Reggae Reggae Nachos

These nachos are a great crowd-pleaser, perfect for sharing with friends over a cocktail

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  871

• Protein

  24g

• Carbs

  83g

• Fat

  52g

• Saturates

  14g

• Fibre

  9g

• Sugar

  21g

• Salt

  5.16g

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• ½ Scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• ½ x 295g bottle Levi Roots Love Apple Tomato sauce or tomato sauce with a good splash Tabasco
• ½ tsp allspice
• 2 x 200g bags tortilla chips
• 200g jar sliced jalapeno chillies
• 2 x 125g balls mozzarella, torn
• small handful coriander, chopped
• 230g tub fresh guacamole
• ½ x 300ml pot soured cream

Directions

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then soften the onion and chilli for a few mins. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce and allspice. Bubble for 1 min, then remove from the heat.
2. Take a large ovenproof dish or plate and pile on the tortilla chips. Cover with the tomato sauce, then sprinkle with the sliced jalapeños and mozzarella.
3. Place in oven for about 15 mins until cheese is melted. Scatter with coriander. Serve with guacamole and soured cream on the side.

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Jamaican Grilled Fish

John Torode's authentic Caribbean marinade of beer, paprika and onion powder is put to best use on sustainable snapper or bream

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  395

• Protein

  79g

• Carbs

  7g

• Fat

  6g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  0.8g

Ingredients

• 2 medium red snappers or whole bream, gutted, scaled and cleaned
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• pinch dried thyme
• 100ml Jamaican beer (we used Red Stripe), plus extra to baste
• 2 limes, 1 sliced, 1 cut into wedges

Directions

1. Make a few slashes in the flesh on either side of the fish with a sharp knife. Mix the onion powder, paprika, thyme and some seasoning with the beer. Pour over the fish and rub into the slashes and cavity. Place the lime slices inside the fishes' bellies, cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hr.
2. Heat the grill to medium-high. Place the fish on a tray and grill for 15-20 mins, depending on the size, turning halfway through. Baste the fish with a little beer as it cooks. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.

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Lemon & Thyme Butter-Basted Roast Chicken & Gravy

Smoothing butter under the bird's skin helps to baste the chicken and herbs add a delicious flavour to the gravy

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  610

• Protein

  47g

• Carbs

  11g

• Fat

  42g

• Saturates

  15g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  0.8g

Ingredients

• 50g butter, softened
• bunch fresh thyme or lemon thyme, leaves picked, stalks reserved, plus extra to serve
• 4 garlic cloves, 1 mashed, the other 3 left whole but squashed
• 2 lemons, halved
• 1 chicken, about 1½ kg
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml chicken stock
• splash soy sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a small bowl, mash the butter with one-third of the thyme leaves, the mashed garlic and the juice of half a lemon. Mix everything together with some seasoning and set aside.
2. Use your hand to loosen the chicken skin away from the breast, then push most of the butter mix into the gap. Rub the rest of the butter all over the outside of the chicken, then stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, remaining thyme leaves and stalks, and the garlic.
3. Scatter the chopped carrot, onion and bay leaves over the base of a small roasting tin. Sit the chicken on top, breast-side up, and roast on the middle shelf for 1 hr 30 mins, basting with the buttery juices after about 40 mins. When the chicken is dark golden, crispy-skinned and the juices run clear, remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 5 mins. Use a pair of tongs to pull the lemons, garlic and thyme out of the cavity and into the tin. Lift the chicken up, letting any juices dribble into the tin, and transfer the chicken to a serving platter to rest for at least another 15 mins.
4. To make the gravy, squeeze the juice out of the cooked lemon halves and discard the skins. Place the tin on a low heat, stir in flour and sizzle until light brown. Gradually pour in the stock and cook for a few mins. If you like a darker gravy, add a splash of soy sauce to the tin. Strain the gravy into a jug and serve with the chicken.

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Roast Lamb With Spring Herb Crumbs

This iron-rich dish is ideal for a weekend with family and friends

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 2 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  532

• Protein

  45g

• Carbs

  18g

• Fat

  30g

• Saturates

  12g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  0.6g

Ingredients

• For the crumbs
• 100g good-quality white bread
• 2 garlic cloves
• zest 1 lemon
• 1 tsp thyme leaf, chopped
• small bunch parsley, chopped
• 3-4 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)
• For the lamb
• 5 carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 onions, cut into chunks
• 4 bay leaves
• small bunch rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• large leg of lamb, about 3kg/6lb 8oz
• 3 garlic cloves, thickly sliced, plus a whole bulb, halved
• For the gravy
• 5 tbsp plain flour
• 200ml white wine, plus a splash
• 600ml lamb stock

Directions

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. For the lamb, scatter the vegetables, bay leaves and a few rosemary sprigs into a large roasting tin and drizzle with the olive oil. Use a sharp knife to make little slits all over the lamb. Poke a slice of garlic and a small sprig of rosemary into each one. Sit the lamb on top of the veg in the roasting tin, add a splash of wine, then cook for 2 hrs if you like it pink, or 2 hrs 15 mins for cooked through. Remove from the oven, transfer to a board and cover with foil, then rest for 45 mins-1 hr.
2. To make the gravy, pour off most of the fat from the tin but leave the veg and any meat juices. Place the tin on the heat to caramelise the veg, then stir in the flour and cook to a paste. Gradually stir in the wine, cook for a min, then stir in the stock and simmer until you have a tasty gravy. Push the gravy through a sieve into a small pan and keep warm.
3. Turn oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. For the crumbs, blitz everything in a food processor and scatter over a tray. Bake in the oven for 10-15 mins until crisp, then re-blitz or break up with your fingers to crumbs again. These can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container for 2 days. Serve the lamb carved into slices, sprinkled with crumbs and a jug of gravy alongside.

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Classic Summer Pudding

Celebrate gorgeous seasonal strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and redcurrants with this set basin brioche pud

• Cooking Time Prep 25 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  369

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  68g

• Fat

  7g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  43g

• Salt

  0.9g

Ingredients

• 300g raspberries, plus a few extra to serve
• 225g blackberries, plus a few extra to serve
• 100g redcurrants, plus a few extra to serve
• 400g strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 140g golden caster sugar, plus a bit extra (optional)
• 400g brioche loaf
• clotted cream, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Wash the fruit and place it all (except the strawberries) in a large pan with the caster sugar and 3 tbsp water. Gently heat for 3 mins until the juice from the fruit starts to seep out. Add the strawberries and cook for 2 mins more. Drain the juice from the fruit through a sieve set over a large bowl. Taste the juice and add a little more sugar if necessary.
2. Line a 1.2-litre pudding basin with a double layer of cling film, leaving an overlap around the top. Remove the crusts from the brioche and slice the loaf into 1cm-thick slices along the length of the loaf. Cut 1 slice in half widthways and trim the corners to fit into the base of the bowl-you may need to use both squares, trimmed to fit.
3. Trim the slices to the correct length to line the sides of the bowl. To assemble the pudding, dip the slices of brioche into the fruit juice, then use them to line the basin. Start with the bottom pieces, then lay soaked rectangles of brioche along the sides of the bowl. If you have any gaps left at the end, patch these up with any remaining brioche, but make sure you save some for the base.
4. Tip the fruit into the lined basin. Finish the pudding with a layer of brioche to make a base, then pour over any remaining liquid. Wrap the overhanging cling film over the top.
5. Place a small plate, which will fit snugly on top of the basin, over the cling film and weigh down with 2 x 400g cans of tomatoes or beans. Leave the pudding weighed down in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, or overnight if possible.
6. To serve, unwrap the cling film and place a serving plate over the pudding. Flip it over, remove the basin and carefully peel away the cling film. Serve in slices with clotted cream, if you like.

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Mini Pork Pies With Piccalilli

Hoel Levieil from London restaurant Frizzante shares this picnic-friendly pork pie recipe, which was voted our users' favourite Jubilee recipe idea

• Cooking Time Prep 50 mins
  Cook 38 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  -

• Protein

  -

• Carbs

  -

• Fat

  -

• Saturates

  -

• Fibre

  -

• Sugar

  -

• Salt

  -

Ingredients

• few dots of butter
• 600g shortcrust pastry, bought or homemade
• little flour, for dusting
• 85g dried white breadcrumbs
• 400g good Cumberland sausages (about 6)
• 200g smoked bacon lardons
• ¼ tsp each ground mace, ground pepper and dried sage
• 1 egg, beaten with a fork
• few pinches sesame seeds
• piccalilli, homemade or bought, to serve

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line each hole of a 12-hole muffin tin with a thin strip of baking parchment across the middle that's long enough so the ends stick out a centimetre or two-use a dab of butter to stick in place. Roll out two thirds of the pastry on a lightly floured surface and stamp out 12 x 10cm circles (you may need to re-roll trimmings). Press a circle into each hole to line.
2. Sprinkle 1 tsp of breadcrumbs into the base of each pie. Tip the rest of the crumbs into a mixing bowl. Squeeze in the sausage meat, discarding the skins, along with the bacon, mace, pepper, sage and just a little salt. Get your hands in and mash and squish everything together until the breadcrumbs have just about disappeared. Divide mixture between the holes, packing in firmly and shaping to a dome in the middle.
3. Roll out the remaining pastry and stamp out 12 x 7cm circles. Brush with a little egg and add a top to each pie, egg-side down to stick, carefully pressing pastry edges together to seal. Brush with more egg (don't throw away leftovers) and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 30 mins until golden then carefully remove the pies from the tin, using the parchment ends to help you lift them out. Sit on a parchment lined baking tray, brush all round the sides with more egg and put back in the oven for 8 mins. Cool completely then eat with piccalilli, or your favourite pickle.

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Buffalo Wings With Blue Cheese Dip

These American-style crisp chicken pieces are the perfect laid-back food to share, great for a movie night

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  411

• Protein

  18g

• Carbs

  5g

• Fat

  36g

• Saturates

  15g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  1.26g

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter
• 5 tbsp hot sauce such as Tabasco sauce or Crystal
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 900g/2lb - 1kg/2lb 4oz chicken wings
• ¼ tsp celery salt (optional)
• flour, for dusting
• sunflower oil, for frying
• celery sticks, to serve
• For the blue cheese dip
• 150ml buttermilk
• 150ml soured cream
• 85g blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ¼ tsp sweet paprika

Directions

1. Slowly melt the butter, hot sauce and vinegar in a medium saucepan, then pour into a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients for the blue cheese dip together with a pinch of salt. Cover and chill until needed.
2. Trim the end off each chicken wing, then cut each in half through the joint. Tip the wings into a bowl. Add the celery salt (if using), seasoning and enough flour so they're all evenly coated.
3. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a large, deep frying pan and add the wings (do this in 2 batches if your pan isn't big enough). Fry them, stirring frequently, until they are cooked through and browned all over, about 10 mins for each batch. As soon as they are cooked, transfer them to the bowl of butter sauce and stir well. Repeat with the second batch. Serve the wings on a platter with any extra buttery sauce poured over and the blue cheese dip and celery sticks on the side

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Pear & Blackberry Crumbles

Use pear instead of apple in these individual versions of the classic pud with a crunchy pistachio topping

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 35 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  768

• Protein

  10g

• Carbs

  115g

• Fat

  33g

• Saturates

  15g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  76g

• Salt

  0.05g

Ingredients

• 700g (or 4 large) ripe English pears, peeled and cubed
• 100g golden granulated sugar
• 250g blackberries
• 200g plain flour
• 100g unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 85g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
• 100g demerara sugar
• ice cream, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Place the pears in a medium-size pan, add the granulated sugar and cook on a medium heat until the fruit starts to soften and releases its juices, about 10 mins. Add the blackberries and bring back to the boil, then remove from the heat. Spoon the fruity mixture into 4 individual ovenproof ramekins, or 1 large baking dish.
2. Place the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and rub together with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the pistachios and demerara sugar, then stir to combine.
3. Sprinkle crumble evenly over the cooked fruit. This can be done up to 1 day ahead, or frozen for up to 1 month. Bake for 20-25 mins if small, 40 mins if large, until golden. If baking from frozen, add 15 mins cooking time. Remove from the oven, cool slightly, then serve with ice cream, if you like.

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Ultimate Apple Pie

A traditional, comforting dish where simplicity is the key to success - one for all the family

• Cooking Time Ready in 2½ hours
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  695

• Protein

  9g

• Carbs

  95g

• Fat

  33g

• Saturates

  20g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  32g

• Salt

  0.79g

Ingredients

• For the filling
• 1kg Bramley apples
• 140g golden caster sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp flour
• For the pastry
• 225g butter, room temperature
• 50g golden caster sugar, plus extra
• 2 eggs
• 350g plain flour, preferably organic
• softly whipped cream, to serve

Directions

1. Put a layer of paper towels on a large baking sheet. Quarter, core, peel and slice the apples about 5mm thick and lay evenly on the baking sheet. Put paper towels on top and set aside while you make and chill the pastry.
2. For the pastry, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until just mixed. Break in a whole egg and a yolk (keep the white for glazing later). Beat together for just under 1 min-it will look a bit like scrambled egg. Now work in the flour with a wooden spoon, a third at a time, until it's beginning to clump up, then finish gathering it together with your hands. Gently work the dough into a ball, wrap in cling film, and chill for 45 mins. Now mix the 140g/5oz sugar, the cinnamon and flour for the filling in a bowl that is large enough to take the apples later.
3. After the pastry has chilled, heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Lightly beat the egg white with a fork. Cut off a third of the pastry and keep it wrapped while you roll out the rest, and use this to line a pie tin-20-22cm round and 4cm deep-leaving a slight overhang. Roll the remaining third to a circle about 28cm in diameter. Pat the apples dry with kitchen paper, and tip them into the bowl with the cinnamon-sugar mix. Give a quick mix with your hands and immediately pile high into the pastry-lined tin.
4. Brush a little water around the pastry rim and lay the pastry lid over the apples pressing the edges together to seal. Trim the edge with a sharp knife and make 5 little slashes on top of the lid for the steam to escape. (Can be frozen at this stage.) Brush it all with the egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake for 40-45 mins, until golden, then remove and let it sit for 5-10 mins. Sprinkle with more sugar and serve while still warm from the oven with softly whipped cream.

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Parmesan Spring Chicken

Full of spring flavours, the Parmesan coating gives a satisfying crunch and the meat stays tender

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  339

• Protein

  42g

• Carbs

  20g

• Fat

  11g

• Saturates

  3g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  0.53g

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 5 tbsp finely grated parmesan
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 400g new potatoes, cut into small cubes
• 140g frozen peas
• good handful baby spinach leaves
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp olive oil

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium and line the grill pan with foil. Beat the egg white on a plate with a little salt and pepper. Tip the Parmesan onto another plate. Dip the chicken first in egg white, then the cheese. Grill the coated chicken for 10-12 mins, turning once until browned and crisp.
2. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for 10 mins, adding the peas for the final 3 mins, then drain. Toss the vegetables with the spinach leaves, vinegar, oil and seasoning to taste. Divide between four warm plates, then serve with the chicken.

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Easiest Ever Paella

Think paella's too much of a challenge? Think again, this easy recipe makes it foolproof and is full of fantastic flavour

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  518

• Protein

  32g

• Carbs

  75g

• Fat

  12g

• Saturates

  0.4g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  1.29g

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek or onion, sliced
• 110g pack chorizo sausage, chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 300g long grain rice
• 1l hot fish or chicken stock
• 200g frozen peas
• 400g frozen seafood mix, defrosted

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, then soften the leek for 5 mins without browning. Add the chorizo and fry until it releases its oils. Stir in the turmeric and rice until coated by the oils, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.
2. Tip in the peas and cook for 5 mins, then stir in the seafood to heat through for a final 1-2 mins cooking or until rice is cooked. Check for seasoning and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

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One-Pot Chicken Chasseur

This French bistro classic is easy to make at home and fabulous with creamy mash or crusty bread

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  439

• Protein

  35g

• Carbs

  7g

• Fat

  28g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  1.11g

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 25g butter
• 4 chicken legs
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g pack small button or chestnut mushrooms
• 225ml red wine
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 500ml chicken stock

Directions

1. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large lidded casserole. Season the chicken, then fry for about 5 mins on each side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
2. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan. Add the onion, then fry for about 5 mins until soft. Add garlic, cook for about 1 min, add the mushrooms, cook for 2 mins, then add the wine. Stir in the tomato purée, let the liquid bubble and reduce for about 5 mins, then stir in the thyme and pour over the stock. Slip the chicken back into the pan, then cover and simmer on a low heat for about 1 hr until the chicken is very tender.
3. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm. Rapidly boil down the sauce for 10 mins or so until it is syrupy and the flavour has concentrated. Put the chicken legs back into the sauce and serve.

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Chunky Minestrone Soup

The perfect solution to a cold night in? A warming bowl of this home-made chunky soup.

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins - 15 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  420

• Protein

  18g

• Carbs

  79g

• Fat

  6g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  16g

• Sugar

  24g

• Salt

  1.11g

Ingredients

• 3 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 large potatoes, cut into small dice
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2l vegetable stock
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 400g can butter or cannellini beans
• 140g spaghetti, snapped into short lengths
• 1?2 head Savoy cabbage, shredded
• crusty bread, to serve

Directions

1. In a food processor, whizz the carrots, onion and celery into small pieces. Heat the oil in a pan, add the processed vegetables, garlic and potatoes, then cook over a high heat for 5 mins until softened.
2. Stir in the tomato purée, stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 mins.
3. Tip in the beans and pasta, then cook for a further 10 mins, adding the cabbage for the final 2 mins. Season to taste and serve with crusty bread.

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One-Pot Mushroom & Potato Curry

Create a tasty, spicy vegetarian dish with mushroom and curry in less than half an hour

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  212

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  15g

• Fat

  15g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  0.71g

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 large potato, chopped into small chunks
• 1 aubergine, trimmed and chopped into chunks
• 250g button mushrooms
• 2-4 tbsp curry paste (depending on how hot you like it)
• 150ml vegetable stock
• 400ml can reduced-fat coconut milk
• chopped coriander, to serve

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and potato. Cover, then cook over a low heat for 5 mins until the potatoes start to soften. Throw in the aubergine and mushrooms, then cook for a few more mins.
2. Stir in the curry paste, pour over the stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins or until the potato is tender. Stir through the coriander and serve with rice or naan bread.

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Creamy Courgette Lasagne

Serve up this creamy quick dish for a last minute dinner party and impress veggie friends

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  405

• Protein

  18g

• Carbs

  38g

• Fat

  21g

• Saturates

  8g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  1.36g

Ingredients

• 9 dried lasagne sheets
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 700g courgettes (about 6), coarsely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 250g tub ricotta
• 50g cheddar
• 350g jar tomato sauce for pasta

Directions

1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Put a pan of water on to boil, then cook the lasagne sheets for about 5 mins until softened, but not cooked through. Rinse in cold water, then drizzle with a little oil to stop them sticking together.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onion. After 3 mins, add the courgettes and garlic and continue to fry until the courgette has softened and turned bright green. Stir in 2/3 of both the ricotta and the cheddar, then season to taste. Heat the tomato sauce in the microwave for 2 mins on High until hot.
3. In a large baking dish, layer up the lasagne, starting with half the courgette mix, then pasta, then tomato sauce. Repeat, top with blobs of the remaining ricotta, then scatter with the rest of the cheddar. Bake on the top shelf for about 10 mins until the pasta is tender and the cheese is golden.

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Easy BBQ Beans

Quick, simple and packed with goodness, try these beans as part of a pick-and-mix Mexican supper

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  118

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  21g

• Fat

  2g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  0.37g

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp white or red wine vinegar
• 1 heaped tbsp soft brown sugar
• 400g tin pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 400ml tub passata
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or vegetarian alternative (optional)
• small bunch coriander, chopped

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a small pan. Fry onion until starting to brown, then add garlic and cook for 1 min. Add vinegar and sugar and cook until onions are caramelised. Stir in beans, passata, Worcestershire sauce (if using) and seasoning and simmer for 10-15 mins until thickened. Stir through coriander and serve.

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Apple Pear & Cherry Compote

Great as an easy dessert for Sunday lunch, then use for breakfasts and midweek puds

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 12 portions

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  199

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  51g

• Fat

  1g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  47g

• Salt

  0.03g

Ingredients

• 8 eating apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 4 medium Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
• 8 firm pears, peeled, cored and thickly sliced
• 6 tbsp sugar, or to taste
• 280g dried sour cherries (or dried cranberries)

Directions

1. Put the apples and pears in a pan with the sugar and 50ml water. Bring to a simmer, then gently cook, covered, for 15 mins or so until the Bramley apple has collapsed to a purée and the eating apple and pear are tender (stir to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom).
2. Stir in the cherries or cranberries for 1 min, taste and add a little more sugar if necessary. Can be chilled for 3-5 days. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if you like. See 'Goes well with' for ideas for using up the compote.

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Wrap-Your-Own Spring Rolls

A superhealthy recipe that's ideal for cooking with young children

• Cooking Time Prep 40 mins
  Cook 25 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 8 - 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  202

• Protein

  12g

• Carbs

  32g

• Fat

  4g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  8g

• Salt

  2.04g

Ingredients

• 300g pack cooked rice noodles from the chiller cabinet (see tips)
• about 400g/14oz mixed vegetables, thinly sliced and put in separate bowls, such as red peppers, beansprouts, carrots, shredded Chinese leaf cabbage, spring onions
• 140g cooked prawns
• 100g cooked chicken or duck, shredded
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• small piece ginger, finely chopped
• splash light soy sauce
• Chinese five-spice powder, for sprinkling
• 8-10 sheets of brik or filo pastry (see tips)
• 1 egg, beaten
• sesame seeds, for sprinkling if you want
• For the dipping sauce
• 100g reduced salt and sugar ketchup
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• small piece ginger, grated
• pinch of caster sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Before you get the kids cooking, put the noodles, vegetables, prawns and chicken in individual bowls for everyone to help themselves. Wash hands, put aprons on, sit the kids down and give them their own mixing bowl and spoon. Let them choose which ingredients they want (noodles are essential) in their rolls and if they want to graze as they choose, that's fine-all the ingredients are cooked or can be eaten raw. Add a bit of garlic and ginger, a tiny dash of soy and sprinkling of five-spice to each bowl and let them mix everything together.
2. Push the bowl aside and lay a sheet of pastry in front of each child. Ask them to spoon the filling down one side of each sheet then give them the beaten egg and a brush so they can brush around the edges. Then help them to roll them up neatly by folding both sides over the filling, then rolling them up.
3. Lift the spring rolls onto a baking tray, seam side down, brush with a little more egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if you want. Try to remember which child made which roll to save any arguments at the end! Bake the rolls for 20-25 mins or until golden.
4. While the rolls are in the oven, make the dipping sauce. Get the kids to mix all the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved. When the spring rolls are golden and crisp, remove from the oven. Leave until cool enough to handle, cut into pieces for smaller kids, then let them eat, dipping the rolls into the sauce.

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Ready-To-Go Wraps

Perfect for kids and easy enough for them to make themselves, these handy wraps are great for the car journey

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 10 mins - 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  175

• Protein

  10g

• Carbs

  17g

• Fat

  8g

• Saturates

  3g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  1.64g

Ingredients

• 4 tortillas wraps
• 8 small or 4 large slices ham
• 2 roasted peppers (from a jar is fine), roughly chopped
• handful grated cheddar

Directions

1. Lay out the tortillas on a flat surface. Place 1-2 slices of ham in the middle of each one. Sprinkle over some chopped pepper and cheese, leaving a 2cm edge at one end. Starting at the other end, roll up as tightly as you can. Wrap each tortilla in kitchen foil and twist the ends to seal. Will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
2. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 3. Place the wraps in the oven (directly onto the oven rack is fine) and cook for 10-15 mins until the cheese starts to melt. Unwrap for the last 5 mins if you want the outside to be crisp. Peel off the foil before eating.

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Dauphinoise Potatoes

Thin slices of potato slow-cooked in the oven with cream and garlic- the most decadent of side dishes

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 45 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  541

• Protein

  11g

• Carbs

  39g

• Fat

  39g

• Saturates

  22g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  0.35g

Ingredients

• 500ml double cream
• 500ml milk
• 3 garlic cloves
• 8 large King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes
• 100g Gruyère cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the cream, milk and garlic into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Slice the potatoes very finely, about 3-4mm, add them to the cream and simmer for 3 mins until just cooked. Gently stir to separate the potato and stop it sinking and catching on the bottom of the pan.
2. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and place in a wide shallow ovenproof dish so that they are about 5cm in depth. Pour over the garlic infused cream (discarding the garlic)-just enough to seep through the layers and leave a little moisture on the surface. Scatter over the cheese, if using, then bake for 30 mins until the potatoes are soft and browned-increase the heat for 5 mins if not brown enough.

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