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CONTENTS

Cover

About the Book

About the Author

Title Page

Introduction

Making it work for you

Cooking notes

Time-saving tips for 30-minute meals

Breakfast & brunch

Quinoa power porridge

‘Apple pie’ buckwheat porridge

Quick quinoa bread

Easy granola

Chocolate orange granola

Smoked mackerel pâté

Spinach & smoked trout muffins

Spinach & smoked trout frittata

Pizza omelette

Turkish scrambled eggs

Indian-spiced cabbage scramble

Harissa greens with eggs & feta

Fried eggs, avocado & smoky bean tacos

Smoked mackerel & jalapeño salsa tacos

Spiced beans & halloumi

Perfect pancakes

NYC-style big blinis

Birthday breakfast

Bowl food

Monday miso noodle soup

Greek red lentil soup

French lentil stew with gremolata

Big-batch dahl with coriander yoghurt

Lentil & bean chilli with guacamole

Chunky tagine-style stew

Lime & avocado gazpacho

Creamy watercress, pea & mint soup

Ginger miso sunshine soup

Tuscan bean soup with Parmesan bites

Family-favourite sausage stew

Spanish chickpea & almond stew

Easy ratatouille

Sweet potato & cauliflower curry

Courgette risotto with a pesto swirl

Malaysian noodle soup

Coconut mushroom & chicken soup

Waste not, want not bowl

Meat

One-pan pesto chicken with summer vegetables

Parmesan chicken goujons with avocado ranch dip

Italian chicken stew

Fajita party

Easy chicken & tomato curry

Chicken katsu curry

Za’atar chicken tray bake with lemon herb drizzle

Korean chicken with sesame sprinkle

Asian turkey & carrot burgers in lettuce cups

Hoisin duck pancakes

Beef & carrot koftas with chopped salad

Spiced lamb in baked aubergine boats

Spiced lamb chops with mint oil

Sausage & kale tray bake with mustard drizzle

Filipino-style steak & onions

Mamma mia meatballs

Fish

Japanese fish with wasabi pea dip

Thai cauliflower fried ‘rice’ with prawns

Baked hake with jalapeño salsa

Ginger fish burgers

Sardine fishcakes with pea & rocket salad

Grilled mullet with Greek salad

Garlic tapas prawns

Keralan turmeric fish curry

Five-spice sea bass

Fish en papillote

Harissa fish with herby cauliflower couscous

Sesame salmon & miso veg tray bake

Spicy salmon teriyaki

Grilled mackerel with tamarind ginger greens

Vegetable mains

Pad Thai noodles

Spicy nutty noodles with fried eggs

Singapore noodles

Chinese fried quinoa with spicy garlic sesame oil

Thai green vegetable curry

Turkish wraps with spinach & feta

Warm celeriac salade Niçoise

Broccoli falafels with tahini lemon drizzle

Mexican bean burgers

Veggie cottage pie with cauliflower mash

Spiced halloumi & chickpeas with black quinoa tabbouleh

Buckwheat pizza

Squash ‘rice’ Spanish-style

Mushroom bourguignon with butternut mash

Salads

Watermelon, feta & griddled avocado with olive dressing

Sesame carrot & courgette noodles salad/stir-fry

Freestyle quinoa salad

Refreshing ginger noodle & seaweed salad

Za’atar salad

Herb & pak choi salad

Caprese salad with figs

California-style kale salad with avocado dressing

Best mixed side salad

Salsa salad

Slaw in seconds

Hot-smoked trout with a beetroot fennel salad & Scandi-style dressing

BLT salad with asparagus

Spicy Thai beef salad

Lentil salad with garlic yoghurt dressing

Sides

Roast carrots with pomegranate molasses

Chickpea wraps with za’atar

Buckwheat naans with garlic butter

Basil & lemon quinoa

Kung pao green beans

Heavenly halloumi salad with carrot top pesto

Roast cauliflower with Vietnamese dressing

Butter bean mash

Brussels sprouts with Stilton & cranberries

Ginger, garlic, pak choi & mushrooms

Quickly pickled veg

Carrot fritters

Killer kale

Broccoli & beans with garlic & anchovies

Roast vegetable tray bake

Butternut squash fries & spiced ketchup

Snacks, dips & canapés

Chickpea crackers

Roasted & spiced carrot hummus

Broccoli, pea & feta dip

Olive & black bean tapenade

Cheeky tzatziki

Buckwheat blinis with spiced feta

Mug of miso egg broth

Aubergine pizza bites

Scotch eggs

Bombay spice mix

Sweets

Happiness balls

Choc chip cookies

Soft serve banana ‘ice cream’

Banoffee pie in a glass

Chocolate chickpea squares

Chocolate coconut clusters

Little chocolate pots

Ginger fruit & nut muffins

Roasted fruit with cardamom & ginger yoghurt

Apple & blackberry crumble

Lemon & lime drizzle cupcakes

Any time blueberry bake

Celebration cake

Drinks

Green go-getter smoothie

Just green enough juice

Bananarama smoothie

Mint hot choccy or mint choc shake

Turbo turmeric lime tea (hot or iced)

Mint tea with ginger & lemongrass (hot or iced)

Grapefruit & cucumber gin fizz

Vodka & blackberry mint sparkler

Store cupboard

Fridge & freezer

Equipment

Kitchen swaps & saves

Leftovers & making something out of nothing

Basics

Acknowledgements

Copyright

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INTRODUCTION

AFTER SPENDING A decade working in the food industry, the recipes that I and my family and friends come back to, time and time again, are those that are tasty, easy to cook, nourishing and thrifty. Eating well is for everyone and for every day. It can suit any budget and use ingredients from the corner shop down the road or foraged from the leftovers in your fridge or freezer. It can be straightforward to make, ready on the table in 30 minutes and, most importantly, it really can be delicious.’

In Eat Happy I want to bring the joy back to home cooking and show you how satisfying, affordable and quick food can be. These are fast, foolproof and fuss-free recipes that everyone will love and can tuck into any day of the week – simple dishes with big flavours using inexpensive, easy-to-get ingredients. No chef skills are required here; every recipe uses basic cooking techniques, with as few steps as possible and minimal washing-up, so that takeaways or ready meals never feel like the easier option.

One of the best tips my Mum taught me was how to respect food by not wasting it. She also taught me how to conjure up a meal out of very little and how to turn leftovers into meals that are actually delicious and you look forward to eating. This is always at the heart of my cooking. I’m happy to spend a bit of extra money on a few good-quality ingredients, such as well-sourced meat and dairy, but really, I’m a frugal shopper. I base my meals on foods stocked in my cupboard and freezer, along with fresh seasonal vegetables. I’m also a big fan of leftovers and won’t ever waste food.

These recipes reflect this ‘zero waste’ approach. Instead of throwing away broccoli and herb stalks, they are incorporated into the dish and I give tips throughout the book for saving food to use later or for making tweaks to suit your needs. While most of the recipes serve four, they can easily be adapted for just one or two. And even if you cook the full amount, leftovers can be frozen or stored in the fridge to enjoy later in the week, so you cook less and enjoy more.

If you’re cooking for the family, you’ll notice lots of classic dishes that have been given a healthy twist but are full of familiar flavours that kids and grown-ups will both adore. A number of recipes take their cue from takeaways and ready meals. Well-loved favourites like pad Thai, burgers, pizza and curries are given a makeover by using whole food ingredients, with a few tricks here and there to keep them simple and yet tasting authentic. You’ll find them more delicious, cheaper and quicker to make than it takes to order food in.

With these recipes, I also hope to inspire you to make the most of what you have in the fridge or freezer, rather than feeling obliged to pop out for a particular ingredient because you don’t have it. In every recipe, I suggest different options for making the dish and ways to transform leftovers into a new meal to eat in or a delicious packed lunch to take out. With a bit of forward planning, you shouldn’t need to go shopping more than once a week and you’ll save money and time in the process.

The recipes in this book are not just about eating what’s good for your body, they’re also about enjoying and appreciating the food you put in your mouth. I hope you’ll feel encouraged to have a go at combining nourishing ingredients in inventive and delicious ways, so that every day you can eat well and eat happy!

Making it work for you

The recipes here can all be cooked in 30 minutes and not only are they quick and enjoyable to make, but they use no more than two pans or baking trays. These recipes have been tested by my nearest and dearest, of all ages, abilities and patience levels, along with the harshest of critics, my godchildren, who now love to get involved and cook and this, in turn, has made them more adventurous with trying new green veg. I still can’t train them to wash up, however, so it’s a good thing that most of these recipes use only one pan!

Nifty cooking tips are included in the following pages and in the recipes to show you how to be more time efficient by using kitchen shortcuts and tricks; how to cook less by doubling up recipes and freezing and reusing leftovers; how to save money by reducing waste; and how to keep your kitchen well stocked to make life easier. (See here and here for more.)

I try to suggest ingredients that you can get locally or find in your fridge, freezer and cupboards. Throughout the recipes, I give ideas for adjusting them to suit different tastes and needs, along with variations and substitutions for swapping seasonal vegetables and other ingredients to keep things varied, exciting and cheaper.

Five top tips for using the recipes

Double up and freeze. This is my number one tip for making life easier. Almost all of the recipes can be doubled and the second portion turned into another meal or a packed lunch.

If you start a recipe and realise you haven’t got everything, read the introduction and any Use It Up/Tips/Time Savers at the end of the recipe for suggestions and substitutions, or see here for simple swaps.

Be inspired by the season. Use vegetables and herbs depending on what’s on offer at your local shop or farmers’ market, buy fish depending on what’s the ‘catch of the day’, or make a delicious dinner based on what’s in your fridge right now.

I pack vegetables into recipes, but add more if you like, and enjoy a variety.

Most recipes are complete meals, but elements can be mixed and matched with recipes in other chapters. In the recipes and chapter openers I’ve indicated what dishes will go with other ones in the book, but be bold and play around!

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Cooking notes

TIMING

These recipes will take about 30 minutes based on using a preheated oven and with ingredients and equipment being ready to go. The timings are only approximate as we each cook at a different speed, ovens vary and distractions happen. Whatever the timing specified in a recipe, it is important to always check that meat and fish are cooked through.

REHEATING FOOD

Make sure your leftovers are heated right through leave a lid on the pan when reheating recipes like soup, porridge or stews to save time and not lose too much liquid or flavour. Don’t boil but simmer on a low heat for as long as it takes for the dish to get hot all the way through.

QUALITY INGREDIENTS

I try to buy organic as much as possible, especially for animal products (meat, fish, eggs and dairy produce). Look for foods labelled ‘organic’, ‘grass fed’ and ‘wild’ (or ‘sustainable’ when it comes to fish) and if produce is unlabelled, don’t be shy to ask questions of your suppliers. For fruit and veg where you eat the skin, or for produce with a large surface area, try to buy organic, particularly berries, apples, stone fruits, tomatoes and peppers, courgettes, salad leaves, leafy greens and fresh herbs. Organic coffee and cocoa beans are also worth seeking out as they are two of the most heavily sprayed crops.

SEASONAL & SWAPS

Try to eat with the seasons as much as possible, which also saves money. Variations appear in every recipe for substituting ingredients. See here for more last-minute swaps if you find yourself without a key ingredient.

LEFTOVERS & MINIMAL WASTE

Something my Mum taught me was to have two small containers out when cooking. Use the first for vegetable waste ready to empty into a larger recycling bin, along with any leftovers from dinner plates at the end of the day. Use a second container for odds and ends of leftover raw vegetables that you can pop straight into the fridge. This could be the second half of an onion, a peeled garlic clove you didn’t end up using, the ends of some parsley stems, half a lemon. It’s a shame to throw these odds and ends out. Every day I open the fridge and the container contents stare right at me, willing me to use them up! It’s a friendly reminder to stop me wasting food and therefore money. (See here for more ways to make use of these ingredients.)

MEASUREMENTS

All spoon measures are level. For most measuring, you don’t need to be exact and I like to use ‘handfuls’ to keep the cooking process more enjoyable, but when baking, do measure precisely.

OVEN TEMPERATURE

Recipes have been tested in a fan-assisted oven, so if you have a conventional oven set the temperature 20°C higher than the level stated in a recipe.

PORTION SIZES

In general, these recipes serve four people as a main dish, unless otherwise indicated.

SIZE & COLOUR

All fruit/veg are medium-sized unless otherwise stipulated. Use whatever colour you can get although if you have the option, go for a variety of colours.

READING LABELS

Take a few extra seconds to read labels, especially for added sugar or unrecognisable preservatives and flavourings, or if there are any allergies and intolerances to bear in mind.

COOKING MEAT

Fully defrost raw meat before cooking and always test to make sure chicken and pork are cooked through at the end of cooking. Pierce the meat with a sharp knife or skewer to make sure that the juices run clear.

MILK/YOGHURT

Use full-fat milk/yoghurt, whether dairy or non-dairy.

EGGS

These are medium-sized and should be used at room temperature. Note that in some recipes eggs are raw or partially cooked.

BUTTER

This is unsalted and at room temperature unless stated otherwise.

HERBS

Recipes indicate whether to use dried or fresh herbs, but either can be substituted: 1 teaspoon of dried herbs roughly equates with 1 tablespoon of the chopped fresh herb.

GHEE OR COCONUT OIL

I use these throughout but, if you prefer, use butter or olive oil.

CHILLI

The recipes are based on a medium strength of chilli, but feel free to adjust to your taste. You can substitute with any chilli you like – cayenne pepper, chilli powder/flakes or fresh chilli (here) – but it’s generally best to start with less and add more as you go, particularly if you’re using fresh chillies, where the strength can be unpredictable.

BROTH/STOCK

Use bone broth or vegetable stock for tastier and more nourishing dishes. Either make your own (here) or buy from a good source.

WASHING VEGETABLES

Always wash everything well, including rinsing dried foods like quinoa or buckwheat. Use a salad spinner for leafy greens and salad leaves to avoid soggy salads.

SOAKING

When you can, get into the habit of soaking uncooked legumes, quinoa, buckwheat and certain nuts and seeds. If you can’t, rinse them well before cooking. (See here for more.)

CHOPPING

When chopping a large amount of onions, garlic, ginger or other vegetables (such as carrots, courgettes, peppers or cabbage), use a food processor to do it all for you. It can chop, shred and grate in seconds, as well as blend ingredients for dips and pesto. Or, use a spiralizer (here) for slicing vegetables into strips.

Time-saving tips for 30-minute meals

TIME EFFICIENCY

I’m a big fan of prepping while other ingredients are cooking. If onions need to fry solo for 5 minutes, for instance, you’ve got 5 minutes to get on with chopping the garlic for cooking next. If a soup is left to simmer for 15 minutes, there’s time to prepare any herb garnishes and toppings, or even get ahead and assemble a packed lunch or make a quick quinoa porridge (here) for tomorrow’s breakfast.

ROOM TEMPERATURE

Get meat and fish out of the fridge ahead of time. For speedy cooking, it’s important for them to be at room temperature. Keep eggs and butter at room temperature.

PREHEAT THE OVEN

If you’re baking and roasting, get that oven cranked up straight away as it needs a good 10–15 minutes to reach a high temperature. If you need to boil eggs or noodles, fill and boil the kettle in advance so that the water is just boiled and ready to go.

READ THROUGH & BE FLEXIBLE

Read a recipe through first and make sure you’ve got all the equipment and ingredients to hand. If you’re missing certain ingredients, make decisions on what to use instead. Don’t panic: just be flexible and use something else – there’s almost always an alternative. (See here for some easy swaps.) When it comes to making curries and spicy dishes, a spice missed here or there is absolutely fine.

ESSENTIALS

Take 10 minutes to create an ‘essentials’ area, ideally near the stove. Mine has my all-rounder knife, a chopping board, and a couple of wooden spoons. Nearby sit the main seasonings – sea salt, black pepper and chilli flakes. Slightly away from the heat of the stove are the other flavouring essentials: extra-virgin olive oil, tamari, apple cider vinegar and, for frying and roasting, ghee and coconut oil.

A WIDE, DEEP PAN

Onions frying in a small saucepan will take longer to soften than in a large, wide pan, where they will be spread out in a single layer and cook more quickly. The same applies to roasting in the oven. If your meat and vegetables are on top of each other in a small dish, they’ll cook slowly and steam rather than roast. For fast cooking, spread them out in a single layer in the largest baking tray you can fit in your oven.

LINING BAKING TRAYS

When you are cooking a dish with lots of sticky sauce, line your baking tray(s) with baking parchment to make the clean-up process easier.

RELAX & ENJOY!

The timings given are just a guide. If time isn’t pressing, take more time over things and enjoy the process. Spending time at the end to taste for seasoning, adjusting with a little salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon or lime to bring out flavours, can make all the difference to a dish. This book is called Eat Happy, after all!

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Quinoa power porridge

‘Apple pie’ buckwheat porridge

Quick quinoa bread

Easy granola

Chocolate orange granola

Smoked mackerel pâté

Spinach & smoked trout muffins

Spinach & smoked trout frittata

Pizza omelette

Turkish scrambled eggs

Indian-spiced cabbage scramble

Harissa greens with eggs & feta

Fried eggs, avocado & smoky bean tacos

Smoked mackerel & jalapeño salsa tacos

Spiced beans & halloumi

Perfect pancakes

NYC-style big blinis

Birthday breakfast

WHEREVER THE DAY takes you, start it off in the right way with a delicious and healthy breakfast in your belly. We’re all in a rush in the morning but don’t miss out on breakfast, because it will jump-start your day and give you sustained energy through to lunch.’

There are lots of ways to liven up your breakfast without needing to stand in front of a stove, and you don’t need to come up with something different every day. If you don’t feel like food first thing in the morning, or don’t have the time to eat it before leaving home, try one of the portable breakfasts here and enjoy it when you get to work. Recipes like the Easy Granola (here), Spinach & Smoked Trout Muffins (here) and Perfect Pancakes (here) can be made the night before, or earlier in the week, and grabbed to go.

Don’t feel you have to eat a particular sort of food at a particular time of day. I enjoy leftover soup for breakfast – such as the Ginger Miso Sunshine Soup (here) – and I’d be equally happy with the Turkish Scrambled Eggs (here) for supper, so don’t just stick to the recipes in this chapter. It’s also great to enjoy a variety of foods so even when you’ve got your favourites, every month try something new.

At the same time, there is nothing like having a few faithful standbys up your sleeve. For many of us, breakfast tends to revolve around bread, mainly because it’s delicious, convenient and means you don’t have to think too much first thing in the morning. Quick Quinoa Bread (here) is a 30-minute loaf that’s a real hunger-buster as it’s high in protein and nutrient-rich. No baking skills are needed, you can make it ahead of time, freeze in slices and toast from frozen and enjoy with a range of toppings. Eggs are a wonderfully convenient food too, of course, and they are included in many of the recipes here. As well as being full of protein and good fat, they go with everything, they’re quick to cook and you can’t really go wrong – even if you overcook a yolk, it’s still delicious.

If you’re looking to sneak in an extra portion of vegetables whenever you can, breakfast should be no exception. You’ll see that almost every recipe in this chapter has some greens in it. The quickest vegetables to prepare are the leafy greens, which barely need to be cooked: spinach takes only a minute, while kale, chard and spring greens take just a few minutes more. Cabbage in all its different varieties is one of my favourites – cheap and cheerful and it goes perfectly with an egg! I really recommend the Indian-Spiced Cabbage Scramble (here).

Follow the Japanese and Scandinavian lead and try some oily fish for breakfast; they are so good for you. You’ll see that I use smoked trout in muffins (here) and spread mackerel pâté on toast (here) and salmon in NYC-style Big Blinis (here). Take a look at the Sardine Fishcakes, too, from the ‘Fish’ chapter (here). One of these for brunch with a poached egg would be delicious.

For more breakfast ideas try:

Any Time Blueberry Bake Sweets (here)

Carrot Fritters Sides (here)

Ginger, Fruit & Nut Muffins Sweets (here)

Green Go-getter Smoothie Drinks (here)

Turkish Wraps with Spinach & Feta Vegetable Mains (here)

Roasted Fruit with Cardamom & Ginger Yoghurt Sweet (here)

Sardine Fish Cakes Fish (here)

Quinoa power porridge

Choose from three different quinoa options and play around with flavours. There are seven here, one for every day of the week! I’m a fan of porridge in a flask for an easy warming breakfast on the go. If I have people over, I make a huge pan of porridge and put small bowls out with a selection of flavours and toppings to let everyone help themselves.

Serves 2

400–500ml any milk

500ml hot water

2 teaspoons coconut oil or butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons maple syrup or raw honey (optional)

QUINOA OPTIONS

200g quinoa flakes

250g cooked quinoa (here)

100g uncooked quinoa, rinsed well (ideally soaked first, here)

Quinoa flakes: Toast the quinoa flakes in a dry pan on a medium heat for 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent them from burning. This reduces any bitterness and gives a nice nutty flavour. Add 400ml of milk and all the other ingredients, give everything a stir and bring to a medium simmer. Cook for 4 minutes, then add your choice of flavourings.

Cooked quinoa: Place the cooked quinoa in a saucepan, add 400ml of milk and all the other ingredients. Bring to a medium simmer and cook for 4 minutes, then add your choice of flavourings.

Uncooked quinoa: Place the uncooked quinoa in a saucepan, add 500ml of milk and all the other ingredients. Bring to a medium simmer and cook, covered, until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes (or 12 minutes if the quinoa has been soaked), then add your choice of flavourings.

FLAVOURING OPTIONS

If you need to toast any nuts or seeds, dry-toast them in the pan first, on a medium heat for a minute or so, then set aside before you add the quinoa. This avoids using more than one pan.

Berries & toasted almonds: Top with 1 tablespoon of toasted flaked or chopped almonds and a handful of berries. (Frozen berries can be stirred through hot porridge.)

Fig, pistachio & pomegranate: Top with 1 sliced large ripe fig, 1 tablespoon of pistachios, 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of raw honey.

Tropical medley: Top with 2 tablespoons of (toasted) coconut flakes, 1 chopped kiwi fruit, or a little chopped papaya, plus a squeeze of lime juice over the fruit.

Spiced & creamy: At the end of cooking, stir through 1 tablespoon of nut or seed butter (here), 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric and 1 tablespoon of dried cranberries or goji berries.

Pear, pecan & ginger: Stir in 2 teaspoons of grated ginger and ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and top with 1 sliced large ripe pear and 1 tablespoon of roughly chopped pecans.

Chocolate & hazelnut: Stir in 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and top with 2 tablespoons of roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts.

Açai & banana: Stir in 1½ tablespoons of açai berry powder or frozen acai berries and top with some sliced banana and a little lime juice and zest.

Quinoa Power Porridge
Quinoa power porridge

‘Apple pie’ buckwheat porridge

Buckwheat groats offer a good alternative to regular rolled oats, making a hearty bowl of porridge that will keep you satisfied until lunch. The natural nuttiness of buckwheat goes particularly well with ‘apple pie’ flavours like vanilla, cinnamon and maple syrup. Bear in mind that buckwheat tends to soak up a lot of flavour so I generally increase my normal amount of spices and additions to make sure it’s delicious. For extra creaminess, stir through a tablespoon of almond or other nut butter before serving. Or you could serve this with one of the seven different flavouring options for Quinoa Power Porridge (here). Make a big panful, if you prefer, and then just heat through individual portions during the week with an extra splash of water. For a portable breakfast, you could pour the hot porridge into a vacuum flask to enjoy later.

Serves 4

200g buckwheat groats, rinsed well (ideally soaked first, here)

700ml any milk

1 large handful of sultanas or currants

4 apples (such as Cox or Braeburn), grated

1½ tablespoon butter or coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus extra to serve

A small pinch of sea salt

Maple syrup or raw honey (or to taste)

4 tablespoons flaked almonds, to serve

1. Sprinkle the almonds (to serve) in a large, wide pan and dry-toast for a minute or so over a medium heat, tossing occasionally to make sure they don’t burn, then set aside.

2. Place the same pan back on the hob, add the buckwheat and cook over a medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, for the liquid to evaporate and for the groats to get lightly toasted to bring out their nutty flavour.

3. Pour the milk into the pan and cover with a lid. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 18 minutes (or 15 minutes if the buckwheat has been soaked) until cooked.

4. Halfway through the cooking time, stir in half the grated apple with the butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt.

5. Sweeten to taste with maple syrup or honey and serve sprinkled with the remaining grated apple, an extra dusting of cinnamon and the toasted almonds.

Use It Up

Swap two of the apples for two carrots that need using up for a ‘carrot cake’ flavour! Sprinkle over a handful of fresh berries – blueberries, raspberries or blackberries – to serve if you have any leftover in the fridge.

Quick quinoa bread

Simple to make, with no baking skills required, this nutrient-rich loaf of bread is ready in just half an hour! This bread freezes well, so you could slice it up to have whenever you want it and either defrost or toast individual slices straight from frozen in the oven. My favourite way to have it is toasted for 40 seconds on each side in a hot dry frying pan or griddle pan. It tastes best with savoury toppings: fried egg and bacon, garlic mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes with basil. Eaten fresh, it makes a great sandwich or you can just serve it buttered with a bowl of soup. Quinoa flour and buttermilk are widely available, though you can easily make buttermilk yourself – simply mix 150ml of dairy or nut/seed milk (here) with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Leave to stand for 12–15 minutes to curdle into buttermilk.

Makes 1 small loaf (12 slices)

Butter or coconut oil, for greasing

200g quinoa flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon dried herbs (such as thyme or rosemary)

1 egg

165ml buttermilk (or make your own)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 handful of mixed seeds (pumpkin, sunflower or sesame seeds)

1. Preheat the oven to fan 190°C/Gas mark 6½ and grease an 8cm x 18cm loaf tin with butter.

2. In a large bowl, mix the quinoa flour with the bicarbonate of soda, salt and herbs.

3. Make a hole in the middle, crack in the egg and whisk it, then add the buttermilk and maple syrup. Stir until combined, then pour the mixture into the prepared tin, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle with mixed seeds, if using.

4. Bake in the oven for 20–22 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then remove from the tin and transfer to a wire rack. Once the loaf has cooled, you can cut it into slices about 1cm thick.

Use It Up

Swap the dried herbs for 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs. For a focaccia-style loaf, chop up two sun-dried tomatoes or pitted olives and add to the batter with a finely chopped clove of garlic.

Easy granola

The ingredients in this recipe are relatively expensive but worth it as granola is perfect for breakfast or a snack. It lasts for about two weeks in an airtight container and would make a great gift too. As granola is so portable, I like to eat a cooked breakfast at home and save granola for the mornings when I need something ‘to go’. Use an empty jar and layer the granola with yoghurt and some fresh berries or roasted fruit (here), or grate over some apple or even carrot! You can play around with spices as well: ground cinnamon adds a natural sweetness, but you could swap it for ground cardamom, ginger or nutmeg.

Makes 1.5kg granola (12–14 portions)

250g quinoa or buckwheat flakes

5 tablespoons coconut oil

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

A pinch of sea salt

200g coconut flakes

200g mixed dried fruit (such as cranberries, raisins, apricots or chopped dates)

NUTS AND SEEDS

400g mixed nuts (such as pecans, hazelnuts or Brazil nuts)

400g mixed seeds (such as pumpkin, sunflower or sesame seeds)

1. Preheat the oven to fan 160°C/Gas mark 4.

2. Place the mixed nuts in a food processor and pulse briefly so they are roughly chopped. Add to a large bowl with the quinoa or buckwheat flakes and the mixed seeds.

3. In a small pan, gently warm through the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt until the coconut oil has melted. Pour into the bowl and stir in to coat the nut mixture.

4. Spread out on two large baking trays and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until just golden brown. Toss halfway through cooking and add the coconut flakes.

5. Remove from the oven and pour back into the bowl. Mix in the dried fruit and, once cooled, transfer to a big jar (sterilised first, here) or an airtight container.

Chocolate orange granola

Make the granola as above, then, once cooled, stir through the zest of 1 orange and 60g of dark chocolate chips. To make chocolate chips yourself, carefully chop up 60g of dark (70%–85%) chocolate with a sharp knife, or break into squares and pulse in a food processor. This granola would be perfect as a Christmas present or for a special breakfast. It would also be delicious served as a crunchy topping for warm poached pears.

Easy Granola
Easy granola

Smoked mackerel pâté

Mackerel pâté might not be the first thing that springs to mind for breakfast, but just think of it as another version of a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel! It’s really tasty with smoked trout too. The pâté is simple – just blend the ingredients, spread on the toast and, if you like, top with some raw fresh vegetables cut into wafer-thin slices. It’s also extremely versatile: enjoy as a snack with crudités or Chickpea Crackers (here), or, for quick canapés, spoon onto rings made from crunchy vegetables, such as multicoloured beetroots, cucumber, daikon radishes or serve some on the blinis from here.

Serves 4

SMOKED MACKEREL PÂTÉ

3 smoked mackerel fillets (total 200g), skin removed

200g cream cheese

Juice of ½ lemon, plus extra to serve