Honey & sunflower overnight oats

I always think that overnight oats are a nice alternative to porridge as they’re a nice alternative to porridge as I don’t always fancy a hot breakfast and they have the added bonus of being ready straight away in the morning. You just need to do a little prep the night before. Today I topped with mixed berry compote and peanut butter, but there are lots of other options you could try: any kind of fruit compote, chopped nuts or seeds, fresh or dried fruit, desiccated coconut, nut butter or yoghurt.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 200g oats

• 680ml nut milk or organic whole

• 25g flax seeds

• 25g chia seeds

• 25g sunflower seeds

• 1 ½ tbsp maple or honey

Fruit compote

• 200g frozen mixed berries

• 200g frozen blueberries

• 3 tbsp demerara sugar

Method

• Mix all the ingredients in a lidded tub and leave in the fridge over night.

• Heat all the frozen fruit in a saucepan for about 5 minutes stirring regularly so the heat is distributed evenly, then add the sugar and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

• Top with compote, dark roast peanut butter, banana and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.

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.

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.

Berry power smoothie

If you’re a regular on my blog, you’ll know that I love a smoothie for breakfast. Today I threw together berries and nuts with creamy oat milk and added protein powder to keep me going until lunch. I always use frozen fruit as it’s so much cheaper and works better in a smoothie as it naturally chills the drink without the need for ice.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 60g strawberries

• 60g blueberries

• 60g raspberries

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tbsp almond butter

• 1/2 tbsp protein powder (I use unflavoured planet organic)

• 350 ml nut milk (I like Plenish drinks) or organic whole

Method

• Blitz!

Chocolate orange & almond fridge cake

As it’s the start of December today, I thought I’d share my first Christmas recipe of the season. It’s a dead easy one and you can either scoff it yourself, serve as little after-dinner treats on the big day or make for friends and family as gifts.

Fridge cakes make great presents as they look really festive chopped up in clear gift bags (there are lots of biodegradable options!) and tied up with ribbon. These would be lovely treat to leave one someone’s doorstep this Christmas - we all need cheering up a bit at the moment!

Using the quantities below, you should be able to make gifts for 4-6 depending on how you divide it up. I used a 20 x 20cm tray, but if you want to make a larger batch (23 x 30cm) then just double the recipe.

Ingredients

• 75g cranberries

• Juice of ½ & zest of 1 orange

• 250g dark chocolate

• 90g unsalted butter

• 75g golden syrup

• 130g digestive biscuits

• 1/4 tsp almond essence

• 80g whole almonds

Method

• Zest the orange, then juice ½ and pour over the cranberries. Leave to soak over night if you can, otherwise for at least 30 minutes.

• Keep the zest in a small lidded tub if you’re soaking overnight.

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Line a 20 x 20cm baking tin with parchment.

• Put the almonds on a baking try and place in the oven for 6 minutes. Once cooled, crush in the tray with the end of a rolling pin.

• Put the chocolate, butter and syrup in a large heat proof bowl and melt over a pan of boiling water stirring regularly. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl as the chocolate will get too hot.

• Once the chocolate mix is melted remove from the heat, add the orange zest, stir and leave for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

• Break up the biscuits in a bowl using the end of the rolling pin again, but make sure you leave some larger pieces for texture.

• Drain the cranberries and add to the chocolate along with the biscuits, almond essence and ¾ of the almonds.

• Mix well and scrape into the tin and press down lightly with a spatula, then sprinkle over the remaining almonds.

• Leave to cool for 15 minutes and then put in the fridge for 2-3 hours to set.

• Chop and then transfer the pieces to an air tight container or gift bags.

• Store in the fridge.

Lentil bolognese

If you’re looking for a vegan alternative to a bolognese sauce this recipe is a good place to start. It’s protein rich and and after testing several times I think I’ve got a good depth of flavour. To do this I’ve used a few extra ingredients, but don’t be put off as they’re all easy to buy and the sauce cooks itself after you’ve fried the onions - I promise!

I always find that you need make a little bit more effort to get the right texture and flavour in vegetarian dishes, so it’s worth having ingredients that bring umami or a deep savoury taste in your cupboard if you want to cook like this more regularly.

Things I keep in stock are: nutritional yeast, veg stock cubes, vegetable bouillon, Marmite, Worcestershire sauce (veggie or normal if you aren’t strict like me!), dried porcini mushrooms, soy, miso, olives, toasted seeds or nuts, capers, plus vinegars or citrus to give dishes a lift before serving. To add zing I use balsamic (which also adds umami), red/white wine or cider vinegar, lemon or lime juice and zest.

This recipe is for a big batch of sauce that you can use in a few different ways. It’s always a win for me if I can get a couple of meals out of one recipe as it saves time in the kitchen and it’s always nice to get ahead of yourself. If you split the sauce in half you can serve it with pasta, courgetti, roasted squash wedges, baked sweet potato, or as a pie topped with cheesy mash, sweet potato or puff pastry. This time I went for tagliatelle and a ‘cottage’ pie with Maris Piper mash, but it would also work really well with sweet potato or squash mash.

And now on to the all important question: how the hell do I get my kids to eat it? Well, my trick is to use a hand blender to blitz either part or all of their portion so they’re not too freaked out by the lentils! Not rocket science and probably not in any parenting manual, but it’s one way to get/trick my (very picky) 15 year old son into eating something that isn’t a/ breaded b/ beige. The other obvious thing to do is serve with a mound of cheese as I find most things become more child-friendly covered in melted cheddar.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 aubergines, 2 cm cubes

• 1.5 tbsp olive oil

• 2 red onions, small dice

• 2 celery sticks, small dice

• 2 large cloves of garlic, grated

• 600g mushrooms

• 175ml red wine

• 250g green lentils

• 2 x 400g tins of tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tomato puree

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 vegetable stock cube or 2 tsp veg bouillon

• 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (vegetarian)

• 500ml water

• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

• 1 1/4 tsp sea salt

• Handful of fresh basil leaves, stalks reserved and chopped

• Parmesan to serve

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc.

• Put the aubergine on a large tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, turning half way and adding a little more oil if needed. Set aside when cooked.

• Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed oil in a large pan and cook the onions and celery on low heat for 20 minutes then add the garlic for a further 1 minute.

• While the onions are cooking, put the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until they resemble a rough crumble. I usually do 3-4 quick pulses.

• Turn the heat up a little and add the mushrooms and red wine to the onion mix. Allow to bubble for 5 minutes, to burn off the alcohol and some of the water from the mushrooms.

• Then pour in the lentils, tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, oregano, stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, water and basil stalks; cook with the lid on for 30 minutes

• Add the roasted aubergine and then cook for 20 minutes with the lid on adding the red wine vinegar for the last 5 minutes.

• Add the salt and basil leaves.

• Serve with parmesan or feta.

Courgette, pea & spinach soup with lemon feta

I always miss the green vegetables of spring and summer at this time of year, so I wanted to find a way of using them without the environmental impact of cooking with unseasonal ingredients. It’s a compromise as I’ve used fresh courgettes, but in November they don’t have to travel much further than Jersey, along with frozen peas and spinach which are much cheaper for you to buy and work really well in soups.

I love the bright salty taste of the lemon feta as it really lifts the flavour of the soup, so it is really worth adding that element if you can. A good vegan alternative to feta here would be a plant based plain yoghurt; just add the lemon zest and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, grated

• 2-3 courgettes (approx 800g whole), sliced

• 400g frozen peas

• 300g frozen spinach

• 1 handful basil, stalks chopped, leaves reserved

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• 500ml water

• 1 3/4 sea salt

• 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus zest

• 200g feta, crumbled

Method

• Preheat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan and fry the onions on a low heat for 15 minutes.

• Next mix in the garlic and cook for about a minute, before adding the courgettes.

• Cook for 20 minutes with the lid on until the courgettes have softened, then add the peas, spinach, basil stalks and stock. Simmer for 10 minutes.

• Add the basil leaves and then blitz with a hand blender until smooth.

• Now add the salt, lemon juice and a good grind of black pepper.

• Mix the feta and lemon zest in a bowl.

• Serve with a sprinkle of feta and a wedge of buttered sourdough toast.

Aubergine & chickpea tagine with spiced cous cous

Aubergines are one of my favourite vegetables. I know this is a bit controversial as people seem to love or hate them, but my theory is that a lot of the haters have tried aubergine that is under-cooked when it’s hard, spongy and tasteless. Aubergines need to be cooked for quite a long time to soften and release their sweet slightly smoky flavour. They’re best when you roast or fry them to caramelise the outside, or roasted whole so the inside becomes soft enough to turn into a smokey dip. This tagine has an equal amount of red pepper and red onion in it, so although aubergine is in the title, the flavour is comprised of a mix of all 3 vegetables. So this recipe is ideal for someone who isn’t completely convinced about the wonders of the mighty aubergine (to reference Mr Ottolenghi), although I can’t begin to imagine why! Did I mention that I bloody love them?!

 Ingredients

Serves 6-8

• 3 aubergine, chopped into 2cm cubes

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 3 red onions, sliced

• 3 sweet peppers, sliced

• 3 large cloves garlic, grated (I use a Microplane)

• 1 dried ancho chilli, chopped (makes about 1 tbsp)

• 2 tsp ras el hanout spice mix

• 2 x 400g tinned cherry tomatoes

• 1.5 tsp vegetable bouillon

• 60g sultanas or raisins

• Handful of coriander, stalks chopped, leaves reserved

• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained. If you use dried, soak and cook 130g

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp honey or maple

• 1.5 tsp sea salt (if you’re using fine grain table salt reduce by half and go from there)

Cous cous

• 1/2 onion, chopped finely

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 100g cherry tomatoes, small dice

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 180g cous cous

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 tsp vegetable bouillon

• 800ml boiling water

• 200g crumbled feta, optional topping

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°c

• Spread the chopped aubergine on a couple of large baking trays and drizzle with the olive oil, plus 1/2 tsp sea salt, mixing well.

• Roast for 25 minutes, turn then put back in the oven for 8 minutes until at least one side is browned and the pieces are soft all the way through.

• Meanwhile add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large pan or casserole, heat and cook the onion and pepper together for 15 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

• Mix in the ancho chilli and ras el hanout spice blend and stir, allow to warm through for a minute.

• Put the aubergine pieces into the pan with the tinned tomatoes, vegetable bouillon, sultanas, coriander stalks and a full tin of water. Leave to simmer with the lid half on for 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Then add the chickpeas, red wine vinegar and honey simmer for 15 minutes without the lid..

• While the tagine is cooking start to make the cous cous. First heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the chopped onion on a low heat for 15 minutes before adding the tomatoes and garlic, cook for 10 minutes.

• Add 1/2 tsp ground cumin and warm for about a minute.

• Turn off the heat and add the cous cous, vegetable bouillon and boiling water to the onions and tomatoes when the tagine has about 10 minutes left to cook. Put the lid on and leave the cous cous to absorb the water for 6-8 minutes. Fluff with a fork when ready.

• Serve the tagine and cous cous with crumbled feta and coriander leaves.

Tip

• I like to roast the aubergine pieces as I find it easier than frying them all in batches, plus it means I use a lot less oil. But you can pan fry if you prefer.

• Dried ancho chilli - I bought mine from Waitrose.

• Ras el hanout - I get my blend from local supplier Spice and Green, but they do mail order so it is probably worth asking if they can send to you. If not you’ll find a version stocked in most supermarkets. Ottolenghi do their own that you can order too - here or make your own using this Epicurious recipe.

• I have used tinned cherry tomatoes for their sweetness and extra flavour, but tinned plum would work fine as a sub.

• If you’re using dried chickpeas cook as per the instructions and then add to the sauce with the tinned tomatoes as they will be firmer and need a little more time to soften.

Butternut squash, lentil & Stilton salad

This is a really nice dish to make when the weather’s cold, but you still fancy a salad. It can be eaten warm or cold (room temp is best), as part of a spread or just on its own. 

Remember this one after Christmas when you can’t stand anymore turkey and you’re wondering how to use up all that Stilton in your fridge. It’s easy to make and won’t take you too long to prep.  It’s also very nutritious, so that’s a win, win, win.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 20 ml lemon juice (approx 1 lemon)

• 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

• 1 butternut squash (approx 1kg), chopped into 3cm wedges

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 150g dried green lentils

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• Handful of parsley, chopped

• 60g stilton, crumbled

Dressing

• 60ml olive oil

• 20ml lemon juice

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• 1 tsp honey

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc.

• Place the sliced onions into the lemon juice so they can pickle while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

• Chop the squash, spread out on two large trays, and drizzle over the olive oil. Mix to coat well, sprinkle with sea salt and put in the oven for 25 minutes. Turn and put back in for a further 25 minutes.

• While the squash is roasting, simmer the green lentils for approx 30 minutes (check the packet for instructions) with 1 vegetable stock cube and a generous pinch of salt. Drain well and put back in the pan.

• Mix all the dressing ingredients and pour 2/3 on to the warm lentils and sprinkle in another 1/4 tsp sea salt.

• Layer the salad on a large platter: squash, lentils, stilton, parsley, repeat finishing with the cheese and herbs then top with pickled onions.

Tip

• Use the small green lentils which look like Puy as they stay firmer. Larger green lentils like these are better for making dal. I buy mine in 2kg bags from Real Food Source. They’re really good value and great quality. Or Tesco do a smaller bag if you don’t want to commit to a big one!

Pecan & almond muesli

I always find that museli off the shelf has either too much of one ingredient or not enough of another, so I like to make my own. It’s so easy and way cheaper than buying shop bought; the only effort you have to make is toasting a tray of nuts and seeds then you’re done. This batch will last me absolutely ages for a fraction of the price.

Ingredients

Makes approx 1kg

• 500g oats

• 70g desiccated coconut

• 150g raisins, or any dried fruit you prefer - need to add 120g

• 70g pumpkin seeds, toasted

• 70g sunflower seeds, toasted

• 100g pecans (almonds, hazelnuts or cashews if you prefer), toasted

• 100g flaked almonds, toasted

• 50g flax seeds

• 150g buckwheat flakes, optional

• 50g quinoa flakes, optional

Method

• Preheat the oven to 160ºc.

• Tip the nuts and seeds on to a large tray, spread them out and them place in the oven for about 7 minutes. Keep checking every 2-3 minutes if you put them back in as they can turn very quickly. Put a timer on! My trick is not to put the timer on, get distracted and burn 5 quids worth of nuts!

• Leave the nuts and seeds to cool before adding to a large bowl or tub with the rest of the ingredients.

• Serve with fruit compote, nut butter and slices of banana. It also works well to mix with coconut or Greek yoghurt instead of milk.

Tip

• I added the buckwheat and quinoa flakes to vary the texture a bit, but if you don’t have them it’s not a major problem. The muesli will still be great with just oats.

• But if you want some variation, other alternatives for the base are: wheat, barley or spelt flakes, bran or jumbo oats

Blueberry pancakes with maple yoghurt

We’re big pancake fans in our house and these fluffy blueberry fellas have become a new favourite weekend brunch. It’s totally worth the effort of whisking the egg whites as it makes the pancakes really light and they’re a nice change from the classic thin crêpe style (which we usually make).

I’ve used 50:50 plain flour and wholemeal spelt as a/ I just can’t bloody resist a healthy angle and b/ it adds a subtle nutty flavour plus extra protein and fibre. But if you don’t have spelt you could use ordinary wholemeal, or even just plain. I won’t judge you.

Ingredients

Makes 10 x 12cm pancakes

• 300g frozen blueberries

• 6 tbsp plain yoghurt

• 75g wholemeal spelt flour

• 75g plain flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 large free-range egg

• 250ml milk (plant or dairy)

• 150g fresh blueberries

• Maple syrup (or honey), optional

Method

• Preheat the oven to 60ºc if you want to make the pancakes in batches, and then serve them together. Line a tray with greaseproof paper and put each batch on without overlapping as much as possible.

• First, put the frozen blueberries in a pan and heat for 3-4 minutes with the lid on and then another 5 without. They should have softened, so you can mash them with a fork and add a little maple syrup if you want to sweeten them. Set aside in a bowl to cool off.

• Put the flour, baking powder, and milk in a large bowl.

• Separate the egg white into another smaller bowl and add the yolk to the flour mix.

• Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks; when you lift out the whisk, the peak flops to the side.

• Whisk the flour mix until smooth, then fold in the whites with a large metal spoon.

• Heat 1 tsp of light olive oil in a large frying or pancake pan and then add just less than a ladle full of the mix, forming a 10-12cm circle - it doesn’t have to be that precise; I’m just giving you a guide!

• You can add the blueberries to the mix before cooking, or I like to quickly put about 7 or 8 into the pancake when it first goes into the pan, pushing them down firmly so I get inky blue dots after cooking.

• Cook for about 1 minute per side on medium heat. You’ll know when it’s ready to turn when lots of bubbles form on the top surface. I always check the underside to make sure it’s golden brown as well.

• Flip with a large spatula and cook the other side for a minute or two.

• Serve with a blob of compote, yoghurt, fresh blueberries, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

  Tip

• You might have a little compote left over, which is no bad thing as it’s lovely on porridge, muesli or overnight oats.

Winter salad with Stilton & pecans

I know I’m a little early with a Winter salad as we’re not quite there yet, but I wanted to share this recipe that I made for my December supper club guests last year. I just remade it for lunch today to double check the recipe and I ploughed through both plates I was enjoying it that much!

Although the recipe has Stilton in, you could easily make a plant-based version of this salad as the dressing is vegan; to make it creamy I’ve used silken tofu rather than egg yolk or a cow’s milk product. I actually find it a little less sickly than a regular ‘mayo’ style dressing as it’s lower in fat. Obviously you’d need to sub the Stilton and I would either add extra pecans, toasted cashews or use a vegan cheese.

• *A note about the dressing: the recipe makes double the amount you need for this salad. The reason I have done this is that silken tofu is usually sold in boxes weighing 300-350g, so I created a recipe to use it all up rather than leaving half a packet to go off in the fridge! I really like silken tofu in ramen or miso soup, but I don’t make them that regularly, so rather than risk wasting the other half, I prefer to make a big tub of dressing that can be used with other things. It lasts a good 10 days (if not longer). Just think of it as of vegan mayo and use it in place of ‘normal’.

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a starter or side

• 1/2 sweetheart cabbage

• 50g sprouts

• 50g curly kale

• 15g parsley, roughly chopped

• A good pinch of sea salt

• 70g stilton or gorgonzola, crumbled or chopped in 1cm cubes

• 45g pecans

• I small apple, chopped in 1cm cubes

Dressing

• I packet of silken tofu (300-350g)

• 140ml olive oil

• 1 small garlic clove 

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• 2.5 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar

• 3 tbsp lemon juice (approx 1.5 lemons)

• 1/2 tsp table salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 120ºc.

• Spread the pecans on a baking tray and toast for about 6-8 minutes - keep an eye on them, I’ve lost count of the amount of nuts I’ve burnt. (That sounds a bit wrong now I’ve written it down.)

• Finely shred the cabbage and sprouts using a sharp knife, mandolin or a food processor (slicing attachment).

• Cut the tough stems from the kale and chop the leaves finely; mix all the vegetables and parsley in a large bowl with a good pinch of sea salt.

• Make the dressing by blending all the ingredients in a food processor until creamy. Depending on the weight of your silken tofu you might need to add a little extra oil/vinegar to loosen the mix. The texture should be thick, but just pourable, like a slightly runny mayo.

• Break the cooled pecans into small pieces and add to the vegetables reserving about 1/3 for topping the salad.

• Same for the cheese, add to the bowl and keep a 1/3 to one side.

• Lastly chop the apple into 1cm cubes, add to the bowl and mix well, before pouring in 160ml of the dressing.

• Stir well to coat and then serve, topping each plate with extra stilton and nuts.

This is how thin I like the veggies to be shredded

Tip

• If you want to prep this ahead, then get all the components ready and keep them in separate air tight boxes; mix just before serving. The apple will need a squeeze of lemon to prevent it from oxidising and going brown, or you can chop at the last minute.

• Keeping the various ingredients separate until serving is a trick I use for lots of salads. This means I can get organised earlier in the day and I don’t have much to do when friends arrive for dinner. It also works well to keep a salad fresh if you’ve prepped a batch for lunches during the week.

Homemade tortilla chips

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 with dips

• 3 tortilla wraps (I use Mission Deli 50:50 wholemeal/white)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Generous pinch of table salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Pour the olive or sunflower oil into a small bowl.

• Place the tortilla wraps on a baking tray, brush well with the oil on both sides, then use scissors to chop in half and then into rough triangles.

• Spread evenly on two large trays, sprinkle with sea salt and place in the oven for 5-6 minutes. Check and remove any that have browned on both sides (usually the ones on the outside of the tray), turn the rest and place back in the oven for 2 minutes

• Serve with any kind of dip you like! Try my roasted tomato & red pepper, pea & broadbean or romesco.

  Tip

• Use any kind of tortilla you prefer - seeded works really well.

Apple pecan porridge

I love the combination of these autumnal flavours; apple, pecan and maple go so well together! I made a vegan version with plant milk, but you can use whatever kind you prefer.

Ingredients

Serves 1

• 1/2 apple, diced

• 1 tsp maple

• 1/3 cup / 35g porridge

• 3 cups / 235ml nut milk or organic whole

• 12g pecans, broken up

  To serve:

• 1/2 tbsp maple

• apple slices to decorate

Method

• Put the apple in a pan with 1 tsp maple syrup and cook on low for 3 minutes with the lid on.

• Next add the oats and milk, bring to the boil and then simmer for 3-5 minutes. The length of time you cook the oats for will vary on the type - check the packet instructions for precise times. Bigger oats will take a lot longer and you won’t need to precook the apple.

• Serve with pecans, a drizzle of maple and apple slices to look pretty.

Vegan banana hot choc

I got my 10 year old daughter’s seal of approval on this one, so I must be doing something right as her favourite thing is ‘real’ hot choc. This is an alternative made with ingredients that all have nutritional value, so it’s healthy as well as being a treat. It’s perfect for this time of year and a nice substitute for a mid morning or afternoon snack if you need to warm up.

Ingredients

Serves 1

• 180ml Oatly semi chilled

• 40g banana (approx 4 x 1cm thick slices)

• 2.5 tsp raw cacao, or coco powder if you don’t have it

• 1 tsp maple syrup or honey

• 1/2 tsp white chia seeds, optional

Method

• Pour 40ml of Oatly to the smoothie maker with the banana. Briefly blitz to a smooth liquid.

• Then add the rest of the Oatly and warm for about 1 minute in the microwave, or do this in a pan if you prefer (I like to save on washing up!). Be careful not to let it boil though as it’ll be too hot for the smoothie maker and cause it to leak.

• Then add the rest of the ingredients and blitz really well for about 1 minute so it’s totally smooth and has a frothy top.

• Chia seeds are optional - they’ll add protein, keep you fuller for longer and make the drink a little thicker, so you decide!

Spicy black bean soup

There’s something about beans that I really love; they make great comfort food as they’re so hearty and filling. I know they might not be a meat sub for everyone, but that’s how they work for me, along with lentils. I’m not usually a fan of dark muddy food (funnily enough), but I make an exception for black beans; I actually love their rich colour and the way they are able to take on strong flavours without losing their own.

So here is a recipe that celebrates the humble black bean, but with a few twists to give them an extra lift: limey guacamole for zing, coconut yoghurt for creaminess and homemade tortillas for crunch. That’s every box ticked for me!

Let me me know what you think if you try it!

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1/2 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 2 large onions, chopped finely

• 2 large cloves of garlic, grated

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1.5 tsp dried chilli flakes

• 4 x 400g tins of black beans

• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon

• 300 ml water

• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

• Juice of 1 lime

• 180 ml coconut yoghurt/plain yoghurt/sour cream

Guacamole

• 2 large avocado, mashed

• 2-3 spring onions, thinly sliced

• 4 baby plum tomatoes, small dice

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 red chilli, chopped finely (reserve 1/2 for serving the soup)

• Small handful of coriander, chopped roughly

Tortilla chips

• 2 tortilla wraps (I use Mission Deli 50:50 wholemeal/white)

• 1/2 tbsp light olive or sunflower oil

• Generous pinch of table salt

Method

• Heat the rapeseed oil in a large pan and then fry the onions for 20 minutes on a low heat until softened and beginning to brown.

• Next add the cumin and chilli warming through for a minute or so before pouring in the beans (including their water) plus the oregano, a crumbled stock cube and 300ml water - swilling the empty bean cans to get the last bits out.

• Simmer for 30 minutes without the lid on, skimming off any foam that forms in the first 5/10 minutes.

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Prep the guacamole by mashing the avocado and mixing in all the other ingredients.

• Pour 1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil to a small bowl with a generous pinch of table salt. Place both tortilla wraps on a baking tray (or pizza trays), brush lightly with the oil on both sides, then chop in half. Pile each one on top of the another and cut into triangles. You don’t have to be too precious about this, just make sure they’re all a similar size.

• Spread evenly on the tray (not overlapping) and place in the oven for 5 minutes, then check and turn, moving any browner chips on the outside to the middle. Put back in the oven for 2-3 minutes and then set aside.

• The soup should be almost ready by now so add the sea salt and lime. Use a hand blender to blitz the soup to break down about half the beans, but don’t purée, you want to retain a chunky texture.

Tip

• I’ve used a 50:50 wrap this time, but seeded or wholemeal work really well too. Try making them to go with dips as well, they’re so tasty and much less fatty than shop bought tortilla chips.

  Other toppings

• Grated cheddar cheese

• Brown rice

• Tomato salsa

Mushroom bourguignon

Nothing says autumn like a warming one pot dish and this is a great one to make while mushrooms are in season at this time of year. In normal non-Covid times (remember those?) I host regular vegetarian and vegan supper clubs in Leeds, but as I’ve had to press pause on those, I thought it would be nice to share a few of the recipes from the nights, so you can make them at home while we’re all locked down. If you fancy checking out some of the other menus and photos they’re all in the ‘Events’ section.

This was my main course at last October’s pop up and I served it with served with pomme purée and roasted squash. It would also be lovely with roasted or mashed sweet potato and any green veggie you can think of - we had roasted broccoli with ours last night, but steamed green beans would work well too.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 red onion, chopped finely

• 1 stick celery, chopped finely

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 1/2 leek, chopped finely

• 750g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

• 1 large garlic clove, grated

• 2 tbsp tomato puree

• 150ml red wine

• 1 vegetable stock cube (Kallo low salt)

• 150g dried puy or green lentils

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

• 2 tsp nutritional yeast

• 400ml water

• 1 1/4 tsp sea salt

Method

• Preheat 1 tbsp rapeseed oil in a large pan. Cook the onions, celery and carrots for 20 minutes on low, stirring regularly, before adding the mushrooms. Turn the heat up a little and cook for a further 10 minutes.

• Stir in the garlic and warm through for a minute or so before adding the red wine, simmer for 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol.

• Then add the tomato puree, stock cube, lentils, bay leaf, thyme and water.

• Cook with lid on for 30 minutes then stir in the nutritional yeast and sea salt.

• Serve with a good grind of black pepper.

Tip

• If you’re using green lentils rather then Puy, make sure that they are small ones that stay relatively firm as the larger tend to break up and are better for dal.

• If you don’t have nutritional yeast, it’s not the end of the world, I think it adds a nice subtle savoury note, but you could substitute with a little marmite instead. Go easy though as it has a stronger flavour.

Almond & oat protein smoothie

This is a protein packed smoothie that I’m loving at the moment. I use unflavoured pea or organic whey protein.

If you have a flavoured powder it will obviously change the balance of the smoothie, but even if it doesn’t taste like mine, you’ll still get the same nutritional benefit.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 250g banana (frozen ideally)

• 2 tbsp almond butter (or any nut butter you prefer)

• 2 tsp pea protein powder

• 2 tbsp oats

• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup (or honey)

• 400ml nut milk or organic whole

Method

• Blitz really well as the oats take a bit longer to break down

Roasted red pepper & tomato salsa

This is a really versatile salsa that works with lots of different dishes, I made it to go with butternut squash and leek fritters last week, but it would also be great with mini roasties, homemade tortilla chips, avocado on sourdough toast or roasted aubergine slices. It would also work really well with griddled fish or chicken if you want a non-veggie option.

Photo was taken last week on the one occasion that I’ve seen the sun recently! Where’s all the bright autumn sunshine gone? Bit fed up with the bloody lockdown fog in Leeds! Anyway this salsa is an antidote to the weather, bringing some colour and a good hit of flavour into your kitchen.

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers

• 1/2 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 350g baby plum tomatoes, halved

• 1 large garlic clove

• 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 2 tsp red wine vinegar

• Small handful of chopped parsley or coriander

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc

• Put the tomatoes and garlic on a tray and coat with approx 2 tsp olive or rapeseed oil. Roast for 20 minutes, checking half way. 

• Put the peppers on a tray lined with tin foil and place under a hot grill. Allow each side to blacken, but not char. Turn about every 4-5 minutes until the skin of every side is black. This should take about 10-12 minutes in total. Once they’re done, wrap the tin foil around the peppers and allow to cool.

• Peel the skin off the peppers and remove all the seeds. Chop roughly into 1 cm dice and drain the juice from the peppers into a bowl.

• Add 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, squeeze out the roasted garlic from it’s skin and mash into the oil, then pour in the red wine vinegar and salt, mixing well.

• Add the tomatoes, red peppers and whichever herbs you’re using.

Butternut squash & leek fritters with lemon yoghurt

This recipe came about after having a tub of roasted butternut squash that had been sitting in the fridge for a couple of days. I was originally going to make leek fritters using a recipe by Smitten Kitchen, but having seen the squash I decided to adapt it a bit and it worked really well. The firm texture of the squash made the fritters bind together well whilst adding a sweet nutty taste; I also added some harissa for heat and flavour.

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, approx 800g unpeeled - you need 500g once roasted

• 2 large leeks, approx 600g whole, not chopped

• 1.5 tsp ground harissa spice blend

• 4 tbsp flour

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1 large egg

Lemon yoghurt

• 200ml Greek yoghurt

• Juice and zest of 1 lemon

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc and follow the instructions for cooking the butternut squash here (using harissa instead of cumin). Set aside to cool and then chop into 1cm cubes.

• Reduce the oven temperature to 80ºc so you can keep your batches of fritters warm later.

• While the squash is roasting, quarter the leeks length ways leaving about an inch or so that is still attached at the whiter root end. Rinse the sliced darker green end to remove any dirt.

• Next cut the leek in 1/2cm slices and steam for 6-8 minutes they should still have a little bite.

• Put the leeks into a muslin cloth or clean tea towel and squeeze out as much water as you can. You may need to let them cool a little before you do this, or wear rubber gloves!

• Put all the ingredients, except the egg, into a large bowl and stir well. Add the salt and double check the seasoning by tasting a pinch of the mix and if it’s ok then add the egg and mix well to combine.

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

• Put a sheet of parchment on a baking tray and line up the raw fritters as you make them. Now you can either freeze or put some in the fridge in an air tight container if you don’t want to cook them all. See note on freezing below.

• Once they are all ready. Heat 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil in large frying pan. You’ll need to cook the fritters in batches so the pan doesn’t get over crowded; I do 4/5 each time (or they’re hard to turn) and I usually need to add about 1/2 tbsp of oil for each new batch so they don’t stick.

• Cook for approx 5 minutes each side on a medium heat until golden brown.

• Place each batch on a large tray and put them in the oven to keep warm while you cook the rest.

• Mix the ingredients for the lemon yoghurt while the fritters are cooking.

TIP

• Serve with a green salad, homemade slaw, griddled halloumi or a poached egg.

• To freeze: find a tray or plate that will fit in your freezer and line it with baking parchment. Space out the fritters and put in the freezer for about an hour, allowing them to harden and then transfer to a bag. This way they won’t stick together in a big lump and you can defrost however many you need.