This is one of our all-time favourite suppers: quick, simple and healthy but a bit special, it’s a perfect storm of sustainable meat, soft-yolked egg and savoury Asian flavours. It’s really easy to make, and all the ingredients can be found in a big supermarket. I’m excited to eat it again soon. Serves 2 Ingredients…
Category: 30 minutes – 1 hour
Ginger spiced parsnip and apple soup
Rain scatterguns the windows; it’s pitch dark by 5pm. The waves are a constant thunder, provoked by Storm Angus out of yesterday’s flat calm. A night like this calls for a soup like this, flickering with ginger warmth and Christmas nutmeg spice: decorate it with savoury treats and serve with hot buttered toast. Serves 6 Ingredients…
Roast squash, goats cheese and walnut filo parcels
Satisfying, crunchy parcels that you can eat with your hands if you want – they’re best hot and crisp out of the oven, but would make good picnic food too. These can, of course, be adapted to hold so many things – whatever cheese, veg, herbs and nuts you have around, and would also be…
Breaded hake with green sauce, pak choi and lentils
This works with any meaty white fish: pollock/coley, rock turbot, cod, haddock (and monkfish, but please only as a very occasional treat, there are question marks over its sustainability). Pak choi can be substituted for mushrooms or most greens: kale, spinach, spring greens and broccoli all work (though I clearly forgot to add any of…
Chai, date and honey loaf cake
This is entirely because my much loved pot of chai spice mix suggests adding it to cakes. Tremendous idea. This low-sugar loaf cake is light as air; quick and simple to make; wonderful with a cup of tea and its grown-up flavour still passed the toddler test. Freezes well, cuts into 10-12 slices Ingredients 3 tablespoons honey 200g unsalted butter…
Sweet potato and mackerel bites
Mackerel is one of those relatively strong flavours that I’m surprised how readily babies and small children take to – mackerel pate has been a favourite food of my daughter’s since she weaned. She’s always been a fan of various versions of these, but they’re definitely not ‘just’ for children; they make just as good a…
Learn to Cook: apple crumble
Serves 6 Ingredients 800g apples (about 5) of any variety about 60g brown sugar: demerara, soft brown or golden caster are all fine (use less sugar if your apples are already sweet) juice of 1/2 lemon For the crumble: 350g plain flour 100g brown sugar 250g cold butter To finish: 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons…
Banana, oat and coconut sugar-free biscuits
This is a great first baking recipe for tiny hands to help with – lots of squishing possibilities, helpful tasting, pouring, scrunching and mixing, and ONLY THREE ingredients. Also fool-proof to make, even if you’re trying to prevent a toddler from simultaneously falling off the chair they’re standing on, eating all the banana and smearing dough…
Sugar-free carrot and date loaf cake
If you’re planning to freeze any of the loaf, you can spread the ‘icing’ on your slice like jam. As this isn’t super-sweet, it makes an excellent breakfast or afternoon tea with a cuppa. Ingredients 200g carrots, grated (about 2 medium carrots) 1 apple 150g dates 75g raisins 75g walnuts, chopped small (optional, only for babies over 1)…
Herby cornbread muffins / loaf
Very easy to make, these make a change from the usual bread roll to have alongside soup or salad – definitely best served warm, even if you just bung one in the microwave for 10 seconds. These would be good with all sorts of additions: more cheese (of course); dried herbs; crispy bacon bits stirred through…
Spanakopita
A vegetarian Greek classic that’s surprisingly filling, and an excellent way of encouraging enthusiastic spinach eating in those who may otherwise be reluctant. This makes a happy spring lunch alongside a punchy vinaigrette-dressed salad. Should probably serve six, but serves four in our household… Ingredients 500g frozen spinach or 1.5kg fresh 10 spring onions, finely chopped…
Caponata (Sicilian sweet and sour aubergine)
One of our favourite week-night recipes, this is somehow so much more than the sum of its parts. Though it sounds a bit fancy, ‘caponata’ basically just means ‘stuff’ in Italian – this is a Sicilian dish that’s excellent for using up leftovers and relies on store-cupboard basics for a great depth of flavour. Finely…
Time to Cook 