• Babes in the woods

    I hope you had a great Big Wild Sleepout and have managed to try out some of the recipes posted in the last few days. I know my nephew really enjoyed his and  told everyone at his school how they should all join the RSPB!

    I've been seeing plenty of nocturnal wildlife in the last week, but the strange thing is that it hasn't been at night. This lunchtime, I discovered my fourth local brood of baby tawny owls in…

  • Big Wild Sleepout - stuff on the side part 2


    Tick off a few of your five a day whilst you tick off your wild spots in the garden.

    Grilled aubergine with green beans and leeks


    Aubergine is delicious cooked on the barbecue, but if you don’t have one, use an oven-top griddle pan instead. If you’re using slightly larger leeks, blanch them for about 4 minutes.

    SERVES 6

    2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + extra
    for bru…

  • Big Wild Sleepout - stuff on the side part 1

    One of my favourite things about party food is you get to try a little bit of everything and sometimes the side dishes really can be the stars of the show.

    Broad bean, dill and rice salad

    If your broad beans are young, simply pod and cook them; if mature, slip them out of their casings after cooking.

    SERVES 4

    250g/9oz mixed basmati and wild rice
    115g/4oz podded and shelled broad beans
    3 inner sticks celery, finely …

  • Big Wild Sleepout - the main event

    If you're eating al fresco and there's a lot of you, then "self contained" food is what you need and these scrummy stuffed pittas are just perfect for the job.

    Salad leaves, saffron lamb and pitta bread

    SERVES 4

    Marinated Lamb
    1 onion, roughly grated
    565g/1¼ lb lean lamb fillet, diced
    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    juice of 1 lemon
    black pepper to taste
    a large pinch of saffron threads
    a pinch…

  • Big Wild Sleepout - get your party started

    Nibbles are always a winner at parties and if you've started your Big Wild Sleepout party with some games or challenges, your guests will definitely be ready to refuel.

    Broad bean, feta and sage crostini

    These really taste of summer and are an excellent way of using up slightly tough broad beans and slightly stale bread. You can make both the crostini and the topping in advance.

    MAKES ABOUT 20 CROSTINI

    ½ sourdough…

  • Get ready for a wild night out

    The RSPB's Big Wild Sleepout has arrived so it's time to grab your sleeping bag, pitch your tent (or build a den!) and brush up on your night time nature id skills so you can get to know your wild neighbours a little better.

    As well as spending a night under the stars to find out which creatures call your garden home, you can also raise money to help protect them. If you're sleeping out without a tent or for the…