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
‘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!
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.
⚫ 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
In general, these recipes serve four people as a main dish, unless otherwise indicated.
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.
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.
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.
Use full-fat milk/yoghurt, whether dairy or non-dairy.
These are medium-sized and should be used at room temperature. Note that in some recipes eggs are raw or partially cooked.
This is unsalted and at room temperature unless stated otherwise.
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.
I use these throughout but, if you prefer, use butter or olive oil.
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.
Use bone broth or vegetable stock for tastier and more nourishing dishes. Either make your own (here) or buy from a good source.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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