veggie sausage, mushroom & spinach rigatoni

This is a family favourite in our house and as it only takes about 20 minutes to make it’s a recipe I keep returning to when I want a tasty mid-week meal. We’ve also been trying to gradually reduce our meat intake as a household and this is a dish that my carnivore middle son and my vegetarian daughter both devour. I’d say it’s a vegetarian meal that even the keenest meat eater would (perhaps begrudgingly!) enjoy.

It’s a good one for students too; my son is at uni and he makes this quite regularly as it’s a nice alternative to the classic student tomato pasta - I think that’s all he ate in his first year!

The recipe is flexible in that you can switch (or remove) the vegetables if you don’t like them or want a change. Leeks, carrots, broccoli, kale, peas, sweetcorn or even roasted butternut squash would all work really well, but you would need to adjust the cooking times accordingly. I would sub leeks, carrots, broccoli or other veggies that need a longer cooking time for the mushrooms and then add frozen peas, sweetcorn or roasted squash at the last minute instead of spinach. Kale would need a little longer to cook properly.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

• 6 Quorn sausages, chopped into diagonal slices

• 1.5 tbsp butter

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• 400g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

• 1.5 tbsp plain flour

• 1/2 vegetable stock cube ( I like Kallo low salt)

• 400ml water

• 200ml crème fraîche (I use half fat if I can find it)

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Juice of 1/4 lemon

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 60g grated parmesan

• 100g spinach

• 320g rigatoni

Method

• Warm 1/2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil in a wide bottomed pan and add the sausage slices, cook on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes so that they start to brown.

• Then melt the butter and 1/2 tbsp oil in the same pan, before adding the garlic, stir well and then add the mushrooms. Cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Fill a large lidded pan of salted water and bring to the boil ready for the pasta.

• Next sprinkle the flour on to the mushrooms and sausage, stir well to coat and then add the stock cube (crumbled), mustard and 400ml of water. Stir and allow to thicken, simmering on low for 5 minutes.

• Start to cook the pasta while the sauce is thickening.

• Add the crème fraîche, and 30g parmesan to the sausage mix, stir and warm through gently on low for 5 minutes while the pasta cooks. For the last minute mix in the spinach allowing it to wilt then finish with the lemon and salt.

• Drain the pasta (reserving a little cooking water) and add to the sauce.

• Loosen with 1-2 tbsp of the cooking water if needed. Serve with a good grind of black pepper and the remaining parmesan.

Tip

• Have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go as the overall cooking time is about 10 minutes so you need to go quickly once you start cooking the sausages.

• If you prefer to use pork sausages then just use the same method, but squeeze the filing out of the casing to create mini meat balls as the skin becomes tough and stringy if you just chop them up.

• I use Quorn sausages or Linda McCartney’s , but they do break up a little bit more than Quorn.

• Vegetable combinations to try: roasted butternut squash & kale, leek & spinach, mushroom & kale, broccoli & sweetcorn (to keep the kids happy!), peas & spinach.

Pumpkin soup with chilli & ginger

It wouldn’t be Halloween without the obligatory pumpkin soup post would it?! Like Lockdown without banana bread...
My recipe this year took a slightly unexpected, but interesting, turn with the addition of coconut milk, chilli, lime and my latest discovery: dark roast peanut butter (linked in the ingredients). If you’ve never tried it you need to, it’s umami heaven! So good on toast too.
I’d originally planned to make more of a classic pumpkin soup with white wine and cream, but I went in a different direction and ended up using more Thai style flavours, which makes sense of the peanuts, right? They bring a deep savoury back note rather than being an obvious addition, I don’t think many people would be able to guess they were there, but they add a lovely subtle umami richness.
There’s also fresh ginger, a little chilli heat and a zing of lime - a bright note to counteract the sweetness of the roasted vegetables - essential in most dishes imo.

This recipe is for a big pan of soup so halve it if you prefer, but I always like to make extra for the freezer.

Ingredients

Makes 2.8l or 8 servings

• 1 medium sized pumpkin

• 1 squash, chopped weight approx 800g ex seeds

• 2 large onions, diced

• 30g fresh ginger, grated

• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes

• 1 stock cube

• 1l water

• 400ml coco milk

• 1 tbsp dark roast peanut butter

• 2.5 tsp sea salt

• Handful of toasted pumpkin seeds

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Peel and chop the squash into wedges; place on a large tray with 1.5 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and mix well to coat. Place in the oven for 15 minutes, turn and repeat; the squash should be browned on at least a couple of sides. Remove from the oven and set aside.

• Chop the pumpkin in half, you might want to cut off the stalk at the top first though. Then put on a large roasting tray, covering the cut sides loosely with foil and place in the oven for approx 1 hour. Test by sticking a knife in at this stage and see if it is soft all the way through, if not put back in the oven for 30 minutes and repeat if necessary. Set aside to cool a little while you chop the onions.

• Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil in a large pan and add the onions, cooking for about 15-20 mins on low.

• Once the pumpkin has cooled enough to touch it, cut out and throw away the seeds, then scrape the flesh out of the skin and put in a bowl. Keep the water that has been released from the pumpkin while cooking as this will go into the soup to add extra flavour.

• Once the onions are softened add the ginger, mix well and warm for 1 minute. Then add the squash, pumpkin and pumpkin water, chilli, crumbled stock cube, 1l of water, peanut butter and coconut milk; simmer for 15- 20 minutes.

• Blitz with a stick blender; you may need to add 100-200ml of water to get the right consistency, just do it gradually and then add the sea salt one tsp at a time. The quantity of extra water needed and salt will vary slightly depending on the size and how watery your pumpkin was.

• Serve with sourdough and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds.

Tip

• Cook the squash or pumpkin on the previous day to save time when making the soup as they take awhile too cook and use a lot of oven space.

• If it’s not pumpkin season then just use another butternut squash instead.

Warm chickpea salad with lemon yoghurt & feta

I was going to make this as a starter for one of my supper clubs, until bloody Covid came along to f@%k things up. So I thought, why keep it to myself, I’ll share it with you guys and you can make it at home instead. I was thinking that it might be a nice idea to look back over my pop up menus from last year and share a few of the recipes. So look out for them on here very soon.

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a starter

• 1/2 red pepper, small dice

• 3/4 cucumber, small dice

• 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped

• 3 tomatoes, small dice with seed section removed

• 15g parsley, chopped

• 15g coriander, chopped

• Zest & juice of 1 lemon

• 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 x 400g tin chickpea, drained

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin 

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 

• 1/4 tsp sea salt 

• 80g feta

• 120ml yogurt 

• Serve with warmed ciabatta, sourdough or flatbreads.

Method

• Preheat the oven to 160ºc.

• First chop all the vegetables and herbs then mix together with 1 tbsp oil, juice of 1/2 lemon and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Divide on to 4 plates with a little gap in the middle ready to add the warm chickpeas just before serving.

• If you’re serving with bread, put it in the oven now. Or start toasting if you’re doing it that way.

• Crumble the feta and mix the rest of the lemon juice plus all the zest into the yoghurt along with an extra pinch of sea salt.

• Next heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, add the chickpeas and ground spices. Mix well and warm through for 3-4 minutes then sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.

• Spoon the chickpeas into the middle of the chopped vegetables on each plate, then put 3 tsp yoghurt and approx 20g of feta on top. I also like to put small bowls of feta and yoghurt on the table so people can add a bit more as they go along.

• Serve with warm crusty bread.

Tip

• Get all your ingredients prepped and ready to go so you can put this dish together quick once the chickpeas have warmed through.

Blueberry breakfast smoothie

If anything is going to power you through the morning it’s this smoothie! It’s loaded with vitamin C, B6 & 12, potassium, Omega 3, fiber and protein making it a super healthy start to the day.

I hope you like it as much as I do; this is one of my favourite smoothies that I’ve made recently!

Ingredients

Serves 2 

• 200g blueberries

• 80g banana

• 1 tbsp chia

• 1 tbsp flaxseeds

• 1 heaped tbsp oats

• 350ml nut milk or organic whole

Method

• Blitz!

Beetroot coconut curry with lime & coriander raita

Beetroot is one of my favourite vegetables as I love it’s sweet earthly flavour and the texture really lends itself to cooking low and slow. I usually make roasted beetroot salads with tahini or risottos with feta, but I thought it was time for a change so I decided to experiment with Indian flavours and spices to make my version of a curry.

Don’t let the cooking time of 1 hour put you off, there is very little prep to do and once you’ve finished you just need to leave the curry to bubble away. This recipe should also work well in a slow cooker as beetroot can be cooked for a long time without losing it’s texture.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

• 1 tbsp dried curry leaves

•  3 large cloves garlic, grated

• 1 thumb ginger, grated

• 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 large red onion, chopped finely

• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved

• 600g beetroot, chopped into 2cm cubes

• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk

• Handful of coriander to serve

Naan

• I often make Jamie Oliver’s Easy naan as it’s a really straightforward recipe and works well every time.

Lime & coriander raita

• 2 spring onions, chopped finely

• 8 thick slices of cucumber, chopped into small cubes

• 300ml plain yoghurt

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Handful of coriander, chopped roughly

• Zest and juice of 1 lime

Method

• If you’re making naan, then do this first so it can prove while you cook the curry. Jamie Oliver’s take about 1.5 hrs so factor that in to your timings.

• Heat 1/2 tbsp rapeseed oil in a wide bottomed pan and then add the mustard seeds until they start to pop. Then add the curry leaves and warm through for about 30 seconds until you get a nutty smell.

• Next add the other 1/2 tbsp of rapeseed oil and the onions and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes until they have started to brown a little.

• Then add the garlic and ginger, stir well and cook for 1 minute before adding the spices. Stir and warm through for another minute until you smell their aroma.

• Then stir in the beetroot and cherry tomatoes making sure it they are coated well with the spices. Cook on a low heat (just enough that you can hear a sizzle) for 10 minutes with the lid half on.

• Pour in the coconut milk, heat through so it bubbles and then reduce to simmer on a low heat for an hour with the lid on. Stir from time to time and checking that the curry isn’t bubbling too fiercely. If it is, then take the lid off for a few minutes to cool off.

• While the curry is cooking make the raita by putting the all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing well.

• Start the rice about 20 minutes before the curry is ready (depending on the packet instructions - usually basmati is 10 minutes boiling, 10 minutes steaming off the heat.

• Serve with a sprinkle of coriander.

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.

Creamy 'chicken' cottage pie

This is an absolute fail safe dinner in our house: everyone will eat it without complaint on any night of the week. If that’s not a winner, I don’t know what is. I’m not a massive fan of the days getting cooler, as I’m more of a summer person, but if there’s one thing I do like is a pie so that’s one reason to be happy about autumn. I made a Quorn fillet version last night, but you could easily switch for chicken if you prefer as the method would be exactly the same. You could also change the vegetables if there are others you like better too: mushrooms, squash, spinach, onion, swede, celeriac.

For a vegan option, use dairy free spread instead of butter and plant milk rather than milk. Oatly would work well as it is quite creamy.

Let me know if you make it!

Ingredients

Serves 4 generously, 5 decent portions, or 6 with extra roasties!

Mash

• 1.5kg potatoes, peeled, chopped & boiled

• 75g unsalted butter

• ¼ tsp table salt

• 5 tbsp milk 

Topping

• 10g parmesan, finely grated

• 50g mature cheddar, grated

Filling

• 30g butter 

• Drizzle of rapeseed oil

• 6 Quorn fillets, 1.5cm slices or/ 4 chicken breasts, diced

• 300g / 3 carrots, sliced

• 250g / 2 leeks, chopped in half and sliced

• 3 tbsp flour

• 650ml semi skimmed milk

• 1/2 vegetable stock cube

• 3/4 tsp sea salt 

• 1 tsp mustard, optional

Method

• First make the mash: drain the potatoes well and then add the butter, mash well and then loosen with the milk. Set aside with the lid on.

• Heat a good lug of rapeseed oil in a large pan and add the Quorn or chicken. Allow to sizzle and brown for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Don’t overcook as both Quorn or chicken will become very dry. Remove and set aside in a bowl.

• Then add a drizzle of rapeseed oil and half the butter to the pan, heat through and add the carrots and leeks. Cook on low for about 15 minutes until soft, but not browned.

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Next add the remaining butter to the vegetables, melt and then spoon in the flour. Stir well to coat the vegetables and begin to slowly add the milk about 100ml at a time. Once all the milk has been mixed in add the Quorn or chicken, stock cube and mustard if you’re using it. Cook on low for a further 15 minutes and then add the salt and a good grind of black pepper.

• When the filling is ready, assemble by pouring it into a large ceramic dish (I used 21 x 27cm, but you could probably go to 25 x 30 ish). Next top with mash and sprinkle over the two cheeses evenly.

• Place in the oven for 20 minutes until warmed right through and crispy on top.

• Serve with buttered green veggies.

  Tip

• Red potatoes make the creamiest mash if you can get hold of them, I like to use Desiree, but if you cant find them then white are fine.

• Make the mash a few hours ahead if you want to save time later. You’ll need to warm it through before putting the pie together though, as your filling will already be hot and the two elements won’t cook evenly in the oven if they’re not the same temperature. To do this I just gently warm the mash in the pan, stirring regularly, but you can transfer to a bowl and microwave if you prefer.

Tomato & basil sauce

This is my everyday tomato sauce that I make regularly to go with pasta or use on homemade pizzas. Tt’s is good solid classic that is great vfm costing approx £3.40 for 8-10 portions. I usually make a big pan of it so I can freeze half and use the rest in various ways throughout the week. It’s a great way to get ahead in the kitchen and reduce the time you spend cooking after a busy day at work.

Tomato sauce is simple to make and super versatile as you can add lots of different ingredients to switch it up to make a whole new meal. These are a few of my favourite ways to serve it:

• go classic with grated parmesan or crumbled feta

• stir in some spinach at the last minute and top with feta

• roast aubergine slices with olive oil and sea salt (approx 35 minutes on 180ºc, turn half way) add to the sauce and cook for 5 mins, feta works really well here.

• blacken a red pepper under the grill, peel, chop, add to the sauce and cook for 5 mins, serve with parmesan

• add a pinch of chilli for arrabbiata

• Fry some chopped (veggie or meat - but take out of the casing) sausage or meatballs and load with any kind of cheese (cheddar for kids obviously)

• stir in a dollop of mascarpone cheese

• And for the meat eaters - crispy bacon is always a winner (especially with mascarpone) or my kids also absolutely love chicken parmigiana on top.

  Ingredients

  Serves 8-10

• 3 onions, chopped

• 1 red pepper, chopped

• 4 large garlic cloves, grated

• 4 x 400g tinned tomatoes

• 1 handful fresh basil, stalks chopped, leaves torn and set aside

• 1/2 tbsp balsamic

• 1 tsp sea salt

Method

• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large deep pan and then add the onions. Fry gently for about 10 minutes until softened and then add the red pepper and cook for a further 15 minutes on low.

• Next add the garlic, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes before pouring in the chopped tomatoes and adding the basil stalks. Heat through and then reduce to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.

• Add the balsamic vinegar simmer for a further 5 minutes and then add the basil leaves.

• Use a hand blender to blitz the sauce.

Tip

Ideally you need a hand blender for this particular recipe, but if you don’t have one or would prefer a chunky sauce then chop the onions and basil stalks finely and the pepper whatever size you prefer. Use a fork or potato masher to break up the tomatoes at the end.

Mango, pineapple & coconut smoothie

As I’m always saying, I love a smoothie for breakfast, especially at the weekend before exercise and then I’m ready for a big brunch. But I also like to quickly make one if I’m rushing out in the morning (remember those days?!), or even to give me an energy boost in the afternoon. This recipe has a lovely tropical flavour to help you forget at it’s October and transport you to a sunny beach somewhere. Ok so that’s probably stretching the limit of it’s capabilities, but Covid is shit and this tastes good, so at the very least it might just be a little highlight in your day!

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 90g mango

• 90g pineapple

• 60g banana

• 2 tbsp chia seeds (white look a lot nicer)

• 400ml coconut milk drink - my favourite is by Rude Health

Method

• Put all the ingredients in the blender and blitz well, so the chia seeds have all broken down and have thickened the smoothie.

Tip

• Where possible use frozen fruit so you don’t need to add ice. Most supermarkets sell a good range of bagged frozen fruit which works out way better value than fresh. If you need to chill your smoothies then just add 2-3 ice cubes to the blender with the rest of the ingredients.

• I never throw away bananas that are a little past their best and going brown, I peel and break them in half then freeze in a sealed bag for smoothies. They’re naturally sweeter when they’re browning and taste really good in smoothies.

Cumin & chilli butternut squash wedges

Butternut squash is one of my favourite vegetables to eat, but only roasted! I love the way it sweetens and caramelises when cooked in this way, as opposed to the blandness of when it is just added it to a sauce and cooked in it. When roasted the cooking process itself adds flavour and improves the texture, plus you can really make it interesting by spiking with different spices.

Cumin and chilli is definitely a go-to combination for me, but I also like to use harissa blends or ras el hanout. Honestly, I could just eat a plate of roasted squash for dinner, but if you don’t quite feel the same way as me then it’s great with my vegan protein or lentil and bean chillis and guacamole.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

• 1 butternut squash

• 2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

• 1.5 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp chilli

• A good pinch of sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Chop the squash in half length ways, or thirds if it is particularly large, and peel.

• Next chop each section in half down the middle and then into approx 3cm wedges (at the widest point). The length should be about 8cm as a rough guide.

• Put the squash in a large tray or two making sure the wedges have enough space around them. If not they will steam, not brown.

• Drizzle the squash with the oil then sprinkle over the spices evenly and mix to coat, sprinkle with salt and put in the oven for 15 minutes.

• Open the door just an inch to let out the excess steam from the oven and close again for another 5 minutes. *A note on why I do this below*.

• Now turn the squash so it browns on the other side, put back on the oven for a further 15 minutes. Turn one more and put back in the oven for a final 5 minutes.

Tip

• By opening the oven door an inch, you release the excess steam so the squash will brown and have a lovely sweet caramelised flavour. I use this trick when roasting any vegetable as my oven isn’t great at venting excess steam, but you might not need to do this if yours if more efficient. Just check next time you’re roasting a tray of veggies - if you get a face full of steam then that could be why you’re not getting that tasty caramelisation.

• Try to chop your wedges to a similar size as stated above so they cook according to the recipe. If they’re smaller there is a risk they’ll over cook, but if you keep an eye on them and reduce the times accordingly then they’ll be fine!

Banana & almond protein smoothie

This is one of my favourite breakfast smoothies, it’s quick, easy and the perfect if you need breakfast on the go or before exercise. I often make one on a Saturday or Sunday morning to keep me going until brunch as it’s just the right amount of energy I need to do a workout without feeling too full.

Ingredients

• 250ml nut milk or organic whole

• 1/2 banana (70g)

• 1 tbsp chia seeds 

• 1 tbsp almond (or any nut) butter

Tip

• If you’re using a plant milk, check the label to make sure there are only two ingredients in it: nuts and water! Many contain hidden emulsifiers, preservatives, seed oils and sugar.

Vegan hazelnut brownies

Ingredients

Makes one 23 x 23 cm tray

• 1 medium sized sweet potato, 230g roasted - weigh out once cooked

• 350g medjool dates

• 4 tbsp almond butter

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 7 tbsp maple syrup or honey

• 9 tbsp raw cacao powder

• 100g hazelnuts, toasted and bashed roughly with the end of a rolling pin

• 100g dark chocolate

  Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc and line a cm tin with parchment.

• Put the sweet potato on a tray and roast for approx 30-40 minutes until soft and squishy right through.

• Next put about 1/4 of the dates, coconut oil, maple syrup and almond butter in a food processor and start to blitz, after 30 seconds add the rest of the dates one at a time. Doing this slowly means your processor won’t get clogged up.

• Then add the sweet potato, blend again until really smooth and spoon in the cacao continuing to blitz.

• Once the mixture is smooth, stir in the hazelnuts and scrape into the baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes on the middle shelf.

• Once cooled, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave - I do 1 min on 600W and repeat 2-3 times, stirring in between. Then pour over the brownie base and set in the fridge for 20-30 min.

Tip

• I like to keep these in the fridge so they stay firm

This is my new favourite healthy treat - I’m currently working my way through the entire tray! But, unlike ‘normal’ brownies, they keep really well in the fridge, so I don’t have to eat them all in 2 days. I reckon they’ll last about 2 weeks as they stay just as squishy as when they were first baked.

The other great thing about these brownies is that they’re full of nutrients, they’re not ‘empty’ calories. I’ve used almonds, dates, sweet potato, raw cacao and hazelnuts - so they’re packed with protein and fibre. You could literally eat one pre or post workout to give yourself an energy boost. Personally I like one with a cuppa in the afternoon and then another cheeky slice after dinner!

Mango noodle salad with sesame & ginger

I love this salad; it’s crunchy, spicy, tasty and healthy! Perfect on it’s own or make it as a BBQ side to go with soy and honey marinated chicken, salmon or tofu. Try and keep a portion to have for the next day, it’s a great one to have for lunch.

Ingredients

• 200g brown rice noodles 

• 100g red cabbage, thinly sliced

• 1 carrot, julienned for spiralised

• 1/2 pepper, cut into thin strips

• 1 small or 1/2 large spring onion, chopped finely

• 1 red birds eye chilli, chopped finely

• 1 handful of salted peanuts, chopped

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds & handful of coriander leaves, optional

  Dressing

• 3 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 slice or 5g fresh ginger grated

• 1/2 garlic clove, grated

• 3 tsp honey

• Juice of 1 lime

Method

• First cook your noodles as per the pack instructions - I soaked mine in boiling water for 15 mins (a few minutes longer than the instructions) - then drain and drizzle with sesame oil to stop them sticking.

• Chop your veggies and put to one side in a large bowl.

• Next mix your dressing ingredients well in a jar or shaker.

• Add the noodles to the veggies and pour over about 3/4 of the dressing, mix well.

• Serve in bowls and sprinkle over the peanuts and the other toppings if you’re using them.

• Add more dressing if needed.

Tip

• If you make this to take to work or eat for lunch over a few days, keep each component separated: noodles drizzled with a little sesame oil to stop them sticking; chopped veggies; dressing; peanuts and sesame; and coriander leaves. Mix together just before serving or in the morning if you’re packing lunch for later.

Speedy brunch: avocado, tomato & mushrooms on sourdough

I made this for lunch today with basically what was left in my fridge and thought it would be perfect for a weekend brunch too - add an egg / veggie sausage / bacon or even feta depending on how hungry you are.

Ingredients

• 1-2 slices toasted sourdough

• 6 cherry tomatoes

• 3-4 mushrooms, sliced

• 1/2 small clove garlic, grated

• 1/2 avocado, mashed

• Squeeze of lemon

• Pinch of cayenne

• Small handful of toasted pumpkin seeds

• Salt & pepper

Method

• Mash the avocado with the lemon juice, cayenne and season.

• Fry the tomatoes and mushrooms in a hot pan with a little olive or rapeseed oil until softened and browned, turn down the heat then add the garlic for a couple of minutes, set aside.

• Toast the sourdough half way through cooking the veggies.

• Assemble: toast + avocado + tomato & mushrooms + pumpkin seeds + extra squeeze of lemon

Coconut & lime quinoa

This makes a great alternative to rice in tacos or with my Vegan Protein Chilli. It’s super simple and full of nutrients as quinoa is protein rich (making up 15% of the grain), B vitamins, magnesium and iron. I’ve used tri-coloured quinoa here, but you could use any single colour if you prefer.

Ingredients, serves 4 as a side

• 200g quinoa

• 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk

• 1/2 lime, zest and juice

• 3/4 tsp sea salt

Method

• Start by rinsing the quinoa throughly to get rid of all the husky bits and also the bitter earthly flavour that you get if you just cook it straight from the packet.

• I put the quinoa in a pan and cover with lukewarm water, swizzle with my hand, allow to settle and drain as much water off as I can without pouring the quinoa down the drain. I find this easier than passing through a sieve. Repeat a further 3 times until the water runs clear and there are hardly any bits in the water.

• Keep the wet quinoa in the pan and don’t worry about draining all the water off, there will be some left. Add 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, the coconut milk - use a little water to rinse out the tin and pour in as well.

• Simmer for 25 minutes.

• Add 1/4 tsp sea salt, lime zest & juice

Coconut quinoa with vegan chilli, coconut yoghurt, avocado & homemade tortilla chips

Shown here with vegan bean chilli, avocado, coconut yoghurt & homemade tortilla chips.

Spicy Spanish style chickpeas

I’m a big fan of chickpeas, they’re one pulse that everyone seems to be able to get on board with - or am I in my little veggie bubble here?!

This is a really versatile dish which is great with lots of different combinations, I like to make a big pan so I can freeze a couple of portions and eat the rest over a few days.

I’ve used pimento and chipotle chilli to give a Spanish flavour as I always imagine eating this kind of thing as part of a tapas style meal. Although they’re still delicious eaten quite simply with sourdough and feta or yoghurt as you can see from our lunch here.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 for lunch or 8 as part of a mezze

• 1 large or 2 medium red onions, sliced in thin half moons

• 200g sweet potato, chopped in 1cm cubes

• 1 large clove garlic, grated

• 1.5 tsp pimento

• 1 tsp chipotle chilli flakes

• 2 x 400g tinned tomatoes

• 2 x 400g tinned chickpeas, drained

• 2 tsp maple, honey or brown sugar

• 1.5 tsp red wine or cider vinegar

• 1 tsp sea salt

Method

• Heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan then add the onions and sweet potato. Cook on a low heat for about 20 minutes until all the veggies are softened.

• Next add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes before adding the pimento and chilli, stir and warm through for a further 2 minutes.

• Pour in the tomatoes and chickpeas, then simmer for 25 minutes with the lid on, stirring regularly.

• Add the maple or honey, vinegar and salt, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add a tbsp or two of water if the sauce becomes too dry.

Tip

• This is a really versatile dish and is great with sourdough and feta, or you could add a blob or Greek or coconut yoghurt instead (I like Coconut Collaborative best).

• The chickpeas also work really well in a wrap or pitta with grilled halloumi and salad. I took them to my friend’s last weekend and we had them with a lovely fig, spinach, feta and toasted almond salad which worked so well.

• Another idea would be to make some tortilla chips (just lightly brush a wrap with oil, chop into triangles and bake for a few minutes in the oven at 180ºc) and serve with yoghurt, a pinch of paprika and some homemade slaw (as pictured below).

• You can sub the sweet potato for red pepper if you prefer and cook in the same way.

Honey flapjack

Switching golden syrup for honey in flapjacks has been a game-changer for me as the flavour is so much better. I realise that this is a more expensive way of making them, so you could always cut the cost a little by going 50:50. This recipe makes a big tray though, so they will last a while (in theory!). I froze half to: a/ stop me eating it all, b/stop anybody else eating it all so I could save some for packed lunches. That way you have a little stock of sweet treats hidden away when there’s nothing else in the cupboard.

Ingredients

Makes a large 21x32cm tray, but you could halve the ingredients to fit 20x20cm

• 400g unsalted butter

• 400g demerara sugar

• 400g honey

• 800g porridge oats

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 °c and line the tray with baking parchment.

• Melt the butter, sugar and honey in a large pan, stirring to mix well.

• Add the oats and stir well to combine.

• Scrape the ingredients into the tray and pack down fairly tightly, I use a cake slice to flatten the mix down.

• Bake for 15-20 minutes, you’re looking for a golden colour with slightly browned edges. The flapjack should still feel quite soft when it comes out of the oven if you want it to be chewy not crunchy like me.

  Tip

• If you scrunch the baking parchment into a ball first and then open up it’s much easier to line you tray with it.

• I’ve used demerara sugar to give the flapjacks a little crunch, but you can always switch to normal caster if you don’t have it.

Miso sesame stir fry

I’m always trying to create the perfect stir fry and it’s fair to say I’ve had many a fail! The main problems have been over-cooked veggies and not enough sauce! I think stir fries can be a little tricky to get right as it’s all about the prep and timing. You really have to think about how to get everything cooked at the same time. So the key to a good stir fry is mise en place: all your ingredients out in front of you ready to go. That includes part cooking any veggies that will take too long to fry. This recipe is my version of a stir fry as I’ve cooked the veggies and tofu separately from the sauce and just drizzled it over in the bowls. But if you prefer to add the sauce to the veggies etc at the end and gently warm through, you can do that too.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 280g firm tofu (this is the packet size of Tofoo, you can adjust a bit), chopped in cubes or 1 chicken breast, salted chopped into small slices

• 3 spring onions, 1cm diagonal slices

• 3 small carrots, chopped into thin batons

• 1/2 head of broccoli, florets separated and then cut each one into 3-4 thin slices

• 350g jasmine rice

• 3-4 tbsp sesame seeds

• Groundnut or rapeseed oil

Miso & sesame sauce

• 1 thumb ginger, grated

• 1 large garlic clove, grated

• 2 tbsp white miso

• 4 tbsp tahini

• 2 tbsp honey, start with 1.5 and add the rest if you want it sweeter

• 4 tbsp rice vinegar

• 2 tbsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil

• Approx 4-6 tbsp water

Method

• First, prep! Chop all the veggies and whichever protein you’re using.

• Mix all the sauce ingredients together apart from the water (I had to use a hand blender as my tahini had separated and was quite lumpy). Add the water gradually to get a consistency of runny honey, set aside.

• Rinse the rice well and cook as per the instructions and leave in the pan with the lid on once ready.

• Steam the carrots and broccoli for 4-5 minutes so they are part cooked with a little crunch.

• Dry toast the sesame seeds in a small frying pan and tip into a bowl to cool. Then heat a little groundnut or rapeseed oil in the same pan and pour a good drizzle of groundnut or rapeseed oil into a wok and put on a med-high heat.

• Once the oil is hot in both pans add the tofu or chicken to the little pan and the veggies to the wok. I prefer to separate them as I find the ingredients start to steam rather than brown if the pan is too crowded, but you could cook the tofu or meat in the wok first and then set aside in a warm lidded bowl if you want to use one pan.

• Keep the veggies on a high heat and keep stirring so they brown on different sides. Same goes for the tofu and both should should take about 5 minutes to cook through and colour. If you’re using meat it may take a couple of minutes more - a meat thermometer is the safest way to check.

• Turn off both pans and tip the tofu or meat into the veggies. Briefly warm the sauce in the small pan, but don’t leave it for long, it just needs a couple of minutes.

• Serve adding the rice, then veggies, then protein. Drizzle over the sauce using a tablespoon and sprinkle over the sesame seeds to finish.

Tip

• Choose 3 types of veggie and one protein when doing a stir fry or you’ll end up with too many ingredients and probably an over cooked soggy mess!

• You can choose whichever brand of tofu you prefer, I like Tofoo as it’s firm and tastier than some other brands.

Orzo, roast tomato & broccoli salad with pesto

This is a quick and easy salad that can be eaten warm or cold, so it’s a good one to make all year round. I also like to add a little cheese to this dish by crumbling over some feta or grilling 2-3 slices of halloumi;. It goes really well with roast chicken, pan fried fish or even chickpeas roasted in a pan with a little olive oil, salt and a squeeze of lemon.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 head broccoli, chopped into florets

• 400g cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

• 350g orzo

• 20g toasted almond flakes

• 2 tbsp any kind of pesto - I made some myself, but you can use jarred or fresh ready made from the supermarket.

  Pesto

  Makes enough for this recipe plus 4 servings with pasta

• 90g basil - or wild garlic when it’s in season (March/April)

• 1 small clove garlic (but don’t add if you’re using wild garlic!)

• 2 tbsp lemon juice (approx juice of 1 lemon)

• 6 tbsp olive oil

• 60g pine nuts

• 15g parmesan, chopped roughly

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

  Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°c

• First make the pesto by putting all the ingredients into a food processor and blitzing until they form a loose paste-like texture. If the parmesan isn’t grated add this first and blitz, followed by the pine nuts and repeat, then add the rest of the ingredients. You don’t want it too smooth though as pesto isn’t a purée!

• Next put the veggies on a large tray so they have plenty of space and drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with salt and mix well. Roast for 12 mins, then turn the broccoli and put back in the oven for a further 5-8 minutes so it has started to brown a little on the other side, but still has a bit of a bite.

• While the veggies are roasting, cook the orzo as per the packet instructions - usually boil for 10 mins - then drain thoroughly and stir in the pesto.

• Spoon the orzo and veggies on to a serving plate, season and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

• Serve straightaway if you want the salad warm. Otherwise leave to cool and eat at room temperature.

  Tips

• All salads taste better when eaten at room temperature, rather than chilled, so remember to take it out of the fridge about an hour or so before eating.

• Try adding some sliced avocado if you’re eating it at room temperature.

• A drizzle of posh balsamic or balsamic glaze (same sweet tangy flavour as the posh, but way cheaper!) would also work well.

• Make the pesto a day or so ahead so you cut down on the prep time. Pesto stores really well in the fridge for 7 days or freezes for up to 3 months and this recipe will give you enough to add to another meal at least, so it’s a good one to make ahead and save time in the kitchen later. I love to roast a tray of mixed vegetables and add a few dollops of pesto or it’s great added to risotto as a flavour boost at the end.

Super seed coconut protein balls

In the interests of healthy snacking I decided to make these today. I’ve noted how you can switch the ingredients to work with what you have in the cupboard so hopefully you can make your own version. Mine were a mix mash of lots of things as you’ll see!

Ingredients

Makes 24 falafel sized balls

• 400g dates

• 50g sunflower seeds

• 50g pumpkin seeds

• 100g desiccated coconut

• 4 tbsp cacao (or coco powder)

• 2 tbsp coconut oil

• 2 tbsp peanut butter (or any nut butter, smooth or crunchy)

Method

• Spread the desiccated coconut on a plate or tray.

• Use a mini ice cream scoop to measure out and shape the balls by pressing them into the coconut.

• A tablespoon will also work fine if you don’t have a scoop.