October, October.

Country Pumpkin Cookies

I am still struggling with the idea that October has come and nearly gone. Time has just flown by don’t you think? I have had quite a very difficult month emotionally and I’ve tried my best to fill my spare time with my friends and family nearby. I can’t thank all my nearest and dearest enough for all their words of wisdom and reams and reams of support.

Sacred grounds

A new eatery, Sacred Grounds opened in Exeter on October 2nd. Owned in part by Hayley and Nathan of NGNG it resides in McCoy’s Arcade just off Fore Street. I popped along (for the first time.. there have been many visits!) to sample brunch with my friend Angel. The menu is small with sweet and savoury options available and every dish is 100% plant-based. Angel and I both ordered waffles. I opted for the savoury waffles. A fat waffle topped with roasted cherry tomatoes on the vine, roasted root vegetables and a vegan hollandaise sauce. I’m still reminiscing about how delicious this dish was. It had everything I needed. Fluffy waffles, earthy roasted veggies and juicy tomatoes. The vegan hollandaise brought all the flavours together. So good! Angel opted for the sweet waffles. A gluten-free, vegan waffle topped with cinnamon apples, coconut yoghurt, seeds and frozen berries. The drinks menu is fabulous. You get more than your average cappuccino here! Turmeric, chai and beetroot lattes got me excited alongside a good selection of teas, smoothies and frothy coffees. I went for the hot pink beetroot and orange latte and Angel had the chai latte. I can’t tell you how good those warm oat milk “hugs in a mug” were. Completely delicious. I would recommend you take a visit and try out Sacred Grounds for yourselves. Maybe I will see you there?

Discoveries

It’s been a month full of foodie discoveries! Amazing seaweed infused rapeseed oil from Doctor Seaweed that is fabulous in salad dressings or drizzled on fish dishes. Beautifully smooth rapeseed oils from East Lothian by Black & Gold. The black truffle infused rapeseed oil being a firm favourite. In fact, I am currently working on a recipe that uses the black truffle oil so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Princesshay honey

Every year I look forward to the release of Princesshay Honey. My local apiary that is nestled right on the top of Exeter’s Princesshay Shopping Centre is a five-minute walk from my front door! I love the idea that possibly the Princesshay honey bees might even venture into my courtyard to sup the nectar from my flower pots! You can find Princesshay Honey at Chandos Deli but hurry, it’s always in short supply and very popular. To read about the Princesshay Honey Click here.

Recipes

It’s that time of year when pumpkin everything takes over! These cookies are no exception. My Country Pumpkin Cookies were a hit at a recent girlie get together and I think they will be a hit in your house too. For the recipe click here.

I mustn’t forget my Autumn Kale Salad. It’s totally delicious. Salads aren’t just for the summer you know. Click here for my recipe.

Winchester

I took a couple of days out of my crazy schedule to visit family in Winchester. It was a perfect couple of days catching up on all of our news, walking, eating, drinking and exploring beautiful Winchester. Next time I visit I need to spend more time there. It’s such a beautiful city. There are many blog posts to be written on the great independent foodie scene there.

Lorna Ruby

I returned to Lorna Ruby this month to see what autumnal goodies they had in store. As usual, it was a cornucopia of delights. I took along a rather delicious gluten-free Pumpkin, Walnut and Chocolate Chip Cake with Spiced Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting for the Lorna Ruby crew to indulge in mid-photo shoot. It went down a storm and I will be sharing the recipe with you in time for Bonfire Night.

In Print

My recipe for Banana and Jujube Fruit Cake with Honey and Walnut Glaze had an outing in Gluten Free Heaven Magazine this month. I was thrilled to have made it into print and even more thrilled when I saw the magazine in Marks and Spencer. I wonder how many people have attempted to make this delicious cake. For the recipe click here.

So, that was my October. I wonder what November will bring? I am very much looking forward to attending the launch of the South West Wine School in Kenton, just outside of Exeter. It will be interesting to learn about what they have on offer. I do love an excuse to put my glad rags on. I also have another creative day booked in with my chums Angel, Gemma and Caro. I found the last day we spent together truly inspiring. To read my post “My Life Lately – Getting Creative” then click here. I can’t wait to see what comes from that day. The last made me forget all my woes to focus on the group. A kind of therapy if you will. On a more personal note I have 3 days of Royal Academy of Dance ballet exams to get my students through so there will be lots of extra tuition to fit in before they commence in a week or two. I hope I still manage to squeeze in some me time. Fingers crossed for that.

Additional photos by my talented friend Angel Wade.

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