Tag: vegetarian

Wholegrain Spring Risotto

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

This risotto is a true labour of love, starting with growing the broad beans from scratch, to shelling them with fresh British peas, and then using wholegrain risotto rice, which, unbeknown to me up till this point, takes much longer to cook in comparison to its white counterpart. Something I feel I should have know, but may have overlooked. Therefore, I have a few simple swaps to make the process easier. Despite this, Matt said it was really delicious and I should make it again!

I was also surprised that using brown risotto rice only gave 8.6g of fibre per serving, whereas white risotto rice would have given 8.3g fibre per serving. So the addition of 0.3g of fibre per serving for me doesn’t equate to the extra time spent cooking and stirring an already labour intensive dish!

I absolutely love fresh peas straight from their pod, there is nothing that quite tastes like it. However, if you’re short on time, or if peas are not in season, use frozen peas and broad beans, or swap the seasonal asparagus for other green veg such as kale, swiss chard, purple sprouting broccoli or sugar snap peas.

Serves 5

  • 825g broad beans in their pods, or 250g shelled
  • 450g peas in their pods, or 100g shelled
  • 200g asparagus, tougher stems finely chopped and tender tips cut into large lengths
  • 1 very large onion, finely diced
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 300g brown risotto rice (or swap to white if you prefer)
  • 250ml dry white wine (option to leave out if preferred)
  • 2 stock cubes
  • 75g parmesan, grated
  • 100g pea shoots

Method

  • Blanch your broad beans, peas and asparagus tips in 2l* of boiling water for 2 minutes, 30 seconds and 1 minute respectively before plunging into iced water to retain their vibrant green colour. Set aside.
  • Using the reserved blanching water, add your stock cubes and keep on a low heat.
  • In a large pan, gently soften the onions in the olive oil with the tougher asparagus stems for around 10 minutes, till the onion starts to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute longer.
  • Add the butter and risotto rice and toast till fragrant, usually around 2 minutes, before adding the wine and allowing the grains to absorb the liquid.
  • Add a few ladles of stock at a time, and stir continuously till absorbed. Repeat this process till the rice is cooked through, but still has a slight bite to it.
  • Drain the broad beans, peas, and asparagus tips and add to the rice, cooking for 1-2 minutes till warmed through.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan and serve with pea shoots.

*White risotto rice will use less water than brown risotto rice

Wholegrain Spring Risotto

10 Minute Sesame Udon Noodles

Posted in Main Meals, RecipesTagged , , , , , , Leave a comment
10 minute sesame noodles

This is my perfect working from home lunch when I have have 10 minutes to cook something. I want it to be nutritious but quick, and this is the perfect meal for that. You can sub the vegetables with what you have, but I always have frozen edamame beans in the freezer ready for a quick snack or meal. They’re a great source of plant-based protein, really affordable and conveniently shelled in the pack so you can just add them to whatever you’re cooking for the last minute or two.

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2″ piece of ginger, minced
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sake
  • 2 packs of udon noodles
  • 160g choi sum
  • 160g edamame beans
  • 3 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 2 sheets nori, cut into thin strips
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Method

  • Cook the udon noodles according to the packet instructions, adding the veg in for the last minute of cooking.
  • Meanwhile make the sauce by combining the garlic, ginger, tahini, mirin, soy sauce and sake together.
  • Toss the cooked noodles in the sauce to evenly coat, adding some cooking water to get a smooth sauce consistency to your liking, and add the veg, garnishing with the spring onion, nori and sesame seeds.
10 minute sesame noodles
10 minute sesame noodles

Per serving: 511kcal/ 23g fat/ 3g saturated fat/ 48g carbohydrates/ 11g fibre/ 21g protein

Mushrooms & Spinach on Toast

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

The Easiest Bank Holiday Brunching that’s perfect for my savoury tooth. It would also make the perfect light dinner, or post-gym meal thanks to the combination of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy monounsaturated fats in this dish.

Serves 1

Ingredients

  • 200g mixed mushrooms, roughly torn or chopped
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely grated
  • 80g baby leaf spinach
  • 1 slice of sourdough
  • 2 eggs

Method

  • Heat a pan with half the olive oil. Tear the mushrooms into the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes till golden and crisp on some of the edges
  • Add the garlic and spinach, cooking till just wilted
  • Meanwhile toast your bread with some olive oil and poach your eggs to your liking. I cooked mine for 4 minutes to get a runny yolk
  • Stack the mushrooms and spinach on the toast and top with the soft poached eggs. Enjoy immediately
Mushrooms on Toast
Mushrooms on Toast

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 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 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

Roasted Butternut Squash and Lentil Salad

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

Salad means different things to different people. I refer to this as a salad, even though there is a distinct lack of green leafy vegetables as you might often think of. But trust me, this is worth adding to your repertoire!

It’s packed full of lovely ingredients that help provide a wide variety of nutrients including plenty of plant-based protein, fibre, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), iron, folate and vitamin K1 to name but a few.

For those following a full plant-based diet try swapping the goat cheese for a plant-based cheese alternative, or use tofu and roast in the same way.

You also know that I love to use as much of my homegrown veg as possible. So, I’m making sure I save the seeds and roast them up as a crispy topping. It adds an extra texture dimension to the whole dish and saves edible food from going into the bin. The seeds also have slightly different nutritional properties to the flesh of the butternut squash itself, so it really is a win-win situation.

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 small butternut squash, around 400g when prepared, saving the seeds
  • 2 cloves of garlic, skin on
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 100g goat cheese, sliced in half
  • 100g puy lentils
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 30g chives, finely chopped
  • 50g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/ 200°C convection
  • Prep the butternut squash by removing the very ends and slicing in half lengthways. Remove the seeds, but save for later. Coat the butternut squash in 1 tbsp olive oil and place on a baking tray. In a separate small ovenproof dish add the garlic and 1/2 tbsp olive oil and cover. Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, separate the seeds from the pulp and dry before mixing with the remaining 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Remove the roasted garlic dish and spread the seeds out over the tray, and add the goat cheese into the cavity of the butternut squash. Bake for 12-15 minutes till the seeds are crispy and the cheese has melted.
  • Meanwhile, cook the lentils by bringing them to the boil and then simmer for 12-15 minutes till soft but still with a bite.
  • Remove the garlic skins and mash the garlic into the oil with the mustard and balsamic vinegar to make a sauce. Mix into the hot lentils, and once slightly cooled mix in the herbs.
  • Serve straight away hot, or equally delicious eaten cold as leftovers the next day.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Lentil Salad

Per serving: 565kcal/ 29g fat/ 11g saturated fat/ 40g carbohydrates/ 15g fibre/ 28g protein