Aubergine and sweet potato rolls

This is absolutely gorgeous! Shame I no longer have the photos (serves me right for having stored them on a work laptop). This will make an elegant-looking, yet easy to make side dish, particularly suitable with a nutroast or something with a smoky flavour.

Serves 4-6

500g sweet potatoes
180g Gruyere cheese, diced (it has to be Gruyere!)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 large aubergines
1 tsp thyme
50g plain flour
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp flavoured salt
3 TBSP groundnut oil

1. Boil the sweet potatoes for 20-25 min until well cooked. Drain, peel and mash into a bowl until smooth. Add the diced Gruyere, red pepper, garlic and thyme. Season to taste.

2. Place the flour on a plate and stir in the paprika, curry powder and salt with the back of a fork.

2. a) Sprinkle the aubergine slices with the spicy flour (or dip the slices in the spicy flour).

3. Heat 1 TBSP of oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the aubergine slices in batches, and cook until just golden brown. Add more oil if necessary. Place the cooked aubergine slices onto a plate.

4. Place a spoonful of sweet potato mixture into each aubergine slice and roll, pressing to seal closed. Place the rolls into an ovenproof dish and reheat in the oven until required. (~15-20 min @ 180C)

Alternative cooking method: for a BBQ, you can brush each roll with a little oil and place 3 or 4 rolls onto a square of alu foil. Seal the foil and cook on a medium-hot barbecue, turning occasionally, for 15-20 min.

Menu week 51

After a week of eating out 3 times a day, and although the food was delicious everywhere I went (except for the lunch sandwiches I have to admit), it is time to go back to some healthy home-made delicacies.

Winter stew

Potato and spinach korma

Pasta with veg and creamy tomato sauce (NEW!)

Celeriac, mushroom and walnut risotto (NEW!)

Lentil tagine (NEW!)

Unfortunately, we have not taken the time to take photos every meal that week...

My big belly

This is me at 18 weeks into pregnancy.

I have to face the truth: I cannot fit in any 'normal' trousers any longer, apart from this old pair of jeans which are super low-cut and which I stopped wearing 2 years ago because I could put them on and off without undoing the zip and button. These days are long gone and I don't think I'll be able to wear these for much longer now.

I had to purchase 2 pairs of 'maternity wear' trousers, one matches a suit jacket that I already owned so I can be smart for work, and the other is a smart casual pair of trousers. Both are very comfortable.


We went to a birthday party yesterday: game of bowling first (I just watched) and then a dinner party where we went with friends. I am quite tired this morning and need to get some sleep because I need to get up at 4am tomorrow to get to Belfast for 8am for my new job. *yawn*

New job!

I am starting a new job on Monday... in Northern Ireland!

Well, the role is home-based, but I will initially have to travel to Belfast regularly until I am fully trained with the product. Once I am confident I can do the job, I will work from home (ideal, being pregnant!) with some travel in Europe to sell the products.

I am really looking forward to going back to work, although I could have done with a week's holiday!

I hope the job meets my expectations and that I enjoy it as well as being good at it. I cannot really afford to change job again half-way through pregnancy, so let's hope everything goes well!