Veggie/Vegan

Boston Beans w Roasted Sweet Potato

This is my absolute favourite meal to cook and eat on a cold and rainy day. You could make the boston beans by themselves and serve simply on toast but I love them with the sticky sweetness of a roasted sweet potato.

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For the Boston beans:

1 x tin cannellini beans, drained 

500g tomato passata

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves

2 tsp maple syrup

2 tsp Worcester sauce 

1/2 tsp salt

250ml vegetable stock 

For the sweet potato:

1-2 sweet potatoes, cut in half

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp sea salt

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Preheat the oven to 180°C and rub the sweet potato halves with olive oil, salt and paprika. Place on a baking tray and place in the oven for 45-50minutes or until soft, squishy and caramelised around the edges.

Once the potatoes are in the oven add all the Boston bean ingredients (excluding the beans!) into an oven proof dish. Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil before transferring to the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove and add the beans. Return the dish to the oven for 15minutes by which time the sweet potato should be ready. Remove and serve immediately topped with sour cream, grated cheese, or , for a purely plant-based meal I finish with basil oil (blitzed fresh basil, olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt).

Mushroom Stroganoff

This is my absolute favourite dish to eat over the autumn months when the nights are drawing in and the weather is getting cooler. It’s basically everything you want from an autumnal meal- flavoursome, comforting but packed full of goodness! I generally just use chestnut mushrooms but you can use whatever you prefer or can get your hands on!

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Serves 2 adults but increase as necessary

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, choppped

3 garlic cloves, sliced

350-400g mushrooms, sliced

5-6 cornichons, finely chopped 

1 tbsp brown miso paste

300ml coconut milk

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

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Heat the oil in a medium frying pan and cook the onions over a high heat for 2 minutes before adding the mushrooms and garlic. Reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mushrooms should soften, turn slightly golden and release excess moisture. After 15 minutes add half the cornichons the brown miso, coconut milk and paprika. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a low simmer for 20 minutes. The sauce will reduce and become thicker. Remove from the heat and stir through the remaining cornichons before serving with rice and greens.

Veggie Egg Fried Rice

This veggie egg fried rice is a favourite midweek dinner as it’s so easy to throw together and you can use up whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. I like to cook the egg first as an omelette and then slice into ribbons which can be served on top of the rice.

These quantities are what I use to make dinner for my two girls (5yrs & 3 yrs) but just increase as necessary.

My favourite combination of vegetables for this dish are a handful of tenderstem broccoli and half a cup of frozen peas but mushrooms, peppers, corn and carrots all work brilliantly. You can also add leftover roast chicken or prawns for an extra dose of protein. 

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To feed two small children:

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 spring onions, sliced

1-2 handfuls of vegetables, cut into bitesize portions

1 cup cooked rice

1/2 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil

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Heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the egg. Cook until completely set (around 1 minute) and then flip over for 30seconds to finish cooking the other side. Remove and set aside.

Add the prepped veg to the pan with 1tbsp water and cover for 2-3 minutes to allow the vegetables to steam until just tender. Remove the lid and fry for a couple of minutes before adding the rice and frying for 3 minutes. Stir through the soy and sesame and then serve immediately topped with the egg ribbons. 

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! 

Shakshouka

This shakshuka is one of my absolute favourite lunches- probably because it somehow combines comfort and nutrition all in one glorious bowlful of goodness! ..... it also makes one hell of a brunch dish when you have friends over- I just cook individual bowls for everyone so you can really get stuck in! Yoghurt and some extra harissa on top is also an amazing addition.

Serves 2-3

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2-3 tbsp olive oil

1x 400g tin chickpeas, drained

1 pepper, sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

2-3 tbsp rose Harissa* 

500ml chopped tomatoes or passata

2-3 eggs

A handful of feta, optional 

Fresh herbs to serve 

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Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large ovenproof dish or tray add the oil, chickpeas, pepper, garlic, harissa and tomatoes. Add 1 cup of water (250ml) and toss everything together. Place in the oven for 1 hour until reduced and thickened. 

Remove and make two or three little wells. Crack the eggs carefully into the wells and then crumble over the feta. Turn on the grill and place the shakshouka back in the oven for 5-6 minutes* or until the egg has set but the centre is still a little soft. Remove and serve immediately scattered with fresh herbs (I like coriander and mint) and some flatbread to scoop up all the flavour.

*if you don’t have/can’t get any harissa just use 1 tbsp tomato purée + 1/2 tsp paprika + 1/4 tsp chilli flakes **timings will really depend on the strength of your grill and how close you place the dish so just keep an eye on it. 

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.

Vegetable Bolognese

This ragu is seriously, seriously delicious, packed full of vegetables and extremely straightforward to make - one of my chuck it all into the pot and pop it in the oven recipes! It’s also great for using up leftover/sad vegetables in your fridge or for getting kids to try mushrooms without knowing! I generally make a double batch and freeze portions for those days when you have neither the time or energy!

Also featured over @babyccinokids.

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2 tbsp olive oil

1-2 carrots, peeled and cut into rough dice

4 spring onions, sliced

350g mushrooms, sliced 

6 cherry tomatoes, halved 

4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

2 tbsp tomato purée

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup red lentils

20g dried porcini mushrooms

3 tbsp soy sauce

750ml tomato passata

500ml water or vegetable stock

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Preheat your oven to 200°C. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof dish and add the vegetables and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil and then transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes and then remove and blitz down to a rough purée in a food processor before returning to the pan to cook, covered, for a further 30minutes. Remove and serve immediately or split into portions to freeze. 

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.

Sweet Potato Massaman Curry

This curry is so beautifully fragrant and flavoursome that you’d think you had slaved over it for hours but in fact is ridiculously easy to make. I use sweet potato but squash would also work well.

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For the paste:

2tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 onion, roughly chopped 

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 lemon grass

20g fresh ginger, roughly chopped

500g, sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-cm dice

400ml coconut milk

2 tbsp tamarind 

1 tbsp honey

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Place all the paste ingredients in a food processor with 2 tbsp cold water and blitz to a rough paste. Place a large saucepan over a high heat and add the paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes to release the fragrance. Add the prepped sweet potato and coconut milk and give everything a good stir. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 15-20minutes. The sauce will look milky to begin with and slowly darken as it cooks. Once the sweet potato is tender add the tamarind and honey and cook for a final 5 minutes. Remove and serve immediately with rice, a squeeze of lime... and I love some chopped salted peanuts + fresh coriander.

Courgette + Feta Bake

This dish was born from some unsuccessful fritters which proves that sometimes mistakes are work making. Its tastes like some kind of summer version of bubble + squeak and the girls adore it with mini sausages (who doesn't?!) and my husband and I have the rest with salad and crusty bread. Its also great the next day as i just found out....

Makes enough for 2 adults and 2 children.

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900g grated courgette, squeezed dry with 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

4 spring onions, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 eggs

1 tbsp mild curry powder

120g self -raising flour

200g feta cheese, crumbled

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Preheat the oven to 200oC and line a large circular ovenproof dish with baking parchment. Set aside.

Place the spring onions, garlic, eggs, curry powder and flour in a food processor and blitz until you have a rough batter. Remove and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the grated + squeezed courgette and the crumbled feta cheese. Stir to combine and then transfer into your prepared dish. Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes until set and starting to go golden. Remove and leave to cool for 10-15minutes before serving. 

Oven-Baked Pumpkin Risotto

This is literally the easiest risotto you will EVER make! Turn the oven on and pop it in. Voila. I developed this recipe just to make a quick meal for my daughter whilst we were busy playing so the quantities below will only feed two small or one larger child but just increase as suits and you have a fantastic dinner for all the family.

[Tip: you can use any root vegetable in place of the pumpkin puree- butternut squash and beetroot are my favourites.] 

Makes enough for 2 small children or 1 larger child

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2 tbsp risotto rice

6 tbsp water

1 garlic clove, peeled but left whole

100g pumpkin puree 

10g cheddar cheese or Parmesan

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Preheat the oven to 200oC and prepare an oven proof dish. Put the rice, water and garlic in the dish and put to the lid on. Place in the oven for 20minutes.

After 20 minutes remove and stir through the pumpkin puree and cheese. Place back in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until piping hot throughout. Serve with some extra cheese.

Creamy Pea Risotto

This recipe is absolutely delicious and please don't think that because its a risotto its too time consuming. I cook the rice in vegetable stock for 20-25minutes (no stirring required) whilst I'm busy doing something else and the pea puree takes 2 minutes to blitz down in a food processor. I pop everything in the fridge and reheat at dinner time which makes it a stress free and super quick dinner when there are hungry, demanding tummies around!

BLW Tip: blitz the cooked risotto down for 30 seconds and mould into small balls for little hands to grab hold of.

Serves 2 adults and 1-2 small children

50g butter

150g arborio rice

1 small onion, finely diced

600ml vegetable stock

50g Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated

75g peas, defrosted

6 fresh mint leaves

zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

for the pea puree:

1 x pea and basil pesto recipe

150g peas, defrosted (or one pre-frozen portion of pea puree)

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

50g mascarpone cheese, optional

1/4 tsp salt, optional

freshly ground black pepper

Place a medium saucepan on the heat and melt 30g butter before adding the rice and onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes- [Note: make sure the heat is not too high otherwise the liquid will evaporate too quickly.]

Meanwhile, in a food processor blitz down the pesto ingredients along with the extra peas and garlic (plus the mascarpone and salt, if using). Remove and set to one side or chill if preparing ahead of time.

After 20-25 minutes of the rice cooking, add the parmesan, peas, remaining 20g butter, lemon zest and juice and the pea puree. Stir through and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and cover for 5 minutes to allow everything to melt in. Serve immediately with plenty of extra Parmesan.

if preparing ahead: place the cooked rice in a container and chill immediately. 

for adults and older children: add 1/4 tsp salt  to the final risotto plus some extra lemon zest and fresh mint. A sprinkling of crispy pancetta also goes down a treat with meat eaters!

Super Quick Macaroni Cheese

This is so quick and easy you will be amazed-  using single cream in place of a classic béchamel sounds a bit naughty and extravagant but it actually makes the whole dish much lighter and a whole lot quicker! I have used blitzed down cauliflower, along with breadcrumbs, for the topping because firstly its a fantastic way to sneak in some veggies and also because everyone knows cheese and cauliflower are delicious!

Serves 2 adults and 1-2 small children

150g macaroni

for the sauce:

1 garlic clove, crushed

285ml single cream

20g cheddar cheese, grated

20g Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated

1 sprig thyme

1 tsp Dijon mustard

125g mozzarella cheese

for the topping:

20g Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated

20g panko breadcrumbs

150g cauliflower, cut into bitesize florets

Preheat the oven to 200oC. In a medium saucepan cook the macaroni for 5 minutes and then drain and place in a medium ovenproof dish. Meanwhile,  for the sauce, place the ingredients in a blender and blitz down until smooth. Pour over the pasta and set aside

For the topping: put the parmesan, breadcrumbs and cauliflower in a food processor and blitz down until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Scatter evenly over the pasta and sauce and then place in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.

just for adults: add 1/4 tsp salt to both the sauce and topping

Sweet Potato Laksa

Laksa is a delicious, fragrant Asian soup that we eat on a regular basis. The sauce takes minutes to prepare in a blender with no need to pre-cook the sweet potato and the result is a wonderfully vibrant dish packed with super healthy sweet potato, broccoli and spinach so the whole family will be full of energy!

Serves 2 adults and 1-2 small children 

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2 tsp mild curry powder

300g sweet potato (prepped weight), cut into 1-cm dice

2-3 garlic cloves, peeled

10g fresh ginger (prepped weight) roughly chopped

2 tsp fresh coriander stalks, roughly chopped

2 spring onions, roughly chopped

400ml coconut milk

200ml vegetable stock or water

1-2 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce

2 tsp peanut butter

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tbsp sunflower oil

100g broccoli, cut into small florets

25g spinach

100g diced cooked sweet potato, optional

100g egg noodles

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Place the first 11 ingredients in a blender and blitz down until you have a thick sauce. Remove and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook the curry. When ready to eat place the noodles in a heat proof bowl and cover in boiling water for 5 minutes before draining and setting aside. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and add the broccoli. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes before adding the spinach and cooked sweet potato cubes (if using) and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the drained noodles and the sauce. Bring everything to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

early weaning puree: once everything is cooked remove 120g and blitz down. Freeze half and serve the rest to your little one.

for adults or older children: serve scattered with fresh coriander, spring onions and freshly chopped red chillies

Frying-Pan Pizza

Once you've made pizza this way you won't turn back! This recipe makes four generous toddler size pizzas but you can easily vary the size and toppings according to preference. The dough is extremely straightforward and requires only 2 minutes kneading! You can also portion up the dough and freeze for later- very handy for adult snacks too!

for the dough:

100g 00 flour

1/4tsp dried yeast

60ml water

1tbsp olive oil

for the tomato sauce:

2 tsp olive oil

12 cherry tomatoes

2 garlic clove

60ml water

for the pesto (optional):

15g basil

10g Parmesan

5 pine nut

1/2tsp lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

To serve: 

4 bitesize balls of mozzarella

Combine all the dough ingredients. Knead for 1 minute until the dough comes together in a neat ball. Cover and leave for 15 minutes. Return to the dough and knead for a further 1-2minutes and then leave for a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 48! [Note: at this point you can portion up the dough and freeze individually]

For the sauce: heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the tomatoes and garlic. Stir for one minute and then add the water. Continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes have broken down and the water has evaporated.

For the pesto: place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz down. Taste and add a little more lemon if you want. Easy!

For the pizza: preheat your grill to the highest setting. Divide your dough into 4 small balls. Place a small frying pan on a high heat and don't add any oil. Using your hands push one of the balls of dough into a disc about 12-cm wide. Once the frying pan is piping hot place the disc carefully in it. Spread a quarter of the tomato sauce over the centre leaving a 1-cm wide border. Break up the mozzarella and place on top of the tomato. Finally, drizzle pesto over the pizza. After 1-2 minutes on the heat the bottom of the pizza should be brown and toasted. Place straight under the grill for 1-2 minutes until golden and the cheese is bubbling. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

15-minute Pea & Ricotta Gnocchi

Traditional potato gnocchi is renowned of being a bit tricky but this ricotta based recipe is pretty much failsafe and so quick you won't believe it! The recipe itself is a combination of gnocchi and the lesser known but wonderful Tuscan dumpling named 'gnudi.' Regardless, they are absolutely delicious and my whole family would easily eat a mountain of them any day.

Serves 2 adults and 1-2 small children

200g ricotta cheese

2 egg yolks

25g Parmesan cheese

25g fresh or frozen peas, cooked

25g fresh spinach

zest 1/2 lemon

50g plain or 00 flour

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil.

Meanwhile, place all the ingredients, apart from the flour, in a food processor and blitz until you have a smooth light green paste. Remove and place in a large bowl. Add the flour and using a wooden spoon or spatula stir through until combined- try not to over work the mixture otherwise you will get tough gnocchi. Lightly flour your hands and then remove half the mixture from the bowl and roll into a sausage with an approximately 1-inch diameter. Using a knife cut into 2-cm gnocchi and place to one side on a lined baking tray. Repeat with the second half of the mixture.

By this time your water should be boiling. Using a slotted spoon drop 4 gnocchi into the water at a time and wait until they float back up to the top (1-3 minutes) before removing onto the other side of your lined baking tray. Repeat with all the gnocchi. Once they are all cooked you can either serve straight away [drizzled with olive oil or my pea pesto and extra Parmesan] or, chill for a couple of days and reheat in the oven [add extra grated parmesan on top and place in the oven for 8 minutes at 200oC- serve drizzled with olive oil or pea pesto and even more Parmesan].