Strawberry Vanilla Coconut Cream Pudding

I made these for my family a couple of weeks ago for Valentine’s Day weekend. Although strawberries are technically out of season at this time of year I had seen them in the shops and thought they would be perfect for a heart-shaped theme. They are delicious; you need confidence that they will set well when you beat the coconut. I left them for an hour after making them, covered on the countertop although you could also pop them into the fridge.

Buckwheat Banana Smoothie

This morning I made a delicious buckwheat smoothie for my daughter and me. Buckwheat is not a wheat or even a grain but a seed relative of the rhubarb family – it is therefore gluten free. It contains fat and protein so makes a great breakfast meal to get an energetic start to the day. In Chinese medicine it is viewed as a Yang food, i.e., it helps you to warm up. Here’s the recipe: