It's said that our sense of smell invokes profound feelings and emotions within us. Baking this spelt cinnamon bun cake put that to the test and confirmed that a tantalising aroma can put my brain into sensory overload. This recipe is loaded with cinnamon and cardamom infused with soy milk to make a sweet bake which is a traditional Scandinavian treat and for good reason, because it's utterly irresistable!

Spelt Cinnamon Bun Cake

Gavin Wren Baking, Recipes, Spelt & ancient grains

It’s said that our sense of smell invokes profound feelings and emotions within us. Baking this spelt cinnamon bun cake put that to the test and confirmed that a tantalising aroma can put my brain into sensory overload.

The Road Less Travelled.

When talking of food, it’s easy to lapse into trite, oft-repeated phrases, loaded with food-friendly adjectives. An author’s job is to track down the scent of unique expression, rather than propping up the bar with descriptions that we’ve all heard before. Originality provokes interest, I often ponder over how to construct the description of a recipe, without resorting to the usual suspects of ‘simple’, ‘rich’, ‘tasty’, ‘easy’, ‘quick’. Rich brevity is the key to success.

It takes a deeper analysis of the food, a bear-hug of emotional connection with it and an expansive relationship with the English language to venture beyond the obvious… come and read more…

The divine pairing of butternut squash and cinnamon sit so beautifully together in the amazing plant based, vegetarian and vegan recipe, it would be easy to assume that God himself had blessed us with their co-operation. A tray of simple cinnamon roasted squash, mixed up with a mash of garlicky lentils, is incredibly simple and simply incredible. It creates the perfect foundation for a meat free meal or a simple vegetable side dish.

Cinnamon Roasted Squash with Lentils

Gavin Wren Recipes, Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

The divine pairing of butternut squash and cinnamon sit so beautifully together, it would be easy to assume that God himself had blessed us with their co-operation. A tray of simple cinnamon roasted squash, mixed up with a mash of garlicky lentils, is incredibly simple and simply incredible. The discovery of this pairing hallowed a eureka moment for me, they sit so perfectly that this recipe needs no more than a hungry mouth and a willing fork to accompany it.

Discrete Divinity.

There are pairings in the world which fit together so perfectly, it were as if God or some other mystical being set them as a challenge for us in life, to see if we could discover these secret little puzzles. Like the easter eggs hidden by the developers in computer games, the little puzzles, rewards, cheats or shortcuts, buried within the fabric of the game… come and read more…

What's the best milk to make dairy free porridge with? I've tried them all, in this blog post I explain the findings, as well as the recipe for the thickest, creamiest, dairy free porridge made with jumbo oats and topped with beautifully spiced apples and pears for a breakfast that's gonna keep you going all day.

The Best Spiced Apple and Pear Dairy Free Porridge

Gavin Wren Breakfast, Recipes

Today I’m writing about how to make the best dairy free porridge, topped with delicious spiced apples and pears and drizzled with a sweetener of your choice, or none at all, which makes this a no added sugar recipe. It’s the perfect bowl of hot wholesome goodness for your morning’s chow during this cold snap. Brrrrrrrrrrr. It’s cold. Really cold. Every morning I sit patiently in my car and watch the heating create a lozenge …

A filling and sustaining chunky soup loaded with goodness and hearty ingredients. This chunky butternut squash and lentil soup is a meal-in-a-bowl which virtually becomes a stew as the liquid is almost entirely soaked up by the lentils, chickpeas and squash. The Indian influenced spices have come in to play, featuring a warming host of flavours which will warm your cockles even when the temperature's so cold that the central heating doesn't. It's so good that it's my lunch bowl for the next three weeks, yes, I've just made a triple batch of this, giving me a happy fridge and freezer full of lunchtime joy.

Chunky Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

Gavin Wren Recipes, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

Today I’ve got a fantastically filling, Indian influenced, chunky butternut squash and lentil soup with chickpeas that will keep your tummy filled, your body fuelled and your cockles warmed throughout the coldest days of the winter. Fantastic India. I’ve just returned from a truly beautiful holiday in Goa, India, where I spent three weeks doing yoga, laying by the sea, reading and travelling across the width of the country to the eastern city of Ranchi, …

Home cooked palmiers take a few minutes to prepare, are quick to cook and can be flavoured however you want, be it sweet or savoury, meat or meatfree, cheese or chocolate. Great for kids to play around with and awesome to impress your guests when you whip your home made pastries out of the oven!

Palmiers – The Easiest Baking Recipe in the World

Gavin Wren Baking, Recipes

Today I’m writing about palmiers, one of the easiest baking recipes in the world and also one of the most versatile, allowing you to play around with sweet and savoury, adding your own flavours and additions as you desire. Great fun for kids to make or impress your guests with home baked pastries that take a few minutes to prepare and will re-assure your position as a domestic god/goddess. Clickbait Woes. I received an e-mail …

Hot, soul warming golden turmeric milk packed full of the spices turmeric and cinnamon, plus a fiery dose of ginger, a twist of pepper and some rounded honey to sweeten things up. This hot milk drink can be made with any milk, from cow and goat to any of the dairy free options you might like. It's the perfect way to kick off your day, or to round your evening off after a hard day.

Soul Warming Golden Turmeric Milk

Gavin Wren Drinks

Today I’m making my version of golden turmeric milk, a traditional hot drink made with turmeric, cinnamon and ginger to give your body a heart, body and soul warming hug from the inside. It’s simple to make and incredibly comforting, plus features a wide range of health benefits associated with the consumption of turmeric. This one’s a keeper! Winter Wonderland. When I made and photographed this recipe a few days ago, there was a clear …