Serves 2

Houmous

• 1/2 can of chickpeas
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 and a half heaped tablespoons of tahini
• 2 tablespoons of cold water
• 1 large clove of garlic

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and smoosh. (Our food processor is called Brian.)

Roast tray

• tablespoon olive oil
• seeds of half a butternut squash
• the other half of the can of chickpeas
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 clove of garlic, skin-on but pricked all over
• half a red onion
• half a butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• half a small cauliflower in florets
• juice of the other half of the lemon
• handful of fresh coriander leaves
• salt & pepper

Mix the oil in a baking tray with the spices and seeds and chickpeas, and roast in an oven at 180C fan for 20 minutes.

Whilst that’s roasting, boil or steam the butternut squash and cauliflower until soft. Drain and add to the oven tray mix with red onion and garlic. Place back in oven for 20 minutes.

Serve with lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves and a side dish of slaw.

• 1 red cabbage
• 1 red onion
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• tsp sea salt
• 2 eating apples
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• grated nutmeg
• tiny bit of ground cinnamon
• carton of cranberry juice drink

Cut the red onion into large, but quite thin, slices. In a thick-bottommed casserole or saucepan, fry the onion for 10 mins or so in the oil with the salt so they go soft but not brown. Add the diced apple, cook for a few more minutes. Add the spices, sugar and cabbage then cover with the cranberry juice drink and bring to the boil, then simmer, with the lid on, on a very low heat for a couple of hours – or put it in a very low oven.

This tastes better the longer you leave it. We had it with roast chicken and I froze the leftovers for Christmas day. Delicious!

You will need

• 1 tin of Heinz baked beans
• half tsp of cumin
• half tsp ground coriander
• half tsp smoked paprika (or less – this makes it really spicy)
• one small dried chipotle, crumbled

Put the beans in a pan on the hob, add the spices and simmer slowly for at least half an hour. Even tastier for breakfast the next day on toasted left-over soda bread (pictured here mixed with some left-over French tinned cassoulet).

• Half a red cabbage
• small onion, cut in quarters
• 5 cloves
• tsp mixed spice
• 1 large apple
• tablespoon dark sugar
• glass of red wine
• vegetable stock
• butter

Heat the pan and melt the butter. Add the onion and sliced cabbage. Fry until soft, then add the spices, apple, wine and stock. Bring to the boil, put a lid on and simmer on a very low heat for an hour or two. Heavenly.

• Half a white cabbage
• 5 carrots
• 4 spring onions
• 6 radishes
• half a red onion
• 3 small apples
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 large fresh green chilli, seeded
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp plain low fat yogurt
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• salt & pepper

Shred the veg in a food processor. Mix the wet ingredients in a jar, shake and combine with the veg. Treat with caution. But you’ll be back for more.

• Tin of chopped tomatoes
• small onion
• half a fresh chilli, or some dried chilli flakes
• Worcestershire sauce
• olive oil
• tin of kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• teaspoon of sugar or Agave nectar or something sweet

Chop & fry the onion in a little olive oil with the chopped chilli, until the onions start to colour & get a bit sticky. Chuck in the tomatoes, kidney beans a dash of Worcester sauce (or maybe soy sauce if you’re strictly veggie) and a tiny bit of something sweet – a tiny bit of sugar or agave nectar or whatever you have to hand.

Simmer for 20 minutes or so, while you cook sausages, bacon & eggs. Delish!

You will need:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 small red chillis
• 1 potato, peeled and chopped
• 450g carrots, peeled and chopped
• small piece of fresh ginger, finely diced
• 1  litre vegetable stock
• knob of creamed coconut
• small amount of fresh coriander, chopped

Fry the onion in some oil for 5 minutes. Add the potato, one of the red chillis, chopped with seeds and all,  fresh ginger and ground coriander. Fry for about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and vegetable stock. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add a knob of creamed coconut, let it melt then blitz in a blender. Season to taste.

Sprinkle some slices of red chilli and fresh coriander on top when you serve. Hot, spicy and delicious.

I was making a chicken curry and a vegetable curry and somehow ended up making a mushroom one and a potato one as well. I think the potato one was the best of the bunch, followed by the mushroom. Here’s how I made it.

• 4 large potatoes
• 1 tsp mustard powder (recipe called for seeds but I didn’t have any)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, minced or finely chopped
• half a tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Peel and chop the potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Parboil for a few minutes. Don’t let them turn to mash.

Fry the mustard and cumin seeds in some hot vegetable oil. You’ll know when they’re done because the seeds will start popping and you’ll start to choke. Add the chilli powder and ginger and stir vigorously for 1 minute. Then add the drained potatoes, tomatoes, sugar and water. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, then stir in the cumin and coriander powder and serve with a sprinkling of fresh chopped coriander on top. Rather hot, and great as a side dish with any curry.

• box of chestnut mushrooms
• knob of butter
• tsp dried oregano
• slug of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
• half a teaspoon of smoked paprika
• salt and pepper

Wash and dry the mushrooms. Quarter them and fry in the butter and the oregano until almost cooked through. At the last minute season, add the Worcester sauce, stir in the crème fraîche and sprinkle over the paprika. Mix and serve at once on warm toast. Must try this with kidneys…

• 1 medium or small pumpkin
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• tablespoon of ground coriander
• thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
• 1 litre of stock – I used chicken
• 2 cardamom pods
• tablespoon double cream

Chop the onion roughly and fry in some oil until soft along with the ground coriander. Then peel, seed and dice the pumpkin, and fry off along with the diced carrots and peeled, chopped ginger.

When it’s all looking soft, crush 2 cardamom pods and squeeze the seeds into the mix. I threw the husks in as well. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil and then simmer for half an hour.

Remove the cardamom husks, if you left them in, and blitz with a hand-blender or in a food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the cream. Enjoy!