Category: Recipes

Lemon Orzo with Quick Pickled Onions

Posted in Light Bites & Snacks, Main Meals, RecipesTagged , , , Leave a comment

I made these quick pickled onions for some friends when I recently visited them in Portugal; they absolutely loved them! This is a really easy and quick way to take the edge off raw onions, something I personally don’t always enjoy. I also love the pop of hot pink colour they add to the dish; the longer you leave the onions in the lemon juice, the brighter the pink.

This is the perfect meal you can double up the batch to make once but eat twice. It’s great as a cold pasta salad the next day, which, in addition, will allow resistant starch to form as it cools down.

Each serving provides you with 2.5 of your 5-A-Day, including 13g of fibre and 31g a protein. To make vegan or dairy free switch the feta for a vegan feta or use some crumbled tofu.

Lemon Orzo Pasta

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion, finely sliced
  • Zest and juice of 1.5-2 lemons
  • 150g orzo
  • 150g prepared asparagus tips
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Herbs – I have used mint, oregano and flat-leaf parsley
  • 75g feta
  • 1 tin of drained and rinsed chickpeas
  • 80g rocket

Method

  • Start by pickling the onions by blanching in boiled water for 30 seconds before draining and covering in the lemon juice.
  • Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling water for 1 minute less than the cooking instructions. Add the asparagus for the last minute before draining.
  • Add the onions along with all the lemon juice to the hot pasta and stir to combine, followed by the lemon zest, olive oil, herbs and season with pepper to taste.
  • Crumble in the feta, along with the chickpeas and rocket and stir to combine.
  • Delicious served hot or cold.

Griddled Asparagus Ricotta Toast

Posted in Breakfast, Light Bites & Snacks, RecipesTagged , , , Leave a comment

A really easy brunch idea that is light and refreshing, and perfect for late-morning spring brunches. Each serving provides you with a portion of vegetables, a portion of calcium, and fibre throughthe asparagus and seeded sourdough bread.

Serves 1

  • 1 slice of sourdough bread
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends snapped off
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 50g ricotta cheese
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Method

  • Preheat a griddle pan over a medium heat. Brush the bread with most of the oil and cook on each side till crisp.
  • Add the asparagus into the same pan, and brush with the remaining oil.
  • Once the bread is toasted rub the garlic clove over the surface of the bread to impart flavour.
  • In a bowl combine the ricotta cheese with the zest of a quarter lemon, season to taste and spread over the bread.
  • Pile the asparagus on top high and dust with a little extra lemon zest.
Asparagus Ricotta Toast

Wild Garlic Chicken Slaw Sandwich

Posted in Light Bites & Snacks, Main Meals, RecipesTagged , , Leave a comment

I couldn’t get the thought of this sandwich out of my head, so I had to make it! I thought the green of the wild garlic running through the mayonnaise would be much brighter, but I do love the way the purple and orange colours of the slaw still shine through.

If you don’t eat meat this would be delicious with some crushed chickpeas, or some slices of tofu crisped up in a pan or in the oven.

For the mayo

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • Juice of half a large lemon
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 50g wild garlic, roughly chopped

For the slaw filling

  • 1/2 an onion, finely sliced
  • 100g red cabbage, finely sliced
  • 1 large carrot, finely sliced
  • 2 chicken thighs, cooked, cooled and torn into strips

Method

  • Make the mayo by adding the egg yolk, mustard, lemon and around 25ml oil and mix together using an emersion blender. Slowly add the remaining oil to make a thick emulsion. Add the wild garlic and blend in.
  • Mix the slaw ingredients together with 2/3 of the mayo and then layer thickly into slices of sourdough to make 2 deep-filled sandwiches.
  • Wrap the sandwiches in paper to hold while you cut them in half.
Chicken Slaw Sandwich

Wild Garlic Sourdough Focaccia

Posted in Light Bites & Snacks, Recipes, SidesTagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I’m still trying to savour the wild garlic season, and I love baking it into bread. You can freeze the bread and use it in the months to come so further preserve the flavour of it.

For more information about making sourdough and the various stages visit my page on sourdough bread.

Makes 2 x 9″ square tins, but you could bake one large, or make a very deep focaccia

Ingredients

  • 150g levain, refreshed 8-12 hours earlier
  • 15ml extra virgin olive oil plus extra for later
  • 150g wholemeal bread flour
  • 600g white bread flour
  • 12g salt plus extra to top
  • A big bunch of wild garlic, roughly chopped – the more you put in the more garlicky the flavour
  • A few sprigs of rosemary (optional)

Method

  • Mix the levain, 500ml water and 15ml olive oil together before adding the flours and mixing to make a shaggy dough. Leave for 30 minutes covered.
  • Mix 12g of salt with 75ml water till dissolved, and pour over the dough, scrunching the dough with your hand to mix it in. The dough should look very rough and almost broken into small pieces. Cover and leave for 45 minutes.
  • Over the next few hours complete 4 sets of coil folds, adding the wild garlic in during the 2nd coil fold, allowing the dough to rest for 45-60 minute between each fold.
  • Grease two non-stick baking trays with olive oil (if not using non-stick line with baking parchment and add olive oil to the parchment). Tip out don’t the work surface and divide the dough into two. Gently transfer to the baking tray and push the dough over the surface so it reaches the corners as best you can – there will be some resistance so don’t force it.
  • Cover the dough and leave in the fridge to slowly rise overnight – anywhere between 8-24 hours depending on your schedule
  • The next day preheat your oven to maximum temperature, add a small empty tray to the bottom of the oven for steam later, and remove the focaccia from the fridge.
  • Once the oven is up to temperature, uncover the dough and drizzle with a little olive oil. Using wet fingers, press your fingertips through the surface of the dough to create plenty of dimples. Add rosemary to the dimples, sprinkle with a little extra salt and then flick water over the surface of your dough with your fingertips. Adding extra moisture will give a softer crust, so if you want a very crispy top omit this step along with the steam.
  • Place the focaccia in the oven, adding water into the hot tray to create steam, closing the door as quickly as possible to trap the steam in, and reduce the oven temperature to 225°C fan/ 245°C convection for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the tray with water and bake for another 5 minutes* till the crust is golden.
  • Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Wild Garlic Sourdough Focaccia

*if baking a thicker focaccia you may need an extra 5-10 minutes to fully cook the dough.

Roasted Tomato & Mascarpone Pasta

Posted in Main Meals, RecipesTagged , , Leave a comment

If you find yourself short on time, but still want a homemade dinner, this pasta sauce is so easy, and completely adaptable to your schedule. If you need to have a longer gap, reduce the oven temperature and increase the time, the end result will be almost identical, whilst giving you the flexibility you need to do your work, or exercise, or pick the kids up from school or in my case, walk the dog.

Cooking tomatoes in this way actually increases their lycopene content as the cells in the walls of the tomatoes have time to break down and release the lycopene, making it more bioavailable to our bodies. Lycopene is a type of antioxidant that can help protect our bodies from oxidative damage. Pairing it with a healthy fat, such as extra virgin olive oil as I have done here, can again help improve absorption rates as it’s fat soluble. Therefore, this is a delicious way to get some extra lycopene in your diet to help benefit your body.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 300g tomatoes, any size but larger ones will need to be cut into large chunks about cherry tomato sized
  • 1 head of garlic, top sliced off to expose the cloves
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 125g mascarpone
  • 300g pasta of choice
  • 240g baby leaf spinach*
  • 15g basil
  • Parmesan to serve

Method

  • Add the tomatoes and garlic to an ovenproof dish where it all fits snugly, and drizzle over the olive oil. Cook in an oven set to 150°C fan for 1.5 hours.
  • Once cooked, squeeze the garlic out of the skins and mash into the tomatoes with the mascarpone and season to taste with pepper.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook your pasta for 4 minutes less than the cooking time.
  • Drain, reserving a large mug of pasta water and return to the pan with a little pasta water, but not all. Add the spinach and stir in, cooking over a low heat for 2 minutes till the spinach has wilted. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the pasta sauce and basil and stir to combine, using a little extra pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
  • Serve with parmesan over the top.

*other suitable veg include swiss chard, broccoli, kale, or try roasting other veg at the same time as the tomatoes such as courgettes, peppers or aubergine.

Roasted Tomato & Mascarpone Pasta

Posted in Main Meals, RecipesTagged , , Leave a comment

If you find yourself short on time, but still want a homemade dinner, this pasta sauce is so easy, and completely adaptable to your schedule. If you need to have a longer gap, reduce the oven temperature and increase the time, the end result will be almost identical, whilst giving you the flexibility you need to do your work, or exercise, or pick the kids up from school or in my case, walk the dog.

Cooking tomatoes in this way actually increases their lycopene content as the cells in the walls of the tomatoes have time to break down and release the lycopene, making it more bioavailable to our bodies. Lycopene is a type of antioxidant that can help protect our bodies from oxidative damage. Pairing it with a healthy fat, such as extra virgin olive oil as I have done here, can again help improve absorption rates as it’s fat soluble. Therefore, this is a delicious way to get some extra lycopene in your diet to help benefit your body.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 300g tomatoes, any size but larger ones will need to be cut into large chunks about cherry tomato sized
  • 1 head of garlic, top sliced off to expose the cloves
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 125g mascarpone
  • 300g pasta of choice
  • 240g baby leaf spinach*
  • 15g basil
  • Parmesan to serve

Method

  • Add the tomatoes and garlic to an ovenproof dish where it all fits snugly, and drizzle over the olive oil. Cook in an oven set to 150°C fan for 1.5 hours.
  • Once cooked, squeeze the garlic out of the skins and mash into the tomatoes with the mascarpone and season to taste with pepper.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook your pasta for 4 minutes less than the cooking time.
  • Drain, reserving a large mug of pasta water and return to the pan with a little pasta water, but not all. Add the spinach and stir in, cooking over a low heat for 2 minutes till the spinach has wilted. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the pasta sauce and basil and stir to combine, using a little extra pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
  • Serve with parmesan over the top.
Roasted Tomato and Mascarpone Pasta

*other suitable veg include swiss chard, broccoli, kale, or try roasting other veg at the same time as the tomatoes such as courgettes, peppers or aubergine.

Wild Garlic Hummus

Posted in Light Bites & Snacks, Recipes, SidesTagged , , , , , , Leave a comment

I’ve had a few requests for some wild garlic recipes which are easy, so I’ve made this Wild Garlic Hummus which couldn’t be simpler for anyone wanted to use wild garlic which has arrived in their weekly veg delivery box. You can choose how much wild garlic you want to use, and obviously the more you use, the greener it will be as well as the stronger the garlic taste – you can always add more!

Ingredients

  • 50-100g wild garlic
  • 1 tin of chickpeas
  • Juice of 1-2 lemons
  • 50g tahini
  • 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

  • Add everything to a blender and blend to a desireable consistency, adding extra lemon juice of olive oil where needed.
  • Serve with your favourite crudités, bread, crackers, storing any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Wild Garlic Hummus

Wild Garlic Hummus

Posted in Light Bites & Snacks, Recipes, SidesTagged , , , , , , Leave a comment

I’ve had a few requests for some wild garlic recipes which are easy, so I’ve made this Wild Garlic Hummus which couldn’t be simpler for anyone wanted to use wild garlic which has arrived in their weekly veg delivery box. You can choose how much wild garlic you want to use, and obviously the more you use, the greener it will be as well as the stronger the garlic taste – you can always add more!

Ingredients

  • 50-100g wild garlic
  • 1 tin of chickpeas
  • Juice of 1-2 lemons
  • 50g tahini
  • 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

  • Add everything to a blender and blend to a desirable consistency, adding extra lemon juice or olive oil where needed.
  • Serve with your favourite crudités, bread, crackers, storing any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Wild Garlic Hummus

Wild Garlic Pesto Pizza Sandwich

Posted in Main Meals, RecipesTagged , , , , , Leave a comment

If you’ve been on Instagram for just a minute you will probably have seen these trending pizza sandwiches. They’re delicious. I highly recommend you make these! I’ve used my sourdough pizza base recipe, and then any surplus dough I used to make extra pizzas for easy mid-week dinners!

Serves 3

Ingredients

  • Half batch of sourdough pizza base, divided into 3 small balls, rested for 30 minutes before cooking (or make a full batch and use any leftover dough for pizzas)
  • 3 tsp rice flour
  • 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Half portion of wild garlic pesto
  • 120g rocket, or other salad leaf of choice
  • 250g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 ball burrata
  • A few basil leaves

Method

  • Preheat the oven to maximum temperature with your pizza stone and allow to fully heat.
  • Use a little rice flour and shape the dough into a disk in the same way you would for a pizza. Brush half the surface with 1 tsp of the olive oil, and fold the unbrushed side over the top. Transfer to the pizza stone to cook for 6-8 minutes till golden and crispy.
  • Once cooked, generously spread the wild garlic pesto on the inside of the pizza dough, and fill with rocket, tomatoes, burrata and basil leaves.
  • Enjoy immediately!
Pizza Sandwich

Wild Garlic Pesto Pizza Sandwich

Posted in Light Bites & Snacks, Main Meals, RecipesTagged , , , , , Leave a comment

If you’ve been on Instagram for just a minute you will probably have seen these trending pizza sandwiches. They’re delicious. I highly recommend you make these! I’ve used my sourdough pizza base recipe, and then any surplus dough I used to make extra pizzas for easy mid-week dinners!

Serves 3

Ingredients

  • Half batch of sourdough pizza base, divided into 3 small balls, rested for 30 minutes before cooking (or make a full batch and use any leftover dough for pizzas)
  • 3 tsp rice flour
  • 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Half portion of wild garlic pesto
  • 120g rocket, or other salad leaf of choice
  • 250g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 ball burrata
  • A few basil leaves

Method

  • Preheat the oven to maximum temperature with your pizza stone and allow to fully heat.
  • Use a little rice flour and shape the dough into a disk in the same way you would for a pizza. Brush half the surface with 1 tsp of the olive oil, and fold the unbrushed side over the top. Transfer to the pizza stone to cook for 6-8 minutes till golden and crispy.
  • Once cooked, generously spread the wild garlic pesto on the inside of the pizza dough, and fill with rocket, tomatoes, burrata and basil leaves.
  • Enjoy immediately!
Pizza Sandwich

Best of Both Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

Posted in Dessert, RecipesTagged , , , , , , Leave a comment

If the thought of making hot cross buns with chocolate and orange is too exotic for you, why not try my Best of Both Apple and Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns which are more traditional. But for anyone who isn’t put off by the thoughts of an unconventional hot cross bun, you’re in the right place!

My Best of Both Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns are the perfect combination of sweet, fruity and spiced goodness. They’re also best of both as they use wholemeal flour to help add extra fibre to the buns, meaning each serving provides you with over 5g of fibre, helping you achieve the daily recommendation of 30g.

Makes 9 buns

Ingredients

For the buns

  • 175g strong wholemeal flour
  • 150g strong white flour
  • 25g cocoa powder
  • 30g caster sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 7g fast action yeast
  • 50g butter, melted
  • Zest of 2 large oranges
  • Juice of 2 large oranges (175ml juice with a little of the pulp, made up with water if needed)
  • 1 egg
  • 60g sultanas
  • 60g mixed peel
  • 60g dark chocolate chips

For the crosses

  • 10g butter
  • 40g strong white flour
  • 45ml water

For the glaze

  • 50g marmalade
  • 40ml water

Method

  • Add all the dried ingredients for the buns, except the dried fruit and chocolate, into a stand mixer. Add the butter, egg and orange zest and juice. Mix on a low speed for 10 minutes – the dough should be just sticky. After 10 minutes add the dried fruit and chocolate and mix for a further 2 minutes till incorporated. Form into a ball, cover, and allow to rise till doubled in size for around 1.5 hours.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, knock it back and divide the ball into 9 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a tight ball without any fruit sticking out the top as these will burn. Place the balls in a 3×3 formation in a baking tin roughly 20cmx20cm lined with baking parchment. Cover and allow to prove for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.
  • Melt the butter for the crosses and then whisk in the flour and water to make a thick pipe-able paste. Transfer into a piping bag and snip the end to make a small hole. Pipe crosses (or whatever you fancy) across the tops of the buns. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes till golden brown.
  • Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the water and marmalade to make the glaze.
  • Once the buns are cooker, immediately brush with the glaze.
  • Transfer to a wire rack, remove the baking parchment and allow to cool.

Per bun: 328kcal/ 9.6g fat/ 5.4g saturated fat/ 50.0g carbohydrates/ 5.4g fibre/ 7.9g protein

Salmon Teriyaki Bowl

Posted in Light Bites & Snacks, RecipesTagged , , , Leave a comment

I love making this sticky and sweet salmon teriyaki, and cutting the salmon into small cubes means that there are more sticky corners where the sugar from the honey can caramelise on the fish. It also means that you can cook the salmon in 10 minutes so dinner can be served quicker!

In the UK we don’t consume enough oily fish, and I think one of the major barriers to this is that people don’t like the taste of fish. Therefore, I think if we can make a really delicious recipe using fish, yes with some added sugars, then there are still going to be benefits gained from this.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp sake
  • 4 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 500g salmon, descaled and cut into cubes

To serve

  • Cooked brown sushi rice
  • Pickled carrots
  • Wakame
  • Pak Choi
  • Edamame beans
  • Radish
  • Coriander
  • Chillis
  • Spring onions
  • Sesame seeds

Method

  • Heat the honey, soy sauce, mirin and sake in a pan together till reduced to half the volume, add the ginger and garlic towards the end. Allow to cool.
  • Preheat your oven to 225°C fan/ and 250°C convection
  • Mix the salmon with half the teriyaki sauce, reserving the remaining half for later. Line a baking tray and spread the salmon out evenly, spacing the pieces out.
  • Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes till the edges of the salmon are sticky and charred.
  • Serve the salmon over the rice alongside all the veg, adding a final drizzle of teriyaki sauce over the top.
Salmon Teriyaki