Squash Carbonara

There is nothing quite so soothing as a bowl of carbonara and I know this plant-based version isn’t the real deal but my goodness is it so creamy, delicious and packed full of nutrients so who cares!? Plus you only get one pan dirty which is a result in my book. If you eat dairy then you can add grated Parmesan in place of the almonds.

The sauce is also freezer friendly so make a big batch and freeze into portions for quick dinners when time is short and energy levels low.

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Serves 4-6

500g squash, peeled and roughly chopped

500ml vegetable stock or water 

3-4 garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 cup ground almonds or parmesan 

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp finely chopped rosemary, optional

Linguine to serve

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Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the prepped butternut and garlic and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend into a smooth purée. Set aside.

Meanwhile, fill the empty butternut pan with water and bring to the boil. Season and cook pasta for 9 minutes. Drain. Place back into the pan and add enough sauce to lightly coat (around 5-6 tbsp per portion). Stir through and serve immediately topped with parmesan! 

The Simplest Daal

It amazes me every time I cook this meal how a few simple (and cheap) ingredients can turn into such a beautifully vibrant and nutritious dish. We ate it last night crowned with a fried egg but it would be equally amazing just by itself. The girls have it stirred through rice and with either an egg (a bit kegeree-esque) or with roasted salmon. 

The optional Tarka adds so much flavour so I’d highly recommend you do it! I always use curry leaves but they can be hard to come by so just leave them out if you can’t get your hands on some.

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2 tbsp sunflower oil

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced or chopped

1 heaped cup red lentils

1 cup cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 litre (4 cups) water or vegetable stock

For the Tarka:

2 tbsp sunflower oil 

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp chilli flakes 

8 curry leaves 

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Pop all the daal ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and place over a medium heat. Bring to the boil and then reduce to simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to stop it catching on the bottom.

Five minutes before your daal is ready heat the Tarka oil in a frying pan and when hot add the remaining ingredients. Cook for 30 seconds or until the seeds are popping and the fragrance is released. Immediately remove from the heat and pour over your daal. Serve in bowls with plenty of bread to mop up all the flavour.

Smokey Summer Aubergine Stew

I know stew is usually synonyms with the cold months but this smokey, vibrant dish will 100% change your mind. It’s one of those fantastic ‘chuck all the ingredients in and then let it simmer to perfection’ kind of dishes and the result is utterly delicious whilst also feeling good for the soul and body.

I like to serve it with brown rice and drizzled w tahini but any grain would work and it’s also delicious topped with yoghurt or harissa! For the tahini I just whisk together equal parts tahini + cold water with a squeeze of lemon + sea salt. It’s such a great little recipe to have up your sleeve as brings so much life to so many dishes from salads to roast chicken or fish.

The stew itself will keep for 3 days in the fridge or make a big batch and freeze.

Serves 3-4

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2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 red onion, sliced

2 medium aubergines, cut into quarters and then into 1-cm thick slices

3 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp sea salt

500ml tomato passata

250ml water or vegetable stock

1 tbsp harissa, optional 

2 tsp honey

1x 400g tin chickpeas, drained

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Preheat the oven to 200°C. Put all the ingredients up to the tomato passata in a large ovenproof dish. Place over a high heat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the water, followed by the passata, and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and place straight into the oven for 30-35 minutes until the the aubergine is tender and the sauce thickened. Remove and stir through the harissa, honey and chickpeas and place back in the oven for 10-15minutes. Serve straight from the oven with brown rice and a drizzle of tahini or yoghurt.

Charred Sweet + Salty Broccoli

I’m a little bit in love with this dish- it’s so straightforward (10 minutes to make from beginning to end!) but somehow feels like a total showstopper.  Plus is there anything better for you than broccoli?! Here you char it in a wok for 5 minutes and then add the sweet and salty peanut sauce which transforms it into this ridiculously delicious nourishing bowl of goodness. I like to use the entire broccoli head but you can discard the stem if you prefer. You can also add in spinach or Chinese greens.

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For the broccoli:

300g broccoli head, cut into florets and the stem finely sliced 

2 tbsp sunflower oil

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tbsp coriander stalks, roughly chopped (optional)

For the sauce:

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 lime, juice only 

2 tbsp cold water

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Steam or boil your broccoli for 4 minutes and drain. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and set to one side. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Once hot add the prepped garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander stalks. Let them cook and release their aroma for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for later. Add the broccoli to the flavoured oil and cook for 4-5 minutes- shaking halfway through- you want the broccoli to ‘char’ in places. After 5 minutes add the garlic mix back into the pan along with the sauce. Stir and take off the heat. Serve immediately with your choice of noodles or rice, and scatter over sesame seeds, fresh coriander and sliced spring onions if you have them.

Cauliflower Tikka Masala

I absolutely love this recipe- mostly because it combines two of my favourite things: Indian spices and oven baking!

The recipe uses a very straightforward homemade curry paste which might sound a bit daunting and time intensive but I assure you that its super easy, ready in 5 minutes and so worth it! You could substitute in other vegetables such as pumpkin or potatoes but I’m a big fan of cauliflower.

Also featured over @babyccinokids

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500g prepped cauliflower cut into bitesize florets

for the paste:

1-2 onions, roughly chopped

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp mild curry powder

1 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp ground almonds

50g fresh coriander, roughly chopped

and:

400ml tomato passata

200ml coconut milk

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Preheat the oven to 220°C and place the prepped cauliflower in a large ovenproof dish (I generally use a shallow Le Creuset) and set to one side. Place all the paste ingredients and 1 tablespoon of cold water in a food processor and blitz down into a smooth paste. Remove the paste and pour over the cauliflower. Use a spoon to gently coat the florets and then place the dish into the oven for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, remove the dish and pour in the tomato passata and coconut milk. Stir everything together and reduce the oven to 200ºC. Place the curry back in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling and the top of the florets are starting to caramelise a little. Remove and serve immediately with rice and chapatis or alongside other curries for an Indian Feast!

Peanut Squash Noodles

This was a favourite during lockdown in the Spring and has remained so since! It might look a little complex but there are actually very few elements which all take absolutely no time to make. The final dish feels ridiculously nourishing and wholesome and it makes the perfect lunch or dinner when you feel like you need a boost!

Serves 2-3

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1/2 butternut squash, wash and dry the seeds

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 lemongrass, finely chopped

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp chilli flakes 

2 tbsp sunflower or coconut oil

1 lime, juice and zest 

For the sauce:

2 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp honey

1 lime, juice only

To serve: wholemeal noodles, cucumber, a little extra soy + fresh coriander 

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Preheat the oven to 200 C and line a baking tray with parchment. Slice the butternut into 1-cm slices (keep the skin on) and scatter over the seeds, garlic, lemongrass, lime zest and chilli flakes and then pour over the soy, lime and oil. Toss everything together and then cook for 30-35 minutes until tender and golden around the edges.

To make the sauce: blitz together all the ingredients and set to one side. If serving with noodles then soak for 5 minutes and then drain well and cut a cucumber into ribbons and sprinkle over 1 tsp soy sauce.

To serve: toss the sauce through your noodles, top with the roasted butternut, its crispy seeds, the cucumber and some fresh coriander if you have any.