Hey there, can you introduce yourself?

Hello I am a writer and social researcher currently living between Barcelona and Glasgow. I am currently writing a novel, a guide book on Barcelona and working on a health research evaluation project.

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Tell us a bit about the book?

The book is a recipe book for a chain of cafes called The Social Bite which is a social enterprise business who employ formerly homeless people and support homeless charities. We wanted the recipes to be affordable, easy and use ingredients that you could buy easily. There are recipes for one pot, using five ingredients and for taking to work. We have also included stories about the formerly homeless people who work in the cafes.

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What was the inspiration behind it?

I used to go to the café in Glasgow to buy my lunch and also I love to cook.. I also think that many people are put off cooking even though it can be so easy to learn five or six things and can save you money. I think a lot of cookbooks assume that you have a well stocked cupboard and easy access to yellow courgettes, special wine, white peaches in winter and so on and I think people want to cook food that they can make with things in their cupboard. I used to read 'A girl called Jack blog' about cooking on a tiny budget. Through working in social research I've also met a number of homeless people and I wanted to change how we think about homeless people.

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Which is your favourite project?

I like the chicken wrapped in parma ham with honey vegetables as it's so easy but really impresses people.

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What is your craft space like?

I write everywhere on notepads, my laptop and phone but I prefer my desk. I try to keep it fairly tidy though it can get filled up with piles of paper.

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Have you always been creative?

I've always wanted to write and wrote short stories as a child as far as cooking went I didn't open a tin until I was about eighteen and didn't really learn to cook until my mid twenties. I stuck to vegetarian food for a long time before venturing out slowly.

I've always written creatively but this is my first non fiction attempt

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When did you first start crafting?

My first recipe was a creamy tagliatelle that my Italian boyfriend at the time carefully taught me when I was eighteen. It was the only thing I attempted to make for guests for about five years.

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Who are your crafty heroes?

Favourite authors are Nancy Mitford, Marian Keyes, Barbara Trapido, Kate Atkinson and Geoff Dyers

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Where do you find inspiration?

everywhere all the time

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What's next for you?

I'm working on a cheap guide to living in Barcelona and also a comic fiction novel.

Social Bite is a chain of cafes with a difference: they are a Social Enterprise who train and employ people from backgrounds of homelessness. In this one-of-a-kind illustrated cookbook, Michelin star head chef Michael Thomas and his apprentices share forty of their delicious recipes, each for under GBP5.