Ren Behan - Author Wild Honey and Rye

Food Writer

Aubergines

Simple and in Season August Round-Up and Winner

Goodness me, the summer just flew by! In between getting ourselves ready for the start of a brand new term and my working on the re-design and shift of my blog with the wonderfully talented Liz at Violet Posy Design I’ve been a little short on time to indulge in my usual amount of seasonal cooking.  

However, I really loved all the entries for Simple and in Season August, they kept me going and it has been a real treat trying some of the recipes shared. As always, one of the loveliest things about the link-up is discovering new blogs and in fact, our winner this month is both new to the competition and to my foodie blog radar.

Although is was tough, the winning recipe was this Lemony Courgette and Fine Bean Tagliatelle with Herb Cream made by Kellie Anderson. Kellie is a really inspirational lady who develops and tweaks healthy and tasty recipes for her family, friends and her cancer nutrition workshops at the Maggies Cancer Caring Centres.

I absolutely love courgettes, I love pasta and I love light but creamy sauces so this one was just perfect in my book. I also liked the fact that Kellie talked about adding lots of veg and lightening up the sauce to make it less stodgy. There is a really simple but tasty crunchy topping too to sprinkle over made with breadcrumbs, olive oil and garlic – yum!

Do go and visit Kellie’s blog Food to Glow as it is really full of sound nutritional advice with a chatty feel and very appetising recipes. Kellie kindly shared no less than seven healthy, simple, seasonal recipes this month, scroll down to see the rest.
 
Kellie wins a copy of ‘A Taste of the Unexpected’ by Mark Diacono and I hope that she finds some inspiring new foods in there that will help her help others.

 

Onto the round-up itself, which is just remarkable with tons of seasonally inspired cooking. Brace yourselves!
To start, a delightful recipe called Blueberry Bliss by Marie over at The English Kitchen. This is a blueberry version of a classic Eton Mess and it looks really delicious! Once again, this is a new blog to me, very seasonally focused and I love it.
 
Thanks for entering Marie.
 
Next, over to Karen in her French Kitchen and accompanying Lavender and Lovage blog. Karen is totally amazing, I actually can’t keep up with all her seasonally inspired creations and she just seems to have some much energy for cooking. 

First off, Karen shared this stunning recipe for an Elegant Omelette Gateau with Chive Flowers. How beautiful does this look? Definitely a summer dish to impress your guests with.  As Karen says, a real French country affair that would be typically served at a luncheon party. I was very impressed with the chive flowers, too. Très délicieux, Karen!

Karen then made this equally delicious-looking Petits Pois a la Francaise, using fresh mint from her garden. Karen also gives lots of useful information about different varieties of mint in her post. This would make a fine accompaniment to a Sunday roast…

 
Karen also delighted us with her Traditional 18th Century Raspberry Creams. I’d quite like to eat one of these right now…
 

Jude from A Trifle Rushed made a Blackberry and Apple Jam following a little unexpected fruit picking trip in Breton. This is a lovely recipe, simple and perfectly seasonal!

 
Jenny over at Jennifer’s Journal in Australia made Dolma (Stuffed Vine Leaves) which I have never made myself before so would love to try. Jenny picked her own vine leaves to make them! Thank so much for your entry.
 
Katie from Katie’s Cakes made these adorable little Lemon and Raspberry Cupcakes. My little girl turns two soon so I will be making these for her party.
 
 
Helen from Fuss Free Flavours made Celery and Lentil Soup using up the abundance of celery from her fruit and vegetable Co-Op. I could actually just do with a bowl of this…
 
 
Shaheen from Allotment 2 Kitchen made a bang-on-season Almond and Plum Tart with Plum Syrup. Plums are my ultimate favourite so look out for lots more plum recipes in September too. I am always looking for interesting plum recipes and this one is super.
 
 
Shaheen also made this tasty Rhubarb and Rose Bread pairing two wonderful ingredients – rhubarb and rose. 
 
 
Another unusual recipe, this time Cooking in Westchester joined in and made Palak Paneer Enchiladas made with in-season peppers, spinach and tomatoes from her garden and local farmer’s market.
 
 
 
 
Next, I did find the time to experiment with some new Knorr herby stock pots and made a very speedy Quick Chicken Soup with Seasonal Vegetables.
 
 
I also went all-out and made these Provencal Lavender and Lemon Cheesecakes using some ingredients sent to me by the tourist board of Vacluse-En-Provence in France.
 
 
Mel from Sharky Oven Gloves made a Summer Fruits Crumble (using her shiny new Joseph and Joseph bows from her June winning Simple and in Season entry!)  Sadly, the crumble topping got burnt but still, the lovely seasonal berries underneath were apparently very tasty!
 
 
 
This next entry was a beauty, a lovely Summer Squash Orzo recipe from Dancing Veggies for Labor Day. Two of my favourite combinations – orzo and zucchini with these beautiful yellow squash too.
 
 
Yay, The Taste Space team joined in again, first off with this Ottolenghi inspired Grilled Eggplant and Mango Noodle Salad.
 

Then sharing this very striking and seasonal Wheat Berry Salad with Pomegranate Roasted Vegetables

 
Followed by an Ottolenghi-inspired dish of Cabbage and Kolrhabi Salad incorporating fresh and dried cherries in season in Ontario.
 
 
A vegan recipe followed from The Taste Space team, using mango’s which was a vegan Mango Gazpacho
 
A really delicious-looking Cauliflower, Spinach and Chickpea Balti
 
 
Next, we move onto our winning recipe from Kellie at Food to Glow (mentioned in the intro) of Lemony Courgette and Fine Bean Tagliatelli in Herbed Creme Fraiche
 
 
 
 
Kellie also entered a second equally tempting and nutritious Dan Lepard-inspired Peach, Lavender and Honey Tart – I love the lavender and of course, the use of seasonal plums.
 
 
 
Followed by two even more tantalising and healthy-but-yummy looking recipes including a Late Summer Salad and Triple Tomato Soup
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kellie also had tons of baby courgettes to get through and so made a Rocket Frittata and some Dinky Courgette-Parmesan Fritters
 
 
 
Finally, Kellie shared a very inviting bowl of Non-Purist Gazpacho – how lovely.
 
 
 
 
And our final entry was the lovely Sarah from Maison Cupcake, who despite being super, super busy herself at the moment somehow managed to link up this lovely recipe from one of her review books called Gluten Free Blackberry Tarts with Almond Crust by Snog! delicious and perfectly in-season. Thank you so much Sarah.
 
 
So that’s it another fabulously inspiring round of Simple and in Season. Tune in again for all the delights that September has to offer! Thank you to all who entered.
 
Look out for the September link-up coming soon.