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Mini chefs – spinach and banana muffins
Sweetened with fruit, these healthy spinach and banana muffins are a great choice for babies and toddlers. Ingredients Makes 6 1 ripe banana, mashed 50g spinach, blended into a purée 60ml oat milk 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice 40ml sunflower oil 75g wholemeal plain flour 40g oats 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 50g raisins (optional) You will also need six cupcake cases. Method Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6. Line a muffin tin with six cupcake cases. Mash a ripe banana in a large mixing bowl. Mix 50g spinach purée with...
Plantain cake
This cake is naturally sweetened by very ripe plantain, banana and coconut. The inspiration for this cake came from Patricia, food ambassador who had made a similar cake to share with participants for her birthday. Around 10 portions Ingredients 220 grams of flour (can use spelt, wholemeal, self raising or a mix) 2 large very ripe plantain plus 1 extra for decoration 1 very ripe banana 80 millilitres of plant based or dairy milk 80 millilitres of any oil, such as sunflower, melted coconut, rapeseed 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon of baking powder Half...
Homemade vegan gyoza
One of our food ambassadors – Islay – taught parents how to make these gyoza from scratch, at our Cultural Cook Ups at the Woodfield Pavillion. Our participants had such fun making the dough, and it is extra healthy because it is made using wholemeal flour and not processed. However if you don’t have the time (or inclination!) to make it you can buy wonton or gyoza wrappers in many Chinese and Asian food shops. You can use any filling ingredients you like for these, and add in different flavours such as chilli and fresh herbs (coriander, mint and thai...
Isata’s Sierra Leone Ebeh
One of our food ambassadors – Isata- shared this dish with us at our Cultural Cook Ups at Loughborough Children’s Centre. Ebeh is a soup from Sierra Leone, made usually with Casava, but Isata adapted this recipe according to the veg that was available. It is a filling dish and is often made during Eid as a way of breaking the fast. Isata says that it is a great meal to give someone who is unwell, especially if you add some fresh chillis. You can add in unripe banana or unripe plantain also. Ingredients 3 medium potatoes 1 small...
Mini chefs – low sugar banana muffins
Did you know you can make muffins without added sugar? These healthy low sugar banana muffins are perfect for little ones as they’re sweetened with just ripe bananas. If you like you can add some raisins too – but that’s optional. These muffins are a mini chefs favourite. Ingredients Makes 12 2 large (or 3 medium) ripe bananas, mashed 250 grams wholemeal plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar) 100 millilitres milk 100 millilitres sunflower oil 100...
Mini chefs – rice cake faces
At our mini chefs classes we’ve noticed that children always enjoy playing with their food and these hummus rice cake faces always go down well. They’re so easy to make – simply spread hummus onto a rice cake and make a face with your favourite chopped veggies. To keep it healthy make your own hummus – that way you can leave out the salt. Ingredients (makes 2) For the salt-free hummus 1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon tahini (sesame paste) 1 lemon, squeezed Cold water For the rice cake...
The Brixton Broccoli Tarte
Our kitchen team were recently invited to collaborate with Local Greens (one of our donators of surplus organic veg) to write a recipe to celebrate their 10th year. We were so thrilled that the recipe was also featured in the Jellied Eel Magazine (London’s magazine for good food) The recipe was written by our chefs Malika and Alison, and was inspired by the sunny day on which they were working together in our ‘Healthy Living Kitchen’ when we had lots of broccoli, greens and potatoes that had been donated by Local Greens. This is an English summer day dish with...
Ceviche with Plantain
One of our members- Judith- shared this dish with us at our Cultural Cook Ups at Loughborough Children’s Centre. Originating from Ecuador, Ceviche is a tropical dish for hot weather, great to prepare to take on a camping trip. It’s a vibrant, colourful dish and was perfect to cook at our Cultural Cookup yesterday as it was lovely and sunny. Ingredients 3 onions 3 tomatoes 2 peppers 4 avocados Fresh coriander 4 lemons 1 orange brown rice -about 400g 800g can of chopped tomatoes Vegetable oil Method 1. Slice the onions thinly; chop the peppers into small cubes; chop the avocado...
Beetroot dahl
There were many requests for this beetroot dahl recipe made by Alison, one of our chefs at the Healthy Living Kitchen. This recipe makes for a vibrant and nutritious meal. The brilliant thing about it is that it’s very versatile. You can use different types of vegetables and lentils, this recipe uses red lentils as they are popular and the quickest to cook. When we made this in our kitchen we used 3 types – red lentil, mung beans and yellow moong dahl. For this recipe we kept it to one for the sake of simplicity, however you can experiment...
Mini chefs – banana lollipops
If you’re looking for a way to make a banana more exciting this is for you. Banana lollipops are a fun, healthy snack that kids will love to help with. You will need lolly sticks to make your banana lollipops. Ingredients (serves 1) 1 banana A thick spread eg peanut butter, sunflower butter or healthy chocolate spread 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut and/or puffed rice and/or freeze dried raspberries Lolly stick Method Peel your banana. Cut the ends off so you have a straight section and push a lolly stick into the end of your...
How to cook celeriac
We have been getting a lot of celeriac lately in our Healthy Living Kitchen and people often ask us what they should do with it… Celeriac is a round, knobbly root vegetable about the size of a small melon. It is pale brown on the outside and cream-coloured inside. It sometimes comes with the leaves still attached, which look (and taste) like dark green celery . The heavier celeriac feels for its size, the fresher it is, so flex your muscles or bring a trolley to get it home – celeriac is delicious and worth picking up. What...
Indian cook-along: besan ka chilla, Indori aloo and coriander chutney
As part of our series of ‘cultural cook-alongs’ Preeti, food ambassador, showed us how to make besan ka chilla (chickpea pancakes), Indori aloo (spicy potatoes) and coriander chutney. Preeti is from Madhya Pradesh, a central state in India. These are popular dishes and enjoyed throughout the year, eaten at breakfast and supper. Photo credit: Preeti Besan Ka Chilla (chickpea flour pancakes) Ingredients 225g of chickpea (gram) flour 50g of semolina 1 or 2 green chillis, finely chopped 4 to 5 tablespoons of yogurt or curd (optional) Pinch of asafoetida 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1 teaspoon of salt...
What are Jerusalem artichokes and what do I do with them?
Jerusalem artichokes are currently in season– small, knobbly vegetables that look a bit like grubby pieces of root ginger. They’re not exactly pretty and they have a reputation for making you a bit windy, but don’t chuck them just yet. Let us try to persuade you to give them a go… Jerusalem artichokes are very good for you. They’re full of fibre and rich in iron (which will boost your energy), as well as potassium and vitamin B1, which helps support nerve and muscle function. One way to avoid the gassiness is to eat them little and often, to...
Nigerian cook-along: Fried rice and dodo
As part of our series of online ‘cultural cook-alongs’, Mellissa, one of our members showed us how to make Nigerian fried rice and dodo (fried plantains). Mellissa is from the Urhobo tribe in Nigeria, which she said are less patriarchal than many of the other tribes in Nigeria, with men also doing their share of the cooking! She explained that there are 500 different languages in Nigeria, due there being around 320 tribes. Mellissa’s husband is from one of the largest tribes (Yoruba). Each tribe has its own special dishes and soups. These celebratory rice and plantain dishes however...
Jamaican cook-along: Rasta pasta and jerk salad
As part of our series of online ‘cultural cook-alongs’, Nadisha, one of our members showed us how to make her version of rasta pasta and jerk salad, which was a big hit with our participants. She explained that this Jamaican pasta dish, was named ‘rasta’ because of the colours in the dish – red, yellow (or gold!) and green. Photo credit: Nadisha Rasta pasta Ingredients 400g of penne pasta 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil 3 spring onions/scallions, chopped 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh ginger 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 50g of cheese, grated (optional) Half...
Roselyn’s Guyana cook up rice
Roselyn is one of our volunteers in our Healthy Living Kitchen. She grew up in Guyana and recently taught us how to make Guyana cook up rice. This is based on a recipe taught to her by her Granny in Guyana. It is very adaptable and you can use whatever ingredients you have available. You will need a large saucepan to make this dish. Ingredients 250g dried black eyed beans, soaked overnight in cold water (or 3 cans cooked black eyed beans*) 1 tbsp coconut oil Handful spring onions, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped...
Bengali cook-along: chana masala and kisuri
As part of our series of ‘cultural cook-alongs’ over zoom on Wednesdays, Joba, food ambassador, chef and business owner of ‘Busy Kitchen’ showed us how to make these classic Bengali dishes: kisuri and chana masala. She explained that these are dishes that she will often cook for her family at Ramadan. Kisuri is a rice and lentil dish (also known as Kishuri in India) and is popular with children because it has a rice pudding like texture. Photo credit: Preeti Kisuri Ingredients 1 cup of basmati rice Half a cup of red lentils Half a tablespoon of...
Mini chefs – healthy sweet potato brownies
Our mini chefs families made these delicious healthy sweet potato brownies. Take a look at our YouTube channel to see chef Mandy and assistant Rosa making them. Ingredients Makes 9 700 g sweet potato, cooked and puréed or well mashed 100 g date paste* 130g ground oats 3 tbsp cocoa powder Method Adults – preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6. Grease a 20cm square baking tin or similar and line with baking paper. If your date paste is very thick add a few drops of hot water and mix with a fork to make it easier to mix in. Put...
Abosede’s green bean and okra stew
Abosede, one of our chefs at the Healthy Living Kitchen, made this delicious okra and green bean stew for our meal recipients recently. It’s based on a Nigerian stew she makes at home for her family but adapted to make use of the ingredients we had available in the kitchen. We served it with spicy roasted root vegetables and baked plantain slices. Ingredients 1 tablespoon oil 1 onion, chopped 200g okra, very finely sliced 200g green beans, sliced 1 scotch bonnet, optional 200g spinach, shredded 1 tablespoon all purpose seasoning Method Heat 1 tablespoon oil and...
Veganuary Brunch
We had great fun this week with our veganuary brunch cook-along.. It was lovely seeing everyone’s screens whilst we cooked along together, and sharing different breakfast tips. We discussed aiming for 30 different plants a week and how this can help us to have a more diverse gut microbiome. And it’s not as difficult as you think, plants can include wholegrains, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and pulses as well as fruit and veg! These brunch dishes are not only tasty, but also include lots of different plants, so are a great way to start the day. Baked crispy hash...
Kidney bean meatballs – vegetarian
These delicious vegetarian “meat” balls are made with kidney beans, a great source of plant-based protein and fibre. Kidney beans also contain lots of vitamins and minerals, including iron. These kidney bean meatballs are delicious served with pasta and tomato sauce. Serves 4 Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon dried herbs 1 teaspoon onion powder, optional 1 tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon tomato purée 1 tablespoon miso paste, marmite or soy sauce, optional 100g breadcrumbs* 4 tablespoons of chickpea flour (gram flour), or one beaten egg....
Rayneisha’s Jamaican steamed cabbage
This week we had guest chef Rayneisha in our Healthy Living Kitchen who showed us how to make Jamaican steamed cabbage. This dish is traditionally with salt-fish, however she did this delicious vegan version using more veg instead. Rayneisha, from Jamaica, said that her mother taught her to cook at the age of 9 as she helped look after her younger siblings. She said if her mother was not there she would improvise with the food, and she learnt to re-mix different dishes. Ingredients 1 small white cabbage, thinly sliced 2 onions, thinly sliced Half a red, half...
Rainbow root slaw
Lots of our meal recipients asked for the recipe for this colourful salad that chef Ruth made to go with dhal and rice in our ‘Healthy Living Kitchen’ last week. Not only is it colourful but it is packed with loads of flavour – a great accompaniment to any meal, or add some noodles to make it a meal in itself. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the veg and seasonings listed below, you can switch things with what you have or leave it out. Ingredients 2 carrots 1 medium beetroot Quarter of a small red or white...
Dauphinoise potatoes (vegan friendly)
Chef Malika made this classic French dish in our healthy living kitchen which was sent out to some of our meal recipients this week. This was a lighter version than the usual, using oat milk instead of the usual cream. We served it alongside a chickpea, green bean and broccoli salad. Chef Zoe who was also in the kitchen was reluctant to the idea of this dish, thinking it would take too long, but she was proved wrong – it was super quick and simple, so we thought it a great recipe to share. Malika said this is a dish...
Tarte au pomme (French apple tart)
We had a great time cooking along with food ambassador and chef Malika today at our winter celebration. She showed us how to make this beautiful apple tart, using just 2 ingredients. The tart was still delicious and sweet despite using no added sugar. We think it will be sure to impress your guests. You can also try experimenting with different fruit such as pears or plums, or follow a similar method for a savoury tart (Tarte provencale) using roasted vegetables and/or a tomato sauce base. Watch out for the video on our you-tube channel shortly! Ingredients 5 sweet...
How to use mooli (daikon) with pickled mooli recipe
Mooli, or daikon, is a kind of winter radish. It has a slightly peppery taste and is delicious cooked, raw in salads or can be pickled. Mooli is usually white – in fact it’s sometimes called white mooli – but can also be pink on the outside. We recently made a pickle out of mooli at our Healthy Living Kitchen. We served it with a sweet potato katsu curry. Ways to use your mooli chopped in a salad – it’s good combined with carrot added to any salad where you’d use radish cooked with a stir fry roasted...
Healthy Christmas-spiced cookies
These delicious cookies are free from fat and refined sugar. By using spices such as ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg you’ll get all the flavours of Christmas but in a healthier way. INGREDIENTS 100 grams plain wholemeal flour 50 grams oats 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger Pinch ground nutmeg (optional) 60 grams raisins 160 grams apple puree NB: to make apple purée peel and chop two cooking apples. Place in a small saucepan with a little water and cook over a low heat, stirring often, until soft. Mash well or purée with...
Homemade croutons
Don’t let your stale bread go to waste. Turn it into delicious homemade croutons by following this easy recipe. INGREDIENTS A medium loaf of bread (around 350g), cut into cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon dried oregano or mixed herbs Black pepper INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6 and get a baking tray ready. Place your cubes of bread into a mixing bowl. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano or mixed herbs and a sprinkling of black pepper. Use your hands to mix well. Place in the oven for...
Carrot and potato soup
Soup is a great way to get some extra veggies into your diet. This recipe for potato and carrot soup is a cheap and healthy winter warmer. It can be easily adapted to use whatever spices or vegetables you have to hand and for your personal taste. INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2 potatoes, chopped 800ml vegetable stock or hot water Optional additions if you have them: 1 tsp dried mixed herbs or oregano, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, sprinkling of...
Healthy ginger cake (parkin)
We made this healthy ginger cake in our Healthy Living Kitchen to celebrate Bonfire Night. In the north of England a ginger and oat cake called parkin is traditionally served on Bonfire Night (5 November). The traditional version contains sugar and treacle but we’ve made ours healthier by sweetening it with dates. We served this to our hot meals recipients along with this vegan sausage and bean stew, potato wedges and greens. INGREDIENTS 225g dates 250g wholemeal plain flour 100g ground oats 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 100ml rapeseed oil 225ml...
Vegan sausage and bean stew
This is a hearty and warming vegan sausage and bean stew that’s suitable for the whole family. We made it in the Healthy Living Kitchen on Bonfire Night and served it with potato wedges and mixed greens (broccoli, cabbage, green beans and leeks). INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon dried herbs eg oregano or mixed herbs 1 tin of tomatoes 1 tin beans, drained and rinsed 1 pack of 6 vegan sausages Salt and pepper, to taste INSTRUCTIONS Preheat...
Sugar free banana bread
Banana bread is a brilliant recipe to make with the kids. Even tiny kids can get involved with chopping bananas, mashing them up, mixing the ingredients and spooning out into the tin. This recipe is sweetened with just bananas. You can add some raisins if you like for extra sweetness. Watch a video of how to make this recipe on our YouTube channel. Here’s how to make our healthy sugar free banana bread: INGREDIENTS 3 large ripe bananas, mashed 220g plain flour (or spelt or wholemeal) 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1...
Diane and Sharone’s okra and ackee wraps
For our final Black History Month live cookalong we enjoyed a lively chat with Diane and Sharone. Diane is originally from Ghana and Sharone is from Jamaica. The two friends brought together two key national ingredients – okra (from Ghana) and ackee (from Jamaica) to create a delicious recipe that combines the two. Okra, sometimes known as ladies’ fingers, is the main food from the Ewe tribe in Ghana. It can be slimy but is also delicious and is considered to be good for fertility and indigestion. Ackee grows on trees, and the ackee must open up...
Ethiopian vegetable wat
For Black History Month 2020 we have been cooking recipes inspired by African or Caribbean cuisine in our Healthy Living Kitchen. Read more about our Black History Month events here. The final dish we made was this Ethiopian vegetable wat. A wat is a dish a bit like a curry or stew from Ethiopia or Eritrea. The recipe that we made is based on one that originally appeared in the World Food Cafe cookbook. We adapted their recipe to suit what we had available in the kitchen. You can do the same – this is a very...
Healthy vegetarian mushroom “meat” balls
These delicious mushroom “meat” balls are suitable for vegetarians. We love them because they contain a healthy portion of vegetables. We came up with this recipe because we had a lot of tinned mushrooms that needed to be used up. However, you can also make this recipe with fresh mushrooms. You will need about 150g mushrooms. We’ve used a food processor to make this recipe. If you don’t have one you can use a hand held stick blender instead or mash the ingredients together very well. INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 cloves...
Diane’s Ghanaian spinach stew
Diane is one of our food ambassadors. She is from Ghana and she shared this recipe for Ghanaian spinach stew with us recently. As a child this was her favourite dish. Here’s the story of how she learnt to make it. “I actually learnt it from my granmum who I called “MaMa.” When I went to her for holidays as a very fussy toddler I wouldn’t eat anything she made so one day she took me to her farm and I picked the spinach and we sang and danced like the leaves came home and she prepared it...
Cuban veggie picadillo
During the month of October this year we are cooking recipes in our Healthy Living Kitchen from African, Caribbean and Afro-Latino cuisine to mark Black History Month. One of these recipes was a veggie picadillo, inspired by a Cuban dish. Picadillo is traditionally made with beef. However, we decided to make our version with lentils instead so it would be suitable for vegetarians and vegans. We didn’t add capers to ours but they’re often used so if you have some available add those in too. INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic,...
Adelaide’s Angolan bean soup
Adelaide made this soup for us on a live Zoom session in October 2020 as part of our Black History Month series celebrating the cooking of Black cultures. Adelaide said: “This soup was taught to me by my Auntie Eva who is a great cook. In Angola, girls are taught to cook from as early as the age of five, where they are encouraged to stay in the kitchen to watch the elders cook, as a way of gaining early culinary skills needed for future life skills needed to be able to support the family home. In which...
Potato and carrot kofta
A delicious, cheap and simple recipe for potato and carrot kofta. This recipe is a great one to make at home with your children. Children can help to: mash chop peel measure out ingredients shape kofta into balls See a video of Mandy making these kofta on our YouTube channel. INGREDIENTS 2 carrots, peeled and cut into half moons 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2 tbsp chickpea flour (gram flour) 1 tsp ground cumin (or ras el hanout spice mix) (optional) Flat leaf parsley,...
One pot smoky pumpkin stew
We recently made this pumpkin and vegetable stew in our community kitchen to send out to families. As the seasons are changing it’s great to have a warming, vegetable-packed meal to look forward to. You can use either pumpkin or butternut squash in this meal. INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp oregano or mixed dried herbs 400g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small pieces. 1 aubergine, chopped 2 peppers, any colour, chopped 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 400g tin of...
Lynda’s callaloo wraps
The children and families at Brockwell Stay and Grow harvested callaloo this week and made delicious callaloo wraps with it. Here’s Lynda’s callaloo wraps recipe: INGREDIENTS 3 tbsp vegetable or olive oil 1 bundle of callaloo, cleaned, washed and chopped, (you could also use spinach or chard) ½ red pepper and ½ yellow pepper, washed and chopped ½ onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped INSTRUCTIONS Heat the oil and fry the onions, peppers and garlic until soft Add the callaloo and stir for about a minute Cover the pot and leave to cook for 5...
Shemeika’s Jamaican callaloo and hard food
We had a lot of fun recently with a live cookalong on YouTube with Healthy Living Platform member Shemeika. Shemeika showed us how to make a classic Jamaican recipe – callaloo with hard food. It was delicious. Watch the video now. TIPS: If you don’t have callaloo you can also make this recipe with spinach, kale or other greens. You could also serve callaloo with rice or other grains. INGREDIENTS For the hard food 2 cups of plain flour 1 cup boiled water, cooled to room temperature 1 ripe plantain, sliced with the skin on...
Preeti’s bulgur wheat with roasted veggies and fresh mint yoghurt dip
We recently sent out some recipe packs to some of our members with the challenge to either follow our recipe or to make their own. Our member Preeti took our roasted vegetable and bulgur traybake and adapted it to make it her own. She also added a delicious mint yoghurt dip. Well done Preeti! Here is a video on our YouTube channel of Mandy making her original bulgur traybake recipe: Here’s Preeti’s recipe: Ingredients 250g bulgur wheat 3 medium size onions 2 -3 cloves of garlic 2-3 medium size carrots 1 courgette 1 broccoli half...
Mango Salsa
We have been receiving mangos in some of the veg bags over the last couple of weeks, which is a real treat. We made this salsa to go with a Caribbean curry which went out to some of our families as part of our free cooked meal delivery service. The salsa is delicious on its own but also works well with Asian or Caribbean style curries. Ingredients 2 large mangos peeled and cubed Half a red onion finely chopped 1 red chilli de-seeded and finely chopped (optional) 4 tablespoons of coriander leaves, chopped Juice of 1 lime Instructions...
Healthy savoury butternut squash muffins
If you’re heading out on a picnic soon or looking for healthy snacks or lunchbox fillers then give these delicious butternut squash savoury muffins a try. See a video of this recipe on our YouTube channel: INGREDIENTS 225g wholemeal, spelt or plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp dried herbs eg oregano 90g sunflower oil 175g plain yoghurt (dairy free if needed) 100g butternut squash or sweet potato purée 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional) or one handful grated cheese (optional) INSTRUCTIONS Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6. Line a...
Potato and cauliflower curry
This vegan potato and cauliflower curry is a delicious and healthy dinner that the whole family can enjoy. Perfect served with rice and a side of green veg. INGREDIENTS 1 medium cauliflower, broken into pieces 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 tbsp sunflower oil 3 medium potatoes, chopped 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 inch chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped 1 small red chilli deseeded and chopped 1 tsp turmeric 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato puree 1 tbsp garam masala salt and pepper to taste...
Cheesy vegetable pasta bake
This cheesy vegetable pasta bake is a comforting classic that will be popular with the whole family. It’s packed full of vegetables as well so you know there’s plenty of goodness in there. Use vegan cheese to make this a dairy free dish. Ingredients 400g pasta eg rigatoni, fusili, conchiglie, penne 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped Mixed vegetables eg 2 red peppers and 1 courgette chopped Small handful fresh herbs eg oregano, basil, thyme, chopped 2 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes Small handful fresh herbs eg oregano, basil, thyme, chopped...
Carrot cake energy balls
We made these as a healthy dessert for our Brockwell Greenhouses sessions using the ingredients we had available in our Healthy Living Kitchen – we had apples and carrots and not much time, and the inspiration for carrot cake balls was born. They are super easy if you have a food processor or hand blender. Use the same cup to measure all your ingredients. You could also try switching the carrots and apples for other fruit such as berries. Makes about 25 balls Ingredients Half a cup of oats Half a cup of desiccated coconut (plus extra for...
Courgette and chickpea ratatouille
Ratatouille is a traditional French dish from the Provence region. It is made of stewed vegetables. Our version is made from courgettes and peppers and we’ve added chickpeas for some healthy vegetarian protein. Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 courgette, chopped 1 pepper, chopped 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, rinsed Salt and pepper, to taste Instructions Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas...
N’s cauliflower curry
Our food ambassador, N, shared her delicious cauliflower curry recipe with us recently. Here it is for you to make at home too. Ingredients 1 medium cauliflower 1 tablespoon oil 1 large garlic clove, crushed 2-3 green chillies, to taste, or 1/2 tsp freshly crushed black paper 3-4 large juicy tomatoes 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon turmeric powder Salt, to taste 1 large onion, chopped Half bunch of coriander leaves, chopped Instructions Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized pieces. Put in a pot, fill with water, and bring it to the boil. Boil for...
Stuffed courgettes
We made this recipe at our Community Kitchen at Southwyck House for some of our hot meals recipients and it was really delicious. Halved courgettes, stuffed with grains and roasted, are a delicious and nutritious meal. If you’ve never tried courgettes this way give this recipe a go. Ingredients 200g bulgur wheat (rice or quinoa also works well) 350ml cold water 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 4 medium courgettes Handful fresh herbs eg coriander, parsley, thyme, chopped 2 medium onions or shallots, peeled and cut into half moons 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped Handful...
Rainbow stir fry
This delicious rainbow stir fry recipe is a great way to eat lots of different vegetables in one meal. Easy to make and suitable for vegans and vegetarians. It’s very versatile and you can switch around your ingredients according to what you have available. For example, we have included kohlrabi below but you could replace this with courgette, cabbage or extra carrots. Ingredients 1 onion, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 chunk ginger, peeled and chopped 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 1 kohlrabi, peeled and chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 6-8...
Vegetable chilli
Vegetable chilli has been one of our favourite dishes to cook in our healthy living kitchen, because we can adapt it to the veg we have available, which is useful when we are cooking with surplus, and we can’t often predict what we will get. This one was made with root veg and served with beetroot salsa and broccoli slaw. Ingredients 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 onion Mixed root vegetables, peeled (optional) and chopped (eg 1 small swede, 2 parsnips and 2 big carrots). Other veg that are good are butternut squash, sweet potato, aubergine, courgette. 3 cloves...
Kesra- a traditional Algerian Dish
This delicious dish was cooked for us live at our Zoom session- Stories of our Food. Thank you Mawa for showing us how to make this delicious meal. Ingredients: For the filling: 1 small white onion and 1 small red onion 2 cloves of garlic 1 good tablespoon of tomato puree 1 teaspoon of hot red curry paste (if desired) 1/2 bunch of fresh coriander A few sprigs of fresh mint For the dough: 500 grams of extra fine semolina or can mix with plain flour 75 ml of oil (mixture of olive oil and vegetable oil) 9 grams of...
Naan Bread
Another tried and trusted recipe from Zeenat’s Indian Cooking and Laughter Yoga sessions. Naan Bread is a fun activity to make with kids and adults alike! It’s a fun way for everyone to experience rolling and pressing the dough together, and naan bread goes with many healthy meals. We made these naans at one of Zeenat’s online sessions. Lots of children rolling and pressing the naan dough and having lots of fun. Ingredients: 2 cups self-raising flour 1 cup natural yoghurt 1 pack of dried yeast (optional — to make the dough fluffier. If you’re working with yeast, leave the dough for...
Michelle’s Spicy Vegetable Soup
This soup contains some vegetables found in Jamaican cuisine such as cho cho and hot peppers
Sugar Snap Pea Vegetable Christmas Trees
Christmas food doesn’t have to be unhealthy to be fun. These little vegetable Christmas trees are made from sugar snap peas and yellow peppers. They take just a few minutes to assemble and are a great way to tempt children to try some new veggies. Ingredients 10 sugar snap peas (mange tout or green beans also work well) 1/4 yellow pepper Instructions Wash your sugar snap peas. They can be eaten raw but if you’re serving to a baby or toddler you may wish to lightly boil or steam them first. Cut a star shape and a rectangle shape out...
Carrot Hummus
A very easy way to add a portion of vegetables to a tub of hummus.
Spiced Carrot Soda Bread
It seems like everyone is baking bread at the moment and spiced carrot soda bread might sound fancy but it’s really simple to make. Best served warm as a snack or a side dish, but it also keeps for several days. If you’re storing it overnight then allow the bake to cool before putting it into an airtight container and taste it before serving. Ingredients: 300ml dairy free milk (e.g. oat, soya, or almond milk) 1 tbsp lemon juice, cider vinegar or white wine vinegar 350g plain flour 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2–1...
Mandy’s Easy Carrot, Tomato and Lentil Soup
A cheap and nutritious meal to make for the whole family.
Adelaide’s Spinach Lasagne
Adelaide recently completed her training to become a Food Ambassador with us. She shares a tried and trusted recipe for spinach lasagne. Adelaide says: “My New Year’s resolution for 2020 was to look after my health and wellbeing. So when I applied for the Food Ambassadors Training I was really inspired to make healthier choices when it comes to cooking. I have gained a lot of knowledge in cooking healthier meals, such as vegetable based dishes. It’s really helped to encourage myself and my 3 boys to eat more vegetables.” “I am originally from Angola, which is on the West...
Banana Energy Balls
These energy balls are really easy to make and don’t need a food processor. Simply mix oats, mashed banana, peanut butter and raisins together and form into balls. A great recipe to make with the kids while staying well at home. Ingredients: 150g oats (1 small mug oats) 100g raisins (1/2 mug oats) 3 tbsp peanut butter (or nut free alternative eg sunflower butter or tahini) 1 ripe banana Instructions: 1. Mash your banana with a fork until really smooth. 2. Pour 150g oats, 100g raisins, 3 tbsp peanut butter and a mashed banana into a mixing bowl. 3. Lightly oil...
Zeenat’s Tried and Tested Roti
Zeenat cooked up these delicious chapatis (roti) in her online Indian Cooking session last week. They are great fun to make with your children as they love kneading and rolling out the chapati dough. Zeenat says: “children’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination are developed by chopping, mixing, squeezing and spreading so this is the perfect thing to do at home together.” Ingredients 1 Small Mug of chappati flour. (Pillsbury Atta. Or Elephant Atta is best but any available at the moment is fine too.) Available at most Indian shops, Amazon, Tesco and most other supermarkets. Water Instructions Wash hands thoroughly...
Allo (potato) and jeera (cumin)
Zeenat tells the story of this dish: When my four children were growing up. I always cooked food every day and often cooked with whatever was available. As a one parent family, I had to make the money go as far as I could and at the same time feed ourselves healthy meals. This recipe was invented by me one day when I had just these ingredients and the kids loved it. Its been one of our favourites. I often experiment with different ingredients and use what I have at home if I cant get to the shops and have cooked many dishes. Some...
Chickpea rice (chana ka pillou)
This recipe comes from Zeenat, who is running our online Indian cooking, laughter yoga and mindfulness sessions. It goes well with yogurt and a curry sauce, or with just a salad or some roasted vegetables. Ingredients 2 teaspoons of olive oil 1 tin of chickpeas 1 and a half mugs of white basmati rice (can also use brown rice but will need to increase cooking time by 20 minutes and add half a mug more of water) 1 small cinnamon stick 1 medium onion 2 red dried chillis 10 peppercorns Half a teaspoon of salt (or to taste) 1...
Anda mattar ka salan (peas and egg curry)
This matter (peas) and anday (egg) curry is a traditional Indian dish – simple, delicious and pure comfort food. It comes from Zeenat, one of our members who is delivering our online Indian cooking, laughter yoga and mindfulness sessions. The key to the dish she says is making a good shorba – a gravy/sauce made from spices, blended onion, garlic and ginger. The shorba should be smooth with no visible large chunks of tomato and onion, and is usually a shade of brown-red. You can also add cooked cubes of potatoes instead of the eggs for a vegan version. Turmeric...
Root vegetable and wild garlic soup
We love soup! It is one of the best ways of using whatever vegetables you have available. Our community food worker, Zoe made this dish with the old root vegetables that had been lying around for a few weeks in her fridge. Wild garlic is in season at the moment, normally found growing in woods, or near rivers or streams – if you get a chance on your daily walk, this could be a fun one to try and hunt for. Wild garlic is in the form of thick green leaves – as displayed in the soup on this photo....
Vegetable tagine
Some of our Food Ambassadors cooked this delicious tagine for a LEAP training lunch for 60 staff members. It’s a great one because you can basically throw in whatever veg you have, and change it to what is in season. We served it with a giant couscous salad and healthy coleslaw. Would also go well with this: http://healthylivingplatform.org/project/butterbean-lemon-and-mint-dip Ingredients 700 grams of 3 or 4 different vegetables such as carrots, squash, sweet potatoes or parsnips 100 grams of greens such as kale or spinach, chopped 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion 1 celery stalk,...
Butterbean, lemon and mint dip
A nice alternative to chickpea hummus which can be whipped up in minutes. Goes well with our roasted vegetable and couscous dish Ingredients 1 tin of white beans (such as cannellini or butter beans), water drained juice of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons of tahini (optional) 1 tablespoon of olive oil 2 large handfuls of chopped mint leaves (thick stalks removed) pinch of salt Instructions Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Spiced Roasted Vegetables, Chickpeas and Couscous
We made this simple yet delicious dish at our Healthy Pregnancy session. We served it with a butterbean, mint and lemon dip- also in our recipes on this website. Ingredients 1 medium sweet potato (unpeeled), cut into 1cm cubes 1 medium courgette, cut into 1cm cubes 1 red onion, sliced 2 teaspoons of ras el hanout (you can find this in Asian supermarkets) 3 tablespoons of olive oil 3 handfuls of chopped fresh herbs (we used coriander, dill and mint but parsley is also great) 1 tin of chickpeas (water drained) 250g of wholegrain couscous (found in health food...
Mushroom and chestnut stew with herby dumplings
Yes, it looks like beef, and the mushrooms give it a meaty flavour and texture, but we promise you this dish is 100% plant-based! If you can find a range of different mushrooms, this will really add to the flavour of the dish. The chestnuts add a nice sweetness and festiveness, but if you can’t find them you can switch with 100 grams more mushrooms. You can skip out the dumplings if you don’t have the time (although they are much quicker and easier than you might think). For a heartier meal, serve with your favourite mash (see our celeriac...
Diane’s Joloff Rice
Diane has cooked her Joloff rice at many of our settings, and it has always gone down well. Joloff rice is a West African rice dish, with various spices, vegetables and tomatoes. Diane explained that Joloff rice is one of those many dishes that each country claims as their own. Diane is Ghanian and her husband is Nigerian British. Many a heated debate at home revolves around which country does the best rice, which she explained is funny because her father thinks it is actually from Senegambia. Over time she explained many West African countries have adopted the dish. Diane...
Mala’s Ruby Salad
Add gems to your salad, be creative and experiment with colours and flavours, using various fruit and vegetables together to make a fun loving salad. Ingredients 1 head of lettuce of your choice chopped Dash of olive oil 250g spinach or any green leafy vegetables 1 head of broccoli chopped 1 cucumber sliced 250g cherry tomatoes halved 1 pomegranate deseeded Method Wash all ingredients and put into a large bowl. Add the arils from the pomegranate with juices. Toss with olive oil. Add salt and pepper if preferred. The juices from the pomegranate should be used as the dressing...
Vegetarian Sausage Goulash
Perfect Winter Warming Evening Meal. This will make you feel Comfy and Cosy. Ingredients 250g Pack of Quorn or Linda McCartney Vegetarian Sausages Sliced 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil 1 Bunch of Shallots 3 Stalks of Celery 1 Courgette 5 Potatoes Boiled and Mashed 3 Carrots X1 400g Tinned Tomatoes 2 Vegetable Stock Cubes 1 Tablespoon of Paprika Salt Pepper 3 Sprigs of Rosemary 2 Tablespoons Fat Free Natural Fromage Frais Method 1. Heat a large frying pan and add olive oil. 2. Add the slices of sausage, diced shallots, celery, courgettes and carrots. 3. Fry over a high heat for 5-6...
Mala’s Slow Cooker Lentil & Cauliflower Stew
Ingredients 2 cups of dried lentils or 1 tin of lentils 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups of onion) 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 lb cauliflower, chopped into very small florets 2 leeks, white and green parts only, halved, washed carefully, and chopped) 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 bay leaves, 2 tsp cumin 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp cayenne (very spicy– add 1/4 tsp or less for a milder flavour) 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth 32 oz diced tomatoes with juice (1 large can) 2 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard Method 1. Remove any stones or impurities in the lentils and rinse the lentils...
Celeriac Mash this Xmas
Baffled by Celeriac? Everyone seems to be so. What a cosy and comforting veg. dish. It can be delicious in stews and soups or roasted and thinly sliced added to salads. When roasted, it goes sweet and when mashed it’s moreish. Ingredients 2 celeriac’s ½ handful of fresh parsley, sage, rosemary or thyme Salt and pepper to taste Fresh milk or alternative milks (soya, oat or almond milk) Olive oil (optional) 3 Tablespoons of low-fat yoghurt (optional) Method 1.Peel and wash the celeriac and cut into small chunks. 2.Add to a pot of boiling water and simmer on...
Apple, plum and coconut muffins
This week we had an abundance of plums and apples donated to us by city harvest, so we got the children cooking healthy cakes at our Friday Family fun project. The recipe we kind of made up as we went along, so we can’t guarantee exact quantities, but it turned out pretty darn tasty and was devoured by both the children and adults. The muffins are sweetened naturally by the fruit and coconut and we used wholemeal flour making them even more nourishing and keeping you fuller for longer. Ingredients 200g of wholemeal self-raising flour 100g of fine...
Pumpkin crumble
This savoury pumpkin crumble is a lovely way of cooking the whole of the pumpkin without wasting any of it. It also works with any other root veg. The inspiration for this dish came from the brilliant ‘Leith’s Vegetarian Bible’ who have a recipe for pumpkin and tarragon cobbler. We switched the tarragon for rosemary and thyme and to save time went for a crumble topping instead. Ingredients 600g piece of pumpkin 1 tin of butterbeans or chickpeas, drained 1 tin of chopped tomatoes 1 large onion, sliced 2 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks 2 tablespoons of tamari...
Pumpkin sticky toffee pudding
This dish is always a hit with customers at the Bonnington cafe, where Zoe, our community food worker, is a regular chef. Over time, she has adapted the recipe to make it healthier, without compromising on the flavour. It is sweetened with the natural sugars from the dates and the pumpkin. You can use other fruit or vegetables to sweeten it, such as pureed apples or pears. If you don’t want the full shebang, you can skip the sauce and have it as a cake. Ingredients 200g of ground oats/oat flour (can be made by grinding oats in a...
Easy apple chutney
At this time of year there are lots of apples on streets and in back gardens that do not get picked. Making chutney is a great way of using food that would otherwise be wasted, and a jar of something home-made makes a great Christmas present. Ingredients 1.5kg chopped apples 500g sugar 500g raisins or other dried fruit 2 teaspoons raisins 2 teaspoons mustard seeds 700ml vinegar (cider vinegar is best) Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir regularly to ensure it does not stick on the bottom. Heat...
Zoe’s sweet potato and black bean chilli
This chilli has been a big hit at some of our recent events, enjoyed by both adults and children. Adding the couscous to the chilli towards the end of cooking time makes this a great one pot dish and saves you having to cook it separately. You can also use bulgur wheat instead of couscous or leave it out altogether. Try switching sweet potato with butternut squash. Ingredients 1 tin of black beans 1 tin of kidney beans 1 tin of chopped tomatoes 1 medium sweet potato 200 grams of sweetcorn – fresh, frozen or tinned are...
Ethiopian spiced lentils
This spicy lentil dish is eaten all over Ethiopia and Eritrea and goes well with salad, rice and some plain yogurt or yogurt with chopped mint and cucumber. You can add other vegetables into the dish to up your intake, such as chopped cauliflower or sweet potatoes. The lentils are cooked in a spice called Berbere which can be found in some of the larger supermarkets and some of the ethnic shops in Brixton market and Stockwell. Ingredients 300g of red lentils 1 large finely chopped onion 1 thumb size piece of ginger, grated 2 tablespoons of vegetable/sunflower...
Kadecia’s Tahini and Sweet Potato Buttercream
A much healthier alternative to traditional buttercream.
Red Pepper and Kidney Bean Stew
This red pepper stew is made with tomatoes, kidney beans and paprika and is a delicious, nutritious and cheap vegetarian meal. Red pepper stews are common in many countries’ cuisine. Peperonata is a well known Italian stew made with red peppers and onions. It also features in Hungarian cooking where it is called lecsó. And in Nigeria pepper stew is also popular. The Nigerian version is usually made with meat, red palm oil and lots of chillies. This version resembles most closely the Hungarian lecsó as we have included paprika. However we’ve made it our own by adding kidney beans for some...
Vegetarian Polish Cabbage Soup
This vegetarian Polish cabbage soup was inspired by a conversation with one of our members Joanna. She told us that cabbage soup is one of her favourite recipes to make at home. Cabbage soup is a very popular Polish recipe. A traditional soup usually contains meat – often ham or pork. We have made a vegetarian version. It’s extremely cheap to make and very filling and nutritious. Some cabbage soup recipes use sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage that you can buy in a jar in a Polish shop or the Polish section of a supermarket. You can use sauerkraut...
Kadecia’s Cranberry and Carrot Mug Cake
Kadecia made this healthy cranberry and carrot mug cake at one of our sessions at St Stephen’s in Stockwell. Cranberry and carrot mug cake (Picture by Kadecia). Mug cakes are a popular way to get a sweet treat quickly and Kadecia’s version is packed full of healthy ingredients. Ingredients 1 tbsp coconut oil/vegetable oil 3 tbsp unsweetened milk (I used almond milk) 1 tbsp maple syrup (or any sweetener) 2 tbsp grated carrot Pinch of cinnamon and grated nutmeg A sprinkle of dried cranberries 1 tsp desiccated coconut 4 tbsp self-raising flour Instructions Mix together the coconut oil, milk, maple...
Risotto with Cavolo Nero and Peas
Sadie is one of our regular cooks at our Max Roach sessions. A few weeks ago she made a delicious risotto with cavolo nero for lunch. Sadie also made a juice from lemons and kiwi to serve alongside her cavolo nero risotto. Delicious! We have added peas to Sadie’s risotto recipe. We are cooking along with Veg Power, a national campaign to encourage children to eat more vegetables. Peas is vegetable of the week next week and we hope that this delicious risotto will encourage you to eat some peas. Ingredients 100g risotto rice 1 tbsp oil 500-600 ml hot vegetable...
Iraqi Vermicelli Rice and Chickpea Broth
This delicious Iraqi Vermicelli Rice and Chickpea Broth dish was made by one of our members at our Myatts Field North session. This delicious dish was very popular and is lovely served with a big helping of salad. Ingredients 400g rice 1 onion, diced 200g vermicelli noodles Sunflower oil 100g raisins 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp curry powder Instructions Measure out the rice into cups, you will need 2 parts rice to 1 part water (so if you have 2 cups of rice you will need 4 cups of water). Soak the rice for...
Zoe’s Vegetable Hot Pot with Herby Couscous
This vegetable hot pot is a good recipe to make on a cold winter’s day. You can use whatever vegetables you have at home – winter root vegetables work very well. It’s served with herby couscous to make it even more filling. We came up with this stew based on the surplus vegetables we had during one of our sessions. You can use any vegetables. It also doesn’t matter too much about the order you cook them in. I start with gently cooking the onion first, while I chop the other vegetables, and add them to the pot as I...
Eliza’s Ecuadorian Stew with Pulses and Carrots
Ecuadorian stew is a traditional recipe and is very popular at the local school.
Zoe’s Kale and Pumpkin Seed Pesto
This pesto is delicious stirred through pasta but can also be served with vegetables, salads or as a pizza topping.
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Greek Beans in Tomato Sauce
Packed full of nutrients and healthy protein
Onley’s Soda Water Bread Rolls
Bread rolls made with spelt flour, pumpkin seeds and soda water
Mala’s Full of Beans Soup
A healthy soup is packed full of brightly coloured vegetables and beans
Easy and Healthy Homemade Hummus
A dip made from chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic and tahini
Eliza’s Homemade Chinese Dumplings
These delicious vegetarian Chinese dumplings are made with cabbage, mushrooms, onion and carrots. They are ideal for serving with Chinese dumpling soup. We made these dumplings and the soup with Eliza from the Little Cat Cafe at the Mulberry Centre in January 2019. This was to celebrate Chinese New Year. Ingredients For the wrappers 2 cups (280g) unbleached all-purpose flour pinch of salt ¾ cup (180ml) boiling water For the filling drizzle of cooking oil 1 tablespoon minced ginger 1 peeled and minced garlic clove 3 cups (185g) shredded nappa (Chinese) cabbage 2 cups (165g) chopped portobello or shiitake mushrooms...
