UK-grown runner beans should be readily available now – maybe you can even pick them fresh from the garden. You can’t go wrong, health wise, by eating lots of runner beans – they’re a rich source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin K, soluble fibre and minerals. Don’t just use them as a side – I’ve come up with a simple pasta dish and a summer potato salad here. Meanwhile, I’ve planted nasturtiums everywhere this  year – in the vegetable plot, in our hanging baskets and in pots. The leaves are flourishing though I’m still waiting for the flowers. Did you know every part of the nasturtium plant is edible? The leaves are a bit like watercress and are high in vitamin C. Add them to a salad for a green boost – here I’ve combined them with watercress, but they go well with any leaves. 

Nasturtium and watercress salad

This is super healthy and a great mixture of colours, textures and flavours.

Serves two

Handful of nasturtium leaves, chopped

Bunch or bag of watercress

Heritage tomatoes (I found a box of green, orange, yellow and red), chopped

One tbsp. mixed seeds

Box of alfalfa sprouts

Chopped herbs (I used mint and basil)

Flax seed oil, cider vinegar and lemon to dress

 Mix the leaves, seeds and tomatoes. Dress and top with the sprouts and chopped/torn herbs.

Runner bean pasta with chili oil and pecorino and herbs

I was lucky enough to be invited to pick some runner beans from a colleague’s sunny terrace recently. Took them straight home and made this simple pasta dish – I really noticed the difference between these beans and those flown in to the supermarket from abroad. So, see if you can buy local or, better still, grow your own. I also think it’s good to experiment with tipping the balance towards more beans, less pasta and maybe even try this dish with one of the vegetable pastas. 

Serves one

Around 10 runner beans, sliced

50g pasta

Pecorino cheese, grated

Fresh basil

Cook the beans for around 4 minutes and drain. Cook the pasta. Add the beans and finish with grated pecorino, torn basil and a drizzle of oil (I used chilli-infused flax seed oil). 

Runner bean and new potato salad

This would be great with freshly picked beans and freshly dug potatoes. Go for as fresh and local as you can find! 

Serves two

Around 20 runner beans, sliced

10 to 12 new potatoes

One tbsp. mixed seeds

For the dressing:

Horseradish mustard

Flax seed oil

Greek or other high-protein yoghurt

Fresh mint leaves, chopped.

Cook the beans for around 4 minutes, drain and leave to cool. Cook the potatoes till tender and leave to cool. Combine the dressing ingredients to taste (exact quantities don’t matter). Mix the beans, potatoes and seeds and toss in the dressing. Finish with chopped mint leaves. 

Next time. August – bring on the watermelons. 

I’ve chosen cherries, peas and broad beans as this month’s seasonal produce. All have a short season, so grab them while you can! Indeed, you might find it hard to get hold of fresh peas and broad beans. If so, these recipes work perfectly well with frozen – though I think they taste a bit better with fresh (as was proved some years ago, the nutritional value of frozen veg is the same, or higher, than fresh as they are frozen – or should be – within minutes of picking, which preserves the nutrients).

Cherries, peas and broad beans are all excellent sources of vitamin C, fibre and antioxidants. Cherries are also a relatively low GI fruit – handy to know if you’re watching your intake of carbs/sugars. Tart cherry juice has also been credited with numerous health benefits, such as helping with gout and joint pain and preventing inflammation.

Summer cherry smoothie

I had not tried tart cherry juice (bought from a  health food shop) before. I didn’t much care for it on its own, as it tastes a bit like prunes (reminder of school dinners), but it makes a delicious smoothie with fresh berries. 

Serves one

Carton of raspberries

Carton of strawberries, hulled and chopped

One tsp. matcha powder

One tbsp. chia seeds

One tbsp.. raw cacao powder

Tart cherry juice

Blend the berries, powders and seeds with the cherry juice in a Nutribullet or similar device. 

Red fruit salad

Here’s an alternative way with berries and cherries.

Serves two

Carton of raspberries

Carton of strawberries, hulled and chopped

Carton of cherries, stoned and halved

Mix the fruits. Delicious with Greek yoghurt for breakfast or as a healthy dessert at a summer barbeque or garden party. 

Pea guacamole

This is guacamole with both avocado and peas. The marscapone makes it rich and creamy but for a lower-fat version, I’m thinking you could substitute cottage cheese, quark or thick yoghurt. 

Serves two to three

200g tub marscapone 

Two avocados, peeled and chopped

200g peas, cooked

Handful of mint leaves

One chilli, deseeded and chopped

Juice of two limes

Flaxseed oil

Sour cream

Blast all the ingredients except the oil and sour cream in a Nutribullet or food processor. Check the consistency and, if too thick, add a little oil and/or sour cream to thin it down. Serves with a colourful selection of crudités and/or seeded flatbreads/interesting bread. This tastes even better after a night in the fridge! Definitely one for sharing at a summer party.

Broad bean salad

Serves two

Bag of your favourite salad leaves (I used pea shoots and a few lettuce leaves from the garden)

Around 200g fresh or frozen broad beans, cooked and cooled

50g pine nuts

Two avocados, peeled and chopped

Dressing: mustard, flax seed oil and cider vinegar with a squeeze of lemon

Chopped mint and chives to finish

Mix all ingredients, dress, toss and finish with the chopped herbs.

Next month: Runner beans and nasturtiums.

This month I’ve made lettuce, radishes and pak choi my seasonal choices. They’re all low in calories and a good source of vitamins, including the key nutrient folic acid, and minerals. And I’ve given my three recipes a bit of retro feel, updating them with a healthy twist.  

Lettuce party

Time was when salad was a few leaves of cos lettuce, a bit of diced beetroot, a couple of slices of tomato, half a hard-boiled egg, finished off with salad cream. Nothing wrong with that simple approach if the ingredients are fresh and locally sourced. I’ve made this into an exclusive lettuce party, by gathering together (at least) four types of leaves and adding extra flavour and texture with the cheese and seeds

Serves four

Romaine lettuce, shredded

Two little Gem lettuce, torn into individual leaves

Bag of lamb’s lettuce

Bag of baby mixed leaves 

Grated Pecorino (or other hard Italian) cheese

Pomegranate seeds

Mixed seeds (pumpkin, linseed and so on).

Mix the leaves, add the seeds and finish with the cheese. Make up a dressing with your favourite oil, vinegar, lemon juice and chopped herb.  

Radish fondue party

I received a coffee percolator for my 21^st– but many of my friends were given fondue sets, which were very trendy in the 1970s. I’ve used radishes (instead of steak or bread cubes) to recreate the fondue party scene and used it as an excuse to create a new healthy dip instead of melted cheese with wine. This recipe is also a bit of a throwback to 1960s/1970s party canapes with pineapple and cheese on sticks, and so on…This would work well at a BBQ party!

Serves up to six 

Radishes

Pineapple cubes

Feta cubes

Cherry tomatoes

Olives

For the dip

One tub of high-quality hummus

One tbsp. horseradish sauce

One tbsp. peanut butter

Flaxseed or olive oil to thin

Make little ‘kebabs’ by sticking the radishes on wooden sticks, pairing them with the pineapple and so on. Dip the kebabs into the horseradish hummus. 

Sweet and sour stir fry

When I was a student, my favourite takeaway or meal out was sweet and sour pork. Here’s a healthier version – still sweet and sour, but focusing on pak choi and mushrooms.

Serves two

Two heads of pak choi

100g mixed mushrooms, sliced

100g shredded pineapple 

Pineapple juice

One tbsp. peanut butter

Soy sauce

Heat coconut or sesame oil in a wok or big frying pan and stir fry the mushrooms and pak choi till the leaves are wilted. Then add the peanut butter, pineapple juice and soy sauce to make a sweet and sour sauce. Stir till heated through. Serve with two nests of high-protein wholewheat noodles (I used spelt, but other varieties are available).

Next time. Celebrate early summer with peas, broad beans and cherries.

I’ve chosen cauliflower, spinach and celeriac from the seasonal list for April. The first two I’ve covered before in this blog. As a reminder, cauliflower – like cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts – is a good source of the anti-cancer compound sulforaphane. And spinach is a real superfood, with a high content of vitamins C and K, and a wealth of other goodies like carotenoids and polyphenol. If you were to consume spinach most days of the year (not just in April!) you’d probably give your present and future health a big boost. 

So, I’m introducing celeriac here. It tastes like celery so no surprise that it’s actually the same plant. Both are varieties of Apium graveolens – celery is the stalks and leaves, celeriac the root (strictly speaking it’s a tuber). Celeriac is very rich in vitamin K which is essential for strong bones. A recent studyalso suggests that A graveolens contains compounds that lower the blood pressure. I’ve just found out that you can juice.

Green lemonade

Serves one

This is the classic spinach-cucumber-celery combo, blended with all the citrus fruits and ginger. 

100g spinach

One cucumber, chopped into chunks

Three sticks celery, chopped into chunks

One red grapefruit, peeled and quartered

Two oranges, peeled and quartered

One lime

One lemon

Two inches peeled ginger root

Spinach and cauliflower curry

Serves four (or two people for two days)

This is a repeat of one of my earlier recipes, except that I have replaced the chick peas with urad (or urid) dal, which is particularly high in protein and has a lovely creamy taste. I had a delicious side dish of dal makhani (where urad dal is the main ingredient) in an Indian restaurant recently and decided it was time to increase my repertoire of the pulses I use in cooking.  

One cauliflower, chopped into florets

One tbsp. cinnamon

One tbsp. turmeric

One tbsp. curry paste

One red onion

A one inch piece of ginger, chopped

Three cloves garlic, crushed

One chopped red chilli

Around 400g urad dal, soaked overnight and cooked till soft L

One bag spinach

One tin coconut milk

One tbsp. tomato puree

Lemon juice

Chopped coriander and mint to finish  

Heat some coconut oil and fry the onion, garlic, chilli, ginger and spices till soft. Add the cauliflower and cook for around 10 minutes. Add urad dal and stir till everything is coated with the spice mixture. Add the coconut milk and turn down to simmer. Cook until reduced and add the tomato puree.  Finish with a squeeze of lemon and the chopped herbs.

Celeriac and new potato salad

Serves four (or two meals for two people)

This is a combination of two classic dishes – celeriac remoulade and potato salad, with the mayonnaise replaced by a creamy yoghurt vinaigrette. I also thought it would be fun to combine celeriac and celery in one dish. 

Ten new potatoes

100g frozen peas

Small jar of capers

One celeriac, divided into two halves

Three celery stalks, chopped into small pieces

For the dressing

Two garlic cloves

One tbsp. cider vinegar

Two tbsp. flax seed oil

One tbsp. lemon juice

Two tbsp. Greek yoghurt

Boil the potatoes, cook the peas, drain and set aside. When cool, mix potatoes and peas with all other ingredients except the celeriac. Grind the garlic with rock salt to make a paste and whisk in the cider vinegar, lemon juice and oil to make a vinaigrette. Then add the yoghurt and mix to make a creamy dressing. Mix with the salad. 

Now you can go one of two ways.

One meal (four people). Shred all the celeriac and mix into the salad. This would be nice served with baked salmon and a green vegetable as a celebratory Easter meal.

Two meals. Do not leave shredded celeriac in a salad dressing overnight. It gets very soggy because it absorbs the liquid. So, divide the potato salad into two. Add the freshly shredded celeriac to one half. Refrigerate the other half. Next day, repeat, so the celeriac always goes in fresh. We had the second helping with smoked mackerel and green salad – another healthy Easter meal. 

Next time: Salads and stir fries for May 

M is for March – and three early Spring recipes

For the next few months, I’m going to go seasonal and pay more attention to when my fruits and vegetables are at their best and to buy local, where possible, for best freshness and quality, and loose from a high-quality greengrocer, rather than pre-packaged from a supermarket. I used the BBC Good Food seasonality tableas a guide (other such tables are, of course, available). For March, I chose the following from the list:  

• Bramley apples
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Grapefruit
• Leek
• Lemon
• Onion and spring onion
• Pak choi
• Peppers
• Purple sprouting broccoli
• Rhubarb (Netherlands)
• Oranges (Italy)

Unless indicated otherwise, all of these are available as UK grown (indeed, you might even be inspired to grow your own, or maybe join an allotment swap scheme). 

Bramley apple and red grapefruit juice with ginger 

Professor Jane Plant survived breast cancer from 1993 to 2016 and devised a dairy-free diet to help her fight the disease. She has some interesting recipes in her book The Plant Programme, where she suggests using Bramley apples for juicing for their folic acid and vitamin C content. Red grapefruit, which also rich in vitamin C, contains the antioxidants hesperidin and naringenin. The combination, with ginger, makes a refreshing, tangy juice.

Serves two

Three to four Bramley apples, chopped into large pieces

Two to three red (white or pink) grapefruit, peeled and pulled into segments

Two inches root ginger, peeled and chopped into large pieces

Juice everything and drink immediately.

Spring stir fry with high protein noodles

Serves two

No need for exact quantities in this recipe. Just choose three or four of the seasonal vegetables from the list above, all of which are healthy choices. The brassicas (cabbage and so on) contain sulphoraphane and indoles, which are said to have an anti-cancer benefit, while onions and leeks contain alliums, which can help lower blood pressure, as well as being prebiotic, which will encourage a healthy gut flora.  

Chop/shred the vegetables finely and stir fry with soy sauce, cider vinegar, garlic and ginger (add chopped chilli/chilli sauce if you like it hot). Serve with high protein noodles and/or salmon baked in foil with pesto (200˚C, 20 minutes).

Rhubarb, orange and strawberry crumble

I’ll admit that, apart from some soluble fibre, rhubarb does not have much going for it healthwise. But, like asparagus in May, it is one of my seasonal treats, especially in a crumble. It is delicious combined with oranges (which come into season in the first quarter of the year). I included the strawberries (not seasonal, of course) to add some sweetness to the fruit mix, so you don’t need to add any sugar. For the crumble, I experimented with coconut flour, which nicely absorbs some of the juices from the fruit layer. 

Serves four

One pack of rhubarb, chopped

One or two oranges, segmented

One pack of strawberries, sliced

For the topping

150g wholemeal or coconut flour

100g butter, chopped

One tsp. coconut blossom nectar to sweeten 

Cinnamon

Layer the fruit in a baking dish. Rub the butter into the flour, coconut blossom nectar and cinnamon mix, to make crumbs. Then top the fruit with it. Bake at 200˚C for 35 to 40 mins till top is brown.

Next time. A is for April: recipes for a healthy Easter break. 

While researching this post, I noticed that pomegranates have a very long history and have often appeared in art, literature and mythology. I came across Proserpine, painted by the pre-Raphaelite Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1874. I’d seen the painting before but had forgotten that the Roman goddess is holding a pomegranate. According to myth, she was kidnapped by Pluto, the god of the underworld and could only return to earth if she had not consumed any underworld food! Unfortunately, she had eaten six seeds from the pomegranate and was therefore condemned to spend six months of the year in Hades. Thus, the pomegranate in the Rossetti’s painting is a symbol of captivity. 

This was a happy coincidence, for Rossetti’s Proserpineis in Tate Britain, which we visited yesterday afternoon, as part of NYE outing, to see the brilliant Edward Burne-Jones (another pre-Raphaelite) exhibition. So, we sought out that famous pomegranate in the 19^thcentury galleries.   

The pomegranate fruit should be a symbol of health, rather than captivity, because the hundreds of tiny seeds (known of arils) that it contains are packed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory phytochemicals called punicalagins. They also contain a conjugated linolenic acid (CLAs) called punicic acid. Research on cells, lab animals and humans suggest that the punicalagins may help prevent or manage a whole range of health problems, including cancer, arthritis, joint pain heart disease, high blood pressure, while CLAs have been shown to help with obesity, high blood pressure and insulin resistance.

You can buy a whole pomegranate for about a pound at the greengrocer – much cheaper than the pre-packaged seeds. Releasing the seeds can be messy though – I score the fruit around the centre and twisted it into two halves and then just break the seeds out from the clumps inside into a bowl, and then pick out the bits of pith. Then there’s 100% pomegranate juice which is more expensive than other fruit juices, but is great to add to plain water with a slice of lemon as a healthy hydrating drink or to top up a home-made juice.  

Winter pomegranate juice

This combines pomegranate with cranberries, another winter fruit. Two pomegranates provide about 100ml of juice. The spinach adds a touch of green, without detracting from the delicious taste of this juice.  

One serving

One box of cranberries

Two pomegranates, seeded  

Eight oranges, peeled

100g spinach

One inch piece of root ginger, peeled

Juice all ingredients and drink immediately.

Super pomegranate salad

This combines elements from various Greek and Turkish restaurants I’ve visited over the last few months. I haven’t put precise quantities, so just make up a big bowl in whatever proportions you want.

Four servings

Green leaves (rocket, watercress, baby kale, baby spinach, lamb’s lettuce or a mixture)

Olives (a pot of something interesting from the deli, maybe with sundried tomatoes, artichokes, manchego or more feta.

Cubed feta

Seeds

Walnut halves 

Avocado, peeled and chopped

Pomegranate seeds

Mix all the ingredients and dress with flax seed oil, cider vinegar and lemon.

Pomegranate fruit salad

Some seasonal citrus, tropical mango and a generous dressing of pomegranate seeds make a delicious healthy fruit salad to start the day or end a meal with. 

Four servings

Four to six oranges/satsumas/clementines, peeled and segmented

Two mangoes, peeled and cubed

100g pomegranate seeds

Mint leaves, chopped, to decorate

Cinnamon, to sprinkle

Mix the oranges/citrus fruit with the mango. Scatter with the pomegranate seeds, decorate with the mint leaves and finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Next time. P is for Peanut Butter 

Festive recipes

I’m already seeing too many articles about how to deal with excessive consumption at Christmas. My advice is simple. Use the season as an opportunity to give your food a festive touch by including a touch more spice. In this blog, I’m focusing on ginger and cinnamon, both of which contain some interesting phytochemicals which are good for your health.

Ginger contains potent anti-inflammatory compounds known as gingerols. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know that I include ginger in every juice I make. You can also make it into a tea, by merely pouring boiling water onto a few thin slices of peeled root ginger. Add a pinch of turmeric and/or squeeze of lemon if you like, to make a healthy hot drink.  

Cinnamon is the inner bark of the tree of the same name. The bark is either used direct, in stick form, or ground to make a powder. The characteristic festive odour of cinnamon comes from the compound cinnamaldehyde, which is thought to be responsible for its glucose-lowering properties (below). It also has anti-bacterial properties, which is why cinnamon oil/candles are good to burn in the winter months – they might help you ward off colds and flu. Like ginger, cinnamon is also rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory phytochemicals. A sprinkle of cinnamon goes well with a healthy breakfast of Greek yoghurt and blueberries.

Studies suggest that an intake of up to two tbsp. per day of cinnamon may help reduce blood glucose and increase insulin sensitivity, which could help prevent Type 2 diabetes.

 

Ginger and berry smoothie

I made a discovery here – frozen mixed berries contain redcurrants and blackcurrants which are hard to source at the greengrocers. They work better in a smoothie than a juice, so this has to be made in two stages – extract the ginger into a juice which is then added to the smoothie.

Two servings

1kg bag of frozen berries

Pomegranate juice

Large piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

Defrost the berries. Take a handful and juice with the ginger. Then make a smoothie with this juice and the rest of the berries. Top up with pomegranate juice.

 

Soup

My mother used to make a delicious carrot and ginger soup. This is an extended version with more veg from the orange part of the spectrum and some pulses for added protein.

Four to five servings

Large piece of ginger, peeled and grated

Two tsps. ground cinnamon

Two onions, peeled and chopped

Four carrots, peeled and chopped

One red pepper, peeled and chopped

One yellow pepper, peeled and chopped

Two 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

100g soup mix pulses or red lentils

Rosemary and/or mixed herbs

Fry all the peeled vegetables with the ginger and cinnamon till softened. Add the tomatoes, pulses/lentils and herbs and simmer till pulses/lentils are soft. Top up with vegetable stock if the mix is too thick. You can serve this chunky or blend with a hand blender for a smoother soup.

 

 

Walnut turkey

When I cooked my first vegetarian Christmas dinner, friends joked about my ‘walnut turkey’.  The recipe for my festive nut roast is slightly different every time and, this year, I’m returning to the walnut theme – not forgetting to add some cinnamon. Thanks to my pal Terry for the Weetabix tip – easier than breadcrumbs and they absorb all the liquid and flavours well!

Don’t wait for Christmas day – I’m rehearsing my walnut turkey this weekend!

Serves four to six

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 onion, finely chopped

300g mixed mushrooms, finely chopped

100g spinach

1 400g tin chopped tomatoes

4 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped

2 tsp cinnamon

I tbsp. mixed herbs

100g walnuts, chopped

50g hazelnuts, chopped

100g crumbled Weetabix

3 large eggs, beaten

100g grated cheese

1 tsp Marmite

2 tbsp tomato puree

Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Fry the onion in the coconut oil till soft, then add the mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the spinach and stir till wilted. Make a paste with the Marmite and tomato puree in a little boiling water and add this to the vegetable mixture, with the tin of tomatoes. Set aside to cool and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the Weetabix crumbs, nuts, cheese, herbs and cinnamon. Leave for 15 minutes. Then add the beaten eggs. Stir until well mixed and transfer to a loaf tin lined with greased foil. Bake for around an hour. I served this with onion gravy, Brussels sprouts and carrots in the rehearsal meal. On Christmas Day, I’ll make a tomato and cranberry sauce and add roast potatoes with rosemary to the vegetables.

Have a happy and healthy Christmas!

Next time

. P is for pomegranates

I’m just back from the Oceania exhibition at the Royal Academy and was struck by how many of the 200 artefacts from the Pacific on display used coconut fibre as a material. The coconut, which is the seed of a tropical palm tree, might be the most complete plant on earth. Besides the fibre, it provides flesh, which can be processed into oil, flour and milk, and water which comes from the centre of the nut. Meanwhile, the blossom of the palm provides a sweetener in the form of coconut blossom nectar.

So, let’s celebrate the coconut palm with some healthy recipes that use no fewer than five of its edible products.

 

Coco green juice

As coconut water is rich in potassium and known for its hydration properties, this juice is a healthy post-exercise choice.

Serves one

Bag of kale (or other green leaves)

One pear, chopped

Half a cucumber, chopped

One inch root ginger, peeled and chopped

Coconut water

Pure pomegranate juice

Juice the kale, pear, cucumber and ginger. Top up with coconut water and a dash of pomegranate juice to boost the antioxidant content.

 

Pink coconut smoothie

Coconut milk is rich in iron and zinc and adds a creamy, luxurious touch to this smoothie

Serves one

Coconut milk/coconut and almond milk

Carton of raspberries, strawberries or a mixture of the two

One tbsp. peanut butter

One tsp. matcha

Two tsps. cacao (or cacao and cinnamon) powder

Place berries in a blender/Nutribullet. Add the matcha, peanut butter and cacao. Top up with the coconut milk and blend.

 

Coconut biscuits

Coconut flour is pure coconut, derived from the flesh of the nut. It is higher in fibre and protein, and lower in carbohydrate than whole wheat flour. Coconut blossom nectar is classed as low glycaemic index (a value of 35, compared with 68 for white sugar).

I thought I’d need more than one go at getting these right. Substituting coconut flour for wheat flour is one challenge (it absorbs more liquid). Using chia seeds instead of eggs (a common vegan substitute), coconut blossom nectar instead of sugar and replacing butter with coconut oil pushes this recipe into unknown territory with respect to texture and flavour – the main issue being what quantities to use. I researched, but this is an original recipe, I promise. The flavour comes from the addition of the cacao plus cinnamon powder.

Makes 10 biscuits

Two tbsp. coconut flour

One tbsp. chia seeds

Two tbsp. coconut oil

One tbsp. cacao and cinnamon powder

One tbsp. coconut blossom nectar

Around 240ml boiling water

Heat the oven to 180°C. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add the coconut oil. Then add the boiling water and mix well. Leave for about 10 minutes to melt the coconut oil and let the chia seeds create a gel. Make cookies from balls of the resulting dough, and cook in the oven on a greased baking sheet for around 25 minutes.

Next month. Festive special!

You can replace potatoes with other root vegetables that contain more vitamins and fibre, without sacrificing any of the comfort or taste element. The recipes below would work well at a Halloween/Bonfire supper or party if you’re planning late autumnal events. Also, I’ve been struck by the number of food delivery bikes in my area over the last few months. Look, I know we’re all busy, but I personally think we’d all be a lot healthier in the long term if we invested a bit of time in learning to cook from scratch, so we know what’s in our food.

Decided to rebel a bit against the food delivery people (we all know who they are…) and made my first two recipes slightly complicated (for me!) in that they involve stages and sauces.

 

Fish and mushroom pie with cauliflower mash

Serves four

One onion, finely chopped

One pint full cream milk

One cauliflower, sliced into florets

One 400g tin butter beans, drained

Three hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Two smoked haddock fillets

Two cod fillets

One pack prawns

300g mushrooms, sliced and fried in butter

One tbsp. fish sauce

Chopped parsley

35g butter

Two tbsp. flour

Grated cheese

Sliced tomatoes

One tbsp. mustard

 

Preheat oven to 200˚C. Heat the onion in the milk with black pepper and herb salt to season. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside. Measure out about 50ml for the mash. Meanwhile, place the fish in a frying pan, add the rest of the milk, a knob of butter and simmer for a few minutes, turning the fish part way through, until fish is tender. Flake the fish on a plate and set aside.

Now make a sauce by melting the butter, stirring in the flour to make a paste, Then, add the milk from the fish and stir till thick and smooth. Add the fish sauce and the parsley.

Assemble the fish pie by mixing the flaked fish, hard-boiled eggs and mushrooms. Cover with the sauce. Leave to cool while you make the mash.

Boil the cauliflower till tender and mix with the butter beans, reserved milk and mustard. Use a hand masher to make a smooth mixture. Now add the mash to the cooled fish to make a layer, and top with sliced tomatoes and grated cheese. Bake for around 30 mins, till the top is browned. Serve with two green vegetables (we had tender stem broccoli and green beans).

 

Vegetarian/vegan shepherd’s pie with root veg mash

Turnips, swedes and carrots are all significantly lower in carbs than potatoes and parsnips contain somewhat less carb. So, the mixtures give you a mash that is lower carb and higher fibre than regular mash and also contributes to your fruit and veg intake, which potatoes do not.

Serves three to four

Two onions, chopped

100g lentils

Two 400g tins chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp. tomato puree

1 tbsp. mixed herbs

1 tbsp. cinnamon

Two carrots, chopped

One small turnip, chopped

One small swede, chopped

One parsnip, chopped

Flax seed or olive oil/butter/cream/milk

Make the lentil filling by frying the onions in coconut oil until soft, then add lentils. Heat through and add tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs and cinnamon. Cook until lentils are soft (around 20–30 mins) and, in the meantime prepare the mash.

Boil the root vegetables till tender. Then add oil (for vegan version) or butter/cream/milk (vegetarian version) to add smoothness. Add extra flavour by stirring in mustard and/or marmite.

Cool the lentil mixture for 15 minutes or so, to ensure the mash doesn’t sink into it. Then add a thick layer of the mash, finish with sliced tomatoes (vegan version) and/or grated cheese (vegetarian version). Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, until the top is brown. Serve with something green (eg stir fried spring greens or cabbage and shredded leek).

 

Sweet potato and beetroot chips with rosemary and spicy dip

Serves two

Two sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges

Two beetroot, sliced into chips

Olive oil

Rosemary, chopped

For the dip

Tub of quark (plain or flavoured – I  used tomato and basil)

Tub of fresh chilli pesto

Heat the oven to 180˚C. Add the sweet potato chips to a bowl and toss with the rosemary and olive oil. Place on one half of a baking tray lined with foil in the oven. Meanwhile, toss the beetroot with rosemary and oil and place in the oven on the other half of the tray when the sweet potato has been cooking for around 15 minutes. Cook for a further 15 minutes till browned. Make the dip by mixing the quark and the pesto (multiple other combos are available of course – try cottage cheese, soy sauce and peanut butter, for instance).

 

Apologies for the length of the first two recipes. November’s recipes will be simpler!

Next month – experiments with coconut