Nothing screams comfort food more than a bubbling macaroni cheese with a crunchy topping. This is my ultimate macaroni cheese which has a few twists. With some spicy roasted chorizo, charred kale, crispy breadcrumb topping, sweet caramelised onions and some fresh thyme, you won’t be able to keep your spoon out of this one. Plus it is a really cost effective dish which everyone will love. I used three types of cheese which is essential in my opinion. Try and use an extra mature cheddar for added umami punch and gruyere and parmesan help to up the cheese factor. A spoonful of marmite, dijon and a good grating of fresh mustard is also key to add more depth to your sauce.

Loved coming up with this recipe to celebrate Mackies summer campaign to find your Perfect Pudding Partner to go with their delicious range of ice creams. Just because the sun is no longer shining doesn’t mean we can’t bring some summer sun in the form of comforting puddings and Mackies ice cream to the table. For me, it always has to be Honeycomb.

Everyone loves chicken satay and that’s because there is everything to love about this dish. Tender baked chicken thighs covered in a rich coconut peanut sauce with a slight hint of chilli heat, salty umami soy and zingy lime. A crunchy grilled topping and sweet honey glaze completes the dish while all you need to serve with it is some steamed basmati rice and sesame wok greens. Simple, but so effective and the perfect midweek meal to impress.

For today’s meat-free meal it had to be my recipe for this summer vegetable linguine with pistachio pesto. It’s full of plenty of gorgeous, in season greens and is the perfect summery dinner to give you a healthy dose of green goodness. I used spiralised courgettes in place of pasta as I genuinely love the taste and how they soak up all the sauce, but you could of course replace it with normal pasta instead if you prefer. The pistachio pesto is so nutty and full of plenty of fresh herbs, grated parmesan, lemon and garlic. I make this all the time to stir through risottos, top pizzas or just drizzle over some grilled chicken thighs. It is so so good.

I’m obsessed with burrata. Truly obsessed. This is a super simple sharing starter which is either perfect to start a summery bbq feast or to be served as part of a larger mezze spread. We had ours with a dollop of pesto, some warm ciabatta, charcuterie and a simple rocket parmesan salad. With some chilled rosé this is my idea of summer food heaven.

This prawn quinoa salad is perfect for a light dinner, packed lunch or picnic salad. It’s zingy, crunchy and full of flavour. The dressing is so moreish you really could put it on anything. This would be great with chicken or salmon and you can throw in any veggies you’ve got lying around in your fridge. This really is my idea of sunshine in a bowl.

This summery loaf cake is my version of a Persian Love Cake traditionally flavoured with rose and pistachio. The brown butter adds such a lovely nutty, golden caramel flavour to the sponge while natural yoghurt keeps it lovely and light while adding a slightly sour, tangy flavour. I added some cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg for a little bit of warming spice and some orange zest and juice for citrus zing. A little rose water in the icing helps add a slight floral note and fruity pomegranates and chopped pistachio add texture, crunch and colour to finish it all off. This is such a lovely summery bake and is one of my favourite cake recipes so far.

This is a tasty meatfree meal which has saved me on many occasions. It’s such an adaptable recipe and is a great way to clear out whatever you’ve got lying around in your fridge/cupboards. You could really add whatever you like but this is my go-to version. It includes a spoonful of my homemade sun-dried tomato sunflower seed pesto which I will share with you soon in another recipe, however you could also use a tbsp of the shop bought version if you’re short on time. This is nutritious, healthy, delicious, full of flavour and ideal for leftover lunches. If you double up the recipe it can easily last you throughout the week.

A summery salad full of texture and fresh flavours which is delicious on its own, or would work really well as part of a barbecue feast.

The creamy richness of burrata means it can be paired with some very strong flavours. The black garlic emulsion is sharp and sweet with a deep smoky umami flavour which goes so well with the other elements of the dish. The crispy capers and parma ham crumb add texture and a moreish saltiness, the pickled rhubarb is sharp and zingy and the dill oil adds a lovely herby freshness and greenery to the plate. With some crunchy fennel seed crostinis to mop up all the goodness, this would be a lovely dinner party starter to share or as part of a sharing mezze meal.

This tuna quinoa bowl is full of goodness. The spicing on the outside of the tuna works so well with the fruity, zingy and spicy kiwi chimichurri, while the creamy avocado and sweet mango add more flavour and different textures. Some chopped red pepper adds more colour and crunch and the quinoa with plenty of lime and sliced spring onion bulks out the dish and soaks up all the lovely flavours. I priced this out using frozen tuna fillets but as I always say, if you can, head to your local fishmonger. These would be great on the bbq and would also work so well with salmon or chicken.

This is a staple midweek meal for us. You can buy all the ingredients on your way home, it’s quick, easy and completely delicious. Smoky, spicy chicken thighs are roasted in a mixture of spices before adding sweet potatoes, peppers and tenderstem broccoli for sweetness, colour and texture. A fresh and herbaceous chimichurri adds a citrus zing while salty, creamy feta finishes everything off. You can use thighs with or without the bone if you’re short on time, but the bone does help them stay lovely and moist and tender. Plus, its all roasted in the same tray so washing up is minimal - ideal.

For a special roast, why not try my recipe for this summery dish. I love any meal which involves lots of different dishes for everyone to dig in to. The flavours and textures here work really well together and the best part is, each component part can be made ahead which makes for easy entertaining when feeding a crowd. Just delicious.

This was a salad made out of desperation but will become one I turn to again and again. Often we open the fridge at lunchtime and are faced with what seems like nothing inspiring, but with some quinoa, a few store cupboard ingredients and whatever else you have lying around you can make a delicious lunch in no time. It is also cheaper than your typical supermarket meal deal. This really doesn’t need a recipe, its more a case of throwing in whatever you fancy, but here is what I did to make this salad. It would also be great with some crumbled feta cheese over the top if you happen to have some in your fridge.

This is one of my favourite recipes I have come up with in a while. The dahl is so moreish, you won’t be able to keep your spoon out of it and the key to getting a real depth of flavour is frying your onions for as long as you can (this is a game changer I promise). The subtle layering of spicing is so tasty and with some cooling yoghurt, zingy green chutney for freshness and the slight sweetness of mango chutney, every mouthful is a flavour sensation. Some crispy spiced chickpeas help add texture and with a lovely piece of marinaded fish on top, this is a recipe I hope you will come back to time and time again. 

This is one of the quickest, easiest and most delicious desserts you can make. Forced rhubarb is also in season just now so you will probably have seen it in the supermarkets. I love rhubarb and this is one of my favourite ways to have it - slow roasted in orange juice and zest, some spices and a little sugar. With a crunchy nut crumble made from whatever nuts you have lying around in the cupboard, a little ground ginger, maple syrup and a drizzle of olive oil, it’s a healthier way to satisfy those crumble cravings. We had ours with vanilla ice cream but you could also use creme fraiche which would be delicious and any kind of whipped cream.

This is a midweek pasta dish which tastes a lot more special than the time and effort it takes to make. Its quick, healthy, has minimal ingredients and is most importantly, delicious.

This is a quick, tasty and nutritious meal which I have returned to time and time again. I would make it at least once a week when I was a student and it just never fails to deliver. Low cost, accessible ingredients and delicious - it has everything I look for in a recipe.

This recipe is quick, fresh and healthy and is also an ideal way to clear out your fridge of any veggies you might have lying around. It also just happens to be super tasty and has one of my favourite ingredients of all time - rose harissa. It’s very straightforward and you can put whatever you want in the bulgur wheat salad. This is my favourite way to cook chicken breasts. It’s all in the marination, leaving them at room temperature for at least 30 mins before frying, frying over a medium/low heat to develop a gentle crust and then baking at a lowish temperature so it stays nice and moist.

This is a very simple warm salad made with roasted butternut squash, beetroot and red onions. The puy lentils cooked with stock and bay leaves soak up all the lovely flavours of the balsamic, honey, mustard dressing and make it a filling substantial meal. To make sure there is as little waste as possible I also roasted the peelings from the squash and beetroot with some garlic granules and smoked paprika to add some texture to the finished salad. With some crumbled feta cheese to add a salty tang and some freshly chopped mint, this is the perfect midweek vegetarian meal.