White fish with coconut sauce and mixed pepper couscous

This works well with any white fish fillet; I used basa. I also had some leftover beansprouts in the fridge so I used them as well.

Recipe
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Place the white fish fillet onto a sheet of aluminium foil, drizzle with the oil and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pull the sides of the foil together to form a parcel and fold to seal well. Transfer the parcel to a baking tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and has cooked through.
Prepare 2 peppers, dicing them, and make up 50g cous cous in a lidded saucepan, adding half of the diced peppers, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 crumbled chicken stock cube, salt and pepper and just enough boiling water to cover the cous cous. Set aside for 10-15 mins.
Fry the rest of the peppers and 2 chopped spring onions in a pan of melted butter, and add 1 tsp ginger. Add some frozen peas too. Then add 200ml coconut milk and simmer.
To serve, remove the lemon sole from the foil and place it onto a serving plate. Spoon the mixed pepper couscous alongside, then drizzle everything with the coconut sauce.

Wholewheat penne and cauliflower cheese (V)

This is basically a variation on Macaroni Cheese. I used wholewheat penne instead of macaroni, because it's much higher in fibre. And I confess I'm not a massive cheese fan, so these quantities make for a palatable dish for me, but for the cheese lover, you may want to double the cheese amount!

Recipe (serves 4)

1. Prepare the vegetables: Half a cauliflower and half a broccoli, chopped into florets, and either a sliced leek or a large onion.

2. Cook pasta according to packet instructions. Cook enough for 4 servings.

3. At the same time, boil the cauliflower and broccoli till tender. (around 10 mins)

4. Melt 50g butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the leek or onion and saute for 5 mins till softened.

5. Grate 75g cheddar and 25g Parmesan cheese into a bowl while the leek/onion cooks.

6. Stir in 4 tbsp plain flour to the leek/onion pan and cook for 1 min, stirring continuously. Gradually add 350 - 500ml milk, stirring all the time. You want to achieve good consistency, so be flexible with the amount of milk. Remember you'll be adding cheese and creme fraiche later.

7. Preheat the grill to high.

8. Bring white sauce to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, drain off the pasta (but leave a little water) and the cauliflower and broccoli, and tip them all into an ovenproof dish. Mix well.

9. Finish off the white sauce by stirring in 2 tbsp creme fraiche and your grated cheese. Heat through until all the cheese has melted.

10. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta, cauliflower and broccoli, coating everything evenly. Sprinkle cheese over the top and grill until the top is golden.
(around 10 mins)

Variation: Add bacon or chicken for some meat in the dish. You could also serve with sweetcorn or carrots.

Beef Steak with warm sweet potato salad

This takes about 30 mins to prepare, and has a lovely combination of flavours and textures. If you don't have a microwave, you can oven bake the sweet potato and baking potato, but it will take around an hour.

Recipe (serves 4)

1. Prepare 2 baking potatoes by scrubbing well. Prick with a fork then microwave on full power for 10 mins.
2. Prepare your vegetables: chop up 1 large or 2 small red onions, a handful of mushrooms, 3 green peppers, and 2 large or 3 small sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes should be scrubbed then cut into 3-4 big chunks. You don't need to peel them.
3. When your baking potatoes have finished cooking, wrap them in foil and set them aside. Put the sweet potato chunks in a microwave dish, add 2 tbsp water, a sprinkling of oregano, thyme and black pepper, then cover and microwave for 10 mins (you may need to stir half-way through).
4. Heat olive oil in a deep frying pan and a saucepan. Fry the red onions in the frying pan and put the mushrooms and peppers in the saucepan with the lid on, to cook slowly.
5. Once the onions have softened, add 4 steaks to the frying pan. You can add seasoning here- Cajun spice, chilli powder and black pepper. You could always marinade the night before if you're organised!
6. Prepare a lettuce by washing and cutting into thin strips, and halve 4 tomatoes. You can fry the tomatoes with the steaks or keep them raw for the salad.
7. Cook the steaks on both sides to your preference, and stir the vegetables so they are nice and tender.
8. Once the sweet potatoes are done, put them into a salad bowl with the lettuce (and tomatoes, if you aren't cooking them). Add a sprinkling of lemon juice. Add the mushrooms and peppers and mix well.
9. Serve up the steaks (with fried tomato if applicable) and halve the baking potatoes. People can help themselves to the sweet potato salad. Ketchup, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise and mustard work well as condiments with this meal too.

Chicken pasta salad with pesto

A great way to use up leftover chicken from a roast; otherwise buy a pack of cooked strips of chicken.

Recipe
Cook 150-200g pasta according to packet instructions (I like using wholewheat fusilli).
Prepare salad by shredding some lettuce and quartering a handful of baby tomatoes.
Heat up the chicken by microwaving for a few minutes. Make sure it's piping hot.
Microwave a tin of runner beans for 2-3 minutes.
Once pasta is cooked, drain it and stir in 3-4 tsp green pesto. Add the runner beans and chicken and mix well.
Serve up the green salad with the pasta mix on top. You can also add black pepper for seasoning.

Chicken and leek stroganoff

Recipe (serves 2)
Fry 2 chicken breasts in a pan till golden. You could add some white wine- I tried white wine vinegar but the resulting flavour was a bit too tangy!
Prepare 1 leek by cutting into 3 lengthy chunks, then halving across the middle. Wash carefully, then add to the pan.
Put on 100g long grain rice to boil.
Prepare around 6 mushrooms, slicing them thinly. Add to the pan.
After another few minutes, add 2-3tbsp creme fraiche and stir in well. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice.
Use some herbs to add extra flavour, such as thyme and oregano. 1 tsp is enough.
Serve up with the rice once the stroganoff is heated through.

Sausage and apple bake

Nice and easy, and great for autumn suppers.

Recipe (serves 2)
Place sausages in an oven-proof dish with 1 onion cut into large chunks, and 2 apples (peeled and sliced). Mix together 1 tbsp mustard and 1 tbsp honey and pour over as a glaze. Put into the oven, heated to 180 degrees.
Prepare a sweet potato by cutting into wedges, then put into a bowl with 1 tbsp water and microwave for 4-6 mins. This cuts down cooking time in the oven. Once you've done that, add them to the dish with the sausages. Add some herbs like thyme to the dish.
Prepare a Savoy cabbage by cutting into thin strips, and put into a steamer. Don't start cooking it until the sausages have been in the oven for 25 mins.
Steam the cabbage and use leftover water to make up some gravy (good old Bisto).
Serve up once sausages are cooked through and turning brown, and the sweet potato is tender. Total cooking time for the sausages will probably be around 40 mins.

10 week meal planner- version 2

This is an updated version with new meals I've been cooking recently.

Week 1
Spaghetti bolognaise (double sauce)
Fajitas (using leftovers)
Lentil and bacon broth or Cajun red bean soup
Curried bean risotto
Goats cheese pizza with salad
Sticky pork steaks with sweet potato

Week 2
Griddled beef with sweet potato
Fish and lemon risotto
Chilli black bean stew
Beef adobo
Mushroom tagliatelle
Lentil & veg cottage pie
Warm green veg and farfalle salad

Week 3
Roast chicken with potatoes and veg
Tomato and chicken pilaf (using leftover chicken)
Poached chicken with pesto
Chickpea and spinach curry
Tomato and feta potato salad
Bacon and pea pasta
Veggie gratin

Week 4
Beef and courgette burgers
Peppers, pork and mash
Mexican bean melt
Bacon, peppers and pasta in tomato sauce
Chunky pistou
Sausages with aubergine and haloumi salad

Week 5
Hungarian goulash
Vegetarian lasagne
Sweet and sour turkey
Picadillo
5 spice veg stir fry
Bacon risotto
Sausages with cannelini bean salad

Week 6
Ginger chicken
Chicken risotto
Chilli con carne
Goats cheese and grilled veg and salad
Vegetable stir fry
Sausage, pea and feta salad
Penne and roast veg pasta bake

Week 7
Mediterranean chicken
Leek and broccoli bake
Chicken and veg hotpot
Lentil casserole
Veggie Pizza
Ratatouille with penne
Grilled chicken with pasta salad
Moroccan lamb with aubergine

Week 8
Pork steaks with redcurrant jelly sauce
Chicken casserole
Beef, mushroom and broccoli stir fry
Coronation chicken with jacket potatoes and salad
Moroccan spiced veg with halloumi
Tagliatelle
Chicken curry

Week 9
Beef stew
Apple and sausage roast with mash and greens
Chicken and leek stroganoff
Jambalaya
Mackerel with potatoes and salad
Moussaka stacks
Corned beef hash
Pork stir fry with black bean sauce
Tortellini with tomato sauce and salad

Week 10
Beef lasagne (spare half the sauce)
Beefy jacket potatoes
Pork chops with creamy apple sauce
Chicken casserole
Creamy poached chicken with bacon and greens
Fish and chips with peas
Mushrooms, haloumi, red pepper and rocket salad

Griddled beef with sweet potato and peppers

A light summer supper.
Serves 2

1. Peel a sweet potato and cut into chunks.
2. Cut a red pepper into strips.
3. Toss together in a bowl with 1 tsp paprika and 1 tbsp olive oil, then fry until lightly charred in a heavy, non-stick pan. You may need to add a few tbsp water to help soften the sweet potato.
4. Preheat a griddle pan and use to cook 2 beef escalope steaks to your preference (or use the frying pan).
5. Serve with crusty baguette and some salad.

Sticky pork steaks with sweet potato wedges

Marinate the pork the night before. Serves 4.

Marinade: 3 tbsp wine vinegar, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tbsp mustard.

1. Mix the marinade ingredients then pour into a food bag with 4 pork steaks inside. Put in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
2. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Cut 2 sweet potatoes into wedges (no need to peel), and put into an oven proof dish. Season with 1 tsp paprika and sprinkle with olive oil, then roast for 30 mins.
3. Cook the pork steaks by frying with all the marinade juice.
4. Serve with salad or peas and barbecue sauce.

Moroccan-style lamb with cous cous

A lovely summer meal.

It's great if you marinate the lamb steaks the night before, or at least for 4 hours before cooking. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

Lamb marinade: juice of 1 lemon mixed with 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, black pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil.

Recipe
1. Prepare the marinade and soak lamb steaks in it overnight.
2. Prepare an aubergine, cutting it into rounds.
3. Heat a heavy frying pan for 4-5 mins then fry the aubergine (in batches if necessary) in olive oil for 3 mins each side. Tip into a bowl and season. The aubergine will soften more as it cools.
4. Put the lamb steaks in the pan and fry until cooked to your preference.
5. Tear up some mozzarella and put it with the aubergine.
6. Prepare cous cous according to packet instructions.
7. Before serving, blast the aubergine in the microwave to reheat and melt the mozzarella.

Variation: Add a side salad with rocket.
Add a dressing of 1 tsp mint, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil OR 250g Greek yoghurt, 1 tsp mint and 1 tbsp lemon juice

Double chocolate muffins

Preheat oven to 190.
Sift 375g self raising flour, 25g cocoa powder and 1 tsp baking powder into a large bowl. Mix in 100g choc chunks and 175g caster sugar.
Lightly whisk 2 large eggs, 175ml sunflower oil and 175ml milk in a large jug, then pour this in and mix briefly with a metal spoon.
Divide mixture in cake cases, bake for 25 mins, then leave to cool in the tray before removing.

Variation: use 400g flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder, no cocoa, and use white choc chunks and 100g raspberries.
OR use 375g flour and no cocoa, and use 2 mashed bananas and 100g mini fudge chunks
OR Use 250g plain flour, 25g cocoa powder and 4 tsp baking powder with 150g sugar, 175ml milk, 100ml olive oil and 75g choc chunks

Coffee cake

Beat 175g unrefined caster sugar with 175g butter. Add 3 eggs, beating well.
Add 175g self raising flour, and 1 tsp baking powder.
Mix up 4 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water. Add half the mix to the bowl. Fold in.
Divide between two sandwich tins and bake till well risen and golden brown. Turn out and cool on wire rack.
Cream 100g butter with 225g icing sugar and the remaining coffee mixture, and use half this mixture to sandwich the cake together, the other half on the top of the cake.

Variation: Add 75g walnuts to the mixture and press walnuts into the icing on top.

Chocolate cake

Great as a birthday cake! Use a loaf tin or a round cake tin.

Stir 75g cocoa powder with 275ml boiling water until smooth.
Cream 115g butter and 275g sugar.
Beat in 3 eggs.
Stir in 220g plain flour, 1/2 tsp bicarb soda and 1/2 tsp baking powder.
Add cocoa mixture and stir well.
Bake at 180 for 40 mins. Cover with foil and bake for a further 20-25mins.
Cool in tin 10 mins before turning out.

Variation- I had some lovely Hotel Chocolat hot chocolate flakes which were flavoured with orange and spice, so I used 35g cocoa powder and 35g of the hot chocolate flakes. Gave a really good edge!

You can decorate this cake in a number of ways- try melting a bar of chocolate, adding some icing sugar, then pouring it over and garnishing with white chocolate buttons or maltesers. Or you could mix cocoa powder with icing sugar and butter to make a tasty buttercream to spread over the top. In the pictured cake, I made a small amount of icing with a tsp of cocoa powder, spread it over the top of the cake, then pressed in some chocolate buttons. Keep it in the fridge if you think it will last for a few days. It's lovely heated in the microwave and served with vanilla ice cream or custard.

NB Try to mix in the bicarb of soda really well, otherwise you get pockets of white which taste really salty!

Philadelphia spinach lasagne (V)

Serves 4-6 people.

Pre heat oven to 180.
Fry 1 onion, 2 sticks celery, 2 small carrots and 1 garlic clove.
Stir in 1 tbsp tomato puree and cook for 5 more mins, then add 2 tins chopped tomatoes.
Simmer for 20 mins. Allow to cool and blend it.
Cook the spinach (1 kg)
Put 300g Philadelphia light in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add spinach, 1 tbsp parmesan and 2 tbsp mint.
Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in a lasagne dish, then top with a layer of the spinach mixture and a lasagne sheet. Repeat and end with tomato sauce.
Bake for 30 mins, garnished with parmesan. Serve with salad.

Moussaka stacks

Saute 1 onion then transfer to dish.
Add 500g minced lamb, 1 egg, 3 tbsp oregano, 3 tbsp mint, 1 tsp allspice, 50g feta, salt and pepper. Mix well with a fork, then shape into 4 burgers. Chill for 30 mins.
Grill with a slice of aubergine and tomato.
Add mozzarella.
Serve with crusty bread, yoghurt and herbs

Moroccan spiced vegetables with halloumi (V)

Preheat oven to 200.
Mix together 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tbsp tomato puree, juice of 1 lime and olive oil (3 tbsp).
Place 2 red/yellow peppers, 2 small courgettes, 1 aubergine, 1 red onion and garlic into a roasting tin and drizzle with tomato mix.
Put the squeezed lime halves into the tin. Roast for 20-25 mins.
Add 200g thickly sliced halloumi and cook for a further 10 mins, until cheese is golden.

Jambalaya

Lovely mix of spice in this. Could be good for using up leftover chicken from a roast.

(Serves 2) Fry a chopped onion with a diced clove of garlic and one chopped red pepper. Once soft and golden, add in two diced chicken breasts. Once chicken is white on the outside, slice up half of a chorizo ring (roughly 100g) and add into the pan.
Stir in 1 1/2 tsp Cajun spice mix.
Add 150g rice (I used brown easy-cook here) and stir.
Add 3/4 pt chicken stock and a generous helping of passata to your taste. Cook until rice is soft (this takes just over half an hour with brown rice). You can serve with salad, though as in the pic I added green beans instead.

Grilled chicken with pasta salad

This is a great way to use up leftover pasta and leftover ratatouille sauce- otherwise, you can make them from scratch.

Recipe
1. Grill chicken breasts until golden brown.
2. Prepare sauce. Ideally use up leftovers from Ratatouille, adding chilli powder, or make by mixing 1 tin tomatoes with chilli powder.
3. Make pasta salad either by using leftover penne or by first cooking penne according to packet instructions. Mix the penne in a serving bowl with baby spinach, feta and red onion.
4. Serve the chicken with the tomato sauce on top, with the pasta salad on the side. You could add garlic bread as an accompaniment.

Egg fried rice

Good for a quick supper, and you can use up leftover vegetables.

Cook the rice according to packet instructions.
Fry 2 spring onions and garlic, then add bacon or cooked ham.
Add the rice and 2 tbsp soy sauce.
Add 2 eggs, beaten with pepper.
Add beansprouts or green beans.
Serve with prawn crackers.

Coronation chicken with jacket potatoes

This is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken from a roast.
It's also an easy one for entertaining mates, especially in the summer.

Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Wash baking potatoes and prick with a fork several times. Microwave them for 7-10 mins, according to size, until you can skewer them easily with a knife. Then place them in an oven proof dish, season with sea salt and coarse black pepper, and sprinkle with olive oil. Bake until soft and tender- around 10-15 mins.
3. Tear strips of cooked chicken then place in a bowl. Add a little mild curry powder (around 1/2 tsp), some natural yoghurt (around 1 tbsp) and season with salt and black pepper.
4. Prepare a salad using round lettuce, tomato and avocado. Dress with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.
5. Serve with chicken over the potatoes, with salad on the side. You could also have garlic bread as an accompaniment.
Variation: Serve chicken in baguettes with a little spinach.

Beef stew

Brown beef, then remove.
Fry onion, red pepper, garlic, and 1 tsp paprika.
Add red wine and bring to boil. Return beef to pan with 1 tin tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Put lid on and simmer or bake in the oven as a casserole for several hours.
Once beef is tender stir in 1 tin butter beans and some parsley. Make sure beans are warm through before serving.

Beef, mushroom and broccoli stir fry

Boil broccoli for 3 mins then set aside.
Thinly slice steak.
Stir fry garlic, onion, beef and mushrooms.
Add a mixture of 2 tsp cornflour, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp vinegar, 2 tsp oil and 5 spice powder.
Add broccoli for 1-2 mins.
Serve with rice or noodles.

Chicken thighs with roasted vegetables

An easy oven dish.

Recipe (serves 2)
1. Place 4 small chicken thighs and six small new potatoes into a large ovenproof dish. Season with sea salt and coarse black pepper, and sprinkle with olive oil. Add a dash of white wine vinegar and lemon juice. Roast at 200 degrees for 35-40 mins.
2. Prepare vegetables: I suggest 1 courgette, 1 carrot, 1 red onion, 1 green pepper and perhaps 2-3 mushrooms.
3. When chicken has roasted for 35-40 mins, add the veg and stir well. Roast for another 15 mins or until veg is tender.

Penne and vegetable pasta bake (V)

A lovely summery dish.

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Prepare your vegetables- I used mushrooms, courgette, red pepper and red onion.
3. Put your veg into an oven proof dish, season with sea salt and coarse black pepper, sprinkle with olive oil and roast for 10-15mins.
4. Meanwhile, cook penne pasta until al dente.
5. When the veg has cooked for 10-15 mins or is just getting tender, add the cooked pasta and tomato sauce (you can use a tin of chopped tomatoes or I cheated and used a ready made sauce). Add basil and mozzarella to garnish.
6. Cook until piping hot then serve. Lovely with garlic bread.