Highlights of my 2015

Before the New Year it's always nice to remember the past year and reflect. So how was actually my 2015? I think all in all quite busy and it went by very quickly, but when looking back on the blog, it seems that I managed to post a decent amount of posts as well, some more innovative than the others. Here are some of my favourite recipes, travels and happenings from this year and I have linked back to the old posts. I hope that you'll like this post.

This year I found a passion for Lebanese cooking and it started directly in January with a Lebanese dirty rice recipe. That dish has become a standard in my cooking, but I also tried other Lebanese recipes throughout the year. I really like the Roasted cauliflower in tahini sauce as well. This meant that I also cooked quite a lot vegan this year without even necessarily noticing it.

In February I cooked Sesame-roasted tofu with satay sauce and broccoli and Lentil pancakes with chilli butter and really enjoyed both interesting dishes. We also travelled to Bruges and what a lovely town it was with excellent bars and veggie food. We took the Eurostar, which is always a great experience. I'm only wondering when can I go back!? 

 

In March I shared such recipes as Glamorgan sausages with potato mash and salad, Blood orange, courgette and mozzarella salad and Irish Colcannon. I can't wait for the blood orange season again, what will I cook with them now?

April was a busy month of travelling for me, as I went for a couple of trips, first to Copenhagen and Malmö with my partner over Easter and then on my own to Finland to visit my family. Cauliflower nuggets, Potato pizza and Minestrone are among my favourite recipes from this month.

 

May was quite hedgehog themed. I drank Old Prickly beer, made Hedgehog shaped ravioli, baked Potato and rosemary focaccias and did several local trips to New Forest, Oxford and Isle of Purbeck. I also spent the last days of this year in Oxford. It's always a pleasure visiting the pubs and botanic gardens there and I'm going to write another Oxford post as soon as I have time.

My favourites from June are Couscous with red lentils and roasted carrots, Courgette Baba Ganoush, Onion squash quesadilla and Black bean and soya mince tacos with roasted peppers, cheese and tomato salsa.

I had a tomato themed cooking week in July, The VegHog's Tomato Festival with many vegetarian tomato recipes posted during that week, and that was a lot of fun. I might repeat the event next year, but we'll see when the season comes. In July I also cooked some Spicy veggie dogs and Sea vegetable paella and Mushroom and pearled spelt cabbage roulades.

I had a longer summer holiday in August and headed to Finland again, where else. I had a great time visiting family and different places. Holiday also means Back to work at some point, and I started sharing some of my work packed lunches with you, a post series that I'm keen to continue in the New Year. I was really happy that I finally managed to make Koshari, a very tasty Egyptian dish.

September and October dishes included a Pattypan squash spelt risotto, Vegetarian sausage rolls, Onion squash and lentil soup and Spicy pumpkin soup. You can notice on the dishes that the chillier season had arrived. Soups are perfect to be enjoyed around that time. In October I got to visit Germany again and went to Köln, Bremen and Düsseldorf.

In November I cooked a Turnip and lentil salad, Vegetarian Fish & Chips and Arabian nutty rice.

December was full of Christmas preparations and I spent yet another family Christmas in Finland.

These posts are very recent, so I'm only going to mention one interesting one: Chestnut and shallot tarte tatin, which makes a very good vegetarian Christmas centrepiece. Feel free to look back at the other December posts, if you want.

Now my friends, I would like to wish you a very happy New Year, may all your wishes come true in 2016! I will now withdraw myself to my English sparkling wine from Hattingley Valley, cheers! See you next year!

Your VegHog