Little Brampton Barn

Little Brampton Barn Little Brampton Barn and Vegify cookery school are nestled in the beautiful South Shropshire Hills.

22/08/2026

🍆 Roasted Aubergine & Butternut Squash Tagine

I bought myself a new metal tagine, so naturally I had to put it straight to work!

This was such a gorgeous, warming veggie dinner - packed with roasted aubergine, butternut squash, chickpeas, sweet dried apricots and plenty of warming Moroccan spices.

The secret ingredient was preserved lemon paste, which gave the whole thing that wonderful salty, tangy citrus flavour. The aubergine and squash were roasted first until beautifully caramelised before going into the tagine, which added so much depth.

And because I was making it ahead, it had plenty of time to sit and let all those flavours mingle. If anything, it was even better later!

I served it with fluffy couscous stirred through with lemon zest, fresh coriander and juicy pomegranate seeds — the freshness and little bursts of sweetness were the perfect contrast to the rich tagine. Tagine VegetableTagine MoroccanFood MoroccanInspired AubergineRecipes ButternutSquash ChickpeaRecipes MeatFreeMonday EatMorePlants PlantBasedRecipes HealthyRecipes EasyEntertaining Couscous

16/08/2026

When life gives you plums… make jam! 🍑

Batch of homemade plum jam made with the huge plum haul.

This one is super simple, with just ripe plums, sugar and lemon juice. I added a little cardamom to this batch, which gives it the most gorgeous hint of warmth.

✨ Easy Homemade Plum Jam
1kg ripe plums, stoned & chopped
750g granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
100ml water

Simmer the plums with the water and lemon for 10–15 minutes until soft. Stir in the sugar until dissolved, then bring to a vigorous boil for around 10–15 minutes. Test on a chilled plate until it wrinkles when pushed with your finger, then pour into sterilised jars and seal.

And just like that… summer in a jar! 💜

Now, the important question: how many ways can I eat plum jam before these jars mysteriously disappear? 😋

PlumSeason FromTheGarden GardenToTable SeasonalCooking HomemadeGoodness LittleBramptonBarn Vegify SummerInAJar

15/08/2026

Eight new girls have arrived at Little Brampton Barn! 🐔

We’ve gone from 10 chickens to 18 and, so far, everyone is being remarkably civilised!

The old girls are firmly established on the perches, while the new recruits are sensibly keeping a low profile on the floor and taking in the situation. No drama, no fighting… just a little bit of “right, let’s see how this works then…”

I suspect it won’t be long before the new girls decide they quite fancy a perch too - and then we’ll see who really runs the chicken hut! 👀🐔

18 chickens. One chicken house. Plenty of opinions. 😂

PeckingOrder FarmLife CountryLife Shropshire ShropshireHills ChickenDrama LifeAtTheBarn

14/08/2026

Another plum recipe… because when you’ve had a bumper crop, you have to make the most of them!

This Roasted Plum, Halloumi & Chickpea Salad is such a gorgeous combination of sweet, salty, spicy and crunchy. The plums become soft and caramelised in the oven, the halloumi gets beautifully golden, and the crispy spiced chickpeas add plenty of texture.

Then there’s the hot honey dressing 🌶️🍯 — a little sweet, a little spicy and absolutely delicious drizzled over everything.

Perfect for a summer lunch or a light dinner, especially with some warm crusty bread or toasted sourdough on the side.

🍑 Roasted Plum, Halloumi & Chickpea Salad

Serves 2–3

Ingredients

* 5–6 ripe plums, halved and stoned
* 225g halloumi, sliced
* 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tsp smoked paprika
* ½ tsp ground cumin
* Salt & freshly ground black pepper
* 2 large handfuls salad leaves
* Cucumber, tomatoes, radish & sugar snap peas
* 30g pistachios, chopped

Hot Honey Dressing

* 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 tbsp honey (or hot honey)
* 1 tbsp lemon juice
* 1 tsp Dijon mustard
* ½ tsp chilli flakes
* Pinch of salt & black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
2. Toss the chickpeas with 1 tbsp olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Spread onto a baking tray.
3. Add the plum halves, cut side up. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and roast for 20–25 minutes, until the plums are soft and caramelised and the chickpeas are lightly crisp.
4. Meanwhile, fry the halloumi in a dry non-stick pan for 2–3 minutes each side, until golden.
5. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
6. Arrange the salad leaves and vegetables on a serving platter. Scatter over the roasted chickpeas, add the warm plums and halloumi, then sprinkle with the pistachios.
7. Drizzle generously with the hot honey dressing and serve immediately with warm crusty bread or toasted sourdough.

Sweet plums + salty halloumi + crispy chickpeas + hot honey = summer on a plate. 🍑💚

HotHoney VegetarianRecipes HealthyRecipes SeasonalCooking EatSeasonally SummerFood Ve

08/08/2026

Silken tofu flatbreads… who knew?!

I love my usual Greek yogurt flatbreads, but I fancied experimenting - and these silken tofu flatbreads did NOT disappoint!

Just 300g silken tofu + 350g self-raising flour + a pinch of salt. Mix together until you have a smooth dough, cover and let it rest for 20–30 minutes.

Then divide into 6 balls, roll them out and cook in a dry, hot frying pan for a few minutes on each side until puffed up and golden.

That’s it! No oil, no yeast, no faff.

I served mine as naan alongside a cauliflower & pea curry with plenty of pickles - and honestly, they were so good. Soft, chewy and perfect for scooping up all that curry.

I think I might actually prefer these to my usual version! And they’re a great option if you want to add a little extra protein while keeping things simple.

Would you give tofu flatbreads a go? Or are you sticking with the Greek yogurt version? 👇

EasyRecipes HighProteinRecipes VegetarianRecipes PlantBasedRecipes CurryNight NaanBread VegifyYourLife CookFromScratch HealthyEating RecipeExperiment

06/08/2026

There’s something so satisfying about turning a bowl of homegrown plums into a dessert that’s both wholesome and completely delicious. 💜

This Healthy Baked Cheesecake with Stewed Plums & Pistachios is creamy, packed with protein and just the right amount of indulgent. Perfect as a lighter dessert or even a special breakfast!

Baked Cheesecake (serves 2)
• 125g Greek yogurt
• 125g quark
• 1 egg
• 20g custard powder
• 1 tbsp sugar

Mix all the ingredients until smooth, pour into a baking dish and bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, until lightly golden and just firm to the touch.

For the topping, gently stew fresh plums with a little brown sugar, cinnamon and orange zest until soft, sticky and jammy. Spoon over the cheesecake and finish with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios.

✨ Proof that healthy eating doesn’t have to mean missing out on dessert! Have you been making the most of plum season yet?

QuarkRecipes SeasonalEating HomegrownPlums EasyDesserts HealthyRecipes SummerBaking PistachioLove FoodInspiration VegifyYourLife

05/08/2026

Who says crumble has to be ordinary?

When you’ve got a garden overflowing with plums, it’s the perfect excuse to give a classic dessert a little makeover.

This Plum, Pistachio & Cardamom Crumble is everything I love about late summer baking - sweet, juicy plums, warming cardamom, a hint of orange and a golden crumble packed with pistachios and ground almonds for nutty richness.

It’s familiar enough to feel comforting, but just different enough to make everyone ask for the recipe!

Here’s how I made it 👇

Ingredients serves 8-10

For the fruit:

* 1kg ripe plums, halved and stoned
* 100g brown sugar (depending on sweetness of fruit)
* 1 tbsp cornflour
* Zest and juice of 1 orange
* 1 tsp ground cardamom
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

For the crumble:

* 240g plain flour
* 100g oats
* 130g cold butter, cubed
* 100g brown sugar
* 65g pistachios, roughly chopped
* 2 tbsp ground almonds
* Pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
2. Place the plums in a baking dish and toss with sugar, cornflour, orange zest, juice, cardamom and vanilla.
3. To make the crumble, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
4. Stir in the oats, sugar, pistachios, ground almonds and salt
5. Scatter the crumble evenly over the plums.
6. Bake for 30–40 minutes until golden and bubbling at the edges.
7. Serve warm (ideally with custard, cream or ice cream!).

What’s your favourite crumble? Are you a traditional apple fan, or do you like trying something a bit different? Let me know in the comments! 👇

EasyBaking HomeBaker LateSummer BritishPlums FromTheGarden BakingInspiration ComfortFood VegifyYourLife Shropshire

04/08/2026

Well… I think we’ve finally reached the end of Courgette Season: The Series!

The last of the garden courgettes have been transformed into this delicious protein-packed courgette, egg and cheese wrap, filled with Serrano ham and fresh salad leaves. A quick, satisfying lunch and a brilliant way to make the most of every last courgette.

I never thought I’d find quite so many ways to cook a courgette… and I’m not sure my followers did either! 🤣 Thanks for sticking with me through the great courgette marathon of 2026. Until next year… 🌱

Protein-Packed Courgette Wrap

Ingredients
🥒 ½ large courgette
🧀 200g cottage cheese
🥚 2 eggs
🥛 80ml milk
🧄 1 tsp garlic granules
🌶️ Pinch of red chilli flakes
🌿 Handful of fresh chopped herbs (or 2 tsp dried herbs)
🧀 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
🫒 Olive oil
🧂 Salt & black pepper

Method

1. Finely slice the courgette and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 10 minutes, then pat dry.
2. Arrange the slices on a lined baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 200°C for 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, blitz together the cottage cheese, eggs, milk, salt, pepper and garlic granules until smooth. Stir in the herbs and chilli flakes.
4. Pour the mixture over the baked courgettes and sprinkle with two-thirds of the Parmesan.
5. Reduce the oven to 175°C and bake for 25 minutes, or until set and golden.
6. Turn out, sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
7. Cut in half, fill with your favourite filling (I used Serrano ham and salad leaves), then roll up and enjoy!

What should I grow enough of next year to make 15 different recipes? Any requests?

ProteinPacked HealthyLunch EatSeasonal GardenHarvest FoodInspiration Vegify ShropshireLife

03/08/2026

It’s officially plum season… and we couldn’t be happier!

We have a couple of plum trees here at the barn, and our lovely friend Debbie has been just as generous with hers, so after a weekend of picking we’ve ended up with plenty to keep us busy in the kitchen!

There’s something so satisfying about cooking with fruit you’ve picked yourself, and I can’t wait to turn this gorgeous harvest into some delicious seasonal dishes.

Watch this space… because I’ve got lots of plum recipe inspiration coming your way over the next few weeks! Which sounds best to you – sweet, savoury… or a bit of both?

EatSeasonally HomegrownFood PlumRecipes FoodInspiration VegetarianRecipes Vegify LittleBramptonBarn

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Craven Arms
SY70HH

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