CURRIED SAUSAGES

A family classic passed down from my nanna, to mum and now to me and my sister.

INGREDIENTS
1 large onion
1 small apple
1 teaspoon salted butter or margarine
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon plain flour
1 cup (250ml) water
1 desertspoon strawberry jam
1 dessertspoon chutney
1 dessertspoon tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon sugar
handful sultanans
8 sausages of any flavour (i used half pork and half beef)

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Roughly chop the onion and apple, discarding the core.
Add the butter/margarine, onion and apple to a pan on a medium heat and cook stirring occasionally until brown. If you have a pan that is oven proof then use that (as this will go in the oven later).
While that's cooking on the hob, cook your sausages under the grill or in the oven.
Mix the curry powder and flour with a dash of water to a smooth paste.
Add this, the water, jam, chutney, tomato ketchup, sugar and sultanas to the pan once the onions and apple have browned.
Turn the heat down to low, stir until combined and after 2 minutes turn off.
Once the sausages are cooked, slice them into circles and add to the mixture. Stir to combine.
Place the mixture in a baking dish (or use the pan you have from the beginning if it's oven proof) in the oven for 20 minutes until bubbling.
Serve with mashed potato or rice.
TIP: When making mash I leave the skin on as it adds extra fibre and just deal with it being a little lumpy.

GRANOLA

I honestly thought I’d posted this a long time ago. But alas I haven’t so here it is. Use what you’ve got in your house and mix it up where you want to. I don’t have set quantities I just chuck in what I’ve got in the cupboard.

INGREDIENTS
Oats (generally I put more oats than anything else as these are the base)
Desiccated coconut
Sultanas
Dried apricots, roughly chopped
Dates, roughly chopped
Prunes, roughly chopped
Almonds, crushed
Peanuts, raw (not salted or roasted)
Cashews, crushed
Mixed seeds - sunflower, sesame, pumpkin
Chia seeds
Honey, max 2 dessert spoons

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C
Line a roasting tray with baking paper
Mix all dried ingredients together in a big bowl
Pour ingredients into tray
Drizzle with honey
Bake for 15 minutes stirring every 5 minutes. The granola should be golden and crunchy. You can leave it in the oven for a little bit longer just be careful as it will burn quickly!

SIMPLE THAI MARINADE

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! ⠀

PROTEIN BALLS

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.

THAI CHICKEN CAKES

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.

CHICKEN TORTILLA PIE

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.

NANNY BRU'S SALTED PEANUT COOKIES

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

GARLIC & GINGER TOFU

Makes enough for 2 (depending on the pack size)

I didn’t really get into using tofu until earlier this year, but I’m glad I did. Most people I speak to just don’t really know what to do with it, hence they get confused and just avoid it. But not only is it a great source of protein for non meat eaters it’s also easy to cook and Has a long shelf life so can form part of your store cupboard staple. With the weather warming up and the days getting longer, naturally we feel like lighter meals so why not give it go. Either plain or smoked is fine (I prefer smoked but if you haven't made it before then perhaps just go for the plain)

INGREDIENTS
1 pack of firm tofu
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon olive oil
A thumb size piece of ginger, finely chopped or grated
Juice of 1 lime

METHOD
Remove the tofu from the pack and wrap in a tea towel. Place this on a side plate and place another one on top. Sit a tin of beans on top and leave for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Mix the remaining ingredients together to form a marinade.
Slice the tofu into pieces about ½ a centimetre thick then lay in a tray or dish and pour the marinade over ensuring there is some on every piece. Place in the fridge over night if possible but if not just an hour or so will do.
Preheat your oven to 200C.
Line a large flat baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Carefully remove the tofu and place on the tray. Bake for 40 minutes, then turn and bake for a further 30 minutes. The turn once more and bake for 20 minutes.
Once it’s golden it’s done.
Enjoy with a crunchy raw slaw or even as a snack. I’ve been known to grab a few slices from the fridge on the run out the door. The picture above is a lunch bowl I made late last year, anything goes.

ORANGE, PISTACHIO & MAPLE PORRIDGE

Serves 1

It’s cold, it’s January and our recipe inspiration might be lacking after a busy festive season. So here’s a big bowl of goodness perfect for breakfast, lunch or even dinner if you really want something quick and easy. It will take you around 6 minutes to cook and serve and will leave you feeling full and warm. Porridge is a great source of fibre (for digestion), the oranges are in season at this time of year and are great for vitamin C (for immune health), pistachios contain potassium (for muscle contraction) and the maple syrup, well that’s just for the sweet tooth.

INGREDIENTS
½ cup of oats
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Milk of your choice
3 slices of whole orange, peel removed
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
12 pistachio kernels

METHOD
Heat the oats and milk over a medium heat until cooked through, roughly 4 minutes
Place porridge into bowl, top with three slices of orange, drizzle maple syrup over the orange and oats
Sprinkle pistachios over the top

WINTER VEGAN BEANS

Serves 4 with extra toppings

Quite frequently baked beans get a bad wrap for being high in salt and sugar and whilst product re-formulation has brought these values down to more adequate levels there is sometimes nothing better than making your own. Beans are a powerhouse in the world of fibre, something we all need more of. The base recipe for these beans is vegan, and there is quite a lot of seasoning in here, beans and pulses do need a little bit of help in this area, especially if you aren’t used to eating them. But for me, it’s all about the toppings! So, serve for breakfast with some toasted sourdough and a poached egg, or make a lunch bowl with anything and everything from chopped parsley, avocado, feta, toasted pumpkin seeds, baked tofu…the list is endless.

TIP 1: I prefer using whole tinned tomatoes, they have more flavour and you can break them up whilst they are in the pan into smaller chunks.

TIP 2: Buy a jar of minced garlic from the world foods section of your supermarket, it keeps in the fridge for months and you never need to bother peeling and chopping again. The one I use also has no added sugar or salt for preserving so just take a quick look at the label before putting it into your trolley.

INGREDIENTS
1 brown onion, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tin butter beans
½ tin green lentils
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons harissa
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Parsley stalks, finely chopped
1 tin of plum tomatoes
½ tin of water
1 teaspoon rapeseed oil
Salt and pepper

METHOD
Add the oil to a large saucepan and place over a medium heat. Ensure you only use a teaspoon as it’s so easy to go overboard when adding oils and they can add unnecessary calories.
Add the onion and garlic and lightly fry until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes
Add everything else, stir
Bring to the boil and then simmer for 45 minutes with a lid on, stirring every 15 minutes.
Add extra water if the beans become to dry
Serve, freeze or keep in the fridge for 3 days

HARISSA CHICKPEAS

Serves 2

This is the perfect accompaniment for a main meal. Chickpeas are extremely versatile, cheap and nutritious. Just half a tin contains around 150 calories and 9 grams of protein. By comparison a medium chicken breast contains roughly 30 grams, so for a plant source of protein this is pretty good! And fibre – you’ll find over 7 grams, we are supposed to be getting 30 grams per day, that’s over 20% just from half a tin. This recipe has just 4 ingredients (excluding salt and pepper) and can be an easy store cupboard staple! I often enjoy this with some pan-fried chicken, alternatively grilled halloumi would also be delicious. Just be careful with oil and ensure you only add one teaspoon to the pan, its so easy to go a little overboard and with something like oil that can mean excess fat and calories for really no reason at all!

INGREDIENTS
1 red onion
1 tin of drained and washed chickpeas
Rapeseed oil
3 teaspoons harissa paste
Salt and black pepper

METHOD
Peel and roughly chop the onion
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large frying pan
Add onion and cook over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes
Drain chickpeas and rinse under cold water
Add them to the pan with a pinch of salt and pepper
Stir
Add in harissa and a dash of water, then mix together, turn heat to low and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes. If the mix becomes really dry just add a little more water.
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days

BANANA & SPINACH LOAF

Makes 1 loaf/10 slices

Not your standard banana loaf this is a great way to get added veggies into you and your families diets. The banana flavour comes through and the added sweetness of the honey and raisins is just enough, you won’t even taste the spinach although it will add a slightly greenness to your loaf! Enjoy warm with some Greek yoghurt for breakfast or as a snack

INGREDIENTS
100g raisins or sultanas
200g flour (plain, wholemeal, spelt, rye, buckwheat)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large handfuls of spinach
100g honey
2 ripe bananas
120ml sunflower oil
50g nuts (your choice, I used pecans, crushed)
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon bicarb soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 loaf tin

METHOD
Preheat your oven to 150C
Line your loaf tin with baking paper. Sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and bicarb into a large bowl. Mix the sunflower oil, eggs and honey in another bowl
Blitz the bananas and spinach in a blender until smooth, then add them to the oil mixture
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together and stir until combined
Mix in the raisins and nuts. Pour the mixture into the tin and top the loaf with some additional nuts, raisins and slices of banana. Sometimes I use desiccated coconut too. Bake for around 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool for around half an hour, then remove the baking paper.

CITRUS SLICE

Makes 12 portions

INGREDIENTS
BASE
175g plain flour
50g coconut flour (or another fine flour like rice flour)
85g caster sugar
140g unsalted cold butter, chopped up
1 tbsp milk

TOPPING
Zest of 3 lemons or limes
Juice from 4 lemons or limes (TIP: zest them first)
3 medium eggs
200g caster sugar
25g plain flour

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C
Line a 21 or 22cm square, shallow baking tin with baking parchment.
Put the flour, coconut flour and sugar in a bowl with the butter and rub with your fingertips until it’s like fine crumbs. Stir in the milk with a butter knife.
Tip into the tin and press down evenly.
Bake for 15-20 mins until golden.
Remove the tin and lower oven to 160C.
Mix the lemon/lime juice and eggs together
Combine with the sugar, flour and zest. Whisk
Pour over the base, then bake for 10-15 mins until set.
Cool in the tin, then slice.
Store in the fridge or freeze for later.

DADS CHICKEN & SWEETCORN SOUP

Makes 4-6 portions

INGREDIENTS
1L chicken stock⠀
1L water⠀
600g shredded chicken⠀
1 tin corn kernels (200g/drained weight 160g)⠀
2 tablespoons soy sauce⠀
2 medium free range eggs⠀
2 tablespoons cornflour

METHOD
Either cook a roast chicken and shred the meat, or cook 600g of chicken breast or thigh meat. Your choice (personally I prefer the roast meat)
Use the carcass of the chicken to make a stock, boil it in 1.2 L of water for about 30 minutes and season with salt & pepper – or use a stock cube, both are fine. Top up with water to make it up to 1 litre
Then mix all the ingredients together in a large saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes
In a mug, mix 2 tbsp of cornflour with water into a paste the add to the soup whilst stirring which will thicken it up
Also in a mug, beat the two eggs. After the 30 minutes while the soup is still simmering pour the eggs in slowly whilst stirring. This must be super slow to avoid the eggs from scrambling
Enjoy with a big slice of crusty bread

NOTE: If you are storing in the fridge when re-heating add a dash of water to loosen!

SAVOURY MUFFINS

Makes 6 muffins

I’ve been testing this one for a while now but have finally mastered it. In Australia savoury muffins are basically found in every cafe and we often eat them for breakfast, but it’s not much of a thing here in the U.K.
I must admit, these are much nicer when warm, but do also make a good snack to be taken cold in a lunchbox.

INGREDIENTS
220g SR flour⠀
1 carrot, grated⠀
200ml milk⠀
1 large egg⠀
50g cheddar cheese, grated⠀
50g feta cheese, crumbled⠀
1 teaspoon ground ginger⠀
2 teaspoon dried oregano⠀
Salt & pepper⠀
65g pancetta⠀
3 spring onions⠀
1 tablespoon tomato chutney ⠀

METHOD
Preheat oven to 200C⠀
Grease a muffin tray with butter or olive oil. You’ll only need 6 moulds.⠀
Heat a small frying pan on a medium heat, lightly fry the pancetta and spring onions until golden brown. Leave to cool slightly. ⠀
Sift the flour. Then mix in the herbs, carrot and cheeses.⠀
Add the pancetta and spring onions to the flour mix.⠀
Whisk the milk, egg and tomato chutney together in a separate bowl.⠀
Pour this into the dry ingredients and mix together well. If it’s a little dry, add a dash more milk. It should be quite a thick consistency. ⠀
Place evenly in 6 muffin moulds.⠀
Bake for 20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.⠀

OAT & NUT CHOCOLATE ENERGY BALLS

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.

VEGGIE LASAGNE

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.

OVERNIGHT COCO OATS

Makes 2 portions

Overnight oats are one of those foods that are always in our social media feeds (well mine anyway), the ones the everyone takes photos of and claims they are revolutionary. To be honest, they are simple, cheap and convenient which I why I have created this recipe. So many of us are time poor and this takes less than 3 minutes to make and put in the fridge. And if you don’t like cold oats, just warm them up the next morning.

INGREDIENTS
100g oats
20g desiccated coconut
300ml oat milk (you can use any milk)
30g raisins/sultanas

METHOD
Add everything into a container
Mix and seal with a lid
Store in the fridge overnight
The next day eat them all up – also top with any fruit of your choice or eat as they are

They'll keep in your fridge for 2 days

BUTTERNUT, ROSEMARY & CHILLI SOUP

Serves 4 as a main

Soup never gets old, it can be as plain or as fancy as you like but it’s a firm favourite for the colder months. This one will warm your soul on those chilly autumn evenings and with a slice of toasted sourdough or two will make the perfect lunch or dinner. It will also keep in the fridge for around 5 days or portion it out and keep in the freezer for one of those nights you get stuck with what to have for dinner.

INGREDIENTS
1 butternut squash
3 sprigs of rosemary
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon rapeseed oil
1 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes or 1 red chilli
1 brown onion
1 veg stock cube
Salt and black pepper

METHOD
Peel and roughly chop the onion
Remove the leaves from the rosemary stalks and roughly chop
Cut the butter squash in half across the middle and then into rings. Remove as much skin as you can and cut the flesh into chunks
Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat with the rapeseed oil
Add the onion, rosemary, dried chilli and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes
Then add the butternut squash, season with salt & pepper and stir until combined
Add the stock cube and fill the saucepan with water until all the ingredients are just covered
Simmer for 40 minutes
Leave to cool, then blitz with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth

Top with crunch of your choice – anything from dried corn, crushed nuts, desiccated coconut, toasted seeds or my favourite - crushed up tortilla chips

BROCCOLI, PEA, CARROT & PEANUT SALAD

Makes enough for 1 as a main or 2 as an accompaniment

I took inspiration from a BBQ we were at over the weekend where this salad was on the table. It was simple and delicious so I’ve nabbed it for my collection but I added some peas in for extra greenery and protein. As all the veg are raw, they are crunchy and packed with nutrients, it also means it takes about 10 minutes in total. I would literally eat a whole bowl of this but equally if you are cooking for two it’s delicious with a piece of grilled fish.

INGREDIENTS
130g broccoli (half a small bunch)
80g fresh peas
40g peanuts
80g crème fraiche (reduced fat)
40g grated carrot, (1 small)
Zest of half a lemon
Salt & pepper

METHOD
Roughly chop the broccoli into bite sized pieces
Place a small pan on the hob on low and toast the peanuts. Ensure you keep an eye on them and shake every 30 seconds or they’ll burn. To toast it should only take around 3 minutes in total
Pod the peas (or defrost frozen if you prefer)
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper
Lastly stir through the crème fraiche

SPINACH, FETA & CHIVE EGG CUPS

Makes 12

I’m a lover of simple snacks which everyone can enjoy, so I’ve adapted muma oz’s recipe to be a veggie one. Feta and spinach are a well known combo, throw in some chives for added tang and you’ve got the perfect bite! For breakfast or as a snack, around 60 calories each and high in protein, enjoy these ones!

INGREDIENTS
Olive oil for greasing
40g feta
1 tablespoon chopped chives
8 eggs
150ml of semi skimmed milk
40g spinach, roughly chopped
Salt & pepper
1 individual muffin tin

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200C
Grease the muffin tins with olive oil using a pastry brush
Put all ingredient into a mixing bowl and whisk with a fork
Ladle evenly into muffin tins
Bake for around 20 minutes until golden brown

BREKKY BURRITO

Serves 4

A weekend fave for me when I have visitors. It’s easy, not much mess and the kids will enjoy helping out.

INGREDIENTS
4 wholemeal tortilla wraps
6 tablespoons tomato chutney
8 smoked bacon rashers, grilled
4 fried eggs
1 avocado, crushed
100g cheddar cheese, grated
½ tin black beans, crushed
Handful spinach leaves, washed

METHOD
Heat black beans in a small pan with tomato chutney and season with salt and pepper. Heat pan over a medium heat, add one teaspoon of oil. Crack eggs and fry until cooked. Lay wrap flat on a bench. Spread avocado onto wrap leaving a 1cm edge at each end. Place grilled bacon rashers on top. Add black bean mix then layer with grated cheese. Slice fried egg in half and place on top of cheese then lay spinach leaves on top. Fold ends in and fold top of wrap over (ensuring the ends remain tucked in) and roll over so the join is on the bottom. Either toast in a sandwich toaster or cut in half and enjoy fresh.

MUMA OZ’S HAM & VEGGIE BITES

Makes 10

Muma Oz is a bit of a legend when it comes to old school classics, I'll be sure to post some more of her favourites over the coming months. She actually used to make this one as one big savoury quiche but I've broken them down into bit sized pieces which makes storage easier and perfect for snacking. They can easily be made veggie by just removing the ham. And if you are looking for a bit of spice, a drop of Tabasco would e my recommendation!

INGREDIENTS
Knob of butter
10 slices of ham
3 cups of grated carrot & courgette
6 eggs
1 cup of milk
Pinch of dried chilli flakes
Salt & pepper
1 quiche dish or individual muffin tin

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 170C
Grease the muffin tins with butter
Lay the ham slices in each of the muffin tins, 1 slice per tin
Whisk together the eggs, milk, chilli flakes and veg. Season with salt and pepper
Bake for around half an hour until golden brown
Re heat and have warm for breakfast or eat cold as a snack