Nom.a student’s guide to food

More than just beans on toast: recipes, nutritional information and advice on where to eat in Leeds this Christmas.

ntentsCYou Are What You Eat

Iron Cupcake Bakeoff Bonanza

Feed Your Body And Your Mind

Classic Party Cocktails

Hangover Cures

Things That Make You Go “Nom”

Leeds Kirkgate: A Market In Crisis?

Christmas Feature

Hombres Celebrate At Neon Cactus

Meet The Nom. Team

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You Are What You Eat

Students and nutrition. Not two words that you would generally associate with one another. Heck, why rustle up a boring salad when you can have a cheap, easy kebab from the takeaway down the road? Well my lazy, unhealthy chums, Nom will show you why.

Takeaway food is without a doubt, one of life’s little guilty pleasures. It always seems like a good idea at the time, until you finish eating and are immediately filled with deep shame and the urge to take a shower.

And there’s a reason for this. Studies have shown that just one 400g portion of doner kebab contains approximately 139g of fat. To put this in terms you can get your head around, this is equivalent to;

- a large wine glass filled with cooking oil;- 1,000 calories; - twice the recommended amount of daily maximum fat intake for a woman.

It’s shocking stuff and it isn’t just the saturated fats you need to be careful of. These foods contain a high level of sugars and salts. This combination is guaranteed to raise your cholesterol, but the main dan-ger lies in the way that the damage caused does not immediately manifest and so you would be quite unaware of how bad this diet is for you until it is too late.

Nom. went sleuthing in the Hyde Park area of Leeds, hanging around outside takeaways to talk to students and see if they were really aware of what it was they were about to eat. The general consensus was one of apathy.

Joseph Crozier, 20, told us that he proba-bly has at least one kebab or other kind of takeaway food every week. “You can’t go on a night out and not have that craving at the end for some horrible, greasy food. It’s the best thing about a night out in my opinion.”

But eating these fatty foods regularly can put you at risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and even cancer. On top of this one in ten UK teenagers have very low intakes of vitamin A, magnesium, zinc and potassium. Trust us when we say that a late night portion of chips and cheese won’t keep your body happy so make sure it’s art of a healthy and balanced diet.

“You can’t go on a night out and not have that craving for some horrible,

greasy food”

by Kat Shaw & Tanya Harris

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Iron Cupcake

Strolling along to the Adelphi on a Sunday night it would have seemed that I was just heading to a boozer on the back end of Briggate. But the signs that

pointed upstairs led me into a cosy, sleek little room softly lit with an array of fairy lights. A warm reception was laid out and I was greeted by a sticker labelling me as an ‘eater’ as opposed to a ‘baker’, which as I feasted my eyes on the dozens of delightful cakes was definitely the preferable option. I even got a free drink from the bar. A great little perk of this unique event. I popped myself down on a sofa, got comfy and let my mouth start to water.The Iron Cupcake event didn’t take long to get into full swing. Having recently celebrated their second birthday founder Zoe knows how to make it a success. She stumbled across the idea online and, having a passion for baking she decided to pour her heart into making the franchise what it is today. She told me “Basically I came across it on the internet two years ago now. And it’s a cupcake competition that started in Milwaukee and there was quite a few happening in the US. And there was also one in London that started up a couple months before I started mine. So because I’m a baker and it’s something that I enjoy doing I thought I would just give it a go. And I started a competition in Leeds about 25 months ago now.” The USA were experimenting with whacky themes such as bacon and wasabi that require a pretty strong stomach to keep down. Although Zoe wanted to steer clear of these she still manages to rustle up some fantastic ideas: “I don’t think we’ve had anything too bizarre. We’ve not tried bacon. We had savoury not too long ago which there was quite a lot of people interested in. I liked fizzy drinks. That was different. And I just like the basics, like we’re had chocolate bars and we’ve had nuts. You just can’t go wrong with chocolate flavoured cupcakes. They’re always decent ones.”The monthly bake-off has a very bohemian feel and a friendly atmosphere that makes it an attractive night out. Not to mention the rising popularity of cupcakes. Zoe said “I seem to have started it just at the right time because it seems over the last couple of years there’s just been a massive boom in cupcakes. They’re just so easy to do and some of them just look absolutely amazing.”

Tanya Harris visits Leeds’ unique monthly cupcake competition for a taste of the sweet stuff.

“Little apples made from icing and candy bonfires fashioned from chocolates were testemonies to how much effort people had gone to”

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Bakeoff BonanzaAnd she’s not wrong. The tables were bursting with colours, all along the bonfire theme. An abundance of orange, red, peach and yellow frosting was decorated with sparklers and sprinkles. Little apples made from icing and candy bonfires fashioned from matchstick chocolates were testimonies to how much effort people had gone to.The rules are simple as Zoe explained, “the bakers obviously bake according to the theme set every month and the judges just come along and taste each cake and then rate according to taste and appearance”. We were split into two teams, one blue and one green and each given a score card and a paper plate. The different cakes were divided in the same way with little flags sticking out from the plates. The room swarmed as we all set out greedily grabbing up the little bites and choosing which one was the most delicious. Some people couldn’t resist temptation and sneakily snatched up a piece of every one.Rachel’s Sticky Gingerbread particularly hit the spot. It was a soft sponge cake topped with vanilla icing which oozed a sweet toffee centre. Becky’s Parkin and cinnamon had a surprising touch. It was loaded with popping candy which caused some audible munches from around the room. Finished off with a generous serving of buttercream and a sparkler it was a treat for the eyes as well as the mouth. After many sticky fingers and a lot of empty plates later the winner was announced. Snatching second place was Mel’s brilliantly named Gimme S’More. The devils food sponge was set over a biscuit base and had a fluffy marshmallow centre. The topping was a rich marshmallow buttercream and a block of milk chocolate. It was definitely the most intricate creation of the night with an inspired American bonfire theme. In a close second was Jemma’s Toffee Apple Crumble. This one was my personal favourite and looked spectacular. The cake was presented in a bright gold casing and homemade red spun sugar adorned the top. The sponge was flavoured with toffee apple with a creamy cheese frosting and biscuit crumbles.

Rosey’s Bonfire Night Parkin Cupcakes was the winner of the night and proud first time baker Claire Rose walked away with a goody bag filled with a voucher for Hummingbird Kitchen and Bar, a cookbook and free entry to the next competition. Not half bad for an afternoons work. Especially considering that she had never entered as a judge before. I caught up with a beaming Claire afterwards to find out her culinary secrets. She told me “A lot of people have used traditional Parkin recipes using oats but for me that just made it Parkin. So I wanted to make them Parkin flavoured cupcakes. If you put in the oats it makes it quite heavy and stodgy and I wanted to keep it light. So I just added in the ginger and spices for it. The recipe I used was a method where you beat the egg whites separately. So it makes it really light and fluffy. I made my own cinder toffee to go on top which again was flavoured with ginger and mixed spice.”Iron cupcakes Leeds have a jam-packed schedule of new and exciting events coming up.

To find out more or to enter the competition go to ironcupcakeleeds.co.uk

Images courtesy of Iron Cupcakes Leeds

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Food has a big impact on our quality of life. But by snacking on certain grub regularly you can boost your mood and turn those sluggish mornings into

productive days.

Pasta, rice, noodles and bread:Carbohydrates make great comfort food and cutting them out completely can leave you feeling grumpy and blue. That’s because eating these kinds of food can increase the serotonin levels in our body which make us feel more calm and relaxed. So why not try chowing down on a bowl of noodles before that big stressful exam?

Tip: Digesting large amounts of carbohydrates can cause a jump in your blood sugar levels. Choose healthier options such as wholemeal bread or brown rice. Your body will digest these over a longer period of time so you won’t get hungry as fast.

Blueberries:The abundance of antioxidants and vitamin C in these little fruits can bust stress and leave you with a clearer mind. The antioxidants even aids the removal of toxins known as free radicals which circulate in our bodies, damaging organs and causing us to age faster. Not only do they do all of that but they are also packed full of fibre which is great for digestion. Who knew a handful of blueberries could so much good?

Tip: Rustle up a fruit salad containing blueberries and strawberries. Both help to remove free radicals and some studies have claimed that they may prevent cancer.

Oily fish such as mackerel, sardines and salmon:These fishy friends are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6 and B12. These are involved in the process of producing serotonin and can actually make you happier. In fact it’s so affective that clinical depression can be treated with high doses of omega-3. They’ll do a world of good for your heart and brain as well.

Tip: If you can’t stomach a good cut of fish then omega-3 supplements are widely available and worth having around.

Beans:Beans contain folic acid, soluble fibre and omega-3 fats. These all help to lift your mood. As well as cheering you up beans are also a brilliant source of calcium and iron which increase red blood cell count as well as being great for your bones.

Tip: Try adding some soy beans to your meals. They contain a weak oestrogen like substance called genistein which may prevent breast and prostate cancer.

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Tomatoes:The world’s best vegetable impersonators are full of the antioxidant Lycopene. In fact it’s so rich with this nutrient that it actually derives its rich red colour from it. The Lycopene content helps combat cancerous cell formations and flushes out those pesky free radicals from the body.

Tip: Tomatoes can also keep your skin looking fresh and healthy by limiting UV damage that lowers the risk of skin cancer as well as reducing wrinkles. But make sure you cook them up as more of the beneficial carotenoid lycopene can make it into the skin that way.

Nuts:Nuts contain a multitude of beneficiaries. They are abundant in minerals and protein as well as omega-3 fats which actually help to increase the blood flow to the brain. They also can help combat stress with the antioxidant vitamin E. A pack of nuts are also cheap as chips and much better for you.

Tip: Keep a handful of this tasty brain food close when you’re studying but be careful you don’t indulge too much. Nuts are high in salt and uric acid which can be damaging to people suffering from high blood pressure. An ounce a day is more then enough to keep you fighting fit.

Beef:With all the good beef has to offer you need not worry about enjoying a cheeky steak every now and again. Beef is a good source of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 , vitamin B6, phosphorous and niacin. All of which help to produce hormones and enzymes, aid the immune system, increase red blood cell counts, promote healthy skin and vision and much more. That’s a lot of benefits from such a tasty mouthful.

Tip: Beef can sometimes be high in fat so make sure you choose the leaner cuts such as top round and other common round cuts. Also grilling is a far healthier way of cooking, so have your George Foreman on the ready. Remember, the recommended 3 ounce serving of beef constitutes as less than 10 per cent of calories in a 2,000 calorie diet.

Chocolate:A welcome addition to the list and one we can all add easily to our diets. Chocolate really does make us feel happy. It contains anadamine which is a brain chemical that lightens moods. The sugar not only makes it taste delicious but also boosts our endorphin levels and puts a smile on your face. But make sure you only enjoy a modest amount as too much can be harmful.

Tip: To take away that familiar feeling of guilt why not swap those biscuits and bars for chocolate coated fruits? Strawberries and chocolate is a match made in heaven and is a healthier alternative.

By Tanya Harris

Images taken by Tanya Harris

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Classic Party CocktailsWhether you’re preparing for a Christmas party or wondering how to bring the New Year in style

then any of these delicious cocktails are guranteed to be a sure-fire hit. Branch out from those cans of beer and bottles of bubbly and try something new and fruity instead.

Woo WooIf you haven’t already downed a pitcher of this in some late night bar then you’re in for a treat. This moreish beverage will fill you with fruity festive cheer.

What you will need:• 25 ml Peach Schnapps• 25 ml Vodka• 50 ml Cranberry Juice

What to do:Top a glass up with ice and pour over the Schnapps and vodka. Top off with the cranberry juice then stir and enjoy.

If you fancy adding a sweeter touch and a deeper red colour to this drink then you can also add 12.5 ml of Grenadine.

Sex on the BeachThis timeless cocktail is a sweet blend of fruit and vodka. Make up a couple of pitchers of these and watch them disappear faster than a firework.

What you will need:• 1 shot Vodka• 1 shot Peach Schnapps• 200 ml Orange Juice• 200 ml Cranberry Juice• 2 shots Raspberry Syrup

What to do:Add the vodka and Schnapps to a glass of ice. Mix in the raspberry syrup, orange and cranberry juice. Serve with a an umbrella stick, slice of orange and a fancy straw to transport you to a hot tropical island.

CosmopolitanFor those of you throwing a sophisticated do make sure this cocktail is down on your drinks list. The extra effort will really impress your guests.

What you will need:• 37.5 ml Citron Vodka• 12.5 ml Cointreau• 25 ml Cranberry Juice• 1/2 shot Lime Juice

What to do:Add all the ingredients into a cocktail mixer. Shake them all together then strain into a chilled martini glass.

If you’re feeling experimental you can even gar-nish this fancy drink with an orange peel spiral. But it’s just as tasty without one.

Strawberry Daiquiri This sweet little number is sure to tantalise everybody’s taste buds, whether they be a keen drinker or a subtle sipper.What you will need:• 4 Strawberries• 2 tsp White Sugar• 35 ml White Rum• 1 tbsp Strawberry Liqueur• 25 ml Lime Juice

What to do:Place the ingredients in a cocktail mixer and mush with the base of a rolling pin until smooth. Place the lid back and shake well. Alternatively, you can add to a blender and process at a slow speed for 5 seconds then at a high speed for 20 seconds.

Strain into a glass and garnish with a stawberry.

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Hangover Cures: Trust Me, I’m A Doctor By Kat Shaw

There’s nothing like a good ol’ fashioned fry-up to cure those ‘morning after the night before’ blues. So Nom is going to tell you where you can find awesome fry-ups in Leeds.

Wetherspoons is always a safe choice, with a satisfyingly cheap option and there are plen-ty of these pubs dotted in and around the city centre. They have an entire breakfast menu which includes the traditional breakfasts plus hangover treats such as pancakes, scrambled eggs and a vegetarian full-english.

Or you could try a personal favourite of mine – the Peach and Pear Café, on Brudenell Road in Hyde Park. It’s a great little place with friendly staff and an all-you-can-eat fry-up for 7 quid. They’ll just keep topping your plate up until you say “stop” or you fall into an irreversible food-induced coma.

If you’re looking for something a bit different, then look no further than Pitza Cano on Queen’s Road. They do a special ‘Hangover Cure Pizza’ for £5.40 a pop, only available on Sundays. Loaded with beans, sausage, bacon and egg, it’s sure to take the edge off your blues. Or it’ll make them

worse. You won’t know until you try, I guess!

In fact, there are positively tons of little greasy spoon cafés in and around Hyde Park, like Coffee Mania and Popinas. So go on a little adventure and I guarantee it won’t be long before you find a nice little place to rest your wary, hungover frame and grab a bite to eat.

Other hangover tips:

THERE IS a famous drink in Mexico called a Michelada which is

considered a good hangover remedy. Similar to a Bloody Mary, it

contains tomato juice, beer, lime, salt and hot sauces such as tabasco.

PAINKILLERS are obviously quite tempting, but paracetamol causes further toxic strain on the liver and kidneys, and ibuprofen can

irritate the stomach.

ONE of the main causes of a hangover is dehydration (largely responsible for your headache), so clearly the

best thing to prevent or cure them is rehydration – plenty of water or fruit juice.

SUGAR filled soft drinks like Pepsi are NOT a

good idea, because although they’ll make you

feel good temporarily by boosting your blood

sugar, you’ll very quickly feel even worse

again once you crash.

ANOTHER cause of hangover is a toxic

chemical called acetaldehyde. Simple solution?

Eggs! They contain an enzyme called cysteine

which works quite well in mopping up the poison.

NAUSEA can be eased very effectively with ginger or peppermint tea.

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Leeds Kirkgate Market is a northern institution in its own right. An historical treasure, this indoor market has been open since the early 19th Century and its iconic walls are home to over 800 stalls, making it the largest indoor market in Europe.

More than 100,000 visitors a week are estimated to visit this key shopping destination, but how is the market really coping?

Kat Shaw went along to find out more.

Leeds Kirkgate: A market in

crisis?

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The range of cultures that have a presence at Kirkgate market is as-

tounding: Caribbean, African, Italian, Asian and, of course, good ol’ British. It’s a fantastic hive of quality food, clothing and other small businesses that have cropped up over time. Such a diverse community resides within the walls of the market, but they all have the same problem: business just isn’t what it used to be.

The market’s biggest struggle appears to be that of competing with the big chain supermarkets. Ricky Brown runs a fruit and vegetable stall at the market. “Trade just isn’t what it used to be,” he said. “Everybody’s strug-gling and anyone who tells you any different is lying.”

And this seems apparent as you walk through the indoor section and take a look around you. Closed down and empty stalls are everywhere you look. So why, when the building is surrounded by apartment structures housing thousands of people, is this the case?

“We think its image,” says Ricky. “People seem to think the market is just for old people or that the quality isn’t as good as in the supermarkets, but that isn’t the case.”

Clothes shop owner Mohammad Arshad agreed with Ricky. He chimed in, as our conversation was drawing to a close, with a very poignant statement; “Parking literally killed the market.”

One way that was devised to help the struggling market was the introduction of ‘Shop & Drop’ – a service created to provide an easier way of shopping for those who lead busy lifestyles. It allows people to purchase goods from the market but collect them at a time that is most convenient.

This system has subsequently won a National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) award for ‘Market Innovation of the Year’. But it doesn’t seem to be making the impact that the stall owners had hoped.

A jewellery store proprietor (who wished to remain anonymous) told us, “It started years ago, people getting lazy with shopping. Here you have your meat in one place, you have to walk to the veg in another place.

“But everyone seems to want everything in one place nowadays, they don’t want to spend time walking around such a big market.

“And the majority of us here only deal in cash not cards, but everyone wants to use their debit or credit cards to pay now. It’s the things that seem like such small barriers that are making it difficult for the market to cope.”

Mismanagement seems to be an issue that stall owners all agreed upon. In October 2011 Leeds City Council (LCC), who own the market announced plans to privatisemanagement of the market and possibly sell the outdoor portion.

“It’s okay for OAP’s who have bus passes, but if you do your shopping at the market you have to pay £10 for parking, whereas if you go to the supermarket you can park for free, so you’re already £10 better off.”

So what can be done about it? “The council needs to step in and do something,” Ricky continued, “If they made parking free, just for like one day a week or something, maybe on a Wednesday. That would definitely help.”

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appears to be that of competing with the

big chain

supermarkets”

LCC told the stall owners that it was seeking to hire specialist consultants to explore options for private sector involvement in its management and ownership.

This has left market stall owners feeling less than assured as to the future of the market and the direction in which the council are taking it.

But there are some who have their own ideas as to the direction that the market should be going in. Adam Bowman is an award-winning chef and has previously worked with people in rehabilitation, showing them how to live economically on healthy market produce. A huge advocate of the market, he told us:

“I do nearly all my shopping at Kirkgate market. You’ve got fresh fruit and veg nearly every day and on a Thursday you’ve got the fresh catches coming in for the fishmongers.

“There are four different butchers and even a poultry specialist. You don’t get that kind of choice in the supermarket.”

He thinks the universities have a responsibility to advise students on how to live economically and that the scheme he used to run would be ideal.

And since there are reportedly 60,000 students living and studying in Leeds, it would be a significant turn around in the market’s fortunes if more were to start buying market produce.

“People don’t really think it out properly. Running a scheme similar to the one I did in the past, but with students: that’s what the universities can do to help save a market that younger generations just don’t appreciate like they ought to.”

So with Leeds City Council considering the closing down of parts of the market and with a global recession upon us, what does the future hold for this historic market?

“There’ll always be a future for Kirkgate market,” says Ricky, “but we need help, we need it from Leeds City Council and we need it sooner rather than later.”

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Things that make

Starter: Leek and Potato Soup

you go “nom”

Ingredients:

• 2 large leeks • 2 large potatoes • 1 large onion • butter• 3/4 pint of milk (any kind, doesn’t matter) • 1/2 pint of water • vegetable stock

IMPORTANT: USE A BIG PAN!! Method 1. Chop up your leeks and onion. 2. Melt a large knob of butter in your pan, add the chopped leeks and onion, then cover and leave to sweat on a low heat for about 10-15mins, stirring occasionally. DON’T let the ingredients fry. 3.Whilst the leeks and onions are sweating, peel, wash and chop your potatoes into relatively small chunks. 4. Boil the water and add veg stock, stirring until dissolved. 5. Add your milk and veg stock to the leeks and onion. 6. Add the potatoes and leave until the potatoes are soft. 7. Once the potatoes are soft, blend them with a hand blender until smooth. (You can buy one of these pretty cheap at Asda.) 8. Leave to cook for another 5 minutes and then serve. ‘Soup is so easy to make and can be stored in the freezer, so you don’t have to worry when you’ve spent all your food allowance on Pop Tarts.’

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Main: Apricot Chicken

Ingredients:

• 500g of chicken (thighs, breast, drumsticks, tenderloins - whatever you have!)

• 2 x 40g packets of french onion soup mix • 1 x 825g tin of apricot halves in syrup • Some flour to coat the chicken

Method 1. Coat the chicken pieces in flour and place in a greased baking dish 2. Combine the soup mix and the apricots (with the syrup) in a bowl, and pour over the chicken 3. Bake in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 90 minutes 4. Serve with vegetables or rice

‘A great main for students, combining cheap ingredients, easy prep and even one of your 5-a-day.’

Dessert: Lemon Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• Small tin of condensed milk • 125g philadelphia cheese • 1 lemon, the rind and juice • 225g digestive biscuits • 125g butter/margarine

Method 1. Crush the biscuits (doing this in a sandwich bag prevents a mess). 2. Melt the butter/margarine in a saucepan, add the biscuits and mix well. 3. Line a round, 1 inch deep tin with foil and add biscuit mixture. Flatten evenly. Chill in the fridge for approx 1 hour. 4. Melt the cheese slightly in the microwave for approx 20 secs. 5. Add the condensed milk, lemon rind and lemon juice, then stir until it begins to thicken. 6. Pour filling over the base and put back into the fridge until it sets.

‘You don’t get much tastier than this cheap and simple cheesecake. Unless you don’t like lemon. In which case, just go buy a Cornetto.’

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You can’t spell ‘Christmas’ without ‘Nom. Magazine’!

Festive chow on a budgetSo it’s been about 2 and half months since we saw our bank balances sky rocket with the appearance of our student loans. We were beautifully rich for a matter of weeks, but now it’s starting to dwindle. Our pockets are feeling considerably lighter and trips to the pub considerably fewer. And all the while, Christmas is drawing closer.

But if you still want to have yourself a bit of turkey, some cranberries and a glass of wine with your chums, then consider me your personal faux-Santa Claus, as I have put together a list of places in Leeds to have a Christmas dinner on a budget, as well as one or two cheeky, more expensive options that still won’t break the bank.

YatesAt £6.95 for two courses and £8.45 for three, Yates’ Christmas meal was the cheapest. A simple affair, soup and prawn cocktails starters, turkey and beef, or a vegetarian cranberry nut loaf for main, with a choice of four desserts to polish it off.

They also do a buffet option, with prices varying from £4.45 per person to £7.45 per person.

WetherspoonA Christmas meal and a drink at one of the four Wetherspoon’s pubs in the centre of Leeds will put you back £7.59, pretty cheap, eh? Although that doesn’t include a starter or a dessert, which will cost an extra £2 each.

ScreamIf my own experience of the food served in Scream bars is anything to go by, this should be a very tasty little number indeed and at quite a tasty little price too. One course costs £7.95, two courses are £9.50 and all three courses just £10.95.

And with any booking of more than four people, they’ll throw in a bottle of wine or a 4-pint pitcher. You can’t say fairer than that.

Pizza ExpressNot everyone wants traditional Christmas food, so Pizza Express can be a welcoming change for Christmas diners. The menu is not overly festive, though little touches like the ‘Snowball Dough Balls’ add a little Christmas magic to this hearty Italian feast.

It isn’t going to break the bank balance either, at £16.95 for the classic 3 course menu or £19.95 for the festive menu.

RevolutionAnd finally, if you aren’t as brassic as the rest of us then this popular vodka bar is offering all sorts of festive fun.

To dine in the evening you will be paying £24.95pp for your three course meal. Before 3pm however, it’s a little cheaper at only £19.95pp. And I have to say, the menu sounds fantastic. There is also a Christmas party board option at £11.95 a head, a ‘Festive Fork’ buffet at £14.95pp and a hot Christmas buffet for £10.95 a head.

So get those sexy Santa outfits on (guys too, don’t be bashful) and head into the centre of Leeds for some cheap and cheerful Christmas chow.

Image taken by Tanya Harris

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You can’t spell ‘Christmas’ without ‘Nom. Magazine’!

For a warming non-alcoholic alternative, add 2 sachets to 1 litre of cranberry juice, heat as above then remove the sachets and serve garnished with orange slices. Also delicious with alcohol-free wine. You can’t say we don’t think of everything.

Disclaimer: As much as we can guarantee success with the mulled wine, we cannot guarantee success with the elf.

Christkindlmarkt Offerings Frohe Weihnachten Leser!

The Christkindlmarkt (German Christmas Market) is in town, so why not pop over to Millenium Square and try some of the wonderful food they have to offer, like traditional bratwurst, freshly-made crepes, Goulash, mulled wine, schnitzels, gingerbread and yummy chocolate-covered marshmallows.

As you are most likely aware, the festive season is in full swing. If you’re not aware, then crawl out from under that rock you are clearly living under and get a load of this traditional recipe for mulled wine. We even sourced out the cheapest ingredients in Leeds for you, so that you can worry about more important things, like making up Christmas-themed drinking games.

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine – the cheapest we found was at Asda, an Australian shiraz for only £1.21

60g/2oz demerara sugar – both Tesco and Asda sell a 500g bag of Billingtons demerara for only 86p

1 orange, halved – loose oranges are only 27p each at Asda, or a net of basic oranges is 54p

2 Schwartz Mulled Wine spice sachets – Sainsburys do the cheapest, for only £1.19 for 6 sachets.

200ml (7fl oz) water – the cheapest water we found came from the tap. If you can find cheaper then I tip my hat to you, good sirs.

Step 1: Place the wine, water, sugar and Mulled Wine Spice sachets in a large saucepan.

Step 2: Heat to just below boiling point and hold this temperature for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Some of you may need a responsible adult for help with this.

Step 3: Remove sachets and serve with orange slices to garnish. Pretty simple, huh?

Step 4: Have a taste, then have another taste, then try your best chat-up lines on the nearest elf.

Mulled wine: the cheap way

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arris

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est Kept Secret

By Kat Shaw

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celebrateNeon Cactus is a charming little Mexican restaurant on Call Lane. The inviting interior and generous helpings are perfect for winter comfort. Strolling in from a Friday night chill I was warmed by the soft candlelight and a kind reception. A laid back soundtrack filled the room as I made my way over to the cushioned seats along the window.

The menu boasted a whole array of dishes inspired from the streets and markets of Mexico. The extensive drinks list included all the usual suspects and plenty of tequila cocktails. After much deliberation me and my guest ordered the Mai Tai and a Strawberry Daiquiri. Now I’m not much of a cocktail connoisseur but when these exotic beverages arrived at the table my eyes lit up.

The Mai Tai was topped with fruit and had a crisp taste that was perfectly complimented by the edge of the rum. The Strawberry Daiquiri was a true highlight. A sprig of mint adorned the deep pink cocktail and the ambro-sial flavour was instantly moreish.

The waitress was welcoming and was more than happy to give recommendations when we couldn’t seem to make our minds up. She offered advice, scribbled down our order then went off to share her smile with the other diners. In the end we went with a classic starter. The nachos were presented to us garnished with a selection of bright salsas and sauces. Sour cream, queso fresco and guacamole were a perfect blend on the soft and lightly warmed crisps. Scattered across the top were little red peppers which I avoided at first for fear it would blow my mouth off. But eventually, on a dollop of sour cream I bit into the fiery little fellow and was greeted with an unexpectedly refreshing burst of flavour.

After happily polishing them off we decided to try one of the tequila cocktails. For names sake I ordered the Neon Cactus Margarita. The vibrant blue colour was a spectacular sight with the addition of two glow sticks popping out from the ice. Once again the bar didn’t disappoint and I was met by another crisp tasty drink. By the first few swigs With bever-ages as delicious as these you’ll be tipsy by the drop of a sombrero (as I discovered when I attempted to use the glow sticks as straws.)

For the mains we tucked into the belt tightening large plate of chilli con chorizo. The fiery taste was complimented by

Hombres

“Tender pieces

of beef were slow

roasted over a

period of 8 hours

for maximum

succulence”

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at an exquisite balance of spices that will tantalise any pallet. Tender pieces of beef and pork were slow roasted over a period of 8 hours for maximum succulence. It was served over fluffy red rice with tortillas on the side. I found myself wolfing it down long after my brain told me I was full just to savour every mouthful. Along with this we enjoyed a shredded duck burrito. Accompanied by orange marmalade, spring onion and cucumber it was an inspired oriental twist on a Mexican favourite. It was a simple dish that was executed to a very high standard.

After a while of letting our stomachs rest we preparedourselves for round three: dessert. We opted for churros which, for those as unsure as we were are crispy fried doughnuts which were served with a chocolate sauce. They had a simple flavour which as a chocoholic didn’t get my senses buzzing. But for anyone who has a lack of a sweet tooth they would be an ideal end to the evening.

I was apprehensive about the banana and chocolate filled tortilla. It seemed an odd combination and after scoffing

down a few wraps throughout the meal I wasn’t sure I fancied one for pudding. But as it turned out it was a scrumptious sweet which really hit the spot. The chocolate sauce managed to be rich without being sickly and the bananas added a subtle hint of fruitiness.

Neon Cactus is surely one of the best places for Mexican food in Leeds. It’s a real dining experience. The greatest asset of the restaurant is it’s intimacy and it would be an ideal place to take someone along on a first date if you’re out to impress. Although one word of advice, if you wish to avoid a moment of embarrassment when you go to freshen up remember that ‘cabrones’ means male and ‘putas’ means female. Make a note of

that. It’ll save you from having to take a potentially disastrous gamble on which bathroom door to open.

Neon Cactus

“With beverages as delicious as these you’ll be tipsy by the drop of a sombrero”

For more information on Neon Cactus and their Christmas offers click to www.neoncactus.co.uk

Words and images by Tanya Harris

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Meet the ‘Nom.’ team

Kat Shaw is 23 years-old and from Derbyshire.

Her interests (as well as food, of course) include punk music, Lord of the Rings and playing video games.

Her favourite food is steak with mushrooms and pancakes for afters.

Tanya Harris is 20 years-old and from Sheffield.

She likes playing retro video games, blues & funk music and going to see stand-up comedy shows.

Her favourite food is madras curry and chocolate.