Vegetable tartlets:

Ingredients:

• 1 x 500 g block of ready-made puff pastry
• plain flour , for dusting
• 4 teaspoons pesto
• 1 handful of mixed, ripe cherry tomatoes
• 8 asparagus spears
• 4 baby courgettes
• 2-3 jarred roasted peppers
• ½ a bunch of fresh basil
• olive oil
• 8 black olives , optional
• 1 x 100 g ball mozzarella
• 20 g Parmesan cheese , optional

Method:

Turn on the oven to 200ºC/gas 6. Carefully cut the pastry block in half with a table knife. Wrap the other half and refrigerate or freeze for later. 

Dust some flour onto a clean work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry into a square, measuring 26cm x 26cm. Cut into 4 equal squares.

Place the pastry squares on a baking tray, leaving a space between each. 

Using the back of a spoon, spread the centre of each square with pesto, but don’t spread it onto the edges.

Squash the tomatoes into a large mixing bowl, then snap the asparagus spears into 3cm pieces. Keep the lovely pointy tips and a little of the stalk, but discard the end 3cm. 

Using a speed peeler, carefully shred the courgettes into ribbons. Tear the roasted peppers into strips and add to the bowl. 

Pick the basil leaves, reserving the pretty ones for later. Place the large ones in the mixing bowl. 

Mix the vegetables together in the bowl, adding a splash of oil. Pile a little of the mixture on each pesto-smeared tart and top with two olives (if using). 

Break up the mozzarella and place little bits on top of each tart – this will make it gooey like a pizza. Grate over some Parmesan (if using).

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the cheese is all bubbly.

Once the tarts are ready, allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle with the reserved basil leaves and serve with a nice salad for lunch.

Quinoa & kale muffins:

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• ½ a small shallot
• 1 clove of garlic
• 50 g kale
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 200 g cooked leftover quinoa
• 100 g ground almonds
• 85 g feta cheese
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 small bunch of chives

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Line a muffin tray with paper cases and grease them with oil. 

Peel and finely chop the shallot. Peel and crush the garlic, then finely chop the kale.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the shallot, garlic, kale, quinoa and almonds. Crumble in the feta.

Mix well, then season to taste. 

Spoon the mixture evenly into the cases and bake for 20 to 25 mins, or until golden brown. 

Halve and destone the avocado, then scoop out and mash the flesh. Season. Finely chop the chives. 

Serve the muffins topped with mashed avocado, chives and a pinch of black pepper.

Rojak:

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe mango
• 1 bunch of radishes
• ½ a cucumber
• ½ a ripe pineapple
• 125 g beansprouts
• 125 g baby spinach
• 350 g firm tofu
• 1 fresh red chilli
• 100 g unsalted peanuts
• groundnut oil
• DRESSING
• 2 limes
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon runny honey
• 1 teaspoon sambal oelek
• 1 tesapoon tamarind
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar

Method:

For the dressing, combine the zest from 1 lime and all of the lime juice with the remaining dressing ingredients. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Transfer to a jug and set aside.

Slice the cheeks from the mango and finely slice each one into lengths, removing the skin. Finely slice the radishes, then deseed and cut the cucumber into cubes. Peel the pineapple and cut into 1cm cubes.

Add it all to a bowl along with the beansprouts and spinach.

Cut the tofu into 2cm cubes. Finely slice the chilli. Toast the peanuts in a dry medium frying pan, then tip into a bowl. 

Return the pan to a medium heat with a little oil and the tofu. Fry for about 10 minutes, or until deep golden on all sides. 

Remove and leave to drain on kitchen paper, then scatter it on top of the fruit. Drizzle over the dressing and top with the toasted peanuts and a little red chilli.

Celeriac boulangère:

Ingredients:

• 1 handful of herbs, such as fresh thyme, rosemary, sage
• 2 onions
• 500 g potatoes
• 750 g celeriac
• 2 tablepsoons olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 400 ml organic vegetable stock
• 50 g unsalted butter
• stale breadcrumbs

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas 6. 

Pick and finely chop the herbs, then peel and thinly slice the onions, potatoes and celeriac.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions with most of the herbs until soft. 

Cut the garlic in half and rub over a baking dish, then layer the potatoes in a dish with the onions and celeriac and season well. 

Pour over the vegetable stock and top with knobs of butter, then cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the rest of the herbs and a drizzle of oil. 

After 45 minutes, remove the foil, sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden.