Roast Squash, Chickpea and Kale Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing
One of my favourite salad recipes for when I feel the need for some veggie goodness. The butternut squash could be substituted for sweet potato and you could use any other leafy greed instead of the kale. The key is letting it marinade in the dressing for at least 30 minutes so it can start to soften. The creamy tahini dressing is addictive and so versatile. With some toasted crunchy pumpkin or sunflower seeds to top it off, its a healthy and satisfying light dinner or lunch and works perfectly for leftovers.
Mexican-Style Baked Sweet Potatoes with Smoky Beans and Zingy Guac
This recipe has all the flavours you create from a Mexican meal, minus the unhealthier parts. Its great for leftovers and a really delicious and easy way to get some of your 5 a day. The smoky beans go so well with the sweetness of the sweet potato, while a punchy and creamy homemade guacamole adds more colour and flavour. Topped with salty cheese and cooling sour cream, this is a go to of mine if you’ve had a heavy weekend and need some veggie goodness in your life.
Greek Chicken Orzo Salad with Tzatziki
This has become one of my go-to meals when I get home from work. Perfect for a weeknight meal and great for leftover lunches the next day. The chicken breasts are marinaded in a simple marinade of oregano, lemon, garlic and olive oil while the orzo pasta salad has all the ingredients of a delicious fresh and zingy Greek salad - kalamata olives, crumbled feta, parsley, mint, lemon, balsamic, chopped red pepper and tomatoes and some cucumber. Finished with a little sumac and red pepper flakes for some heat, topped with creamy cooking tzatziki, this is a tasty and healthy bowl of goodness.
Butternut Squash Chicken Korma with Stir Fried Green Beans
A healthy and tasty chicken korma for a Sunday night. The butternut squash adds a lovely sweetness to the sauce and soaks up the spices really well. Adding the chicken to the simmering sauce towards the end means it doesn’t dry out and stays soft and tender. Some ground almonds gives a nutty creaminess which you want from a korma and some crunchy stir fried beans with garlic, shallots, nigella seeds and toasted almonds gives colour and texture. Some flatbreads, naan, chapatis or fluffy rice are the perfect sides.
Crispy Paprika Salmon with Sundried Tomato Yoghurt and Bulgur Wheat Salad
This crispy panko salmon is the perfect weeknight dinner, is super quick to throw together and is a great way to use up some stale sourdough you might have hanging around in the cupboard (or you can just use panko instead). The breadcrumbs are mixed with some spices, lemon zest and parsley to give a lovely crispy topping to the salmon which has a thin layer of dijon mustard across the top. Paired with a punchy sundried tomato yoghurt and fresh bulgur salad packed with plenty of fresh mint, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers, this is a healthy dinner which will satisfy all tastebuds.
Greek Chicken Burger Bowls with Sundried Tomato Yoghurt, Lime Feta Sweet Potatoes and Tomato Olive Salad
These greek chicken burgers have all the flavours of a chicken souvlaki but in healthier form. The chicken burgers are made with plenty of fresh herbs, garlic, lemon, oregano, cumin and paprika and the baked sweet potatoes with a hit of lime and salty feta are so moreish. You could of course have them with pitta breads or in a burger bun, but little gem lettuce leaves are another alternative for some crunch and texture. Healthy, filling and super tasty.
Roasted Spiced Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad with Green Tahini Dressing
I’m a big fan of a roasted veg salad and this one is one of my go-to’s. The combination of the spiced, charred vegetables with the nutty freshness of the green tahini dressing is so tasty and some sweet raisins and toasted almonds add more flavour and texture. It’s a great lunchbox salad and very affordable too. It can also be made vegan very easily by using dairy free yoghurt in the dressing.
Toasted Sourdough with Houmous, Za’atar Tomatoes, Capers, Pickled Shallots & Crispy Chickpeas
Inspired by a recent brunch at Urban Angel on Hanover Street in Edinburgh, this recipe has become a slight obsession. Perfect for brunch, lunch or a light dinner, it is a healthy dish full of texture and some of my favourite flavours. It’s also super easy to pull together last minute and chances are you will have most of the ingredients in your cupboard already.
Courgette, Herb & Halloumi Fritters with Tzatziki, Pistachio, & Pomegranate
If you need a little bit of inspiration for a meat free meal, why not give these courgette and halloumi fritters a go. Everyone loves a fritter, and with salty halloumi, warming spices, plenty of fresh herbs, lemon and garlic, these are really tasty and quick to whip up. Feta would also work really well. Some cooling mint tzatziki, fruity pomegranates and nutty toasted pistachios add more texture and flavour. These will become a staple in your house as they have in ours. They would also be a great addition to any big mezze spread.
Summer Greens Linguine with Pistachio Pesto and Parmesan
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.
Prawn and Mango Quinoa Salad with Soy, Ginger and Chilli Dressing
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.
Paprika Honey Halloumi with Chickpea, Red Onion and Spinach Bulgur Wheat
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.
Courgette, Squash & Red Onion Jewelled Cous Cous Salad with Tahini Yoghurt
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.
Spicy Tuna Quinoa Bowl with Kiwi Chimichurri
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.
Fridge Raid Tuna Quinoa Salad with Harissa, Mangetout and Walnuts
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.
Spiced Halibut with Red Lentil Spinach Dahl, Mint Coriander Chutney & Crispy Chickpeas
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.
Mustard Crusted Prosciutto Salmon with Caramelised Shallots and Spinach Lentils
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.
Harissa Baked Chicken with Fridge Raid Bulgur Wheat Salad and Spiced Houmous
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.
Warm Roasted Butternut Squash, Beetroot and Lentil Salad with Balsamic Dressing, Feta and Mint
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.
Satay Glazed Halibut with Ginger Pak Choi Soba Noodles
I love halibut. I have been wanting to try a recipe for my favourite fish which uses Asian flavours for a while now and after coming up with this recipe, I think it could become one of my favourite ways to cook the fish. I got the most beautiful pieces of chunky fish from David Lowrie Fish in St. Monans. I priced this recipe out using frozen cod fillets, but if you can, visit your local fishmonger for any firm, chunky white fish you can get. Fresh, flavoursome, fast food which feels super special - my favourite kind of meal.