Super Green Pasta Sauce

My kids love anything with pasta, and particularly homemade pesto. They do love their greens, but Bridget, my three year old, can be lazy with chewing and even with using her knife and fork at times.

We regularly make a batch of my Walnut and Basil Pesto, as it always satisfies, but this special green pasta makes use of all the greens hanging around the fridge. This super green sauce can be made in minutes, the below makes a batch big enough for 4-5 portions, it freezes well, is packed with nutrients and goodness and most importantly is very child-friendly. It's a perfect quick fix for those days when real 'cooking' is a little out of reach.

You could use pretty much any green vegetables, but I tend to use broccoli, spinach, kale or cavolo nero and frozen peas, as they all blend well and avoid the bittiness from some vegetables.

Once again, this is a super simple recipe but is one where the little ones can help to assemble. I've used Giant Fusilli in the picture as it's easy for Beatrice to pick up as finger food, but any pasta would work.

Super Green Pasta Sauce

Here's how:

• 2 heaped tablespoons Walnut and Basil Pesto (or any jarred green pesto if you're in a real rush)
• 1 head of broccoli
• Handful of green leaves (I use spinach and/or cavolo nero)
• 3 tbsp frozen peas

Firstly get a large pan of water on to boil, or fill with water from the kettle, and place on a low heat.

Chop the broccoli into florets, and add to the water, This will need about 5 minutes.

After two minutes, add the frozen peas and in the final minute the green leaves.

Then roughly drain off in a colander, and add to a blender or a Nutribullet. Add the Pesto, then the lid and blitz to a smooth consistency.

Super Green Pasta Sauce

Portion up into little tubs or food bags.

If you're using right away, simply cook the pasta to your taste, remove 1 tbsp of the cooking water before draining, then return to the pan after a good shake. Stir through the one portion of the Super Green Pasta Sauce on the heat for 1 minute and then serve with a little grating of Parmesan. Enjoy!

Restorative Green Soup

This soup is so cleansing and restorative, I rely on it as the start of any detox or diet, especially if I've had a period of over-indulgence. The multiple green vegetables combined with the healing ginger and garlic and the Indian spices really do aid with digestion and give my stomach a good kick-start. 

I always use broccoli and spinach, but you could use greens, cabbage, kale or whatever you have to hand. 

The below makes a large batch, of which you can freeze some and defrost as and when required. 

Restorative Green Soup

Here's how:

• 1 head broccoli
• Pack of spinach, washed
• Cup of peas
• 2 large spring onions
• 2 sticks celery
• Fresh ginger root - about 40g or 3-4cm long
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp back pepper
• 1/2 lime
• Handful fresh coriander and parsley
• 800ml water
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Firstly add the olive oil to a large, heavy bottomed pan and place on a low heat.

Slice the spring onions, celery and garlic cloves and add to the pan.

Peel and slice the ginger and add to the pan - allow all to soften slightly,

Now add the cumin, salt, pepper and garam masala and squeeze over the half of lime juice. Allow to cook for a few minutes, the soup base should take on a brown hue.

In the meantime, chop the broccoli into florets, and wash the spinach, if it isn't already prepared. 

Add the broccoli and peas into the pan and allow to fry for a moment or two, then pour over the water and allow to cook for ten to fifteen minutes, or until the broccoli is tender to touch with a fork. 

Now add the spinach and the coriander and parsley - no need to chop, and stir through, allowing to cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a while. 

Restorative Green Soup

Blitz in a blender or Nutribullet until smooth, and then return to the pan to reheat, and ladle into soup bowls to serve. Enjoy!

Here are some other soup recipe ideas you might like:
Chunky Lentil, Bacon and Kale Soup
Red Pepper Soup
Curried Parsnip and Spinach Soup
Thai Sweet Potato Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup with Pak Choi
Vegetable Soup
Asparagus Soup with Crispy Bacon
Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup
Leek Potato and Cauliflower Soup
Restorative Chicken Broth

Sea Bass with a warm Jersey Royal Salad and Garlic Sauted Asparagus

Having visited Jersey at the weekend, and picked up some Jersey Royals fresh from a hedge veg honesty box, I was excited to get cooking with them.

The Jersey Royal season is a favourite in our house and serving them cooked, simply drizzled in butter with a little sea salt and either a few chopped chives or mint is always a winner; but I fancied trying something different.

Whilst in Jersey, we enjoyed several beautiful fish dishes amongst our group, and what I noticed was, whilst everything tasted great, there was a real simplicity that reminded me of Italian cookery. Rather than lots of complexities, instead, only a few, really good quality ingredients were used, and would be cooked well and did all the talking.

So for this dish, I simply created a warm Jersey Royal salad to go alongside pan-fried sea bass fillet and served with some sautéd asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Simple but it worked really well and we'll certainly enjoy again.

You could of course use an alternative potato such as Charlotte or simply New, but there is something extra special about the fudgey, sweet flavour that’s just better than the other varieties.

Bridget enjoyed this dish too so it's a great option for a family meal and the below serves three.

Sea Bass Fillet with a warn Jersey Royal Salad and Garlic Sauted Aspargus

Here's how:

• 3 sea bass fillets
• Bunch asparagus
• Handful cherry tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• Olive oil
• 350g Jersey Royals
• Three spring onions
• Handful radishes
• 3 tbsp peas
• 1 tbsp sour cream (could use crème fraiche or cream cheese)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (I use Maille)
• Sea Salt
• Black pepper

Firstly rinse the Jersey Royals well. Remove the excess dirt but don't be too vigorous. Place in a deep saucepan and pour over recently boiled water and place on a medium heat with a pinch of salt.

Now finely slice the spring onions and radish and set aside to dress the potatoes once cooked.

Place a drizzle of oil into a frying pan on a medium heat with a peeled clove of garlic. Once warm, add the asparagus and cherry tomatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes. Now remove from the pan and wrap in foil to keep warm.

Cook the peas and also place into the foil.

Now check the Jersey Royals - if almost cooked, then leave the frying pan on and season the sea bass. Omit from using salt for any children's portion.

Place skin-side down into the pan and cook, on a timer for five minutes. This should allow a lovely crispy skin.

Whilst the sea bass is cooking, drain the Jersey Royals and shake out any excess water. Return to the saucepan and add the sour cream, Dijon and a generous drizzle of olive oil and stir through gently to evenly coat the potatoes in the quick-dressing. Now add the radish and spring onions, stir again and place the lid on the pan to retain the heat.

Once five minutes is up, use an egg slice turn over the sea bass fillet in the pan and cook for a further 30 seconds then remove from the heat.

Dish up how you wish, but to do as I have done in the picture, simply add the Jersey Royal warm salad to the centre of the plate first. Then add the cherry tomatoes, dotted around the potato salad. Now add a layer of asparagus and finally add the sea bass fillet on top of the asparagus.

Sea Bass with a warm Jersey Royal Salad and Garlic Sauted Asparagus

Enjoy!

Salmon with Crushed Vegetable Mash

This is a simple but incredibly delicious and satisfying dinner, that's great for family meals mid-week as it doesn't take long to pull together.

The crushed vegetable mash is a sort of hybrid colcannon but I include thinly sliced leeks and curly kale gently sautéed in a tablespoon of butter so it keeps its’ bite and add some herbs from my kitchen windowsill selection - parsley and chives. The potatoes are baked in the skin while you can crack on with everything else; and then just peeled and the soft, fluffy flesh scooped out and combined with the vegetables after a gentle mashing with just a drizzle of olive oil.

I serve with peas and asparagus cooked in boiling water and the salmon is steamed on a plate, covered in tin foil on top of the pan to save on washing up!

For Glen and Bridget I poach an egg each to soft, in the vegetable water while dishing up as an added protein hit and it's a real family winner for our toddler foodie as well as us adults too.

The below serves two adults and one child portion. 

Salmon with Crushed Vegetable Mash

Here's how:

• 2 large fillets of salmon
• 3 large potatoes
• 150g curly kale
• 2 leeks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• Handful fresh parsley and chives
• Handful Asparagus spears
• 100g frozen peas
• Pinch salt
• Black pepper
• 3 eggs (optional) 

Firstly place the oven on a high heat around 200-220 degrees to pre-heat and place the potatoes in the microwave for six minutes.

Fill and boil the kettle.

Once the potatoes come out of the microwave, place the end of a metal teaspoon deeply inside of each, and place directly on the shelf of the oven to bake for 25 minutes. The metal teaspoon (a skewer would work as well) will speed up the heat working its way through and so will cook quicker).

Now add the butter to a heavy-bottomed pan and place on a gentle heat with a tiny drizzle of olive oil to prevent it burning or cooking too quickly.

Now slice the leeks and add to the pan. After four minutes on a gentle heat add the kale and stir with a wooden or plastic spoon and cook for a few minutes. Now remove the kale and leeks to a bowl and set aside for the minute.

Place the salmon fillets onto a plate and cover with foil. Now place the peas and asparagus into a different pan and cover with the boiling water, place the plate with the salmon on top and cook for 6-8 minutes.

While that’s cooking remove the potatoes from the oven, de-shell and place all of the soft and fluffy potato into the pan that cooked with leeks and kale. Add a knob of butter and mash with a fork, or a potato masher. Then stir in the buttery kale and leeks with a wooden spoon and place on a very gentle heat to keep warm.

Once the vegetables and salmon are cooked, use a slotted spoon to get the vegetables out of the water and place into a colander, then if you’re having poached egg, pop these into the vegetable water – they only take 3 minutes to poach to soft, so will be ready by the time you’ve dished up the rest of the meal. Enjoy!

TIP: If you prefer your salmon to be cooked through more, then leave to steam over the eggs as they poach.

Baby Bites Salmon in a Cheese Sauce with Sweet Potato and Vegetables

Bridget is now 18 months and whilst she's always loved her food from her first weaning tastes, she has started to get a little fussier and unpredictable in her eating habits. Some days she may really enjoy some sliced carrots and then the next time I try to offer her some she's uninterested so I now try to offer at least 3 small portions of vegetables with every main meal in the hope that she won't reject them all and this tactic is paying off.

This meal is delicious for all the family and takes little preparation aside from preparing the cheese sauce.

The below serves one toddler and one adult.

Salmon in a Cheese Sauce with Sweet Potato and Vegetables

Here's how: 

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 150ml-200ml milk
• 1 bay leaf
• Generous grating of nutmeg
• 50g Cheddar or other hard cheese - I used Pilgrim's Choice here)
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 2 small fillets salmon
• Handful frozen peas
• Baby corn
• Mange touts
• Tenderstem broccoli (or any other vegetables you have to hand) 

Firstly pop the oven onto 180 degrees and place the potatoes into the oven to bake.

Now prepare the cheese sauce by melting the butter gently in a heavy-bottomed pan then adding the flour once melted. Mix with a balloon whisk and slowly add the milk, mustard powder, bay and pepper and allow to gently heat. Add the cheese and the nutmeg and stir with a wooden spoon. Once satisfied with the sauce, set aside. If too thin, add a tiny bit of cornflour and cook out. Now set aside.

Place the salmon into a small ovenproof dish and cover with the cheese sauce and place into the oven for ten minutes.

Now prepare the vegetables by either placing into boiled water for five minutes or steaming for 9 minutes.

Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and scoop out the flesh and pop onto the plate.

Drain the vegetables and add to the plate and finally remove the salmon and cheese sauce and dish up. Enjoy!

Winter Vegetable Soup

Here's a lovely meat-free soup recipe perfect for a speedy mid-week supper or lunch in the cold winter weather.

The beauty of this soup, is you can add whatever vegetables you have lurking in the fridge, odds and ends welcome.

This particular version makes enough for two hearty portions of around 370 calories per portion so perfect if like me you are on a healthy eating regime or fat fighting. 

Winter Vegetable Soup

Here's how: 

• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 red chilli (optional) 
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 carrots
• 3 parsnips
• 2 leeks
• 50g peas (I used Birdseye Frozen Peas) 
• 1 Knorr Vegetable Stock Pot made up with 1 pint water (or other vegetable or chicken stock)
• Black pepper
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Firstly add the coconut oil to a thick bottomed pan and switch onto a low heat.

Now peel and finely dice the onion and garlic and add to the pan. Slice the chilli if you are using and add to the pan.

Allow to soften whilst you prepare the vegetables: peel and dice the carrots and parsnips and slice the leeks.

After a few minutes add the leeks to the pan and allow to gently fry for two minutes before adding the carrot, parsnip and peas. Now top up with the stock, add the bay leaf and a generous pinch of black pepper.

Pop the lid on and cook on a gentle heat for thirty minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for fifteen minutes. Now blitz with a hand blender or pop into a blender.

Return to the pan and re-heat till piping hot. Serve with crusty bread if your calorie count allows. Enjoy!

Courgetti in a Creamy Bacon & Vegetable Sauce

I've been trying to adhere to a 1200 calorie count in a bid to shed the last stone of baby weight and just live an overall healthier lifestyle since 1st January and so far so good.

Allowing myself weekend treat meals and alcoholic beverages works well for me but sometimes I really crave the more comforting mid-week meals such as pasta.

To make up for this I have been experimenting with courgetti and butternut pasta - both to some success and here is the recipe for a creamy, yet low fat bacon, leek, mushroom and pea 'pasta' using courgetti or courgette pasta that I just love and that really ticks the comfort food box for me. Also it gives me the chance to use my spiraliser - win, win.

If you haven't got a spiraliser; you can buy courgette pre-prepared from the likes of M&S, Tesco and Sainsbury's but the fresher the courgette the better for it to hold it's shape a bit.

The below is enough for two people and each portion comes in at 380 calories.

Courgetti in a Creamy Bacon & Vegetable Sauce

Here's how:

• 2 courgettes
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 rashers smoked bacon
• 100g mushrooms
• 100g peas
• 2 leeks
• 2 tbsp half fat crème fraiche
• 30g Grana Padano cheese
• Pinch black pepper
• Small handful fresh parsley (flat or curly is fine) 
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Firstly spiralise the courgette on the finest setting to be left with spaghetti like spirals of courgette and set aside for the moment.

Add the coconut oil to a non-stick pan and place on the lowest heat setting.

Now peel and very finely dice the onion and garlic and allow to soften.

Chop the bacon into very small pieces and add to the pan.

Now slice the leeks and mushrooms and once the bacon is almost cooked through, add to the pan.

After a few minutes add the peas and cook for a further two minutes.

Now add the crème fraiche and the Grana Padano and stir. Season here and cook for a further five to ten minutes.

In the meantime, chop the parsley, ready to stir through before serving.

Now add the courgetti to the pan and stir through. You want to heat this through, but for it to remain in shape and not become to floppy - essentially for it to still have some bite.

Now remove from the pan and stir through the parsley before serving. Enjoy!

Baby Bites Salmon and Orzo

Creamed horseradish goes really well with salmon and whilst it can be fairly strong in flavour, the fact that the salmon has a natural sweetness means this is a great toddler meal.

Salmon is such a good source of brain food (rich in potassium, Omega-3-fatty acids, selenium and vitamin B12 to name a few), and coupling it with one carbohydrate and a couple of vegetables makes for a well balanced dish.

I serve here with orzo, carrots and peas - for ease and these can all be cooked in the same pot together. Also if you're not already familiar with orzo, it's a fantastic little grain which is somewhere between a thick grain of rice and small pasta - it's very versatile and baby Bridget loves it. 

Baby Bites Salmon and Orzo

Here's how:

• 1 small salmon fillet or half of a larger one
• 1 teaspoon creamed horseradish
• 1/2 cream cracker or slice of bread
• 50g orzo
• 1 carrot
• 2 tbsp peas
• Drizzle olive oil
• Few fresh dill leaves
• Pinch black pepper

Firstly place a large pan of water on to boil and the oven onto 180 degrees.

In the meantime peel the carrot and chop into small batons that baby will be able to manage and once the water has boiled place the carrots and orzo into the pan and return to the heat to cook for 10-15 minutes.

Now place the salmon into an oven-proof dish and spoon over the horseradish. Now crumble over the cracker for a bit of crunchy texture. Place into the oven for fifteen minutes or until golden brown on top. Once the salmon is almost cooked, place the peas into the pot with the orzo and carrots to cook for a few further minutes.

Take the salmon out of the oven to cool a little and in the meantime, check if the orzo is cooked to 'al dente' firm to the bite or in other words, soft but still with a bit of bite - as you'd enjoy pasta or rice. If so drain with the vegetables into a colander.

Return the vegetables to the pan and drizzle over a good teaspoon of olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen up a bit. Add a pinch of black pepper and some fresh dill leaves and dish up then placing the cooked salmon on top.