Recipes

Makes enough for 4 portions

INGREDIENTS⠀
3 spring onions, finely chopped⠀
1/2 a red chilli, finely chopped (deseed for less spice)⠀
Handful of coriander stalks, finely chopped⠀
2 tablespoons fish sauce⠀
2 tablespoons soy sauce⠀
2 dried lime leaves crushed⠀
2 teaspoons sesame seeds⠀
1 tablespoon vegetable/olive oil⠀

METHOD
Mix all ingredients together. It takes less than 5 minutes and then the longer you leave it on your chosen meat or veg the better (overnight if you can).⠀
Then either bake the meat/veg in the oven or pan/stir fry. Your call! Serve with some rice and garlicky greens. Done!

Makes 6

INGREDIENTS
6 medjool dates
1/2 cup hazelnuts
2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
30g vanilla whey

METHOD
Put everything in a food processor and blend
Start with 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil, add more if it’s struggling to bind. This can take a while.
Scrape down the sides of the blender to keep everything moving, add a dash of water if needed.
Once combined shape into 6 balls and place in the fridge to chill.

NOTE: you can use any flavoured protein powder you have at home just remember it will change the flavour of the recipe, so something like strawberry may not be advisable.

Makes 6

I know, more energy balls. But I can assure you these are really yummy and they don’t have too much sugar added to them. Dates are a natural source of sweetness and I just like a little bit of honey for extra flavour and to bind it all together. They should keep for a good week in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon tahini
120g oats
1 tablespoon coco powder
10g chia seeds
5 x dates
50g toasted almonds
50g toasted walnuts
10g honey
Desiccated coconut

METHOD
Toast the almonds and walnuts in a frying pan over a medium heat until lightly golden. You’ll be able to smell them when they are done and they may start popping.
Place everything in a food processor and blend until combined. You may need to add a few drops of water to help the mixture stick together and then keep blending. You can do this a few times.
Roll into 6 large balls, you will need to press the mix together quite firmly. Roll in desiccated coconut to coat
Place in fridge for at least 2 hours to chill.

I kind of re-found my love of mushrooms this week. Such a quick breakfast, plant based and damn tasty too! This recipe is enough for 1

INGREDIENTS

1 or 2 slices wholemeal toast⠀
8-10 closed cup mushrooms, sliced⠀
1 sprig of rosemary⠀
Vegemite/Marmite⠀
Butter (Rapeseed oil for the vegan version)⠀

METHOD
Melt a knob of butter/oil in a pan over medium heat.
Pick the leaves off the rosemary and finely chop.
Add the mushrooms and rosemary to the pan and fry until lightly browned. Season with salt & pepper.⠀
Toast bread, top with butter and Vegemite/Marmite.
Add mushrooms on the top and bobs your uncle!

I bought some reduced to clear beets and needed to use them. They are in season in the U.K. in July and August so are a cheap and cheerful veg to include in your weekly shop. ⠀

INGREDIENTS
4-6 whole beetroot
Feta cheese
1.5 cups of green lentils
Mint
Olive oil
Rapeseed oil
Salt & Black pepper

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C⠀
Wash & roughly chop the beetroot, place in a roasting tray with salt, pepper and rapeseed oil then bake for 40 minutes. Turning halfway through.
Bring a small pan of water to the boil and add 1.5 cups of green lentils.
Boil for roughly 20 minutes until soft. Drain. ⠀
Once beets are done, leave to cool slightly. Then mix lentils, beets and crumbled feta together.
Stir through some fresh mint.
Drizzle with olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper.⠀

Makes 14 cakes or 4 burgers

Hands up, this was my husbands creation and I stole it from him. Sharing is caring and all that. These make lovely mini chicken cakes which you could add to a stir fry or have with a salad. Equally you can make them into larger style burgers. They have a fresh yet spicy taste and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

INGREDIENTS
400g chicken mince
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
40g grated carrot, (1 small)
1 medium onion
2 dessertspoons red thai curry paste
Salt & pepper
Pinch of dried chilli flakes
1 dessertspoon soy sauce
1 medium egg
1 teaspoon mixed spices

METHOD
Finely chop the onion.
Heat a pan with one teaspoon of rapeseed oil and gently fry the onion, garlic and ginger for 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Mix all remaining ingredients together with the onion mix. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Roll into bite sized pieces or 4 larger burgers
Heat a frying pan on medium with 1 teaspoon of rapeseed oil.
Place the cakes in the pan and fry for roughly 5-6 minutes each, turning halfway through.
Enjoy warm or these will keep in the fridge for 2 days.

Makes 4 large portions

This one has been around for years but I have just never actually written it down. So finally, it’s here, it’s chunky and it’s packed with colour and goodness. I mostly use standard lasagne sheets, although sometimes opt for the green spinach ones just to mix it up a little. For the mash layer, use any root veg you fancy too! It’s also better if you make it the day before, and even nicer cold.

INGREDIENTS
Lasagne sheets
150g spinach
200g ricotta cheese
1 medium carrot
1 small sweet potato
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 200g tin of sweetcorn
2 teaspoons paprika
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons veggie Worcestershire sauce (Biona do a good one, you can use Lea & Perrins if you are not vegetarian it just contains fish)
Rapeseed oil
Olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
50g/ 1/3 cup plain flour
150ml milk
100g cheddar cheese (grated)
1 medium tomato
Dried oregano
L22mm x W17mm x D6mm sized dish

METHOD
Preheat your oven to 180C

Layer 1
Roughly chop the carrot and sweet potato, leaving the skins on for extra fibre.
Boil both together until soft (around 15-20mins). Drain.
Season with salt and pepper and 2 tsp of olive oil, then roughly mash.

Layer 2
Add 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil to a large frying pan with the heat on medium.
Add the onion and garlic and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the paprika and continue to cook for 10 mins, turn the heat down if it starts to stick.
Add the sweetcorn, tinned tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce and mix together. Season with salt and pepper.
Add 100ml of water and simmer for 15 minutes

Layer 3
Place the spinach in a saucepan on a low heat and add 1 tbsp of water.
Once wilted, drain any excess liquid and add the ricotta. Mix together. Season with pepper.

Cheese sauce
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat.
Once melted add the flour and mix until it forms a paste. It may go into lumps which is fine, these will dissolve when the milk is added.
Whisk in the milk and keep whisking until all the lumps have dissolved and it starts to thicken. You may need to add a little bit more milk if its gets very thick.
Add half the grated cheese and stir until melted.

Assembly
Place a tiny amount of the tomato mix on the very bottom of the dish, this is so the bottom layer of the lasagne cooks. It shouldn’t even cover the bottom of the dish.
Then place a single layer of lasagne sheets on the bottom, break them with your hand if you need to, it’s always a bit like a jigsaw!
Place a layer of the carrot and sweet potato mix on top, use all the mixture. Top with cheese sauce.
Cover with lasagne sheets and press down firmly.
Use half the tomato mix and spread evenly on top. Top with cheese sauce.
Cover with lasagne sheets and press down firmly.
Place a layer of the spinach and ricotta mix on top and press down, use all the mixture.
Cover with lasagne sheets and press down firmly.
Use the remaining half of the tomato mix and spread evenly on top.
Cover with the cheese sauce and grated cheese. Top with sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with dried oregano.
Baked for 30 mins or until golden.

Serve with a delicious green salad.

Serves 4-6

This light and tasty dinner will certainly mix up your weekly routine. Its quick, yummy and as it’s made with chicken mince rather than beef or lamb it means it contains less fat. It does however mean you need to go hard core on the seasoning so don’t hold back. I have also bulked out on adding extra veg here too.

You can now find chicken mince in many supermarkets these days but if not then your butcher will definitely have it. A mix of both breast and thigh meat is a great combination

INGREDIENTS
1 medium brown onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 medium leek
1 yellow pepper
Pinch of dried chilli flakes
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon rapeseed oil
500g chicken mince
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 400g tin chickpeas, drained
½ cup frozen peas
Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
Grated cheddar cheese
Dried oregano
2 x wheat tortillas
Salt and pepper

METHOD
Finely chop the onion, yellow pepper and the leek.
Heat the rapeseed oil in a pan over a low heat and gently fry these for about 10 minutes. Halfway through add the chilli flakes, cumin and paprika. They shouldn’t colour too much.
Turn the heat up to medium and add the chicken mince, fry for about 5 minutes whilst stirring and breaking up the meat.
Then add the tinned tomatoes, chickpeas, Worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup, salt and pepper and mix well. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the peas, stir and turn the heat off.
Place the mince mixture in a casserole or lasagne type dish. It doesn’t have to be round, any shape is fine.
Cut the tortillas into eight triangles each and arrange them on top. Mix the cheddar cheese with the oregano.
Ake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the top has gone crispy
Serve with a fresh crunchy green salad.

Makes 20-24 cookies depending on size

This is quite possibly one of the easiest recipes out there, especially for someone who isn’t that sh*t hot at baking….me. Passed down from my fiancée’s grandmother, to his mum and over the weekend to me, just five ingredients is all you’ll need. My eyes lit up when the little box of recipes was brought out of the cupboard, it reminded me of the similar book my own nan kept. Remember food is there for enjoyment as well as nourishment, so make these to share with friends, wrap them and give them for presents or take them to work, they are simply perfect!

INGREDIENTS
140g self-raising flour
110g butter
110g salted peanuts
110g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD
Preheat your oven to 190C
Line a large flat baking tray with greaseproof paper
Mix all the ingredients together
Note: This can be done in a food processor or by hand, if by hand, the peanuts will still be whole so the biscuits will turn out extra crunchy!
Roll into small sized balls, about the size of an avocado stone
Place onto baking tray and press lightly with your finger to make an indentation. You’ll need to do two batches or have two baking trays ready to ensure when they cook there is enough room for them to grow.
Bake for around 15 mins, until golden