Method
1. Heat the oil and cook the onions, garlic and carrot for 5 minutes.
2. Add the lentils and spinach and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the stock and bring to the boil.
4. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
5. Season as necessary and liquidise with a soup blender.
Stuffed Courgette Flowers
1. Mix chopped cooked spinach with chopped tomato and some soft goat’s cheese.
2. Season with grated nutmeg, salt and pepper.
3. Spoon into courgette flowers.
4. Dip the flowers in batter; deep fry, then drain on kitchen paper.
Ratatouille
1. Soften a chopped red onion and garlic clove with some sliced summer squashes, peppers, and aubergine in a little olive oil, stirring.
2. Add some skinned and chopped tomatoes, a little tomato puree and a splash of dry white wine.
3. Season. Add a pinch of sugar.
4. Cover, simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until tender.
5. Add some chopped basil.
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 160 C.
2. Remove the tomato cores.
3. Put the tomatoes in a roasting pan and coat with the olive oil. Add the garlic bulb (whole) and the onions (whole). Roast for 40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
4. Put the tomatoes in a pan with the olive oil. Carefully scoop out the middle of the onions and add to the pan. Carefully squeeze the garlic out of the cloves and add to the pan. (This is messy!!!)
5. Add the stock, balsamic vinegar and rosemary sprig and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove the rosemary sprig.
6. Add the basil just before serving.
7. You can either serve this chunky-style or liquidise it.
Notes: Tomato And Roast Garlic Soup
If you don’t want to roast the garlic, use 4 cloves, instead of a whole bulb
Method
1. Cook the rice.
2. Meantime, snap the asparagus stems if the bottom bit is woody, then lightly steam them for about 8 minutes.
3. Whilst the asparagus is steaming, saute the garlic, onion and mushrooms over a medium flame, adding the spices, nuts and seeds after five minutes.
4. Continue sautéing for another two or three minutes, then tip in the chickpeas and heat through thoroughly.
5. Chop the asparagus into bite sized chunks, then add these and the sautéed mix into the cooked rice.
6. Mix thoroughly and season well, adding lemon juice or balsamic vinegar to taste.
7. Serve hot, perhaps with a dollop of plain soya yogurt and some fresh coriander leaves.
Method
1. Heat about half of the oil in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic, ginger and dry spices and fry gently for 5 minutes.
2. Add the lentils, stir well and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a fry pan. Add the curry paste and fry gently for 3 minutes.
4. Add the cauliflower and stir-fry another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
5. Add the coconut milk and cauliflower to the lentils and return to the boil.
6. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Stir in the peas, coriander and lemon juice.
8. Heat this through for 3 minutes. When the peas have become tender, it is ready to serve.
You can also use broccoli instead of cauliflower and broad beans instead of peas, see what variations you can design.
Serve with naan bread or long grain brown basmati rice
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Method
1. Wash the kale and the broccoli. Dry well.
2. Slice the kale roughly and chop the broccoli into medium-sized chunks.
3. Peel & crush the garlic. Wipe any mud off the mushroom and chop it roughly.
4. Heat the oil in a wok until hot. Add the garlic and the mushrooms. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are lightly browned and their juice has evaporated.
5. Chop the tofu into cubes (if using). Add to the pan and cook on a high heat for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until it starts to brown.
6. Add the broccoli. Stir and cover for 3 minutes.
7. Add the kale. Cover for 2 minutes, until it starts to wilt. Remove the wok from the heat.
8. Mix the sesame seeds with the tamari (or soy sauce) and miso paste, if using. Add to the pan. Mix well. Serve immediately.
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Oil 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Bring broth and tomatoes just to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, leeks and garlic. Cover skillet and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Mix in cooked orzo, basil, vinegar, tomatoes and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared dish; cover with foil.
4. Bake pilaf until heated through, about 40 minutes. Serve hot.
Method
1. Cook the onions and potato in the oil for 2-3 minutes until just starting to soften.
2. Add the spinach and apple and cook for another 3 minutes.
3. Add the spices and lemon zest and juice and season well.
4. Add the stock and bring to the boil.
5. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the spinach has wilted and the potatoes are tender.
6. Liquidise with a soup blender.
• 2 shallots thinly sliced
• 1 medium sized leek thinly sliced
• 1 medium sized potato diced
• 500g of fresh baby leaf spinach
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme or a heaped teaspoon of dry
• 2 pints of water
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions:
1. Heat a splash of oil on a medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan, add the shallots, leek and potato and soften for five minutes.
2. Add the water, slowly bring to the boil, then simmer gently for about 30 minutes ensuring the soup doesn’t come to the boil.
3. Introduce the spinach, raise the heat slightly and stir continuously for four minutes, until all the spinach leaves are dark green and limp.
4. Turn the stove off and leave the soup to stand for fifteen minutes then blend the soup in a food processor until completely smooth.
5. Bring back to the stove and reheat until hot but don’t boil.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve immediately with warm croutons and grated cheese
Spinach can be used in lots of recipes including soups, quiches, curries, pates and soufflés.
Why not try one of tasty seasonal recipes:
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