Well actually, yes! I live in Louth in Lincolnshire and we’re one of 460 Fairtrade Towns  in the UK.

This year Louth will be supporting the annual ‘Fairtrade Fortnight’ between February 22nd and 7th March 2010. This year’s theme is ‘The Big Swap’ and aims to get everyone swapping their usual items for Fairtrade goodies. With over 4,500 products licensed to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark there’s plenty of choice and by choosing Fairtrade, each and every one of us can make a real and sustainable difference to communities in 59 countries.

With Fairtrade products available from a wide range of outlets from charity shops to supermarkets, it’s easier than ever to swap your usual tea bags and chocolate to a Fairtrade variety. But it needn’t stop there! Beauty products, footballs and clothing made from Fairtrade certified cotton can be found on the High Street - just look for the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Fairtrade standards ensure that a minimum price is paid which ‘covers the cost of sustainable production’. Social, economic and environmental standards must also be met as well as an ongoing commitment to improve the lives of workers, farmers and their families.

The benefits of Fairtrade are widespread and even small, local retailers can make a difference. By selling Fairtrade products in its shop and café, St James church in Louth supports farmers and workers across the world and also helps to fund the upkeep of the church.

As well as towns such as Louth, universities, colleges and places of worship can also achieve Fairtrade status. Certain goals need to be met, including a commitment to raise awareness and increase local understanding of Fairtrade.

In Louth our town council serves Fairtrade refreshments in meetings and our Mayor had Fairtrade wine when he was sworn in. An extensive and ever increasing range of Fairtrade items are available in local shops, cafes, restaurants and churches, and with Louth now an official ‘Food Town’ our commitment to Fairtrade remains as strong as ever.

So why not give Fairtrade a go this fortnight?  Check out the full list of Fairtrade products available at retailers throughout the UK here.  If you think your village is interested in becoming a Fairtrade town then find out how to apply.

To help get you started, try this yummy Quorn fruity burger recipe, which uses as many Fairtrade ingredients as possible.

Quorn Fruity Burgers

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 12 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 175g Quorn Mince
• 5 medium carrots sliced and cooked until soft then drained
• 1 level tsp yeast extract
• 50g fresh white bread crumbs, 2 slices approx
• 6 dried Fairtrade apricots from Sun Cottage finely chopped
• 50g golden Fairtrade sultanas from Traidcraft, finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced including green part
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 Fairtrade orange, zest only, finely grated (look out for Fairtrade oranges at Sainsburys, ASDA, Co-operative and Tesco)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• Salt and freshly ground Fairtrade black pepper from ASDA
• 1 tbsp Equal Exchange extra virgin olive oil for frying
• a little flour to dust burgers

Method

1. Mash the carrots whilst still warm, stir through the yeast extract so that it melts.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Form burgers either with your hands or use a suitable sized pastry cutter as a mould.
4. Pack the mixture firmly into the mould and then remove carefully. This mixture makes 10-12 burgers depending on size.
5. Dust the burgers lightly with flour, shallow fry in pre-heated oil for 10-12 minutes on a medium heat, turning halfway for even browning.
6. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve in a bun with crispy lettuce leaves.

If you’ve got any great tips for going Fairtrade, be sure to let us know!

But if savoury is more your thing, then celebrate Pancake Day with this flippin’ tasty buckwheat flour pancake recipe from Quorn which uses Quorn bacon-style pieces, cheese and eggs:

BUCKWHEAT GALETTE WITH QUORN BACON PIECES
Makes 4-6  galettes
Serves 4

Ingredients

For the pancakes

• 75g buckwheat flour
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 50ml water-approx
• milk
• salt
• a little butter for frying the galettes

For the filling

• 1 x 100g pack Quorn chilled bacon style pieces/ 100g of Quorn frozen bacon style pieces from the 250g pack size
• 4 eggs
• 100g grated cheddar or Gruyère cheese

Method

1. For the galette place the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre and add the eggs and water. Beat these together, adding milk a little at a time until you obtain a smooth thin batter with the pouring consistency of single cream.  Leave the mixture to rest for 1 hour. If it has thickened on standing, add a little more water to thin it down.
2. Place the oil in a frying pan and gently sauté the Quorn bacon style pieces until lightly browned using the back of pack guidelines.
3. Heat a large flat pancake pan or a heavy based frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. When melted and hot, pour in a little batter and spread over the base of the pan to obtain a thin galette. Cook until lightly golden then flip over.
4. At this stage crack an egg and drop into the centre of the galette. Using a non-stick palette knife, spread the white of the egg gently over the surface, then add a sprinkling of Quorn bacon bits, lastly top with some grated cheese and fold in the two sides of the galette to cover the soft egg yolk and then the two ends to form a parcel.

Serve immediately accompanied by a crisp seasonal salad.

Let us know how you indulged this Pancake Day!

People born in this year are lively, lucky, forthright and engaging. And after an all too muted, credit-crunched 2009, we say bring it on!

Know any Tigers?  Those born in 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 and of course 2010 tend to be noble, fearless, born leaders.  Think Sir Richard Branson, Tom Cruise and Agatha Christie.  Expect your Tiger to be confident (sometimes too confident), adventurous but as warm hearted as they come.

To keep all those big cats purring this week, try out this oh so simple Chow Mein recipe our clever Quorn cooks have devised to celebrate Chinese New Year:

Quorn Chow Mein with Black Bean Sauce
Serves 4
Cooking time: 6 – 7 minutes

Ingredients

• 300 g Quorn Chicken Style Pieces (or beef style pieces)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 230g pack stir fry vegetables (if I’m in the mood, I’ll often chop up my own veggies but when I’m short for time I get the prepacked veg and throw in a pack of beansprouts, my favourite favourite!)
• 1 x 425g jar Sharwoods Black Bean Stir Fry Sauce
• 300g pack Sharwoods Ready to Wok Noodles

Method:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the Quorn pieces (these can be added from frozen) and toss for a couple of minutes
2. Add the vegetables and stir over a high heat for another couple of minutes
3. Then add the Sharwoods Black Bean Sauce and Sharwoods ‘Ready to Wok’ Noodles and cook for a further 2 minutes stirring continuously until piping hot and serve sprinkled with a few slices of spring onion

To add a few extra nibbles to your meal, try adding Sharwoods Prawn Crackers and sweet chilli sauce.  Yum!

If you’re in London, Manchester or Birmingham, there are some fab activities to welcome in the Chinese New Year.  From acrobatics to dragon dancing, it’ll all be there.

Let us know what you’re up to this Chinese New Year.  And, as we’re only slightly obsessed with food, make sure you send us your tips on yummy recipes for the occasion.

We wish you all Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Julie and Julia – French cooking will never be the same again!  I literally ate up every minute of that film and loved the locations, the lead actresses and oh yes yes yes, the food.  Favourite scene?  Julia’s Valentines Day dinner with giant red heart badges.  

Chocolat – c’mon, you knew that would be in here and anyway, it’s a brilliant excuse to link to a picture of Johnny Depp.  Click here for instant gratification.  Never watch this film if you’re on any kind of diet or healthy eating plan – at first sight of those truffles, your will power will crumble like cocoa powder at your feet.

Ratatouille – I know rats and food are NOT a combination you want to think about but this animated gem had us enraptured.  Watch Remy whip up a feast in a Paris kitchen to battle ‘The Grim Eater’ food critic. Genius.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – it’s got to be the original with Gene Wilder all the way (sorry Johnny)

Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life – when Mr Creosote meets that wafer-thin mint … a defining moment of my teenage years.

Golden oldies – Babette’s feast, Eat Love Man Wife, Like Water for Chocolate and Tampopo – foodie film masterpieces!

Naughty foodie scenes – I’m not going into too much detail because this is not a restricted site but let’s just say When Harry Met Sally, 9 and Half Weeks, American Pie and Delicatessen are classics but NOT for the faint hearted.  You have been warned!

What say you?  Help us resolve this debate once and for all and post your vote by including your favourite foodie movies in your comments.  Have we missed out any classics?  Don’t let down your fellow foodies, make sure you get in touch to let us know!

If you’re wondering what got my walking shoelaces in a twist in the first instance, then check out this study by Loughborough University.  More than half of us reckon we’re walking less than 10 years ago.  Lethargy, general family disinterest and not knowing where to go seem to be the main culprits.  But how much effort can it take to put on a pair of comfy walking shoes and stroll around a couple of blocks?  If you live in the countryside – glorious opportunity awaits!  But city-dwellers have no excuses either.  Even an urban ramble will unearth hidden gems – discovering a new pathway in your favourite park or appreciating seasonal changes in your neighbours’ front gardens.

The Ramblers Association has a brilliant list of urban walks to start you off.  If quality time with the family in the great outdoors isn’t enough of a reason to get out and about, remember that walking helps to lower blood pressure, improve mental well being and helps to improve joint health and flexibility, no matter what your age.

And your reward for your family’s new found activity?  Try this Spanish style Quorn Sausage casserole recipe.  It’s packed with peppers, broad beans and fresh parsley, this one pot dish is so easy to prepare before your walk … all you have to do is reheat and serve to the troops on your return.

If you’ve recently started walking with your family we’d love to hear from you.  Any tips to get the troops on the move?  Favourite walks?  And what’s your ideal dish to make for hungry tummies on return?

Here’s to an active and healthy 2010!

And on these self same packs, 14 ama-zingzing new recipes which you can cut out and keep – so you’ll never run out of inspiration.  From Quorn peppered steak sandwiches to Quorn lamb style pittas and chilli & lemon spaghetti – get ready for serious foodie satisfaction.  Here are two fabulous new recipes to keep you going:

CHILLI & LEMON SPAGHETTI                

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 12-15 minutes
• Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pack Quorn Lemon & Black Pepper Escalopes
• 150g dried spaghetti
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• Zest of a lemon
• ½  red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra for serving
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Cook the Quorn Escalopes according to instructions on back of pack.
2. Put the spaghetti into a pan of boiling salted water and cook as per pack instructions.
3. Combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, chilli and parsley in a bowl and add this to the drained pasta.  Season with a little salt and a good grind of black pepper.
4. Serve the spaghetti on to a plate and top with the Quorn Escalopes sprinkle with a little chopped parsley.

QUORN SAUSAGE & TOMATO PASTA

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 15 minutes
• Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 250g pack Quorn Sausages
• 250g penne pasta
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 jar 500g tomato, onion, garlic and herb pasta sauce
• handful torn basil leaves
• Italian style hard cheese or cheddar cheese, grated

METHOD

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta as per the back of pack instructions.
2. Slice the sausages into diagonal chunks, heat oil and fry them for 5 minutes until golden.
3. Pour over the tomato sauce, stir in the drained pasta and heat until piping hot.  Serve sprinkled with the cheese.
4. Once you’ve tried out some of the new recipes, let us know your thoughts on your favourites!

These products in the Quorn range feature great savings:

Quorn Mince, Quorn Pieces, Quorn Fajita Strips, Quorn L&P Escalopes, Quorn Peppered Steak, Quorn Lamb-style Grills, Quorn Bramley Bangers, Quorn Cottage Pie, Quorn Lasagne, Quorn Beef & Sweet Red Onion Burgers, Quorn Quarter Pounders, Quorn Cumberland Sausages, Quorn Red Leicester & Onion Sausages, Quorn Sausages.

First off, the mighty Quorn Frankfurter!  Perfect for hotdogs – and it’s so easy to keep things simple and delicious with a splash of mustard and tomato sauce on a warm, fresh roll.

Make sure you check out our new Quorn Brussels pate.  With less saturated fat than its meat equivalent, you can look forward to guilt-free snacking on pate and crackers any time.

And don’t forget about Quorn fajita strips – perk up the end of your day with a zingy Mexican stir fry or eat straight from the pack for a delicious snack.

Last, but by no means least, turn to the classic Quorn Lemon & Black Pepper Escalope in times of need.  What with delicious Quorn Escalopes in a crunchy lemon and black pepper breadcrumb coating you just can’t go wrong.  A scrumptious addition to any salad or serve with your favourite veg on the side.

Do you have any favourite Quorn products to chase away those January blues?  Be sure to leave your comments here.

This week can be a bit of a ‘dead week’, somewhat of an anticlimax after all the rushing around and excitement of Christmas. We’ve spent too much, eaten far too much and the sales aren’t what they used to be. With Christmas Day and New Years Day acting as the ultimate bookends, the intervening days are spent vacuuming up needles from the Christmas tree, worrying about how much weight we’ve put on and deciding on New Years resolutions.

But it’s not all gloom and doom as it’s New Years Eve soon, the biggest party night of the year and Cinderella, you shall go to the ball!

Since I left home there’s been an unwritten rule that Christmas is for family and New Year is for friends and we’ve had a fair few memorable New Years celebration over the years. Maybe I’m getting old, but this year I’ve decided to give the crowds a miss and spend New Years Eve  ‘partying’ (and I use that phrase loosely in case my neighbours read this) at my house. Money is always in short supply after Christmas, especially in these ‘credit crunch ‘times, and partying at home can be a lot cheaper than going out … and hopefully just as good!

For me, the key to a good party is how good the nibbles are. But life’s too short to stand over a hot stove and besides heat does terrible things to sequins so a buffet it is. I love buffet food and it’s also one of the easiest ways to feed lots of hungry friends. Most of it can also be done well ahead of time so I won’t be missing the party! The other great thing about buffets is that they’re ‘vegetarian friendly’ which is a real bonus as I’m a veggie myself. My menu will consist of lots of basic buffet food - lovely breads, colourful salads, cheeses (if you’re catering for vegetarians do check for vegetarian cheese) and jacket potatoes. A party isn’t a party without some cocktail sausages on sticks and sausage rolls and happily the festive party range from Quorn includes both of these - the sausage rolls are a perfect size for buffets and to die for!

I’ll also make some quiches and home made pizzas with a range of toppings. Pizzas are an absolute doddle to make and so much nicer than shop bought. I admit that I cheat and use a packet mix for the dough or even ready-made bases. I usually make several large pizzas with different toppings on each quarter for variety. The tomato sauce for the base can be bought ready-made otherwise it’s simply a case of cooking onions, garlic, oregano and a tin of chopped tomatoes, which couldn’t be easier. Add your toppings (and the choices are limitless) top with mozzarella cheese and pop in a hot oven until the cheese is melted and the base crispy.

Even after that feast there’s always room for dessert! The shops are full of scrumptious pavlovas and roulades, gateaux’s and tortes and with a bit of luck there’ll be plenty of leftovers!

 New Years Eve is the night for party dresses and sparkle so what better than a few cocktails to add even more glamour to the evening? Alcohol free cocktails are a must for any drivers of course and happily, easy to do – and surely all that fruit juice must count towards my 5 a day? Thankfully supermarkets have fizz (real and otherwise) on offer at this time of year so at midnight we can sing Auld Lang Syne and drink to 2010!

So Happy New Years everyone and may 2010 be all that we want it to be.

What do you get up to in week 52?  Be sure to share your thoughts here.

Well my six-year-old boy does, who, upon returning from school, has been dressing up in his Santa suit since the 1st December!  Last night’s sausage rolls were “brilliant and ace” … Quorn Sausage rolls of course, brushed with a little milk and browned in a medium oven.  We had them with mulled wine (and warm blackcurrant for ‘Santa’) as we put up the Christmas tree in front of our toasty fire.

The day before, our little ‘Master Christmas’ had been on a school trip and insisted on ham sandwiches. We prepared Quorn ham-style slices with a sprinkling of grated cheese on brown bread. Even as I was cutting them up I was tempted to eat them myself and make more. Delicious!

And Christmas Dinner? Oh, I can hardly wait! My favourite meal anytime in the year is a Sunday roast (I have stuffing instead of meat - it’s very, very tasty). So on the big day I really push the boat out.  This year, instead of my normal Quorn chicken style roast (which of course I can save for Boxing Day), I have opted for a Quorn mini beef-style suet pudding, I simply wrap Quorn cocktail sausages in  Quorn ham-style slices, brush with olive oil and place next to my veggie roast potatoes in the oven for a few minutes. Pile on the steamed veggies and - heaven!

Even suppertime, (assuming there’s any tummy room left) is delicious.  My Quorn turkey style and stuffing slices are divine with crusty French bread, pickled onions, pickled walnuts, cranberry sauce and a few crunchy ready salted crisps. At this point even ‘Santa’ leaves his new toys for a while to munch his way through a few tasty morsels.

Thank you once again Quorn, for providing a range of products which makes us veggies really feel like we are not missing out! Much as I have enjoyed the cauliflower cheese and Mediterranean vegetables which have been offered as the veggie options in the past … they never really did go with sprouts and gravy!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone!

P.S. Some of you have asked about the Quorn vegetable roast but this has been discontinued.