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Articles by Becky Blench
MA funding & extenuating circumstances - deferring/repeating a year
Hi I hope you can help with some advice about funding. I an mid way through the second year of my part-time MA at Arts University Plymouth (AUP). In September my elderly mum severely fractured her back, needing a hospital stay and re-ablement care when she returned home. I didn't realise quite how much extra support she would need with all aspects of daily living in addition to NHS carers, so I have been very involved with caring for my mum since.
Best recipes for bonfire season
Bonfire Night is approaching, and with it, the perfect occasion to whip up some easy, warming comfort food. If you can, eat outdoors, light a fire and watch the sparks fly up. Enjoy the contrast of cold air on your face and a hot plate of something tasty to savour. Whether you are able to have a small bonfire in your garden or just light a candle at the table, here’s to all our lights shining together in the dark.
Bircher overnight oats three ways
Bircher oats can best be described as a cold, fruity porridge. The oats and apple are steeped in liquid overnight, plumping and softening. It means that breakfast can be pulled, fully formed, from the fridge in the morning. Swapping to an organic diet in one go can be daunting, but by making simple swaps in key meals, such as breakfast, your food choices will support farmers who choose not to use artificial chemicals, top animal welfare and healthier soils.
Summer of seasonal eating
August is a busy time for growers, but the holiday season usually means that, although fields and greenhouses are overflowing with produce, there is a dip in the market for them at this time every year. One of the main reasons real food may get ditched at this time may simply be for convenience, but eating on-the-go can be a more eco-friendly affair that makes the most of a stunning array of produce; part of our days out, rather than something we ‘grab and go’ or rush to fit in.
How to eat rhubarb
Brought over to Britain in the 16th century, it’s said that rhubarb was so highly regarded and much sought after that it could command nearly three times the price of opium. New ways of cultivating it here later sparked the Victorian rhubarb craze – akin to our contemporary frenzy for avocados. Even now, the rhubarb harvest is eagerly awaited, a short burst of zingy flavour and bright colour marking the turn of the season and the promise of warmer weather to come.
Boom time for carrots
This year has seen a bumper crop for carrot growers. Ideal conditions for seed planting meant good soil temperatures and perfect weather for germination got them off to a good start, and with much less loss to bad weather or pests the latest carrot crop is exceptionally healthy.
Best recipes for an Easter feast
At the time of writing, Spring is gently arriving on farms and in gardens across the UK. Trees are full with the trill of nest-building birds and buds are beginning to bloom. Ahead of the traditional chocolatey treasure hunts, here is our best Easter feast recipe inspiration for you to indulge in with family and friends over the holidays. Riverford leek and smoked cheese pithivier Pithivier is a traditional circular puff pastry pie with a curved pattern cut into the pastry.
Best recipes for Christmas leftovers
Along with decking the halls, we will all make our best guesses about how much and what to buy, but one thing that is a concern is not wanting to waste food. Let these recipes elevate your leftovers, turning them into zero-waste mini-feasts that are full of flavour and festive cheer. Beetroot, potato and horseradish rostis A sure-fire hit for breakfast, brunch or lunch. You can cook the beetroot first, but using it raw lends the röstis a nice bit of bite.
Best plant-based party food
Pinchos are originally from the Basque country in the north of Spain, similar to tapas, but smaller in size and with a slice of crusty bread as a base. Although simple to make, they are always very popular at parties – perfect for the festive season.
Vegan Christmas dinner recipes
Showcasing the best of seasonal veg, a good Christmas dinner is a total delight and there is now a wealth of vegan Christmas dinner recipes to try. Try these easy vegan Christmas dinner dishes that will become favourites on your festive table. A bit more special than your everyday roast dinner, this mushroom, lentil and red wine wellington is simple and speedy and best of all, most of the recipe can be prepped the day before.
Taste not waste: Squash versus pumpkin for Halloween
Think of Halloween and you can pretty much guarantee the first thing that pops into your head is a grinning orange pumpkin, but should we rethink this tradition? Currently, the UK is growing millions of pumpkins that nourish no one, and just end up in landfill. Although pumpkins are edible, last year, according to Hubbub, 14.5 million pumpkins were left uneaten at Halloween.
A guide to sustainable coffee
What do you look for in a great cup of coffee? Flavour comes first, and how much it costs, but what about sustainability? According to the Fairtrade Foundation, around 125 million people worldwide depend on coffee for their livelihoods in some way. As the world’s second most traded commodity after petrol, it generates an annual income of $200 billion, but almost 80 per cent of coffee is produced by smallholder farmers, who are the most vulnerable part of the supply chain.
Best orchard fruit recipes
It’s orchard fruit season! Trees are full of plump, luscious plums, crisp apples and sweet-scented pears. While these precious crops are at their peak, don’t let them go to waste – they can be enjoyed in sweet and savoury recipes that will see you through the autumn. Apples and pears are not just good for us, either. Traditional organic orchards are real wildlife havens, recognised as a UK priority habitat.
Side dishes for a late summer roast
If you are used to doing the same sides each time you cook a roast dinner, this August bank holiday weekend why not switch to something new? Just right for the time of year and featuring seasonal veg, these dishes have a comforting feel but are a bit lighter and offer fresh inspiration for accompaniments to go with your meat, veggie or vegan centrepiece. A creamy beetroot gratin is an incredibly moreish side dish. It’s quick to get in the oven and ends up a magnificent deep purple.
Top five low energy recipes
With the temperature outside and the cost of energy rising daily, now is the ideal time to make the most of the summer season’s vibrant veg, use less energy, and let those flavours shine out. Most things, except potatoes, can be used raw in salads alongside salad leaves – thin ribbons of raw fennel, carrot or courgette made using a veg peeler are great additions. Colour and crunch from sugar snap peas, peppers, or matchsticks of kohlrabi work well, too.
For the love of figs
Dreamy and delicious, did you know figs aren’t actually fruit? They’re inverted flowers. Fig trees don’t flower like apple trees; instead, the flowers bloom inside pods that mature into the fruit we eat. The climate in Northern Spain is perfect for figs, and grower José Maria Agusti showed us snapshot of how he grows them on his organic farm near Lleida, about an hour from Barcelona. He cultivates the luscious Cuello de Dama (Lady’s Neck) figs, named as such for their long ‘neck’.
How to host a sustainable BBQ
Outdoor cooking has become a huge food trend during the last couple of years, when lockdowns saw 44 per cent more BBQs being held in 2020 – a whopping 100 million in total. Although this number dipped as restaurants reopened, shoppers are now looking for cheaper alternatives to eating out, and a new trend is ‘restaurant-style BBQ’; people want to get together outside to enjoy how delicious cooking over fire can be, using better ingredients and a wider range of flavours.
How to BBQ summer fruit and veg
What better use of a long lazy summer’s evening than to gather, cook and feast on the abundance of seasonal fruit and veg available now. Outdoor cooking can be much more interesting and varied than you’d imagine by cooking not just above the coals, but also in the embers – bringing an exciting range of textures and flavour to your plate.
Best recipes for the ‘summer flush’
At the height of summer, we are in a period known as the ‘summer flush’ when a wide variety of British-grown veg are plentiful. If you have a glut of some things it may feel like your recipes are on repeat, but with some simple travel-inspired ideas and a sunny day you can let your tastebuds transport you. To help you rediscover the excitement of this season here is our roundup of some brand new recipes from the chefs at Riverford, which will give your favourite summer veg an adventurous feeling.
What next for refill?
With ever more alarming headlines about the climate crisis, taking action even in the smallest way is empowering. The feelgood factor of simple everyday acts, like refilling your water bottle or being able to say no to a plastic bag because you brought your own, is important both for the planet and our mental health – but new research shows 65 per cent of UK consumers feel forced to give up on plastic-free shopping due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Are we finally breaking up with fast fashion?
Contestants on the dating show phenomenon that is TV ‘s Love Island are this year ditching fast fashion, as the show’s new partnership sponsor is Ebay. In a daring move for a show wedded to fast fashion, switching from the likes of I saw It First – who gained 250,000 new customers on their site after the first summer 2019 summer episode aired – could it be the rebrand preloved clothing needs to make it mainstream?
Behind closed doors at a sustainable restaurant
The twin crises of climate change and biodiversity losses will be the defining stories of our future, but it is not too late to change direction. Here at Wicked Leeks, our mission is to help inform and inspire positive change. Our journalism is free to all because of this, but we want to reach as many people as possible who share our desire for a better world.
Jubilee recipes: A royal get-together
Sharing food together is one of life’s great pleasures, but as we are all a bit rusty at thinking about what to take along with us, some simple ideas may help. From cooking for family to crowd-pleasing dishes you can share, here is our royal recipe round-up featuring the kings and queens of the seasonal veg calendar. Coronation carrots is a quirky veggie twist on a retro classic. Tender summer carrots take centre stage in this original Riverford recipe by chef Bob Andrews.
Brunch from Bahrain
Born and raised in Bahrain, to an Arab dad and English mum, I am no stranger to aromatic plates of lamb and rice, chickpeas and yoghurt, mung beans and lentils, and a plethora of spices; black limes very much included. To those unfamiliar with black limes, or loomi aswad in Arabic, they are limes that have been dried in the sun: bitter, sour, earthy and robust. And they’re in almost every Bahraini dish I know.
Less waste and healthy diets: Life in the past
Food waste | Environment & ethics | Plastic There is some nostalgia within green circles for the 1940s, mainly because the war and subsequent rationing imposed a healthy diet (by modern standards) and very low tolerance of waste. But the forties were austere, and many Europeans spent the first half of the decade trying to kill one another, and the second half hungry.
Thomasina Miers’ meat‐free Mexican recipes
Recipes | Eat more veg | Eating & drinking | Biodiversity The incredible variety of Mexico’s cuisine reflects that it’s home to and that’s why it’s perfect for finding inspiration for vegetarian cooking. This trio of vibrant and comforting plant-based recipes full of seasonal veg, pulses, herbs, and spices are sure to delight as well as impress.
Sustainable farming hero passes away
Environment & ethics | Nature | Farming Tributes from across the food and farming community have been paid to the much-loved lifelong sustainable farming advocate Caroline Drummond who has passed away after a brief illness. Drummond led Leaf (which stands for Linking Environment and Farming) as chief executive since 1991 and is credited with transforming it into an influential organisation known for championing sustainable farming and bridging the gap between farmers and the public.
Ripple Effect, the new name for Send a Cow
The world over, farmers are understandably suspicious of change – especially when suggested by outsiders. Even if it worked on your faraway farm, will it work on mine, with different soils, topography, climate, skills, and so on? Given the wafer-thin margins most farmers operate on in the first world, and the food insecurity experienced by many subsistence farmers in the developing world, the cost of experimentation (and its inevitable failures) can be prohibitively high.
Burgers and boots: How lab-grown moved into fashion
Following the breakthroughs of lab-grown meat, lab-grown leather is now getting attention from big investors, with start-up VitroLabs alone raising $46 million. This Californian company invented a way to grow leather by combining stem cell technology, biomaterial research and 3D printing to create a flawless material with the same scent, feel and properties as real leather.
Jamie Oliver calls an Eton mess protest
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is calling for the public to take an Eton mess dessert to Downing Street tomorrow to protest against U-turns to plans to delay promotion of junk food. The government announced this week that the plans would be shelved, which it said was to give the food industry more time to prepare and protect consumers from the cost of living crisis.
Erratic alcoholics or green eaters of the future?
So the results are in. This small study in Sheffield aimed to explore the percentage of students who shop organically and locally, and the barriers to them doing so (or not doing so more).
Asma Khan’s nine-jewel korma
The twin crises of climate change and biodiversity losses will be the defining stories of our future, but it is not too late to change direction. Here at Wicked Leeks, our mission is to help inform and inspire positive change. Our journalism is free to all because of this, but we want to reach as many people as possible who share our desire for a better world.
Food for healthy minds
Our brain not only impacts how we feel every day but how we sleep, work, move and thrive. It is important to care for it now, as the choices we make every day affect much more than we often realise and can be carried into our old age. The reality is that most of us don’t get what we need from our day-to-day diet. Eating the right foods can help change everything, and as diet is ever more widely researched it has been proven repeatedly to support and resolve a wide variety of issues.
Insect numbers fall by 60 per cent
The number of flying insects in the UK has fallen by almost 60 per cent in the last 17 years, according to new data gathered by citizens across the country. The Bugs Matter survey, which is led by the Kent Wildlife Trust and charity Buglife, and supported by a number of other wildlife organisations, uses data collected by people at home who monitor the number of insects ‘splatted’ on their vehicle registration plates.
Food growing for tiny spaces
Small spaces vary, but there is often the potential to grow quite serious amounts of food in them. I found I could grow far more than I initially thought possible, eating homegrown food every day. The revelation that I could grow a decent amount of (delicious) food was both exciting and motivating. How much you’ll be able to grow depends on the size of your space and its microclimate, among other things.
Spring cleaning for body and mind
Spring cleaning is so needed after the more enclosed, indoor lifestyle of colder months, cocooned from the elements. We want to fling open doors and windows and have a clean sweep, getting rid of any clutter, as nature stirs with the returning warmth and increasing daylight. We tend to feel much better for a cleaner, clearer house, but what about our lifelong home – our bodies?
Food shots that transport us
Eating & drinking | Farming | Politics An intimate and warm image of a Kashmiri kebab vendor in a pillow of smoke has won the world’s most prominent food photography award. Leading photographers judged thousands of entries from over 60 countries to announce the winners of the annual Pink LadyFood Photographer of the Year, spanning categories such as street food, farming, politics and family.
Quids in: Eating with £1 a day
I tend to live in extremes, flowing from month to month obsessing over anything from Trumpian politics, Asian culture or how to live to 100. But more recently I’ve been obsessing over minimalism, frugality and how to make our hard-earned pennies stretch that bit further.
Best of British beans
With global food production affected by war and climate change, and the devastating effects of industrial agriculture globally, now is the time to discover new locally grown sustainable crops. Finding and learning to use those key homegrown elements could be the gateway to not just a healthier environment, but exciting new recipes we can enjoy as part of a more diverse diet.
Soaring farm costs overshadow excellent crops
Farming | Growers and suppliers | Mental health UK growers are enjoying an excellent start to the spring season, but anxiety is mounting over rising costs and labour shortages. Homegrown asparagus, artichokes, fennel, and soft fruits like blueberries and strawberries will be in bountiful supply as stable weather conditions have been kind to growers.
Poem and review
Diversity | Grow your own | Environment & ethics Becky Blench 25th April 2022 POEM Jenny She pulls things from the earth with bare hands, clipped fingernails crusted, compact with the black. Roll the stem, between this finger and that, then ease; out of that musty damp the bulk of root, to straggling tip.
Eating in or dining out?
Eating & drinking | Cities One of the great joys of food is communal eating. Whether you’re cooking for friends at home or eating out, try our recommendations for where to go, what to ask, and ideas for dinner table discussions. Go Spring, Somerset House, London. Taste sustainable fine dining at a fraction of the price in this West End location, where a £25 ‘Scratch’ menu is on offer between 5:30 and 6:30pm, Wednesday to Saturday, made with the lunch menu’s surplus food.
The anti-consumerism shopping guide
Ethical business | Fashion & beauty | Health Becky Blench 13th April 2022 Buying less stuff is cheaper, less stressful, and has a much lower impact on the environment. Our new guide will help you curate this approach with a different theme each issue, compiled, tried and tested by lifestyle writer Becky Blench.
Make your own veggie burger
The twin crises of climate change and biodiversity losses will be the defining stories of our future, but it is not too late to change direction. Here at Wicked Leeks, our mission is to help inform and inspire positive change. Our journalism is free to all because of this, but we want to reach as many people as possible who share our desire for a better world.
Ingredient spotlight: Wild garlic
Eating & drinking | Recipes | Food waste James Evans 13th April 2022 Wild garlic is one of the most recognisable and widely foraged vegetables in the UK. Its unmistakeable entrance into the season is a welcome sign that spring is tantalisingly close, and the dark, miserable winter days are behind us for good – at least for another eight months. Provenance and history Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) is also known as ramsons, wild cowleek, cowlic or wood garlic.
Money-saving meal ideas
Eating & drinking | Recipes | Price | Food waste Becky Blench 14th April 2022 Domestic energy costs are already impacting homes UK wide as people are having to cope with hefty energy bill price hikes of over 50 per cent. As figures released today by the Office for National Statistics show, inflation hit a new 30-year high of seven per cent last month, with the cost of living is set to rise even further.
Reducing food waste over Ramadan
Food waste | Eating & drinking Becky Blench 8th April 2022 With the cost-of-living crisis currently facing the UK, new research out this week from Human Appeal, a faith based poverty relief organisation, has highlighted concerns over food waste during Ramadan in a survey of the Muslim community.
Children need more access to nature
Mental health | Nature Jack Thompson 30th March 2022 Over 40 organisations, teachers, MPs and three quarters of the public have backed a campaign to improve children’s mental health with better access to nature. Successive lockdowns, social isolation and increased use of social media is driving a mental health crisis among children but regular time in nature can help tackle these issues, according to the Nature Premium campaign.
Best recipes for an Easter feast
Eating & drinking | Recipes Becky Blench 30th March 2022 At the time of writing, Spring is gently arriving on farms and in gardens across the UK. Trees are full with the trill of nest-building birds and buds are beginning to bloom. Ahead of the traditional chocolatey treasure hunts, here is our best Easter feast recipe inspiration for you to indulge in with family and friends over the holidays.
Food and farming? Not as conjoined as you’d think
Eating & drinking | Farming | Environment & ethics Anna_Jones 23rd March 2022 This article is part of a new series by Wicked Leeks, Sustainable Cities, exploring what sustainable food means to those living in the city. We all have to eat regardless of whether we live on a croft in the Scottish Highlands or in a flat in Tower Hamlets. Surely food is the umbilical cord connecting everyone with the land? Nope. Food and farming are often mentioned in the same sentence.
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