500g (1lb) mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
30g (1oz) plain flour
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
500g (1lb) frozen whole leaf spinach, thawed and drained
White sauce – made with 90g (3oz) each of butter, plain flour, 900ml (1 1/2 pints) milk
300g (10oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated
150g (5oz) no-precook lasagne sheets
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 190C / 375F / Gas 5.

2. Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the chopped onion, sliced mushrooms and crushed garlic and cook for around 10 minutes or until nice and soft. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring the mixture for 1 minute.

3. Add the tomatoes to the saucepan and season with the salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan, sprinkle in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually add the milk whilst stirring. Bring the sauce to the boil whilst stirring, and wait until the sauce thickens. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.

5. Season the spinach well with salt and black pepper. Taking 1 teaspoonful at a time, shape the spinach loosely into around 22-24 balls.

6. Spoon one-third of the mushroom mixture into a large ovenproof dish and place 8 of the spinach balls on top. Cover with one-third of the white sauce and one-third of the cheese. Arrange half of the lasagne sheets on top. Repeat the layers, finishing with the cheese.

7. Bake the mushroom and spinach lasagne in the oven on the middle shelf for 35 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

1 fresh lettuce (washed & dried)
3 sticks of celery (cubed)
2 green apples (peeled & cubed)
Juice of 1 lemon
6 tablespoons of low fat mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
1 handful of chopped walnuts

1. Mix the apples and celery together in a bowl then pour over the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper

2. Just before serving, mix in the mayonnaise and half of the chopped walnuts.

3. Arrange lettuce leaves on each plate and then place the apple, celery and walnut mixture in the center of it

4. To finish off sprinkle remaining walnuts over the top. Delicious and quick.

200g / 7oz dried chickpeas *soak overnight in cold water
100g / 3 1/2oz baby leaf spinach
2 onions thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot chilli powder
1/2 ground turmeric
1 tablespoon medium curry powder
400g / 13oz canned chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
100ml / 3 1/2fl oz) water
salt

1. Once you have soaked the chickpeas overnight, drain and rinse,  place in a large wok. Cover the chickpeas with water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for around 40 minutes or until just tender. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat the sunflower oil in the wok, add the onions and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes until they are lightly golden. Add the cumin, chilli, coriander, turmeric and curry powder and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, sugar and the measured water to the wok, bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

4. Add the chickpeas back to the wok, season with a little salt and cook gently for 8 minutes. Add the spinach leaves and cook for 1 minute.

5. Serve in 4 shallow bowls. Steamed rice or naan bread goes great with this recipe.

1kg / 2lb 3oz new potatoes (Jersey Royals if possible)
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and ground black pepper
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (leaves picked and roughly chopped)

1. Preheat the oven to 220C / 425F / gas 7.

2. Wash and cut the new potatoes in half (if you prefer you can keep them whole).

3. In a large pan of boiling water, boil the new potatoes until almost cooked. Drain.

3. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and season well with the sea salt and ground black pepper. Add the chopped up rosemary. Give the potatoes a quick stir ensuring they are coated well.

4. Put the potatoes onto a roasting tray and cook in the top half of the oven for around 25 minutes until lovely and golden. Serve and enjoy.

250g gram flour
50g self-raising flour
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp chopped green chilli
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp lemon juice
300g potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
300g onions, finely chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
10 spinach leaves, finely chopped
handful fresh coriander leaves
sunflower oil, for deep frying
1 tsp salt

1. Mix the gram flour and the self-raising flour in a large bowl, then add the chilli powder, garam masala and stir well to combine.

2. Next add the lemon juice, then gradually add enough water to form a smooth batter that is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Put aside for 10-15 minutes.

3. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the sunflower oil to the batter mixture and mix well to coat the potatoes and onions.

4. Heat the oil in a deep heavy-based frying pan. When the oil is hot, carefully lower tablespoons of the batter mixture in batches into the oil and fry for 5-6 minutes, or until the pakoras are crisp and golden-brown and the vegetables have cooked through.

5. Serve immediately and enjoy.

400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
5 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 crushed garlic clove
juice of 1 lemon

1. Place the rinsed chickpeas into a food processor, then add the olive oil, ground cumin, crushed garlic and lemon juice.

2. Add 3 tablespoons of cold water also the the processor then whizz the ingredients together. Keep adding a tablespoon of water at a time, until you get a smooth spoonable paste (or until your desired consistency). When mixed, place the houmous into a bowl and serve or place in the fridge until required.

Note: This delicious homemade houmous is great served with warm pitta bread or tasty falalfels.

1/2 fresh cucumber
2 tablespoons of Greek-style yogurt
1 handful of shredded fresh mint
salt and pepper
lemon juice

1. Finely slice the cucumber as thin as possible and place in a bowl.

2. Next add the shredded fresh mint, Greek-style yogurt and salt and pepper to the bowl and finish off with a good squeeze of lemon juice. Mix well.

3. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

12 filo pastry sheets (each approx 30 x 18cm / (12 x 7 inch)
3 large potatoes, boiled and roughly mashed
100g (3 1/2oz) cooked peas
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
2 green chillies (deseeded and finely chopped)
1 small red onion (finely chopped)
3 tbspns chopped fresh coriander
1 tbspn chopped mint leaves
4 tbspns lemon juice
melted butter for bushing
salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / Gas Mark 6.

2. In a large bowl mix together the peas, potatoes, cumin, amchoor, chillies, onion, coriander, mint and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and put to one side.

3. Fold each filo pastry sheet in half lengthways. Put a large spoonful of the potato mixture at one end and then fold the corner of the pastry over the mixture, covering it in a triangular shape. Continue folding over the triangle of pastry along the length of the pastry strip to make the samosa.

4. Place the samosas on a greased baking sheet, brush with the melted butter and bake in the oven for around 15 – 20 minutes or until nice and golden.

Note: These delicious samosas can be made in advance then can be frozen until you require them.