Cook's Tidy

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02/09/2026

A little kitchen tip I swear by… using margarine tubs for batch cooking and leftovers. 🧈✨

They’re free, they’re stackable, they go through the dishwasher… and they do stain — but that’s the beauty of it. If a margarine tub goes orange, who cares… but when your good shop‑bought containers stain, they’re ruined.

Anything tomato‑based, carrot‑heavy or spiced (think turmeric, paprika, beetroot, sweet potato, red pepper, chilli, curry…) will cling to plastic and leave it orange forever. 😅 So let the tubs take the hit — no guilt, no ruined containers, no scrubbing.

Cost‑effective, practical, and perfect for batch cooking.

is this part of your kitchen routine too? 👇

31/08/2026

This was THE dish I always asked for as a child — my absolute favourite then, and still one of my favourites now. 🍝❤️

It’s not the purist’s version of Spag Bol… definitely the anglicised, throw‑everything‑in version… but it gets devoured every single time.

I start with a proper soffritto — carrots, celery and onions (I used shallots today) — and build the flavour from there. Lean 5% beef mince, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, smoked paprika, Italian herbs, Krautersalz, S&P, sundried tomato paste, tomato paste, passata and chopped tomatoes… plus a little something smoky that gives it that rounded, cosy depth. 🍅🧄✨

I batch‑cook it so there’s enough for a further three dinners in the freezer ready to go — real‑life cooking that makes the week feel easier.

Simple, messy, nostalgic… and still one of my favourite bowls of food. What’s your favourite childhood food memory 👇

25/08/2026

These little keto-friendly salad boats have become one of my favourite quick lunches — fresh, crunchy, and so easy to fill with whatever’s in the fridge.

On washed romaine leaves, I spread a little tzatziki (or mayo) then pile in chopped ham, egg, radish, cucumber, tomato, red pepper and a couple of green olives. Season to taste — I use Krautersalz because I’m addicted, but black pepper or normal salt works perfectly too.

They’re best when they’re fresh and crisp — you can pick them up and eat them like a taco. And the fillings are endless: cottage cheese, tuna, cheese, leftover chicken… whatever you fancy.

Simple, crunchy, colourful lunch boats 🥬✨ What would you put in yours? 👇

19/08/2026

Rhubarb and lavender feel like summer in a pan — sharp, floral, soft and comforting all at once. I love making this compote — it’s one of those simple things that tastes far more special than it looks.

It’s lovely stirred through yoghurt, spooned over porridge, folded into overnight oats or spread onto fresh scones with cream. Sharp fruit, gentle floral notes… a tiny bit of kitchen magic (and a quick pudding) 🪄.

A small, simple recipe — but one that can be used with so many things, and brings simple summer joy ✨

14/08/2026

Someone I know — who used to run a lovely little sandwich shop 🥪✨ — always had a mix of classic fillings and the occasional wild card. One of her favourites was brie, strawberry and black pepper 🍓🧀🌶️

A couple of weeks ago I made a version for my son: soft wholemeal bread, butter, slices of brie, fresh strawberries and a drizzle of raspberry balsamic glaze 🍞🍓🧀 I took a tiny nibble to check it… and honestly, it was so good. Sweet, creamy, sharp, peppery — one of those combinations that shouldn’t work but absolutely does 😍

A little unexpected flavour magic ✨

10/08/2026

Rhubarb always reminds me of my Nana’s garden 🌿🍓

She used to wear an apron tied around her waist, with big front pockets where she kept her little paring knife. She’d snip off a stalk of rhubarb, chop the leaf off and toss it on the compost heap, wash the rhubarb under the outside tap, then hand us a small china tea cup with a little sugar in the bottom. Sharp rhubarb, sweet sugar… simple, crunchy & perfectly satisfying.

I filmed a little moment of it today — washing the rhubarb, chopping it, pouring sugar into a cup, and heading out into the garden to dip the rhubarb in the sugar and revisit that childhood flavour again. It’s amazing how one bite can take you right back.

A small, simple memory — but one I treasure, and it feels right to share it this month, as her birthday was at the end of August ✨

07/08/2026

Bonkers Banana BBQ Marinade. When your bananas go black and you’re about to bin them… don’t. They make a great BBQ marinade — sweet, spicy, a little smoky, and just a tiny bit bonkers.

This marinade has chilli, lime, soy, garlic, cayenne and that deep banana richness that caramelises beautifully on the grill. It smells a bit like sriracha, tastes like summer, and uses up the fruit you’d normally throw away. Perfect on chicken, pork or halloumi.

Zero waste, maximum flavour. Would you be bonkers enough to try this?

04/08/2026

A simple iced coffee I make all the time — keto/low‑carb, and so much cheaper than buying one on the high street ☕💛

I use two instant coffees (decaf and vanilla‑flavoured) with cinnamon and vanilla extract. I always slake the coffee with a little cold water first — it stops the coffee from “scorching” and tasting harsher… just a tiny habit I’ve kept for years 😉.

I mix the coffee in a large jug: a splash of cold water, about a mug of boiling water, then top it up with ice and cold water ❄️. It cools down much faster than filling the jug with boiling water — and it saves electricity too ⚡. Then I add almond milk and a few tablespoons of single cream, cover it, and pop it in the fridge.

Cold, refreshing, low‑carb, and a tiny cost‑saving win on warm days 🌞

Would you try making this at home? 👇

24/07/2026

A simple summer side dish I love to make: tomatoes 🍅 and onion 🧅 in a quick garlicky vinaigrette.

It takes minutes to prep, sits happily in the fridge, and the flavours only get better as it marinates and soaks up the dressing - perfect with anything coming off the barbecue.

What’s your favourite BBQ side dish? 👇

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