Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
• One small piece of ginger (thinly sliced)
• 1 red chilli (sliced)
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 250g of lentils
• 500ml of stock
• 80g of spinach
• 1/2 a bag of basil to serve

Instructions

Sweat the onion until transparent in sesame oil, add the garlic, ginger, chilli and spices and cook for another minute. Cut the sweet potato into even pieces and add them to the pan, coating them with the spice mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the lentils and vegetable stock and cook for 20 minutes until the potato is soft and the lentils are cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Then stir in the spinach.

Serve with sliced spring onions and a few leaves of basil.

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Ingredients:

• 1 tin of kidney beans
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• A handful of fresh coriander
• 1 teaspoon of plain flour
• 4 burger buns
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Oil

Instructions

Drain and rinse the kidney beans, place them into cold water and bring to the boil for 10 minutes. Grate the carrot, dice the onion and add oil along with cumin and coriander, and cook until soft

When the kidney beans turn soft, add them to the cooked carrots and onion mix and mash it all up into a puree.

Divide the mixture into four, and make equal-sized burgers. Fry for a few minutes on each side to give a good colour and tasty crunch to your burgers.

Serve with a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato and a slice of cheese and optionally with a side of sweet-potato fries!

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Ingredients:

• A few left over roasted vegetables (roughly chopped)
• Winter: Carrots, Potatoes, Parsnips, Onions, Swedes, Turnips, Butternut squash, Sweet potatoes
• Summer: Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, Peppers, Aubergines, Courgettes
• 300ml of hot stock (vegetable or chicken)

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a small pan.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 mins.

Blend as required.

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Ingredients:

• 6-10 broccoli florets
• Carrots (cut into thick sticks)
• 5 leaves of curly kale (cut into small pieces)
• Green beans (chopped)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• Juice of 1/4 lemon
• Toasted seeds to garnish

Instructions

Set your steamer (or a metal sieve sat in a pan with a lid that fits) to boiling, with an inch or so of water in it. The lid should not be rattling, but a steady bubble should be boiling.

Add the carrots and green beans first, letting them cook for a few mins, then add the broccoli and kale.

Let them all steam gently for a couple more mins. You can usually tell when they're ready by the way they look- slightly brighter and deeper colored, and shiny. If they start to dull and are very soft, this is a bit over done!

Turn the heat off, and pour out the water from the steamer pan, then put the veggies back into it and onto the fading heat, adding the oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Stir gently to coat the veggies with the extras.

Toasted seeds can be prepared beforehand: roast pumpkin, sunflower and/ or sesame seeds in a hot, dry pan, and then take them off the heat when they're lightly browned. Let them cool slightly, then add soya sauce and stir it in quickly to coat all the seeds. These are a seriously good snack alone, or can jazz up many a dish, such as vegetables or salad.

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Ingredients:

• 1 red bell pepper (seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces and roasted in olive oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1-2 cups of chickpeas (cooked and drained)
• 3 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)
• 3 teaspoons of cumin
• 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Instructions

In a food processor, put in chickpeas, garlic, and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Process until the rice and garlic are almost completely ground.

Then add the roasted vegetables to the processor along with the cumin, salt and cayenne pepper. Process until almost smooth, leaving some texture and small bits of the roasted vegetables and olives showing through.

Add more olive oil or some vegetable broth if you want to thin it out a bit. Taste for salt and pepper.

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Ingredients:

• 350g of potatoes (washed and sliced thinly)
• 500ml of hot stock
• 50g of butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to Gas mark 6/200°C

Grease a shallow ovenproof dish. Arrange the sliced potatoes in the dish at a slight angle so they slightly overlap each other. Pour over the hot stock

Dab the top with small knobs of butter. Cover with foil and bake for 45mins and then remove the foil and bake for 20-30ins until golden.

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Ingredients:

• 1 baking potato
• A little olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ Gas mark 6.

Slice the potato in half lengthways and score the flat surface diagonally with a sharp knife. Then turn and repeat in the opposite direction.

Rub with oil and season with salt and pepper. Finally, bake in a hot oven for 35 mins until golden and crispy.

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Ingredients:

• 6-7 eggs
• 1 large onion or 2 medium onions
• 2-3 large chard leaves
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Wash the chards and cut them thinly. Remove the skin from the onion, cut in half and after positioning the flat side down on the cutting board cut it very thinly.

Break the eggs in a tall bowl and whisk very well till the egg mixture starts foaming, add some salt and pepper, mix well and leave aside.

Warm up a couple of spoons of olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions and stir fry till they start to soften. Add the chards to the onion and stir fry for another few minutes.

Before you turn the frittata, it’s a good idea to put it under the grill until the liquid on the surface has solidified (do not put the handle of your pan under the flame but keep it outside). Using a flat lid that fits right on top of the frittata go over the sink and turn it.

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Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of sumac
• 2 tablespoons of thyme
• 1 tablespoon of roasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons of marjoram
• 2 tablespoons of oregano
• 1 teaspoon of coarse salt

Instructions

Grind the sesame seeds in a food processor or with mortar and pestle. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Store za'atar in a cool, dark place in a plastic zip bag or in an airtight container. When stored properly, za'atar can be used from 3-6 months.

To serve: mix 1-2 tablespoons of zaatar with 1-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and spread on warm, toasted bread.

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Ingredients:

• 300-400g of mixed mushrooms (washed and sliced)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed)
• 300g of arborio risotto rice
• 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 675 ml of stock veg or chicken

Instructions

Put olive oil in a pan, and cook the onion and garlic together. After 3-5 minutes, add mushrooms. The onions and garlic should have started softening up at this point as well.

Cook for a further 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms have softened up as well. Season with salt and pepper. Add rice to the pan and coat it in the oils and juices already present there, by stirring.

Add the stock, 1/3 at a time, keeping the pan on a medium heat (as the rice absorbs the stock, keep adding more of it until it’s finished. Check if the rice is ready and if needed cook for a little longer by adding stock or water. Leave to sit for a couple of minutes before serving with some grated parmesan.

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Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons of mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
• 3 fresh green chillies (deseeded and thinly sliced)
• 1 handful of curry leaves
• 2 thumb-sized pieces of fresh ginger (peeled and coarsely grated)
• 3 onions (peeled and chopped)
• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 6 tomatoes (chopped)
• 800g of mixed vegetables: potatoes, courgettes, peppers, sweet potatoes, spinach, chards, cauliflower, lentils, beans, chickpeas etc
• 400ml of coconut milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat up the oil in a pan, then add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop and then add the fenugreek seeds, fresh green chillies, curry leaves and ginger. Stir and fry for a few minutes.

Chop up the onions and add them to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until the onions are light brown and soft, then add the chilli powder and turmeric. Add the chopped vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes.#

Chop up the tomatoes and add to the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the coconut milk. Simmer until the sauce has a creamy consistency and the vegetables are tender, adding extra water if necessary. Finally, season carefully with salt. Serve with rice, raita, poppadoms and mango chutney.

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Ingredients:

• 3 tomatoes
• 3 red peppers
• 1 onion
• 200g of feta cheese
• 3 eggs
• Parsley (chopped)
• 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Cut the ingredients into small pieces. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions, then the peppers and tomatoes and cook for about 3-5 minutes.

Add the cheese and eggs and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and season with salt and pepper.

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Ingredients:

• Potatoes (cut into small cubes)
• A few sprigs of fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon of fresh coriander
• 1 teaspoon of mango powder or ground cumin
• 1 green chilli (finely chopped)
• Butter
• Yoghurt or milk for mashing
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Boil the potatoes in plenty of water until they are very well-cooked. Then drain the water away and put the pan back onto the heat to dry them off a little.

Meanwhile, mix the chopped mint, coriander, mango powder/cumin, chilli and salt and pepper together in a bowl with one tablespoon of yoghurt. Add some butter to the potatoes and the yoghurt mix and beat this all together.

Serve hot, garnished with a sprig of mint or coriander.

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Ingredients:

• 25g of butter
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 handful of rosemary leaves (roughly chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 large carrot (finely chopped)
• 1 celery stick (finely chopped)
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 900g of minced beef
• 800g of chopped tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons of tomato puree
• Sugar
• A handful of fresh basil (roughly chopped)
• Water or stock
• Lemon juice
• 750g – 1kg of spaghetti
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the onion, garlic and rosemary. Cook gently for 5 minutes till soft and translucent. Add the carrot and celery, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Put in the mince and brown it, while stirring continuously. Turn up the heat and add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir. (Add water or stock if it becomes too dry). Reduce the heat, partially cover your pan and simmer the sauce for 30 minutes minimum. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon juice if you would like.

Boil a large saucepan of salted water. Hold the spaghetti in the pan, lowering the heat as it softens. Add a drizzle of oil to prevent it from sticking. Boil for 12-15 minutes, then pick out a piece to check if it’s tender. Drain in a colander once cooked. Just before serving, add the basil to the sauce.

Serve in bowls with grated cheese on top, and potentially a salad as a side dish.

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Ingredients:

• 450g of green beans (with trimmed ends)
• 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 large garlic clove (crushed)
• Red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Steam green beans over boiling water for roughly 4 minutes, until they become bright green, tender and crisp.

Heat oil and butter in a frying pan, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the beans and stir until they’re coated in the butter and heated though (this will take about 5 minutes).

Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

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Ingredients:

• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 small red chilli (chopped)
• Vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 1 medium-sized sweet potato (diced)
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1 tin of sweet corn

Instructions

Sizzle the onions, garlic and chilli. Add sweet potatoes and cumin, and coat. Add stock and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add pepper and sweet corn and simmer till cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with garlic bread.

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Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 4 big handfuls of wild rocket leaves (rinsed and dried)
• 1/2 punnet of cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 40g of pine nuts
• Shaved parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Toast the pine nuts on a low heat until they’re browned and then let it cool.

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a jar with a lid. Replace the lid, and then shake to combine the ingredients.

Place all the other ingredients in a bowl and toss them together with the dressing. Sprinkle on the pine nuts and shaved parmesan.

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Ingredients:

• 1 10cm piece of cucumber (finely chopped)
• 1 spring onion (finely chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 6 tablespoons of yoghurt
• Chilli powder
• Salt and pepper to season

Instructions

Mix all the ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. Decorate with a sprinkling of chilli powder.

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Ingredients:

• 1 small bunch of seedless grapes (red, green or mixed)
• 1 punnet of strawberries
• 1 star fruit
• 2 kiwi fruits (skinned)
• 1 small pineapple
• 1/2 of a gala melon
• 1 slice of watermelon
• 1 mango
• 1 apple or pear
• Lemon juice

Instructions

Keep the grapes and strawberries whole. Slice and deseed the melons, then cut them into chunks.

Peel and cut the pineapple, kiwi and mango into chunks. Slice the star fruits. Peel and chop the apple or pear, then brush with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Thread up in any order on 8 wooden skewers.

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Ingredients:

• 225g of basmati rice
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons of mustard seeds
• Rind and juice of 2 lemons
• 1 handful of curry leaves
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Put the rice in boiling water and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan, over a medium heat. Add mustard seeds and as they begin to pop, add the curry leaves and strips of lemon rind (remove with a peeler). Leave to cook for a minute until the lemon peel is lightly coloured.

Drain the rice and place it in a bowl, and then pour over the cooked spices and lemon juice. Season to taste and serve with a good curry.

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Ingredients:

• 4 pointed red peppers
• 200g of feta cheese
• 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 tomato (cut 4 squares from the tougher part of the tomato)
• Optional:
• Mix in an egg and herbs with the cheese

Instructions

Cut a hole at the base of each pepper, then remove the seeds and wash. Divide the cheese into 4 equal parts.

Fill each pepper with the cheese and close the hole with a tomato square (see above). Roast or gently fry the peppers on both sides.

Leave to cool, then peel the skin and serve.

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Ingredients:

• 2-3 potatoes (chopped)
• 2-3 parsnips (chopped)
• 1 leek (chopped)
• 2 teaspoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable stock
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 cup of white rice
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of herbs (your preferences will vary)
• Spinach

Instructions

Heat a frying pan to medium heat, add a spoon of olive oil, and toss in the chopped parsnips. Fry for around 10 minutes, turning gently occasionally. Once lightly browned, add the leek, then once that has softened, add the garlic; letting it cook slightly. Finally, add the cumin, then the soy sauce.

In the meantime, add the potatoes to a steamer. Check occasionally, and remove them once they’ve softened. This should take around 10 minutes. Just before both sets of vegetables are ready, get the soup pan ready; fill it halfway with water and add the stock, then heat it to a gentle simmer.

Add all the vegetables, along with the herbs and spinach. Set on a very low heat and allow it to cook slowly. Since the vegetables have been pre-cooked, the soup won’t need to simmer for more than 15 minutes. Add the spinach just before the pan is taken off the heat, to preserve the flavour and nutrition; stir in the leaves and allow the pan to sit with the lid on for a couple of minutes.

Serve piping hot with some bread or oatcakes.

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Ingredients:

• 600g of chards
• 2-3 garlic cloves (peeled and cut into small pieces)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/3 of a fresh chilli
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Wash the chards and cut the stalks and leaves into small pieces and steam them. Allow it to steam until the chards and stalks have softened and remove them from the pot.

Put some olive oil, garlic and the chilli in a frying pan, and let it fry gently on a low heat, until the garlic is golden. Remove it from the gas. Pour the chards in the pan with the garlic olive oil and mix well over a medium heat for a couple of minutes.

You can mix it with pasta and rice, or simply have it as a side dish.

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Ingredients:

• 350g of kidney beans (soaked overnight in cold water and drained)
• 4 red or green peppers (sliced)
• 1 medium-sized cauliflower (trimmed and separated into flowerets)
• 450g of french beans (trimmed and sliced)
• 225g of sweet corn
• 175g of brown sugar
• 25g of dry mustard
• 3 tablespoons of mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons of turmeric
• 1 litre of vinegar

Instructions

Cook all the vegetables in salted boiling water until they’re just tender. Drain them and place them in a large mixing bowl.

Place the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds and turmeric in a saucepan. Cook gently until the sugar has dissolved and then bring the mixture to the boil.

Add the vegetables and cook through for a few minutes. Spoon the pickle into the jar. Cover, seal, and label.

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Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized onion (finely chopped)
• 1 leek (washed and chopped)
• 1/2 a small turnip (washed and cut into small cubes)
• 1 carrot (washed and grated/sliced)
• 2-3 medium-sized potatoes (washed and chopped into small pieces)
• 1.3 litres of water
• Vegetable or chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional Herbs and Spices:
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed and chopped)
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds (whole or ground)
• A few sprigs of parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 bay leaf
• Thyme

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables and place them in a pan with the herbs or stock that you’re using. Add water to cover well.

Bring it to the boil and then reduce the heat to allow the contents to simmer gently for 20-30 minutes.

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Ingredients:

• 500g of root vegetables (e.g. carrots, parsnips, turnips, swedes, garlic, butternut squash etc. Peeled and cut into chunks)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 onions (peeled and sliced)
• Salt and pepper
• Several sheets of lasagne
• Sauce:
• 50g of butter
• 50g of flour
• 350ml of milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Heat up a pan of water and cook the prepared vegetables for 5 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl with two tablespoons of oil. Add some salt and place them on a baking tray.

Roast for 25-30 minutes until it’s golden brown. Meanwhile, cook the sliced onions in a pan until they’re golden brown and caramelised.

Make the sauce by first melting the butter and adding the flour over a low heat. Cook for about 30 seconds and then remove from the heat. Then stir in the milk a little at a time. Return to the heat and stir in until thickened, then season it.

Mash or blend the roasted vegetables to form a thick sauce. Arrange layers of vegetables/onions/white sauce/lasagne in an oven-proof dish. Finish with a layer of white sauce. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.

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Ingredients:

• 450g of potatoes
• Olive oil
• 6 eggs
• 2-3 generous handfuls of chopped spinach leaves
• 150g of soft vegetables in season ( e.g. peppers, mushrooms, peas, leeks)
• 75ml of milk
• 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon of rosemary

Instructions

Part boil the potatoes either by placing them in a pan of cold water and bringing it to the boil or by submerging them in boiling water from the kettle and letting them stand for about a minute. Drain thoroughly. Heat a splash of oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. When it’s medium-hot, add the potatoes and gently fry them until they’re golden and soft.

Chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and add them to the pan. Continue to cook it for about a minute. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add the milk, chopped herbs and some salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and stir it all together with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat it gently until the egg starts to cook, then turn off the heat. You can add chopped salami or chopped bacon if you wish

Spoon half of the mixture from the pan into an oven-proof dish. Sprinkle the raw spinach leaves into the dish and then pour the rest of the mixture over the top of them. Sprinkle grated cheese on top if you wish. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees celsius for 15 minutes. You’ll know when it’s cooked because it will turn golden-brown on the top.

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Ingredients:

• 80g of pasta (per person)
• A handful of runner beans (cut into small pieces)
• 1 small/medium onion (chopped into small pieces)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3-4 fresh tomatoes
• Fresh parsley (chopped finely)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional:
• Feta cheese

Instructions

Remove the tips of the beans and the string that runs along the sides. Then wash them and cut them into small pieces (1cm long) and keep them aside. Finally, wash the tomatoes and cut them into small or big chunks, and keep them aside for later.

Put the olive oil and chopped onions into a pot and let it stir fry on a low heat until the onion becomes soft and transparent (remember to stir it from time to time, do not let it burn). Now add the runner beans and stir fry on a medium heat for a couple of minutes, just to mix the flavours. Add the tomatoes to the beans, mix well, season with salt, cover and allow to cook on a low heat for at least 25 minutes (or until the beans are ready). Remember to stir the sauce from time to time.

Taste the sauce to check if it needs more seasoning and add the parsley. Mix it well with the other ingredients and switch off the gas. When you need it, remember to warm it up before pouring it over the pasta. Fill another pot with water, cover it with a lid and allow it to boil, (when the water is boiling, lower the temperature when you slowly add the salt).

Add the pasta of your choice and mix it well for at least a minute to avoid the pasta sticking to itself. Then raise the temperature until the water starts boiling again. Now lower the gas to a point where the water boils gently without overflowing and let it cook uncovered. Check the cooking time given on the pack, taste your pasta and when it’s al dente, drain it in a colander, put it back in the same cooking pot, pour the hot sauce over it and mix very well over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes.

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Ingredients:

• 2 dessert spoons of light tahini
• A good squeeze of lemon juice
• 2-3 pods of crushed garlic
• Olive oil

Instructions

Simply mix all the ingredients together until the sauce is ready to use.

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 sweet potato (peeled and chopped into chunks)
• 1/2 carrot (peeled and chopped into chunks)
• 1 small onion (halved)
• 1/2 swede/turnip/parsnip (peeled and chopped into chunks)
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• Substitute salt with one of the following:
• Chinese 5 spice, Thai 7 spice
• Cajun spices, fajita spices
• Piri Piri

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Boil the chunks of vegetables for 3-4 minutes in boiling water. Place an oven-proof dish in the oven, with the oil for 2 minutes.

Remove, and add the spices to the oil. Drain the vegetables and toss in the oil and spice mix.

Return to the oven for 25 minutes until golden. Turn if necessary.

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Ingredients:

• 250g of button mushrooms
• 250g of diced peppers
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 2″ piece of ginger
• 100ml of water
• 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil (or enough for cooking)
• 2 onions
• 175g of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tub of yoghurt (add more for a milder curry)
• 2 tablespoons of corn flour
• Fresh coriander

Instructions

Cook off the mushrooms and peppers in a pan with some oil and then remove aforesaid ingredients from it. Gently fry off the onions until soft. Puree the garlic, ginger and water to make a paste.

Once the onions are soft, add the garlic and ginger paste to it. Gently cook and reduce the paste so that the water almost disappears. Once the paste has reduced, add in all the spices (cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper). Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes and some chopped coriander stems.

Add 2 tablespoons of corn flour to the pot at the same time as the yoghurt. Pour in the yoghurt slowly to ensure that it doesn’t split (if it starts to, add more corn flour). Add in the mushrooms and peppers, and heat through. Add some chopped coriander to garnish and serve.

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Ingredients:

• 2 baguettes
• Tomato sauce
• Grated cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. Slice the baguettes lengthwise. Spread with tomato sauce.

Top with grated cheese. Top with optional flavourings of your choosing, e.g. ham, mushrooms, salami etc.

Bake for 15 minutes until it’s golden brown and crispy.

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Ingredients:

• 1kg of courgettes (finely sliced)
• 2 medium onions (finely sliced)
• 75g of salt
• 500ml of white wine vinegar
• 250g of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon of celery seeds
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard

Instructions

Place the courgettes and onions in a bowl. Cover it with water and add salt. Leave it for 1 hour. Drain.

Mix the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour over the courgettes and onions and leave it to stand for an hour.

Put it back in the pan, bring it to the boil and cook for 3 minutes. Pack into hot sterilised jars and seal.

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Ingredients:

• 140g of macaroni
• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
• 1/2 a jar of white lasagne sauce OR homemade sauce*
• Homemade Sauce:
• 25g of butter
• 25g of flour
• 300ml of milk
• 75g of cheddar cheese (grated)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Fill a large saucepan three-quarters of the way with water and bring it to the boil. Add the pasta, oil and salt to the pan, and return to the boil, stirring. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Once the pasta has been cooked, drain well. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by melting some butter in a saucepan, over a low heat, whilst stirring in the flour.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the milk a little at a time. When it’s all been added, return to the heat and bring it slowly to boil. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and then add the cheese. Continue stirring for a few seconds until it has been thoroughly blended.

Add the cooked pasta, tossing lightly together, then spoon into the ovenproof dish, levelling the surface. Add a little more grated cheese, and brown under the grill before serving.

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Ingredients:

• 2 celery stalks (finely sliced)
• 2 medium/large apples (finely chopped)
• 100g of seedless grapes (halved)
• 100g of walnuts (halved, and lightly toasted)
• 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons of natural yoghurt
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• Lettuce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the mayonnaise, yoghurt and lemon juice. Add the celery, apples, grapes and walnuts, and mix thoroughly.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange on a bed of lettuce in a large bowl, or in individual bowls.

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Ingredients:

• 4 medium-sized potatoes
• 3 parsnips
• 3 carrots
• 1 red pepper
• 2 courgettes
• 4-5 garlic cloves (with their skin)
• Olive oil
• Fresh or dry rosemary leaves
• Salt and pepper
• Mixed spices (cinnamon, fennel, nutmeg, ginger powder)
• Tamari sauce or soy sauce
• Sesame seeds
• Smoked tofu

Instructions

Wash all the vegetables first; peel the parsnip but leave the skin on the potatoes. Cut all the vegetables into large chunks or smaller cubes if you prefer. Then place the carrots, parsnips and potatoes in an oven-proof pot.

Pour the olive oil, add the salt and pepper and sprinkle the mixed spices on top of the vegetables. Mix them well until they’re all well coated and add more oil if needed. Place the pot in a very hot oven (220 degrees celsius). Every 15-20 minutes, take the pot out and mix the vegetables well. (This allows the vegetables to roast on all sides).

When 30 minutes has passed, add the courgettes, red pepper, and smoked tofu (optional), cut into cubes. Mix it well with the other vegetables and put it back in the oven to finish the cooking. When they’re ready, remove the pot from the oven, and sprinkle some sesame seeds and tamari/soy sauce over the top.

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Ingredients:

• 25g of butter
• 25g of flour
• 300ml of milk
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Melt the butter in a saucepan, over a low heat and stir in the flour. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the milk, a little at a time.

When it’s all added, return to the heat, and bring it slowly to boil, stirring all the time. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

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Ingredients:

• 750g of potatoes
• 1 medium-size onion
• 5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 sprigs of rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. Scrub and wash the potatoes (peel them if you prefer). Dry them and cut each potato in half, and then into thick slices. Slice the onion.

Put both the onion and potatoes in a roasting dish, add the rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil and mix very well. Roast for about 30 minutes, check that the potatoes are cooked, and serve hot.

Great served with stewed/roasted meats or fish.

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Ingredients:

• 1 onion (chopped)
• Vegetable oil
• 1 courgette (cut in 4 lengthways, and cut across those lengths)
• Some broccoli florets
• 3 carrots (cut into chunks)
• 2 teaspoons of Thai red curry paste
• Coconut milk

Instructions

Melt the onion in the oil until it starts to look transparent. Add the courgette, carrots and fry off to seal. Then add the Thai paste straight from the jar, and stir to coat the vegetables.

Add the coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes. Add broccoli florets and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add fish sauce to taste or salt. Serve over boiled rice and top with fresh coriander.

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Ingredients:

• 500g of red cabbage
• 350g of Bramley apples (peeled and cut into thin slices)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 3 dried cloves
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 375ml of chicken stock or a bouillon cube.
• 10g of sugar or apple juice.
• A pinch of ground cinnamon
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar

Instructions

Fry the onion and the cloves gently in the oil until soft. Add the cabbage, apples, stock, sugar, cinnamon, pepper and salt.

Leave it to simmer on a moderate heat until the cabbage is tender and the apples have dissolved. Remember to stir from time to time to prevent sticking, and add more water if required.

For the final touch, add the vinegar and simmer for another 5 minutes. This dish is perfect with game (e.g. poultry, goose, duck etc). It tastes even better if left for a couple of days.

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Ingredients:

• 3 oranges
• 1 cup of pitted black olives
• 1 tablespoon of fresh coriander (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley (chopped)
• A handful of young spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin

Instructions

Cut away the peel and white pith from the oranges, then cut the flesh into thick wedges. Place the oranges in a salad bowl and add the black olives, coriander, parsley and spinach leaves.

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, and cumin until it’s one consistency. Pour this dressing over the salad and mix gently.

Chill for about 30 minutes before serving.

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Ingredients:

• 100g of basmati rice
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil/vegetable oil
• 100g of mushrooms
• A sprig of parsley
• Salt

Instructions

Cook the rice as per the pack’s instructions. Drain and make sure it’s cold before frying.

Slice all the mushrooms. Finely chop the parsley. Heat oil in a frying pan.

Fry the mushrooms for two minutes. Stir in parsley and the cooked, cold rice. Add salt to taste and serve.

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Ingredients:

• 1 carton of passata
• Rosemary and thyme
• 1 tablespoon of Moroccan mixed spice
• 1 lime
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 mixed peppers
• 1 red onion
• 1 courgette
• 1 aubergine

Instructions

Slice and dice all the vegetables, and mix in a bowl with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then add a handful of fresh herbs, garlic, spices, and a squeeze of lime.

Place in an oven dish, and cover with your passata sauce. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees celsius for around 30 minutes till they’re soft and hot!

Serve with salad and crusty bread.

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Ingredients:

• 350g of potatoes (washed and sliced thinly)
• 500ml hot stock
• 50g butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Grease a shallow, ovenproof dish. Arrange the sliced potatoes in the dish at a slight angle so that they slightly overlap each other.

Pour the hot stock over them. Dab the tops with small knobs of butter. Cover with foil.

Bake for 45 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden.

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Ingredients:

• 280g of spaghetti
• 3-4 tablespoons of pesto
• 3-4 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 1/2 fresh chilli or a pinch of dry chilli (sliced into small pieces)
• 4 anchovies
• Olive oil
• Salt

Instructions

Place a good amount of water in a pot to boil. In the meantime prepare the sauce. Pour a couple of spoons of olive oil in a pan, add the chopped garlic and start frying it. After a minute, add the chilli and the anchovies, fry on a low heat and mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon until the garlic is golden. Then turn the heat off.

When the water boils, add the spaghetti and some salt, remembering to mix the pasta in the water very well, for a minute or longer to avoid the spaghetti sticking to each other. Keep stirrring the spaghetti from time to time and taste after 7 minutes to check that it’s al dente.

While the spaghetti is cooking, use a little bit of this hot water to dilute the pesto into a smooth, creamy sauce. Drain the spaghetti, return it to the pan and add the olive oil and pesto sauce on a medium heat for less than a minute to combine the different flavours.

You can sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top to add extra flavour at the final step.

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Ingredients:

• 6-7 eggs
• 1 large onion or 2 medium onions
• 2-3 large chard leaves
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Wash the chards and cut them thinly. Remove the skin from the onion, cut it in half and then chop it thinly too. Break the eggs in a tall bowl and whisk well until the mixture starts foaming. Add some salt and pepper, mix well and leave aside.

Warm up a couple of spoons of olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions, and then stir-fry until they start to soften. Add the chards to the onions and stir-fry for a few more minutes. Mix the eggs quickly, and add to the vegetables. Leave to cook on a medium heat, until it is golden on the bottom.

Before you turn the frittata, it’s a good idea to place it under the grill until the liquid on the surface has solidified. Using a flat lid that fits right on top of the frittata, turn it over onto the other side. Allow it to finish cooking on the new side over a medium flame like you did before.

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Ingredients:

• 2 baguettes
• 75g of butter (at room temperature)
• 3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• A little fresh parsley (chopped)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Mash the butter, garlic, and parsley into a smooth paste.

Cut diagonal slashes into the baguettes, while still keeping it whole. Spread the butter into each slash. Place on a baking tray and cook for 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden.

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Ingredients:

• 8 eggs (beaten)
• 5 medium tomatoes (cut into chunks)
• Sauce:
• 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup or 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cube of vegetable stock or 1 1/2 teaspoons of liquid vegetable stock

Instructions

Heat up a pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on a low heat, and add the beaten eggs. Stir the pan regularly, then add the tomato chunks and the sauce mix straight afterwards.

Leave it to simmer for 8-10 minutes. Best served with boiled rice. Can also be a side dish.

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Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion
• 1 medium potato (thinly sliced)
• Sunflower or groundnut oil
• 6 eggs
• 1 small bunch of mint leaves

Instructions

Chop the onion finely, slice the potato into thin discs and add them to the oil. Cook over a medium heat until both are golden brown. Whilst they’re cooking, break and whisk the eggs with a fork, and chop up the mint finely. Mix the mint into the eggs.

Once the onions and potatoes are ready, add the eggs and tilt the pan to spread it evenly over the surface. Tip the edges of the set omelette to let the soft egg on top reach the heat, or put the pan under a hot grill after a couple of minutes to brown on top.

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Ingredients:

• 225g of chickpeas (washed and soaked overnight, then brought to boil in a pan of water and simmered until tender. Finally, the chickpeas should be drained -reserving the water-)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 medium onion (roughly chopped)
• 1 clove of garlic (crushed and chopped)
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds (whole or ground)
• 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds (whole or ground)
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger or a 1″ piece of fresh ginger root chopped finely
• 2 chopped fresh green chillies/ or 1 teaspoon of crushed dried chillies/ or 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder (add chillies to adjust to your heat tolerance)
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh herbs to finish, e.g. coriander, parsley, mint.

Instructions

Heat up the oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and gently sweat until soft. Add garlic, spices and herbs. Then cook for a few minutes.

Add tomatoes, turn up the heat, add the cooked chickpeas and bring the pan to boil. Keep the heat on medium/high until the sauce is reduced (but keep the pan’s contents from drying out). Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot or cold.

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Ingredients:

• 500g of mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 6 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Clean the mushrooms well with a damp cloth, try not to wash them if possible. Heat the oil in the pan until its very hot, but not smoky. Add the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms have reduced in volume.

Now add the garlic and saute for another 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper and parsley to serve.

This dish is delicious on its own, on bread or as a side dish to fish or meat.

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Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of chives
• 1 1/2 cups of parsley
• 1 cup of pine nuts
• 1 1/2 cups of pitted black olives
• 2 tablespoons of capers
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
• Black pepper

Instructions

Crush the pine nuts and finely chop the parsley and chives. Combine all the other ingredients and mash or blend fairly coarsely. Then fold in the parsley, chives and pine nuts.

It can be served immediately or allowed to infuse for a while. It will keep for a few days in the fridge. Anchovies (6-8) can replace the pine nuts for a more traditional recipe.

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Ingredients:

• 3 aubergines
• 1 cup of light tahini
• 4 cloves of garlic
• Juice of 3 lemons
• 4 tablespoons of water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 tablespoon of paprika
• Coriander or parsley to garnish

Instructions

Cook the aubergines under the grill or in a hot oven, and keep turning them until the skin is charred. (This takes about 20 minutes). Cut them open, scoop out the insides and mash well.

Combine the tahini, garlic, water and lemon juice and stir into the pulped aubergine. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Serve in a wide dish, pouring the olive oil over the top, sprinkling with paprika and garnishing with chopped parsley or coriander. Baba Ghanoush is a fantastic dip to have with raw pieces of vegetables, e.g. carrots, or chunks of pitta bread.

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Ingredients:

• 400g of Swiss chards
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• Salt
• 1 glass of water
• Optional:
• 1/2 red chilli

Instructions

Clean the Swiss chard stalks and cut into small strips. In a frying pan, heat the oil, add the garlic and chilli, and fry gently for about a minute.

Add the chards and stir fry. Add the water, then cover with a lid and cook until its tender. (Remember to mix it from time to time). Season and serve.

This is great as a side dish to meat or rice.

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Ingredients:

• 3 fennel bulbs
• 1 medium size onion
• 5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 sprigs of rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. Scrub and wash the potatoes (peel them if you prefer). Dry them and cut each potato in half and cut in thick slices.

Slice the onion. Put both, the onion and potatoes in a roasting dish, add the rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil and mix very well. Roast for about 30 minutes, check that the potatoes are cooked and serve piping hot.

Great served with stewed/roasted meats or with fish.

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Ingredients:

• 375g/1 pack of dry egg noodles
• 2 fennels
• Three stocks of spring onions
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil/olive oil
• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons of dark soya sauce
• 1 1/5 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce/vegetable stock
• Preparation:
• Chop the fennel into small pieces
• Finely chop the spring onions
• Mix in all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl

Instructions

Boil the dry egg noodles until it starts to break up (Make sure the noodles are not too soft, otherwise it will break up into small pieces when stirring in the sauce mix). Drain well, then place the noodles back into the pan and leave it aside temporarily.

Heat up a frying pan, and put in the vegetable/ olive oil. Then fry the chopped fennels for a minute or two (a little drop of water in the pan will help keep the moisture in, whilst also speeding up the cooking process). Finally add in the spring onions and turn off the heat.

Place the cooked vegetables into the noodle pan. Stir in the sauces, mix evenly and serve.

Put a table spoon of honey in it when it is still hot. You can also place it in the fridge, to have as a cold snack.

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Ingredients:

• 4 small carrots
• 5 rainbow chards
• A handful of baby spinach
• 1 pok choi
• 1 medium size onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• A handful of black kale
• 5 long beans
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil/olive oil
• Sauce:
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon of dark soya sauce
• 1 cube of chicken/vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon of plain flour
• 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water
• Preparation:
• Wash all the vegetables. Cut all the hard vegetables into cubes (carrots, onion). Cut all the leafy vegetables into slices (rainbow chards, pok choi, black kale, long beans) Slice sizes can vary, it’s up to you how large or small you want them to be.

Instructions

For the vegetarian version, include the following ingredients: 1 table spoon of dark soya sauce, 1 cube of vegetable stock, 1 table spoon of plain flour, 2 table spoons of lukewarm water and a teaspoon of sesame oil.

Prepare the sauce mix. Put the oyster sauce, dark soya sauce, chicken stock (OXO chicken stock is very easy to crush into powder) and water together in a bowl. Then mix it together with a spoon and put the flour in. Make sure all the flour dissolves.

Heat the frying pan first, when it gets hot, add in one table spoon of vegetable/olive oil. Put in carrots with a sprinkle of water, then cover the lid and let it cook for 60 seconds.

Then put the rest of the vegetables in (rainbow chards, pok choi, black kale and long beans), and close the lid for another minute or two. Sprinkle a wee bit of water in the frying pan if needed. Finally, pour the sauce mix along with the baby spinach into the pan and keep stirring until the sauce starts to set.

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Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove (chopped)
• 80g of basmati rice per person or more if hungry
• Hot water

Instructions

Heat the oil in a heavy based pan with a lid and add the chopped garlic and simmer till golden. Have the kettle boiled and ready.

Chuck in the rice and cover by an inch with boiled water. Put the lid on and leave for 15 minutes on low heat.

Test to see if it’s tender and serve.

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