Chicken dhansak

Make chicken go further with this Parsi curry where lentils create a hearty, creamy texture. It also has sweet and sour flavour notes

Marry me chicken & orzo

Make this creamy chicken orzo for a midweek meal or to impress a date. It tastes so good, whoever you’re making it for might ask you to marry them after eating it! It’s easy to make, super comforting and can even be made ahead and frozen

Spicy red pepper dip & crispy harissa mince

This is my interpretation of an amazing dish, muhammara, a spicy Middle Eastern red pepper and walnut dip. It’s very easy to pull together, especially if you use a jar of roasted peppers. I’ve topped mine with crispy harissa mince for a more complete meal, but if you leave it out it’s perfect for parties, served with crudités or pitta breads, or spread on the inside of sandwiches.

Takeaway-style mushrooms & ‘egg’

Mushrooms are the hero of this satisfying, sweet and salty dish, so if you’re craving ‘egg’ noodles, it’s so much better than ordering in. The secret is the bicarbonate of soda which magically combines with the starchy water to produce that distinctive egg-like flavour. To make the meal more substantial, top with crispy tofu or add more veg.

Chorizo & savoy cabbage rigatoni

Use Savoy cabbage in this chorizo pasta dish for its slightly bitter edge. Curly kale, chopped spring greens or spinach would also work well

Spicy chicken with coconut rice & beans

Cook up this creamy Jamaican-style chicken served with kidney bean and red pepper coconut brown rice. It’s deceptively healthy – low in fat and rich in fibre

Smoky fish dip & bagel chips

Turn oily fish into a scoopable dip for a great way to encourage kids to eat more of it. Oily fish, such as mackerel, is full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids

Poached hake in tomato, chilli & ginger broth

Poach the hake in this dish for a speedy, healthy cooking method. We’ve used lime leaves to impart a lovely aromatic flavour, along with chilli and ginger

Red pesto minestrone soup

Feel free to swap the red pesto in this minestrone soup for green or chilli pesto, if you like. Top with grated parmesan and enjoy with crusty bread

Summer sausage stew with couscous

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims/non-pork eaters.

Make this sausage and giant couscous stew part of your midweek repertoire this summer – it’s easy to make, and provides three of your five-a-day.

Baked cod with tomatoes, capers & basil

Enjoy white fish once a week for a low-fat, high-protein meal. It also provides vitamins that support the heart, brain and bones

Warm chicken salad with avocado dressing

The avocados in this smoky, warm salad are highly nutritious, containing vitamin E, iron, potassium and niacin, along with heart-healthy monounsaturated fat