Hmm, looking at that photo, I’m thinking that I should have bought a bit more at the market this weekend. It’s already Tuesday (where does the time go?) and most of that food is already gone.

I never seem to buy enough peas- at this time of year, I can’t get enough of them. The ones above made a tasty lunch on Sunday, tossed with linguine in a roasted tomato pesto. I used the tomatoes you see above in a version of this recipe from The Italian Dish, and the leftovers will be tasty with green veg, prawns and jumbo couscous for dinner tonight.

I also love baby carrots, and buying them by the bunch seems so much more festive than buying individual ones, don’t you think? I’ll likely turn these into a soup, probably something spicy and Thai-inspired. Or I could braise them, which is always a hit around here.

One thing I haven’t been doing much of lately is baking; the odd batch of granola on the weekends has been enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. Though I must say, these bar cookies my sister baked do look delicious.

What are you cooking this week?

Honestly? I only just remembered that today was Mother’s Day. No, I haven’t called my Mum yet, and yes, I’ll call her soon. Probably. My family doesn’t take these “Hallmark Holidays” very seriously, and anyway, I’ll be seeing her in person tomorrow.

My parents are in town for the next few days, wrapping up their three-week UK holiday with a couple days in London. I’m anticipating some dinners out, or maybe cooked at the flat they’re renting, but not many occasions to play hostess myself. Which is why I didn’t go all out at the market this morning, despite the huge array of spring produce on offer.

Instead, I’ll whip up a couple quick dinners for Andrew and myself with the array above. The asparagus, radish and fennel will make a lovely tart- I’m thinking something like this to celebrate all those seasonal flavours. I’ve also got something in mind for those carrots- I’ve been thinking about this recipe ever since Dana posted it. I’ll likely simplify a bit, but it looks like a winner.

What’s happening in your kitchen this week? Got any Mother’s Day cooking planned?

Yes, May Day has come and gone, but hey- these veg were bought then, so why not? A lot of what you see above is actually cooked and eaten by now (Thursday already! How did that happen?!). I guess May has been a busy month so far, what with my parents’ visit and other commitments. Thankfully, it hasn’t been too busy for market shopping.

That lovely cabbage is almost too pretty to cook, don’t you think? Maybe I’ll make a crunchy coleslaw with it, which would suit my current need for packable-lunches-on-the-go. I’ve been gorging myself on Panzanella lately, but I need to stop soon or I’ll get sick of it. Instead, I might try making a cherry tomato jam, or just roast those tomatoes. I’m definitely open to ideas and recipes, though.

I haven’t done any baking in weeks, but I’m hoping to find some time on the weekend. These Derby Pie Bars look great, but so do these simple tea cookies. Oh, decisions…

What are you up to lately? Cooked anything tasty this week?

It’s not only a new term for me at school (starting tomorrow) but a new season in London. Honestly, the past couple days have convinced me that we’ve skipped right over Spring and gone straight into Summer. Of course, as my Mum said to me earlier today, it might be back to Spring or even Winter in a couple days, so I’m enjoying it while I can.

Part of that was getting up bright and early and heading to the market. I’m still waiting on asparagus and strawberries, but the radishes are finally here, and the spring greens are abundant. I’ll probably eat the radishes and fennel bulb together, maybe in a spring salad like this one. I also got a lovely head of cauliflower, which I’ll probably braise into submission for a dinner later this week.

I’m also hoping to get some baking done this week, though I’m not sure I’ll have the time with work and school starting again. My sister’s oatmeal cookies look simple enough though, and all those oats should be just the hit of energy I need in the coming days.

What are you cooking this week?

It’s almost Monday here in London, but I wanted to get this week’s Farmer’s Market post up before I went to sleep. This week is the one chance I’ll have to be “off” before classes start up again in 8 days time, and I want to take full advantage of it. Some relaxing, some reading, some long walks and of course- lots of cooking.

I started planning for that last one at the market this morning, where I got all those veggie bunches you see above. The purple sprouting broccoli was looking so lovely that I couldn’t resist it; I’ll probably roast it in the oven or throw it on a pizza. Parsley and herbs are of course not really veg in the “make of meal of me” sense, but you can bet I’ll be making use of them, too. I’ve already used some of the rosemary on a tasty flatbread, to be posted on Tuesday.

The Santa grape tomatoes are what I’m really looking forward to using, since I love their flavour at this time of year. I’ve been craving some tasty Baked Feta lately, so I might prepare them with that, and serve over a salad. Also on my recipe radar this week are The Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Bread, this Farro “Risotto” from 101 Cookbooks, and these Carrot Cupcakes from The Wednesday Chef. Too bad I didn’t buy any carrots this week!

What are you looking forward to cooking this week?

You might think from the title of this post that I’ve been thinking a lot about sweets lately. You’d be right. Maybe it’s the stress of my end-of-term project deadline or just the is-it-or-isn’t-it-Spring-yet weather we’ve been having lately, but “regular food” hasn’t really been exciting me these days. Sweets are much more interesting, and always in season.

As such, most of the veg you see above are actually destined for a cake. That’s right- I’ve wanted to try an extra-vegetably riff on carrot cake for a while now, inspired by this Harvest Cake recipe from The Kitchn. I figure that carrots, parsnip and beetroot will give an interesting earthy flavour to my favourite treat, and make use of winter’s root vegetables while we’ve still got’em.

The market is positively teeming with purple sprouting broccoli these days, and luckily I love the stuff. I usually use it in a pasta dish of some sort, but I’m thinking that this salad of sprouting, potatoes and feta sounds pretty good, too.

And the muffin? Given to me free as I wandered home from the market, a tasty advertising initiative from the new estate agent in town. Sorry, I don’t have a house to sell, but I do like them blueberries.

What’s happening in your kitchen this week?

It was such a lovely day earlier. I say “was” because in true London style, the clouds have now moved in and the sky that was a crystal-clear blue is now sort of white in colour. Still, I suppose it could be worse- at least it’s not grey (yet).

The farmer’s market was full this morning, with sellers and shoppers alike enjoying the sunshine. Rather ironically, I wasn’t in the mood for spring-like leafy greens, but for some winterlicious root veg. Perhaps this was because yesterday, when I made my shopping list, was cold and rainy, or maybe I was just seeing into the future and knew that the weather would turn by the time I got to eat my purchases.

Whatever the reason, I stocked up on swede, celeriac and butternut squash- all destined for a creamy and indulgent gratin later in the week. The organic mixed salad leaves will go wonderfully with a polenta dish for dinner tonight, and the thyme is to be used in some baking. Yes, baking- I’ve been smitten with the idea of herb-kissed biscuits for a while, and some lemon thyme shortbread seem like a great way to try out the trend.

What’s cooking in your kitchen this week?

Friends, I am so on top of things today. I was out of bed at 7, doing homework by 8, cooking by 9 at at the market at 10:15 sharp. I almost don’t want to say anything for fear of jinxing it, but I have a feeling it’s going to be a very productive week.

Tomorrow night I’ll be cooking a Valentine’s Day dinner for Andrew and me, but because I’ll be in class all day, I’m getting a lot of it done today. The main course will be Dana‘s Red, White and Green Lasagne, which is a great choice for a make-ahead meal. The recipe calls for broccoli, but because the regular variety isn’t in season yet, I’m using the purple sprouting you see above. The small bunch of leaves at the top of the photo is an organic salad mix, which will accompany the lasagne perfectly. For dessert is Nigella’s Instant Chocolate Mousse, which I can whip up in mere minutes before we sit down for dinner.

I’m also starting a new part-time job this week, as an assistant at a small interior design company. I’ve been wanting to move my freelance work toward the interiors path for quite some time, so I’m really excited about this. I’ll mean getting back into the bringing-lunch-to-work zone, so I’ll have to think ahead. I’ll probably rely on my classic lunchtime formula quite a bit, but hopefully I can expand on my repertoire, too. Also on the agenda this week is this Braised Cauliflower recipe from The Kitchn, Gooey Cocoa Brownies from Honey & Jam, and a red beans-and-rice style curry.

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day! What are you cooking up to celebrate this week?

I’m not sure what the problem was today- was is that the produce at the farmer’s market was sparse, or was it my enthusiasm for shopping? Probably a bit of both. In any case, I dragged myself out of the house around noon today, and was back home (with a decidedly light shopping bag) a mere 15 minutes later.

Still, I’ll hardly starve this week; we’ve got lots of food tucked away in the fridge and cupboards, and I’m sure I’ll think of something to do with it. As I type this lunch is in the oven- the beginnings of a roast squash soup which, should it go well, I’ll share here on Tuesday. I’ve also got plans for something rich and hearty this week- I’m thinking a tasty vegetarian lasagne could be the ticket?

I’m also hoping to make a tasty couscous dish. I found some wholewheat Jumbo/Israeli Couscous at my grocery store last week, and am on the hunt for interesting things to do with it. Any suggestions for me? And what are you looking forward to this week?

I’m already a day late with this post, and I’m afraid it’ll be a quick one. Yesterday I was so busy with errands, homework and baking that I just plain forgot about writing here, and now- well, I have to catch the train to school in half an hour.

I was up early yesterday though, and at the market within thirty minutes of it opening. Would you look at the gorgeous purples in that photo above? The cabbage just begged me to buy it, and will likely end up in some salads, to preserve the glorious colour. I bought the focaccia to have alongside a soup for lunch; Orangette’s Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk and Warm Spices, to be exact. Yes, pairing Eastern flavours with Italian ones is a bit of a weird idea, but what can I say? I like to live dangerously. The big bag o’ onions is just to get through the week- the red ones for a simple bean side I hope to get around to posting, and the shallots for any number of pastas, soups or stews.

I’m also hoping to get around to some baking this week. World Nutella Day is coming up on February 5th (there really is a day for everything, isn’t there?) and what better way to celebrate it than baking up Nigella’s famous Nutella Cake?

What are you cooking this week?