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Spring Supper Clubs

Mar 1, 2019

Spring Supper Clubs

I think Spring is such an exciting time particularly in the food world. Along with lots of new seasonal ingredients to choose from, all sorts of flowers appear and along the way we have our Supper Clubs springing up. It certainly is a time to look forward to longer daylight days and new food experiences. Our supper clubs are growing from strength to strength. They are all about sharing a unique food experience, which includes getting involved and enjoying some great food. I

Why do food and wine taste much better on holiday?

Aug 4, 2017

Why do food and wine taste much better on holiday?

Back from my holidays but friends are still sending me beautiful photos from Greece, Spain, Portugal, and the South of France. Not pictures of the beach and scenery but of the food as they know I get so inspired! The consistent Mediterranean sunshine just ripens those tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines and fruit so much better, and all good recipes need excellent ingredients! As I have said before its like you can taste the sunshine. I have replicated so many different dishes h

Kitchen Kids

May 5, 2017

Kitchen Kids

Interesting read and quite timely as my blog last week was questioning the future of our cookery skills. Waitrose Weekend newspaper – 27th April 2017 “Youngsters are learning the benefits of cooking from scratch earlier than ever…” I teach at several local schools in Surrey and Kent and completely agree with the article in the Waitrose newspaper. Cookery classes are becoming as popular as swimming and ballet! However the reason I agree with the article is that it is not all

Events 2017

May 5, 2017

Events 2017

List of events in the diary, constantly being added and amended. So check back frequently. **** Date: Wednesday 4th October Event: Monthly ‘hands on’ supper club – ‘Choctails – An evening of chocolate’ Venue: Crockham Hill Village Hall. Time: 7.30-9.30pm. After a popular evening at ‘Temper Temper’ in Tunbridge Wells we will be running something similar here in Crockham Hill. An evening of chocolate with two chocolate cocktails made in front of you (even a chance to have a go

Summer 2017 – Crockham Hill – Cookery Camp August

May 5, 2017

Summer 2017 – Crockham Hill – Cookery Camp August

This time we will be making some summer recipes : picnic ideas, preparing seasonal fruit and vegetables and summery sweets! “Cookery is a life skill and a subject I feel very passionate about! I have two daughters and I feel the more children can be involved in preparing food – from the beginning – the more likely they will enjoy eating and exploring adventurous tastes and flavours.” Date: Friday 25th August 2017 Time: 10-3pm Cost: £40 includes all ingredients and lunch Age

Summer 2017 Crockham Hill – Cookery Camp

May 5, 2017

Summer 2017 Crockham Hill – Cookery Camp

This time we will be making some summer recipes : picnic ideas, preparing seasonal fruit and vegetables and summery sweets! Date: Wednesday 26th July 2017 Time: 10-3pm Cost: £40 includes all ingredients and lunch Age Group: Boys & Girls aged 8-12 years Location: Crockham Hill Village Hall, TN8 6RP Please REMEMBER to bring a snack/drink and a container for you to take your goodies home in! For further details email jobanks@alivewithflavour.com Places are limited and need to

Easter 2017 Cookery Morning – Crockham Hill School

Mar 2, 2017

Easter 2017 Cookery Morning – Crockham Hill School

Thursday 6th April 2017 – Crockham Hill Primary School, Hall and Kitchen After 8 years dedicated to food, Jo Banks brings creative recipe ideas together through fun, clear, interactive presentations and hands-on workshops/classes. “Cookery is a life skill and a subject I feel very passionate about! I have two daughters and I feel the more children can be involved in preparing food – from the beginning – the more likely they will enjoy eating and exploring adventurous tastes

Easter 2017 Cookery Camp at Hazelwood School

Mar 2, 2017

Easter 2017 Cookery Camp at Hazelwood School

Thursday 19th April – Hazelwood School, Art Room After 8 years dedicated to food, Jo Banks brings creative recipe ideas together through fun, clear, interactive presentations and hands-on workshops/classes. “Cookery is a life skill and a subject I feel very passionate about! I have two daughters and I feel the more children can be involved in preparing food – from the beginning – the more likely they will enjoy eating and exploring adventurous tastes and flavours.” This time

Beetroot and Dark Chocolate Brownies

Feb 10, 2017

Beetroot and Dark Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients: 275g cooked beetroot 250g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 250g butter 3 eggs 200g golden caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 75g plain flour 50g cocoa powder pinch of salt Makes 15 Grease the base of cake tin or brownie pan. Place the beetroot in a food processor and whiz for a few minutes to form a smooth puree. Set aside Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, taking care that the bowl does the

Friday Foodie – Winter Veg

Jan 29, 2017

Friday Foodie – Winter Veg

Another week has whizzed past, sticking with no alcohol and watching the calories, who said this was a good idea? I have had to look harder at hardy winter vegetables that are in season and thinking about more adventurous recipes in the kitchen. Love all the swede and turnips particularly butternut squash, sweet potatoes and of course carrots, cauliflower, chard, kale, leeks, and parsnips. So easy just simply roasting these vegetables and I do like Brussel sprouts but you may

Healthier Flapjacks

Jan 26, 2017

Healthier Flapjacks

We made these at my after school club with the children and they were all voted ‘very yummy’ by the children and all the Mums and Dads collecting. I talked to the children in small groups about refined sugar and the benefits of using dried fruit instead to sweeten naturally, a few of them were not convinced until they tasted… I don’t think many flapjack trays got all the way home for trying later. Irresistible and healthy with no refined sugar. The recipe is flexible you can

Back to January

Jan 20, 2017

Back to January

So January is quite a dull month. Short of money as we are paying off credit cards and Christmas expenses, weather is very cold and then in this country very wet… and certainly in our house we are trying to be good with cutting back on sugary, fatty snacks and its the 19th and I have not had one glass of wine, which has to be a record… With this I have had a busy week of looking at healthier after school snack options. Both of my daughters come in starving after school and of

Chocolate Flapjacks

Jan 20, 2017

Chocolate Flapjacks

Again a non refined sugar recipe, perfect for after school. These are easy as they are no bake but still good for lunchboxes as there are no nuts! Ingredients: 1 cup mixed seeds, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower for example 40g cocoa powder 100g medjool dates pitted 1 banana 6 tbsp maple syrup 250g oats 5 tbsp coconut oil Method: Blitz the dates, banana, maple syrup and cocoa powder in a blender or processor. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan. Add the oats to the melted oil and st

Banana Flapjacks

Jan 20, 2017

Banana Flapjacks

These are more banana bars or banana cake slices but with the oats and being baked they sort of classify a flapjack. They are really delicious, filling and nutritious too. MOST IMPORTANT NO REFINED SUGAR Ingredients: 150g/2cups of oats 50g coconut oil 3 bananas 125g chopped dates 1 tablespoon of maple syrup Melt the coconut oil in a pan over a low heat. Measure out and mix the oats and add to the saucepan to allow the oats to soak up the oil, for at least five minutes. Set

Tasty Bread Tartlets

Jan 18, 2017

Tasty Bread Tartlets

Ingredients: A little butter 4 slices of bread 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons milk a handful of fresh mint leaves 2 handfuls of frozen peas or corn kernels small handful of cheddar or parmesan cheese Turn the oven on to 375F (190C) Gas 5. Put a little butter on a piece of paper towel and rub it inside 4 of the holes in the muffin pan to grease it. Lay a piece of bread on chopping board and use the round cutter to cut out a circle of bread. Press it into the muffin pan. Do the same

Lean Leftovers

Jan 13, 2017

Lean Leftovers

How was Christmas? it already seems a long time ago… It was a flurry of food and family for me but no snow until now! Generally it was a good one for us as a family. Boxing Day meal went very well with ham, quiches and salads which I had tried to prep in advance, and yes it was a relatively relaxed event. I did over cater which is better than under catering. I boiled two hams and we only used and needed one so New Years Eve we had the other ham, which actually worked out well

Crockham Hill School ‘Valentines’ Cookery Camp

Jan 13, 2017

Crockham Hill School ‘Valentines’ Cookery Camp

Thursday 16th February 2017 – Crockham Hill Primary School After 8 years dedicated to food, Jo Banks brings creative recipe ideas together through fun, clear, interactive presentations and hands-on workshops/classes. “Cookery is a life skill and a subject I feel very passionate about! I have two daughters and I feel the more children can be involved in preparing food – from the beginning – the more likely they will enjoy eating and exploring adventurous tastes and flavours.”

No-stir salmon and leek risotto

Dec 16, 2016

No-stir salmon and leek risotto

I love this recipe as its a throw in one pot and pop in the oven. You add the sliced pieces of smoked salmon to serve with a little fresh dill. Ingredients: rapeseed oil for frying 500g leeks, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 300g risotto rice 500ml vegetable stock 750ml milk 100ml creme fraiche juice of 2 lemons 200g smoked salmon pieces fresh dill Heat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Using a oven/flameproof casserole dish with a lid, fry the oil and leeks for a few minutes un

Last Friday Foodie Blog for 2016

Dec 16, 2016

Last Friday Foodie Blog for 2016

So today the girls break up from school and the routine all changes as we have a couple of weeks of well earned holidays. Last night we went up to Kew Gardens to see the Christmas lights and they really are magical. Some displays are with music and others are just a feature like the ‘beehive’ – beautiful and if you are already booked in this Christmas to visit, I hope you enjoy as much as we did! Christmas presents are nearly all wrapped and I have posted all my cards (that w

Dec 2, 2016

Christmas Muffins

Christmas Muffins Ingredients: 2 cups self-raising flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground allspice ½ cup light brown sugar 1 cup fruit mincemeat 1 egg, lightly beaten ½ cup (4oz) butter, melted ¾ cup buttermilk 1 tablespoon milk 2 teaspoons Demerara sugar Preheat oven to 400F / 200C Mix the flour, baking powder, allspice, and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Melt your butter and mix together the mincemeat, egg, melted butter, buttermilk, and milk. Add the wet i