creamy green pea pasta

Here’s a gorgeous vibrant green pasta with a fresh delicate flavour and lots of the good stuff! Green peas have a delicious sweet flavour and work really well with fresh herbs such as parsley or basil. I’ve have added some optional marscapone cheese for extra creaminess, but you can just add parmesan if you prefer as the peas have a naturally creamy flavour when pureed anyway. I also used fresh chicken stock to boost protein and flavour, but a good vegetable stock, preferably fresh, would also be great. And if you want to make the sauce plant based, you can leave out the dairy and add some fried firm tofu, or top with cashew nuts.

Peas are a great source of vitamin C (around 66% of your RDA in 100g), and protein (5g per 100g), which may be important for supporting your immune system, collagen formation and wound healing. This sauce is also high in fibre, especially if you use wholemeal, lentil or spelt pasta, to keep your gut microbes happy.

ingredients

Serves 4

• ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Large knob of butter

• 1 large onion, chopped finely

• 1 large garlic clove, grated finely

• 500g frozen peas

• 500ml chicken or vegetable stock

• Handful of fresh parsley or basil, or both!

• 3 tbsp mascarpone cheese, optional

• 2 handfuls of grated parmesan

• Good pinch of salt and grind of black pepper

• Squeeze of lemon

• Pasta: which ever kind you prefer!

method

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan and then fry the onions gently for around 15 minutes until browned. 

• Next add the garlic and fry for a minute before adding the frozen peas.

• Start cooking the pasta now.

• Pour in the stock and simmer for 5 minutes.

• Add the herbs and then blitz the sauce with a hand blender.

• Add the mascarpone if you’re using it, and stir well.

• Put in the parmesan, salt, and pepper and stir.

• Add the drained pasta to the sauce and serve with a squeeze of lemon, extra parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Pea, leek and watercress soup with feta

This soup is so tasty and as good for you as it looks! Although we’re coming to the end of soup season, I make an exception when it's this green and vibrant (and in any case, it’s still blood freezing here in Leeds).

 Peas are part of the legume family and aren’t strictly a vegetable. They have an impressive nutrient profile with a protein (5%), fibre (5%), polyphenol antioxidants (gut health, cell repair, and detox), and a range of vitamins: K (wound healing, bone, and muscle density), B1 thiamine (energy levels, nervous system support), manganese (anti-inflammatory, bone health, anti-oxidant), C (immunity), and folate (energy, inflammation). Peas are also a low glycaemic index (GI) food, which is a measure of how fast your blood sugar increases after eating, plus their high fibre context also slows digestion and can help to stabilise blood glucose levels.

 Leeks are also a great source of fibre and prebiotics - undigestible compounds that feed gut microbes. These microbes produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate, reducing gut inflammation, keeping the intestines healthy, and stimulating good gut bacteria to grow. A happy gut reduces the risk of inflammation within the body and, ultimately, the risk of developing chronic disease.

 Watercress is from the brassica family, along with Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale; it was once considered a weed but is very nutrient-dense. It contains a high level of vitamin K and vitamins A and C, with some calcium and manganese. Watercress is understood to contain antioxidants that protect against cell damage by free radicals, which are molecules that cause cell damage or oxidative stress. Higher levels of oxidative stress are associated with inflammation, cell damage, and chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 leeks, chopped finely

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated

• 700g frozen peas

• 800ml fresh chicken or vegetable stock, or use a Kallo stock cube

• 80g watercress

• A handful of chopped fresh parsley (incl. stalks)

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Juice of half a lemon

• 100g feta, crumbled

Method

• Add a glug of extra virgin olive oil to a large pan and heat gently

• Put in the leeks and fry on a low-med heat for around 5 minutes

• Next, add the garlic and cook for a minute

• Then, put in the peas and pour in the stock

• Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes, then add the watercress and cook for a couple more minutes.

• Finally, add the salt, lemon juice, and parsley, then blitz well with a hand blender.

• Serve with crumbled feta and a crack of black pepper

Broad bean pea & feta salad

This is a lovely fresh salad taking advantage of the super fresh tasting ingredients around at the moment. I have added a little zing of wood sorrel as we happened to find some on a walk at the weekend, but the salad is lovely without this addition anyway, so it’s by no means essential!

*Please don’t forage unless you know what you’re looking for or you’re with someone who does. And never take too much!

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 500g podded broad beans in pods

• 500g peas in pods

• A couple of handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped roughly

• 2-3 tbsp crumbled feta

• A small handful of fresh mint, chopped

• Optional: small handful of wood sorrel, washed, dried and tough red parts of stalk removed.

  Dressing

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• A good grind of black pepper

method

• Blanch the broad beans in a pan of boiling water for 3 minutes, Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl of iced water. Remove the light green outer skin which is tough and put the green beans in a bowl with the chopped spinach.

• Blanch the peas for 2 minutes, drain and cool under a cold tap for a few seconds. When dry add to the broad beans and spinach.

• Mix the dressing ingredients.

• Add all the vegetables to a large bowl, mix in the dressing and the mint, then top with feta and wood sorrel.

Summer pea & asparagus pasta

If you’re looking for a light and easy summer pasta dish, this is it! The peas and asparagus make a lovely change from tomato based sauces, especially at this time of year.

I’ve used asparagus as it is still just about in season (and I love it), but going into the summer you could swap for courgettes. I would chop and add them to the pan 5 minutes after the onions, so they’re almost cooked before adding the peas.

Another addition would be a sprig of mint, although I would probably use half the amount of the other herbs, so as not to dominate. A back-note of mint would be really nice and fresh.

I’ve used trofie pasta (posh!) this time as I happened to see it in my local deli, but you can use any kind of dried or fresh pasta. I also love this sauce with wholemeal if you’re feeling virtuous!

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 small onion, chopped finely

• 300g frozen peas

• 4 large stalks of basil, chopped

• 4 large stalks of parsley, chopped

• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon in 250ml water

• 250g asparagus, stalks chopped, top 2” reserved

• 60g parmesan, grated finely

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Juice of ½ small lemon

• 2-3 tbsp half fat crème fraîche or double cream, optional

• 450g pasta - whichever you prefer

Method

• First heat ½ tbsp extra virgin olive in a medium sized saucepan then fry the onion gently for 10 minutes.

• Cook the pasta as the packet instructions - usually around 10 minutes in boiling water. Put a steamer on top of the pasta pan and cook the asparagus tips. Or you can gently pan fry in butter for extra flavour.

• Next add the garlic, 250g peas and chopped asparagus stalks, fry gently for approx 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until defrosted.

• Pour 250ml of boiling water in a jug and stir in the vegetable bouillon, pour into the pea mix with the basil and parsley (including stalks). Blitz with a hand blender thoroughly until smooth, this will take 5 minutes or so.

• Next add the remaining peas, 40g parmesan and salt. Heat the sauce gently so the peas warm through.

• Add the crème fraîche at this point, If you’re using it.

• Serve with the remaining parmesan, top with the asparagus tips and a good crack of black pepper.

pea & Kale risotto

Reasons to be cheerful: spring is in the air, I’m wearing my green hoodie, the kids have gone back to school after the longest Christmas holiday in history and it’s International Women’s Day! Sending love and a fresh green risotto recipe to all the amazing women in my life!

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 250g Frozen peas

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• 100g cavolo nero, stalked removed, leaves chopped roughly

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 celery stick, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• 150ml white wine or 100ml sherry / vermouth

• 320g risotto rice

• 50g parmesan, finely grated

• 3/4 tsp sea salt

• Juice of ¼ lemon

Method

• Melt the stock cube in 1L boiling water (I always dilute stock cubes way more than the packet instructions as I find their flavour is too strong otherwise)

• Put 150g peas in a small saucepan, pour over 100ml stock and bring to the boil. Turn off and leave to cool.

• Steam the kale for 4-5 minutes and then blitz in a food processor with a knob of butter.

• Once the peas have cooled, then add to the kale and blitz until smooth.

• Heat 20g of butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large shallow pan and fry the onions and celery on low for 10-12 minutes.

• Add the garlic to the onion and cook for 1 minute.

• Warm the stock in a pan on the hob or microwave.

• Next stir the rice into the onions, after about a minute it should look slightly translucent at the edges.

• Then turn up the heat and pour in the wine or Sherry. Allow the harsh alcohol taste to bubble off and once the rice has absorbed the rest of the wine start adding the warm stock. I usually pour in about a ladle or 100ml at a time.

• After 10 minutes add the pea and kale purée and continue pouring in the stock for another 5 minutes and then add the rest of the peas. Cook for a further 3-5 minutes.

• Check the rice is cooked (it should still have a little bite to it), add a little more water if needed (a risotto shouldn’t stand up in your bowl, it should melt to the sides) and then stir in 10g of butter, 30g parmesan, salt and a squeeze of lemon.

• Serve with the rest of the parmesan, warm ciabatta and a green salad.

Tip

• The way I got my fussy meat-eating son to eat a very green risotto was to: not tell him about the kale, only the peas, fry some crispy bacon bits and put them on top and serve with warm ciabatta bread. He will eat a significant amount more things if there is white bread or a wrap on the side!

• I used cavolo nero or black kale, but you could switch to curly if that’s what you’ve got in. Just make sure you take the tough stalks out and only use the leaves.

• Tip

• A note about stock - if I’m using a cube then I will double the amount of water recommended on the pack, so for this recipe I just used one cube for one litre of water. Otherwise you’ll end up tasting the stock cube rather than it being a savoury back note.

• I don’t always want to open a bottle of wine just for cooking, so I keep a bottle of sherry or Vermouth in the cupboard to use for risotto. It doesn’t go off like wine, so you can just use a glass as and when you need it.

• To make the risotto vegan, you could use non-dairy ‘butter’ and add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and or a little oat cream instead of cheese. Top with pine nuts or pumpkin seeds.

• I use a Microplane or fine grater for the cheese and garlic.