to add a splash of rum into the mix on a hot summers evening, who the hell am I to argue? Take a sip and imagine you are on that desert island in the sunshine.

Pineapple and Ginger Crush (v) (gf)

INGREDIENTS:

Half a pineapple – peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
500ml coconut water – coconut milk would work here too

METHOD

Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender, blend for 1 minute.

Pour into glass (over ice / add rum if desired) and enjoy.

This crush is quite frothy, you may want to let the juice sit for an hour, or just embrace it!

Don’t forget, you can follow my adventures throughout the summer over on my Instagram!

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So here I am. Currently watching the sunset from our caravan desk, on week one of our nomad summer. It’s been a glorious few days here on the Isle of Wight. The sun has been out in full force, welcoming us to our new dwelling. I feel like I am at my best when I am outside, with the dewy grass between my toes, and the wildlife all around.

Adapting to the new surroundings is a little unsettling, although we are used to changing scenery every few weeks due to cruising the boat around the canals. It’s still a challenge. But challenges are good, I truly feel they are designed so we can be the very best version of ourselves.

Setting up my little kitchen unit takes a while! I’m one of those people who panics if things aren’t in their rightful place. Everything needs to be just so, and I can get a little cranky until it’s that way. Another little test is doing the grocery shop. I’m pretty sure I covered at least 2 miles in the supermarket today. To-ing and fro-ing between the isles, trying to make sure I’d remembered everything, and all the while trying to push one trolley and pull another. Shopping for 30 is quite the experience!

Peas and me haven’t always been the best of friends. My mum loves to tell the story of when I was little in my high chair flicking them off my plate, one by one, kindly telling them to piss off. It’s taken me quite a long time, but I’m starting to get used to eating them. However, I still need that bit of mint to hide the full on pea taste! Baby steps guys, baby steps.

This weeks recipe is a great summer addition. Perfect for those picnics in the park, or dinners on the patio al fresco. Easy to transport and a light, fresh picnic hamper must have. Plus it’s quick to put together.

Pea and Mint Hummus (v) (gf)

INGREDIENTS:

Large handful peas (I used fresh, but frozen would also work)
150g chickpeas (soaked overnight and cooked / tinned and drained)
3 large sprigs of mint – stalks discarded
1 lemon – zested
70ml extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove – finely chopped

METHOD:

First, shell your peas, discard the shells and keep the peas to one side.

Bring a small pan of water to the boil, cook the peas for 4 mins. Drain and leave to one side.

Add the chickpeas, cooled peas, oil, garlic, lemon zest into your blender. Squeeze in half of the lemon juice. Blend for 2 mins, until smooth.

Feel free to add salt and pepper if you wish.

Here are some more alternative hummus recipes from my blogger friends:

Sun Dried Tomato Hummus from Happiness is Homemade

Hummus with Peanut Butter from Fab Food 4 All 

Roasted Red Cabbage Hummus from Recipes from a Pantry

Wild Garlic Hummus from Foodie Quine

Kale Coriander and Hemp Hummus from Tinned Tomatoes

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Well, this week has sped by quicker than an olympic cyclist! I’ve been in this field for nearly two weeks now, and am ready for a change of scenery! The build went so quickly, will all the crew working so hard, and eating so much! We’ve had almost 100% good weather, with the exception of a pretty magnificent storm on Friday night. It really chucked it down, and totally washed the festival out for the night! Luckily the sun came back out on Saturday and normality was quickly restored.

I’m writing this on the last day of the festival (Sunday), and all the festival goers seem to be using up their last energy reserves, for the final push, to see the end of the festival out in style. I don’t know how they do it, one night is enough for me! But they’re still dancing and singing like it’s only their first night. We watched Blur last night, seeing 30,000 people jump around to ‘Park Life’ was awesome. Fleetwood Mac are closing the festival this evening, I can’t wait, the whole crew has been playing them non stop this last week! Just need to find myself some of that energy!

We had a little day out yesterday, driving along the island’s south coast. I like to explore the areas around the festival while we are here. There’s so much of Britain that I’ve not seen, so I’m always up for a day trip. We found this lovely cafe in a small village called Freshwater. We both went for the mezze board, and it was incredible. If you’re ever on the Isle of Wight, check out The Piano Cafe, it’s a must, plus; their lager is the tastiest thing ever!

Recipes might take a slightly simpler approach for the next few months, to say I’m a little restricted to what I can do with my caravan is an understatement. But they’ll still be full of flavour and hopefully make you want to run to your kitchen and get cooking!

This smoothie bowl is a welcome start to a sunny day. Packing in those vitamins and getting you nice and hydrated before a days galavanting around fields. Papayas and mangos seem to be at their tastiest at the moment, perfectly juicy and soft. Happy Summer ya’ll.

A Simple Summer Smoothie Bowl (v) (gf)

INGREDIENTS:

1 papaya
1 mango
100ml coconut water
3 tablespoons dairy-free coconut yoghurt

METHOD

Peel and deseed the papaya and mango. Chop into pieces and add a high speed blender.

Add in the yoghurt and coconut water.

Blitz until smooth. Pour into a bowl and scatter with toppings such as chia seeds / flax seeds / blueberries / strawberries etc.

Don’t forget to upload your creations to instagram and tag #roughmeasures

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Well, we’ve landed at Worthy Farm. Home of the legendary Glastonbury Festival. The festival of all festivals. The big daddy.
The actual festival doesn’t kick off for another few days, but we got here last week, and have been busy creating our little Glamping village. The days have been long and exhausting, but are fulfilling. Seeing 30 empty plates after mealtimes certainly makes it all worth it.

I’ve managed to grab a cheeky 10 minutes to get this post sorted, so will get straight to it. Enjoy this sunshine lovelies, get outside and explore!

This recipe is an all time favourite of mine. I have been known to demolish half a tray of this tasty cups in under 30 minutes. Yeah… for real guys!
I love mixing up the flavour combinations, adding a little dried chilli works magic. I opted for 3 different fillings here; peanut butter, almond butter, and a chewy date mix.

Salted Nut Cups (gf) (v)

Makes 6-9 cups

INGREDIENTS:

For the chocolate cups:

300g 85% organic dark chocolate (dairy free)
3 tablespoons cold pressed coconut oil
Large pinch Himalayan pink salt

Peanut butter filling:

Large handful peanuts (toasted if you have time)
1 teaspoon EVOO

Almond Butter filling:

Large handful almonds (toasted if you have time)
1 teaspoon EVOO

Chewy Date filling:

Handful Medjool dates (pitted and soaked in boiling water for 5 mins)
20g cashews
30g goji berries
1 teaspoon agave syrup

METHOD

Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cases.

Place chocolate, coconut oil and salt in a saucepan over a very low heat. Gently melt the mixture, stirring often. As soon as it has melted, remove it from the heat.

Pour enough melted chocolate into the muffin cases just to cover the bottom of the case. Swirl the chocolate around each case so it covers the side slightly. You should only use around a ¹⁄₃ of the chocolate mix.

Place tray in the fridge for 1 hour.

While the chocolate cup bases are cooling, you can make your fillings.

For the nut mixes;

Add nuts and oil to a high speed blender, blend until a butter like consistency. This may take 10 mins. Make sure to stop and scrape down the sides. Add a little more oil if necessary. The nut mix will go quite dusty at first, keep blitzing to release their oils.

Once you’ve got to the right consistency, scrape your nut butters into bowls and set to one side.

For the chewy date mix;

Drain your soaked dates. Add to a food processor along with the cashews, goji berries and agave.

Blitz for a couple of minutes, until a sticky mixture forms.

Once you cup bases have cooled and solidified, remove them from the fridge.

Take each filling and add a dollop of each into separate cases – I did 3 of each mixture.

Using the back of a spoon or your fingers, flatten the mixture over the chocolate – try to leave a couple of millimetres away from the case edge.

Get the remanding chocolate mix from the saucepan – you may need to quickly melt it again. Pour it evenly over the cups and their fillings.

Place cups back in fridge overnight, or at least 4 hours.

Let me know if you’ve made my recipes over on Instagram and tag #roughmeasures

You can also keep up to date with my summer on the road, over on twitter

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Hey friends. This weeks post is a little different. Having spent the last 10 days working at Worthy Farm and dancing my little boots off, I didn’t get time to get a recipe together for you. But panic not, they’ll be back next week. For the time being, enjoy these photos of the festival.

We had so much fun, exploring the many fields of the festival. Some highlights were:

• An amazing fire / acrobat / arial dance show from the Arcadia stage crew on Friday night.
• Seeing Mr Eavis himself, driving his red Land Rover though William’s Green and waving to the cheering crowds.
• Hula-hooping away our hangovers in the Circus Field
• Watching the sunset over the festival from the Glastonbury Sign on the hill.
• Dancing to Plump DJs in the awesome Temple Stage
• An amazing Lebanese mezze plate on Sunday evening
• All the amazing bands and artists that we got to see over the 5 days.

The view from Worthy View hill

—————————————————————————————-

Some things I’m loving this week:

My new rucksack from Poler

The delicious mezze plate we had from these guys at Glastonbury

This summery spelt salad

This Pimm’s cocktail is just so refreshing

The best coconut shampoo, which is saving my dried out locks

Don’t forget to follow my adventures over on Instagram and Twitter

The post Glastonbury Round Up + Some Links appeared first on .

Every summer, I have an epiphany. Fuelled by my ongoing wanderlust. I wake up and want to explore. I want to go on adventures. I want to jump in a car and drive to the mountains and climb to the highest peak. I want to find a fresh water fall and shower in it. I want to feel the coastal sand between my toes. I want to ride the biggest wave in Cornwall. Climb the biggest tree in Wales. I want to go on road trips to everywhere and nowhere. Just hop in the car and drive. My unwritten bucket list is forever expanding in my mind. Increasing with the lists of others that I read all over the web. I want to do it ALL, all the time.

I get serious envy at all the adventures plastered over Instagram and Facebook. Snow capped peaks in the Rockies. Endless strips of sand on the south coast. Crystal clear oceans and diamond starry skies.

Then I sit back, take a deep breath and I look around. I breath it all in, I drink it in; my surroundings, the smell of the air, the light. It took me a long time to realise I AM living those adventures. My current view is a long strip of Scottish hills, rolling green fields, more different shades of green than I think I’ve ever seen. And the hundreds of swallows, those jittery sweet little things, swooping around.

I get to explore a different area of the UK every week this summer. THIS IS AN ADVENTURE. I wake up outside, I cook outside, I live outside, heck, I pretty much wash outside. What an amazing opportunity that is.

I whipped up this dip to go with one of the crew lunches this week. Their meals are pretty heavy on the meat side most of the time, so I try to sneak in some extra veggies wherever I can, but shhhh, don’t tell them.

Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Dip (v) (gf)

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 red peppers
300g chickpeas (soaked and cooked or tinned will work)
Handful fresh basil
2 teaspoons Ras El Hanout
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice from half a lemon
S+P

METHOD

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5 / 190 C

First, roast your red peppers. Lay whole peppers on a baking tray and place in the oven for 20 mins. Until the skins start to char black. Remove from oven and leave to cool slightly.

Once the peppers are cool enough to touch, rub off their blackened skin. I sometimes do this in a bowl of cool water as I find it helps the skin ease off.

Once you have removed the skin, de seed the peppers and remove their stalk.

Add the peppers, along with all the other ingredients into a food processor. Blend until smooth, around 3 mins.

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“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure.”

This week was spent avoiding the festival as much as possible. Most of the gigs we do are so fun and full of like-minded, friendly, happy people. There are a couple however, which aren’t as fun for us. They’re more like big funfairs with the odd bit of music. Not our bag I’m afraid. It doesn’t help when it’s pretty wet and windy and the site turns into a mud bath. Some people are happy to embrace the madness, to really get involved, but I decided to sit this one out. I’m still catching up on sleep from Glastonbury and it was a good excuse to chill. Down time was spent mostly in the caravan watching back-to-back episodes of this, and exploring, lots of exploring.

On Friday, I decided to head over to the West coast of Scotland to visit some family friends who have recently re-located from the South up here. It was such a beautiful drive through the hills over to their new home. A night away in a real bed with a hot bath was just the ticket. They have the most amazing view over the atlantic; out to the Isle of Bute and Arran. We caught up over a dinner and a glass of red. It was good to eat from a table and not my lap. The next morning we took a little tour of the village, snooping in the antiques shop (in a shipping container by the shore!) and guzzled tea in the local cafe. After lunch back at theirs, it was time for me to head back to the craziness.

Sunday was another adventure day. As soon as we woke we were plotting an escape for the day. Scouring the map for possible endless hikes. We settled on the hills around Loch Earn. Picnics were packed, smoothies were bottled, extra layers loaded into bags and we were off. We found ourselves a nice little footpath that took us up towards this point. However, Scotland being Scotland, it started to get pretty wild the further up we got. We settled on a peak about halfway up, took in the view, then found a nice sheltered spot to re-fuel before heading back down. C is the perfect adventure companion. Egging us on to go higher and pushing me up the steep bits when I start to wobble. Plus, he brings chocolate.

We’ve made a pact to make sure we go on more adventures this autumn. To keep our hearts happy and our minds excited.  No matter the weather, just pick a place and head there. With a good chocolate stash.

Scotland wasn’t exactly bathing in sunshine this week, but you don’t need sunshine for an excuse to eat ice cream. This ice cream isn’t your perfect soft scoop ideal. Think of it more as rustic blobs, overflowing with flavour. That kicks any picture-perfect soft scoop outa the park. I made this slightly too spicy the first time around, so it’s important to pick a mild chilli here.

Coconut, Chilli and Basil Ice Cream (V) (GF)

INGREDIENTS:

1 tin full fat coconut milk
Half a green chilli – medium spice
Handful of basil leaves

METHOD

Roughly chop the chilli and basil leaves.

Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend for 2 mins.

Pour mixture into a freezer-proof container and place in freezer for minimum 4 hours.

The post Coconut, Chilli and Basil Ice Cream appeared first on Rough Measures.

After the mud fest came the calm. We left Scotland on Tuesday and drove back down into England. We literally left the rain at the Scottish border. We headed to Lancaster for a few days to catch up with Charlie’s family, who we don’t get to see often enough. I have been to that area a handful of times now, and every time I go the sky is as dark as slate, fields getting soaked in the Northern downpours. I make a joke every time we drive North that way, because the sky grows darker and darker the nearer we get, that it really does always rain up North. Expectations were low on the weather front, but the closer we got to our destination, the sunnier it was getting. This, was pure luck. We enjoyed this luck exploring waterfalls and trails around the area. Catching up with his family and enjoying long, rested nights in a real bed.

Now, well rested after a lovely few days back on our beloved boat, we are getting ready for another festival filled couple of weeks. All caught up on sleep and rest. It’s funny how you don’t realise how tired you are until you stop. Your body keeps pushing on through the long ass days and keeps you going. Like the good machine that it is. I had a to-do list the size of my arm this weekend, but as soon as I plonked my butt on the sofa, I knew that it just wasn’t gonna happen. Orange is the New Black and Kardashians were all of a sudden top priority. Yup, my body was on time out mode.

I did muster up the energy to get a little baking in. Stopping off at my parents for a night I was treated to a garden overflowing with juicy goodies. Mainly raspberries, oh the raspberries. My parents were out-of-town so I figured I’d help them with the gardening and got a big tub load of those red babies to bring home with me. All in the name of recipe testing Mum! Paired with some delicious peaches from the market and this glorious galette was born.

Balsamic Peach and Raspberry Galette (V) (GF)

INGREDIENTS:

For the pastry:

200g buckwheat flour
3 tablespoons peanut flour – or any nut flour
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
Pinch sea salt
3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
6 tablespoons cold water

For the filling:

2 peaches – slightly firm is best
2 large handfuls raspberries
1 large handful blueberries
5 mint leaves – roughly chopped

For the balsamic glaze:

2 tablespoons date syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)

1 tablespoon almond milk

METHOD

Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 4 / 180 C

In a bowl, mix your dry pastry ingredients. Add the coconut oil and mix with a knife to create breadcrumb-like bits. Slowly add the water and use your hands to form a dough. If too dry, add extra water to the dough.

Once you have formed your dough, cover it and let it sit in the fridge for 30 mins.

While the dough chills, make your syrup. In a saucepan over a low heat, combined all syrup ingredients and stir well. Bring to a low bubble, stirring regularly. Once the mixture has thickened, leave to once side – it will thicken up more as it cools.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Grab your dough from the fridge and roll it out into a rough circle. I did mine about half a centimetre thick.

Using a spatula or spoon, spread out an even coating of your syrup all over the dough.

Cut your peaches into segments and arrange them on the dough, leaving about 2 inches border around the edge. Scatter raspberries and blueberries over the peaches. Drizzle more syrup over the fruit.

Gently fold in your dough border. Don’t worry it the pastry is a bit delicate, you can stick it back down with your fingers easily.

Rub almond milk onto the bare bits of pastry crust.

Place in oven and cook for 30-35 mins, until the pastry starts to brown.

Serve warm with a dollop of coconut cream

The post Balsamic Peach and Raspberry Galette appeared first on Rough Measures.

First of all, an apology. When I started this blog I wanted to make sure consistency was key. That at least once a week, I would share a new creation with you all. I picked Monday as it felt like a good pick me up on a day that most people don’t like. I was strict on myself to get the recipe sorted and ready to go live every Monday. Beating myself up and stressing if by Sunday evening I hadn’t got it fully sorted. However, let me into a little secret, sometimes, every now and again, things happen that mean you can’t get that thing sorted in time. It’s a little thing called life. I battle with it a lot, a tug of war that I try to win in those last moments. But sometimes, life wins. It gives an enormous pull in that last millisecond. You can’t be a superhero, juggling everything at once. Sometimes life doesn’t want you to. So, I am sorry that I missed a week of blogging, and that this post is overdue. But hey, good things come to those who wait, right?

I’ve not been feeling myself the last couple of weeks. Exhaustion has kicked in, in what is now our mid-point through this summer of festival work. The days are relentlessly long and it’s catching up with me. My auto pilot needs a rest. Blogging has been my quiet time, my personal space. When you don’t feel yourself it’s real difficult to find the right words to get down into this blank void. I didn’t want to write something half-hearted or negative, nor did I want to force words and feelings that just were not there for a little while. I needed to re-align myself and get my head feeling all ‘me’ again.

I am sat writing this in a pub in Dorset, with a window view out to the sea at Lulworth Cove, on a bright blue summers day. It’s certainly helping me feeling more alive again. I mean, you guys, it’s so gorgeous.

I created these gooey, fudgey chocolate squares a few weeks ago, and have been itching to share the recipe since. I really want to make them over and over again, but we don’t have a freezer for a couple of weeks, so I will just have to drool over these photos and reminisce!

Raw Chocolate Fudge Squares (gf) (v)

INGREDIENTS:

For the base:

1 cup medjool dates
100g ground almonds
Handful of hazelnuts
Handful of raisins
2 tbsp ground flax-seed
4 tbsp raw cacao powder

For the fudge mix:

4 bananas
2 tbsp agave syrup (or maple if you don’t have agave)
6 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp peanut butter
6 tbsp raw cacao powder

METHOD

Soak the dates and raisins in very warm water for 30 mins.

Once soaked, drain and add both into a food processor along with the rest of the base ingredients. Mix for a couple of minutes, until fully combined.

Line a baking dish with cling film. Press the base mix evenly into the tray, use your hands or a spatula to make sure to get right to the edges.

Add all topping ingredients into the food processor. Mix until runny and smooth.

Pour your topping mix in the tray over the base.

Optional – shave over some raw dark chocolate

Freeze for 4 hours, or overnight if possible.

Remove from the freezer 30 mins before eating.

Here’s some other no-bake recipes which I love:

Raw Chocolate Truffles from Tin and Thyme

Chocolate Coconut Bounty Protein Bites from Kerry Cooks

Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge from Celery and Cupcakes

I’m entering this into Tin and Thyme’s We Should Cocoa challenge for August 2015.

The post Raw Chocolate Fudge Squares appeared first on Rough Measures.

I have been pretty horizontal for the past couple of days. My feet, undeniably ‘put up’ – on the sofa, on the bed, or the grass. Rest is such an undervalued pleasure. We constantly push ourselves to make the most of the hours left in the day. Making sure we get as much as possible done. Why is it more of an achievement to hurtle through life, wearing ourselves down? I feel I’m winning when I rest. Rest is good for the soul. Rest does not make you weak, it empowers you to live a longer, stronger life. So yeah, I’ve done ziddly squat these last couple of days, and it feels fantastic!

I did however, let my much-needed-rest-time be interrupted by a little walk. Charlie had given me the heads up that there was a blackberry bush near the boat, overflowing with juicy fruits. I took my tub and off I trotted to find this berry oasis. And oh boy, he wasn’t wrong. Hundreds and hundreds of fat, plump blackberries, dangling from their thorns, waiting to be plucked. I was there for a good 45 minutes, scrambling around and under their bushes. Trying not to get spiked to death or end up with 100 thorn splinters. One such thorn took a good 10 minutes to dig out of my thumb, much to the amusement of the nearby railway workers. Who’s laughing now guys?!

I now have more blackberries than I honestly know what to do with, and am currently compiling a list of possible blackberry recipes. But I am happy, a big purple smile of happy. Plus, free food is the best food.

Blackberry and Oat Muffins 

Makes 6-8 muffins

INGREDIENTS:

250g organic spelt flour
70g rolled oats
65g coconut sugar
1 heaped tsp baking powder
1.5 heaped tsp bicarbonate of soda
200ml almond milk
2 organic free range eggs
Large handful of wild blackberries (washed) – if you don’t have any blackberry bushes nearby, source them from a local farmers market

Sprinkle of oats & coconut sugar for the topping

METHOD

Preheat over to Gas Mark 6 / 200 C

Line a muffin tray with 8 muffin cases.

In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.

In a separate bowl, whisk milk and eggs together, then fold them into the dry mix.

Gently fold in the blackberries.

Divide the mixture evenly between your cases, making sure you fill them right up – this will create nice big muffins.

Sprinkle the additional oats and coconut sugar over the top of your muffins.

Bake for 15 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Here’s some other blackberry recipes that I recommend testing out:

The Foraged Crumble – My New Roots

Drop Scones with Blackberries and Lemon – Hedgecombers

Gingerbread Waffle Parfaits w/ Berry Smash and Coconut Whip – Faring Well

Fig and Blackberry Crumble with a Quinoa and Oat Crust – Franglais Kitchen

Two Ingredient Blackberry Ice Cream – The Petite Cook

Blackberry and Fig Jam with Cashew Grain-Free Waffles – Natural Kitchen Adventures

The post Blackberry and Oat Muffins appeared first on Rough Measures.

Last week we had the pleasure of attending The Green Gathering Festival in Chepstow, Wales. Charlie had managed to get a couple of his cabins sold there, and we were lucky enough to attend the festival together. We’d not been to this one before, and it’s always extra exciting to experience a new festival. We worked out that between us, over the years, we have been to an array of different festivals over 150+ times! Many of them are ones we do every year (Glastonbury etc) so the novelty can wear off. However, we were both so excited to experience Green Gathering.

Green Gathering is a small festival, near a racecourse in Chepstow. With glorious views over to Bristol and across the Severn Estuary. It’s entirely off-grid – using only solar, wind or people power. Possibly the cleanest, most caring festival I have had the pleasure to experience.

As it was just Charlie and I, with a small build, our days were relaxed and stress free. We got the cabins set up quickly, and set about getting a little camp area sorted with lots of sticks and logs for some fires over the weekend. I managed to make a little garden of bracken around the cabins to make them feel a little more homely.

Now, I know I work with Charlie, every day. However, I often feel like we don’t really ‘see’ each other. We miss the opportunities to spend quality time together, rising early in the mornings and getting straight to the work, and falling into bed hours later and passing out. This is our routine for most of the summer. His job can be pretty stressful, and he is constantly thinking about staff, the build, future builds in the weeks ahead, that sort of thing. I admit I get quite needy, and sometimes it can cause a rift when I feel like I’m not getting my fair share of his time. We live, eat, work together, yet sometimes I feel like I haven’t seen him all week. My excitement at a whole week with just me and him was through the roof!

The week exceeded all my expectations. One night, after a rather failed attempt at a (useless and cheap) BBQ; which never even got hot, we made our own ‘BBQ’. Our version resulted in nothing but a pile of burnt corn and peppers. Fed up, and still pretty hungry, we made a little camp fire. We grabbed some sticks and whittled them into skewers, making sure our big bag of marshmallows wasn’t going to go to waste. We stuffed ourselves with the toasted, gooey, sugar filled buttons and grinned to each other. We swapped childhood camping memories, reminiscing about nights spent sleeping under the stars. We got THE BEST view of the meteor shower, Perseid, that was taking place. I have never seen shooting stars as big and long as I did that night. We watched it for a good hour or so, cuddled up on a big chair, so wonderfully content. I could have cried with happiness. That night is going down in the books as one of my best, happiest nights ever.

The weekend was filled with laughs, wonderful music, talented craftsmen, spoon carving workshops, thought-provoking talks, drumming in a tipi, too many super strong ciders, THE BEST CURRY EVER, fluorescent pink sunsets, crazy views, exhilarating yoga classes, and the friendliest group of people ever. Thank you Green Gathering, we will most definitely be back.

I’m off on holiday for two weeks, so things might get a little quiet around here. I’ll have access to my Instagram and Twitter, but not much else. I’ll be back in full force in September. For now, here’s some links for a few bits I’m loving this week.

The brownies and coffee here (seriously, if you’re in Bath, make sure you go!)

These beautiful wooden coffee cups

Anything and everything in here at the moment

This little visitor who stayed at my parents in the week

These crazy tasty Bloody Marys, along with all the other #drinkthesummer tipples.

My favourite ex-boss / mega lady is chopping her luscious locks off for charity, and you can support her HERE

Billy’s sweet, funky voice

Have a great couple of week guys!

X

The post Green Gathering Round Up + Some Links appeared first on Rough Measures.

While you read this, I will be in the South of France, relaxing by the pool (highly likely) with a beer in my hand (definitely). After 10 years of not joining my parents on their bi-annual trip to the South West of France, I decided it was high time I tagged along. I think they regretted this as soon as they saw my pile of luggage bag/bike/surfboard/kayak lined up in the drive. But hey, everyone loves a good game of Tetris-car-boot-packing.

Anyways, let’s get to it. I’ve gotta admit, when ‘Overnight Oats’ started to become more popular, I didn’t get the hype. It was basically cold porridge right? WRONG. This tasty, time-saving, morning lifesaver of a breakfast is now a weekday staple in our humble floating kitchen. Whip up a quick batch, cover, and all you gotta do in the morning is add a few nuts/seeds/fruit and voila, breakfast perfection. So I’m sorry oats, for doubting this version of yourselves as a highly commendable breakfast. All hail the overnight oats.

Overnight Oats with Apricot Puree (V) (GF)

Makes 1-2 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 x large handful / cups of organic rolled oats (certified GF)
250ml almond milk (you could sub 125ml of milk for water if you wish)
2 tablespoons coconut yoghurt (dairy free – I like Coyo)
1 large punnet of apricots
Approx 200ml cold water
Toppings of choice – blueberries, pumpkin seeds, almonds etc

METHOD

Start my making the puree – half the apricots, removing their stones. Add the apricots into a pan, adding enough water to avoid them sticking to the pan, but not so much that they are submerged.

Bring the pan to a gentle boil, for 10 mins, or until the apricots are soft and some of the water has evaporated. Leave to cool for 5 mins.

Place the apricots into a blender, and blend into a puree. Store in an airtight container – it will last about 3-5 days in a fridge.

Pour your oats into a bowl or large jar. Add the milk (or milk/water combo), coconut yoghurt and stir well. Leave oats covered, in the fridge, overnight.

In the morning, remove your oats, add extra milk if desired. Add puree and your toppings of choice.

I’ll still be checking my Instagram and Twitter while I’m away, don’t forget to tag #roughmeasures with all your creations.

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