Ingredients

Serves 4
Broccoli, one head cut into florets
Leeks, 2, washed and sliced into rings
Optional cheese, grated cheddar, a handful
150ml milk or cream
Salt and pepper
Butter, a couple of tablespoons
Shallots, sliced
4 eggs, beaten with the milk or cream

Directions
Bring a pot of water to the boil, salting the water and adding broccoli. Cook for 3 minutes and drain.

Melt butter in a large skillet and add shallots, leeks, and season with salt and pepper. Cook about 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Add beaten eggs and cream and continue stirring allowing eggs to cook a little and then stir.

Cook until the eggs are almost firm and add cheese and broccoli. Allow the cheese to melt and serve warm on some buttered toast.

Ingredients

Serves 4
For the dressing:
Mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons
Vinegar, 2 tablespoons
Oil, 2 tablespoons
Sugar 2 teaspoons
Salt and pepper to taste
Finely chopped shallot, 4 tablespoons (a trick to try here is grating the shallots on a box grater)
For the salad:
Lettuce, shredded, 4 cups
Radishes, sliced, 1/2 cup
Cucumber, sliced or diced, 1/2 whole cucumber
Tomatoes, sliced into bite sized mouthfuls, 1 cup

Directions
For the dressing mix mayonnaise with vinegar, salt and pepper, and sugar with a fork, adding oil to emulsify the dressing.

Just before serving toss dressing with lettuce and vegetables, seasoning the salad with salt and pepper.

Serve chilled alongside any main dish or add a protein such as crispy tofu, chicken, or fish.

Ingredients

Serves 4
2 apples, cut in half with cores removed, you can peel them if you wish. Slice thinly.
Sugar, 4 tablespoons
Butter, 4 tablespoons
Puff pastry, one packet
Optional pinch of cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 200C. On a tray with baking paper cut the pastry into squares large enough to hold the apple halves. Arrange the apple slices on top of each pastry square.

Sprinkle each tart with one tablespoon of sugar and dot each tart with one tablespoon of butter.

Bake 13-15 minutes until tarts are golden and caramelised and serve. Great with a cup of tea or some ice cream if you fancy!

Ingredients

Red onion, sliced
Cherry tomatoes, whole
Courgette, cut into a size similar to the cherry tomatoes
Aubergine, cut into the same size, salted and left to sit for 20 minutes, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Directions

Preheat an oven to 190C. In a large tray toss the vegetables with salt, pepper, and oil to coat. Spread out in one layer, using baking paper or foil underneath for easy clean up.
Roast for 25-30 minutes until they are tender and begin to caramelise. Toss together and eat! Serve on salad greens, pasta, rice, or with meat or fish. This is a great simple recipe to have in your arsenal

Ingredients

Butter or oil, a few tablespoon

Swiss chard, stems sliced into 2 cm, leaves shredded, kept separately

Pasta, whichever shape you prefer, for this dish penne or fusili is nice

Optional bacon or sausage or tofu, cut into bite sized pieces and cooked through, the oven is great here

Optional nutritional yeast, a few tablespoons

Cheese, grated, a generous handful of Cheddar, parmesan, Pecorino or blue cheese

Directions

Start by salting the water of a large pot generously, bring to the boil. Cook your pasta according to package instructions, usually between 10-12 minutes.
While your pasta cooks, saute the chard stems in butter or oil and season with salt and pepper.
Once stems are tender add in the leaves, optional meat, and nutritional yeast. Add in a mug of the pasta cooking liquid and the cheese to create a sauce, just stir until it comes together.

Drain the pasta, reserving another mug of cooking water, and add the pasta to the sauce, stirring to combine. Adjust the consistency to your liking with the reserved water and salt and pepper to taste. Top with cheese and serve immediately!

Ingredients

This is one of our favourites with summer tomatoes and cucumbers. Delicious with grilled meat or fish if you're having a barbecue with this great weather we've been having!

Tomatoes, cut into bite size chunks
Cucumber, cut into bite size chunks
Bread, preferably a strong bread like Sourdough, stale or dried quickly in the oven. Cut into bite size chunks

Dressing:
Olive oil, 6 tablespoons
Vinegar, Balsamic is lovely here, 3 tablespoons
Salt and pepper
Optional fresh herbs like basil or parsley
Shallots, sliced finely

Directions
This is really straightforward; combine the dressing ingredients and toss with the vegetables and bread! You can adjust the quantities to your liking, more bread or more of any of the vegetables. Do serve straightaway, it should still be crisp. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Mushrooms, quartered
Shallots, sliced
Smoked paprika, one teaspoon
Double cream, 100ml
One beef or veggie stock cube and 150ml water or white wine
Optional meat, such as chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite size pieces (I cut mine with scissors for less cleanup)
Potatoes, skin on
Butter or oil
Salt and pepper

Directions

Begin with the potato rosti. Preheat your oven to 190C. Grate potatoes on a coarse box grater and season with salt and pepper.

Using an oven safe skillet heat butter or oil and add potatoes in one layer. Cook over medium heat, not touching, until a crust begins to form, about 10 minutes.

Cook in the oven 15 minutes until crisp all over. If you don't fancy a rosti the stroganoff is yummy with rice or noodles.

Heat butter or oil and add shallots and mushrooms, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook about 8-10 minutes until tender. Add chicken, if using, wine, water, and stock cube and cook until the chicken is done through. You want a nice saucy dish, if you need a little more cream or water that's alright.
Serve the stroganoff piping hot with rosti or rice or noodles and enjoy!

Ingredients

Butter or oil, a few tablespoon
250g risotto rice for 4 portions (sometimes called arborio or carniroli)
One kettle of boiled water and one stock cube, chicken or vegetable
Butter or oil, about 3 tablespoons
Leeks, 2, finely sliced
Shallots, finely sliced
100ml white wine, optional
Spinach
Cheese, shredded, I use parmesan or Cheddar, a good handful

Directions

In a saucepan heat butter or oil over medium high heat and saute leeks and shallots, adding salt and pepper, until tender about 10-15 minutes.

Add rice, this is crucial, saute rice and vegetables until the rice starts to become transparent. Essentially you want to toast the rice. Add in wine, or boiled water from your kettle and bring to a simmer.

Set a timer for 21 minutes and add your stock cube. Stir and simmer the rice, adding a little water and letting the water evaporate as you stir. You want to keep stirring and adding liquid gradually until the timer rings.

Add in cheese, spinach, and optionally a tablespoon of butter and stir until the cheese is melted. This is also great with some frozen peas added in. They will defrost and cook in the risotto.

Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired. This is a wonderful side dish or main course for Easter lunch!

Ingredients

Shallots, fine dice
Carrots, cut into 2cm slices
Vegetable or chicken stock, a cube with boiling water works great here
Worcestershire sauce, a few shakes
Optional bacon, Prosciutto, or ham sliced thinly into strips
Salt and pepper
Butter or oil,  2 tablespoons
Sugar, a pinch
Parchment paper

Directions
Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add butter or oil. Saute shallots, adding salt and pepper, until tender. Add meat and cook until it has a little colour on it.

Add in carrots, Worcestershire sauce,  sugar and additional butter and stock until the vegetables are just covered. Use a circle of parchment paper or baking paper and cover the carrots.

This will allow the vegetables to cook and the liquid to slowly evaporate. The carrots will be tender when the liquid has reduced to a glaze. Enjoy alongside your roast of choice for a smart Easter lunch!

Ingredients

2 shallots, sliced

3 tablespoons butter or oil

3 parsnips cut in 3cm pieces

2 potatoes cut in 3cm pieces

water to cover and a veggie or chicken stock cube

150 ml double cream

two handfuls cashews (or any nut you prefer) roasted at 190C for ten minutes

Directions

In a large saucepan heat butter or oil and add shallots, seasoning with salt and pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes until tender and then add in parsnips and potatoes. (You don't have to peel them, just give them a good wash first). Cover with water, adding stock cube and bring to the boil. Simmer 20-25 minutes until vegetables are cooked.

Add cream and cashews and blend with an immersion blender or use a liquidiser/food processor. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking, a little ground nutmeg is also delicious here. Serve piping hot with bread or crackers and enjoy! You could even serve this chilled if you prefer. 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons oil for frying

2 shallots, sliced thinly

Broccoli, cut into florets

Cabbage, shredded

Pac Choi, quartered

½ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

chili (optional)

4 teaspoons cornflour

Rice or Noodles to serve

Optional protein, Chicken or tofu, sliced into 3 cm pieces

Directions

Heat a large pan with oil over high heat. If using chicken or tofu cook this first. Toss the sliced protein with 2 teaspoons of the cornflour and cook until done in the oil. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Stir fry the shallots and broccoli until the broccoli is tender. Set aside. Combine the soy sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons cornflour, honey and optional chili. Add the cabbage and pac choi and cook just a few minutes.

Add back in the protein and veggies and soy mixture. Bring to a boil to thicken and serve hot over rice or noodles, enjoy!

Ingredients

One head of cauliflower, cut into smaller pieces
Salt and pepper
2 onions, sliced
Garlic, 3 cloves
Oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
Stock cube, chicken or vegetable
One can coconut milk

Directions
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large pan and saute onions with salt and pepper for about 10 minutes until tender. Add in curry powder and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add cauliflower, coconut milk, stock cube, and water until you just cover the cauliflower. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the cauli is cooked. Puree with an immersion blender or in batches with a food processor or liquidiser.

Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking. Serve with buttered toast.

Ingredients

400g beetroot
200g plain yogurt
Chopped garlic, about 3 cloves
Dried dill, 2 teaspoons
Optional dried or fresh chili, to taste
Flatbread and carrot sticks to serve

Directions

Boil beetroots, with the skin, for 45 minutes until tender, cool. When cool, peel gently. In a food processor combine cooked beets, yogurt and seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy with chopped carrots and flatbread!

Ingredients

2 eggs
150g sugar
150g yogurt
75g mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
190g plain flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a cake tin, muffin tin, or loaf pan with oil and baking paper or paper muffin cups. Whisk together eggs, yogurt, banana, oil. Add in remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Option to add in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, about 100g. Bake for 14-15 minutes for muffins, 40-45 for a loaf tin until a knife comes out clean.

Ingredients

400g sweet potato or regular potato or a mix of both, 2cm cubes
2 red onions, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon curry powder
One pack filo pastry
Oil or melted butter for sauteeing and brushing the filo

Directions

Preheat oven to 200C. In an oven proof dish, saute onion and carrot in a few tablespoons of oil or butter and season with salt, pepper.

Add in potatoes and season with curry powder. Add in 1/2 cup water and cook until dry. Stir through peas and lay out the filo on a cutting board or countertop. Brush one layer with butter and oil and top with a second sheet, repeating this into you have 4 layers. Scrunch up the filo and arrange on top of the vegetables. Bake for 30-35 minutes until potatoes are tender and filo is golden.

Ingredients

Leftover mashed potatoes, 350g

Cabbage, 200g, shredded

Leeks, 2, sliced thinly and washed

1 onion, sliced

Butter, 70g

Shredded cheese (optional)

Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat butter in a skillet and soften leeks and onion over medium high heat, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add in cabbage and cook to soften. Add in mash and leave to crisp up in the pan. Optionally top with cheese and broil under the grill until brown and lovely! Serve with a salad for lunch or with a roast meat or fish for dinner.

Ingredients

3 pears

Cheese, I prefer blue or goats cheese for this recipe

Puff pastry

1 egg

Sesame seeds, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 200C. Cut puff pastry into squares the size of the palm of your hand and lay on a tray lined with baking paper. Top each square with thinly sliced pear and brush the pastry with beaten egg. Top with cheese and sesame seeds and bake 13-15 minutes until the pear is tender and the pastry is puffed and golden! Enjoy as a holiday appetiser or with salad for lunch.

Ingredients

5 eggs

One onion, sliced

Kale, two handfuls, chopped

Salt and pepper

Squash or sweet potato, 150g chopped into 1 cm dice

Butter or oil, 2 tablespoons 

Shredded cheese (cheddar or something else if you prefer)

Directions

Heat a skillet that can be put in an oven and preheat the oven to 190C. Saute onion in butter or oil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add in squash or sweet potatoes (feel free to add in any other cooked vegetable you have leftover!) And cook 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add in kale and wilt gently for a few minutes. Crack eggs and whisk with salt and pepper add into pan and top with cheese. Bake in the oven 10-12 minutes until firm and cooked through, depending on the size of your skillet. Enjoy for brunch, breakfast or even dinner!

Ingredients

Olive oil or butter

One leek, washed and sliced into rings

One onion, small dice

Carrots, 2, cut into 2 cm pieces

Potatoes, 3, cut into 2cm pieces

Bacon or sausage, 150g, cut into small pieces

Pattypan squash, cut into 2cm pieces

Chicken or vegetable stock (stock cubes are fine here)

Optional:

Cabbage, like Hispi, shredded

Celery 2 ribs, sliced

Butternut squash or Pumpkin, cut into 2cm pieces

Directions

In a large pot saute leeks, onions, and bacon or sausage (omit for a vegetarian recipe) for 10 minutes until vegetables are soft. Add in carrots, potatoes, and squash and any other optional vegetables. Add in one liter of stock and cook until vegetables begin to break down and thicken the soup, 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with buttered toast or a cheese toastie for a filling and warming lunch!

Ingredients

4 pears

500ml water

230g caster sugar

2 Earl Grey tea bags

100g light brown sugar

50ml double cream

65g butter

Directions

Peel pears and place in water with sugar and tea bags. Bring to a boil and simmer 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow pears to cool in the syrup. Discard tea bags. Serve chilled or room temperature with Toffee Sauce.

For Toffee Sauce:

Whisk sugar, cream, and butter over medium heat. Let it bubble for 3-5 minutes until a sauce comes together. Serve with Poached Pears. Leftover toffee sauce is great in a cup of coffee.

Ingredients

One head Cauliflower

Ground turmeric

Cumin seeds

Chili flakes, optional

Oil, olive or rapeseed

Salt and pepper

Couscous, 200g

Stock 250ml, veggie or chicken

1 Leek washed and sliced

1 Carrot, sliced

Dried fruit, sultanas, currants, or apricots

Nuts, almonds, cashews, or pistachios

Directions

Bring a pot large enough to fit the cauli filled with water to the boil with salt and 2 tablespoons turmeric. Submerge the cauli in the water and cook 12-15 minutes. Don't worry about the leaves they are delicious and can be eaten. Place cauli in a roasting tray and rub with oil, sprinkle on 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and chili and salt and pepper. Roast in 180C oven for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Ingredients

Bananas sliced, 3

Apple juice

150g brown sugar

Ice cream to serve, vanilla or any flavour you prefer

Your favourite biscuit, digestives are perfect for this recipe!

Directions

Heat apple juice with sugar in a saucepan, stirring to combine and reducing the liquid. Toss bananas through the sugar to warm them, send warm over nice cold ice cream. Top with crushed biscuits and enjoy!

(Can be made with rum instead of apple juice for a cheeky Christmas treat)

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs

6 Chipolata sausages,

1 can white beans, drained

2 sweet potatoes cut in 1cm dice

Potato 200g cut into 1cm dice

2 onions, diced

Garlic, 3 cloves finely minced

Herbs de provence or dried rosemary, 2 teaspoons

Breadcrumbs, 2 handfuls, Panko is the best!

Curly Kale

Directions

This comes together so quickly after the chopping. Preheat an oven to 190C and get out a glass or ceramic baking dish or a tray lined with parchment if that's what you have.

Toss the vegetables, garlic and beans with oil and salt and pepper and the dried herbs. This is your base.

Lay the chicken out on the veg and scatter with sausages and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are soft. Saute chopped kale in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy with crusty bread!

Ingredients

Salad Dressing:

Oil, 100ml use any nice salad oil, olive oil, rapeseed etc

Vinegar 50ml, Cider, Balsamic or wine vinegar

2 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon your preferred mustard, English, dijon, seeded

Salt And pepper

Brown sugar, 2 tablespoons

Salad ingredients:

Cavolo Nero, shredded

Apples, cut in slices

Streaky bacon, 4 rashers

Mixed seeds, dried fruits etc

Directions

Combine salad dressing ingredients in a jam jar and shake to combine, taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking.

Mix sliced bacon with seeds, brown sugar, and a couple of tablespoons of water. Bake on parchment paper for 7-8 minutes at 190C until crispy.

Toss cavolo nero with dressing (massage for a few minutes to break down the leaves) apples, bacon and seeds, and enjoy! Great with some grilled chicken or salmon.