end of week stir-fry

As with our curry formula, we enjoy making a stir-fry at the end of most weeks as the perfect way to use up any leftover vegetables. We have learnt that nearly any vegetable can work in a stir fry (even pumpkin)   and like most meals we cook it is simple, fuss-free and delicious.

sunday lunch

On a Sunday one of our favourite lunches is fresh rocket (drizzled in lemon juice and mixed with sunflower seeds as always), fried eggs, mackeral and fresh bread served with a cup of tea.

tofu burger

A simple, satisfying vegetarian burger.

Roasted pumpkin, tofu and a fried (organic, free-range) egg, nestled between slices of wholemeal/rye/sourdough bread (take your pick). Assemble and serve alone, or with some rocket drizzled in lemon.

mushroom and rice bake

I recently made Nigel Slater's Baked Mushrooms and Rice dish. It was a hit and has been made again and again since. Very simple to make, it is a great vegetarian alternative to a Sunday roast.

kale crisps

Back in April, tempted by the farmer's warning that this was the last weekend for kale, we bought as much as we could carry. Returning home, we soon realised that we had been a little over enthusiastic and so after searching through some of our favourite websites discovered a recipe for Kale Crisps  over on My New Roots.

This recipe is the perfect way to eat this superfood. All you need is a few simple ingredients (lemon, maple syrup, sesame seeds, olive oil, salt and tamari) and a big bunch of kale to make a delicious and healthy version of Britain's favourite snack.

The key here is the massaging of the kale, as this breaks down the structure of the leaf which is notorious for being tough.

lentil soup

Recently we tried this Coconut Red Lentil Soup recipe from 101 Cookbooks and it became an instant favourite. Over the past few weeks we have made this at least two nights a week, and made a version of it many times while on holiday in Scotland recently. It is a great dish to adapt depending on what you have at hand. It can be stripped right back to just lentils, tomato puree and some spices or can be made more elaborate. Variations have included using puy lentils and omitting the coconut milk, adding more tomato puree and celery, adding brown rice or barley - the options are endless. It is very filling and really holds heat, so is perfect for the extended winter weather here in London (just be careful not to burn your tongue like we seem to do every single time).

stewed apples

We pick up a bag of apples or two at our local farmer's market most weeks. Sometimes we buy more than we can eat raw, so we stew them with cinnamon and use them throughout the week with breakfast, as snacks, or as a base for desserts. I like to take a small tupperware container of stewed apple mixed with almonds to work. It also tastes lovely warmed up on the stove and served with some fresh yoghurt, seeds, nuts and honey.