Updated Thursday 5th December 2024
Mincemeat Crumble Cake
265g plain flour
125g light brown sugar
100g ground almonds
225g unsalted butter, cold, diced plus extra for greasing
700g mincemeat
75g pecan nut halves
icing sugar, for dusting
Method
Preheat the oven to 170C then grease and line a square baking tin (20cm) with baking paper.
Place flour and diced butter in a large mixing bowl and rub in to make fine breadcrumbs. Then add the sugar and ground almonds. Mix well.
Pour 2/3 mixture into a prepared tin. Flatten with a spoon to form a shortbread base. Spread mincement over base then sprinkle remaining crumble mixture over mincemeat. Cover mincemeat but do not pat down. Scatter over pecan halves then bake for 45-50 minutes (170C) until golden.
Leave in tin to cool for 20 minutes then, using baking paper lining, transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar.
Squash and chickpea curry
850 g butternut squash, peeled, cut in pieces (2-3 cm)
15 g fresh coriander, 5 g stalks, cut in pieces, and 10 g leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra for garnishing
30 g olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp chilli flakes
1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
¾ tsp ground black pepper
1 garlic clove chopped
120 g onions, finely chopped
15 g fresh root ginger, peeled, cut in round slices (2 mm)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chilli powder, mild
1 tsp curry powder, medium
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground turmeric
240 g tinned chickpeas, rinsed, drained (1 x 400 g tin)
400 g tinned coconut milk
400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
250 g ready-to-eat Puy lentils (1 pouch)
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Place butternut squash on to a large roasting tin and set aside.
Place 5 g coriander stalks, 15 g oil, cumin seeds, chilli flakes, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper in mixing bowl then blend or chop in food processor or Thermomix. Transfer to tin with squash, stir to coat then roast for 30 minutes (180°C) until tender and golden. Meanwhile, continue with recipe.
Place chopped garlic, onions, ginger and remaining 15 g oil in large frying pan and sauté for around 3 minutes.
Add garam masala, chilli powder, curry powder, ground coriander and turmeric then continue to sauté for another minute.
Add chickpeas, coconut milk, tomatoes and lentils once bubbling, simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
Add the roasted squash to the curry in the pan. Add the 10 g coriander leaves, 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper then stir in with spatula. Serve garnished with extra coriander leaves accompanied with basmati rice.
Peanut Satay Sauce
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons brown sugar
finely chopped, small red chilli (optional to taste|)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Mix throughly and serve with grilled chicken skewers.
Mexican Vegetarian Taco Bake
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil
1 red onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Spices - 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of chilli powder and paprika, OR 1 teaspoon Mexican spice mix OR fajita seasoning
Vegetables - 2 peppers, 400g mushrooms diced
1 (400g) tin of tomatoes
1 small tin of sweetcorn
1 (400g) tin of blackbeans
Tortilla wraps
50-100g grated cheddar
Fresh coriander, sour cream, and lime wedges to serve
Method:
Heat the oven to 180C fan, gas 6.
Heat the oil in the saucepan over a high heat. Add sliced onion, garlic and soften. Add your spices and stir in. Then add tinned tomatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes until you have a lovely thick tomato sauce. Set aside in a bowl.
Using the same saucepan cook your vegetables, using a little more oil if needed.
Add your beans (if using) to this mixture.
Get your oven proof dish and spoon and spread the tomato sauce over the bottom.
Then place a tortilla wrap, cut to shape if required/fold or use additional wraps if required.
Spoon and spread more of your tomato sauce on the wrap, then your vegetable mixture, spoon corn (if using) over too. Then use some of your grated cheese to sprinkle over the top.
Bake for 20 mins.
Curried Squash Galette
Ingredients:
50 g olive oil
½ tsp black mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp Madras curry powder
250 g butternut squash, peeled, sliced (1 cm)
250 g kabocha squash, peeled, sliced (1 cm)
1 red onion, cut in wedges (eighths)
1 tsp coarse sea salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
190 g wholemeal flour, plus extra for dusting
115 g unsalted butter, diced (1-2 cm)
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp fine sea salt
50 - 80 g water, ice cold
250 g sour cream
Method:
Preheat oven to 220°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place oil in a small pan and lightly fry your mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry powder.
Place butternut squash, kabocha squash and onion in a roasting tin, pour over oil mixture then stir to coat. Season well with coarse salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes (220°C) until tender. Set aside to cool.
Place flour, butter, turmeric, fine salt and ¼ tsp pepper in mixing bowl then mix well.
Add 50 g water and mix to form dough, until clinging together (add up to 30 g more water if necessary). Tip out, bring together into a ball then flatten into a disc. Wrap in cling film and place in fridge for 30 minutes.
After this time, on a lightly-floured surface, roll out to a disc (Ø 30 cm) then carefully transfer to prepared tray. Spread over sour cream, leaving a 4 cm border. Arrange roasted squash and onion over sour cream. Fold pastry edges over filling to form a border. Bake for 25-30 minutes (220°C) until browned.
Leave on tray to rest for 5 minutes then serve warm, cut in slices.
Beetroot Curry
Master Veg Recipe from Riverford Organic.
Tip: Toast dry spices in a frying pan without oil before adding to curries - it releases the oils for a more intense flavour.
This jewel-coloured curry is bursting with aromatic spices. Serve it with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of toasted desiccated coconut, alongside brown rice, flatbreads or quinoa. To prevent your hands from staining when preparing beetroot, wear a pair of rubber gloves.
Ingredients
oil for frying e.g. sunflower or coconut
2 onions (3-4 if small), peeled & sliced
1 tbsp black mustard seeds 800g beetroots, peeled & chopped into wedges 2 large or 3-4 small garlic cloves, peeled & finely chopped 6cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp turmeric 1 cinnamon stick 2 bay leaves 2-3 red chillies, deseeded & finely chopped - add to your taste for heat
480g punnet tomatoes, roughly diced
2 tins coconut milk 2 limes salt & pepper
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan (one with a lid). Gently fry the onion for 10 mins, stirring now and then. Add a splash of water if it looks like catching at any point.
Add the mustard seeds. Fry until you hear them start to pop.
Add the beetroot, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and chilli to your taste for heat. Stir for 2 mins.
Add the tomatoes and coconut milk. Season, cover and simmer for approx. 25 mins or so, stirring now and then, until the beetroot is tender. Top up with a splash of water if needed.
When the beetroot is tender, squeeze in lime juice and add more salt and pepper, all to taste.
Healthy Banana Bread
What makes this banana bread healthy?
This banana bread recipe is made with 100 percent whole wheat flour, unlike traditional banana bread recipes that call for refined flour and lots of processed sugar.
This banana bread is naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup, which offer some trace nutrients that white sugar does not.
Lastly, this recipe calls for a reasonable amount of unrefined oil rather than whole packs of butter (choose from virgin coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil).
How to make banana bread
⅓ cup (75 grams) melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil or high quality vegetable oil*
½ cup honey (168 grams) or maple syrup (155 grams)
2 eggs
1 cup (225 grams) mashed ripe bananas (about 2 ½ medium or 2 large bananas)
¼ cup (56 grams) milk of choice or water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
1 ¾ cups (220 grams) white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour**
Totally optional: ½ cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dried fruit, fresh banana slices…
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 165C or 325F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk.
Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
Add the bicarbonate of soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, and whisk to blend.
Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.
Healthy Banana Flapjacks
Ingredients
100 g pitted dates soaked in 100g boiling water
85 g ripe banana when peeled - about one small one
1 tsp vanilla extract ideally sugar free
50 g coconut oil melted
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250 g oats, gluten free if required
Method
Place the dates in a bowl with the boiling water and leave to soak for at least 5 minutes
Once soaked, tip the dates and water into a food processor or blender along with the banana, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract and bicarbonate of soda. Process until smooth and paste-like
Tip the paste into a bowl and add the oats.
Stir to combine, then place the mixture in a greased oven-proof dish measuring approx. 20 x 15cm.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees.
Once cool cut up and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Easy Cheese Flapjacks
A very adaptable savoury recipe that's a great snack or lunchbox filler. It combines lots of vegetables with oats and cheese (vegan option). Ingredients 200 g Grated courgette 200 g Grated carrot 1 Medium onion, Grated 2 Large eggs or 2 tbsp. ground flaxseeds or whole chia seeds mixed with 6 tbsp. warm water and left to settle for 10 mins 200 g Flavoursome cheese or vegan cheese (non-soya based),Grated 200 g Rolled gluten free oats or quinoa flakes good pinch of dried herbs or 1 tbsp. fresh herbs Method 1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees centigrade (fan assisted) 2. Grease and line a square baking tin (20x20cm) or use a brownie baking tin 3. In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients 4. Pour into the tin or brownie holes 5. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the surface of the flapjack is golden brown. 6. Leave to cool a little before slicing into portion sizes and removing from the tin.
Tuscan Bean Soup
120 g onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
50 g bacon lardons, smoked, diced, or pancetta or bacon
40 g extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
1 sprig fresh rosemary, needles only
60 g carrots, chopped small
400g tinned borlotti, cannelloni or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
1000 g water
1 vegetable stock cube (for 0.5 l)
150 g dried pasta
2 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
2 pinches ground black pepper, or to taste
grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Cook pasta to packet instructions. Leave to one side.
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, and sauté onions, garlic for a few minutes until softened.
Then add bacon (if using) and rosemary continue to fry, another 5-6 minutes.
Then add your diced carrots, your beans, and chopped tomatoes, mix together gently.
Using a measuring jug boil a kettle and dissolve your stock cube in approx 1000g water adding this carefully to your stew mixture.
Add salt and pepper.
Then you need to let this all come to the boil, pop your lid on, and then turn down the temperature and let the soup simmer for 20-25 mins, before stirring your cooked pasta through and serving with some parmesan cheese.
Lentil Dhal
From our friends at Eat Drink Live Well and following on from our delicious Indian Supper Club (February 2020), this nourishing lentil Dahl is simple to make - either as a meal in itself or as a side dish to curries.
This is our ‘go to’ at the first sign of a cold or other virus with its comforting, soup like texture making it easy to digest. It packs in a fair few antiviral, antimicrobial foods such as garlic, onion, turmeric, cumin, coriander and coconut oil. Using homemade chicken stock adds an extra immune boost due to the nutrient dense broth left from slowly simmered chicken bones - but if you have none to hand, some fresh supermarket stock or an organic stock cube can be used.
Serves 2, or 4 as a side dish.
125g red lentils, rinsed
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
500 mls chicken stock, organic stock cube, fresh or homemade
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
2 handfuls of fresh coriander, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
1 tbsp coconut oil
1. Crush or chop the garlic and set aside.
2. Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion for 5 mins until soft.
3. Add to turmeric, ground coriander, cumin and garlic and stir for a minute before adding the lentils.
4. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, and turn down to a simmer for 20 mins or until the lentils have absorbed the stock. Stir occasionally to stop the lentils sticking to the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the spinach and 1 handful of coriander leaves and stir for a couple of minutes until wilted.
6. Blend with a stick blender to get a smooth, green dhal, or simply serve as is, sprinkled with the remaining chopped coriander leaves.
Lentil Soup
Ingredients
· 20 - 25 g fresh parsley leaves
· 100 g onions, quartered
· 20 g sunflower oil
· 1 - 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, to taste
· 1 tsp ground turmeric
· 1100 g water
· 2 - 3 tsp vegetable stock paste, homemade, to taste
· 300 g red lentils
Preparation
1. Chop your parsley leaves and set aside.
2. In a large soup pan, add your sunflower oil and finely chopped onions, ground cumin and ground turmeric then sauté gently for about 5 minutes.
3. Add to the pan the water, vegetable stock paste and red lentils, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes until your lentils are cooked.
4. Transfer to soup bowls, garnish with reserved chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Cauliflower and Pasta Bake - macaroni cheese
Feeds 8-10
Ingredients:
1 large cauliflower
Any leftover greens - chard, spinach etc..
500g dried pasta
250g cheese - ideally cheddar, otherwise parmesan, feta, whatever you have
stale bread for breadcrumbs - about 4 slices
chopped herbs
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 pint milk
1/2 pint water
30g butter
Large tablespoon of plain flour
Cut your cauliflower in half and break off small florets and put to one side.
Cook your pasta following the packet instructions. Cook al dente.
Drain and leave to one side.
Using the stalk, any cauliflower leaves and any leftover greens chop finely and add to saucepan with the butter. Stir fry for about 5 minutes. Until soft and glossy!
Add a heaped tablespoon of plain flour to soak up the butter and mix in with the greens.
Then add your liquid. As we are short of milk, 1/2 pint of milk and 1/2 pint of water.
Mix gently and let simmer away for 7/8 minutes.
Now blend your sauce with a stick blender.
Arrange your drained pasta and small cauliflower florets in a large oven proof dish. Then pour over your sauce. Now add your grated cheese and mix gently together to avoid breaking up your pasta. Ensuring everything is covered with sauce.
Then breaking up your stale bread into crumbs, mix up your crushed garlic and a few herbs.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for about 50 minutes and serve hot! Enjoy!
Hummus
425 g can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
1 small garlic clove (peeled)
4 tablespoons tahini
10 g olive oil plus extra for drizzling on top
juice of one small lemon or half a big one
1 teaspoon ground cumin
50g ice cold water
sumac or paprika to sprinkle on top
salt and pepper to taste
Crush garlic and then mix up all ingredients. Blitz until smooth, adding a little water to get the right consistency!
Oven baked Pakoras
Inspired by The Annoyed Thyroid
Pakoras are usually fried but I’ve updated this recipe with an oven baked version. This version is a much healthier but no less delicious alternative. It’s also vegan and gluten free. The recipe calls for chickpea flour which you can find at your local Indian grocer.
These make a sensational starter but are also delicious enough to hold their own as the main event at the dinner table. In the unlikely event of leftovers, they go great in a lunchbox or pop them in the oven to reheat for 10 minutes and they’ll crisp up like a dream!
Ingredients
2 cups chickpea flour
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large potatoes (600g), grated coarsely
2 large brown onions (400g), sliced thinly
100g baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup mint, coarsely chopped
1 cup (250ml) water
Oil for brushing
FOR THE RAITA
200g natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt, optional
1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves
Butternut Squash and Coconut soup
TAKES 30 MINS
Makes 6 portions
110g onions
2 garlic cloves
3 cm fresh root ginger
30g coconut oil
750g butternut squash, peeled, and cubed approx. 2cm
400g coconut milk
100g water
1 vegetable stock cube
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt pepper
Prep:
1. Peel, cube butternut squash and layout to roast for about 20 mins.
2. Chop onion, garlic, ginger.
3. In saucepan melt coconut oil then saute the onion, garlic and ginger until soft.
4. Add roasted butternut squash, coconut milk, water, stock cube, cayenne pepper if using, salt and pepper.
5. Cook slowly for 20 mins.
6. Blend soup. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately.
Squash and Black Bean Chilli
Either stuff a whole squash with the chilli, or dice and roast the squash and add it to the chilli. The latter opens up a whole variety of serving suggestions: eat it with rice or in a baked potato; top it with a dollop of soured cream, some spicy tomato salsa or some guacamole; stuff it in a taco with some grated cheese; or spread it over a tortilla.
Ingredients
1 medium butternut, large onion or smallish crown prince squash
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for roasting
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1–2 tsp crushed chipotle chillies (if you can't source them, substitute another fresh or dried red chilli)
1 tsp dried marjoram or handful of fresh oregano
2 bay leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g cans black beans, rinsed and drained
juice of 1 lime (approx. 2 tbsp)
small bunch of coriander, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
grated cheese and/or soured cream, to serve (optional)
Method
Prep time: 15 min
Cooking time: 1h 15 min
Step 1 Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. If stuffing a whole squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and bake in the oven for about 40 mins. Alternatively, roast in chunks. Heat the oil in a large heavy pan over a medium–high heat. Add the onion and celery.
Step 2 Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the peppers and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes or so, stirring frequently.
Step 3 Stir in the garlic, and cook for another minute. Add the chilli, 1–2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, the herbs and cumin. Give everything a good mix then add the tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.
Step 4 Stir in the beans and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, stir in the lime juice and coriander and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Step 5 If using roast squash, add it now, heat through, and then serve. If stuffing a whole squash, fill each roasted squash half with the filling mixture. Top with grated cheese or soured cream (or both), if you like.
Banana Pancakes - gluten free
How to make 2 ingredient Banana Pancakes
1 ripe banana
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Butter or oil for cooking (optional)
Maple syrup, jam, for serving
Mash the banana one out of the freezer is perfect!
Stir in the eggs. Pour the eggs over the banana and stir until completely combined. The batter will be very loose and liquid, more like whisked eggs than regular pancake batter.
Heat a pan over medium heat. Heat a cast iron pan, nonstick frying pan, or griddle over medium heat. Melt a little butter or warm a little vegetable oil in the pan if desired.
Drop the batter on hot griddle. Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter in to the pan. It should sizzle immediately, if not, turn up the heat slightly. Repeat with dropping more batter into the pan, leaving a gap between pancakes.
Cook for about 1 minute. Cook the pancakes until the bottoms look browned and golden when you lift a corner, about 1 minute. The edges should also be starting to look set.
Flip the pancakes. Do this very gently and fairly slowly.
Cook for another minute or so. You can flip them a few times if you need to get them evenly browned!
Serve warm!
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