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Vegan risotto

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Vegan risotto

Fennel, courgette, peas and parsley make for a wonderfully green risotto, flavoured with a little nutritional yeast in place of parmesan
Print Recipe
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 4
Calories 324 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 bulb fennel finely chopped
  • 1 courgette halved lengthways and thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds lightly crushed
  • 200 g risotto rice
  • 1 small glass vegan white wine (optional)
  • 800 ml vegetable stock hot
  • 200 g frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 lemon zested and juiced
  • a small bunch flat-leaf parsley finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan, add the onion, fennel and courgette, and fry for 10 minutes until softened, adding a splash of water if it starts to catch. Add the garlic and fennel seeds, and cook for 2 minutes, then add the rice and stir until every grain is lightly coated in oil. Pour in the wine, if using, and bubble away until reduced by half.
  • Keep the vegetable stock in a pan over a very low heat to keep warm. Add a ladleful at a time to the risotto, only adding more once the last spoonful has been completely absorbed, stirring all the time. Once the rice is cooked but still has a little bite, add the frozen peas and cook for another few minutes until just cooked. Stir in the nutritional yeast, lemon zest and juice, and some seasoning, divide between shallow bowls and top with the parsley.

Cook's notes

  • Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast that adds a savoury, umami flavour to vegan dishes – it is available from health-food shops and large supermarkets.

Beetroot, apple and ginger juice

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Beetroot, apple and ginger juice

Feel refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to go with this vibrant juice recipe, made with just three ingredients
Print Recipe
Total Time 10 mins
Servings 2
Calories 74 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g beetroots peeled and quartered
  • 2 eating apples quartered
  • 2 thumb-sized pieces ginger

Instructions
 

  • Push the beetroots, apples and ginger through a juicer, or alternatively, chop the beetroot and apple, and whizz in batches with 300-350 ml of water in a high-powered blender until completely smooth, then strain through a fine sieve, really pushing it through. Pour into two glasses filled with ice.

Vegan fajita bowl with cauli rice

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Vegan fajita bowl with cauli rice

Try this vibrant, nutritious bowl for a well-balanced vegan meal that has less than 200 calories
Print Recipe
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 2
Calories 174 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • olive oil
  • 1 or 2 small red peppers seeded and sliced
  • 1 red onion sliced
  • 1 tbsp chipotle paste
  • 200 g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 small cauliflower chopped
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt or granules
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1/2 small avocado stoned and sliced to serve
  • coriander a few leaves chopped to serve
  • lime wedges to serve

Instructions
 

  • Heat 1 tsp oil and fry the peppers and onions for 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the chipotle paste, tomatoes and a splash of water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
  • For the spiced cauliflower rice, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it looks like grains. Toast the cumin in a non-stick frying pan in 1 tsp olive oil, add the garlic salt, paprika, oregano and chilli flakes, and fry for a minute before adding the cauliflower rice. Stir-fry for 4-6 minutes until the cauliflower is tender, and smells a little toasted. Season well with black pepper (and only a little salt if using garlic salt). Divide between bowls. Add the peppers on top, the avocado, and coriander leaves. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.

Soy steamed sea bream with ginger and spring onions

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Soy steamed sea bream with ginger and spring onions

Give your sea bream a fragrant lift with fresh ginger, soy sauce, red chilli and spring onions. This recipe is best made in a steamer, but is still easy to cook without one
Print Recipe
Total Time 20 mins
Servings 2
Calories 331 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 thumb-sized pieces ginger ½ sliced, ½ shredded
  • a small bunch coriander stalks and leaves reserved
  • 2 large skinless sea bream fillets
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp shaoxing wine
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 3 spring onions cut into 5 cm pieces, then shredded
  • 1/2 red chilli deseeded and thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • cooked long-grain, basmati or jasmine rice to serve
  • steamed green vegetables to serve

Instructions
 

  • Put two lines of ginger slices with coriander stalks on top onto a small heatproof plate. Put the plate into a stove-top bamboo steamer (see cook’s notes below for an alternative cooking method). Lay the fish fillets on top and season. Mix together the soy sauce, wine and sugar, then pour over, and scatter over the shredded ginger, spring onions, red chilli and garlic. Put the steamer over a pan of simmering water, cover with the lid and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the fish is just cooked.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan until shimmering. Once the fish is cooked, remove the lid and carefully pour the hot oil over the spring onions, ginger and fish. Serve with steamed white rice and green vegetables.

Cook's notes

  • To make this without a steamer, heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut two 20cm x 30cm sheets of baking paper and put them onto a large baking tray. In the middle of each put a line of ginger slices and coriander stalks, lay the fish fillets on top and season. Sprinkle over the shredded ginger, spring onion and chilli. Gather up the paper around the fish, scrunching to seal but leaving a little opening at one end. Mix together the soy, wine and sugar, then carefully pour into the parcel before sealing tightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Shaoxing wine is a Chinese spirit made from rice that adds depth when cooked – it is available from large supermarkets.

Tuna pasta bake

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Tuna pasta bake

An absolute classic, made even more wonderful with the addition of dried chili flakes and rosemary. It's a real crowd pleaser!
Print Recipe
Total Time 50 mins
Servings 3
Calories 474 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g fusilli
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • a good pinch dried chilli flakes
  • 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 200 g tin of tuna in olive oil drained
  • 1 tsp rosemary needles chopped (optional)
  • 75 g mature cheddar grated

Instructions
 

  • Cook the fusilli following pack instructions, then drain well.
  • Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the onion for 10 minutes until softened a little. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and half a tin of water, then simmer for 10 minutes. Season.
  • Stir the tuna into the sauce with the rosemary (if using) and drained pasta, and tip into a 26cm x 18cm baking dish. Scatter over the cheese then bake for 20-25 minutes or until piping hot and bubbling. Serve with a green salad, if you like.

Spicy lentil burgers

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Spicy lentil burgers

Check out this quick and easy vegan burger recipe with spicy lentils. Ready in just 30 minutes, these punchy patties make a super simple summer recipe for four
Print Recipe
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4
Calories 496 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tsp vegetable oil plus a little extra for frying
  • 2 red onions 1½, finely chopped; ½, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp garlic paste
  • 2 tsp ginger paste
  • 2 tbsp hot curry powder
  • 2 400 g tins brown lentils drained, rinsed, then drained again
  • 4 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 4 seeded burger buns halved and toasted
  • 4 tsp mango chutney
  • 4 lettuce leaves
  • 4 tomato slices
  • coriander leaves (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan and gently cook the finely chopped red onions with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes or until really soft. Add the garlic and ginger pastes and curry powder, and continue to cook gently for 2 minutes. Tip out into a bowl.
  • Put the lentils into a food processor and pulse until roughly blended but not too smooth. Tip out into the onion bowl, add some seasoning and mix well. Add the flour and stir well to combine. Using slightly wet hands, form the mix into 4 equal-sized patties. Put into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, put the sliced red onion into a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave for 5 minutes then drain well and add the vinegar and some seasoning.
  • Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the lentil burgers for 4 minutes on each side or until caramelised. Put onto the bases of each bun, top with some mango chutney, lettuce leaves, a tomato slice, a pile of the pickled onions, a few coriander leaves and the bun top.

New potato salad with aïoli

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New potato salad with aïoli

Crisp, golden potatoes are paired with fresh radish and zingy aïoli in this summery dish (a great side for your next barbecue)
Print Recipe
Total Time 50 mins
Servings 8 as a side
Calories 490 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kg baby new potatoes
  • 80 g salted butter
  • 1 onion large, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds lightly crushed
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds lightly crushed
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 200 g radishes thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch dill roughly torn

AIOLI

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 large cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 lemons juiced
  • 250 ml olive oil plus extra for frying

Instructions
 

  • Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool.
  • Cook the butter and onion in a large frying pan for 5 minutes or until turning translucent. Add the garlic and fry for another 5 minutes. Add the mustard seeds and coriander seeds, and fry until starting to smell fragrant. Add the dijon mustard and juice of 1 lemon and mix. Transfer to a bowl.
  • Tip the cooled potatoes onto a clean worksurface and use the flat side of a knife to lightly squash each one. Fry the potatoes in a little more oil in a large non-stick frying pan for 10-15 minutes or until starting to crisp up. Tip onto kitchen paper to drain.
  • In the meantime, make the aïoli. Put the egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice and plenty of seasoning in a small blender, and whizz until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while still blending on a low speed, until it emulsifies, thickens and is smooth.
  • Put the crispy smashed potatoes into a bowl and mix in most of the onion butter and sliced radishes.
  • Spread the aïoli across a platter and pile the potatoes on top. Finish with a drizzle of the remaining butter and lots of fresh dill.

Greek chicken skewers with hummus and pittas

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Greek chicken skewers with hummus and pittas

Create your own mini Mediterranean spread with zesty oregano chicken skewers, creamy hummus and warm pittas
Print Recipe
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 2
Calories 520 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 wholemeal pittas
  • 100 g hummus

SKEWERS

  • 2 chicken breasts cut into 4cm cubes
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • dried chilli flakes a pinch
  • 1 lemon juiced

SALAD

  • 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 110 g baby leaf salad bag
  • cherry tomatoes a handful, sliced
  • 2 spring onions sliced
  • cucumber ¼, sliced
  • red pepper ½, sliced

Instructions
 

  • Put the chicken into a bowl, season really well, add the olive oil, oregano and chilli flakes, and toss well. Spear the chicken pieces equally between 4 metal skewers.
  • Heat the grill to high and cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side or until charred and cooked through. Squeeze over the lemon juice.
  • For the salad, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar with a little seasoning in a large bowl, then tip in the remaining ingredients and toss well.
  • Serve the chicken stuffed into pittas with hummus and the salad.