Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500g pumpkin or squash, peeled and cut into roughly 3cm cubes
• 50-100ml whole milk
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp mascarpone
• 350g short pasta (rigatoni or penne work well)
• 40g grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative, plus extra to serve

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, shallow, flameproof casserole or frying pan over a low-medium heat and fry the onion with a pinch of salt for 10-15 mins until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and fry for 1 min more. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, cook the pumpkin in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-15 mins until tender when pierced with a cutlery knife. Drain and tip into a blender (or use a hand blender). Blitz with 50ml milk and the onions until completely smooth, gradually adding more milk until the mixture is thick enough to just coat the back of a spoon (you may not need all the milk). Tip into a large frying pan with the tomato purée and mascarpone, and bring to a simmer over a low heat.
3. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water following pack instructions. Drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the pumpkin sauce, parmesan and 50-100ml of the reserved water to loosen. Season and scatter with extra parmesan.

Ingredients

• 25g cashews
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 corn cob
• 250g rainbow baby carrots, halved lengthways
• 2 red onions, finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 2 large red peppers, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1½ tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chipotle paste
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 200g heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved
• 400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 400g can cherry tomatoes
• 300g long-grain rice, washed
• 400ml vegetable or vegan stock
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (vegan varieties are readily available)
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced

Method

1. Dry-fry the cashews in a large saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat until golden brown. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then roughly chop. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan over a high heat, then fry the corn on each side for 20 seconds to char. Remove from the pan, set aside, then tip in the carrots and fry for 5 mins. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan over a medium heat and fry the onions and celery for 10 mins until soft and slightly coloured. Tip in the peppers and garlic, then fry for another 5 mins before adding the Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, chipotle paste and tomato purée. Fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant, then add the cherry tomatoes and fry for another 2 mins.
3. Stir in the kidney beans, canned tomatoes, rice, stock, vinegar and sugar, then stir until everything is combined. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and simmer with a lid on for 35-40 mins on a medium-low heat, stirring halfway through, until the rice is cooked and liquid absorbed.
4. Slice the corn off the cob and mix it through the rice along with the carrots. Season and garnish with the spring onions and cashews.

Ingredients

• 3 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
• 190g bag spinach
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 8 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
• 500ml chicken stock

For the spice paste

• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 red chilli, chopped
• 1 tsp paprika
• Thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
• 400g can tomatoes
• 2 preserved lemons, deseeded and chopped

To serve

• Pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 2-3 preserved lemons, deseeded and chopped
• 4 naan bread, warmed

Method

1. Put the sweet potato in a large, deep saucepan over a high heat. Cover with boiling water and boil for 10 mins. Meanwhile, put all the paste ingredients in a food processor and blend until very finely chopped. Set aside until needed.
2. Put the spinach in a large colander in the sink and pour the sweet potatoes and their cooking water over it to drain the potatoes and wilt the spinach at the same time. Leave to steam-dry.
3. Return the saucepan to the heat (no need to wash it first), then add the oil, followed by the spice paste. Fry the paste for about 5 mins until thickened, then add the chicken. Fry for 8-10 mins until the chicken starts to colour. Pour over the stock, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally.
4. Check the chicken is cooked by cutting into one of the thighs and making sure it’s white throughout with no signs of pink. Season with black pepper, then add the sweet potato. Leave to simmer for a further 5 mins. Meanwhile, roughly chop the spinach and add to the stew.
5. Scatter over the pumpkin seeds and preserved lemons, and serve with warm naan bread on the side.

Ingredients

• 1½ tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
• Thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• 2 boneless skinless salmon fillets
• 250g purple sprouting broccoli
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced (deseeded if you don't like it too hot)

Method

1. Heat oven to 200C/180 fan/ gas 6 and line a baking tray with parchment. Mix together ½ tbsp sesame oil, the soy, ginger, garlic and honey. Put the sweet potato wedges, skin and all, into a glass bowl with the lime wedges. Cover with cling film and microwave on high for 12-14 mins until completely soft.
2. Meanwhile, spread the broccoli and salmon out on the baking tray. Spoon over the marinade and season. Roast in the oven for 10-12 mins, then sprinkle over the sesame seeds.
3. Remove the lime wedges and roughly mash the sweet potato using a fork. Mix in the remaining sesame oil, the chilli and some seasoning. Divide between plates, along with the salmon and broccoli.

Ingredients

• 4 tsp olive oil
• 500g leeks, sliced
• 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
• 2 x 400g cans butter beans
• 500ml vegetable bouillon stock
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
• ½ small pack flat-leaf parsley
• 3 rashers streaky bacon
• 40g chopped kale, any tough stems removed
• 25g hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the leeks, thyme and seasoning. Cover and cook for 15 mins until softened, adding a splash of water if the leeks start to stick. Add the butter beans with the water from the cans, the stock and mustard. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 mins until hot. Blend the soup in a food processor or with a stick blender, stir through the parsley and check the seasoning.
2. Put the bacon in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook for 3-4 mins until crispy, then set side to cool. Add the remaining 1 tsp oil to the pan, and tip in the kale and hazelnuts. Cook for 2 mins, stirring until the kale is wilted and crisping at the edges and the hazelnuts are toasted. Cut the bacon into small pieces, then stir into the kale mixture.
3. Reheat the soup, adding a splash of water if it is too thick. Serve in bowls sprinkled with the bacon & kale mixture.