parmesan and sesame bites.

A little Christmas gift idea or perhaps as a festive snack for the family, these Parmesan and sesame bites are super easy to make and with only a few simple ingredients too. As part of a Christmas series with Parmigiano Reggiano, I'm embracing one of my favourite cheeses with three festive recipes. 

Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard, Italian cheese which has a PDO credentials. King of Cheeses, it's one of the world’s oldest and richest cheeses - still produced today as it was nine centuries ago. For hundreds of years, this very special product has only be allowed to be made in particular areas of Italy, with selected dairies and producers. The rules of cheese-making this way mean that it's always a high quality product which has a true ancient origin. The result is fantastic, I'm sure cheese lovers will agree.

the farmhouse, mackworth, derby.

Just a ten minute drive from Derby city, you'll find an 18th Century farmhouse serving up 21st Century cuisine. With a contemporary menu and wood fired pizza oven, you can join the friendly lot at The Farmhouse for breakfast, dinner or Sunday lunch. I went along with my grandparents, who live in Mackworth, for a weekend lunch. My grandpa remembers the pub as his local many years ago, so was looking forward to seeing the transformation.

chocolate and chestnut brownies.

An autumnal inspired brownie recipe that’s perfect to enjoy curled up with a cup of tea. These indulgent chocolate brownies combine the rich flavours of dark chocolate, sweetness of milk chocolate pieces and nutty hints of chestnut. 

I’ve used the Co-op Irresistible 70% Dark Chocolate for this recipe, which has both floral and spicy notes. Plus they’re individually wrapped in beautiful gold paper, so you can enjoy them as an occasional, but decadent, treat. The Irresistible Milk Chocolate lived up to its name too. Made with carefully selected Peruvian cocoa, it has a smooth and creamy taste which makes it perfect to scatter into a brownie mix as a sweet contrast against the intense dark chocolate. 

the best places to eat and drink in leicester: my foodie favourites.

Leicester, how I love you. Living in the Midlands means I get a good pick of the bunch from the likes of Birmingham to Nottingham. An hour up to Sheffield, two hours to Leeds and a speedy train to London make it super handy for trying out the culinary treats that England has to offer. 

But in recent years, there's less reason to venture away from the LE postcode for foodie destinations. Independent burger joints, metre-long pizza offerings and local gins mean that the indie food and drink scene has become more mouthwatering by the month. There are a few old haunts that I've been visiting for over a decade now, as well as a few new foodie favourites to join the (ever growing) list. So where do I think are the best restaurants and bars in Leicester at the moment?

twisted burger co. at the harley, sheffield.

The Harley in Sheffield boasts an eclectic mix of gig and event listings, drink offerings, a tea emporium and even hotel rooms. Since 2011 though, they've added another string to their bow in the form of The Twisted Burger Company, an independent burger brand that can be found in a handful of Northern locations, as well as at foodie festivals. I went along to the Glossop Road venue, during a short stay in Sheffield.

the queen's head, belton, leicestershire.

Found in the Leicestershire countryside, The Queen's Head is a cosy pub and restaurant that boasts five refurbished rooms. The Belton based establishment pride themselves on using the best ingredients and local producers to create seasonal menus mostly inspired by British and European cuisine. The bar area is dog friendly, whilst the restaurant has a more modern and refined feel for birthday meals, special occasions and date nights alike.

bohns best burgers, nottingham.

Found in the heart of Hockley, Bohns Best Burgers is an independent joint serving up a rhapsody of creations between brioche buns. The clue is in the name though, could these really be the best burgers in Nottingham? It's true, I'm always on the look out for the best burgers in the East Midlands (shout out to Leicester's Crafty and Hide in Derby) but could these be the hit that Hockley needs? I think so.

marseille: my little foodie city guide.

Marseille; a beautiful mix of traditional ports, sandy beaches, rich history and colourful city life. I took my first solo trip to Marseille for five nights of exploring, reading, eating and basking in the glorious French sun. 

I've never been outside of the UK alone before, and thought a city like Marseille would be the perfect start. Not too far away from home, with varied landscapes and things to do, all within easy reach of their trains and Metro system. You may know by now about my love of macarons and seafood, with my A level French helping a little way towards not feeling totally alone. Here's a little foodie city guide of Marseille, with a few solo travel trip and tricks along the way. 

roast broccoli, tomato and feta salad.

A warm, vegetarian salad made up of crispy roast broccoli, charred tomatoes, red pesto Quorn pieces and crumbled feta. Packed with goodness, this filling dish works as a midweek main, side dish or lunch box favourite. I roasted ahead the broccoli, tomatoes and Quorn with a drizzle of good quality oil, cracked black pepper and sea salt, and then tossed together the other ingredients right before eating. Super quick, super easy.

9 foodie must-dos in costa brava.

Found in Catalonia in the North East of Spain, Costa Brava is a beautiful coastal region that boasts leafy hills, colourful buildings, gorgeous views and an excellent foodie culture. Being by the sea, there are lots of fresh seafood and fish dishes to indulge in. That's not all. Think stunning wine blends, with great pairings, as well as exceptional olive oil and sweets.

I went along as a guest of Jet2holidays to explore what the Catalonia region had to offer. With really reasonable flights from 9 UK destinations, I went from East Midlands to Girona, taking around two hours and costing from about £40pp. It really would make such an easy city break, only using one day holiday to enjoy three full days in the area. But what did I get up to on that long weekend?

raspberry and pistachio baked doughnuts with a white chocolate drizzle.

Fluffy and delicious doughnuts with one of my favourite flavour combinations – pistachio, raspberry and white chocolate. I’ll let you into a secret though, these aren’t really doughnuts of the deep fried kind. Essentially, they are a simple sponge mix in my trusty doughnut baking pan. So easy to make – with satisfyingly pretty results. If you saw my pumpkin spiced doughnut recipe, you’ll know I just love to decorate these little delicacies. So I had to make a summer version right away...

creme egg macarons.

Just in time for Easter... Creme Egg macarons! Made with two tone yellow and chocolate macaron shells, I've well and truly jumped on the Cadbury Creme Egg baking recipe train with these tempting treats. They're then filled with a classic Creme Egg buttercream to make an Easter inspired delight.

easter mini egg and malteaster bunny brownies.

An indulgent Easter brownie recipe, with melt-in-the-mouth Malteaster bunnies, crunchy Mini Eggs and sweet hits of white chocolate. This is my go-to (accidentally gluten free) brownie recipe, with an April twist. The secret is adding the bunnies to the top of the brownies right at the end, so they slightly melt whilst still keeping that signature crunch. Hoppy Easter!

chocolate & honeycomb crunchie hearts.

February... the month of love! Whether you're planning a classic Valentine's Day or a cute night in with your Galentines, these chocolates make the ideal sweet treat for the occasion. They're super simple to make or give as gifts. Oh and if you like Crunchie bars, you'd probably be in. Crunchies are totally an acceptable Valentine date.

my top five recipes for fruity american pancakes.

Other than the trendy avocado and poached eggs on toast pairing, you can't beat a stack of freshly flipped pancakes for a lazy breakfast or weekend brunch. In particular, I've mastered a basic 5 ingredient American pancake recipe which makes the perfect fluffy base for a whole host of toppings. What's more, I've found using non-stick hot plate and a tiny spritz of sunflower spray gets great results that are all warm at once. You can also get lots of frozen fruit, or of course freeze the fresh leftovers to use at a later date!

So, why wait until February to enjoy your favourite combination? As part of this month's collaboration with Central England Cooperative, here are a few healthy pancake recipes with delicious combinations that go towards your five a day.

easy gluten free coconut flour pancakes.

A deliciously fluffy stack of pancakes, just in time for Pancake Day. And guess what, these ones are totally gluten free. I've teamed up with Indigo Herbs to try out some of their awesome products and bring you a sweet treat which features some flippin' great superfoods too. The gluten free coconut pancake recipe is made using coconut flour and cooked in coconut oil. To finish, they're scattered with strawberry powder and crushed pistachios, with an obligatory drizzle of maple syrup. Read on to see how the ingredients stacked up...

rose buttercream plant pot cupcakes.

With February as the month of luuurve, I thought I'd try my had at some Valentine's inspired recipes. I recently bought this rose shape nozzle which I just couldn't wait to try out. So simple to use with lots of different flower shaped nozzles too! I don't know about you, but I'd sooner have 12 flower pot cupcakes than a dozen roses? 

tofu korma.

A fragrant and warming vegan curry recipe which is super simple too. This dish takes inspiration from the classic korma and adds tofu, baby corn and green beans for a healthy veggie alternative. It’s a mild but comforting sauce which can be adjusted to taste and packed with lots of wholesome vegetables. Serve with piping hot basmati rice and your favourite Indian bread. It’s perfect for make-ahead meal too and can be easily frozen for simple midweek meals.