#leithsonline

A number of classics on one plate - pommes Anna, ratatouille, roasted lamb rump and a single malt jus. This is my final @leithscooking plate of food and I’m kind of emotional and a bit proud of myself. I’ve been doing their courses non-stop since May last year, starting in Kuwait and ending in Edinburgh. I’ve just finished all of their online courses and prac exams and received my certificate. I feel incredibly grateful to @leithscooking for opening up a different world of cooking to me. My journey started with their cooking essentials course and the first lessons were stock and knife skills. I developed an obsession with learning and went on to do their Nutrition course, plant-based course and Chefs Skills course. Amongst many other online courses. I did this all while moving, yet again, to a new country, settling in my family and being there for my hubby who was back to back with online work. There have been times where catching up with classes meant cooking from dawn to midnight - literally. It’s been so worth it though. The @leithscooking reminded me of long forgotten teenage dreams of going to culinary school. The more I cooked and learned, the more my past dreams were fuelled and the more confident I grew. It’s been such an influential and positive experience that I’ve decided, with the support of my amazing hubby and kids, to go to culinary school later this month. I’m immensely grateful to my family for putting up with my kitchen craziness, accepting boxes of deliveries of unusual ingredients, forgoing their fussiness and eating what I put in front of them and having dinner late on many occasions while I finished a class. A shout out to the incredible @leithscooking teachers - the ones on video and the ones who were my mentors - Ali, Belinda, Heli, Martha and Rita. As always - a shout out to where I get my ingredients... gorgeous meat from @farmisonuk and beautiful produce from @finefoodspecialist . . . #leithsonline #homecook #lockdownlearning #midlifewomen #midlifeblogger #foodblogger #foodphotography #instafoodblogger #foodstyling #plating #culinaryschool #ukfoodblogger #ukfoodies #ukfood #edinburghfoodies #edinburghfoodbloggers (at Edinburgh, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNkkXRnj5a-/?igshid=a8hrgcl77roa

Beetroot, pistachio oil, pea shoots, roasted tofu. My vegan starter lesson with @leithscooking today for the vegan dinner party module! I love the colours of the different beetroots. Pea shoots are my current obsession! . . . . . . . . #vegan #leithsonline #chefsskills #globaleats #foodiesinternationalchat #beetroot #pistachio #tofu #starters #dinner #salad #healthy #yummy #foodie #edinburghfoodbloggers #ukfoodie #ukfoodblogger #foodblogger #foodphotography #plating (at Edinburgh, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMNcnQcBznT/?igshid=detbz4drv9z9

Sometimes... the simpler, the better. Yesterday’s @leithscooking ’s plant based chocolate cake lesson. It’s one of the fudgiest cakes I’ve ever had. . . . #chocolatecake #dowhatyoulove #learningjourney #leithsonline #homebaking #bakestagram #instabake #veganchocolatecake #plantbased #4suitcasesandawhisk #lockdownbaking #lockdownlearning (at Edinburgh, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKvrRe1DL2N/?igshid=31roqh4e0ja3

**Vegan Pistachio Ice Cream recipe share** (swipe for the recipe) Yesterday’s dessert - baklava cigars, vegan white chocolate snow, pistachio gelato, confit orange segments. I once ate baklava in a place in Istanbul that’s mostly frequented by locals. It’s been perfecting its baklava for over 200 years and it’s so good, I have not been able to eat baklava since because everything else pales in comparison (and I’ve spent years in the Middle East and months at a time in Greece). When one of my Leith’s lessons was these baklava cigars, I was a bit wary and decided to jous it up by making the snow, gelato and orange segment sides. But this baklava was different. It’s not baklava in the true sense - more like nutty spring rolls. It has all the elements of baklava - thin, crispy pastry and a rich nutty filling without the excessive sweetness from baklava made wrong and swimming in syrup. In other words - @leithscooking got it right and shared it with us. In the end, this didn’t need the extras. It would be perfect with a strong cup of coffee. I admit that it was so much fun to make the ice cream and snow and decorate with fresh flowers. Btw - I struggled to get the particular pistachios I like but managed to find some at @souschefuk They are my go-to for specialist ingredients. Same with flowers - much hunting and price comparing led me to @westlandsuk for my edible flowers order. . . . #recipes #recipe #recipeshare #leithsonline #leithscooking #baklava #dessert #pistachio #icecream #pistachioicecream #orange #whitechocolate #plantbased #vegan #vegandessert #foodie #foodblogger #edinburghfoodie #foodstagram #foodporn #4suitcasesandawhisk https://www.instagram.com/p/CKl3tlbjNoK/?igshid=glzp7c48l518

Forget a box of chocolates! 🍫 This is the go-to chocolate indulgence dessert, right here. So, so good. 😋 Hot chocolate in a pie with a bit of honeycomb. My Pâté Sucrée lesson last night with @leithscooking . . . #leithsonline #chocolate #chocolatetart #crunchie #honeycomb #dessert #festivebaking #baking #foodporn #foodie #foodphotography #edinburghfoodie #foodstagram #dessertsofinstagram #4suitcasesandawhisk #culinarystudent https://www.instagram.com/p/CIk3aUrjXWi/?igshid=1867p868h0yzo

Perfect comfort food for a rainy ☔️ day in Edinburgh. Mushroom 🍄 and tarragon risotto for myself and my eldest and an asparagus and parmesan risotto for my hubby and youngest (although my youngest insists on calling asparagus chicken even though she knows it’s asparagus and enjoys the veg 😄). . . . #leithsonline #risotto #mushrooms #tarragon #asparagus #comfortfood #rainydayvibes #coldweatherfood #edinburghfoodie #foodie #instafood #yummy #4suitcasesandawhisk (at Edinburgh, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHWSZ9hjGCT/?igshid=qjvkbp4tn868

I am so happy to have completed my second @leithscooking course - Nutrition in Practice course with its 20 weeks of nutrition theory theory and healthy cooking. It was such a blast learning to make my own nut milk, vegan cheese and Mayo, kale chips, healthy protein dishes like chicken pho, gluten-free treats, gorgeous rainbow salads, and so much more. I can’t believe that I managed to complete this course and the other 26 week one while my family and I relocated from Kuwait to Edinburgh! I think I was totally nuts but I did it. I’m so so happy. I couldn’t have completed both without my awesome kids and husband. . . . #leithsonline #leithsnutritioninpractice #healthyfood #veganfood #glutenfreecooking #foodie #foodies #edinburghfoodie #edinburghfoodbloggers #foodblogfeed #instafood #culinarystudent #onlinelearning #4suitcasesandawhisk #expatfamily #expatlife (at Edinburgh, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHOlGf_DaCK/?igshid=xpp7un0ujgkc

Between the burnt red and orange morning sky, the rain and the suddenly dark afternoon, I think today’s been our first taste of the Scottish cold 🥶 (although I’ve been told that it’s only the beginning). Lol 😂 Right, then I’m buying thermals this weekend! 💨 It was the perfect day for baking and starting my new @leithscooking course - called Chef Skills. I made Chelsea buns (half with choc chips and half with raisins), English muffins and I turned a batch of Chelsea bun dough into pumpkin spice bread for my temporary neighbours. These are actually the best Chelsea buns and English muffins I’ve ever made. . . . #leithsonline #chefskills #leithsschooloffoodandwine #chelseabuns #pumpkinspice #englishmuffins #baking #baker #foodbloggers #foodphotography #edinburghfoodbloggers #foodies #instfood #sweet #bakestagram #edinburghbakers #dough (at Edinburgh, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CG2yXqHDZPF/?igshid=1et1phmx4zdh6