Store Cupboard Recipes

Updated 1st May 2020

Easy Cheese Flapjacks

A very adaptable savoury recipe that's a great snack or lunchbox filler. It combines lots of vegetables with oats and cheese (vegan option). Ingredients 200 g Grated courgette 200 g Grated carrot 1 Medium onion, Grated 2 Large eggs or 2 tbsp. ground flaxseeds or whole chia seeds mixed with 6 tbsp. warm water and left to settle for 10 mins 200 g Flavoursome cheese or vegan cheese (non-soya based),Grated 200 g Rolled gluten free oats or quinoa flakes good pinch of dried herbs or 1 tbsp. fresh herbs Method 1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees centigrade (fan assisted) 2. Grease and line a square baking tin (20x20cm) or use a brownie baking tin 3. In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients 4. Pour into the tin or brownie holes 5. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the surface of the flapjack is golden brown. 6. Leave to cool a little before slicing into portion sizes and removing from the tin.

Lentil Dhal

From our friends at Eat Drink Live Well and following on from our delicious Indian Supper Club (February 2020), this nourishing lentil Dahl is simple to make - either as a meal in itself or as a side dish to curries. 

This is our ‘go to’ at the first sign of a cold or other virus with its comforting, soup like texture making it easy to digest.  It packs in a fair few antiviral, antimicrobial foods such as garlic, onion, turmeric, cumin, coriander and coconut oil.  Using homemade chicken stock adds an extra immune boost due to the nutrient dense broth left from slowly simmered chicken bones - but if you have none to hand, some fresh supermarket stock or an organic stock cube can be used.

Serves 2, or 4 as a side dish.

125g red lentils, rinsed

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cumin

500 mls chicken stock, organic stock cube, fresh or homemade

2 handfuls of fresh spinach 

2 handfuls of fresh coriander, chopped

1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed

1 tbsp coconut oil

1. Crush or chop the garlic and set aside.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion for 5 mins until soft.

3. Add to turmeric, ground coriander, cumin and garlic and stir for a minute before adding the lentils.

4. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, and turn down to a simmer for 20 mins or until the lentils have absorbed the stock.  Stir occasionally to stop the lentils sticking to the bottom of the pan.

5. Add the spinach and 1 handful of coriander leaves and stir for a couple of minutes until wilted.

6. Blend with a stick blender to get a smooth, green dhal, or simply serve as is, sprinkled with the remaining chopped coriander leaves.

Lentil Soup

Ingredients

· 20 - 25 g fresh parsley leaves 

· 100 g onions, quartered

· 20 g sunflower oil 

· 1 - 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, to taste

· 1 tsp ground turmeric 

· 1100 g water 

· 2 - 3 tsp vegetable stock paste, homemade, to taste

· 300 g red lentils

Preparation

1. Chop your parsley leaves and set aside.

2. In a large soup pan, add your sunflower oil and finely chopped onions, ground cumin and ground turmeric then sauté gently for about 5 minutes.

3. Add to the pan the water, vegetable stock paste and red lentils, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes until your lentils are cooked.

4. Transfer to soup bowls, garnish with reserved chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Cauliflower and Pasta Bake - macaroni cheese

Feeds 8-10

Ingredients:

1 large cauliflower

Any leftover greens - chard, spinach etc..

500g dried pasta

250g cheese - ideally cheddar, otherwise parmesan, feta, whatever you have

stale bread for breadcrumbs - about 4 slices

chopped herbs

2 large garlic cloves

1/2 pint milk

1/2 pint water

30g butter

Large tablespoon of plain flour

Cut your cauliflower in half and break off small florets and put to one side.

Cook your pasta following the packet instructions. Cook al dente.

Drain and leave to one side.

Using the stalk, any cauliflower leaves and any leftover greens chop finely and add to saucepan with the butter. Stir fry for about 5 minutes. Until soft and glossy!

Add a heaped tablespoon of plain flour to soak up the butter and mix in with the greens.

Then add your liquid. As we are short of milk, 1/2 pint of milk and 1/2 pint of water.

Mix gently and let simmer away for 7/8 minutes.

Now blend your sauce with a stick blender.

Arrange your drained pasta and small cauliflower florets in a large oven proof dish. Then pour over your sauce. Now add your grated cheese and mix gently together to avoid breaking up your pasta. Ensuring everything is covered with sauce.

Then breaking up your stale bread into crumbs, mix up your crushed garlic and a few herbs.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for about 50 minutes and serve hot! Enjoy!

Hummus

• 425 g can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)

• 1 small garlic clove (peeled)

• 4 tablespoons tahini

• 10 g olive oil plus extra for drizzling on top

• juice of one small lemon or half a big one

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 50g ice cold water

• sumac or paprika to sprinkle on top

• salt and pepper to taste

Crush garlic and then mix up all ingredients. Blitz until smooth, adding a little water to get the right consistency!

Oven baked Pakoras

Inspired by The Annoyed Thyroid

Pakoras are usually fried but I’ve updated this recipe with an oven baked version. This version is a much healthier but no less delicious alternative. It’s also vegan and gluten free. The recipe calls for chickpea flour which you can find at your local Indian grocer.

These make a sensational starter but are also delicious enough to hold their own as the main event at the dinner table. In the unlikely event of leftovers, they go great in a lunchbox or pop them in the oven to reheat for 10 minutes and they’ll crisp up like a dream!

Ingredients

2 cups chickpea flour

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

1.5 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 large potatoes (600g), grated coarsely

2 large brown onions (400g), sliced thinly

100g baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup mint, coarsely chopped

1 cup (250ml) water

Oil for brushing

FOR THE RAITA

200g natural yoghurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt, optional

1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves

Butternut Squash and Coconut soup

TAKES 30 MINS

Makes 6 portions

110g onions

2 garlic cloves

3 cm fresh root ginger

30g coconut oil

750g butternut squash, peeled, and cubed approx. 2cm

400g coconut milk

100g water

1 vegetable stock cube

1 pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt pepper

Prep:

1. Peel, cube butternut squash and layout to roast for about 20 mins.

2. Chop onion, garlic, ginger.

3. In saucepan melt coconut oil then saute the onion, garlic and ginger until soft.

4. Add roasted butternut squash, coconut milk, water, stock cube, cayenne pepper if using, salt and pepper.

5. Cook slowly for 20 mins.

6. Blend soup. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately.

Squash and Black Bean Chilli

Either stuff a whole squash with the chilli, or dice and roast the squash and add it to the chilli. The latter opens up a whole variety of serving suggestions: eat it with rice or in a baked potato; top it with a dollop of soured cream, some spicy tomato salsa or some guacamole; stuff it in a taco with some grated cheese; or spread it over a tortilla.

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut, large onion or smallish crown prince squash

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for roasting

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4 celery sticks, finely chopped

• 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

• 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped

• 3 large garlic cloves, crushed

• 1–2 tsp crushed chipotle chillies (if you can't source them, substitute another fresh or dried red chilli)

• 1 tsp dried marjoram or handful of fresh oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

• 2 x 400g cans black beans, rinsed and drained

• juice of 1 lime (approx. 2 tbsp)

• small bunch of coriander, finely chopped

• salt and black pepper

• grated cheese and/or soured cream, to serve (optional)

Method

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 1h 15 min

• Step 1 Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. If stuffing a whole squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp, and bake in the oven for about 40 mins. Alternatively, roast in chunks. Heat the oil in a large heavy pan over a medium–high heat. Add the onion and celery.

• Step 2 Reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the peppers and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes or so, stirring frequently.

• Step 3 Stir in the garlic, and cook for another minute. Add the chilli, 1–2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, the herbs and cumin. Give everything a good mix then add the tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

• Step 4 Stir in the beans and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves, stir in the lime juice and coriander and adjust the seasoning to taste.

• Step 5 If using roast squash, add it now, heat through, and then serve. If stuffing a whole squash, fill each roasted squash half with the filling mixture. Top with grated cheese or soured cream (or both), if you like.

Bagels

Ingredients

· 240 g water, plus extra for cooking

· ¾ tsp dried instant yeast 

· 450 g strong white bread flour (see tip), plus extra for dusting

· 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt 

· 1 ½ tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing

· 1 Tbsp bicarbonate of soda 

· poppy seeds, for sprinkling

· sesame seeds, for sprinkling

· pumpkin seeds, for sprinkling

Preparation

1. Place warm water in mixing bowl.

2. Add yeast, flour, salt, and oil, mix thoroughly.

3. Knead the warm dough by hand or machine about 3-4 mins

4. Tip out onto a lightly-floured surface and divide into 6 equal-sized pieces.

5. Roll into balls then cover with cling film and leave to rest for 20 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, grease and line a baking tray (30 cm x 40 cm) with baking paper.

7. Flatten rested rolls slightly and push the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb through the centre then stretch into bagels. Place on prepared baking tray and cover securely with greased cling film. Leave at room temperature for 20 minutes until just beginning to rise.

8. Preheat oven to 260°C.

9. Bring a large deep pan, about ⅔ full with water and 1 Tbsp bicarbonate of soda, to a gentle boil.

10. Place bagels in the boiling water, two or three at a time. Boil for 1 minute, then, using a slotted spoon, flip over and boil for a further 1 minute. Drain on a wire rack and sprinkle with seeds as desired, while boiling remaining bagels.

11. Return bagels to baking tray and bake for 8 minutes (260°C). Reduce oven temperature to 230°C then bake for a further 6-8 minutes until lightly browned. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

12. Serve with spreads, cream cheese or other fillings of choice.

Banana Pancakes - gluten free

How to make 2 ingredient Banana Pancakes

1 ripe banana

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Butter or oil for cooking (optional)

Maple syrup, jam, for serving

Mash the banana one out of the freezer is perfect!

Stir in the eggs. Pour the eggs over the banana and stir until completely combined. The batter will be very loose and liquid, more like whisked eggs than regular pancake batter.

Heat a pan over medium heat. Heat a cast iron pan, nonstick frying pan, or griddle over medium heat. Melt a little butter or warm a little vegetable oil in the pan if desired.

Drop the batter on hot griddle. Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter in to the pan. It should sizzle immediately, if not, turn up the heat slightly. Repeat with dropping more batter into the pan, leaving a gap between pancakes.

Cook for about 1 minute. Cook the pancakes until the bottoms look browned and golden when you lift a corner, about 1 minute. The edges should also be starting to look set.

Flip the pancakes. Do this very gently and fairly slowly.

Cook for another minute or so. You can flip them a few times if you need to get them evenly browned!

Serve warm!