About

Serves 6, big portions

Ingredients

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 4 chicken breasts, chopped
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 red peppers, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 150g chorizo, sliced
• 2tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 500g long grain rice
• 2 x 400g can plum tomato
• 700ml chicken stock

Method

1. In a large frying pan with a lid, heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil and brown 2 chopped chicken breasts for 5–8 minutes until golden.
2. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add the diced onion to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in 2 thinly sliced red peppers, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 150g sliced chorizo, and 2 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, cooking for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan along with 500g long grain rice. Add the cans of tomatoes and 700ml chicken stock. Cover the pan and simmer for 20–25 minutes until the rice is tender.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons corn oil
• 1 extra large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot®)
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• ½ cup water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent (about 5 minutes).
3. Stir in the hot sauce, yellow mustard, sugar, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the water and tomato paste. Simmer until the liquid has reduced (about 20 minutes).

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 fresh red chilli, roughly chopped
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 400g tin coconut milk
• ½ butternut squash, seeds removed, chopped into 2cm/½in pieces
• 400g tin chickpeas
• fresh coriander leaves
• 150g/5oz basmati rice
• salt

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, fresh red chili, cumin, and turmeric, and cook until the onions are softened.
2. Add the tomatoes and coconut milk to the pan, bringing the mixture to a boil. Then, stir in the squash and chickpeas. Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30–40 minutes, checking occasionally and adding water if necessary.
3. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue to cook for another 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
4. Rinse the rice in a large bowl by covering it with water, carefully discarding the water, and repeating until the water runs clear.
5. Transfer the rinsed rice to a saucepan, add 500ml/18fl oz of water, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes. Afterward, remove the rice from the heat and let it stand with the lid on for another 10 minutes.
6. Serve the curry with the rice, garnished with fresh coriander.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 150g baby tomatoes, halved
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• low-calorie cooking spray
• 300g dried orzo pasta
• small handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
• 50g baby spinach
• 800ml vegetable stock
• 90g feta cheese, cut into small chunks
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.
2. In a deep baking tray or casserole dish, combine 1 finely chopped onion, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 chopped red pepper, and 150g halved baby tomatoes. Stir in the finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon along with 1 tablespoon of dried oregano. Spray with cooking spray and place in the oven for 15 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and mix in 300g dried orzo, a small handful of finely chopped mint leaves, and 50g baby spinach. Season to taste, then pour in 800ml vegetable stock. Stir again and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
4. Take the dish out of the oven, stir, and evenly cover the top with 90g feta (cut into chunks). Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds.
5. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the orzo is fully cooked with no bite left, the feta is melted and starting to brown, and the sunflower seeds are golden.

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or natural)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1 garlic clove (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 2–4 tbsp water (to adjust consistency)
• Optional: Paprika or extra olive oil for garnish

Method

1. Blend chickpeas: In a food processor, combine the drained chickpeas, peanut butter, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt.
2. Add water: Blend the mixture, gradually adding 2–4 tbsp of water until you reach your desired consistency. You may need more or less water depending on how smooth or thick you want it.
3. Taste and adjust: Taste the hummus and adjust seasonings. Add more lemon juice for tang, more garlic for spice, or more salt if needed.
4. Garnish (optional): Transfer the hummus to a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle paprika or cumin on top for a pop of color and flavor.
5. Serve: Enjoy with pita bread, fresh veggies, or as a sandwich spread!

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons of Ras el Hanout
• 1 bunch of coriander (fresh)
• 1 onion
• 500g of minced lamb
• 1 large can of peeled tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 slice of stale bread
• 1 glass of milk
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 4 eggs

Method

1. Soak the bread in the milk.
2. In a dish, mix the meat, chopped onion, coriander leaves, raz-el-hanout, cumin, cayenne pepper, drained bread, salt and pepper. Form very small balls.
3. In the tagine (or another ovenproof dish) reduce the tomatoes, garlic, turmeric, salt and pepper for 10 minutes.
4. Add the balls. They should be well covered with the tomatoes. Put the lid on. Cook for 30 minutes.
5. 5 minutes before the end, make an omelette with the eggs and pour them over the balls. Put the lid back on.
6. As soon as the eggs are cooked, serve.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cumin (ground)
• 1 tsp coriander (ground)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (ground)
• 1 tsp paprika (either sweet or smoked)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (ground)
• 1/2 tsp ginger (ground)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• Handfull of raisins
• Couscous
• Finely diced cucumber

Method

1. Finely dice the onion.
2. Heat a little oil a saucepan and add the spices. Fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the onion and fry until soft.
4. Turn off the heat, adding the couscous, raisins, and water.
5. Stir until the water is absorbed.
6. Break up the couscous with a fork, then stir in the diced cucumber.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 200g dried orzo
• 200g frozen baby broad beans, defrosted and outer skin removed
• 200g frozen petits pois, defrosted
• A knob of butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g full-fat crème fraîche
• 1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
• juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 25g Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:
25g pine nuts, toasted
25g Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated

Method

1. Cook the orzo in boiling salted water according to the package instructions or until just tender, then drain. In a separate pan, boil the broad beans and petits pois for 2–3 minutes, then drain and rinse.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and sauté over high heat for 2–3 minutes. Cover with a lid, then reduce the heat and cook gently for about 15 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, increase the heat, and cook for an additional minute.
3. Stir in the crème fraîche, then add the cooked orzo, beans, and peas, heating everything gently together. Mix in the thyme, lemon juice, lemon zest, and Parmesan, stirring to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with pine nuts and additional grated Parmesan before serving.

Ingredients

• 50g baguette, cut into small chunks
• 2 tbsp butter, plus 1 tbsp melted for bread topping
• 350g spiral pasta (or any short pasta of your choice)
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tsp English mustard powder
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 500ml whole milk
• 250g mature cheddar cheese, grated (vegetarian)
• 50g parmesan cheese, grated (or vegetarian alternative)

Method

1. Prepare the Bread Topping: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / gas mark 6. Spread the chunks of baguette on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 6 minutes until golden and crispy, then remove and set aside.
2. Cook the Pasta: Boil the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package instructions to keep it al dente for baking. Drain and set aside.
3. Start the Cheese Sauce: In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and mustard powder, cooking for 1 minute while stirring. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for an additional minute.
4. Add the Milk: Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
5. Thicken the Sauce: Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, whisking frequently until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheddar and half of the Parmesan until melted.
6. Combine Pasta and Sauce: Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cooked pasta until it is evenly coated, then pour into a large ovenproof dish (or individual baking dishes).
7. Add Toppings and Bake: Scatter the baked bread chunks and the remaining Parmesan over the pasta. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp.

Serves 4.
This can be halved to serve 2, “rounding up” to two eggs

Ingredients

• 100g pancetta
• 50g pecorino cheese
• 50g parmesan
• 3 large eggs
• 350g spaghetti
• 2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 50g unsalted butter
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
2. Finely chop 100g of pancetta, ensuring to remove any rind. Grate 50g of pecorino cheese and 50g of Parmesan, mixing them together.
3. In a medium bowl, beat 3 large eggs and season with a little freshly grated black pepper. Set aside along with the other ingredients.
4. Once the water is boiling, add 1 teaspoon of salt and 350g of spaghetti. When the water returns to a boil, cook the spaghetti at a steady simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until al dente (just cooked).
5. Crush 2 peeled garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife to bruise them.
6. While the spaghetti is cooking, fry the pancetta with the garlic. In a large frying pan or wok, melt 50g of unsalted butter. Once melted, add the pancetta and garlic.
7. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the pancetta is golden and crispy. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and discard it.
8. Keep the heat under the pancetta low. When the pasta is ready, lift it from the water using a pasta fork or tongs and add it to the frying pan with the pancetta. It’s fine if a bit of water splashes into the pan—this is desired. Don’t discard the pasta water just yet.
9. Mix most of the cheese into the eggs, reserving a small handful for later.
10. Remove the pan with spaghetti and pancetta from the heat. Quickly pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Using tongs or a long fork, lift the spaghetti to mix it well with the egg mixture, which should thicken without scrambling, coating the pasta evenly.
11. Add extra pasta cooking water, a few tablespoons at a time, to keep the dish saucy. You want it moist, not wet. Season with salt if needed.
12. Twist the pasta onto a serving plate or bowl using a long-pronged fork. Serve immediately, garnished with the reserved cheese and a grating of black pepper. If the dish dries out before serving, splash in some more hot pasta water to restore its glossy texture.