Sweet potato, avocado & mozzarella salad

It feels like summer has finally arrived and salads are fully on the menu. This is a lovely one to have for dinner with a green salad and fresh bread or as part of a bigger salad spread for friends. The harissa dressing is a lovely contrast to the creamy mozzarella and avocado while the potato adds a little sweetness to the dish.

To make it more filling and to add fibre I have layered in some buckwheat, but you could use brown rice, bulgur, pearled spelt or even quinoa if you prefer. Any wholegrain will work well here.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• ½ small red onion, thin half moon slices

• 3-4 tbps red wine vinegar

• 1 large sweet potato, chopped in small wedges

• 150g buckwheat

• 1 large avocado

• 150g mozzarella

• A small handful each of mint, parsley, coriander

  Dressing

• 150ml Greek yoghurt

• 1 tbsp rose harissa

• 2 tbsp water

• ½ tsp sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Put the onion in a small bowl and pour over the vinegar.

• Spread the sweet potato on a baking tray and drizzle with approx 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes, turn and repeat.

• While the sweet potato is in the oven, cook the buckwheat or whichever grain you’re using, as per the packet instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.

• Slice the avocado and rip the mozzarella into large pieces.

• Layer the salad by first putting the grain on the plate with a few chunks of sweet potato, avocado, mozzarella, some herbs, pickled onions, a spoon or two of dressing and a pinch of salt. Repeat, finishing with the herbs, pickled onions and dressing.

  tip

• Layering the salad means that all the ingredients are spread equally, so everyone gets a bit of everything!

Roast tomato, sweet potato & quinoa salad with tahini dressing

My new favourite salad: red and white quinoa with tomatoes, sweet potato and red onions roasted with cumin, fennel and coriander. Ok, so my favourite changes weekly, but this is a super tasty and definitely one to add to your menu! The dressing is made with roast garlic, tahini and deglazed tomato juice from the roasting tray (see the swirls in the little bowl), to really pack in the flavour. It would also be nice to add some crunch by serving with toasted nuts, or feta if you want to add cheese - I had both!

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a main, or 6-8 as a side

• 250g baby plum tomatoes

• 2 large garlic cloves

• 1 small sweet potato, 1cm cubes

• 1 medium red onion, half moon slices

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• ½ tsp ground coriander

• 250g quinoa

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• A handful of parsley and/or coriander, chopped

  Dressing

• 6 tbsp tahini

• 100ml water

• ¼ tsp sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc. Spread out the tomatoes and garlic on a roasting tray, drizzle with rapeseed or olive oil and add a pinch of salt, mix well.

• Put the sweet potato and red onion on two halves of large tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp fennel seeds and the coriander, plus a pinch of salt. Mix well and place all the vegetables in the oven for 15 minutes. Turn and put back in for another 5 minutes. The sweet potato and onion should be cooked by now, but the tomatoes will need about another 10-15 minutes - they should be starting to blacken.

• While the vegetables are roasting, rinse the quinoa really well and then simmer in boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

• Put the remaining cumin and fennel seeds in a frying pan and warm gently for about 1 minutes util you can smell their aroma, set aside.

• Use the two roasted garlic cloves in the dressing - squeeze the soft clove out of the skin and mash in a small bowl. Next add the tahini and mix well. Deglaze the tomato tray with 6 tbsp of boiling water and mix into the tahini. Add an extra tablespoon of water if needed. Stir in the salt.

• To serve, put the quinoa in a large bowl, gently stir in the vegetables, herbs, salt, then pour over the dressing and lastly sprinkle over the cumin and fennel seeds. If you’re not eating all the salad straight away, leave the dressing separate, so it stays fresher.

Tip

• After roasting vegetables, I always deglaze the tray with a 2-3 tablespoons of boiling water to get extra flavour into my salad dressings, stocks and stews. Even if you don’t need that flavour now, it’s worth doing as you can freeze the liquid in an ice cube tray and add to another dish as an extra flavour boost. It also helps to clean your tray before washing up!

Sweet potato & black bean chilli

I always cook a big pot of chilli as it can be turned into a few different meals through the week. I made this pan for a couple of friends the other night (how nice is it to have friends in the garden?!) we had it with brown basmati, sour cream, guacamole, a few homemade tortilla chips and a handful of cheddar or feta. As we were eating outside, I made up chilli bowls with a bit of everything in so it was easier to serve.

I definitely recommend taking a few minutes to make a quick guacamole as it works so well in the bowl - I did a speedy version without any chopped chilli: just mashed avocado, a little finely chopped red onion, garlic, lime and salt. The tortilla chips take 5 minutes in the oven, so very little work to make and worth the effort to add a crunchy texture.

If you have a some leftover for lunch, you could make a ‘chilli bowl’ wrap or a quesadilla would be delicious too (here’s one I made with black beans, but just use the chilli instead) with lots of melted cheese. If you want to go carb-less, serve with crumbled feta and a slaw.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ¼ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (approx 500g), 1cm cubes

• 2 tins of tomatoes

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 tin black beans

• 1 tin cannellini beans

• 1 ½ tsp sea salt

• 1 lime, quartered

• A few spoons of plain or coconut yoghurt (Coconut Collaborative is my fave)

Method

• Heat ½ tbsp olive or rapeseed oil in a large pan and then fry the onions gently for 10 minutes.

• Next add the garlic, stir well and cook for a minute or two.

• Stir in all the dried spices and heat through for a minute to release their flavour and then add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tomato purée and all the beans.

• Pour in ½ bean tin of water and mix well.

• Cook for 30-40 minutes, until the sweet potato is fully softened. Put the lid on for the first 20 minutes and then remove.

• Add a little extra water for the last 10 minutes if needed.

• Stir in the salt and serve with a lime wedge plus any of the sides suggested above.

Broccoli, sweet potato & tahini salad

Salad season is back! I feel ready to say goodbye to soups now! Or may be I’m getting over excited as it’s sunny AND warm today. Feels really good after a long Covid lockdown winter and now we can have friends in our gardens, life just feels that bit better. I’ve missed seeing my family and friends so much!

This was a hastily put together salad based on what I fancied last night. It was a rare evening when everyone else had either leftovers or a packet pie (yes, they’re my lifeline some days) to eat and I was left to my own devices. So I made a salad with roasted vegetables, harissa spices, quinoa and tahini dressing, which I enjoyed so much. I took the rest to eat lunch with a friend in the park and added some falafels and pitta, which felt like a real treat!

* If you want to make the salad vegan, just leave out the feta and top with a few toasted seeds.

Ingredients

Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side

• 1 red onion, sliced

• 100g tenderstem broccoli

• 1 medium sweet potato, 1½cm cubes

• 1 tsp dried harissa spice blend

• 120g quinoa

• A handful of coriander leaves

• 100g feta, crumbled (optional)

  Dressing

• 3 tbsp tahini

• 5-6 tbsp water

• Juice of ¼ lemon

• ¼ small clove garlic

• Pinch of sea salt

Method

• Preheat the 200ºc. Mix approx 1 tbsp olive oil and the harissa into the onions and sweet potatoes and roast for 15 minutes.

• Turn the onions and potatoes, then add the broccoli to the tray and drizzle with a little oil. Roast for 15 minutes and then set aside to cool a little.

• While the vegetables are roasting, rinse and cook the quinoa as per the packet instructions - I usually rinse it 3-4 times so the water runs pretty clear and then simmer for 20 minutes.

• Make the dressing by putting all the ingredients in a jar and mixing well. Just add the water slowly until you get the right consistency - tahini sometimes varies with the amount of water it needs to let it down.

• Drain the quinoa and allow to cool, or run it under some cold water if you’re in a hurry and then drain again.

• Layer the ingredients, including the dressing, in a large bowl or platter, finishing with feta and coriander on top.

Sweet potato, lentil & chickpea curry with raita

Here’s my take on a traditional Indian dish called chana masala. I realise I’m being totally inauthentic adding sweet potato and lentils, as this should be made only with chickpeas, but I wanted a slightly different texture and taste this time.

The curry works really well with a side of raita as you have a nice fresh crunch from the cucumber and cooling creaminess from the yoghurt to counteract the spicy heat.

I served ours up with a combination of brown basmati, raita and chapatis (recipe here).

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

• 1 large onions, half moon slices

• 2 large garlic cloves, grated

• 1 tsp garam masala

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp dried red chilli flakes

• ¼ tsp turmeric

• 2 x 400g tins tomatoes

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 x 400g tins chickpeas

• 1 sweet potato, cubed

• 150g red lentils, rinsed well

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 20-30g fresh coriander, optional

  Raita

• 250ml Greek or plain yoghurt

• 2 spring onions, sliced finely

• 15cm cucumber, small cubes

• Juice of ½ - 1 lime

• ½ tsp sea salt

• ¼ tsp ground cumin

Method

• Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed oil in a large pan and then add the onions, frying on low for 10 minutes.

• Next add the garlic for 1 minute and then the spices, warming through for 30 seconds.

• Pour in the tomatoes, plus 1 ½ tins of water, tomato purée, chickpeas, sweet potato and lentils.

• Simmer for 25 minutes.

• Mix all the raita ingredients together.

• Add the salt and a handful of coriander and stir well.

• Serve with basmati rice and or chapatis and extra coriander leaves.

Tip

• If you’re making chapatis then get the dough ready before you start on the curry. That way the dough can rest and then you’ll be ready to roll them out and cook while the curry bubbles away.

• I’ve listed the coriander as optional as I know a lot of people don’t like it. Personally I think the curry tastes more interesting with it in, but it will still be tasty if left out.

Sweet potato hummus with homemade tortilla chips

Having a tub of homemade hummus in the fridge is really handy for making lots of different tasty lunches or dinners through the week. It’s simple to make and a great source of plant-based protein. My daughter is vegetarian and up until now as refused to eat hummus, but I added some to her wrap yesterday with fried red onion, sweetcorn and halloumi (pictured below) - she loved it! Major break-through as I want to expand her range of veggie protein sources. I had some with a baked potato, feta and a quickly thrown together salad, which was also lovely; but there are so many ways you can use hummus to make dishes more interesting. I’ve listed a few in the Tips section below.

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato (500g raw unpeeled)

• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained & liquid reserved

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp pimentón (or paprika)

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 4 tbsp aquafaba (chick pea water)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc, put the potato on a tray and bake for about 50 minutes. Test with a knife to make sure it is soft all the way through before cutting in half, mashing and allowing to fully cool (I put mine in the freezer to speed it up).

• Put all the other ingredients in a food processor and blitz until really smooth.

• Next add in the cooled sweet potato and blitz thoroughly.

Tip

• Bake the sweet potato a day or two before you make the hummus, so it takes you even less time to prep. If you’re making dinner and have the oven on, then put the potato in as well. Save time and electricity! Just store the cooked potato (unpeeled) in the fridge over night and bring up to room temp, if possible, before adding to the hummus mix.

• Serve with homemade tortilla chips, wraps, baked potato, crudités, grain or rice salad, roasted veggies… the list is endless if you’re a hummus fan!

Leek & sweet potato soup

My original plan to was to make classic leek and potato soup, but seeing some sweet potatoes in the veg rack I ended up taking a left turn and I’m really glad I did as I love this recipe! It makes a hearty nutritious soup with lots of flavour that’s quick and easy to make. I think I’ve decided I’m more of a chunky soup person in general as I really like my food to have different textures and this soup definitely ticks that box. I’ve been eating it for lunch all week and I haven’t even needed any bread as it’s really filling. I’ve used spicy paprika for flavour and to give a kick with some additional chilli to bring the heat level up a notch. But if you prefer it milder, just leave out the chill flakes.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 large sweet potatoes

• 2 large leeks, slices

• 1 large knob of butter

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 1 ½ tsp hot paprika

• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes

• 120g red lentils

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• 1.1L water

• 50g kale, chopped

• ¾ tsp sea salt

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Fresh parsley to serve, optional

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc.

• Put the sweet potatoes on a tray and bake for approx 45 minutes. Check that they are completely cooked through before removing from the oven. Set aside to cool a little so you can peel off the skin and mash.

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan, add the leeks, cooking on low with the lid on for 20 minutes until softened.

• Next add the garlic and stir in well before mixing in the paprika and chilli. Allow the spices to warm for a minute so they release their flavour and then add the lentils, sweet potato, crumbled stock cube and water.

• Simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on stirring occasionally.

• Stir in the kale and cook for a further 5 minutes.

• Squeeze in the lemon juice and add the salt.

• Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Tip

• The spiced paprika I used is blended with cayenne pepper.

Sweet potato soup with harissa & tahini

It’s that time of year again: soup season. This is in fact the second reason to be happy about autumn, the first I posted about yesterday: pies!

Harissa is one of my favourite spice blends, originating from the North African region of Maghreb, it is full of flavour and works so well with a wide variety of vegetables. Here I have used harissa to balance the sweetness of the vegetables and the lemon tahini adds a little zing and nuttiness. I particularly like the Spice & Green harissa blend made by my friend Melanie Hadida, but you could use a good quality supermarket version or even make your own. Here’s a recipe by Mr Ottolenghi if you want to to give it a try.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

• 1.3kg sweet potato (unpeeled)

• 4 red onions, chopped roughly 

• 3 large garlic cloves, grated

• 2 tsp harissa spice blend

• 1 vegetable stock cube (low salt Kallo)

• 1.6L water

• 1.5 tsp sea salt 

• Toasted sesame seeds - optional to serve

Lemon tahini

• 4 tbsp tahini

• Juice of half a lemon

• 75ml water

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Put the sweet potatoes on a baking tray and roast in their skins for about 45mins-1 hour or until they’re soft right through. This will vary depending on size.

• Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil in a large deep pan and add the onions, cook for 20 minutes on low. Peel the sweet potatoes while the onions are cooking.

• Once the onions are softened add the harissa and warm through for a few minutes to release the flavours. Then add the crumbled stock cube, water, salt and sweet potato (break up with a spoon). Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

• Make the lemon tahini while the soup is cooking. Put the tahini and salt in a jug or jar, squeeze in the lemon, whisk with a fork before adding the water whisking again.

• Turn off the heat and use a hand blender to thoroughly blitz the soup to a smooth consistency.

• Serve with a drizzle of tahini (about 1/2 tbsp) and a good pinch of sesame seeds.

Tip

• Tahini goes very thick when you first add water, keep going it’ll loosen up. Or use a small blender to avoid this problem.

• You might need to add a little water to the tahini each time you use it as it tends to thicken up after being stored for a day in the fridge.

• Sesame seeds toast quickly and easily in a dry frying pan. Just sprinkle evenly and place on a medium heat, watching careful as they will suddenly colour. You want a pale gold brown.

Sweet potato, mozzarella, chilli & basil

This is a lovely easy recipe that you can make quickly and either eat at home if you're not in the office, or put in Tupperware to take with you. I absolutely love the fresh flavours of this dish - I could eat it everyday!

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1 sweet potato

• 100g buffalo mozzarella, sliced

• 1/2 red chilli, thinly sliced, or chopped finely

• Juice of 1/2 lemon juice

• Drizzle of olive oil

• Basil leaves, ripped

• Salt and pepper

• Salad leaves & / roasted red pepper slices

  Method

• Roast a sweet potato on a baking tray in the oven at 180ºc for about 45 minutes depending on size. You can test with a skewer to see if is soft right the way through.

• Prep and plate the salad - have any combination you like, I like leaves and roasted red pepper (from a jar - easy!), but you could add grated carrot, red onion, raw peppers, cucumber - any salad you like.

• Cut the potato in half lengthways and top with mozzarella and chilli, then add a drizzle of olive oil and finish with a good squeeze of lemon.

Tip

• Keep a jar of roasted red peppers in your cupbaord as they’re great for quickly improving a salad or making sauces or dips like romesco or muhammara.