Well, as far as keeping up with my blog I’ve been anything but “on the pulse” – I do hope that you’ll forgive me.

So, here’s the news

Number 1 – my new book Super Pulses is out today.

I’m really thrilled with this new, compact edition of my book Pulse, it’s very affordable (at under a tenner) and will make the perfect gift for legume novices or those that don’t feel the need for a big tome on the subject.

Number 2 

This Sunday is the first official World Pulse Day, approved by the United Nations, celebrating these “nutritious seeds for a sustainable future”. It’s a day to enjoy eating and sharing a pulse -based meal and to recognise the huge contribution that pulses do, and could increasingly play, in world health, nutrition, food security, biodiversity and combatting climate change.

I’ve suggested a Pulse Day menu on the Borough Market Blog – kicking off with pea flour pancakes, a slow-cooked shoulder of lamb with flageolets, finishing up with a sweet mung dal and buttered cashews. You’ll find all the recipes there.

Last and, quite definitely not, least

The British Dal Festival kicks off next week celebrating the magic of dal, the humblest of dishes that conjures up so many memories for some, and offers such tasty and affordable possibilities for others.

There are loads of fantastic community events happening in Bristol and over the rest of the country too – just click here for info’

During the week I will be teaching lots of primary school children in Bristol to make a dal and zipp it up with their favourite spices in a sizzling tadka, and the fabulous Jo Ingleby ( BBC Cook of the Year 2015) will be cooking with kids too.

Dal is such a fabulously simple and delicious thing to prepare so I’d love to encourage any teachers out there to take a look at the school teaching pack that we put together last year. There’s a shopping list, risk assessment, recipe, lots of fun facts to go alongside the class, so do join us celebrating dal next week or at any time of the year for that matter.

 

Join us for The Grand Dal Finale on February 16th at Paintworks Bristol 

This is an amazing day of FREE dal-icious activities, cooking demo’s, street food stalls, kids activities, music, market stalls

AND, as if this wasn’t enough I’m lucky enough to have snaffled a couple of tickets for the  amazing Vela Pop Up Dal Feast on Sunday Night ( I’ll report back)

So

I hope that you’re impressed that I’m living up to my Pulse Princess title and will probably be consuming my bodyweight in legumes over the next fortnight.