Ingredients:

400 g jar Nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread
3 medium eggs, beaten
115 g plain flour

Method:

Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan) mark 4 and line a 20.5cm square cake tin with baking parchment. Scrape Nutella into a bowl and mix in eggs with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is combined and glossy.

Mix in flour, then scrape into the lined tin and smooth to level. Bake for 15-18min, until just set and slightly springy to the touch. Cool completely in tin before slicing and serving.

Ingredients:

2 medium onions
4 cloves of garlic
1 large leek
3 medium carrots
2 sticks of celery
2 tablespoons olive oil
250 g closed cup or chestnut mushrooms
2 medium courgettes
2 medium aubergines
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons tomato purée
1 fresh bay leaf
2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes , or 2 x 500g cartons of passata
1 teaspoon caster sugar
850 ml organic vegetable stock

Method:

Peel and very roughly chop the onions, garlic and carrots, and trim the leek and celery, then blitz in a food processor until finely chopped (if you want your sauce a little chunkier, coarsely grate them instead, using a box grater).

Heat the oil in your largest heavy-based pan over a medium heat, then add the onion mixture and fry for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.

Finely chop the remaining vegetables (again, coarsely grate, or roughly chop by hand for a chunkier sauce), then add to the pan and fry over a low heat for a further 20 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the oregano, tomato purée and bay leaf, fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour in the chopped tomatoes or passata.

Add the sugar and vegetable stock (I try to use homemade stock, but if you’ve only got stock cubes, that’s fine too), then cover and let it bubble away over a low heat for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally – the longer you cook it, the more the flavour will develop as it reduces and thickens.

When it’s ready, fish out the bay leaf and season to how you like it (it’s important to season the sauce right at the end – it will thicken and intensify in flavour as it cooks, so you might find it’s salty enough already).

Divide the sauce between freezer-proof containers and leave to cool, then label and pop into the freezer for up to 3 months, to use whenever you like. This is great as a simple pasta sauce or in my lasagne, with simple spaghetti & meatballs or as a tasty base for pizza.

Recipe (Serves 8);

Bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
5 sprigs of thyme
5 sprigs of rosemary
1 litre chicken stock
10 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
2 leeks, trimmed, well washed and thickly sliced
80g unsalted butter
80g plain flour
50ml double cream
2 tbsp hot English mustard
50g mature Cheddar, grated
300g flaked, cooked smoked ham hock
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
For the hot water crust pastry:

750g plain flour
1 tsp salt
2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
125g unsalted butter, diced
125g lard, diced
250ml water
2 large free-range egg yolks, beaten with a pinch of salt, for glazing

Method:

1: Place the bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme and rosemary on a square of muslin, draw up the edges and tie tightly with kitchen string to enclose the flavourings. Place in a saucepan and pour on the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a simmer and allow to infuse over a low heat for 5 minutes.

2: Add the chicken thighs, bring back to a simmer and cook gently for 25 minutes. Add the leeks to the pan and cook for another 15 minutes until they are soft. Drain the chicken and leeks in a sieve over a heatproof bowl, to save the stock. When cool enough to handle, pull the chicken off the bones and set aside on a plate.

3: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat, then add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute to make a roux. Swap the spoon for a whisk. Slowly add 600ml of the reserved chicken stock to the roux, whisking constantly to keep the sauce smooth. (Save any remaining stock to use for soup, gravy etc.)

4: Continue cooking over a medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat, add the cream, mustard and Cheddar and stir until the cheese has melted. Add the chicken, leeks, and flaked ham hock and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl, allow to cool, then stir through the chopped parsley. Refrigerate until needed.

5: To make the hot water crust pastry, place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Make a well in the centre and pour in the beaten eggs. Mix on a medium speed until well incorporated – the dough will be crumbly once the egg has been worked in.

6: Place the butter, lard and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat until the butter and lard have melted. Turn the mixer to a low speed and gradually pour in the hot liquid, stopping as soon as a dough forms; you may not need all the liquid. (Alternatively, you can mix the pastry by hand, using a wooden spoon to beat in the eggs, then the melted mixture.)

7: Take the dough out of the bowl and divide into two pieces, one twice the size of the other: one-third for your pie lid, and the larger portion to line the pie tin.

8: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece to a round, 5mm thick. Use to line the base and sides of a 23cm round non-stick pie tin, 5cm deep, pushing the pastry into the sides. Let the excess overhang the rim and brush the pastry on the rim with beaten egg yolk.

9: Roll out the other piece of pastry to a round, 5mm thick, for the pie lid. Spoon the cooled filling into the pastry-lined pie tin. Cover with the pastry lid and cut away the overhanging excess pastry from the edge. (There will be quite a lot of trimmings.) Press the edges together with your fingertips, to seal and crimp.

10: Brush the surface evenly with beaten egg yolk and cut a small hole in the middle of the top, to allow the steam to escape. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the pastry to set. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 210°C/Fan 190°C/Gas 5–6.

11: Bake the pie in the oven for 35–45 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Leave to stand for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe:

Old fashioned rolled oats
Natural peanut butter
Honey
Unsweetened shredded coconut
Chocolate chips
Ground flaxseed
Vanilla
Sea salt

Method:

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir together well to combine.
Place bowl of “dough” in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour so it can set up.
Bring dough out of the fridge and roll into balls about 1 Tablespoon in size.
Store in a covered container in the fridge or freezer.

For the gravy

• 15g butter
• 1 level tbsp flour
• 100ml red wine
• 1tbsp redcurrant jelly
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1. Heat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Pull off the outer layer of fat on the lamb and discard.
2. To make the crumb mixture, blend the breadcrumbs, mint and the rind and juice of 1 lemon in a food processor until finely chopped. Spread this mixture over the lamb and place flat in a large roasting tin, crumb-side up. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon and add the liquid, squeezed lemon halves, shallots, and garlic to the roasting tin. Roast for 45 mins (or 25 mins per lb) until the meat is cooked.
3. Remove from the oven. Arrange the lamb racks on a serving platter with the bones facing inwards and interlocking to make an arch. Cover with foil to rest for 10 mins while you make the gravy.
4. Remove the lemon halves, garlic cloves and any large shallot pieces from the roasting tin. Place the tin on the hob and add the butter. Heat until foaming, then add the flour. Cook 2-3 mins until thickened, then pour on the red wine and 200ml boiling water, then add the redcurrant jelly and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 3-4 mins, then strain. Serve with the lamb.

Recipe:

1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
frozen berries
1 small banana
150ml almond milk
1 tablespoon of almond butter

Method:

Place all of the ingredients into a powerful blender and blend until a smooth mixture forms. You may want to add a dash more almond milk if you like it a little thinner in consistency.