Roasted cauliflower dhal with homemade gluten-free naan

Pack in four of your 5-a-day with a bowl of these spiced veggie lentils. Make your own gluten-free naan to scoop it up, or use shop-bought

Vegan lentils with soy & ginger tofu

Combine sweet, sticky, spicy fried tofu with puy lentils, coriander and chilli for a fibre-packed dish

Puy lentil salad with beetroot & walnuts

Walnuts make a tasty addition to this vegan salad and are a source of plant compounds called polyphenols which guard against inflammation

Creamy coconut & spinach dhal

“This meal is a complete hug in a bowl. Substituting half of the rice for quinoa not only adds extra wholegrain goodness but also boosts the meal’s fibre and protein content. Alternatively, wholegrain brown rice serves as an excellent alternative. A squeeze of lemon juice is an excellent way to include vitamin C, aiding in the absorption of iron from the lentils and spinach.” — Dr Chintal Patel

Tomato soup & hummus crispbreads

Get organised for the week ahead and make this soup on a Sunday – it keeps well in the fridge. We’ve packed in the veg, along with red lentils to add protein

Speedy lentil coconut curry

This quick and easy curry has such great depth of flavour – it tastes like it’s been cooked for hours. It’s healthy too, as well as being low in fat and calories

Apricot-glazed chicken & lentil traybake

Let your oven do the work for you with this hands-off chicken & lentil traybake. The apricot jam glaze on the chicken adds a lovely sweet flavour

Miso lentil & cabbage soup

Make a filling soup with the help of green lentils, pancetta, white cabbage and mushrooms, along with miso flavours. It packs in three of your 5-a-day

Puy lentils with seared salmon

Enjoy the health benefits of salmon in this dish, or make a vegan version (see tip, below). Save leftover lentils for quick meals later in the week

Jewelled squash, chestnut & mushroom wreath

Make this vegan wreath as a showstopping Christmas centrepiece, or serve it alongside meat as an alternative to stuffing, adding texture to your dinner plate

Roasted beetroot & feta salad

Let beetroots shine in this vibrant salad made with lentils, feta, walnuts and rocket. A satisfying lunch or supper, it’s a colourful seasonal salad for autumn

Creamy lentil curry

Claire Thomson has produced a week’s worth of easy dinners to help you and your family settle back into the school routine. This lentil curry is comforting and full of flavour