Bombay potatoes

These are gorgeous, not too spicy and perfect to accompany a nice balti 🍛 

900g large potatoes peeled and chopped into halves

15g root ginger, peeled 

3 garlic cloves, peeled

2 large tomatoes, one quartered the other cut into slim wedges

4 tbsp vegetable oil

¾ tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2/3 tsp turmeric

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garam masala

½–¾ tsp chilli powder

Large handful of chopped coriander leaves

Method

1) Bring a large pot of salted water. Place in the potatoes and boil until just tender (up to 30 minutes). When cool enough to handle, peel and chop into 2.5cm cubes.

2) Blend together the ginger, garlic and quartered tomato in a food processor until smooth.

3) Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the cumin and mustard seeds, once the cumin starts to darken, add the onion.
4) Cook for a minute before adding the ginger and garlic mixture and the ground spices. 5) Sauté gently for one to two minutes then add the tomato wedges, stir well and cook for three to four minutes. Tip in the potatoes, stir well and cook for three to five minutes to absorb the flavours. Check the seasoning, stir in the chopped coriander and serve! 

Rocky road

• 125g soft butter
• 200g dark chocolate drops
• 100g milk chocolate drops
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 200g rich tea biscuits
• 100g mini marshmallows
• 2 tsp icing sugar

1. Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a saucepan. Put 125ml of the melted mixture to one side.
2. Put the biscuits into a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin so you have some crumbs and pieces of biscuit.
3. Fold the biscuit pieces and crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture, and then add the marshmallows.
4. Tip into a foil tray 9 inch square and flatten with a spatula. Then pour the remaining 125ml of melted chocolate mixture over the marshmallow mixture and smooth the top.
5. Pop in a fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
6. Cut into squares and dust with the icing sugar using a small sieve.

Potato soup

When you buy too many spuds this is a great way to use them up quickly 

Knob of butter
500g potatoes chopped into small chunks
1 onion sliced finely
1 leek sliced 
1 garlic clove crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
600ml hot vegetable stock

1)gently heat the butter and add the onion, leek and garlic. Fry for 5 mins until the veg have started to soften
2)add the potatoes and stir well. Sprinkle over the salt, fennel and dried herbs and fry for another 5 mins. 
3)pour over the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer, pop on a lid and leave for 15-20 mins until the potatoes are soft
4)remove from the heat and blitz in a good processor until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add  some milk or water until you get the right consistency 
5)tasty!

Cranberry & chia muffins

50g melted butter
150ml milk
1 egg beaten
200g plain flour
1 tsp salt
150g caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
100g dried cranberries
25g chia seeds

1)preheat oven to 180 degrees c
2)stir together the milk, butter and egg
3)in a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt then stir in the cranberries and chia seeds
4)add the milky mixture into the flour and mix together gently 
5)line a muffin tin with cases then fill each one 3/4 full with the most
6)bake for approx 20 mins when you insert a skewer into the centre of the bun it comes out clean

Peanut butter and chia bites

I used Aldi chia seeds and Sainsburys smooth peanut butter

Ingredients:
* 100g peanut butter
* 50g light brown sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 tbsp runny honey
* 140g rolled oats
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 tsp chia seeds
* 2 tsp crushed almonds
* 2 tbsp dates, chopped very finely
Directions
1. In a large bowl, cream peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the honey and egg. Add oats and baking soda to creamed mixture; mix well.
2. Mix in the almonds chia seeds and dates.
3. Roll into small balls and place onto a greased baking sheet approx 2 inches apart; flatten slightly.
4. Bake at 180° c for 8-10 minutes and pop onto wire racks to cool.

Apple cake

• This is a yummy cake that an also be served as a dessert - hot or cold. 
• Delicious with custard or ice cream 🍦 😍

• 110g plain flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 4 large apples - I used a mix of Brambly, Granny Smith and cookers
• 2 large eggs
• 150g caster sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 115g butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 
  
• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20cm round loose-based cake tin. 
• 2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and pinch of salt. Peel and core the apples, then dice them into 3cm pieces.
• 3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy then whisk in the sugar, then add the vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, and then gently stir in half of the melted butter. Stir in the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the butter.
• 4. Fold in the apple cubes until they’re well-coated with the batter. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and smooth the top a little.
• 5.Bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 50-55 minutes, or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack. Remove the lining paper when ready to serve. 
  
  
  
  

Butternut Squash lasagne

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion sliced
2 carrots chopped into bite size chunks
1//2 small butternut squash peeled and chopped into bite sized chunks
1 clove garlic crushed 
1 small chilli sliced finely 
1 pepper sliced
2 mushrooms sliced
2 handfuls kale or spinach
Lasagne sheets
400ml tin chopped tomatoes
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander 
250g mascarpone cheese
Grated parmesan cheese

1) heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion and crushed garlic gently for 5 mins then add the chilli, carrot and squash and fry for 5 mins 
2) add the chopped tomatoes and Worcester sauce and bring to the boil then add the pepper, coriander, mushrooms and kale (or spinach) then cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 mins until the squash and carrots have softened. Season with salt and pepper. 
3) put a layer of lasagne sheets on the bottom of an ovenproof dish then put half of the sauce onto of the lasagne. Put another layer of lasagne on top the spoon over the mascarpone cheese (you might want to soften this first in a bowl and wooden spoon. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the top then spoon over the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with more Parmesan then cover with foil and pop in a preheated oven at 180C. 
4) cook for 30-40 mins until the lasagne sheets have softened (test with a skewer)
5) serve! 

Creamy prawn pasta

This is such a quick and easy meal that is perfect for those busy evenings when you just want to eat something tasty quickly!

225g dried pasta
150g prawns 
1/2 lemon
1 red chilli chopped finely 
3 tbsp mascarpone cheese
2 carrots chopped into small pieces 
2 handfuls of kale
1/2 yellow pepper
1 handful of chopped coriander 

1) bring a pan of water to the boil and add the carrots and pasta, simmer for 6 mins
2) add the kale and pepper and contain to simmer for another 2 minutes 
3) drain the pasta but keep about a cup of the pasta water
4) add the prawns, zest and juice of the lemon, the chilli, coriander and mascarpone and stir well
5) return to the heat and add some of the pasta water to make a creamy sauce, season with salt and pepper and then serve 

For a different taste add some chopped pitted olives 😄

Banana, carrot & chia muffins

1 ripe banana 

Zest & juice of a lemon

75f soft light brown sugar

2 large eggs

150ml olive oil

150g flour 

50g ground almonds 

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp baking powder

50g carrots grated finely 

2 tsps chia seeds

1)preheat oven at 200deg C and line a muffin run with 8 cases

2)in a bowl, mash the banana, add the lemon zest and juice, eggs, oil and sugar and whisk until smooth

3)in another large bowl mix the flour, almonds, bicarbonate and baking powder

4)pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients then add the carrots and chia seeds and stir with a wooden spoon until everything is mixed together

5)fill each muffin case until 3/4 full and pop in the oven for 15 mins or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of one of the muffins 

6)remove from the tin and leave on a wire rack to cool 

7)eat hot or cold! 👍

Carrot & coriander Soup

This soup is so easy, I usually make it when I'm in the kitchen doing other things as it cooks itself and can just bubble away in the background!

1 tbsp butter
1 large onion roughly chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
Sprinkle of salt
4 large carrots
Water
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped roughly

1. Heat the butter and gently fry the onion for 2-3 minutes, sprinkle with salt to stop it burning. Add the garlic clove and carrots and stir into the onions
2. Cover the carrot mixture completely with boiling water and crumble in the stock cube and add the coriander
3. Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and cook until the carrots are soft, about 20 mins
4. Pour the soup into a blender and blitz until completely smooth. Return to the pan and heat through when ready to eat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Oaty sultana & chia bars

2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp ground almonds
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla essence 
1/2 tsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp baking powder
Sprinkle of salt
1 egg
100g sultanas
25g dark chocolate chips
100g rolled oats

1)heat oven to 180 c and line a baking tray with baking parchment. 
2)put the peanut butter, vanilla, honey, cinnamon, egg and salt into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. 
3)fold in the almonds, sultanas, chocolate, chia seeds and oats and mix until combined. If too crumbly add a sprinkle of more oats. 
4)tip on to the baking tray and shape into a rectangle shape, pressing together with a knife
5)bake in the oven for 8-10 mins until the bake starts to brown
6) remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tray. After about 45 mins, using a sharp knife cut into individual bars. 

Millionaire shortbread

These are gorgeous and one is never enough. Thank Sainsbury's for the recipe

* 160g plain flour
* 60g caster sugar
* 215g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
* 397g tin condensed milk
* 100g light brown soft sugar
* 2 tbsp golden syrup
* 100g milk chocolate
* 100g white chocolate

1)Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a food processor, whizz together the flour, caster sugar and 115g butter until it resembles breadcrumbs.

2)Tip into an 18cm square tin, press in firmly and prick all over with a fork. Chill for 20 minutes, then bake for 30 minutes, until just turning golden. Cool in the tin.

3)In a pan, heat the condensed milk, brown sugar, syrup and remaining 100g butter. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Boil, still stirring, for 5-8 minutes until thickened. Pour the caramel on to the shortbread, then leave to cool for 30 minutes.

4)Melt the milk and white chocolate separately in bowls over pans of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the pan. Pour the milk chocolate over the caramel, then pour the white chocolate on top. Swirl it together with a skewer to create a marbled effect. Chill for 2 hours until set, then remove from the tin and cut into squares, or big fat slabs!

Chicken, vegetable creamy pie

I love this pie 😍It's a great way to use up any left over chicken and veg. I've used spinach and green beans, but swap for whatever you have in the fridge - you could always use frozen veg. I always have a pack of ready rolled frozen pastry in the freezer ready for when I need it. 

*3 rashers bacon , roughly chopped 
*1 tbsp fresh thyme, leaves picked 
*1 tbsp olive oil
*1 leek , washed, trimmed; white end chopped into chunks, green end finely sliced 
*1 onion chopped finely 
* 50g green beans sliced into small pieces
* A large handful of spinach 
* sea salt & pepper 
* 400 g cooked chicken chopped into chunks 
* 1 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting 
* 1 pints chicken or vegetable stock 
* 1 tablespoon double cream
* 200 g puff pastry ready rolled

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C. Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat, add the bacon and thyme leaves and fry for a few minutes. 
2. Add the onion, green beans and leek and fry for about 3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper then pop the lid on top, turn the heat down to medium and let them cook away gently for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then to make sure they don’t catch. 
3. Add the chicken and stir in. Add the flour, mix it in well then pour in your stock and stir again. Add the spinach and cream then turn the heat up and bring everything back up to the boil. 
4. When the spinach is fully wilted, pour the mixture through a sieve over another large empty pan and let the creamy gravy drip into the pan. 
5. Get a deep ovenproof dish and spoon the chicken mixture from your sieve into the dish and spread it out evenly. Lay the pastry on top, and score diagonally with a knife. 
6. Beat the egg then paint over the top of your pastry. Pop your pie in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. When the pie is ready, re-heat the lovely gravy and serve with your pie!

Apple Blondies

Tasty and soft cakes filled with spices and lots of apple!

Ingredients
* 113g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
* 2 medium sized apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4 inch chunks
* 1 tbsp lemon juice
* 100g caster sugar
* 100g light brown sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* Pinch of salt
* 1/2 tsp ground cinnam
* 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
* 175g plain flour

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease and line an 8x8 inch tray
2. Place chopped apple into a bowl and pour over the lemon juice. Toss to coat the apple and leave to one side.
3. Place sugars, egg and vanilla extract into a large bowl and whisk until smooth. 
4. Gradually pour in the melted butter, whisking while you add it in, until the mixture is smooth and pale.
5. Take 2tbsp of the flour and place in the bowl with the apples. Toss the apple chunks in the flour and leave to one side.
6. Add in the rest of the flour, baking powder, salt, spices to the sugar and egg mixture and whisk together. 
7. Once thick and well combined, tip in the coated apples and fold in with a spoon until all of the apples are coated in blondie mix.
8. Tip into the prepared tray and smooth over with a spatula/palette knife.
9. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the edges are lightly brown and the centre is a very pale golden colour. A skewer, inserted into the centre, should come out clean
10. Leave to cool in the tray for 1 hour before transferring to a chopping board to cool completely. (leaving them to cool completely in the pan will make them too soft to remove from the pan in one piece)
11. Once cool, slice into pieces and keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 4 days.


Macaroni Broth

This hearty healthy broth makes sure you're getting plenty of your 5 a day quota! If you prefer a runnier consistency, add more vegetable stock. 

INGREDIENTS
*1 tablespoon oil
*2 carrots, chopped into small pieces 
*100g butternut squash peeled and chopped into small chunks
*1 onion, chopped
*Salt, and pepper to taste
*1 clove of garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes diced
*600ml vegetable stock
*50g green beans sliced
*2 handfuls of spinach
*100g macaroni pasta

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the carrots, onion, salt, pepper, and squash over medium heat for 3 minutes. 
2. Add garlic and stir for one minute. Mix in diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, and green beans
3. Bring to a boil, place the lid on the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Add spinach and pasta, and simmer 10 minutes until the pasta is soft 
5. Allow to cool slightly before serving, and enjoy!

Vegetable risotto

This is so easy to make, but it's something you have to keep an eye on as it can easily spoil. This is delicious on its own or with a piece of white fish or chicken breast 😋

25g butter
1 leek finely sliced
1 clove garlic crushed
1 green chilli chopped finely 
2 carrots sliced
2 large mushrooms chopped into small chunks 
1 handful of chopped kale
1 handful of spinach 
600ml hot vegetable stock
200g Italian arborio risotto rice
75ml white wine
1/2 lemon

1)melt the butter in a large pan, fry the leek, carrot, garlic and chilli for 5 mins
2)add the rice and stir in well, cook for a minute 
3)add the wine and bubble for a minute
4)add the kale, mushrooms and then the stock, a ladle at a time ensuring each one is absorbed before adding the next, stir regularly 
5)with the last ladle and the spinach and lemon juice and stir through 
6)cook for 2 mins then leave to rest for 5 mins before serving. 

Banana & pear loaf

The banana and pears make this a really moist cake, you could always serve as a pudding! It will keep fresh in an air tight container form4-5 days. 🍌🍐

* 100g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
* 3 really ripe bananas 
* 100g golden caster sugar
* 2 ripe but still firm pears, cored and chopped, dusted in a little flour
* 1 tbsp maple syrup
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 large free-range egg
* 150g plain flour
* ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1.Heat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 1 litre loaf tin with baking paper 
2.Mash the bananas in a mixing bowl, then stir in the melted butter and caster sugar until well combined. Stir through the pears, the maple syrup and vanilla extract, then beat in the egg. 
3.Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda, then fold in using a metal spoon.
4.Pour the mix into the loaf tin, then bake for 45 minutes. The cake should be dark on top with a soft, moist sponge. Check it’s done by poking a skewer into the centre – if it comes out clean it’s ready. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack to cool. 

Apple breakfast energy bars

These are full of protein and can be eaten as a breakfast bar or as a treat during the day when you need a zap of energy! 

* 1 tablespoon of  butter, melted 
* 120 g peanut butter 
* 1 tsp vanilla extract 
* 180 ml milk 
* 85g brown sugar 
* 2 eggs 
* 1 tsp all spice
* 200g oats 
* 140g flour 
* 1 tsp baking soda 
* 1 large cooking apple chopped into very small pieces. 

1. In a bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients and mix very well.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. 
3. Spoon into a lined and greased baking tray and bake at 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes.
4. Leave to cool completely before cutting into slices. 

Enjoy!

Parsnip & Apple soup 🍜

This is a perfect Autumnal soup using a combination of apples and parsnips. It is quite a sweet soup, so if you don't like it too sweet, I suggest that you reduce the volume of apples and increase the parsnips - 800g parsnips to 400g of apples. 

Ingredients
* 25g butter
* 1 tbsp vegetable oil
* 2 medium onions chopped
* 600g parsnips cut into 2cm pieces
* 2 garlic cloves crushed
* 600g cooking apples peeled, quartered and cut into chunks
* 1 litre vegetable stock 
* 1 tsp cumin powder
* salt and pepper 

Method
1. Melt the butter and oil in a large saucepan. Gently fry the onions and parsnips for 15 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add the garlic, cumin  and apples and cook for a further two minutes, stirring regularly.

2. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the parsnips are very soft. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Blend the mixture in a food processor until smooth. 

3. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Butternut Squash & leek lasagne

This vegetarian lasagne makes a tasty meat free dish. You can add mushrooms or peppers to the tomato sauce for extra vegetables. 

Serves 3 

*1 small butternut squash (approximately 500g)
* sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 
* Olive oil
* 1 clove of garlic
* 1 small bunch of fresh basil
* 2x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
* 3 leeks
* 100g baby spinach
* 250g ricotta cheese
* 6 lasagne sheets
* 1 x 125g ball of mozzarella

1.Preheat the oven to 190C
2 Halve the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds
3. Peel an chop the squash into 3cm chunks and place in a roasting tray, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and drizzle well with olive oil, then toss together 
4. Cook in the hot oven for 1 hour, or until soft and cooked through
5. While that is cooking peel and finely chop fthe garlic clove
6.Pick the basil leaves, discard the stalks 
7. Put a saucepan on a medium heat add a glug of olive oil, the chopped garlic and basil leaves 
8. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring often, until the garlic turns golden at this point, add the tinned tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and leave to simmer for 10 minutes
9. Trim and finely slice the leeks and wash the spinach 
10. Heat a large saucepan on a low heat and add a splash of olive oil 
11. Add the leeks and sweat slowly for about 10 minutes, or until soft then add the spinach and cook until wilted 
12. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes, then carefully drain off any excess liquid then mix the ricotta into the pan and season well with salt and pepper
13. Spoon half the tomato sauce into the bottom of an earthenware ovenproof dish and follow with a layer of lasagne sheets 
14. Spread half of the creamy leeks over the lasagne sheets and poke in half of the chunks of squash, then top
15. Cover with another layer of lasagne sheets, then cover with the remaining creamy leeks and pieces of squash 
16. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and tear the mozzarella into small pieces and dot over the top of the lasagne 
17. Cover with tin foil and cook in the hot oven for 20 minutes then remove the foil and cook for another 20 minutes, or until the lasagne is golden and bubbling 

Lemon drizzle cake 🍋

225g (8 oz) butter , softened
225g (8 oz) caster sugar
275g (10 oz) plain flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
4 tablespoons milk
finely grated rind of 2 lemons

CRUNCHY TOPPING
110g (4oz) granulated sugar
juice of 2 lemons 🍋 

1. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper, pushing it neatly into the corners of the tin. Pre-heat the oven to 180 deg c
2. Measure all the ingredients for the cake into a large bowl and beat well for about 2 minutes until well blended with an electric mixer.
3.Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top gently with the back of a spatula.


3. Bake in the middle of the pre-heated oven for about 50 mins or until the cake springs back when pressed lightly with a finger or a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.


4. Allow the cake to cool in the a few minutes then lift out of the tin still in the lining paper. Carefully remove the paper and put onto a wire rack placed over a tray (to catch drips of the topping).


5. To make the crunchy topping, mix the lemon juice and granulated sugar in a small bowl to give a runny consistency. Spoon this mixture evenly over the cake whilst it is still just warm. 
6. Leave to cool completely