7 Easy Lunches To Make This Week

Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas Mark 3.

Cut the mozzarella into slices 1cm thick.

Toast the bread under the grill for 5 minutes.

Lay the mozzarella slices on the slices of toast and place under the grill for a further 3 minutes.

To serve, top with the tomatoes, then add some pesto and scatter over the pine nuts.

Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, garnish with a few watercress leaves and enjoy.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

In a large bowl, mix together the cauliflower, sweet potato, garlic and garam masala with 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Arrange the veggies in a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the lentils into a saucepan along with 500ml of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked. Drain and set aside.

In another large bowl, mix the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil with the mustard, ginger and half of the lemon juice, then stir in the cooked lentils.

Divide the lentils among 4 serving bowls, then top with the roasted cauliflower and sweet potato. Scatter over the fresh coriander and squeeze over the remaining lemon juice.

Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and serve with coleslaw.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Cut the sweet potatoes lengthways (keep the skin on) into long wedges around 2cm thick at their widest point.

For the salad, wash and roughly chop the kale and massage with the kale dressing. Pick the coriander leaves.

Toast the walnuts in 1 tsp of pomace oil, Maldon salt and pepper in the oven for 5 minutes to release the flavour. Do not let it go too brown.

For the tahini yoghurt, combine the ingredients. Taste to check the seasoning. It should be pretty thick, but you can thin it out with a little water.

Layer the kale, sweet potato, coriander and toasted walnuts on the flat plate, leaving enough room to put the yoghurt around the outside (you may not use all of it).

Put the chicken into a bowl with the paprika, honey and a tbsp of the oil. Season well and toss to coat all the chicken pieces.

Heat a large frying pan and add the remaining oil. Fry the chicken pieces briefly over a high heat until golden brown and just cooked through – take care not to overcook them. Remove to a plate, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Scatter the lettuce over a large serving plate and sprinkle with the dill, spring onions and pickles. Arrange the warm chicken pieces on top.

Measure all the dressing ingredients into a bowl and whisk until combined. Check the seasoning. Pour the dressing over the salad and sprinkle with parmesan shavings and pea shoots.

Fill a very large saucepan with 3l of boiling water, season with salt and add the chicken. Reduce to a simmer, cover and poach for 60-80 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken) until the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh and the chicken is cooked all the way through. Once done, leave to cool.

Meanwhile, reserve some pistachios to garnish, then mix together all the remaining dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well. Taste for the balance of sweet, sour, salty and heat and adjust as necessary.

To make the shallot pickle, mix the shallots with the vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside for about 20 minutes. Mix the radishes, sugar snap peas and any other vegetables you’re using in a large salad bowl. Add the coriander.

Once cool, tear off the chicken along the grain and season with pepper. Add this to the salad bowl along with the pickled shallots and its juices.

When ready to serve, toss the salad together with the dressing. Garnish with the coriander, pistachios and pomegranate seeds. Serve the salad with the prawn crackers.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Crumple a roughly 35cm square piece of non-stick baking parchment into a ball. Open it out and use it to line your wide shallow pot.

Mix the cinnamon, turmeric and cumin with the oil and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Add the butternut squash and onions to the pot and pour over the spice mix.

Give everything a good mix with your hands, ensuring the vegetables are evenly covered. Roast for 1 hour until the edges of the vegetables are slightly charred. Halfway through, give everything a gentle shake so nothing sticks.

Meanwhile, using a fork, crumble the feta in a bowl and combine with the yogurt, garlic and milk.

After the vegetables have been roasting for an hour, add the walnuts to the pot and cook for 10 more minutes.

Once the vegetables are ready, remove from the oven and let the pot cool very slightly.

Using the non-stick paper to help you, shuffle the vegetables and walnuts around a little to cover them with any fragrant oils that may have collected. Then slip the paper out and discard. Distribute the roasted ingredients as evenly as you can in the pot.

Now add spoonfuls of the yogurt and feta mix across the vegetables and nuts. Drizzle the pomegranate molasses over the top followed by the fresh herbs, some more extra virgin olive oil and the pomegranate seeds.

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

In a food processor, process the rolled oats for 1 minute, or until a coarse flour develops. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining falafel ingredients to the food processor and pulse 30-40 times to coarsely chop and mix. The mixture should be finely chopped but still have some texture. Transfer to the bowl with the oat flour, and use a large wooden spoon to mix well.

Scoop out a scant 2 tbsp of the falafel dough, form into a patty, and place on the lined baking tray. Repeat with the remaining dough. You should have 12 patties.

Bake for 15 minutes, gently flip each patty, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the exteriors are crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Add the purple cabbage, red pepper and coriander to a large non-metal mixing bowl.

In a small mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the tahini, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and sea salt until emulsified. Pour it over the slaw and toss to coat.

Use a spiralizer to spiralize the cucumber into noodles. Alternatively, use a vegetable peeler to shave the cucumber lengthwise into long, ribbon-like strips.

In a high-speed blender, combine the cashew or hemp seeds, water, diced cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and black pepper to taste and blend on high for 2-3 minutes, or until completely smooth. Transfer to an airtight jar and stir in the grated cucumber. Taste and season with more sea salt and black pepper, if desired. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Divide the cucumber noodles, slaw, and falafel patties among bowls. Drizzle the cucumber noodles and falafel with the tzatziki sauce. Serve immediately.