Creamy broccoli pesto pasta

Summery veggie pasta that we love in our household. The kids will even put up with wholewheat pasta in this one! I’m usually a bit ambivalent about brown pasta, but this fusilli from Sainsbury’s is really tasty - nutty flavoursome without tasting too ‘healthy’.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• ½ head broccoli

• 1 small or ½ large courgette

• Handful of spinach, optional

• 2-3 tbsp crème fraîche

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 80g wholewheat fusilli

  Pesto

• 40g basil / parsley

• ½ garlic clove

• 15g parmesan

• 30g pine nuts

• Juice of ¼-½ lemon

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

• Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a large pan and fry the onions gently for 5 minutes.

• Next add the broccoli and courgettes for approx 15 minutes until soft. Turn up a bit a bit to brown

• Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions.

• Make the pesto by adding all the ingredients to a food processor and blitzing to a rough paste

• Add the spinach to the broccoli for the last couple of minutes, stir well and let it wilt.

• Drain pasta, reserving a little water.

• Add the pasta, pesto and crème fraîche, if you’re using, to the vegetables, mix gently.

• Add a little pasta water to loosen if necessary - about 4-6 tbsp pasta water

Summer pea & asparagus pasta

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

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

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

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

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 small onion, chopped finely

• 300g frozen peas

• 4 large stalks of basil, chopped

• 4 large stalks of parsley, chopped

• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon in 250ml water

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

• 60g parmesan, grated finely

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Juice of ½ small lemon

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

• 450g pasta - whichever you prefer

Method

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spicy black beans with cumin roasted cauliflower

I bloody love black beans, they’re just so satisfying to eat and are super versatile too. These Mexican style beans are great on their own, but even better with cumin roasted cauliflower and a few different twists and twizzles on top: yoghurt, lemon, chilli and coriander are my faves. 

Meat eaters in your household can add grilled chicken or fish too, plus all of the above make great wraps if you add some cooked rice. Or make a quesadilla and add some cheese! So good!

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

• i x 400g tin plum tomatoes

• 2 x 400g tins black beans

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 cauliflower, chopped in florets

• A few spoons of natural yoghurt

• Red chilli, thinly sliced

• A handful of coriander

• 1 lemon, chopped in wedges

Method

• Heat ½ tbsp rapeseed oil in a large saucepan and then fry the onions gently for 10-12 minutes until starting to brown.

• Add the garlic and then add the spices for a further 30 seconds.

• Pour in the beans and their water, plus the tinned the tomatoes, stir well.

• Simmer for 45 minutes, until the extra fluid has evaporated and the beans are thick and rich in flavour, then add the salt and stir well.

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc when the beans have about 30 minutes to go.

• Spread the cauliflower on a large baking tray, drizzle with 1-2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with the cumin and a pinch of salt.

• When the beans have about 25 minutes left, roast the cauliflower in the oven for 15 minutes, turn and put back in for a further 10 minutes.

• Serve with natural yoghurt, thin slices of red chilli, coriander leaves and a squeeze of lemon.

Asparagus & parmesan puff pastry tart

Asparagus is lovely at this time of year and although we’re coming to the end of the season, there’s still plenty around. This is a very simple and tasty recipe that takes minutes to prep, so it’s a great one to make for friends or for a quick midweek dinner. Lovely on a sunny day!

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 375g ready rolled puff pastry

• 300g asparagus, ends trimmed

• 200ml creme fraiche (I used half fat)

• 2 egg yolks

• 40g parmesan

• ½ tsp sea salt

• Zest of ½ lemon

• 1 egg, lightly whisked

method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc.

• Take the pastry out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to use it or it’ll crack when you try to flatten it out. Leave it on the greaseproof paper that it came rolled around and place on a large baking tray.

• Mix the crème fraîche, egg yolks, 30g parmesan, salt and lemon zest in a bowl.

• Lightly draw a rectangle around the pastry about 2cm from the edge. Don’t cut through the pastry though.

• Spread the crème fraîche mix evenly inside the inner rectangle and place the asparagus in a row down the middle.

• Sprinkle the asparagus with the rest of the parmesan.

• Brush the outside edge lightly with whisked egg.

• Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

Tip

• You could griddle the asparagus for a few minutes on one side before placing on the tart to add a little extra flavour, if you have time.

• Increase the parmesan by 10g in the crème fraîche mix if you like it cheesier and likewise up the zest if you like extra tang.

• Serve with new potatoes and a crunchy raw vegetable salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette.

tomato & parmesan risotto

This a great family risotto as everyones loves cheese and tomato, right? It works really well with garlic ciabatta - another kid favourite and a green salad (kids, not so much). I always return to this recipe when I want something that tastes grown up, but keeps everyone happy.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500g baby plum tomatoes

• ½ tsp dried thyme

• 1 medium onion

• 1 large clove garlic

• 200ml of white wine, or 100ml Sherry (see note below)

• 350g risotto rice

• I vegetable stock cube plus 1L boiling water or 1L fresh veg stock (see note below)

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 15-20g fresh basil, stalks finely chopped / leaves torn

• 50g parmesan, finely grated

• A knob of butter

• 1 tsp sea salt

method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc

• Spread the tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and thyme. Roast for 20 minutes until starting to brown on the tray, turn gently and put back in for 10 minutes.

• Use a spatula to scrape the tomatoes into a bowl and set aside.

• Pour 200ml of boiling water into the tray and scrape off all the flavour packed residue with a silicone spatula, reserve this to add to the rice with the stock later.

• Heat ½ tbsp olive oil and a knob of butter in a large pan and fry the onion gently for 10 minutes until softened. Melt the stock cube in 1L of boiling water or warm on the hob / in the microwave if using fresh.

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

• Next add the risotto rice to the onion mix and stir well to coat, then turn up the heat and pour in the wine or Sherry. Allow the harsh alcohol taste to bubble off and the rice to absorb most of the wine, then turn the heat down and start to add the stock. I usually pour in about a ladle or 100ml at a time and gently stir to combine. Let the rice simmer and each time it has absorbed most of the stock, add another ladle.

• The rice will need to cook for approx 20 minutes, but after 12 minutes add the roasted tomatoes with the ‘stock’ from deglazing the tray, the tomato purée, plus chopped basil stalks.

• Keep adding the rest of the stock for another 6-8 minutes, check that the rice is cooked (it should still have a little bite) and finish by stirring in 40g parmesan, a knob of butter, torn basil leaves and salt. Serve with the remaining 10g of grated parmesan.

• Add a little more water if needed - a risotto shouldn’t stand up in your bowl, it should melt to the sides.

• If you want to make garlic ciabatta, prep while the rice is cooking and grill in the last 3-4 minutes before the risotto is ready.

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.

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

Ratatouille

Less is more where ratatouille is concerned. I like to make a simple traditional recipe letting the taste of the vegetables shine through without too many extra flavours.

I’ve only added ground coriander and a few basil leaves, but they combine to make a rich sauce that is slightly sweetened by the natural flavours of the vegetables.

I love to eat ratatouille with baked potatoes and lots of cheese, cous cous, bulgur wheat, rice, in wraps or with grilled fish.

It’s so versatile that you can use it with a few different meals through the week and only have to cook it once, which is my kind of dish!

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1 aubergine, 2cm cubes

• 1 large red onion, chopped

• 1 large garlic clove, grated

• 1 red pepper, sliced

• 1 courgette, halved and sliced

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 2 x 400g tins of tomatoes

• 1 tsp sea salt

• A handful of ripped basil leaves to serve

Method

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Add the aubergine and onion, cooking for 10 minutes on a gentle heat

• Next add the garlic and red peppers for 5 minutes and then the courgettes for 10 minutes with the lid on.

• Stir in the coriander and pour in the tinned tomatoes, simmer for 40 minutes with the lid on.

• Add the salt and basil leaves, stir well.

Red pepper, aubergine & adzuki

A break in the sunshine calls for something slightly warmer today and this is a lovely stew that’s lightly spiced with harissa and full of flavour. I’ve used creamy aubergines and sweet peppers to compliment the nutty adzuki beans - which I’d forgotten much I liked!

Adzuki are a great addition to a veggie dish as they give a nice bite and texture, which works well to contrast with the softer vegetables. My husband isn’t a massive bean fan, but he likes adzuki as they’re relatively small compared to other types - they pretty much went under his radar!

This is another dish that I make a big pan of and store in the fridge for quick healthy lunches with a chunk of sourdough, or eat for dinner in different ways - with roasted squash wedges, a baked sweet potato or grilled halloumi, veggie sausages, chicken or fish if you’re BBQing with friends.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 150g dried adzuki beans

• 2 aubergines, 1cm slices

• 2 medium red onions, chopped

• 3 large garlic cloves, grated

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp ground harissa spice blend

• 3 red peppers, sliced

• 2 tins 400g tomatoes

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1/2 tbsp maple / honey

• 1 tsp sea salt

• A handful of fresh coriander

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Simmer the adzuki for approx 45 minutes until soft, drain and set aside.

• Spread the aubergine on a large tray, brush with olive oil on both sides, sprinkle with sea salt, then put in the oven for 10 minutes.

• Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a large pan and fry the onions gently for 10 mins, then add the garlic and ground spices cooking for 30 seconds.

• Next add the red peppers and cook for a further 10 minutes.

• Then add the tomatoes, aubergine and adzuki, simmer for 20 minutes.

• Add the red wine vinegar and maple, simmer for 5 minutes. Then finish by stirring in the salt. Serve with fresh coriander leaves

  Tip

• Other serving ideas: cous cous, brown rice, top with plain yoghurt or plant-based coconut. I like Coconut Collab, especially with savoury dishes.

• Use chickpeas instead of adzuki if you can’t get hold of them.

• You can cook the aubergine in the same pan if you prefer - fry on a medium to high heat using plenty of olive oil until 2-3 sides are browned. Set aside and add back in following the instructions above. I prefer to use the oven as I can get on with prepping the other ingredients while the aubergine cooks.

• Coriander is optional!

'Chicken' & mushroom pie with cheesy mash

This is the ultimate veggie comfort food for me and is a really good one for families as the kids will barely know that the 'chicken’ isn’t really chicken! Ok so mine won’t allow a mushroom to pass their lips, but they do like the flavour, which I’m hoping will be a step towards eating them eventually! You could switch to carrots, sweet corn or whatever veggies go down better in your house though.

A lot of people tell me that they are either trying to reduce their meat intake or they suddenly have a veggie teenager, so they need more family-friendly vegetarian recipes. This is a great one to add to your menu if you want to start making changes to your household diet because it’s a take on a classic that’s a gentle introduction to anyone skeptical about vegetarian food. I have quite a few recipes on my site (linked below) that use meat substitutes like Quorn or soya as I’ve found that it’s a good way of getting the kids to eat veggie food without sending them into shock with Ottolenghi style salads (which would obviously be my choice of menu!). I’m hoping we’ll reach that goal by the time my daughter is 16… only 5 years to go!

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 20g unsalted butter

• 300g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 300g Quorn pieces

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• ½ vegetable stock cube (I use Kallo low salt)

• 400-500ml boiling water

• ½ tbsp Dijon mustard

• 250ml crème fraîche (I used low fat, but full is fine too)

• 100g fresh spinach leaves

• 1 tsp sea salt

  Topping

• 1.4 kg potatoes, chopped

• 50g unsalted butter

• 2-3 tbsp milk

• 100g cheddar cheese, grated

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 25g parmesan, finely grated

Method

• Heat the butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan. Fry the onion gently for 10 minutes to soften and then add the mushrooms for 5 minutes.

• Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute and then put in the Quorn pieces and flour, stirring well.

• Next crumble in the stock cube and pour in 400ml of boiling water. Stir in the mustard and then the crème fraîche. Gently warm the sauce for 5 minutes, but keep it on low as it will split if it gets too hot.

• Finish by adding the salt and a little extra water if needed to loosen the sauce, it should easily fall off a spoon - like a thickened gravy.

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• While the sauce is cooking, peel the potatoes and chop. Boil for about 12-15 minutes, so they’re soft enough to mash, drain and allow to air dry for a minute.

• Mash well with the butter and milk, then add the cheddar and salt, mix well.

• Spoon the Quorn filling into a large oven proof dish (I used 24x33cm) and stir or layer in the spinach leaves.

• Top the pie with a layer of mash and sprinkle with parmesan.

• Put in the oven for 20-25 minutes. If you can see that the sauce is bubbling underneath, but the top hasn’t browned then place under a hot grill for a few minutes to finish off. Keep a close eye on it though as it will easily burn.

Tip

• Make the filling the day before to get ahead.

• Gently top the pie with mash - flatten on the back of a large spoon with a fork and then nudge off onto the filling.

• Meat eaters can swap the Quorn for chicken, just brown it separately first and then set to one side while you cook the vegetables. Add the chicken back in with the crème fraîche.

• Or if you don’t like Quorn use a tin of chickpeas, using same method as in the main instructions.

• More family favourites: Everyday chilli, Sausage spaghetti, Bolognese, ‘Chicken’ supreme, ‘Chicken’ pie, Creamy sausage, mushroom & spinach pasta, Tomato & mascapone sausage rigatoni

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

white beans & roasted red pepper

Another day, another lockdown lunch: posh beans on toast. My son had the classic Heinz with a ton of cheese and I had these with red pepper!

I’ve kept the ingredients to a minimum, so it’s quick to prep and really good value. Two servings should only cost you about £1.50 plus toast or a baked potato. Masses of protein in the beans and a good dose of Vitamin C in the red pepper for very little cost!

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1 red pepper, whole

• ½ onion, chopped finely

• 1 small garlic clove, minced

• 1 sprig rosemary

• 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans

• ½ tsp sea salt

• Small squeeze of lemon juice

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, deseed and chop or tear into ½ cm wide strips.

• Heat about 1 tsp of olive oil in a medium sized saucepan and fry the onions gently for 10 minutes until softened. It’s fine if they brown a little.

• Then stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.

• Next pour in the cannellini beans and add the rosemary strig, simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on but leaving a small gap for a little steam to escape.

• Serve on toasted sourdough or a baked potato topped with the red pepper. Feta or grilled halloumi would also work really well.

tip

• You might need to add a little extra water at the end to loosen the beans.

• You could also have them with a baked potato, grilled halloumi, veggie sausage or top with feta. Meat-eaters could top with crispy bacon or have with white fish, roast chicken or pork sausages.

Quick fish curry

This is a great healthy mid-week recipe that you can knock up in 30 minutes and hopefully you'll have most of the ingredients in your cupboard. Now I appreciate that not everyone will be totally stocked up, but if you like making curries then you probably have most of them below.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 tbsp rapeseed oil

• 2 tsp mustard seeds

• 20 curry leaves

• 1 large onion, or 2 medium, finely sliced

• 1 clove garlic, chopped finely or minced

• 1 tsp dried chill flakes, or less if you don't like it hot

• 2 tins 400g tomatoes

• 3-4 tbsp coconut cream, or 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk

• 800g cod, or firm white fish

• 320g brown basmati

Method

• First heat up the oil in a large pan, add the mustard seeds and heat until they start to pop.

• Then add the curry leaves and warm through for 1-2 minutes.

• Next put in the onion and fry gently for about 10 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and chilli flakes, cook for 2 minutes.

• Pour in the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes before adding the coconut cream and 200ml of water, or just the tin of coconut milk. Simmer for 5 minutes.

• Add the fish and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until it has heated right through.

• Serve with basmati rice, a squeeze of lime and yoghurt

BBQ salmon with lemon & dill yoghurt dressing

We all love a BBQ don't we? There's nothing better than eating outside on the sunny day, drinking a few beers. One fine day last week I bought a side of salmon, Greek yoghurt, dill, some salad and set about making one of the tastiest and best looking BBQ dinners ever! Nothing too complicated, but it was just a really nice combo.

Salmon works really well on the grill as it's quite a firm, oily fish, so it stays together rather than flaking like cod. Make sure you get a piece with the skin still on. We had it with a yoghurt, dill, lemon and cucumber dressing; caprese salad and some fresh green leaves.

Serves 4

BBQ Salmon

Ingredients

• 500g half side salmon
• Bunch parsley
• 2 lemons / zest one of them

Cucumber & lemon yoghurt

• 5 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• Olive oil

Method

• Turn the salmon skin side up and make about 3 or 4 diagonal slashes across it.
• Push in a mixture of chopped parsley, lemon zest and some small thin slices of lemon; rub lightly with olive oil on both sides and set to one side while the BBQ coals go white and ready for cooking.
• Peel the cucumber; chop in half and take the watery seeds out of the middle. Grate the rest of the cucumber and put in a sieve for the water to drain out for around 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with a little salt to help this process along, give it a squeeze with your hands from time to time. Dehydrating the cucumber in this way will make the dressing less watery and more flavoursome.  
• Place the fish on the grill skin side down and cook for around 4/5 minutes depending on how hot your grill is. It is a little hard to be precise with timings as BBQs are a bit of a law unto themselves! They're all so different. 
• Gently turn over the fish with a metal spatula and allow to cook for a further 4/5 minutes. Lift the skin and take a peak inside the flesh to check it is cooked. 

Lemon & cucumber dressing

• Mix together the yoghurt, fully squeezed out cucumber, juice of one lemon, plus zest to taste and season.
• Spinkle in some chopped dill, again, to taste and there you have a super fresh dressing for the salmon which lifts the whole dish.