Sweet and Smokey BBQ Bean Chili

Perfect for warming cold hands (and stomachs)

So, I am officially back from volunteering at Food Blogger Connect 2015 and my God... There are just not enough words for how amazing the entire experience was. Not only did I get to EAT an almost illegal quantity of incredible food and gain a huge amount of knowledge from experts in the food blogging industry, but I also got to hang out with an incredible group of people who made me feel both welcome and inspired at the same time. I can honestly hold my hands up and say that despite being more nervous than a prostitute in church when I first arrived, I enjoyed every moment (even the hard work) and would happily do it all over again.

Plus, the goody bag that I got to take home was so outrageously crammed full of treats that it made the ones that the Oscars do look like something you put in a park bin after your dog has been *ahem* busy.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes - 2 Ways

Served With Some Exciting News...

Double the lunch, double the pleasure!

Hello food friends (is it ok to call you that? Is it too soon?),
I'm going to start by apologizing for how rushed this post is going to be. In fact, I will probably come across a little frantic. The reason for this is because I am attempting to do something that does not come easily to most males - multitasking. At this current moment I am:

1. Writing this post.
2. Trying to organise with some friends what we are doing for new year's eve (IT'S OVER 3 MONTHS AWAY, WHY ARE WE ARRANGING THINGS NOW!)
3. Buying my brother's birthday presents online.
4. Watching The Great British Bake off #IfTamalgoesIwillkill
5. Packing a bag full of three day's worth of clothes for a trip to London tomorrow.

Apple, Plum and Almond Crumble

This crumble is virtually fat-free but this post most definitely isn't!

Crumble... my ultimate weakness - give me that stodge!

As we fully go into Autumn now, everything has come alive with festive seasonal favorites; conkers are beginning to adorn the horse-chestnut trees, people are starting to wear flannel and Starbucks has brought back their pumpkin spiced latte! All of this improves my life significantly.

However, there is one other element to the Autumn/Winter seasons that always sends my spirit sky high and actually makes me grateful that its getting colder outside and that element is none other than the humble crumble. 

4 Ingredient Asian Marinade

Introducing: Eastern fury

Like me, this marinade is a bit saucy. Unlike me, this marinade pulls it off.

Hello tiny group of people who read these posts, can I just say how lovely you are (probably) looking today. Hope all is well on this wet, dreary and somewhat bleak September afternoon.

Today's recipe came about due to a recent change my current living situation. Whilst I am still living in my grandparents' bungalow whilst looking for a job #winningatlife a change has occurred, albeit not very dramatic. Nan and grandad recently decided that they want to purchase a new freezer and subsequently that means we now have to eat up what can only be described an entire year's food haul over the course of the next month. Give me strength. 

Rum 'n' raisin banana 'ice cream'

Summer's not over yet!

This hybrid treat can help keep you both hot'n'cold (and a bit jolly).

Well, isn't this typical?
Over the last couple of weeks I've banged on endlessly about how 'winter is coming' and how 'it's time to start sleeping with a hot water bottle' and low and behold, we get into mid-September and mother nature decides to throw us a curve ball by clearing the skies and brightening the sun. I know what she's up to, her and her on-off boyfriend (global warming) are getting bored with their relationship and are trying to spice things up in order to make life more exciting. That's great for them, really it is, but we're all now faced with the problem of not knowing what the hell to wear when leaving the house. Sometimes it's blissfully warm but then suddenly gets cold, It may be a beautifully blue sky but with the off-chance of gale-force winds and don't even get me started whether or not it might rain (being England it definitely will but when and where... Ain't nobody got a clue!). Today I went out wearing denim shorts, converse trainers, an over-sized jumper and a Parker. It was like a less sexy, alternative, male version of Daisy Duke. It was in no way fair to subject the public to this.

Spinach and Egg Break-nests

What to eat apart from porridge in the morning?

Rest + Nest = Best

Hello good people of the internet! I hope life is treating you well. Is it? It better be, otherwise i'm going to have to have some stern words with life. Just a quickie to share this with you this evening but it's a goodun I promise.

Now, from looking at the pages of this blog you might get the slight impression that I like my oats in the morning and if you were to live with me you would probably be aware that I consume them practically everyday. Is this becoming a problem? Well, health-wise no, oats are brilliant for you and carry a whole host of nutritional benefits (see the Oat'ed to... page) but I can't shake the feeling that an insidious obsession is beginning to grow. Take last Sunday for example, a bunch of family members had come over to celebrate my Grandad's 79th birthday and the topic of food arose. People were talking about things that can be viewed as controversial such as vegan-ism and weight loss dieting etc and completely off the cusp I just loudly announced to everyone that I loved porridge and that I couldn't be without it :/. It was like coming out all over again... although my family probably found this declaration more surprising. Anyway, it dawned on me that it may be beneficial to both my gut and palate if I first admitted that I had a problem and secondly, switched up breakfast every now and again. So, here goes... 

I Alex Cornwell *raises hand in the Brownie oath position* may (definitely) have an addiction to oats. Phew! That feels better, but what am I going to do to change? Well sweet possum faces, I am going to try and have a breakfast that doesn't consist of porridge/overnight oats/baked oatmeal at least once a week. 

Baby steps. 

A week in the life...

A "Swedish" Meal, All The Dogs In Essex and Board Game Induced Rage

It's Sunday!!!!!!!!
It may seem a bit odd to have this level of excitement as despite returning from travelling over a month ago, I am yet to find full-time employment ergo my weekdays aren't taken up with early morning starts and long days of arduous work. However, I am determined to maintain my enthusiasm towards Fridays, Saturdays and even Sundays, that way if when I do eventually find something, I'll be in the right state of mind for 9 till 5 life. It makes sense doesn't it? Yes, it does *reassures self with a cup of tea*. That's another thing about being unemployed, I am slowly morphing into my Nan, whereby I've started filling a lot of my time with what is known as 'pottering' as well as becoming dependent upon tea for sustenance. Just in case any of you don't know, 'pottering' is a term used for spending your time completing tasks of microscopic importance such as updating the phone book or dusting behind the radiator. Why?! No-one ever looks behind there! Anyway, in-between job hunting I have also tried to keep myself as sociable as possible in order to keep my mental tact in state. Here are some of the things, people, places and of course food that have made my week (Just in case you were interested).

Pudding Porridge, 3 Ways

Who says breakfast has to be boring?

Banana bread...

Apple pie...

Blueberry muffin, oh my!

So folks, we're into September and you know what that means, right? Yep, it's the long-awaited return of the type of weather that makes you:

A) Wish you were a small rodent so that it would be acceptable for you to permanently sleep in a huge ball of cotton.

B) Purchase enough knitted jumpers to ensure that sheep across the nation look like they're on a calendar girls shoot. 

C) Seriously consider cutting off your ears because in all honesty, the threat of wind chill just isn't worth it.

Actually, if you live in the UK (the south-east in particular), you will know that the weather has been a little, shall we say, schizophrenic throughout the majority of August. We lost the sun a while ago, no-one's really sure where he went, he just sort of took off (probably eloping with that cow, the moon). In fact, I think that the sun must be the thing that walks out on us Brits most frequently during our lifetimes, usually when we need him most (weddings, BBQ's etc) and without any warning or explanation. Just gone. And yet, we will always welcome him back with open arms, beaming smiles and eternally devoted worship. What the hell? That is in no way fair! You know those relationships your mother warned you about when you were young? We're all in one people! With that big, burning bogey in the sky!