Pasta with spinach & ale sauce

Ingredients 1/4 cup Hobgoblin ale, 300g spinach, 1/2 tsp grainy mustard, 1 tbsp buttermilk, 150g gruyere, pasta.

Serves: 2 Preparation: 20 minutes

I am a spinach junkie. I cannot get enough of it and it's such a great ingredient - so quick and satisfying and gloriously healthy. This dish is a little more indulgent given the cheese and beer content but it's magnificent nonetheless.

1) Bring the pasta to the boil in a pan of salted water and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

2) Reduce the ale in a milk pan and stir in the spinach, mustard and the buttermilk, then remove from the heat once the spinach has wilted.

3) Grate the gruyere into the pan and stir through until a completely smooth, elastic sort of fondue has formed. Strain the pasta and stir into the spinach sauce.

Greek stuffed peppers

Ingredients 2 bell peppers, 1 can cannellini beans, 75g feta, 2 salad onions, 1 tbsp chopped mint, 125ml passata tomatoes.

Serves: 2 Preparation: 30 minutes

As you can probably tell, I'm still obsessed with Greek food. It is entirely possible that I shall be naming my son Stavros at this rate, because I seem to have craved nothing but Greek food since the day I became pregnant! A stuffed pepper is a thing of beauty - the healthy alternative to a pie in my opinion. You can fill them with just about anything successfully, and without pastry most fillings are healthy, delicious and super low maintenance to prepare. A pepper is a marvellous thing. I like to pre-roast them before stuffing them and roasting them again until the skin is almost completely blackened and has infused the centre with luscious tangy juices. There is a special place in my heart for this wonderful tangy mint and bean combination. So simple, so satisfying, so low-carb! 

1) Slice the top from the pepper (do not discard the lid) and scoop out the core and seeds. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes at a high heat.

2) Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and add to a milk pan along with the passata, mint and finely sliced salad onions. Heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly until the beans are cooked. Season to taste.

3) Dice the feta and set aside.

4) Layer the beans and feta in the pepper, packing it down tightly until it is full to bursting. Replace the lid and return to the oven to roast for a further 10 minutes at 200 degrees, then serve!

Lavender marshmallow scones

Ingredients 225g self raising flour, 50g butter, 50g sugar, 150ml milk, 1 tbsp lavender. To make the marshmallow: 5 sheets gelatine, 225g caster sugar, 100ml water, lavender, 2 large egg whites, icing sugar and cornflour for dusting

Serves: 10 Preparation: 30 minutes (plus 1 hour 30 minutes for marshmallows)

The last time I made marshmallow, I swore to myself that I would actually bake with it instead of eating it all out of the tray in an orgy of sugary fluffy glory. Well it's important to test that every part of it is perfectly made you see... *looks guilty*
Because I love to make scones and lavender scones in particular, it struck me that combining my lavender marshmallows with my lavender scone recipe would be seriously cool. It was indeed - but you can always just buy the marshmallows if you don't have the patience to make them. I tested my first batch of dough with mini marshmallows that I use for hot chocolate to check they wouldn't just caramelise in the oven - thankfully they left beautiful gooey pockets in the dough. Success!

1) First infuse the milk with the lavender by setting it to steep for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then strain away the lavender.

2) Sift the flour and sugar together, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3) Mix the milk and marshmallows in with the dry ingredients until a dough has formed. It's best to work scones with cool hands so if yours are warm, run them under the cold tap first (and dry them) before working it.

4) Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and then fold it in half and roll again. Cut out rounds of pastry with a scalloped cutter and brush with a little milk to help the surface colour.

5) Bake at 200 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Cinnamon, orange & sultana scones

Ingredients 225g self raising flour, 50g butter, 50g sugar, juice and zest of 2 oranges, 20g sultanas, 1 tbsp cinnamon.

Serves: 10 Preparation: 30 minutes

I adore making scones. If someone calls to tell me they're coming over for a cuppa, it's the work of but 15 minutes to prepare the pastry and pop them in the oven. These orange and sultana scones are something that I have been planning to make for some time - the scent of cinnamon and orange that fills the house is incredible and the plump spice infused sultanas make a wonderful contrast to the light, crumbling pastry. I served these with a little butter and marscapone whipped with orange juice and sugar.

1) Juice and zest the oranges and leave the sultanas to soak in the orange juice for at least 10 minutes.

2) Sift the flour, cinnamon and sugar together, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3) Mix the orange juice and sultanas in with the dry ingredients until a dough has formed. It's best to work scones with cool hands so if yours are warm, run them under the cold tap first (and dry them) before working it.

4) Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and then fold it in half and roll again. Cut out rounds of pastry with a scalloped cutter and brush with a little milk to help the surface colour.

5) Bake at 200 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Chilli chocolate scones

Ingredients 225g self raising flour, 50g butter, 50g sugar, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 75ml buttermilk, dark chocolate chips, chilli flakes

Serves: 10 Preparation: 30 minutes

The combination of dark chocolate and chilli is a particular favourite of mine - the scent, the taste - it's positively sinful and these scones are a wonderfully soft, crumbly vehicle for the unexpected flavour. I served them with marscapone whipped with a little orange juice and sugar.

1) Sift the flour, chilli flakes, cocoa powder and sugar together, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3) Mix the buttermilk and dark chocolate chips in with the dry ingredients until a dough has formed. It's best to work scones with cool hands so if yours are warm, run them under the cold tap first (and dry them) before working it.

4) Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and then fold it in half and roll again. Cut out rounds of pastry with a scalloped cutter and brush with a little milk to help the surface colour.

5) Bake at 200 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

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

Greek bean salad

Ingredients Green beans, butterbeans, feta, Rachel's Organic Greek Yoghurt, mint, cucumber, green olives, chives.

Preparation: 10 minutes

La OK, I'll admit it, I have been OBSESSED with Greek food for the last few months. I can't help it - beautiful flavours, minimal ingredients and you have a simple, quick meal that is more often than not healthy too. This scrumptious bean salad has soft butterbeans, salty feta and olives, the fresh crunch of green beans and a luscious slither of minty Greek yoghurt tying it all together.

1) Top and tail the green beans and simmer in hot salted water with the butterbeans for 5 minutes. Strain in a colander and run under cold water to bring them down to room temperature.

2) Dice the feta and olives and stir into the beans.

3) Finely chop the mint, chives and cucumber, then stir into the yoghurt and toss with the other ingredients and serve.

Kale Pesto Caprese Pancake Cannelloni

Ingredients 120g plain flour, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, 100g pine nuts, 1 lemon, 30g parmigiano, mozzarella, tomato, Rachel's Organic Greek Yoghurt, Cheddar

Serves: 4 Preparation: 45 minutes

I adore making pancakes. There's something so soothing about the ritualistic rolling of batter in a pan. When I created my recipe for kale pesto, I instantly envisioned it in contrast to oozing cheese and pasta. But then after using it as a pancake filling, I couldn't resist making cannelloni using my leftover pancake batter and borrowing the incredible yoghurt sauce that I created for enchiladas to smother my stuffed pancakes with. It's a delicious, yet light dish... coming soon kale pesto pasta. Om nom nom. 

1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs.

2) Measure 90ml water 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 water mixture until smooth.

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

4) To make the pesto - Add the basil leaves to a mortar bowl along with a pinch of salt and the pine nuts. Grind thoroughly, adding a squeeze of lemon juice and grated parmigiano to taste. Tear the leaves of the kale from the woody stalks and add to a blender along with the pesto. Blend thoroughly, drizzling oil at the same time until the desired consistency has been reached.

5) 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!

6) 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!

7) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, repeat until you have 6 pancakes. Spread the kale pesto onto the pancakes and add a line of mozzarella in the centre. Roll up the pancakes and set them in an ovenproof dish.

8) To make the sauce, grate the cheddar into the yoghurt and spread over the pancakes. Top with an extra layer of cheese and bake for 15 minutes.

Pancakes - kale pesto caprese

La	Ingredients 120g plain flour, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, 30g basil, 200g kale, 100g pine nuts, 1 lemon, 30g parmigiano, mozzarella, tomato, olive oil

Serves: 6 Preparation: 20 minutes

I adore making pancakes. There's something so soothing about the ritualistic rolling of batter in a pan and who says that pancakes have to be sweet? When I  created my recipe for kale pesto, I knew that I wanted to make a warm version of a caprese salad (basil, tomato and mozzarella) and with pancake day coming up... what better way to serve it?! 

1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs.

2) Measure 90ml water 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 water mixture until smooth.

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

4) To make the pesto - Add the basil leaves to a mortar bowl along with a pinch of salt and the pine nuts. Grind thoroughly, adding a squeeze of lemon juice and grated parmigiano to taste. Tear the leaves of the kale from the woody stalks and add to a blender along with the pesto. Blend thoroughly, drizzling oil at the same time until the desired consistency has been reached.

5) 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!

6) 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!

7) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, serve filled with slices of mozzarella, tomato and the pesto.

Cupcake Burgers: Beetroot, chilli & ginger

Ingredients Burger: 400g beef mince, 1/2 white onion, 2 portobello mushrooms, butter Frosting: 4 Maris Piper potatoes, 1 small beetroot, ginger, chilli flakes

Serves: 6 Preparation: 1 hour 30 minutes

This is possibly one of the weirdest of my creations, but I'm actually really proud of the way it has worked out! Cupcakes persist in being ridiculously hot in popular culture and ever more elaborate flavour combinations and decorations come flooding in. But what about people who don't like cake, or can't have sugar? Why should they suffer? Enter... the Cupcake Burger.
I have done a series of different "frostings" - this fabulous coloured and zingy mash is wonderful. If you'd rather try a different burger, including one of my vegetarian or vegan options... check out these ideas.

1) To prepare the beetroot, wash it and slice off the stalks and leaves. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. 

2) Peel and cut the potatoes, then boil in hot salted water for 20 minutes and strain away the water.

3) Finely dice the onion and mushroom and fry off in a very little butter until the juice from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the mixture to a blender along with the beef mince. Pulse to combine and then separate into rough patties.

4) Press firmly into the cupcake tins, remembering the burgers will shrink a little when cooked, so be generous and pack it in tight. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees.

5) Carefully peel the beetroot with the nick of a knife and grate into your blender along with a teaspoon of powdered ginger and dried chilli flakes to taste

6) Spoon the mash into a piping bag and top the burgers with a swirl of "frosting" just like a cupcake!

Cupcake Burgers: Avocado, cheddar & bacon

Ingredients Burger: 400g beef mince, 1/2 white onion, 2 portobello mushrooms, butter Frosting: 1 avocado, 4 Maris Piper potatoes, 50g cheddar, black pepper, pancetta

Serves: 6 Preparation: 30 minutes

This is possibly one of the weirdest of my creations, but I'm actually really proud of the way it has worked out! Cupcakes persist in being ridiculously hot in popular culture and ever more elaborate flavour combinations and decorations come flooding in. But what about people who don't like cake, or can't have sugar? Why should they suffer? Enter... the Cupcake Burger.
I have done a series of different "frostings" - this fabulous coloured and fabulous tasting avocado mash is exquisite. If you'd rather try a different burger, including one of my vegetarian or vegan options... check out these ideas.

1) First make the avocado mash, then finely dice the onion and mushroom and fry off in a very little butter until the juice from the mushrooms has evaporated. 

2) Pour away the juices from the mushroom and add the mixture to a blender along with the beef mince. Pulse to combine and then separate into rough patties.

3) Press firmly into the cupcake tins, remembering the burgers will shrink a little when cooked, so be generous and pack it in tight. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees.

4) Spoon the mash into a piping bag and top the burgers with a swirl of "frosting" just like a cupcake! I topped this with crispy fried pancetta for decoration.

Cupcake Burgers: Roast pepper & goats cheese

Ingredients Burger: 400g beef mince, 1/2 white onion, 2 portobello mushrooms, butter Frosting: 150g goats cheese, 1 bell pepper

Serves: 6 Preparation: 30 minutes

This is possibly one of the weirdest of my creations, but I'm actually really proud of the way it has worked out! Cupcakes persist in being ridiculously hot in popular culture and ever more elaborate flavour combinations and decorations come flooding in. But what about people who don't like cake, or can't have sugar? Why should they suffer? Enter... the Cupcake Burger.
I have done a series of different "frostings" - this roast pepper and goats cheese being the richest. Just be warned, the heat of the burger will begin to melt the "frosting" if you don't let it stand just a little before serving. If you'd rather try a different burger, including one of my vegetarian or vegan options... check out these ideas.

1) Finely dice the onion and mushroom and fry off in a very little butter until the juice from the mushrooms has evaporated. 

2) Add the mixture to a blender along with the beef mince. Pulse to combine and then separate into rough patties.

3) Press firmly into the cupcake tins, remembering the burgers will shrink a little when cooked, so be generous and pack it in tight.

4) Slice the top from a bell pepper and remove the core and seeds. Slice into slivers and roast on a foil tray at the top shelf of the oven, with the burgers on the middle shelf at 200 degrees for 15 minutes.

5) Take out the peppers and leave to cool for 2 minutes, turning off the oven to keep the burgers warm, but not allowing them to overcook.

6) Add the peppers and goats cheese to the blender and pulse until a mousse is formed. Spoon into a piping bag and top the burgers with a swirl of "frosting" just like a cupcake!

Avocado & cheddar mash

Ingredients 1 avocado, 4 Maris Piper potatoes, 50g cheddar, black pepper

Serves: 4 Preparation: 30 minutes

Mashed potato is without a doubt my favourite food. It is the ultimate in comfort and is wonderfully versatile. Much like everything goes with toast, in my humble opinion you can add pretty much anything to mashed potato from citrus to cheese to spices to vegetables and it will still be nothing short of divine. The delicate, cool flavour of avocado when mixed with the tang of cheddar is absolutely delicious and has the creamiest texture! For my vegan readers, I can now confirm that mashed potato without butter is possible. Get your avocado onnnnn. I insist on the cheddar though... tee hee.

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

2) 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 and pulse again to combine. 

3) Stir through the cheddar and black pepper and serve hot.

Satay green beans

Ingredients Green beans, 1 tablespoon peanut butter (I like Whole Earth Foods), 1/2 lemon, chilli flakes

Serves: 2 Preparation: 10 minutes

Satay sauce is scrumptious and so simple - just 3 ingredients and a little stirring  and any vegetable, meat or noodles can be transformed into a delicious dish.
I especially love sexing up green beans with this sticky, spicy goodness. 

1) Parboil the green beans in hot water for 2 minutes, then strain and add to a wok with a squeeze of lemon juice.

2) Add the peanut butter and stir through on on a gentle heat for 5 minutes until all the beans are coated.

3) Stir through the chilli flakes, to taste, and serve hot.

Aubergine timbale

Ingredients 1 aubergine, 2 red bell peppers, 4 cherry tomatoes, 1 camembert, butter, 3 eggs

Serves: 4 Preparation: 1 hour

I recently bought some new pudding moulds and have been going timbale crazy lately. These aubergine timbales are absolutely lovely - meltingly soft aubergine, juicy roast tomatoes and peppers and succulent, gooey Camembert.

1) Slice the aubergines to half centimetre thick discs and sprinkle with salt. Leave to rest until you see dark juices beading the surface, then wipe away with kitchen towel.

2) Slice the top from a bell pepper and remove the core and seeds. Slice into slivers.

3) Slice the tomatoes in half and then into quarters. Slice the core and seeds from the tomato and then roast in the oven along with the peppers for 20 minutes at 200 degrees.

4) Melt a little butter in a frying pan and add the aubergine slices (I cook 4 at a time), turning immediately to allow them to soak up the butter evenly. Sizzle until the butter browns and is completely soaked up by the aubergine before turning again - then continue turning until the surface of the aubergine colours and the skin changes to a vibrant, shiny purple. Set aside to cool.

5) Rub the inside of the pudding moulds with a thin layer of butter, and then line the pudding moulds with the aubergine slices, starting with the base, then working up to sides. If you press firmly, the aubergine will stick together well.

6) Fill the cases with tomato, aubergine and globs of Camembert.

7) Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk thoroughly, then pour over the other ingredients until each pudding case is full.

8) Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 180 degrees, then turn out the timbales from the cases carefully and serve.

Cauliflower mash

Ingredients 1 cauliflower, 100g mature cheddar, 1 tsp butter

Serves: 4 Preparation: 30 minutes

It's no secret that I love mashed potato. It's my go-to comfort food, the thing I crave when I'm ill, and a dish that I'll never get bored of. Whether I make it creamy, cheesy, piquant with mustard, garlic, apple or lemon, add herbs or olives or spinach or sauteed leeks... it never lets me down. So the day I decided to sex up the humble cauliflower by turning it into mash was a risky day indeed. It had big big boots to fill. I'm pleased to say though, that it turned out divinely - so much so that my husband just ate an entire mashed cauliflower to himself. Amazing.

1) Remove the leaves and slice the stem of the cauliflower right down to the base, leaving a star shaped core.
Cut the florets from the cauliflower and add to a pan of hot salted water and simmer for 18 minutes.

2) Strain the cauliflower and add to a blender along with the grated cheddar and butter. Pulse until thoroughly pureed.

3) Season and serve hot. This also works well duchess potato style (pipe the cauliflower puree into a swirl and then bake in the oven for 6 or 7 minutes at 200 degrees)