4 tablespoons caster sugar (or vanilla sugar, if you have any)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
300g fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 medium egg
6 all-butter croissants
Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C and have a 12-hole muffin tray at the ready. I know we are only making 6, but they just need a bit of room – plus I don’t know many people who own a 6-hole muffin tray, I have never had one. I can’t see the sense in making 6 muffins when you can make 12, but in this instance, it is perfect.
Mix the ricotta in a bowl and whisk to loosen, then add the sugar and vanilla and mix really well. Add the raspberries and give them a stir, so that they don’t break up too much, but bleed enough to give that lovely marbled effect.
If you are making the overnight oats as well, place half the mixture in a Tupperware container with a lid and set aside – see here for how to use this. Now add the flour and egg to the remaining mixture and mix really well.
Cut each croissant horizontally, the way you would cut them if you were going to butter and jam them but not all the way through. Open them up and fit them inside the cavities of your muffin tray – you are aiming for what looks like a croissant shell cup. You might need to press lightly, to open the cavity. Do this to all 6 croissants, then fill with the ricotta mixture.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. There should be a gentle wobble in the centre. These are delicious eaten straight away, but equally delicious chilled from the fridge if you have any left over. They will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
If you plan on freezing them, pop them into a freezer bag (if you have several, freeze them uncovered on a tray for 1 hour first. Then pop into a freezer bag).
CREAMY RASPBERRY OVERNIGHT OATS
Having breakfast all ready for you in the morning is one of the greatest ways to save time. While the croissants are baking, add 150ml of whole milk to the mixture in the Tupperware. Add 150g of uncooked porridge oats and mix through. Pop the lid on and put it into the fridge. The oats will be ready to eat the next morning, or the morning after that. You will have breakfast ready as soon as you wake up.
I like to eat mine with an extra drizzle of honey to make them a little bit sweeter.
RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE CROISSANTS
HARISSA BEAN PIZZA
SERVES: 4 ACTIVE TIME: 10 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES
This is one of those spur-of-the-moment breakfasts, for when you are unprepared and there’s not much in the freezer or fridge – though once you are done with these recipes, you will always have food in the freezer! But for those very occasional days, this is easy, delicious and pretty quick. It’s a really good way of jazzing up the humble baked bean. I’m using naan as my base, but you can use what you like, or simply whatever you have at home.
2 large naan breads (or pittas, or leftover bread)
2 x 400g tins of baked beans
4 teaspoons rose harissa
a handful of baby spinach/2 cubes frozen spinach
4 eggs
4 spring onions
Preheat the grill to medium high and have a baking tray at the ready. Place the naan breads on the tray. Open the tins of beans and get rid of any excess sauce off the top, then pour into a saucepan with the harissa and baby spinach, mix through and heat gently over a medium heat.
Spoon the beans over the surface of each naan, and use the back of your spoon to create 2 little dips for the eggs in each one. Don’t be tempted to add too many beans. If you have any left over, just decant them into a Tupperware container and leave them in the fridge, ready to microwave for another meal.
Crack 2 eggs into each naan, then chop the spring onions and sprinkle all over the beans and eggs. Don’t worry if the egg runs a little.
Put under the grill for 5 minutes – this will just set the whites and leave the yolk runny, which is the way I like it. My husband cannot bear to eat runny eggs, so I would grill his for a further 3 minutes or at least until the yolk is no longer runny.
Serve and devour straight away.
HARISSA BEAN PIZZA
PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY TRAYBAKE
MAKES: 20 SQUARES ACTIVE TIME: 10 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES
We love American pancakes but sometimes feel limited as to how often we can have them. Pouring and flipping can take time, so I have taken everything we love about American flavours and Elvis and made this recipe for peanut butter and jelly (jam) pancakes, baked all in one and then cut into squares. You can serve them with an extra dollop of jam, some Greek yoghurt and fresh raspberries on the side, if you like.
3 heaped tablespoons jam of your choice (I like a berry jam, because of the deep colour and tang, or I just use whatever I happen to have knocking about the house)
3 tablespoons crunchy/smooth peanut butter (or make your own, see p. 246)
cooking oil spray
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons caster sugar
170ml whole milk
2 medium eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
icing sugar, for dusting (if you can be bothered, always looks lovely, takes so little time too)
Start by putting the jam into a microwave-safe bowl and heating it in 10-second bursts, stirring each time until the mixture is simply liquid enough to swirl around – we’re not trying to warm it up. Repeat this process with the peanut butter (make sure to avoid putting in too much oil from the jar as this will just make the pancakes greasy). Set both aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C. Spray a brownie tin (approx. 18cm x 23cm) with cooking oil.
Put the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a bowl and whisk together. Make a well in the centre and add the milk, along with the eggs and oil. Whisk together until you have a thick batter. If time is even shorter you can make the batter in advance and leave it in the fridge overnight.
Pour the batter into the prepared brownie tin and spread out evenly. Take dollops of the jam and spoon them in sporadically, then do the same for the peanut butter. With the end of a spoon, swirl the dollops together slightly to create a marbled effect.
Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes. As soon as the surface of the pancake looks shiny and not wobbly anymore, they are ready. Remove from the oven and cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
These are great on the go, but you can also freeze any leftover squares in clingfilm.
PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY TRAYBAKE
AVOCADO PESTO
MAKES: 1 JAR TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES
I quite like the green stuff. As a child, very occassionally, I’d remove the stone and fill it with sugar – but the texture wasn’t palatable no matter how much sugar I covered it in. But my goodness, mixed with all sorts of other things, it can be transformed, so much so that even my children quite like it. Versatile enough for toast, a dip to go with nachos or tossed through hot cooked pasta. Just not with sugar!
1 small handful of frozen spinach (75g if you want to be precise)
2 small ripe avocados
juice and zest of ½ a lemon
100ml olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
60g walnuts, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
Put the frozen spinach into the microwave for a minute until it has defrosted. By hand, squeeze out any excess water, then drop the spinach into a blender. Add the avocado flesh, then straight away add the lemon juice and zest to stop any of the beautiful green avocado going brown.
Add the oil, garlic, walnuts, salt and chilli flakes and blitz until you have a smooth paste. You might need to add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water to help it blend.
You can leave the pesto in the jar for a week in the fridge. The recipe makes enough for a few meals, so you’re already ahead. Freeze in a labelled ziplock bag for up to 3 months.
Turn the page for my favourite ways to serve it.
AVOCADO PESTO
AVOCADO PESTO THREE WAYS
My favourite ways to serve this delicious pesto:
WITH CHEESE ON TOAST
Lightly toast 4 slices of bread in the toaster. Spread a tablespoon or so of the avocado pesto on each slice – be as generous or sparing as you like, depending on how much you like the green stuff. Sprinkle over 120g of grated cheese and dab with Tabasco. Place under the grill for 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and melting.
You could have this with a fried egg on the side or just eat it as it is (I quite like it exactly as it is).
WITH NACHOS
2 x 180g bags of salted tortilla chips + 1 x 300g jar of hot salsa + 180g grated Cheddar cheese + 1 x 215g jar of jalapeño chillies + 150ml soured cream + fresh coriander
Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C.
Spread the tortilla chips over a large baking tray. Dollop over 300g of hot salsa straight from the jar, then all of the avocado mixture. Sprinkle over the grated Cheddar and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, until the cheese is really melted and crisp.
Remove from the oven and dot over the drained jalapeños. Spoon over the soured cream and finish with a generous sprinkling of chopped coriander.
WITH PASTA
Cook 250g of pasta of your choice (penne, fusilli, etc.) according to the packet instructions. Drain, then stir in some of the avocado pesto.
STICKY COCONUT RICE WITH TEMPERED PINEAPPLE
SERVES: 4, PLUS 4 LATER ACTIVE TIME: 15 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES
I used to hate sticky rice as a kid, everything from the texture to the taste! But I grew up, revisited it and never looked back. Bitter gourd I will never revisit and will always hate. Sticky rice can be so versatile. Cooked with coconut milk, it’s rich and creamy, and topped with tempered pineapple, it’s even better. If you don’t want a second batch in the freezer, simply halve the ingredients.
For the rice
600g Thai sticky rice
500ml cold water
2 x 400ml tins of coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
For the pineapple
1 whole pineapple, chopped into chunks, or 2 x 432g tins of pineapple chunks, drained (about 520g drained weight)
2 tablespoons caster sugar
150g unsalted butter
1 teaspoon crushed caraway seeds
4 tablespoons coconut chips
To serve
cream
Put the rice into a medium-sized (preferably non-stick) pot. Add the water, coconut milk and salt, and stir.
Pop the pot on to a high heat, and be sure to keep stirring, otherwise the rice will settle on the base and will make that bottom layer stick. Keep moving the rice around. It will start bubbling and spitting furiously. Turn it down enough so you are not getting spat at. After about 6 minutes, it should resemble rice pudding – thick, with the grains clearly visible and very milky. Give it one last stir, then turn the heat right down. Pop the lid on and leave to steam for 10 minutes.
Put the pineapple into a heatproof bowl – if you are using tinned, be sure to drain off any excess liquid. Add the sugar and mix through.
Place a non-stick frying pan on the hob and add the butter. As soon as it is melted but not foaming, add the caraway seeds – they will sizzle. Add the coconut chips and stir until they are golden. Keep stirring gently, watching it carefully.
Now pour the contents of the pan over the pineapple and stir through.
Time to serve. We have made a double helping of the rice, so you don’t have to cook it again, just reheat it. Leave to cool for another time.
To eat now, put some rice into a bowl and top with the pineapple. Apart from tasting delicious, your kitchen will smell amazing! Serve with some pouring cream.
The rice and the pineapple (if you have any left over) can be frozen in separate tubs. Or transform any leftover rice into a dessert – see Burnt Butterscotch Bananas on p. 223.
STICKY COCONUT RICE WITH TEMPERED PINEAPPLE
SLOW COOKER RICE
SERVES: 12 ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 4–8 HOURS
If I can cook and eat rice for breakfast, that in itself is a luxury for me. It means I have time for at least attempting to slow down. This is a mixture of black and white rice and so it has a gorgeous colour, topped with clotted cream and almond praline.
For the rice
cooking oil spray
100g basmati rice
100g black rice
50g butter
50g caster sugar
600ml double cream
600ml whole milk
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the almond brittle
200g sliced almonds
100g butter
200g caster sugar
To serve
clotted cream or extra thick double cream
Spray the slow cooker dish with oil. Put in the two types of rice, the butter, sugar, cream, milk and nutmeg, then give it a good stir. If you want to cook it faster you can do it for 4 hours on high, but if you want it even slower you can cook it for 8 hours on low. I do this just before I go to bed so it’s ready for when my kids wake at 5 a.m. on a Saturday!
Within the first half hour of cooking be sure to give it a stir, to remove any settled grains of rice.
To make the brittle, have a tray lined with baking paper ready. Put the almonds into a non-stick pan and toast them over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, until they are deep golden. Transfer them to a bowl. Wipe the inside of the pan and pop it back on the heat. Add the butter and sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Once it has, increase the heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes until the caramel is golden. Stir occasionally if there are dark spots.
Add the toasted almonds to the caramel and stir though, then pour the mixture on to the paper-lined tray, level it out, and leave to set and harden. When it has set, break off bits of it and crush in a pestle and mortar so that you have uneven chunks and sugary dust and all sorts. Pop into a jar ready for the morning and for plenty of mornings to come.
When the rice is ready, serve with a dollop of chilled cream and the brittle on top. This freezes really well in individual containers, making it perfect for an on-the-go breakfast that can be microwaved. You can also transform any leftovers into a dessert (see Burnt Butterscotch Bananas on p. 223).
SLOW COOKER RICE
CAULIFLOWER HASH AND EGGS
SERVES: 4 ACTIVE TIME: 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES
We always knew when my mum was cooking cauliflower curry because that was the only way she cooked it. The gassy smell would hit us as we came through the door. Never enough to put me off the flowery goodness, though. Everything curried is delicious. But cauliflower doesn’t have to be curried or permeate the air with its aroma – this is one of my fave ways to eat it. Hashed, with eggs.
1 large cauliflower
1 large bunch of fresh chives
1 teaspoon garlic granules
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
5 tablespoons chickpea flour
vegetable oil, for frying
4 medium eggs
chilli flakes, for sprinkling
Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower and cut off the stem. Gently pull away as many florets as you can and, if you need to, deploy a knife to cut them away. You’ll be left with the leaves and inner core stem. Set these aside – you can prep them for the freezer later.
Grate each floret into a bowl until you have done every single one. For ease you can use a food processor fitted with the coarse grating disc, but if you don’t have one, the coarse side of a grater is ideal.
Finely chop half the chives and add them to the bowl, keeping the other half for drying. Add the garlic granules, salt, paprika and cumin seeds and mix.
Now add the chickpea flour and stir around to make sure everything is evenly
covered. Because each cauliflower differs in size, and moisture, you may find that 5 tablespoons of chickpea flour isn’t enough. Add a tablespoon more flour at a time until the cauliflower looks evenly coated.
Now add water gently in drizzles and mix after each addition. No exact measurement, but you probably need about a cupful. What you are looking for is a mixture that clumps together with no floury bits visible. When the mixture holds together and is not runny it is perfect.
Drizzle a medium non-stick frying pan with oil so you have a thin, even coating on the base. Place on a medium heat, and as soon as the oil is hot add all the cauliflower mixture and flatten it over the base, working it up towards the sides a little too. Leave to cook for at least 6–8 minutes, or until you can see the edges becoming golden.
Use the back of a spoon to create 4 dips in the cauliflower hash. Now, one by one, crack the eggs into the dips, working your way round. I like to avoid the middle, as I serve it cut into triangles.
Pop the lid on and leave it on a low heat for about 10 minutes – this should give you a perfect runny egg, but if you like a firm yolk, leave it on the heat until it is the right runniness or non-runniness for you.
While that is happening, chop the cauliflower leaves and stalks finely, or place in a food processor, and put them into a freezer bag. I like to use these for making another hash in the exact same way as above, but using the bits that would otherwise go straight into the bin. They’re also good for Spicy Scrap Soup (see p. 77).
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