Eaton Mess

This is a really simple dessert fit for a summer dinner party. It works with any summer berries.

Eaton Mess
(Serves 4)

500g strawberries, hulls removed
400ml double cream
4 meringues, crushed

Purée half the strawberries in a blender and chop the remaining strawberries.

Whip the double cream until stiff peaks form, then fold in the strawberry purée and crushed meringue. Fold in the chopped strawberries.

Divide the mixture between 4 large wine or sundae glasses. Serve.

Jumbleberry Crumble

For pudding I made a berry crumble. I used a mixture or loganberries and blueberries from my garden, blackberries from Walthamstow Marshes and strawberries from the supermarket as I never get a very good crop of strawberries. This was delicious, I love a crumble and the mixture before I baked it looked so pretty, just like jewels.

Jumbleberry Crumble (from Good Food Magazine July 2014)
(Serves 6)

100g plain flour
50g rolled oats
100g butter, cut into cubes
50g golden caster sugar

For the fruit filling:
900g mixed berries and currants, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, redcurrants or blackcurrants
50g caster sugar
1½ tbsp cornflour

Heat oven to 200C. Put the flour, oats, butter and sugar in a bowl, squash together with your fingers into a crumble texture.

Meanwhile, put the berries, sugar and cornflour in a large pan. Stir together and set over a medium heat. Cook until the berries just start to release their juices. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish.

Sprinkle the crumble topping over the fruit, and bake in the oven for 30-40 mins until bubbling and golden. Leave for 5 mins before serving with ice cream or custard.

Super Berry Blitz

This was the first recipe I tried from my WeightWatchers cookbooks last week. It was just like the smoothies I have been drinking but using water instead of milk. It does fill you up and because it just contains fruit it has no points. You can use skimmed milk instead of water for 1 PP per person and add 80g oats to the recipe to make it a proper smoothie for 2 PP per person.

Super Berry Blitz (from Cooking the WeightWatchers Way)
(Serves 4)
(0 WW ProPoints Per Serving)

200g blueberries
200g strawberries
200g raspberries
2 bananas, sliced
1 tsp vanilla extract
425ml chilled water

Put all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Pour into glasses and serve.

Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie

I have been revelling in the British strawberries that have just come into season, they are so juicy and sweet. Instead of just dipping them in a bag of sugar and eating them like I normally do, I also made a smoothie. This was yummy, lovely and thick because of the oats and fabulously fruity.

Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie
(Serves 1)

25g porridge oats
110g vanilla yogurt
60ml milk
100g hulled and washed strawberries
1 tsp flax seeds

Place the porridge oats in a blender and process until they are finely ground – this step is essential so that your smoothie has a smooth texture. 

Add the rest of the ingredients and process again until smooth. This smoothie has a thick texture, so just adjust with more milk if you prefer more liquid. 

Fruit and Yoghurt Oaty Breakfast

I actually didn't like this all that much. I found the Greek yoghurt way too cloying especially mixed with oats and seeds and it was too cold straight out of the fridge. I think if I bothered to make it again I would use natural yoghurt rather than Greek. Also this is meant to serve 1 but it was way too much for one person so I split it into two.

Fruit and Yoghurt Oaty Breakfast (from Slender Kitchen)

(Serves 1-2)

175g fat free plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp milk

68g rolled oats

1 tsp chia seeds

1 tsp flax seeds

150g strawberries

Mix together the yogurt, milk, oats, chia, and flaxseeds.

Using a jar or container, layer in half of the oat and yogurt mix. Then layer in half the fruit, repeat. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight

Strawberry Rhubarb Cake

Oh my god this cake is so good! It is also a super exploding over the sides of my dish cake as you can see from the picture at the bottom! Totally my fault, I used a way too small pan. This recipe comes from my friend Laurel's blog Shugga P's Gluten Free Goodness, which you should really check out, she has some awesome recipes on there. I served this with vanilla ice cream and you really have to try this cake it is so delicious! I'm not sure how many people the recipe serves but I made half the recipe and myself and my neighbour had about 5-6 portions between us! Not all in one sitting I promise, although I so could have!

Strawberry Rhubarb Cake (from Shugga P's Gluten Free Goodness)

375g self raising flour
225g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
225g butter
250ml buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

For the filling
600g rhubarb, sliced
450g strawberries
2 tsp lemon juice
225g sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch

For the topping
150g demerara sugar
63g plain flour
113g butter

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the lemon juice. Cook the rhubarb, strawberries and sugar together, then add the lemon juice and cornstarch. Cook until the mixture has thickened. Allow to cool whilst making the cake.

Stir together the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and salt. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl beat the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla then add them to the dry ingredients.

Spread 3/4 of the batter in a 23 x 33cm pan. Spread all of filling over the batter. Spoon the rest of the batter on top of the filling in small mounds. Mix the topping and sprinkle it on top. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the top is golden brown.