In my hometown of Rome, Spaghetti alla Carbonara is considered the queen of pasta dishes. All it takes to make the perfect Carbonara is a bowl of spaghetti al dente tossed with guanciale (Italian cured meat product prepared from pork cheeks), mature pecorino cheese, eggs and good quality black pepper.
It’s a simple dish with humble origins: some say it was the coal workers’ lunch of choice, hence the name “carbonara”.
Cooking with my sons is pretty much my top activity for spending quality time together without spending a fortune. The geeky mother in me happily ticks off all the boxes it covers. Helping develop manual dexterity? Absolutely. Team working? Yes! Understanding nutrition and health? Of course. A sprinkling of science and maths? Got it covered. And instilling an enjoyment of good food and cooking? BIG tick.
Do you often feel hungry within an hour of eating your last meal? This usually happens to me if I haven’t had a well- balanced nutritious plate of food including complex carbs, a source of protein, lots of veggies and some healthy fats. There seems to be a trend of lots of people experimenting with a vegetarian diet this year and I think that’s amazing for our planet and our health but it is important to still take care of the protein part of our plates but this doesn’t have to come from meat.
Savoury porridge I hear you ask, trust me don’t knock it until you have tried it. I am a big fan of eggs and greens for breakfast but when the weather is colder and the mornings are icey sometimes there is nothing that beats a bowl of warming porridge. So why not combine the two? Breakfasting just got interesting.
How to make the perfect savoury porridge
Ingredients
Whilst weekday breakfast needs to be quick and easy, at the weekend when there is a bit of extra time, take the time to make breakfast that little more special. This comforting and filling hash is a real crowd pleaser and perfect for making when you have guests for breakfast/brunch.
The runny yolks from the eggs provide the perfect sauce for these crispy potatoes and adding the mushrooms and kale is a great way to get a head start on your 5-a-day.