Matcha, ginger & cucumber iced tea

Ingredients 1/2 cucumber, 1L water, 1/2 ginger root, 1 tsp matcha powder.

Serves: 5 Preparation: 5 minutes (plus 1 hour for chilling and infusing)

Matcha is a super-concentrated green tea powder, packed with antioxidants and nutrients, available from the mighty Teapigs. When they sent me some for #Foodspiration, I wondered whether I could concoct a super-healthy iced tea which didn't need sweetening to combat the slightly bitter taste of green tea. Cucumber water is one of my favourite summer drinks - so refreshing and cleansing - and it really works a treat here. In place of ginger, the juice of half a lemon or lime works beautifully, as does 25ml of apple juice.

1) Peel the cucumber and slice finely, discarding the tapered end.

2) Peel and finely slice the ginger and add, along with the matcha powder to your drinks container.

3) Transfer the cucumber to your drinks container (I like Kilner bottles because when pouring, the cucumber remains in the bottle, but with a little vigorous shaking and a touch of water, they slide right back out again when it's time to clean the bottle) and top up with water. Shake to disperse the matcha powder and chill in the fridge. Give it a little shake before serving each portion to ensure the powder doesn't settle back to the bottom.

Tequila, lime & avocado risotto

Ingredients 1 cup risotto rice, 1 pint vegetable stock, 1 lime, 1 avocado, 1 leek, 1/2 cup tequila, 30g cheddar, butter. dried chilli flakes to garnish

Serves: 2 Preparation: 45 minutes

All risottos (no matter what the ingredients) can be made in 3 simple stages. The first is called tostatura - coating the rice in fat, the second involves cooking off some alcohol and the third involves releasing the starch from the rice one ladle of stock at a time. This risotto is one of my favourite new summer recipes. The sharp tang of lime and tequila, the creamy texture of melting cheddar in combination with soft avocado... it's scrumptious and so different.

1) Zest the lime and cut in half. Squeeze the juice and stir into the tequila.

2) Slice the avocado in half and use a tablespoon to scoop it from the shell. If the avocado is ripe enough the stone will pop out with a spoon but another good method is to prick it with a knife and pull it out. Slice the avocado into chunks, and cut the cheddar into chunks roughly the same size.

3) Slice the leek and sautee the discs in a little butter until soft strands remain. Add the risotto rice and stir until the rice becomes transparent, revealing a white dot in the centre and pour in the tequila and lime juice. Once the alcohol cooks off, add the first ladle of stock, the lime zest and stir through.

4) Continue adding the stock to the risotto, one ladle at a time, adding the avocado with the second to last ladle of stock.

5) When the rice has fluffed up and has become soft, stir through the chunks of cheddar, sprinkle with the chilli flakes and serve. Remember, risotto should be soupy, not solid.

Cucumber, lime & mint linguine

Ingredients Linguine, cucumber, mint, lime, passata.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Lime and mint are a magical combination. Mix it with ginger and vodka and you have a fabulous cocktail, mix it with tomato and you've got the base for a fabulous dinner. This evening, after putting my son to bed and cleaning the house I was too hot and bothered to face dinner, yet knew that I'd need some fuel if I didn't want to pass out in the middle of breastfeeding! This fresh, cool pasta was an inviting solution.

1) Drop the linguine into hot, salted water and cook for 8 minutes.

2) Finely chop the mint leaves and add to a pan along with the lime juice and passata. Slice the cucumber into centimetre thick discs and quarter each slice. Stir into the sauce and season with salt and black pepper.

3) Strain the pasta and add to the sauce, stir through and serve.

Avocado fishcakes

Ingredients 1 avocado, 1 Maris Piper potato, smoked salmon, prawns, spring onion, old bread, coriander, lime

Serves: 4 Preparation: 30 minutes

When I posted my recipe for avocado mash last week, I knew (despite my hatred of fish) that it would make the perfect base for a fishcake. Some smoked salmon, juicy prawns, the delicate creamy avocado mash with a tangy hit of lime smothered in coriander breadcrumbs... if you like fish then you'll love this!

1) Peel and cut the potatoes, then boil in hot salted water for 20 minutes and strain away the water. Set aside to cool.

2) Pulse the bread in the blender to form crumbs and stir through some finely chopped coriander.

3) Halve the avocados and scoop the fruit from the shell, discarding the stone. Pulse in the blender until smooth and creamy, then add the potato, a squeeze of lime and pulse again to combine.

4) Chop 2 spring onions and stir through the mash, along with the salmon and prawns and season well. Form into patties and roll in the breadcrumbs.

5) You could fry these, but I baked in the oven for 15 minutes. Perfect with mayonnaise, yoghurt or even cocktail sauce

Pork & roast pepper risotto

Ingredients 400g sausage meat, bell peppers, ham stock, cayenne pepper, butter, 1 cup risotto rice, paprika, lime, oregano, 1 glass white wine, 1 white onion.

Serves: 2 Preparation: X

All risottos (no matter what the ingredients) can be made in 3 simple stages. The first is called tostatura - coating the rice in fat, the second involves cooking off some alcohol and the third involves releasing the starch from the rice one ladle of stock at a time. For this dish, I took my inspiration from Cajun flavours to create the perfect comfort food.

1) To make the meatballs, put a tsp paprika, a tsp oregano, a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper in a blender along with the pork mince, and pulse until combined. Form small meatballs by rolling in your hands and seal them in a hot pan with a little butter. Set aside.

2) Remove the core and seeds from your bell peppers and slice between the membranes. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees and set aside.

3) Dice the white onion and sautee in a little butter until soft. Add the risotto rice and stir until the rice becomes transparent, revealing a white dot in the centre and pour in the white wine.

4) Once the wine cooks off, add the first ladle of stock and stir through.

5) Continue adding the stock to the risotto, one ladle at a time, adding the meatballs and roast pepper with the second to last ladle of stock.

6) Serve, seasoned with paprika.

apple & cucumber salsa

Ingredients White onion, cucumber, apple, fennel, radish, lime, white wine vinegar

Preparation: 15 minutes

It's no secret that I LOATHE onions. Nothing on this earth could induce me to eat them raw, or to eat something that is intentionally onion flavoured. They are a base ingredient, not a flavour in their own right as far as I'm concerned.
Salsa, to me manages to escape the curse of the onion due to the chilli and in this case, the onions take a back seat to the sweetness and freshness of the other ingredients. A great summer salsa, try it in a wrap with soured cream, melted cheese and BBQ'd chicken.

1) Finely dice the onion and pour over a tablespoon of white wine vinegar and the juice of 1 lime. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

2) Finely dice the cucumber, apple, fennel and radish and stir into the onions.

3) I like to drain off most of the juice, but this is entirely a matter of taste.

Butterbean & feta salad

Ingredients 1/4 Cucumber, 1 tin butterbeans, 100g feta, mint leaves, butter, 1/2 lime.

Serves: 2 Preparation: 10 minutes

I'm back! After almost a month off due to wedding/honeymoon madness I have woefully neglected you all. Hopefully this lunch idea will get me back in your good graces... the combination of lime and mint is always a winner with me - whether a cocktail, a pudding or a salad dressing, it never fails to add a fresh, exciting twist to a dish. This butterbean and feta salad is a great combination of melting soft cheese and beans with crunchy cucumber - great in a wrap, on bread or just on its own.

1) Drain the can of butterbeans and rinse in cold water. Bring to the boil in a pan for 4 minutes, then drain and set aside.

2) Slice and quarter the cucumber and cut the feta into equal chunks.

3) Zest the lime and squeeze the juice from one half. Finely chop the mint leaves and stir into the lime juice and zest.

4) Melt a knob of butter in a pan and add in the beans. Sizzle for a 30 seconds before adding the lime and mint, then fry off for a further 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

5) Take off the heat and stir through the feta and cucumber to dress it before serving.

Southern Comfort fajitas

Ingredients 300g Quorn steak strips (or beef steak strips), southern comfort, tomato passata, 1 white onion, iceberg lettuce, soured cream, butter, jalepenos, cumin, cheddar, tortillas, Guacamole: 3 avocados, jalepeno, lime, coriander, soured cream, avocado oil.

Serves: 6 preparation: 20 minutes

I have never been a fan of Southern Comfort - the smell turns my stomach and I find the taste too sweet. Usually when cooking Mexican food I use tequila but a lack of tequila and the dregs of a bottle of SoCo that someone brought to a party recently made me wonder if the fruity, spicy flavour would work well as an alternative. Turns out it did! Enjoy...


1) To make guacamole, see my previous recipe.


2) Marinate the Quorn in Southern Comfort for about 5 or 10 minutes (it's like a sponge and will soak it right up - if you're using beef you might want to make it an hour beforehand).


3) Peel and finely dice the onion and sautee in a little butter until completely soft. Add the Quorn and any excess Southern Comfort and cook off the alcohol.


4) Add a little tomato passata, cumin and some chopped jalepenos to taste


5) Serve with shredded iceberg lettuce, grated cheddar, guacamole and some soured cream in a tortilla.

Creamed cabbage & potato cakes

Ingredients Pistachio, chilli & lime potato cakes, irish cheddar, cabbage, leeks, double cream, butter, black pepper

Serves: 2 preparation: 10 minutes


When I make potato cakes, I tend to like thick almost scone-like cakes that are crispy on the outside and meltingly perfect mash in the middle. On the rare occasion that I have "proper" flat potato cakes, I like to treat them as toast. In honour of St Patrick's Day (because what's more Irish than potatoes and cabbage?) I have created this creamed cabbage, cheddar and leek concoction to serve them with.


1) For instructions on making potato cakes see my previous recipe.


2) Dice the cabbage and leeks, then sautee in a little butter for 5 minutes, adding a tiny splash of cream once the leeks are soft.


3) Stir through some grated Irish cheddar and season well with black pepper.

Serve on the toasty hot potato cake

Pancakes - Rose & pistachio

Ingredients 100g plain flour, 20g pistachios, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml rose essence, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, lime, rose jam (not currently for sale- please contact me for details).

Makes: 6 pancakes Preparation: 40 minutes


When I tasted this pancake I wanted to cry. Cry big, fat dramatic tears of pure joy because this is definitely going to be my favourite breakfast from now on! Rose and pistachio are a wonderfully delicate flavour combination which always makes me think of macarons. Give this a try - the batter is beautifully enhanced by the texture of the nuts and the taste is out of this world!


1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Grind the pistachios in a mortar and pestle and add to the mix.


2) Measure 90ml rose essence in a pyrex jug, then top it up to 300ml with milk. Beat the eggs into the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually beat in the milk and rose mixture until smooth.


3) Stir in the vegetable oil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour.


4) Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot, then add a small knob of butter. Pour in one ladle of batter, quickly turning the pan off the heat to coat the base evenly with the batter. Return to the hob and cook for about one minute, until the base is lightly browned. I like to use a spatula or palette knife to just loosen the edges of the pancake - once the air gets under it you will find it does not stick to the pan but slide about which helps it to flip!


5) Flip over the pancake (if you have a clumsy wrist, slide the pancake onto a plate, then tip the pan over the plate and turn it upside down. No one will ever know!


6) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, serve! I added a squeeze of lime and the remainder of last season's rose jam but truly, these would be delicious without the additional adornment!

Kohlrabi tabbouleh

IngredientsGiant (aka Israeli) cous-cous (I bought mine from Millie's Organic in Leeds), tomatoes, parsley, 1 lime, salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, kohlrabi, cucumber.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Traditionally when I make tabbouleh, it's all about the parsley. Lemon juice, mint, tomato, bulgar wheat and a little all-spice are present but the parsley takes centre stage. This weekend I got hold of some kohlrabi which I ADORE and couldn't think of a nicer way of serving it than creating a kohlrabi tabbouleh. Kohlrabi has a delecate balance of cabbage notes and sweet, nutty freshness. Texture-wise I wanted the crunch to really stand out so substituted the bulgar wheat for giant cous-cous. Cous-cous is made using semolina which has been sprinkled with water, hand rolled and then passed through a sieve, dusted with more semolina and rolled and passed through again to form the granules that you can buy in the shops. Cous-cous in Israel has a much larger granule and personally I prefer it, the texture is more like the bubbles in a tapioca pudding and it's absolutely delicious, absorbing flavour more intensely than the smaller grains do.

1) Pour the cous-cous into a pan of boiling salted water and stir through for 6-8 minutes before straining in a sieve and setting aside to cool.

2) Peel the kohlrabi with a sharp knife to remove the green skin, then slice the white flesh into chunks.

3) Wherever possible, buy your tomatoes on the day you need them, still attached to the vine and don't keep them in the fridge; it chills away all the sunshine from the flavour. Pick from the vine, rinse in lukewarm water and slice into quarters.

4) Wash the cucumber to remove any wax from the skin and slice into chunks.

5) Squeeze the lime into the cous-cous and stir through, loosening any sticky grains with your hands - add a generous handful of freshly picked chopped parsley and season well with salt and cracked black pepper.

6) Add a tiny sprinkle of ground cumin and paprika, then stir through the kohlrabi, tomatoes and cucumber.

I served this with some iceberg and raddiocho lettuce leaves to scoop up the tabbouleh which is traditionally eaten with the hands.

Ruby salad

Ingredients Rocket, radish, pomegranate, red bell pepper, feta, beetroot, lime, basil oil, pumpkin seeds.

Serves: 1 Preparation: 35 minutes

This salad is not only absolutely beautiful to look at, it's marvellously healthy and absolutely delicious. The peppery hit of radish and rocket, the sweet juicey pomegranate and the sharp tang of the feta and lime really does make this one of those salads that can't quite ever be boring. Should you be in the mood for red-themed valentines treats, this should get you in the mood for love.

1) Wash the beetroot and slice off the stalks and leaves. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Carefully peel the beetroot with the nick of a knife, then once it's cool slice thinly.

2) Slice the top from the bell pepper and remove the core and seeds. Slice between the membrane segments (usually leaves 3 or 4 slices of pepper) and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until slightly blackened.

3) Slice the pomegranate in half and hold over a bowl, fruit side down. Bang sharply with a wooden spoon to release the jewels. Alternatively, if the pomegranate is very ripe, it's sometimes as quick to just break it in half and peel off the membrane.

4) Finely slice the radish and add the rocket to a bowl and squeeze over the juice of 1 small lime and a drizzle of basil oil. Toss and transfer to your serving dish.

5) Dice the feta and layer with the beetroot and roast pepper, then sprinkle over the pomegranate and sunflower seeds.

Pistachio, chilli & lime potato cakes

Ingredients  leftover mashed potatoes, 100g pistachios, 2 limes, 1 tbsp chilli powder, white flour, olive oil.

Serves: 2 preparation: 10 minutes


Of all the exotic and delicious foods that I cook on a daily basis for your viewing pleasure, if you were to ask me what my favourite food is, I would probably answer mashed potato. Whenever I was poorly as a little girl my mum used to make me mashed potatoes and let me lay on the sofa under a duvet watching Disney films with a bowl of pure comfort. Leftover mashed potato isn't a regular occurrence in this house but on the occasions that I've made far too much I love to make potato cakes with it - and these tangy, spicy little lumps of heaven are spectacular.


1) Grind the pistachio in a mortar and pestle (or pulse in the blender) - until you have a good mix of fine crumbs and chunks, then stir into the mashed potato along with the lime juice and the chilli.


2) Season well and form into patties, then dust with flour. Personally I like them as you see, quite thick and scone like but it's more traditional to have them about half the size...


3) Drizzle a little olive oil in a frying pan and drop in the potato. Using a fishslice or a wooden spatula, turn them frequently until the surface is crisp and serve!

Tomato, lime & mint soup

Ingredients    2lbs tomatoes, chopped mint, 2 limes, 1 pint vegetable stock, 1/2 onion, butter.

Serves: 2 Preparation: 30 minutes


Tomato soup is an institution. Mouthwatering, comforting, universally adored and at once sweet and juicy and savoury and rich - tomatoes have a natural acidity which reacts so well to the lime in this dish but the mint balances it perfectly.


1) Peel and finely dice the onions and sautee in a little butter.


2) Once the onions are soft, slice the tomatoes in half and stir into the onions. Add the vegetable stock, lime juice and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.


3) Strain the tomatoes and onions from the liquid using a sieve, and puree them in the blender. Pass the tomato flesh through the sieve into the liquid, leaving the onions, seeds, core and skin in the sieve. Discard the contents of the sieve.


4) Stir the liquid and return to the hob along with the chopped mint, season well and simmer for a further 10 minutes before serving.

Pineapple guacamole

Ingredients 1 avocado, 2 tbsp pineapple, 1 jalepeno, coriander, 1 lime

Serves: 4 Preparation: 5 minutes

Avocado and pineapple are both such fickle beasts - avocado oxidises quickly and pineapple becomes fermented so it was only a matter of time before I brought them together to create another twist on my classic guacamole. This is fresh and tangy and utterly addictive.

1) Slice and de-seed the jalepeno and set to macerate in the juice of 1 lime.



2) Slice the avocado in half and remove the stone. Slice the flesh from the shell, taking care to scrape out the dark buttery outer layer of avocado. Pulse in a blender or mash until smooth. Add the jalepeno and a little of the lime juice and stir through.


3) Slice the top from the pineapple and peel off the skin with a knife. Slice the flesh away from the hard core and discard.


4) Dice the flesh and stir about 2 tablespoons into the guacamole. Stir through about a teaspoon of finely chopped coriander and serve - perfect with tortilla chips.

Giant cous-cous with roast aubergine

Ingredients 150g Giant (aka Israeli) cous-cous (I bought mine from Millie's Organic in Leeds), 2 limes, basil oil, 10g freshly chopped mint, 100g passata tomatoes, 3 baby aubergines, salt.

Serves: 2 Preparation: 10 minutes

Cous-cous is made using semolina which has been sprinkled with water, hand rolled and then passed through a sieve, dusted with more semolina and rolled and passed through again to form the granules that you can buy in the shops. Cous-cous in Israel has a much larger granule and personally I prefer it, the texture is more like the bubbles in a tapioca pudding and it's absolutely delicious, absorbing flavour more intensely than the smaller grains do. The sauce contrasts so beautifully with the flavour of roast aubergine and it just melts in the mouth.

1) Slice the tops from the baby aubergines and slice into quarters, first lengthways and then widthways. Arrange skin side down in a roasting dish and sprinkle with salt to draw out the bitter juices. Drizzle with basil oil and roast in the oven at 220 for 30 minutes.

2) Pour the cous-cous into a pan of boiling salted water and stir through for 6-8 minutes before straining in a sieve and setting aside.

3) To make the dressing, squeeze the juice of 2 limes, a tablespoon of basil oil and the passata tomato into a pan and stir through.

4) Add some finely chopped mint, then stir through the cous-cous and aubergine.

Giant cous-cous with cucumber and king prawns

Ingredients 150g Giant (aka Israeli) cous-cous (I bought mine from Millie's Organic in Leeds), 1/4 cucumber, 2 limes, basil oil, 10g freshly chopped mint, 150g cooked and peeled king prawns, 100g passata tomatoes.

Serves: 2 Preparation: 10 minutes

Cous-cous is made using semolina which has been sprinkled with water, hand rolled and then passed through a sieve, dusted with more semolina and rolled and passed through again to form the granules that you can buy in the shops. Cous-cous in Israel has a much larger granule and personally I prefer it, the texture is more like the bubbles in a tapioca pudding and it's absolutely delicious, absorbing flavour more intensely than the smaller grains do.

1) Pour the cous-cous into a pan of boiling salted water and stir through for 6-8 minutes before straining in a sieve and setting aside.

2) To make the dressing, squeeze the juice of 2 limes, a tablespoon of basil oil and the passata tomato into a pan and stir through.

3) Add some finely chopped mint and the prawns, then stir through the cous-cous.

4) Serve with chunky pieces of cucumber for a contrasting crunch. 

Pork & apple rice salad

Ingredients      Basil oil, pistachio, basil, pork    strips, apple, long grain rice, wild rice, lime.

1) Mix the rice together and boil for 20 minutes. Strain and set aside.


2) Peel and core 2 apples and dice the fruit. Warm a little basil oil in a frying pan and add the apples, stirring through until they begin to soften. Add the pork strips and sizzle until cooked.


3) Crush a handful of pistacho nuts in a mortar and pestle and add 2 handfulls of roughly chopped basil. Grind the basil into the nuts until it forms a paste. Stir through some basil oil, a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt.


4) Stir the pesto through the rice and add the pork and apples.

Green bean pistou

Ingredients Linguine, green beans, toasted almonds, basil oil, basil, lime, parmigiano.

Pistou is a French version of pesto, traditionally spooned onto soup - I happen to also think it is pretty fabulous stirred onto pasta as a change from pesto.


1) Roughly chop some basil and then grind in a mortar and pestle thoroughly, adding a pinch of salt, the toasted almonds and a squeeze of lime to taste.


2) Cook the linguine in hot, salted water for 10 minutes, adding the green beans after 2.


3) Strain in a colander and add back to the pan. Stir through the pistou and serve sprinkled with parmeggian.

Butternut squash & beetroot kebabs

Ingredients    Butternut squash, halloumi, beetroot,   1lb plums, 50g sugar, 3 cloves garlic, 4 scotch bonnet chillis, ginger root, lime juice

Following on from my soba noodles with plum sauce recipe - if you have any leftover plum sauce it makes a fabulously sticky kebab marinade!


1) Slice the butternut squash in half, remove the seeds and slice out the flesh. Cut into chunks and roast in the oven for 10 minutes, drizzled with plum sauce.


2) Once the squash has part cooked, slide onto kebab skewers along with chunks of beetroot and halloumi. Drizzle with a generous proportion of the plum sauce and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.