Blog Posts by Jo Romero

According to the NHS website, many of us eat around 20 per cent more saturated fat than we should.

And desserts are one of the culprits; rich and whipped up with lashings of cream, full-fat soft cheese and butter.

But there’s no reason you should skip pudding altogether if you’re watching your fat intake, just check out these low-fat summer dessert recipes.

Low-Fat Peach and Amaretto Dessert
Low-fat peach and amaretto dessert [Jo Romero]Chopped peaches are laced with just a sprinkling of Amaretto liqueur, and we’ve used low-fat yoghurt instead of cream. The Amaretti biscuits provide a tasty and satisfying crunch. Serves 2.

Ingredients
2 fresh peaches
3 heaped tbsp low-fat yoghurt (peach or vanilla yoghurt works well here)
1-2 tbsp Amaretto liqueur
1 Amaretti biscuit

Method
Wash and dry the peaches. Cut into the peach around its centre and twist to separate the two halves. Take out the stone and dice the peach into small cubes. Place in a bowl and sprinkle over the liqueur. Spoon half of the peach mixture into the base of two serving

Read More »from Healthy recipes: Low-fat, summer desserts

The many-tiered, lavishly decorated fruit cake has been a feature of wedding celebrations for years. But suppliers are now reporting a trend for a different kind of wedding cake, made entirely out of cheese...

Want something classic? Opt for the Simply Traditional cheese cake [Yorkshire Dales Cheese Company]It’s an image that graces many a wedding album: the happy couple, poised and smiling, cutting into the first slice of a richly-iced, towering wedding cake.

But more couples are opting for cheese wedding cakes - whole cheeses piled on top of one another - for their ‘cake’. 

Cheese wedding cakes are fairly new: the first ones sold in 2004. But the British Cheese Board says there’s been a steady growth in demand for the cheesy centerpiece, as many couples now choose it over the traditional sweet cake. 

Cheese wedding cakes: what’s the attraction?

Cheese experts aren’t surprised. They say that there are many bonuses to having a cheese wedding cake.

Nigel White, secretary of the British Cheese Board told us, ‘Cheese wedding cakes offer a delicious, novel and cost effective alternative

Read More »from The growing trend for cheese wedding cakes

Breakfasts often consist of butter, eggs and milk - but what if you’re vegan, or following another type of dairy-free diet? Here are five vegan breakfast ideas to try...

Vegan Flapjacks with Seeds and Blueberries
We’ve used a soya-based margarine to make these tasty flapjacks. They freeze well too, and are perfect for breakfast on the go. Cuts into 25 squares.

Vegan Flapjacks with Seeds and Blueberries [Jo Romero]Ingredients
150g soya-based (or other dairy free) margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp agave syrup
130g muscovado sugar
150g rolled oats
80g plain, fine, wholegrain flour
60g mixed seeds
1 tsp baking powder
100g fresh or frozen blueberries

Method
Melt the margarine, vanilla extract and agave syrup in a pan over a low heat. In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour in the melted margarine mixture and stir well. Press into a lined 25cm 25cm baking tin and bake at 180ºC for 15-20 minutes. Cool completely and then cut into squares. 

[Related: Cook the perfect St George’s Day roast dinner: chefs’ tips]

Wholemeal Toast

Read More »from Vegan recipes: Breakfast ideas

What better way to mark St George’s Day this Tuesday than with a traditional roast dinner?



We asked professional chefs for their advice on how to cook and serve the perfect roast, complete with all the trimmings, of course...

The perfect roast is ideal for St George's Day (or any day) ©Rex

Buy the best meat you can afford and slow-roast it

Our chefs advise buying the best quality meat you can afford. According to chef Michael Wignall, of The Latymer at Penny Hill Park Hotel in Surrey, “Organic and grass-fed meats are healthier and taste better with less water content and more nutrients.”



And although you can get good results by roasting a joint of beef for just a few hours, slow-roasting will give an entirely different texture.

Shaun O’ Rouke, at The Princess of Shoreditch in London agrees. “In terms of the meat, roasting or braising for a minimum of 12 hours is the way forward to break down the sinew or render the fat down, resulting in maximum tenderness and flavour,” he says.

Season the

Read More »from Cook the perfect St George’s Day roast dinner: chefs’ tips

It might not seem like much of a big deal, but the way your food is packed plays a big part in the price you pay at the checkout. And do you know where to look for the real bargains in the supermarket?

Check out our tips for saving money on your weekly groceries...

Check the packaging
In one supermarket, we found that a bottle of ketchup with a squeezy lid cost 30p more than the same-sized (same brand) regular glass bottle. And although you might automatically think that loose fruit and veg is cheaper than pre-packed (after all, they’re saving on the cling film) it might not actually be the case.

Check special offers, where pre-packed fruit and veg might work out cheaper. Similarly, frozen food is often cheaper than fresh, because it has a longer shelf life, so before you buy fresh vegetables or berries, check the freezer section first. 


Buy only what you need
We’ve all seen those multi-buy offers. Two punnets of ripe and ready to eat fruits for Read More »from Top tops to save money on your weekly shop

In the UK, we might snack on chocolate eggs and hot cross buns over Easter, but which foods are enjoyed elsewhere in the world at this festive time? We take a look...

Brazil: Salted Cod

Salted cod is eaten in Brazil at Easter © RexIn many countries, meat isn’t eaten on Good Friday. Fish have many ties with the story of Christ (in feeding the five thousand, for example) and the fish symbol is also used by Christians today (in the form of the Ichthys). In Brazil, salted (preserved) cod is often eaten at special occasions, including Easter, and can be served with potatoes, olives and other vegetables. The custom is thought to date back to the days of Brazil’s Portuguese government, as settlers took with them the popular dish of bacalhau (salted cod).

[Related: Treats to make for an Easter egg hunt]

USA: Ham

In the USA, ham is traditionally eaten at Easter © RexAround the world, lamb is quite often the Easter meat of choice - after all, Christ was referred to as the ‘lamb’ of God. But in the US, families are just as likely to settle down to a cooked ham on Easter Sunday. The story goes

Read More »from Easter foods around the world

Easter can be chocolate egg overload, so we have some alternative treat ideas for the Easter bunny to bring your children.

Each one is great for wrapping in cellophane gift bags and hiding as part of the Easter hunt, giving away as party favours or just for enjoying afterwards. 

Lemon Chick Cupcakes
These cupcakes are deliciously lemony and simple to make. Makes 12.

Ingredients
120g soft, unsalted butter
75g caster sugar
2 eggs
120g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
zest of 1 lemon
splash of milk
white, yellow or orange muffin cases

For the topping:
10-12 teaspoons lemon curd
150g ready to roll white icing
few drops of both yellow and red food colouring
black writing icing, for the eyes


Method
In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Crack in the eggs and beat until smooth. Fold in the flour, baking powder and lemon zest and loosen the mixture with a splash of milk, until it drops off the spoon. Bake, in a muffin tray lined with the Read More »from Treats to make for an Easter egg hunt

Cook up an indulgent breakfast or dinner with these egg recipes - using hen, quail, bantam and duck eggs. Perfect for Easter.

Smoked Trout and Poached Hen’s Egg on a Potato Cake with Lemon and Chive Butter Sauce

Easter egg recipe: Poached egg with smoked trout and a lemon and chive sauce
An indulgent special occasion breakfast, or a light evening meal, this dish is lemony, smoky and rich.

Use an egg with a really rich yolk for best results - we used a Clarence Court Cotswold Legbar egg, which has a deep orange, silky yolk.

Serves 1
Ingredients
1 shop-bought potato cake (you can find them in the bakery aisle)
1 slice oak-smoked trout
1 free-range hen’s egg
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons snipped chives
juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Method
First, poach the egg. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and pour in the white wine vinegar. Crack the egg into a ramekin and whisk the water until it forms a vortex. Carefully drop the egg into the water, near the Read More »from Easter recipes: Savoury egg meal ideas for brunch and dinner