Vegetable lasagne

Serves 6

For the tomato sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped finely
1 clove of garlic crushed
2 large carrots chopped into chunks
1 large courgette sliced into small chunks
2 handfuls of broccoli florets
400ml tin chopped tomatoes
500ml jar passata
1 tsp chilli salt
1 tbsp dried mixed herbs

For the white sauce

70g butter
70g plain flour
1 litre milk
1 tsp nutmegs
Salt and pepper
50 g Parmesan cheese

Lasagne sheets
10 cherry tomatoes sliced in half

1) to make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil and gently fry the onion and garlic until starting to soften, sprinkle with the salt. Add the carrot stir well and fry for another 5 mins stirring regularly so the mixture doesn't catch. Add the chopped tomatoes and passata, stir well and bring to the boil. Add the courgette, broccoli and mixed herbs and turn down to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes. 
2) to make the white sauce, melt the butter very gently and add the flour stirring quickly and constantly to form a paste. Cook gently for 2 mins then slowly add the milk a small amount at a time and whisk with balloon whisk, making sure no lumps form. 
3) bring to the boil then simmer until the sauce has thickened, add more milk if needed. Stir in the nutmeg and cheese, stir until melted and season with salt and pepper. 
4) to layer the lasagne, pop the lasagne sheets at the bottom of an ovenproof dish and cover with half of the tomato sauce. Scatter over half of the cherry tomatoes then cover with half of the white sauce. 
5)add another layer of lasagne, tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes and then the remaining white sauce. 
6)grate over more Parmesan if desired and slices of tomato. Sprinkle with mixed herbs. 
7) cook in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 45 mins until the top is brown and the lasagne is bubbling.  

Spicy potato soup

A knob of salted butter
1 large onion finely sliced
2 large potatoes peeled and cubed
1 clove of garlic crushed
1 red chilli chopped finely
500 ml hot vegetable stock
1 tsp curry powder

1)On a low heat, melt the butter in a large pan.  Add the onion and garlic and fry until softened. Add the chilli, stir in and cook for another couple of minutes.
2)Add the potatoes and stir into the oniony mixture. Cook on a low heat for 10 mins stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t burn.
3)Add the hot stock and bring to the boil then pop in a lid and turn down to a simmer. Cook for about 15 mins until the potatoes have softened. Add the curry powder and stir well.
4) remove from the heat and put in a blender and blend until smooth.
5)When ready to serve, return to the pan and warm through gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Creamy bacon and chilli pasta

Serves 3

250g dried pasta
1 carrot chopped finely 
1 handful of broccoli florets 
1 handful of sliced green beans 
6 rashers of bacon chopped into small chunks
1 onion finely chopped 
I clove of garlic crushed
1 red chilli finely sliced, seeds removed 
150g cream cheese
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 
2 tsp mixed herbs

1)bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the pasta, carrot, broccoli and green beans and cook for 10 mins. 
2)meanwhile gently fry the bacon and onion until the bacon starts to brown and onion softens. Add the garlic and chilli and stir well, cook for another 2-3 mins
3)add the cream cheese and stir well until heated through and melted. Add the sweet chilli sauce and mixed herbs and stir in. 
4)drain the pasta well then stir in the creamy sauce and serve. 

Fish Pie 🐟

1kg sweet potatoes peeled and halved

400ml milk

25g butter

4 spring onions slice

25g flour 

1 x 300g pack fish pie mix (cod, salmon, smoked haddock etc 

1 x 200g pack cooked and peeled prawns

1 tsp Dijon or English mustard

4 handfuls frozen vegetables 

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

Handful of grated cheese

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180 fan/gas mark 6.

• Put the potatoes in a pan and pour over enough water to cover them. Bring to the boil and then simmer until tender. When cooked, drain thoroughly and mash with a splash of milk and some butter. Season with ground black pepper.

• Put the butter, flour and spring onions in another pan and heat gently until the butter has melted, stirring regularly. Cook for 1 -2 mins. Gradually whisk in the milk using a balloon whisk if you have one. Bring to the boil, stirring to avoid any lumps and sticking at the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes until thickened.

• Take off the heat and stir in the fish, mustard, mixed herbs and vegetables. Spoon into an ovenproof dish

• Spoon the potato on top and sprinkle with the cheese.

• Pop in the oven for 20 - 25 mins or until golden and bubbling at the edge

Butternut Squash Soup

2 generous portions 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion chopped finely 
• 1 leek sliced 
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1 small butternut squash peeled remove seeds and cubed
• 600ml vegetable stock 
• Sprinkle of salt
• 1 tsp Maca powder (optional)

1)gently heat the oil and the onion, leek and garlic and sprinkle with salt then fry until softened 

2)add the butternut squash and stir in, cook for 5-10 mins then ad the vegetable stock 

3)stir in the Maca powder, bring to the boil then turn down and simmer for 15-20 mins until the squash has softened 

4)remove from the heat and blend until smooth. Return to the pan and when ready to eat warm through and season with salt and pepper to taste