Roast cauliflower, broccoli & sweet pepper salad with tahini dressing

When I have time, I like to roast a big tray of veggies and store them in the fridge to use with various dishes throughout the week. I find they really elevate an average lunch in terms of flavour and, most importantly, nutrition! 

Here I have added a lemon tahini dressing, and finished with fresh herbs, but you could top with roasted nuts or seeds, or even feta cheese. I also love to have a pot of this dressing in the fridge as, again, it works well with lots of different dishes, like  salads, chicken, fish, but I think my fave combo is with fried tofu. I often mix in a spoon of rose harissa paste to make the dressing spicy. 

In this recipe I have used cauliflower, broccoli, sweet pepper and red onions, but it's totally flexible as you can use whatever veg you have in the fridge - but remember to adjust the cooking times. 

Here's a few nutrition highlights if you use this veggie combo: cauliflower and broccoli contain a compound called sulforaphane that is understood to help with liver detoxification, plus they are also great source of fibre for gut microbes. All the veggies in this recipe may be good sources of antioxidants and can help the body protect against free radicals - unstable molecules that can cause damage to cells and tissues and may be linked to chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Similarly, tahini is high in antioxidants and is also a rich source of healthy monounsaturated fats, which may have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body. 

I think the main takeaway for this recipe is the potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of the ingredients which can support long-tem health and reduce the risk of disease. 

Ingredients

Serves 4 - 6

• 1 small cauliflower, large florets

• ½ head broccoli, large florets

• 2 red onions, sliced in 1/2 cm half moons

• 1 sweet pepper, sliced

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

  Dressing

• 4 tbsp tahini

• 3  tbsp water

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Small garlic clove, finely grated

• Good pinch of salt 

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°c.

• Put all the veggies in a large tray, mix with the olive oil, fennel seeds, coriander and cayenne and a pinch of salt.

• Place in the oven for 15 mins, then turn and repeat for 10-12 minutes.

• While the veggies are cooking make the tahini dressing by putting all the ingredients in a bowl and whisking with a fork.

• Spread the cooked veggies on a serving plate, drizzle with dressing, and finish with fresh parsley, coriander, or toasted sunflower/pumpkin seeds.

rose harissa hake with roasted cauliflower

This recipe is a delicious mix of lovely warm spices from the rose harissa and slight sweetness from the hake and coconut milk. It’s a great way to get a bit more fish in your diet - and cooking it in a sauce was always a good way to get my kids to eat it!

Depending on how spicy you want to go, you can double the rose harissa for extra heat or dial it back if you want a milder creamier flavour.

Roasted cauliflower is one of my favourite veggies and works really well with this dish. I’ve made it super tasty with a mix of coconut oil, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika. Cauliflower adds extra fiber to your plate and is also high in a compound called sulforaphane, which may enhance detoxification activity in the liver and protect against free radical cell damage in the body.

Hake is a good source of lean protein, with around 20g per 100g fillet. It’s a ‘complete’ protein containing all 9 ‘essential’ amino acids; these aminos are essential as they must be consumed in the diet as the body cannot synthesise them. It’s important to eat sufficient amounts of protein (I try to eat 1.5-2g per kg of body weight per day) for muscle repair and growth, immune function, heart health, and even brain function.

Hake is a good source of tryptophan, one of the nine essential amino acids. Tryptophan is understood to improve sleep quality as it helps to produce the hormone melatonin. Tryptophan is also a precursor to serotonin, which is important for sleep, mood, and appetite regulation.

Hake contains healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega 3s (but in smaller amounts than oily fish such as salmon and mackerel); these fats may have anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the risk of heart and neurodegenerative diseases.

Hake is also high in several minerals that are essential for keeping our bodies functioning properly. The main ones include:

Phosphorus - this mineral is found in high-protein food as phosphates. It is associated with energy metabolism and can help with weight control. It also helps to maintain a normal PH, and is a major component of cell membranes, bones, and teeth. 85% of phosphorus in the body is found in bones.

Potassium - is a mineral and electrolyte that balances sodium levels in the body and, therefore, may help to regulate blood pressure. It is needed for normal muscular and nerve function and plays a role in maintaining bone density by neutralizing acids that can leach calcium from bones. A diet rich in potassium may help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Magnesium is essential for over 300 enzymatic processes in the body, including energy production, DNA synthesis, muscle contraction and relaxation, blood sugar regulation, nerve function, and bone health.

These minerals are key to maintaining a healthy metabolism and bone strength and density and may be important in mid-life. Metabolism and lean muscle can decrease, and women, in particular, are more susceptible to a decrease in bone density and osteoporosis with declining levels of oestrogen as they reach perimenopause.

• If you can’t get hold of hake, sub for any other white fish or salmon. You could also make this recipe vegan by using firm tofu chopped into cubes instead of fish.

Ingredients

Serves 4 

• ½ tbsp coconut oil 

• 1 lg onion, half moon slices

• 1 red pepper, sliced 

• 1 lg garlic clove, grated finely 

• 1 x 400g tinned tomatoes

• 1 x 400g tin coconut milk 

• 1 tbsp rose harissa

• 4 hake fillets

• Handful chopped coriander

• 2 limes cut in quarters 

• 1 cauliflower, chopped in med florets

• ½ tsp ground cumin 

• ½ tsp ground coriander 

• ½ tsp ground smoked paprika

• Pinch of sea salt

Method 

• Heat the oven to 180. 

• Warm a large sauté pan and melt the coconut oil. 

• Gently fry the onions for 10 mins, then add the red pepper for another 10 min. 

• Prep the cauliflower by spreading it in a large baking tray, add 4-5 knobs of coconut oil and the ground spices. Set aside. 

• Next, add the garlic to the onions and peppers for a minute before mixing in the ground spices. Allow to warm for 20 seconds, and then pour in the tomatoes and coconut milk. Add the harissa and simmer for 15 minutes. 

• Add the fish to the sauce for 10-12 minutes until the fish is cooked. 

• Place the cauliflower in the oven for 12 minutes. 

• Finish the fish by adding a good pinch of sea salt and chopped coriander, and serve with a couple of lime wedges.  

  Tip

• Switch tinned for 6 large vine tomatoes. 

• You can use any white fish in this dish, so cod, sea bass, pollack

•  The sauce won’t be particularly thick but don’t worry, the rice and cauliflower soak it all up. You could add a tbsp of cornflower mixed in a little water to thicken if you want to though. Just make sure you whisk it into the sauce quickly, or it’ll end up in a lump! 

Chicken, cauliflower & spinach curry with raita

This great mid-week dinner option won’t take long to cook and delivers a whole heap of nutrients.

Chicken is a great source of lean protein to help with muscle building, bone density, immune and heart health, and brain function. Protein is needed for most bodily functions, so it is important to eat sufficient in your diet; I aim for 1.5g per kg of body weight, so a good guide is around 25g x3 per day (in each meal). The UK Government Guidelines for protein intake recommend 0.8g per kg, but this level is to prevent deficiency. but depending on your activity levels, exercise regime, or age, it may not be optimal.

Cauliflower, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, is part of the Brassica family. It is high in fibre and essential nutrients like vitamins C, K, and folate, which play important roles in immune function, bone health, blood clotting, and overall metabolism.

Cauliflower also contains various antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, and phytonutrients such as quercetin and kaempferol. Antioxidants help protect cells from oxidative stress and inflammation linked to chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. Some compounds in cauliflower, like sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol, have anti-inflammatory properties and may lower the risk of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases. In addition, these compounds release antioxidant and detoxification enzymes that protect against cell damage from carcinogens and support liver function, which is the key organ for detoxing.

This recipe is very versatile as you can easily make it veggie or vegan - leave out the first stage of frying the chicken and add chickpeas (or whatever bean you prefer) or tofu cubes instead of chicken. You can also make the raita dairy-free by using coconut yogurt, and for ultimate flexibility, change the veggies - instead of cauliflower use broccoli, aubergine (but pre-roast in the oven to brown), courgette, Brussels, green beans and switch the spinach for kale, cabbage, leafy greens, or peas.

Ingredients

Serves 4 

• 4 chicken breasts, chopped

• 1 lg onion, chopped in half moons

• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated or chopped

• 1 thumb ginger, finely grated

• 1 red chilli, chopped finely 

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp ground coriander 

• ½ tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp garam masala 

• 300g or ½ small cauliflower, chopped in small florets

• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 1 x tin coconut milk

• 100g red lentils, rinsed well

• 3-4 blocks frozen spinach 

• 1 tsp sea salt 

• 1 lime, quartered

Method

• Heat a knob of coconut oil in a large pan and then fry the chicken in two batches and set aside. 

• Add ½ tbsp of oil to the pan and gently cook the onions for 10-15 minutes until soft. 

• Next, add the garlic and ginger for a few minutes and then stir in the ground spices for 30 seconds. 

• Then, add the chicken (or vegan substitute) and cauliflower before pouring in the tomatoes and coconut milk. 

• Next, add the lentils and ¼ tin of water (use the empty tomato tin).

• Simmer for 25 minutes, then add the spinach for another 5 minutes until heated through. Add the salt.

• Top with red chilli and coriander and serve with lime wedges, basmati rice and raita

Roasted squash & cauliflower soup with rose harissa yoghurt

This soup is packed with a huge amount of flavour, especially considering it’s made with only 5 ingredients! The vegetables are all roasted so the caramelisation really adds depth to this simple soup. It’s really easy to make and is very ‘hands off’ as everything goes in the oven basically and then you just blitz them altogether at the end.

Ralph said this was his favourite ever soup - let me know what you think!! I love the yoghurt dressing, but it is totally optional as there is already so much flavour in the soup itself.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 small squash

• 1 small cauliflower

• 3 large cloves garlic

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 800-1L boiling water

• 1 lime wedge

Yoghurt topping

• 120ml Greek yoghurt (or vegan option: coconut)

• 1 tbsp rose harissa

• 1 tbsp tahini

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc and put all the chopped veggies in one big tray; coat with 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and then sprinkle over the cumin and a good pinch of salt. Mix well.

• Separate the cauliflower and onion on to one tray and put the squash on another. 

• Put the squash in the oven for 20 minutes then check and turn. 

• When the squash goes back in, put in the cauliflower and onions as well for 15 minutes. 

• Check and turn the cauliflower and onions, then put back in for 8 minutes. All the vegetables should be done together, but if not, just roast whichever one hasn’t browned for another 5-10 minutes.

• While the vegetables are cooking, make the yoghurt by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl.

• Boil at least 1 litre of water in the kettle.

• Scrape the vegetables into a large saucepan and then deglaze each tray with 150ml of boiling water. Pour the flavour rich water into the pan, scraping all the residue off using a silicone spatula.

• Squeeze out the roasted garlic from their skins into the pan and add a further 600ml of boiling water.

• Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, simmer for 5 minutes and then blitz with a hand blender until smooth. You might need to add an extra 100-200ml of water depending on thickness. 

• Add the sea salt, but adjust according to how much extra water you’ve added and finish with a squeeze of lime (about 1 tsp).

• Serve with a blob of the harissa yoghurt on top.

Tip

• When roasting vegetables:

  I tend not to mix types as they can cook at different rates, so I might need to take one out earlier.

  Always let the excess steam out by opening the oven a tiny bit about every 15 minutes - this helps them brown/crisp up.

Spicy black beans with cumin roasted cauliflower

I bloody love black beans, they’re just so satisfying to eat and are super versatile too. These Mexican style beans are great on their own, but even better with cumin roasted cauliflower and a few different twists and twizzles on top: yoghurt, lemon, chilli and coriander are my faves. 

Meat eaters in your household can add grilled chicken or fish too, plus all of the above make great wraps if you add some cooked rice. Or make a quesadilla and add some cheese! So good!

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

• i x 400g tin plum tomatoes

• 2 x 400g tins black beans

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 cauliflower, chopped in florets

• A few spoons of natural yoghurt

• Red chilli, thinly sliced

• A handful of coriander

• 1 lemon, chopped in wedges

Method

• Heat ½ tbsp rapeseed oil in a large saucepan and then fry the onions gently for 10-12 minutes until starting to brown.

• Add the garlic and then add the spices for a further 30 seconds.

• Pour in the beans and their water, plus the tinned the tomatoes, stir well.

• Simmer for 45 minutes, until the extra fluid has evaporated and the beans are thick and rich in flavour, then add the salt and stir well.

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc when the beans have about 30 minutes to go.

• Spread the cauliflower on a large baking tray, drizzle with 1-2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with the cumin and a pinch of salt.

• When the beans have about 25 minutes left, roast the cauliflower in the oven for 15 minutes, turn and put back in for a further 10 minutes.

• Serve with natural yoghurt, thin slices of red chilli, coriander leaves and a squeeze of lemon.

Aubergine, cauliflower, tomato & bulgur salad

The sun is out and it actually feels warm today, which is lovely, so I thought I would share this salad to celebrate! I’ve roasted all the veggies to get the best flavour out of them and made a vegan rose harissa yoghurt dressing to add a little creaminess and spice. The bulgur makes the salad more substantial, but you could leave it out if you’re planning to eat the salad as a side with a different type of carbohydrate.

Once a week (ideally on a Sunday) I try to make a large salad or warm dish that I can keep in the fridge, so I have an instant healthy option to eat when I’m in a rush or don’t feel like cooking. It also means that I’ve got a few quick, tasty lunches to grab and sit in the sunshine for a few minutes longer.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 aubergine, 2cm cubes

• 1 cauliflower, small florets

• 200g cherry tomatoes

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• 200g bulgur wheat

• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained well

• 120g coconut yoghurt (Coconut Collab)

• 4 tsp rose harissa (Belazu)

• 1 tbsp tahini (Belazu)

• ½ lemon

• sea salt (quantities in recipe)

• A handful of coriander leaves (optional)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc. Put the cauliflower onto a large tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle over the ground spices and a pinch of salt. Put the aubergine and tomatoes onto another tray, separate them into two halves as the juices will stop the aubergine from browning.

• Place both trays in the oven, aubergine tray at the top, cauliflower in the middle. Roast for 10 minutes then turn and put back in for another 10.

• Remove the aubergine and move the cauliflower to the top shelf and roast for a further 5 minutes then set aside.

• While the veggies are in the oven, cook the bulgur according to the packet instructions. I usually rinse with cold water, then simmer for 10 minutes.

• Drain the bulgur and rinse with cold water to prevent it from cooking anymore. Allow to drain thoroughly and then put back in the pan and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, plus juice of ¼ lemon and a pinch of salt. Mix well.

• When you’ve finished cooking the veggies, roast the chickpeas. Tip them onto a baking tray, drizzle with little olive oil (approx 2 tsp) and sprinkle with a pinch of smoked paprika, cumin and salt. Mix well and put in the oven for 15 minutes. Turn and then put back in for a further 10-15 minutes. You want them to be really crunchy (slightly browned) or when they cool they’ll go chewy, not crisp.

• Make the dressing while the chickpeas are crisping up. Put the yoghurt, rose harissa, tahini, juice of ¼ lemon and ¼ tsp sea salt into a bowl and mix well. Add 1 tbsp of water to loosen the dressing.

• To serve, layer the salad with a spoon of bulgur, a mix of the vegetables, coriander leaves and a few spoons of dressing, repeat.

• Finish with a few spoons of dressing, coriander and crispy chickpeas.

tip

• Switch the coconut yoghurt for plain / Greek

• Leave out the coriander if you hate it!

• You don’t have to use the brands I have recommended in the ingredients, but they are the products I think are particularly good quality.

Roast cauliflower, tomato & spelt salad

I bought a packet of spelt the other day with a vague idea of making a salad as I really enjoyed the last one I made with butternut squash and rose harissa. This time I roasted some cauliflower, tomatoes and red onions and then tossed in the cooked spelt whilst warm with a drizzle of oil and a squeeze of lemon - super quick and easy. I hadn’t intended on eating this salad straight from the oven, but did so by accident as I was really hungry! I’d definitely recommend doing the same as it was lovely; perfect if you’re eating outside with family or friends over the next few weeks while it’s a bit chilly.

See below for tips on how you can adjust the ingredients to your taste, or what you have in the cupboard.

*The salad is vegan if you use a plant based yoghurt. Coconut would would be lovely.

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side

• 250g spelt

• 1 red onion, halved and sliced

• 300g cherry tomatoes

• 1 cauliflower, small florets

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• Juice of ½ lemon

• ½ tsp sea salt

• A handful of coriander leaves

  Dressing

• 200ml plain yoghurt

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Pinch of sea salt

method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc

• Rinse the spelt and cook in boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

• Put the cauliflower on a large tray, drizzle with olive oil and scatter over the cumin seeds. Mix well.

• Put onions and tomatoes on another large tray and mix with a lug of oil and the paprika.

• Roast all the vegetables for 15 minutes, check and turn then put back for 5 minutes.

• Remove both trays from the oven and immediately mix the spelt and cauliflower into the tomatoes and onions, stirring well so the juices coat all the grains.

• Mix in 1-2 tbsp olive oil, juice of ½ lemon and salt.

• Toss all the dressing ingredients together, serve warm topped with coriander leaves and the yoghurt dressing.

  tip

• Use plant based yoghurt to make the salad vegan.

• Parsley would also work well if you don’t like coriander

• Serve warm or room temp is fine too.

• Feta or grilled halloumi would be another great topping.

• If you don’t have spelt use pearled barley, cous cous, quinoa or bulgur instead.
  
  

Spiced roast cauliflower

Cauliflower became a whole new vegetable once I discovered roasting it a few years ago. It takes on a completely different taste - none of the farty flavour you might remember from soggy school dinners - especially as you can add different spice combinations. This time I went for spices that work best with Indian style dishes, but if you leave out the turmeric and switch for dried chilli or cayenne then the cauliflower is lovely with Middle Eastern and Mexican food.

Ingredients

• 1 whole cauliflower, chopped into small florets

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp coriander

• ½ tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Juice of ½ lemon

• A few spoons of natural yoghurt

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 180ºc.

• Tip the cauliflower on to a large tray and gather it up at one end.

• Mix the oil, spices and salt in a small bowl and drizzle over the cauliflower, mixing well. Now spread out the florets evenly with small gaps in between them.

• Place in the oven for 15 minutes and then check and turn. One side should be browned before you turn. Put back in the oven for 8 minutes.

• Serve with a squeeze of lemon and natural yoghurt. Vegan coconut yoghurt works really well too.

Cauliflower, chickpea & feta fritters

Introducing my new favourite fritter; I first made this recipe ages ago and never returned to it. Not sure why as it’s a good un! Anyway, here it is making up for lost time as it’s back with a bang of flavour! Serve with roasted new potatoes, homemade slaw or a green salad. This recipe includes two dips as they’re both very quick to make, but you can choose one or the other. You could also just serve with Sriracha sauce, instead of making it into a mayo.

Ingredients

Makes 10-12 fritters

• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained

• 1 small cauliflower, weighing about 850g leaves removed

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tin 400g chickpeas

• Handful of parsley, chopped

• 140g feta, crumbled

• 4 tbsp plain flour

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 egg

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil approx

  Lemon yoghurt

• 8 tbsp yoghurt

• Juice & zest of 1 lemon

• Pinch of salt

Sriracha mayo

• 1 ½ tbsp sriracha sauce

• 6 tbsp mayonnaise

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc. Place the cauliflower florets on a large baking tray and spread so they have a little room between each one, use two trays if any are touching. If you don’t leave enough space around vegetables when you’re roasting them then they will steam and go soggy rather than browned and caramelised.

• Drizzle 1 tbsp of oil over the cauliflower and then sprinkle over the spices and a sprinkle of sea salt, mix well. Roast for 15 minutes and then turn and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes.

• Set aside to cool and turn the oven down to about 80ºc - you’ll need it to keep the batches of fritters warm later.

• Next drain the chickpeas and dry well with kitchen roll. Blitz in a food processor for a few seconds, so they resemble breadcrumbs.

• Chop the cooled cauliflower into small pieces; you don’t want big chunks as the fritters won’t stick together.

• Put the chickpeas, parsley, crumbled feta, flour and salt into a large bowl and mix well. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and then add to the mix.

• I use a large ice cream scoop to measure and shape each fritter, but you could do it with a big spoon or with scales - aim for about 70-80g each.

• Line a baking tray with parchment and put the raw fritters on it as you make them.

• Make the dressings before you cook the fritters.

• Heat 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil in a large frying pan and spread around before adding the first fritters. You’ll need to cook them in batches so the pan doesn’t get over crowded; I do 4-5 each time and I usually need to add about ½ tbsp of oil for each new batch so they don’t stick. Cook for 5 minutes each side on a medium heat until golden brown.

• Put each batch on to another large tray and place in the oven to keep warm while you cook the rest.

TIP

• Once you’ve shaped the raw mix, you can freeze the fritters at this stage. Find a tray or plate that will fit in your freezer and line it with baking parchment, space out the fritters on it and put in the freezer. Allow to harden for about 1 hour and then bing them off with a knife and transfer to a bag. This way they won’t stick together in a big lump. Defrost thoroughly before cooking.

Crunchy cauliflower mac ‘n’ cheese with garlic breadcrumbs

I have to admit that I’d consigned mac ‘n’ cheese to a kid-only carb fest a good few years ago, but I after revisiting this classic combo I might just have changed my mind. My main motivation was to trick the kids into eating cauliflower, but I’m also trying to build a stock of recipes for my eldest to cook at uni. Questionable success on the former, let’s see about the latter - I’ve sent him a dish, a whisk, scales and a measuring jug.

So despite not really intending to eat this mac n cheese I actually surprised myself by really enjoying it! Good to know that I like to eat my own dishes eh?! It’s not that I have anything against mac ‘n’ cheese, but having eaten it a lot over the years I guess I just wasn’t feeling that excited about it. However, after adding roasted cauliflower and a crunchy topping I’m a born again fan.

Ingredients

Serves 6, or 8-10 as a side

• 1 med cauliflower, chopped into florets

• 2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

• 350g macaroni

  Cheese sauce

• 60g butter

• 60g flour

• 900ml milk

• 200g mature cheddar cheese, grated

• 1tsp sea salt

  Bread crumbs

• 100g bread crumbs - see tip below on how to make them yourself

• 1 small clove garlic, grated

• 20g parmesan, grated

• 50g mature cheddar, grated

Method

• If you haven’t got the bread crumbs ready to go, then prep them first - scroll down to my Tips section on how to make them quickly.

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc

• Put the cauliflower florets on a tray, drizzle with the oil and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Check and turn putting them back in the oven for a further 5 minutes. Once they’re cooked through, but not too soft, slice the florets into small pieces so you don’t get big chunks in the final dish.

• Mix the minced garlic into the bread crumbs, using your (clean!) hands to really make sure it is spread evenly then add the parmesan and grated cheddar.

• Cook the macaroni as per the packet instructions, drain and set to one side. I rinse mine under cold water to stop it over cooking and to get rid of some of the starch so it’s less sticky. Once it has drained properly, put the cooled pasta into a large (approx 35x25cm) oven-proof dish and mix in the cauliflower.

• While the pasta is cooking make the cheese sauce; use a non-stick pan and a silicone whisk if you have one to prevent lumps, but a non-metal spoon or spatula will do otherwise - you’ll just need to stir a bit faster!

• First add the butter to the pan, melt and then tip in the flour, whisk thoroughly and allow to warm through for a minute.

• Here is where you need to do things quickly as the roux will thicken up rapidly each time you add more milk, but don’t panic, you can almost always whisk out the lumps at each stage if you’re vigorous enough. Start pouring the milk in slowly, 50ml at a time at first so you don’t get lots of splashing as you whisk it in. Quickly add the next 50ml and repeat until you’ve got to about 300ml and then you can start adding 100ml at a time. Once you’ve poured in all the milk leave on a low heat for 15-20 minutes to cook through and get rid of the floury taste, but whisk or stir regularly so the bottom doesn’t stick and cause lumps.

• Add the grated cheese and salt; stir, allow to melt and then pour over the pasta mixing well.

• Spread the bread crumbs evenly over the top and put in the oven for 20 minutes until the top is browned

  Tips

• I like to make my own bread crumbs by dry out a few slices of sourdough that are a bit past their best, so they don’t get wasted. You can leave them out on the side for a few hours, or speed up the process by breaking them up on a tray and placing in a low 50ºc oven for 20 minutes. Remember you don’t want them browned, just dried out. Then leave to cool and harden. I like to smash them up in a bag or teacloth with a rolling pin as you get a more varied texture than in a food processor. For this recipe just dry out 100g - about 2 slices.

• When roasting any vegetables, I always open the oven (just an inch) after about 10-12 minutes to let out excess steam so that they brown more easily. Your oven might be better at venting the steam out, so this might not be necessary, but double check one time when you’re roasting high water content ingredients like veggies. I always get a face full of steam! I usually repeat this once more.

• You can prep the cheese sauce earlier in the day to save time later, but make sure you place a piece of buttered clingfilm or baking parchment directly on top to prevent a skin forming. When you reheat, stir regularly to keep it smooth.

Roasted cauliflower, red pepper & dukkah yoghurt

This is a quick and easy salad to make any day of the week, especially if you prepare the dukkah spice mix a day ahead. I used this Ottolenghi recipe, which makes enough to fill a small jar, so you have some ready to go next time.

I love this salad just on it’s own for lunch, but if you want to make it more substantial or as part of a main meal then you could add quinoa, rice, toasted seeds or feta or eat with veggie fritters (recipe for those coming soon!

Ingredients

Serves 4 - 6 depending on what else is on the plate!

• 1 cauliflower, chopped into medium florets, including the inner leaves

• 1 red pepper, whole

• 5 tbsp greek yoghurt

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Salt

Dukkah 

• 70g hazelnuts, with their skins

• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 tbsp dry green peppercorns (or white, as an alternative)

• 3 tbsp coriander seeds

• 1½ tbsp sesame seeds

• ½ tsp nigella seeds  

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 1 tsp paprika

Method

First make your dukkah. These instructions are from the Ottolenghi website where he has made it to go with a delicious sounding butter bean purée:

• Put a frying pan on a medium heat and leave for a couple of minutes to heat up well. Roast the following spices for 30 seconds each and then put to one side in a small bowl: fennel, cumin, peppercorns.

• Next add the coriander seeds for 1 minute, then set aside with the other spices.

• Reduce the heat to low and cook the sesame and nigella seeds together, stirring occasionally, until the sesame turns pale brown, then remove from the pan.

• Rub the hazelnuts between the palms of your hands to discard some of the skin if necessary. Use a pestle and mortar or bash gently in a teacloth with a rolling pin to chop them coarsely, then transfer to a medium bowl.

• Lightly crush the cumin and fennel seeds, and add to the hazelnuts. Repeat with the coriander seeds, followed by the peppercorns and then the sunflower seeds. Add these to the nut bowl, along with the sesame and nigella seeds, add salt and paprika, and mix well.

• I actually put all the seeds and nuts into a spice grinder and pulsed a couple of times. This probably gave a finer grind than Ottolenghi’s, but laziness is key here. I left the nuts and seeds out so they stayed crunchy. That’s the fiddly bit done.

• Next put the oven on at 180°c and the cauliflower florets on a tray, drizzle over 1-2 tbsp of rapeseed or olive oil and roast for 10 minutes, before turning and browning for a further 5 minutes.

• At the same time, put the whole red pepper on some tin foil under a high grill and blacken each side. Then wrap in tin foil and allow to cool so you can peel off the skin, deseed and chop in lengths.

• Plate the cauliflower and red pepper then drizzle with yoghurt and sprinkle about 1 tbsp of dukkah on top. Serve immediately so it’s still warm, or allow to cool to room temperature. Try not to serve cold and this will mask the sweet flavours of the vegetables.