Spring Vegetable, Mint, Feta and Ricotta Tart
This recipe celebrates all the good things about the spring/summer. It is also very, very quick to make, uses just a handful of ingredients and would make a lovely starter or light lunch. Crispy puff pastry with a creamy, salty and citrusy feta and ricotta mixture, crunchy asparagus and a drizzle of pesto completes the tart for a lovely veggie meal ready in no time.
Mediterranean Cod Traybake
A healthy traybake which may save on the washing up but delivers maximum flavour. Plump juicy tomatoes, salty olives, and fragrant citrus basil pesto all work beautifully with the fish. Washing up is also minimal which is a bonus.
Prawn Courgette Pasta with Sundried Tomato and Sunflower Seed Pesto
This pesto recipe is a great one for nut-allergies as it uses sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts. The texture and flavour is just the same as other pesto recipes (some might say actually more tasty) and its so versatile. You can add it on pizzas, stir it through risottos, or use it as a topping for hummus. The possibilities are endless.
Summer Greens Linguine with Pistachio Pesto and Parmesan
For today’s meat-free meal it had to be my recipe for this summer vegetable linguine with pistachio pesto. It’s full of plenty of gorgeous, in season greens and is the perfect summery dinner to give you a healthy dose of green goodness. I used spiralised courgettes in place of pasta as I genuinely love the taste and how they soak up all the sauce, but you could of course replace it with normal pasta instead if you prefer. The pistachio pesto is so nutty and full of plenty of fresh herbs, grated parmesan, lemon and garlic. I make this all the time to stir through risottos, top pizzas or just drizzle over some grilled chicken thighs. It is so so good.
Spiced Harissa Chickpea Carrots with Carrot Top Dill Pesto
This carrot recipe was too good not to share on its own. It makes a great side for a roast dinner or as part of a larger vegetarian mezze feast. The spiced carrots with crispy chickpeas work so well with the vibrant, zingy green pesto made from the tops of the carrots (a great way to cut down waste as well). Give these a go to elevate your roast game.
Slow Roast Spiced Leg of Lamb, Harissa Carrots with Dill Carrot Top Pesto, Bejewelled Rice and Mint Jus
This is my kind of Sunday roast. Shove the lamb in the oven in the morning and in a few hours you’re left with the most succulent, tender meat and a few lovely crispy bits from the bottom of the roasting tray (i.e. the best bits). Leg of lamb is a more expensive piece of meat but this fed 7 people comfortably so if you are looking for a special joint as a celebration meal, you do get your money’s worth. The spices used throughout this recipe also make this more expensive than most of the recipes I post, but hopefully if you do make this meal, you’ll find that sometimes it’s ok to splash out for a special occasion. The buttery saffron rice soaks up all the juices and is studded with dried fruit, chopped nuts, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cardamom pods. When it’s left in the pan on a really low temperature it also forms this lovely crispy buttery crust on the bottom which is so so good.
Super Green Summer Vegetable Pasta with Pistachio Pesto and Parmesan
Summery, healthy, so moreish and full of goodness - this is the type of pasta recipe which kids will love and have no idea just how many veggies they’re eating. The courgettes soak up all the lovely flavours from the pesto, while the toasted pistachios add a nutty sweetness and texture to the pesto.