Category: Dairy-Free

Broccoli Pasta with Lemon and Chilli

Serves 4

This is a 15 minute meal which is bursting with fresh flavours. A word of warning on the chilli though, do make sure you put in the right amount for your (and your guests’) tastes. I used 2 teaspoons which, whilst fine for me, was too hot for some of the other eaters. Oops.

I used orecchiette as the shape is perfect for this sauce and it is so pretty, but use one of your choice, spaghetti or linguine would both work well and are easy to get your hands on.

If you are making this as a vegan or dairy-free meal then omit the parmesan and if you are making this gluten-free then use a suitable pasta.

• Ingredients:
• 300g pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
• 1-2 tsp chilli flakes

• 250g tenderstem broccoli, roughly chopped into 1 inch pieces

• 1 lemon (zest and juice)
• 50g Parmesan, grated

Step 1: Start by cooking the pasta according to the packet instructions.

Step 2: Heat the oil in a frying pan over a low heat and gently soften the garlic slices, ensuring they do not colour.

Step 3: Add the zest of the lemon along with the chilli flakes (remember to do this to taste).

Step 4: Two minutes before the pasta is ready, add the broccoli to the pasta water.

Step 5: Drain the pasta and broccoli (reserving a little of the cooking water) and add to the frying pan, along with half of the parmesan and the lemon juice. Add a little of the reserved cooking water and stir or toss together to create a light silky sauce that coats the pasta.

Serve with a green salad and the remaining parmesan to sprinkle on top.

Spicy Apple Chutney

Makes approximately 1 litre of chutney

With all the cooking apples available at the moment this chutney is the perfect recipe to use up your windfalls. It requires no skill and yet you create the most wonderfully spicy chutney.

This has a good kick from the homemade spice mix but you can always adjust this to taste. You do not have to use the combination of chillies I have suggested; by all means just use chilli flakes if you can’t get your hands on dried ancho chillies, for instance.

I used a spice grinder to blitz them all to a fine powder, but with a bit of hard work you could use a pestle and mortar.

• Ingredients:
• 400g caster sugar
• 400ml cider vinegar
• 2 white onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• Roughly 1kg apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• 2 handfuls raisins or sultanas
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• Spice mix:
• 1/2 dried ancho chilli, roughly torn
• 3 small pieces of cassia bark/cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• Pinch salt
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp all spice

Step 1: Use a spice grinder to blitz all of the spice mix ingredients together into a smooth powder.

Step 2: Combine all ingredients (including the spice mix) in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.

Step 3: Bring to the boil, and then simmer, uncovered for about an hour and a half To two hours, until the mix stays separated for a coupled seconds when a spoon is dragged through it.

Step 4: Transfer into sterilised jars and keep in the fridge.

This chutney is wonderful with cheese or cold meats. Store in the fridge, especially once opened.

Sweet Pepper Sauce

Serves 4-6

Often in supermarkets you’ll find bumper bags of peppers, which are smaller or misshapen and so are sold in bulk at a much cheaper price. Usually there will be a plethora of green peppers in these bags, but the other day I found ones that were full of red and yellow peppers. I knew exactly what I was going to do with them; make a versatile sweet pepper sauce that would be the perfect accompaniment to pasta, or lamb, or a firm white fish.

Here is the recipe; it can be scaled up or down as necessary and it can be portioned up and frozen. We had it stirred through pasta and adorned with pieces of soft goats cheese and fresh basil. It was really delicious. I’m looking forward to the next time I find such a bag, as I’ll definitely be making this again!

• Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced
• Approx. 700g peppers, halved, deseeded, cut into thin strips
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed/minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 3 tomatoes, cut into small dice
• 1 tin of tomatoes, chopped
• A pinch of sugar
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Step 1: Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook gently for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: Next add the peppers and continue to cook and stir for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Stir through the garlic, herbs and spices and cook for a further five minutes.

Step 4: Add both types of tomatoes, along with the vinegar, sugar and seasoning and cook for 10 more minutes.

Carrot and Cumin Soup

Serves 3-4

This is a low calorie, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan soup and it’s delicious. Naturally sweet, gently spiced and perfectly warming for an autumn or winter lunch.

It’s quick to prepare and then cooks with little interference so why not make up a bigger batch and freeze for a quick and easy lunch!

• Ingredients:
• Oil
• 1 white onion or 4 shallots, roughly chopped
• 500g (about 4 decent sized) carrots, peeled, topped and tailed and cut into 1/2 cm rounds
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper
• Nigella seeds (optional)

Step 1: Heat a little oil (I used a few spritz of a spray oil) in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat and add the diced onion or shallot. Cook for a few minutes until softened but not browned.

Step 2: Add the carrot and stir, along with the cumin. Cook gently for a couple of minutes to begin to toast the spice and then add the stock. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the carrots are soft.

Step 3: Carefully blitz the soup (I used a stick blender) and then season to taste. If you like, serve with a sprinkling of nigella seeds over the top of the soup.

This soup freezes well and can be defrosted over night in the fridge and then reheated. If you are not keeping this dairy-free and/or low calorie you could add some single or double cream to make it a richer, more luxurious treat. Serve with some crusty bread (gluten-free if required).