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.

no-bake blueberry cheesecake

I first made a version of these for one of my supper clubs back in the good old days when we’re were allowed to do crazy things like have dinner with friends.

This time I’m hosting an online Cookalong with a group of friends on Friday night so I thought I’d tweak the recipe to make it Zoom-friendly and get a quick practise in.

I streamlined the recipe a bit so it’s easier to make, but still really tasty, plus it can also be adapted to different tastes: you can switch the fruit, use fresh when it’s in season and choose the nuts and biscuits that you prefer for the base.

Cheesecake is one of my favourite ever desserts as I love the combination of crunch, cream and fruit; this is a quick no-bake version that’s ready in minutes, but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen!

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 120g frozen blueberries

• 2 tsp soft brown sugar

• 15g / 1 tbsp almonds or any other nut

• 100g cream cheese, room temp

• 40g/ 2 tbsp crème fraiche, room temp

• 1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted

• 2 Digestive or Hobnob biscuits

Method

• Preheat the oven to 160ºc.

• Add the blueberries and sugar into a medium sized pan and warm gently with the lid on for 5 minutes and then take it off for a further 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

• Put the nuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 7 minutes. Leave to cool.

• Whisk the cream cheese and crème fraîche in a small bowl with a fork.

• Add the icing sugar and whip with a fork.

• Put the cooled nuts in a bag or teacloth and gently bash with a rolling pin.

• Then add the biscuits to the bag and repeat.

• Put half the digestive and nut mix into the glass, spoon over half the cream mix, top with blueberry compote and then repeat all 3 layers.

tip

• Feel free to switch the fruit if there’s a berry you prefer, but remember to adjust the amount of sugar depending on sharpness. You need minimal extra sugar for blueberries as they’re naturally quite sweet, but lots more for raspberries or blackberries.

• I suggest using frozen berries to keep the cost down and you can either turn the whole bag into compote or save the rest for smoothies. Compote will keep in the fridge for 3-4 weeks and is great on all kinds of breakfast cereals - porridge, museli, granola. Read my post on compote here.

Gnocchi with fresh tomato & spinach sauce

Yesterday’s alternative Sunday dinner. Now there are more vegetarians in the house than meat-eaters I tend to plan a home-comfort type of dish to end the week rather than a roast. This recipe is not only comfort food, but it barely takes any time to make - which is a double win in my book. I’ll definitely make this one again as it got an all round thumbs up from the fam, even from my daughter, who has been unconvinced about gnocchi until now.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 large garlic clove

• 4 large vine tomatoes, small dice

• 4 stalks of basil, stems chopped finely/leaves ripped

• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

• 100ml crème fraîche

• 40g parmesan

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 120g spinach

• 1kg gnocchi

Method

• Preheat the oven to 50ºc.

• Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and let it fry for 30 seconds until it has started to turn slightly brown.

• Next add the tomatoes and basil stalks, simmer for 10 minutes.

• Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and start cooking the gnocchi in batches on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, so they’re browned on both sides. I cooked about a portion at a time and kept in a warm bowl in the oven while I fried the rest.

• Add the balsamic to the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute before adding the crème fraîche. Turn the heat to the lowest setting so the sauce doesn’t split. Allow to warm through and then add 20g parmesan, basil leaves and spinach.

• Just before serving, stir the gnocchi into the sauce and serve with the rest of the parmesan and a green salad or roasted broccoli.

Tomato, red pepper & pasta soup

The inspiration for this recipe was my kids, as neither are particularly keen on soup, so I thought I would try and come up with one that they might eat. Using pasta and tomatoes seemed like a good starting point - as show me a kid that doesn’t eat that combination?? I’ve added some veggies, kept it pretty simple, but with a sneaky tin of chickpeas to make it more interesting for me. Obvs the kids will probably pick them out, but you never know, the odd one might get past their strict filtering systems! You can always leave them out if you prefer, but they’re a decent source of protein.

It took me just over 30 minutes to make, so it’s quick to get on the table, or a good one to make in a batch for lunches over a few days. I also think this soup is a nice one to have for dinner as the pasta makes it quite hearty and you could serve it with big wedges of fresh bread or cheese on toast. Who’s going to complain about that?!

And one last thing - the soup is vegan if you leave off the cheese or sub for a vegan variety.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 red onion, chipped finely

• 1 stick of celery, chopped finely

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• 1 red pepper, sliced

• 2 x 400g tinned tomatoes, 1.5 tins of water

• ½ vegetable stock cube

• Handful of parsley, stalks chopped finely, leaves reserved

• 100g small pasta

• 1 x 400g tinned chickpeas

• ¾ tsp sea salt

• ½ tbsp red wine vinegar

• Handful grated parmesan, cheddar, gruyere or parmesan, optional

Method

• Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onions and celery for 10 minutes.

• Next add the garlic and red pepper, cooking for a further 5 minutes.

• Pour in the tomatoes, plus 1 ½ tins of water, the stock cube, parsley stalks and pasta.

• Simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes and then add the drained chickpeas.

• Cook for a further 10 minutes and then add the salt and red wine vinegar. Simmer for another couple of minutes.

• Stir in half the parsley leaves and sprinkle the rest on top along with the parmesan to serve.

• Serve with cheese on toast, toasted sourdough or fresh bread and butter.

Banana, sultana & sunflower bites

I always struggle to find a nut-free snack to give my daughter to take to school for break as most cereal contain nuts and they’re banned! There’s only one brand that she can take in, so obviously she’s pretty sick of them now! So I thought I’d try make a bar that is vaguely healthy, but not too healthy…I’ll let you know the verdict!

Ingredients

• 100g coconut oil

• 3 ripe bananas

• 2 tbsp honey

• 250g porridge oats

• 100g sultanas

• 100g toasted sunflower seeds

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc.

• Toast the sunflower seeds for 6-7 minutes, until starting to lightly brown.

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

• Melt the coconut oil in a small pan, or in the microwave

• Mash the bananas in a large bowl, or use a mixer and blitz for a minute or so.

• Add the honey and mix well.

• Now add the rest of the ingredients and mx until combined.

• Slide the tin into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown around the edges.

• Cool and then cut into squares. I used a bread knife to get clean starting lines.

Cherry & coconut smoothie

Changing things up this morning with a cherry smoothie. Loved this kinda tropical combination! Dreaming of sunny skies….

Ingredients

Protein: ~33–35 g
Fibre: ~7–8 g

Serves 1

• 150g frozen dark cherries

• 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt (high protein ~10g/100g)

• ½ tbsp chia seeds

• ½ tbsp flax seeds

• 2 tbsp organic whey or pea protein powder (to provide ~20g protein)

• 1 tbsp desiccated or flaked coconut

• 200ml coconut milk drink

Method

• Blitz

Tip

• Use frozen fruit if you can as it’s cheaper and means your drink will be chilled without adding ice.

Fresh tomato & basil sauce

In our house we eat a lot of pasta, so I’m always trying to make different kinds of sauces to change things up a bit. I often make a big batch of tomato sauce using tinned as it’s is good solid classic that is great vfm, but I like to use fresh sometimes as you get quite a different result. Roasting fresh cherry tomatoes with onion and then blitzing gives a creamier and sweeter taste to the sauce, which in my opinion is the posh sister of the tinned version! It’s a bit more expensive as you’re using fresh tomatoes, but the total cost for 4 portions should be around £2, depending on where you shop, so it’s still pretty good value.

Serve with any kind of pasta, fried or roasted gnocchi, grilled/breaded chicken or fish, veggie/meat balls, courgetti, mix with rice and cheese for stuffed peppers or courgettes, mini roast potatoes, or as a French bread pizza (tomato base topped with cheese). Lots of choices!!

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 large onion, sliced in thin half moons

• 500g baby plum tomatoes

• 1 garlic clove

• 3 stems of basil, stalks chopped finely, leaves ripped

• ½ tsp sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200ºc.

• Put the onions, whole tomatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves on a large baking tray, drizzle with oil and then space out so they’re not too crowded

• Place in the oven for 20 minutes.

• Check and turn with a spatula and put back in for a further 10 minutes.

• Squeeze out the cooked garlic on to the tray and then scrape all the tomato mix into a large saucepan.

• Pour about 100ml of water onto the tray and deglaze to get all the lovely flavour from roasting the vegetables of it and add to the pan along with approx 100ml of water, salt, the basil stalks and cook gently for 5 minutes.

• Next add the basil leaves and salt, blitz the sauce with a hand blender until it has a smooth consistency but leaving some texture.

• You might need to add another 50ml of water to get the right consistency though - the same as a normal tomato sauce for pasta.

Butternut squash & spinach risotto with crispy sage

Risotto is the perfect comfort food and it’s so versatile in terms of flavours you can never get bored of it. I love the combination of squash, sage and feta here, it’s creamy, sweet and salty, which works so well. Although my kids aren’t massive squash fans they really like this risotto, ok so they pick out the pieces of squash, but as I’ve mashed some in they can’t avoid eating it altogether! I topped my son’s with crispy bacon to keep him happy and if you serve with garlic ciabatta as well I don’t think you’re going to get too many complaints!

Ingredients

Serves 4

• ½ large butternut squash (approx 800g unpeeled)

• 10-12 sage leaves

• 30g unsalted butter

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 stick celery, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• 150ml white wine or 100ml sherry or vermouth

• 350g risotto rice

• 1-1.2L vegetable stock

• 30g parmesan, finely grated

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 3 handfuls spinach leaves

• Approx 100g feta, crumbled

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180ºc. Chop the squash into 2cm chunks and put on a large baking tray, drizzle with ½ tbsp olive oil, mix well and spread out. Sprinkle with sea salt. Roast for 20 minutes and then turn and put back in for a further 20 until browned on at least two sides.

• Leave the squash on the oven tray, mash half with a fork.

• Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a small frying pan, next add the sage leaves and cook for about a minute on each side. They should turn a little darker, but not brown. Place on a piece of kitchen roll to absorb the oil. They’ll crisp up as they cool.

• Warm the stock on the hob or microwave.

• Heat 20g of butter and ½ tbsp olive oil in a wide low-sided pan, add the onions and celery, cooking gently for 15 minutes until soft, but not browned.

• Next add the rice, stirring well, 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 (about 2 minutes) start adding the warm stock. I usually pour in a ladle or about 100ml at a time.

• Next add the mashed squash and keep adding the stock slowly, each time it is absorbed, pour in another ladle, stirring regularly.

• After 10-12 minutes add the squash chunks and continue pouring in the stock for another 8 minutes.

• Check the rice is cooked (it should still have a little bite to it) and then stir in the spinach, 10g of butter, 30g parmesan and the salt. Mix well and allow the spinach to wilt for a minute.

• Crumble a sage leaf and feta or grated parmesan on top.

• Serve with another couple of whole sage leaves, garlic ciabatta and a green salad.

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 toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds.

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

• Cook the squash the day before to get ahead.

Guacamole

Ingredients

Serves 2-4

• 1 avocado, mashed

• 1 slice of red onion, chopped finely

• ½ red pepper, chopped finely

• 2-3 stems of coriander, leaves chopped roughly

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• Juice of ½ lime

Method

• Mix all the ingredients together!

Ultimate quesadilla with guacamole

We’ve had this for lunch two days running and I reckon we’ve might do a third as it’s so good! Yesterday I shared my recipe for Mexican black beans, which you’ll need to make for this particular combination, but you can switch them for chilli, or spicy chicken and rice if you prefer (build your own options below). The thing about quesadillas is that they’re totally flexible and you can choose the ingredients to suit your tastes - the one thing that’s essential in my book though is - CHEESE! And lots of it!

I’ve suggested making a side of guacamole, it’s not essential, but it does take the quesadilla up a level. I sometimes go for the quick option and use shop bought or sour cream if I’m short of time or can’t be bothered though!

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1 yellow, orange or red pepper, sliced

• Spray oil

• 4 wraps (I use Mission Deli 50:50)

• 3-4 tbsp Mexican black beans (recipe here)

• A handful of grated cheddar and/or 3-4 gouda slices

• 2 stalks of coriander leaves, roughly torn

• Sprinkle of dried chilli flakes

  Guacamole

• 1 avocado, mashed, but leave some chunks

• 1 slice of red onion, chopped finely

• ½ fresh red chilli pepper, chopped finely

• 2-3 stems of coriander, leaves chopped roughly

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• Juice of ½ lime

Method

• First heat a a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and cook the peppers for about 10 minutes until browned.

• While the pepper is cooking, mix the guacamole ingredients and set aside.

• Spray 3-4 squirts of oil in a large frying pan, or pour in a small drizzle and spread across the pan in a thin layer with some kitchen roll or a pastry brush.

• Put a tortilla in the pan, then spread evenly with a few spoons of black beans, half the peppers, cheese, coriander leaves, dried chilli flakes and top with the other tortilla.

• Turn the heat up to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes - check the underside to make sure it’s not browning too much before the cheese melts. Turn the heat down if necessary.

• Put a lid or plate on top of the pan and flip the tortilla on to it, then slide back in to cook the other side for another 2 minutes, or until the bottom tortilla is browned and the cheese has fully melted.

Build your own:

• Carb - any kind of rice or beans

• Meat (optional) - Quorn or Plant based ‘chicken’ / real chicken / chilli (beef/soya/veggie/lentil or bean)

• Fried or roasted veggies - peppers, onions, courgettes, aubergine, sweet potato, squash

• Other veg: spring onions, sweetcorn

• Cheese - grated or slices of cheddar / gouda / emmental / crumbled feta

• Herbs (optional) - coriander, parsley

• Chilli - fresh or dried red, chipotle, Sriracha

  Tip

• Using spray oil means it spreads evenly, heats up very quickly and the tortilla doesn’t get too greasy.

• Flip the tortilla swiftly and confidently! Otherwise you might end up with half the filling in the side of the pan! I find using a lid easiest as I can hold the handle firmly rather than burning my fingers trying to keep a plate in place.

Mexican black beans

This is one of my favourite bean recipes; it’s super versatile as it works as a side dish with all sorts of Mexican-style dishes: tacos, burritos or fajitas - anything involving some kind of wrap basically. But equally you could serve them with rice, guacamole, cheese, sweet peppers and sour cream, or nachos with spiced Quorn/chicken and all the toppings.

I had the urge for a lunchtime quesadilla today, so I thought I’d make the black beans as a base and then top with fried yellow pepper (the only colour I had, red or orange would be fine too), cheese, fresh coriander and dried chill with a side of guacamole - I’ll share how I put it together tomorrow. It was SO tasty - one of my favourite things to eat and the good thing about spending a little time making the beans today is that I’ve got a pot of ready to use for lunches all next week.

I should mention that this is a very cheap way to get more protein into your diet, I reckon this recipe costs about £1.40 and feeds about 4 people depending on how you serve it.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 medium onion, chopped finely

• 1 garlic clove, grated (I use a Microplane)

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 2 x 400g tins of black beans

• 3/4 tsp sea salt

• Juice of half a lime

Method

• Heat ½ tbsp olive or rapeseed oil in a saucepan and then add the onions. Fry for about 15 minutes on a low heat until softened.

• Next add the garlic and stir for about a minute to cook.

• Add the cumin, stir and warm for 30 seconds.

• Then pour in the black beans and their water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 25 minutes until a lot of the liquid has evaporated. They shouldn’t be dry like refried beans though.

• Add the sea salt and a squeeze of lime.

Mango, kale & ginger refresher

Bright, cooling, and gently spiced, this refreshing nutrient drink is great at any time of the day.
Packed with vitamin C, antioxidants, and a touch of zingy ginger, it’s lighter in protein but full of flavour - perfect for warm days or when you want something hydrating and uplifting.

Since this smoothie is lower in protein, if you’re having it for breakfast:
Pair it with something higher in protein to help keep you full and support steady energy, such as:

• A boiled or poached egg on wholegrain toast

• A small bowl of Greek yoghurt with berries

• Add a scoop of protein powder stirred into the smoothie itself

Ingredients

Protein: ~1.3 g
Fibre: ~2.4 g

Serves 1

• 60g frozen mango

• 30g frozen banana

• 15g kale

• 1 slices ginger

• 100ml water

method

• Blitz all the ingredients in a smoothie maker!

Tip

• Use frozen fruit if you can as it’s cheaper and means your drink will be chilled without adding ice.

• Don’t waste bananas that are going brown, freeze them and use in smoothies.

Coconut & berry overnight oats

I often end up making these just before I go to bed, as I forget earlier in the evening, but they’re so quick to make it’s not really much hassle. They’re a great alternative to porridge in the summer, especially, but I like them all year round.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 120g oats

• 400ml coconut milk drink

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 tbsp flax seeds

• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut

• 1 tbsp sultanas

Blueberry & strawberry compote

• 150 g frozen blueberries and strawberries

• 4 tbsp water

• 2 tsp chia seeds

  Method

• Get a medium-sized tub, add the ingredients and mix well. Leave in the fridge overnight.

• Give the mix a good stir before serving.

  Jam

• Put the frozen berries, water, chia seeds and water in a small saucepan.

• Cook over a low-medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the berries soften and release their juices.

• Use a fork to mash the berries, creating a chunky compote.

• Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Tip

• I put my bowl in the microwave for 1 minute on 360 power to take the cold edge off the oats before eating. I prefer them at room temperature in the winter, but in the summer I will eat them fridge-cold.

• Recipes that work well with compote: granola, overnight oats, pancakes, muesli

Mixed berry compote

This is a simple way to make breakfast or desserts more interesting, compote is lovely served with porridge, overnight oats, granola and yoghurt, muesli or with desserts like ice cream, lemon tart or frozen yoghurt. It’s easy to make and you can apply the same technique to any type of frozen fruit, you’ll just need to adjust the sugar depending on the sharpness. Cherries, strawberries and blueberries hardly need any sweetening, but raspberries, blackberries and currants are sharper and need more sugar, which you can add at any point while the fruit is still warm.

I keep a pot in the fridge all the time as I particularly like compote on top of my breakfast. Try making these coconut overnight oats as mixed berries go so well with it (recipe link, plus more below).

Ingredients

Makes approx 300ml

• 450-500g frozen mixed berries

• 70-80g soft brown sugar

Method

• Tip the frozen fruit into a large saucepan with 70g sugar and allow to warm on a medium heat. Once all the fruit has defrosted, simmer for 10 minutes.

• Use a potato masher to break up any whole berries, add a little more sugar if needed and leave to cool.

• Or if you prefer to remove the seeds and make a coulis, pass though a sieve whilst warm, pushing with a silicone spatula.

• It will take quite a bit of effort to get all the pulp separated, but keep going until you only have seeds in the sieve. Or as long as you can be bothered, but you’ll be surprised at how much you can get out even when it looks like mostly seeds!

Tip

• Recipes that work well with compote: granola, overnight oats, pancakes, muesli

• You might want adjust the sweetness to your taste, this recipe is on the tart side, so add another 1-2 tbps if needed.

Speedy noodle stir fry

Here’s a dish I often cook during the week as it’s quick and everyone likes it - a win / win. It’s has taken me a few goes to get the timing and quantities just right for the 4 of us, but I think I’ve nailed it now.

It’s a really adaptable recipe as you can switch the tofu for quorn, chicken or pork if you prefer, and veggies to suit your tastes. Just remember that you might need to increase the cooking time for meat though. Also I have added the vegetables in order of time they take to cook, so just have a think about that if you swap any of them. Longer to cook go in first!

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp groundnut oil

• 4 tbsp mirin

• 4 tbsp soy sauce,

• 225g tofu, chopped in approx 1.5cm cubes

• 3 carrots, chopped in batons

• 100g sugar snap peas/mangetout, halved

• 100g baby sweetcorn, chopped in diagonal quarters

• 2 bak choi or sweetheart cabbage, sliced

• 1 large clove of garlic, grated

• Small thumb of ginger, peeled and grated

• 2 spring onions, chopped finely

• 1 red chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced

• 300g dried egg noodles

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

• Preheat the oven to 50ºc and warm the serving bowls.

• Then make the marinade by mixing the sesame oil, mirin and soy sauce in a tub or bowl.

• Next add the tofu and set aside to marinate while you prep the rest of the ingredients so you have everything ready to go before you start cooking.

• Boil a kettle full of water for the noodles.

• Heat ½ tbsp groundnut oil in a wok and then fry the tofu (or meat, but increase the cook time accordingly) on a med-high heat for 4-5 minutes so the cubes have browned on a couple of sides. Remove and set aside in a bowl, cover and place in the oven.

• Fill a pan with boiling water, add the noodles and cook as per the packet instructions.

• While the noodles are cooking, start the vegetables: fry the carrots on a med-high heat for 3 minutes until browned a little and then add the sweetcorn for a further 3 minutes.

• While the vegetables are cooking, drain he noodles and then drizzle with 1 tbsp of marinade and 1/2 tbsp sesame oil and to stop them sticking. Keep warm in a lidded pan.

• Next add the bok choi and mangetout to the carrots, frying for another 2 minutes (you might need to add a little sesame oil at this point).

• Then add the garlic and ginger, cooking for 1 minute, before pouring in the remaining marinade and heating through for about 30 seconds.

• At this point you can either mix the noodles into the wok, or I like to serve everything separately as I think it’s quicker and there is less chance of the veggies over cooking - it’s easier to mix if you’re only making two portions as there’s more room in the pan. Add the noodles to the warmed bowls and then spoon the veggies and sauce on top.

• Finish with spring onion, red chilli, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and a wedge of lime.

Tip

• The tofu I like best is Tofoo. It’s nice and firm so it fries well and has a very neutral taste which works well with marinades.

• Marinate the tofu an hour before cooking to inject more flavour, but don’t worry if you can’t, just a few minutes will still make a difference.

• The most important things to do when making any stir fry is to get ALL the ingredients ready before you start cooking, turn the oven on low and warm the serving bowls.

• Never overload the pan or your ingredients will steam rather than brown. Cook in batches and store in the oven until the last minute.

Red onion & bay chutney

We (Ralph) polished off all the tomato chutney from last week, so I thought I’d make some more as it’s quickly become an essential item for us to have in the fridge! This one is absolutely delicious with a toastie, but you can also use it with the same combinations as the tomato relish I made a few days ago: halloumi wraps, quiche, (veggie or meat) sausages/hot dogs or ANY cheese!

When you think of making chutney you probably imagine lots of chopping, a huge pan, faffing about sterilising lots of little jars and then leaving it to mature for a month, but not with this recipe. It’s quick and easy to prep and you’ll end up with a couple of medium sized jars that you can just keep in the fridge for a month.

If you’re feeling more ambitious, you can double or triple the recipe, sterilse and store for a month to mature, but make sure you follow the jar cleaning guide I have linked below though.

Ingredients

Makes 2 medium sized jars

• 6 medium red onions finely sliced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 100ml balsamic vinegar

• 100ml red wine vinegar

• 180g soft brown sugar

• 2 bay leaves

Method

• I like to use a food processor slicing attachment to save my eyes from onion chopping, but if you don’t have one, it’s easy to slice in thin half moons.

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and then add the onions, cook for about 30 minutes on low until they are all softened.

• Next add the sugar, bay leaves and vinegar, bring to the boil and then simmer for 40 minutes.

• I keep mine in the fridge, so I don’t bother sterilising the jars, but if you want to store at room temperature you’ll need to follow these instructions on BBC Good Food.

Roasted red pepper hummus

I love hummus and I love it even more when it’s flavoured with roasted vegetables. Red pepper is one of my favourite combinations as I think it really compliments the hummus, bringing a sweet and slightly smokey note from the charring. Make some at the beginning of the week and your future self will be thanking you every lunchtime. Well, may be not every, but quite a few ;-)

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 tin 400g chickpeas - drain well, reserve a little of the water

• 1 red pepper, from a jar or roasted if you prefer - pat dry with kitchen roll

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small clove of garlic

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• ¾ tsp sea salt

• Optional: crumbled feta & a sprinkle of paprika, crudités to serve.

Method

• Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. If the hummus is too thick you can add a spoon of aquafaba (chickpea water) to loosen.

• Serve with crudités, homemade tortilla chips, crackers, wraps, baked potato or sourdough toast with feta and roasted pumpkin/sunflower seed on top.

Vegan cacao & almond truffles

I’ve been trying (unsuccessfully) to give up chocolate since Christmas, so I thought I’d make myself a healthy alternative to satisfy my very sweet tooth. These truffles are full of nutrients unlike Maltesers, so at least there’s a health benefit to eating them! If you scroll down I’ve listed the main vitamins and minerals within the recipe ingredients and a brief overview of why our bodies need them.

Ingredients

Makes approx 25

• 20 dates (5 p/100g

• 3 tbsp almond butter

• 6 tbsp raw cacoa

• 3 tbsp maple

• ¼ tsp almond essence

• 4 tbsp ground almonds

Method

• Put half the dates and the rest of the ingredients into a food processor and blitz. When the mixture is broken up, start adding one date at a time through the top shoot. By adding gradually there is less chance of the blades getting stuck.

• Put in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes to firm up. it will still be quite sticky though, which is why you need to follow this next step.

• Mix approx ½ tbsp of cacao and ground almonds on a plate or tray and use a spoon to divide up the mix. Roll each ball in the cacao mix so it is easier to handle and shape into small balls about the width of a 10p.

Nutrition facts

Dates:

• Phosphorus - bone health.

• Calcium - bone, tooth, muscle & nerve health.

• Iron /B6 - energy release / blood health / metabolism.

• Potassium - controlling fluid balance, regulating heartbeat and blood pressure, reducing lower body inflammation and stress on cells.

• High fibre - digestion / gut health.

• Polyphenols - dates contain more of this inflammation fighting antioxidant most other fruits and vegetables.

Almonds:

• Fibre - higher content than most other nuts.

• Calcium - as above

• Vitamin E - supports immune function, reduces inflammation, promotes eye health

• Riboflavin B2 - growth, development, and function of the cells in your body / converting food into energy.

• Niacin B3 - every part of your body needs it to function properly / helps convert food into energy / acts as an antioxidant and plays a role in cell signalling and DNA repair.

• Protein - muscle growth and repair.

• Magnesium - is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body, 60% is found in your bones and the rest in muscles, soft tissues and fluids. It helps convert food into energy and the contraction and relaxation of muscles. Regulates neurotransmitters, which send messages throughout your brain and nervous system. Can reduce migraine frequency.

• Potassium - as above

• Fat - two-thirds is heart-friendly monounsaturated.

Raw cacao:

• Polyphenols - antioxidant that helps to reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, lower blood pressure and regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

• Flavanol- increases the level of nitric oxide in your blood, which relaxes and dilates your arteries and blood vessels improving blood flow and heart health.

• Magnesium - as above

• Iron - the highest plant-based source.

• Calcium

• Potassium

simple mushroom spaghetti

This is a super easy, but very tasty dish, that you can knock up in about 15 minutes. The secret is getting all the ingredients mise en place, so they’re ready to go and you can just chuck them together at the last minute.

I’ve written the recipe for two people as the kids aren’t that keen on mushrooms, so it would usually be something I’d make for me and Ralph. As it’s quick to cook I don’t mind making a different meal for the kids or it might be a night where I just stick a pizza in the oven for them!

Having said that, this time I fried some sliced broccoli in butter instead of mushrooms for Ella-Rose, so she had virtually the same as us. So you can adapt it to everyone’s vegetable tastes without too much extra work.

It’s another one of those back pocket recipes that you can cook anywhere anytime and adapt to your taste. You might fancy adding more parmesan, a little chilli, switching the veggies to greens, changing the pasta, or roasted tomatoes and basil. It’s one I keep returning to as it’s so delicious and I love the simplicity of the ingredients.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 230-250g spaghetti

• 20g unsalted butter

• ½ tbsp olive oil

• 250g mushrooms, sliced

• 1 large clove of garlic, grated

• 40g parmesan, grated

• A handful of chopped parsley

• ½ tsp sea salt

• A good grind of black pepper

• Juice of ½ lemon

Method

• Heat a large pan of salted water and start cooking the pasta.

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan and then add the mushrooms, frying on a medium heat for 8 minutes.

• Next add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.

• Drain the pasta reserving a little water to add to the mushrooms.

• Stir 10g of butter into the mushrooms, allow to melt before adding 4-5 tbsp of pasta water, spaghetti, parsley, salt and 30g parmesan into the mushrooms.

• Squeeze over ¼ lemon and mix well.

• Serve with rest of the parmesan, ¼ lemon, a green salad and a glass of crisp white wine.

The ultimate veggie cheese burger

This is a cheats guide to a proper tasty burger. It’s not a total cheat as you do have to do a little prep, but I’ve used a shop-bought burger to save quite a bit of time. I think we’re all looking for easy solutions right now and if you can make tasty food, without too much effort then that’s a big win.

I promised the kids that I’d make burgers for lunch this week, which meant beef for my son Zak and veggie for the rest of us. The best ‘meat-style’ burger I’ve found is the Sainsbury’s Plant Pioneers Ultimate, which is a thicker soya-based pattie that’s really nice and succulent. Of course you could always make you own from vegetables/beans/rice - that’s a recipe I need to work on!

In our family, the secret to a good burger is the following ingredients (stacked in this order):

• Brioche bun, cut in half and warmed in a 50ºc oven for 5 minutes while the cheese melts.

• Tomato chutney, my recipe here

• Plant Pioneers Ultimate Burger or other veggie or beef burger

• Melted cheese, place a slice/s (gouda or cheddar) over over the almost cooked burger in the frying pan, add 1 tbsp of water and put the lid on. The cheese will melt over perfectly in 2-3 minutes.

• Fried red onions, browned/slightly crispy

• Pickled gerkin or cucumber slices

• Gem lettuce leaves, one or two leaves on top of the pattie

• Dijon mustard and or mayo, a scrape of both on the top bun

I like to serve with homemade chips - Maris Piper or sweet potato and spicy mayo - mix Sriracha hot sauce with ordinary mayo using a ratio of about 1:4 - depends how hot you like it!