Spinach & mushroom lasagne
I love lasagne, but I often end up making either a classic style using vegetarian mince or a tomato based cheesy veggie one. So I thought I’d experiment and make it different this time using spinach and mushroom in a creamy sauce. I used a ‘cheats’ white sauce made from crème fraîche and parmesan, so its super quick and easy to whip up. Like all lasagnes this one is best eaten on the day, but if you have leftovers they’ll still make a pretty good lunch!
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
450g spinach
1 large red onion, thin half moons
300g mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, grated
400ml crème fraîche
½ tbsp Dijon mustard
½ vegetable stock cube
200ml water
1 tsp sea salt
A good grind of black pepper
250g fresh lasagne sheets
100g parmesan, finely grated
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºc.
Heat a knob of butter and ½ tbsp of olive oil in a large pan and gently wilt the spinach. If you’re using frozen then either defrost n the fridge overnight or steam for around 8 minutes.
Put the spinach in a bowl and set to one side. Add ½ tbsp of oil to the pan and fry the onions for 10 minutes on low until softened.
Next add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and fry for 30 seconds more.
Add 300ml crème fraîche, mustard, ½ stock cube and 200ml of water, warming through gently.
Then add the salt and pepper, stirring well.
Mix the remaining 100ml crème fraîche with 20ml water and 20g of parmesan
Assemble the lasagne (I used a 20x26cm oven proof dish) by starting with a layer of the spinach mix, a sprinkle of parmesan (approx 1-2 tsp) and then cover with pasta sheets, repeat until the top layer.
Cover the top layer of pasta with the crème fraîche and parmesan mix, finish by sprinkling over the rest of the parmesan, you may need a little more to do this depending on how much you use in the layering.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. If the top needs to brown a bit more then place under a hot grill - I use pieces of tin foil to cover over any already browned parts, so only the pale bits are browned.
Fudgey chocolate brownies
In my opinion there is only one kind of brownie: fudgey with chewy sides and a crispy top. So that was my criteria when I set about testing different recipes recently. I did the last few tweaks to this one yesterday and you’ll be happy to know that I think it ticks all the above boxes! It’s also a very simple recipe that will only take you about 10 minutes to whip up, so if you fancy doing a bit of baking with the kids then give this recipe a go. My daughter absolutely loved making these and I think next time could probably do most of it by herself.
Through trial, error and research I’ve discovered that melting the butter leads to a more fudgey brownie, rather than following the traditional cake making method of creaming with the sugar. I’ve also reduced the coco powder and upped the melted chocolate, so they’re not too dark and dense.
Next up….. salted caramel and orange (separately!) as my kids LOVE both of these flavours.
Ingredients
Makes a 25 x 35cm tray / 24 portions
250g unsalted butter
250g dark chocolate, semi sweet
350g caster sugar
4 large eggs, lightly whisked
40g coco powder, sifted
100g flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt or ¼ tsp table salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°c. Line a 25 x 35cm tray with baking parchment.
Weigh the butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl and place over a pan of boiling water (about 3cm deep). Make sure the bowl isn't touching the water, or you might scorch the chocolate. Remove from the heat when the butter and chocolate are almost melted, stir to combine.
Pour the sugar into the melted chocolate, stir and then mix in the eggs.
Crumble the sea salt between your fingers and mix into the flour with the coco and baking powder.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and pour the mix into the baking tray and gently smooth the top with a spatula.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes on the top shelf.
A test skewer should come out with a bit of mixture on still, unlike a cake. It’s indicating gooey fudge!
Tip
Scrunch up your baking parchment before lining so it’s easier to push into the tray.
Let the brownies cool completely before removing from the tray by lifting up in the parchment. Divide into portions with a sharp knife.
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.
Roast cauliflower, tomato & spelt salad
I bought a packet of spelt the other day with a vague idea of making a salad as I really enjoyed the last one I made with butternut squash and rose harissa. This time I roasted some cauliflower, tomatoes and red onions and then tossed in the cooked spelt whilst warm with a drizzle of oil and a squeeze of lemon - super quick and easy. I hadn’t intended on eating this salad straight from the oven, but did so by accident as I was really hungry! I’d definitely recommend doing the same as it was lovely; perfect if you’re eating outside with family or friends over the next few weeks while it’s a bit chilly.
See below for tips on how you can adjust the ingredients to your taste, or what you have in the cupboard.
*The salad is vegan if you use a plant based yoghurt. Coconut would would be lovely.
Ingredients
Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side
250g spelt
1 red onion, halved and sliced
300g cherry tomatoes
1 cauliflower, small florets
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp sea salt
A handful of coriander leaves
Dressing
200ml plain yoghurt
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of sea salt
method
Preheat the oven to 200ºc
Rinse the spelt and cook in boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Put the cauliflower on a large tray, drizzle with olive oil and scatter over the cumin seeds. Mix well.
Put onions and tomatoes on another large tray and mix with a lug of oil and the paprika.
Roast all the vegetables for 15 minutes, check and turn then put back for 5 minutes.
Remove both trays from the oven and immediately mix the spelt and cauliflower into the tomatoes and onions, stirring well so the juices coat all the grains.
Mix in 1-2 tbsp olive oil, juice of ½ lemon and salt.
Toss all the dressing ingredients together, serve warm topped with coriander leaves and the yoghurt dressing.
tip
Use plant based yoghurt to make the salad vegan.
Parsley would also work well if you don’t like coriander
Serve warm or room temp is fine too.
Feta or grilled halloumi would be another great topping.
If you don’t have spelt use pearled barley, cous cous, quinoa or bulgur instead.
aubergine parmigiana
Inspired by my friend Anna, who makes an amazing aubergine parm, I thought I’d have a go at making my own version. I’ve stayed traditional in that I haven’t messed about it a classic (if it ain’t broke..?!) : there are layers of creamy aubergine, my go-to tomato sauce and LOTS of cheese.
This would be another great dish to make for friends if you’re eating outside over Easter. Aubergine parmigiana makes a lovely side with a BBQ (chicken or white fish would work really well), or you could stay veggie and serve with baked rice or a salad and some greens.
A note on the tomato sauce - my recipe is for a large batch, so you’ll have plenty to keep in the fridge (for up to a week) - I have lots of serving suggestions on the recipe page, so you can turn it into different meals. Or freeze the rest of the sauce in small tubs for quick dinners or to use on homemade pizzas.
If you don’t want to make extra, I would probably halve the recipe especially if you’re adding the celery an carrots as suggested below in the Tips.
Ingredients
Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side
700ml tomato sauce (recipe here)
3 aubergines, 1cm slices
50g breadcrumbs
50g parmesan cheese, grated
150g mozzarella, halved and sliced (double if you like it really cheesy!)
Method
Make the tomato sauce.
While the sauce is cooking, preheat the oven to 180ºc. Brush a couple of large baking trays with olive oil and spread out the aubergine slices. Brush the top side of the slices lightly with oil .and place in the oven for about 20 minutes until softened and browned on one side.
Mix 20g parmesan with the breadcrumbs.
Assemble by layering the tomato sauce, a generous sprinkle of parmesan, a few pieces of mozzarella and then the aubergine in an oven proof dish (I used 21x27cm)
Repeat 2-3 times, finishing with a layer of tomato sauce topped with the breadcrumbs and a few pieces of mozzarella if you have any left.
Place in the oven for 25 minutes.
Serve with baked rice, orzo salad (no feta), mini roasties, grilled fish or roasted chicken and a green salad.
tip
You can add finely chopped celery (3 -4 sticks) and carrots (4 chopped in small cubes) to the tomato sauce to add extra flavour if you want to, just put them in with the onions right at the beginning of the recipe.
Use 2 balls of mozzarella to dial up the cheesiness!
If I can, I make the tomato sauce a day or two ahead, so I can quickly assemble the dish in 20 minutes.
Easter breakfast: chocolate strawberry & raspberry coconut cream on toast
Looking for something a little bit special to have on your toast this Easter weekend? Well, I’ve got a couple of ideas that you might want to try. Baker Street bakery asked me to create a family friendly recipe for you to enjoy over the holidays, so I’ve used their sliced brown and seeded topped with a classic combo: chocolate & strawberry, and one you might not have tried before: coconut cream & raspberry coulis!
All the ingredients for these toast toppers are super quick to make and you can prep them a few days in advance if you want to. The coconut cream and raspberry couli are also really good on cereal or pancakes too if you have any left over!
Ingredients
Serves 4
8 slices of Baker Street toast (I used brown & seeded)
Chocolate hazelnut spread (recipe here)
4-6 strawberries, sliced
250ml coconut cream (recipe below)
50g raspberry coulis (recipe below)
8-10 fresh raspberries
Toasted coconut pieces, optional
Method
Prepare the chocolate sauce, coconut cream and raspberry coulis a day ahead if you can as they will all need to go in the fridge to cool down before serving.
Make the toast, cut into quarter triangles and start loading with the toppings: a large swipe of chocolate spread and a couple of strawberry slices or a spoon of coconut cream, a drizzle of raspberry coulis and a sprinkle of coconut pieces if you have them. Toasted desiccated coconut would also work well too.
Coconut Cream
Ingredients
250ml coconut cream
1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
¼ tsp vanilla essence
Method
Pour the coconut cream into a mixing bowl and whisk on high for 15 minutes until thickened.
Add the icing sugar and whisk thoroughly. Stir in the vanilla.
Raspberry Coulis
Ingredients
300g frozen raspberries
50g soft light soft brown sugar
Method
Put the raspberries into a pan and warm gently for 10 minutes. Add the sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pass the raspberry sauce through a sieve to get rid of the seeds using a silicone spatula to squeeze it through. It will take a while to get all the sauce through the sieve, so just keep going until you have mostly seeds left and no more juice is coming through.
Chocolate & hazelnut spread
Look away now if you don’t like sugar on the breakfast table! Even the most puritan of us might just allow a little chocolate first thing in the morning at Easter though and if so, read on…
This is an easy recipe for homemade Nutella, which is lovely on toast, pancakes or just spooned straight out of the jar! Unlike the commercial variety, you can choose the texture that you prefer, if you want crunch just don’t blitz the nuts for as long, or set a handful aside and bash in a bag with a rolling pin to add later. Once it’s set in the fridge, keep it in the cupboard, so it spreads easily and enjoy a thick layer on toast.
Ingredients
Makes 1 large jar
300g blanched hazelnuts
200g milk chocolate (I used 36%), broken into small pieces
1 ½ tsp vanilla essence
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºc.
Put the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast for 6-7 minutes.
Once the nuts have cooled, tip them into a high powered food processor and blitz for about 5 minutes. Scrape the sides down and blitz again for about 3-5 minutes until you have a smooth paste.
Put the chocolate into a glass bowl and melt gently in the microwave, checking and stirring often. Mine took about 1 ½ - 2 minutes on 600w.
Pour the melted chocolate into the nuts along with the vanilla essence and blitz until you have a really smooth paste. This will take about another 8-10 minutes. The mixture will be quite runny and warm at this point, so pour it into a jar and place in the fridge for about 1½ hours to set.
Red pepper & tomato baked rice with lemon feta
I love baked rice as you can add so many different vegetables, spices and herb combinations to make it really interesting without too much work. It’s great as a side dish, or I had it as a main with a green salad. If you want to go vegan, then just stir through a tin of chickpeas (or any beans) and top with roasted pumpkin seeds.
As you can make the rice ahead, it’s a really good one to cook for friends as all the work is done beforehand, so it only needs a quick reheat in the oven. Perfect for a spring/summer BBQ, now we’re allowed to socialise outdoors again! Let me know if you make it for 5 friends!
Ingredients
Serves 4 as a main, or 6 as a side
2 red peppers, 2cm slices
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 tbsp rose harissa
2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
300g white basmati rice
½ tsp sea salt
600ml boiling water
200g feta cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
Handful of coriander leaves
method
Preheat the oven to 180ºc.
Spread the red pepper slices, tomato halves and garlic cloves on a large baking tray, drizzle well with rapeseed or olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Once the vegetables are roasted scrape them into a large casserole dish (I used 24 x 33cm).
Deglaze the roasting tray with 200ml of boiling water: gently scrape the flavoursome bits and juices off the tray and tip all the water into the casserole dish as well.
Add the rose harissa, oil, rice and salt to the vegetables, stirring well and then pour over 500ml of boiling water.
Cover really tightly with tin foil - it helps if you have a small lip on the top edge of the dish to scrunch it round.
Place in the oven for 25 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, crumble the feta into a bowl and mix with the Lemon zest.
Serve topped with the feta and a green salad.
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.
banana & sunflower muffins
I baked these yesterday as I’m trying to make my daughter’s lunchbox a bit more interesting, but to be honest I’ve eaten more of them than her so far!! They’re basically banana bread in bun form and this is something I struggle to resist! But although they’re a ‘treat’, the sunflower seeds, oats and obviously banana mean they have a decent nutritional content, making them a healthier snack for you or your kids to eat. Always a bonus in my book!
Anyway, it’s a good idea to freeze a few before they get scoffed, so you have some in stock for lunchboxes. Pop a frozen muffin in their pack up and it’ll be defrosted by the lunchtime, so they’re great for those days when your cupboard is empty.
But if you fancy some yourself, then they’re really good for breakfast as they’re sweet, but not too sweet or you might save one as a treat with a cuppa in the afternoon. I’ve just had my second!!
Ingredients
Makes 12 muffins
30g sunflower seeds
125g soft light brown sugar
200g plain flour
50g rolled oats, plus ½ tbsp for topping
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
200g banana
150ml plain yoghurt
50ml rapeseed oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºc.
Prepare the muffin tin by putting in paper cups or grease lightly with butter or a spray oil.
Put the sunflower seeds on a baking tray and toast for 6 minutes in the oven. Set to one side.
Weigh all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: sugar, flour, oats, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder.
Put the bananas into the bowl of a mixer and beat for a minute or so until mashed. You can do this with a fork if you don’t have a mixer.
Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the banana: yoghurt, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
Add 20g sunflower seeds to the dry ingredients, stir and then gradually add to the banana mix.
Beat with the mixer briefly until the ingredients are just combined, don’t over do it or you’ll develop the gluten and have tough muffins. No one wants tough muffins.
Put about 2 big tbsp of the mix into each cup and then sprinkle with a pinch of oats and the rest of the sunflower seeds.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
tip
As with most muffins, the paper will stick to them a bit if you eat them warm, but if you can’t wait don’t worry about it, just scrape the casings!
pea & Kale risotto
Reasons to be cheerful: spring is in the air, I’m wearing my green hoodie, the kids have gone back to school after the longest Christmas holiday in history and it’s International Women’s Day! Sending love and a fresh green risotto recipe to all the amazing women in my life!
Ingredients
Serves 4
250g Frozen peas
1 vegetable stock cube
100g cavolo nero, stalked removed, leaves chopped roughly
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, grated
150ml white wine or 100ml sherry / vermouth
320g risotto rice
50g parmesan, finely grated
3/4 tsp sea salt
Juice of ¼ lemon
Method
Melt the stock cube in 1L boiling water (I always dilute stock cubes way more than the packet instructions as I find their flavour is too strong otherwise)
Put 150g peas in a small saucepan, pour over 100ml stock and bring to the boil. Turn off and leave to cool.
Steam the kale for 4-5 minutes and then blitz in a food processor with a knob of butter.
Once the peas have cooled, then add to the kale and blitz until smooth.
Heat 20g of butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large shallow pan and fry the onions and celery on low for 10-12 minutes.
Add the garlic to the onion and cook for 1 minute.
Warm the stock in a pan on the hob or microwave.
Next stir the rice into the onions, after about a minute it should look slightly translucent at the edges.
Then turn up the heat and pour in the wine or Sherry. Allow the harsh alcohol taste to bubble off and once the rice has absorbed the rest of the wine start adding the warm stock. I usually pour in about a ladle or 100ml at a time.
After 10 minutes add the pea and kale purée and continue pouring in the stock for another 5 minutes and then add the rest of the peas. Cook for a further 3-5 minutes.
Check the rice is cooked (it should still have a little bite to it), add a little more water if needed (a risotto shouldn’t stand up in your bowl, it should melt to the sides) and then stir in 10g of butter, 30g parmesan, salt and a squeeze of lemon.
Serve with the rest of the parmesan, warm ciabatta and a green salad.
Tip
The way I got my fussy meat-eating son to eat a very green risotto was to: not tell him about the kale, only the peas, fry some crispy bacon bits and put them on top and serve with warm ciabatta bread. He will eat a significant amount more things if there is white bread or a wrap on the side!
I used cavolo nero or black kale, but you could switch to curly if that’s what you’ve got in. Just make sure you take the tough stalks out and only use the leaves.
Tip
A note about stock - if I’m using a cube then I will double the amount of water recommended on the pack, so for this recipe I just used one cube for one litre of water. Otherwise you’ll end up tasting the stock cube rather than it being a savoury back note.
I don’t always want to open a bottle of wine just for cooking, so I keep a bottle of sherry or Vermouth in the cupboard to use for risotto. It doesn’t go off like wine, so you can just use a glass as and when you need it.
To make the risotto vegan, you could use non-dairy ‘butter’ and add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast and or a little oat cream instead of cheese. Top with pine nuts or pumpkin seeds.
I use a Microplane or fine grater for the cheese and garlic.
5 ingredient tomato & mascarpone sauce
Here’s a quick mid-week recipe that always goes down well in our house. It’s made from 5 ingredients (excluding the salt and pasta!) and is a lovely creamy tomato sauce that works with any pasta. You can also easily adapt the recipe for meat-eaters by changing the sausage or switching for crispy bacon pieces.
Personally I think the sauce is really nice used on it’s own with just a little parmesan, if you want to leave out the sausages completely, or stir in a couple of handfuls of spinach to change things up.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
6 veggie sausages, 1 cm slices
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 large garlic clove, grated
2 x 400g tinned tomato
100g mascarpone cheese
1 tsp sea salt
400g rigatoni
Method
Heat ½ tbsp rapeseed or olive oil in a large shallow pan and cook on a medium heat for around 8-10 minutes until browned.
Remove from the pan and set aside in a covered bowl.
Heat a little more oil in the pan and then add the onions. Cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes until softened.
Next add the garlic and stir in well. Allow to cook for about 1 minute.
Pour in the tinned tomatoes and ½ a tin of water (swill out the remaining tomato juice) then simmer for 20 minutes.
Cook the pasta after the sauce has been bubbling for 10 minutes, so they’re ready at the same time.
At this point you can either break the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon or blitz the sauce with a hand blender. I prefer to do the latter, then add the mascarpone, salt and sausages. Stir well and make sure the cheese has completely melted and the sausages have warmed through.
Serve with plenty of grated parmesan and a green salad.
Roasted red pepper pesto
I’ve been experimenting with different pesto combinations recently as there are so many variations you can make and I love how it works with so many things: pasta, gnocchi, roasted veggies, sandwiches and fish or meat too.
This time I decided to use roasted red peppers with cashews, but you could swap for hazelnut or pine nuts if you prefer. You can also add a tablespoon or two of crème fraîche to make it creamy, which is especially good with gnocchi, as I always find it needs a bit more sauce than pasta.
The other great thing about pesto is that it freezes really well; I usually divide some into small portions that defrost quickly to make a tasty pasta when the fridge is empty!
Ingredients
Serves 6-8
4 red peppers
50g parmesan
60g cashews
1 clove garlic
50g basil
1 tsp sea salt
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp olive oil, optional
Method
Put the whole red peppers on a sheet of tin foil and place under a hot grill, blacken on all sides - this should take about 12-15 minutes, turning every 2-3. Wrap in the foil once cooked and leave to cool for 5 minutes, then peel and deseed. Allow to cool completely before making the pesto.
Start by putting the parmesan into a food processor and pulse a few times so it is a very rough crumble, then add cashews and repeat.
Next add the garlic, blitz and then put in the basil, lemon and salt. Pulse until you have a rough paste and there are no large bits of any of the ingredients.
Add a little olive oil to loosen if needed, this will also help the pesto bind with pasta or gnocchi.
tip
You can use jarred red peppers to save time.
Roast the red peppers a day or two beforehand, so they don’t have to cool and you can use them straightaway.
If you don’t have a food processor you could use a hand blender or a pestle and mortar - if using a pestle them you would need to finely chop the red pepper with a knife and add to the mix at the end.
Family favourite veggie lasagne
I’ve been working on this veggie lasagne on and off for a while now as I wanted to get exactly the right balance of tomato and cheese sauce to pasta. I think I went through five different versions, each with slight tweaks to the sauce and a streamlining of the ingredients to keep things as simple as possible, without compromising on taste obviously! Finally, I think I’ve cracked it, so here’s the recipe for you guys to try, let me know what you think.
As there are two main elements to making a lasagne, the way I do it is to cook the tomato sauce the day before (or even two), so all I need to make is the cheesy béchamel and then assemble. This cuts the work time to 20-30 minutes on the day as lasagne can sometimes seem too time-consuming. A bonus is that this recipe serves 6-8, so you should have dinner sorted for a couple of days too.
When we are finally allowed to socialise, lasagne is a great dish to make for friends (roll on June!!) as you can do all the prep ahead, pop it in the oven when your guests arrive and serve with a big green salad. I’d be pretty surprised if you got any complaints from meat-eaters as this lasagne is full of flavour, from the umami of the tomato sauce to the lovely rich cheesy béchamel. It’s certainly a favourite in our multi-diet house!
Ingredients
Serves 6-8
1 aubergine, ½ cm slices
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, grated
2 red peppers, small dice
1 courgette, sliced
1 vegetable stock cube
800g tinned tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée
½ tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
1 handful of basil, stalks chopped, leaves torn
500g fresh lasagne sheets
Cheese sauce
90g butter
90g flour
1L milk
1 tsp sea salt
150g Gruyère or Comte cheese
150g gouda, grated or sliced
50g parmesan, grated finely
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºc. Brush a large tray with oil and spread out the aubergine, turning to make sure both sides are coated in oil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Roast for 20 minutes turn and cook for 5-8 minutes more. Cut the slices in half and set aside.
While the aubergine is roasting, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large pan and cook the onion and celery for 10 minutes.
Next add the peppers for 5 minutes and then repeat adding the garlic and courgettes.
Pour in the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, basil stalks and ½ a tin of water (swilling out to get the last bits of tomato juice). Simmer for 20 minutes.
Then add the aubergine, red wine vinegar and sea salt for another 5 minutes. Finish by stirring in the basil leaves.
Cheesy béchamel sauce: while the tomato sauce is bubbling away, melt the butter in a large non-stick saucepan and then tip in the flour, use a silicon whisk to mix thoroughly and allow to warm through for a minute.
Start pouring the milk in slowly, 50ml at a time, so you don’t get lots of splashing as you whisk it in.
Quickly add the next 50ml, whisk rapidly and repeat until you’ve used about 300ml, then you can start adding 100ml each time. Once you’ve poured in all the milk leave on a low heat for a further 10-12 minutes to thicken, but whisk or stir regularly so you don’t get lumps.
Add 100g of Gruyère or Comté, 25g parmesan, sea salt and a good grind of pepper; stir well and allow to melt for a couple of minutes.
Now assemble the lasagne in a large oven proof dish (I used 24 x 33cm) by first adding a big spoon or two of the tomato base, a ladle of cheese sauce (drizzle over the tomato generously), gouda and then 2 lasagne sheets. Repeat until the last layer of pasta and then cover with cheese sauce and the rest of the Gruyère/Comte and parmesan.
Bake in the oven at 180ºc for 35-40 mins. If the top still needs a little browning then place under a hot grill for a minute or so, but watch like a hawk so it doesn’t burn!
tip
There’s no need to pre-cook fresh lasagne sheets, although the packet will tell you to do so.
Cut any leftover lasagne into thick strips and use like pappardelle.
Stir a couple of handfuls of spinach into the tomato sauce to add some greenery.
Super quick cheese & red onion galettes
These are the easiest tarts to make and they’re so more ish. They take minutes to prep and taste so good. We had them for lunch with salad yesterday, but they would great for dinner too. When we all get back to socialising you could serve a bite size version of these to guests as appetisers or canapés. Just divide the pastry into smaller rectangles, repeat the steps below with less of the toppings and cook for a shorter amount of time.
I used the red onion chutney I made a few weeks ago, but you could use a good quality shop-bought instead to save time.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
320g packet pre-rolled puff pastry
6 tbsp sour cream
6 tbsp red onion chutney (recipe here)
200g block Comte cheese, rinds trimmed then grated
1 egg, lightly whisked
method
Take the pastry out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to make the galettes, so it can warm to room temperature. Otherwise it will crack as you open it out.
Preheat the oven to 200ºc.
Open the pastry out keeping it on the parchment wrapping and place on a large baking tray. Use a sharp knife to divide the pastry into six rectangles (cut right through it).
Then score each one with another rectangle 1 ½ cm inside the outer edges (see photo steps below).
Place a tablespoon of sour cream into the middle of each tart and spread out evenly inside the inner rectangle.
Repeat with a tablespoon of chutney, then top with a large pinch of cheese (approx 25-30g), making sure all the toppings are within the inner rectangle.
Carefully brush the egg around the outside border making sure the toppings aren’t spilling on to it at all.
Place in the oven and cook for 18-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and has puffed up all around the outside.
Serve with a crisp green salad or coleslaw.
tip
You could use any cheese that isn’t too oily like cheddar and melts well, like Gruyère, goats, Gorgonzola, Camembert.
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.
Chapati
This recipe makes simple chapatis to go with almost every curry. I can’t think of anything they wouldn’t work with, apart from may be potato-heavy dishes = carb overload! I’d always say make the dough before you start cooking the curry, so it can rest which you chop and prep, then you can roll out while the pan simmers away for half an hour.
Ingredients
Makes 8 x 15cm chapatis
120g wholemeal flour
120g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
120ml hot water
1 tsp sea salt
Method
Weigh the flours into a large bowl, add the salt and then gradually add the water and oil, stirring well to combine.
Once most of the water is mixed in, use your hands to kneed the dough for 5-10 minutes until smooth. I make mine in a mixer with the dough attachment, reducing the kneading to 5 minutes.
Next divide the dough into 8 and roll into balls on a floured surface and leave them to rest for 5 minutes. Make sure they’re well floured or the outside will dry out.
Use a rolling pin to flatten the balls into thin discs.
Put a frying pan on a medium to high heat and then start cooking the first chapati.
Cook for about 30 seconds and when it until it starts to brown and bubble up, turn and repeat. Just make sure there are no uncooked darker patches before you wrap in tin foil wrap or a clean tea towel.
tip
If you don’t eat all the chapatis, you can turn them into tortilla crisps the next day - follow the same instructions as for my homemade tortillas here.
Energising strawberry smoothie
I know I always say it, but this is my new favourite breakfast smoothie!! I probably should say, this is my latest smoothie obsession…. loving the strawberry for a change as I haven’t had any in the freezer for a while.
By the way, I always use frozen fruit in smoothies as it naturally chills the drink and is way cheaper than buying fresh. I also freeze all my brown bananas that no one will touch, so they don’t ever get wasted anymore. I added a medjool date for a little sweetness, but this is optional if you want a lower sugar drink. Personally I think it brings out the flavour of the strawberries though, so my advice is - chuck it in! Also, I always use plant milk in my smoothies, but you switch for cow’s if that’s what you have in or you prefer the taste. The same goes for all my smoothie recipes.
Anyway, hope you enjoy, it made me feel all cheery and spring-like today, along with my new green hoodie!
Ingredients
Serves 2
160g frozen strawberries
60g frozen banana
1 tbsp chia seeds
420ml nut milk or organic whole
1 medjool date, optional
1 tbsp ground flaxseed, optional
Method
Blitz really well, especially if you’re adding the date.
Spinach & cashew pesto
Spinach pesto is a bit lighter and less aromatic than straight-up basil and works really well with the delicate flavour and texture of homemade gnocchi.
Now I realise that making gnocchi from scratch is probably not exactly at the top of your job list in the middle of lockdown when we’re all juggling a million things, so you could easily just use shop-bought or any kind of pasta as a sub - it’ll still be really delicious. The cooking method I recommend for shop-bought gnocchi is frying with olive oil in a hot pan for about 5 minutes, no need to boil. I think you get a better taste and texture that way.
As I haven’t actually made much gnocchi until recently (thank you Lockdown 1 & 3), I haven’t developed my own recipe as yet, so I’ve been using a really reliable one by The Smitten Kitchen if you fancy giving it a go. I’m not quite sure how I could improve on it to be honest, but I’ll experiment with a few different methods over the next few weeks and then develop my own version.
You’ll be pleased to know that the pesto is super easy to make as long as you have a food processor (I know, Nonna would turn in her grave), if not, it’s the traditional Italian way with elbow grease and a pestle and mortar.. way more authentic, but a little more time-consuming!
Ingredients
Serves 8
60g cashews
1 clove garlic
30g parmesan
4 tbsp olive oil
80g spinach
20g basil
1/2 tsp sea salt
Juice of ½ lemon
Method
Preheat the oven to 160ºc and toast the cashews on a baking tray for 6-7 minutes until slightly browned.
Allow the nuts to cool while you get all the other ingredients weighed out.
Put the parmesan in a food processor and blitz to a crumble, then add the nuts and pulse a few times.
Add all the rest of the ingredients and continue to pulse until you have a paste-like texture. You will need to scrape down the sides at least a couple of times to ensure that all the ingredients are mixed evenly.
tip
You can substitute the cashews for pine or hazelnuts if you prefer.
No-bake Oreo cheesecake
One for the kids today! But not necessarily exclusively - I had a good few spoons of the mix while we made it.
It’s a great recipe for slightly older kids to make themselves without any help, my daughter is 10 and she could easily follow the instructions. She also loved telling me to stop interfering and let her get on with it. I pretty much need my hands tied behind my back to stop me getting involved where cooking is concerned! I can’t bloody help myself, but I had to learn to step back while she was doing her thing!
After our practise session in the afternoon, my daughter and a couple of her friends made the cheesecake as part of a Zoom cookalong in the evening; they loved cooking together and pudding was a massive hit. And yes Ella-Rose ate two cheesecakes that day!
The ingredients should be available locally, so this is an easy one to throw together without much planning, but if you can’t get crème fraîche you could use whipped double cream instead.
Ingredients
Serves 2
5 Oreos
100g cream cheese
40g / 2 tbsp crème fraîche or whipped double cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
Method
Put 4 Oreos in a small plastic bag and bash gently with a rolling pin leaving some larger pieces.
Mix the cream cheese, crème fraîche and icing sugar in a bowl with a fork.
Put 1 tbsp of Oreo crumble in to the cream mix and stir well.
Put ½ tbsp of Oreo crumble into two small glasses and spoon on the cream mix.
Sprinkle a little crumble and half an Oreo on top to finish.
tip
Assemble the cheesecakes at the last minute or the base and topping will lose it’s crunch.
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