Recipes – #ThisGirlEats

Store Cupboard Recipes: 4 Things to Make with Leftover Salad

How’s everyone getting on? It’s pretty boring, this lockdown stuff. I’ve resorted to playing Roller Coaster Tycoon, listening to rewatch podcasts (Office Ladies and Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach and Donald if you’re interested) and exercising – FOR FUN. Ew.

But it’s important that we keep plodding along for our own protection and the protection of everyone around us, so well done for doing your bit! While we’re all still pining after our favourite food, I’ve found that coming up with new meal ideas a welcome challenge to distract me from constant daydreams about Nandos and Pizza Express.

I know salad isn’t exactly a “store cupboard” food but, in our house, it’s ALWAYS leftover – I guess that’s what happens when you ignore it and eat pizza instead. Who knew?! And I know we’re not alone, so here are a few ideas for using up that wilting bag of salad leaves before it dies a sad, lonely death in the bottom of the vegetable draw.

1. Lemon ‘n’ lime salad

This is my favourite go-to salad because it’s super easy, really refreshing (perfect for the hot weather we’re having!) and full of flavour. If you don’t have fresh lemon and limes – I literally NEVER do – then bottled lemon and lime juice is something I’d definitely recommend picking up; seriously, so handy. I also find having various nuts and seeds in the cupboard (sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, cashews – whatever you like and whatever is in your budget) is really useful, especially for dishes like this.

Believe me, those limp lettuce leaves will come ALIVE with this recipe! Empty your leftover salad into a large bowl (along with any other salad ingredients – tomato, cucumber, red onion, grated carrot, etc.) and add a few drops of lemon and lime juice (I prefer more lime than lemon, but each to their own) and season with a pinch of garlic powder, salt, pepper and a teeny drizzle of oil. I also like to throw in pine nuts and sesame seeds, and I have a little shaker of ~~fake parmesan~~ “hard cheese” that I like to use for a delicious savoury flavour. I can find everything here in my kitchen 99% of the time, and they can all be swapped for whatever you have at home.

2. Burrito bowl

I’m seriously missing burritos right now, you guys. No Mexican restaurants are open for delivery near us, the supermarkets have v. limited veggie options and whenever I make burritos at home I always overfill them and they split (me? greedy? never!). So, right now, a burrito bowl is the closest thing – and they’re awesome!

Burrito bowls are perfect because you can make them using fairly basic ingredients, swapping most of them out for something else if you prefer. All you need to do is layer a bowl with rice and salad, throw some peppers and onions (with paprika, chilli flakes, salt and pepper) on top with a spoonful of beans – I like black beans or mixed taco beans, but you can spice anything up with garlic and paprika – and finish off with a little cheese, salsa and sour cream. Throw in plenty of spices along the way and you can’t go wrong!

3. Club sandwich

Lunch is something I’ve reeeally struggled with during lockdown – without my Boots meal deal, I’m lost. Trying to make something exciting to look forward to every day (because let’s face it, even from home the best part of the work day is lunchtime) has been hard for me. I’ve fallen back on a pot of Super Noodles more than once these last few weeks, let me tell you!

Club sandwiches are probably the closest to a pub garden lunch we’ll get for a while, and it’s a really good way to use up some of those random fridge ingredients in one big wedge of sandwich-y goodness. Take a few slices of bread, layered up with your choice of main filling – chicken, turkey, or maybe mushrooms or marinated tofu – and then stuff in your salad along with any optional extras like avocado and tomato, perhaps a little mayonnaise or mustard, add in some egg or cheese if you feel like it, and you’ve got a great lunch! Don’t forget that extra slice of bread in the middle to make it a true club sandwich…

4. Mixed bean salad

I’m aware that a mixed bean salad probably sounds like the most boring thing in the world right now and, well, I won’t lie to you – you’re not wrong. It won’t light fireworks, but it’s a healthy, colourful plate, quick to put together and really good way to use up lots of different ingredients. And sometimes, in the middle of a pandemic, that’s all you need.

You can either grab a few different tins of beans yourself, or find a ready-made tin of mixed beans if you can’t be bothered to pick and choose (like me!). All you need to do is heat them up, season with paprika, garlic, chilli flakes, salt and pepper, and toss them together with your leftover salad ingredients and BAM – you’ve done it! Tuck into this for a quick lunch, or perhaps serve up on the side of chicken or with a garlic flatbread to make more of a meal out of it. Perfect for a lazy summer evening!

Store Cupboard Recipes: 5 Things to Make with Chopped Tomatoes

With everyone being locked inside right now, more of us are being forced to cook – even on those lazy days when we really can’t be bothered. Takeaways are limited, restaurants are a no-go and it’s hard to justify queuing 45 minutes at the supermarket for a microwave burrito, so we don’t have a whole lot of options…

Being at the mercy of your own kitchen comes with plenty of downfalls. Not only do you have to muster up the energy to cook every. single. night. (seriously, what the hell is that about?), but we’re also having to deal with the fact that our shopping trips are restricted and you never know what will actually be available on the shelves once you get there. It’s really put “making the most of what you’ve got” to the test, food-wise.

I’m lucky that I enjoy cooking and find the kitchen a creative space; it’s a distraction for me, really. I’ve had fun rummaging through the cupboards, trying to figure out what we can do with the most basic store cupboard ingredients, and I thought it was about time I shared a few ideas with you all – and I’m starting with one of my favourites! If you’re looking for inspiration on what to do with that old tin of chopped tomatoes gathering dust on the back of the shelf, look no further…

1. Quick spaghetti bolognese

It’s the obvious choice, but you literally can’t go wrong with a heap of delicious spaghetti in a sweet tomato sauce topped with a shaving of cheese. The most popular way to make spag bol is with beef mince, but you can use lamb mince, soy mince, or replacement vegetables such as lentils – whatever you’ve got at home!

I make mine with a veggie mince alternative – all it takes is frying off a little onion and garlic, adding the mince (or your weapon of choice) and sliced mushrooms, followed by a cheap tin of chopped tomatoes. Then simply season with a crumbled stock cube, a dash of tomato puree, mixed herbs, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper and combine with spaghetti until it transforms into that delicious hug in a bowl – i.e. spag bol.

2. Winter stew

You can whip up a super quick stew (yes, there is such a thing) using nothing but the humble chopped tomato as a base. The best thing about this sort of meal is that you can use literally anything – I’ve made this using black beans and sweet potato, chicken and root vegetables, and even a random array of canned and frozen veg that happened to be around.

For the sake of lockdown, I’d suggest going for the latter – grab your unwanted tins of sweetcorn, kidney beans and baby carrots, along with that squashed-down, half-empty packet of Birds Eye Mixed Vegetables in the bottom of the freezer, throw the lot into a pan or slow cooker with chopped tomatoes, 200ml of stock and a little seasoning (whatever you have – I like using garlic, thyme, marjoram, paprika, chilli flakes, salt and pepper in mine) and cook down for 20-30 minutes.

3. Chickpea chilli

Chickpeas are always knocking about in my kitchen and, given how quickly they disappeared from the supermarket shelves at the start of all this, it makes sense that there are a lot of unwanted chickpeas kicking around in other people’s kitchens up and down the country right now.

I’m a big fan of chilli – especially making my own random versions depending on how bothered I can be or what I have to hand. Sometimes, that’s chickpea chilli. Rinse off the chickpeas and cook them in a pan with onions, peppers, kidney beans and, you guessed it, chopped tomatoes, along with a generous dose of paprika, cinnamon, cumin and chilli. I like to pile my chilli on top of steaming hot jacket potatoes with a handful of cheese and sour cream, my boyfriend prefers to carb-load with a mountain of rice – go with your heart.

4. Patatas bravas (sort of)

Okay, so I probably don’t make this quite right. Patatas bravas is a traditional Spanish tapas dish, and I make some sort of version of it using what I have in my kitchen. I also make it into a larger portion because I’m greedy and tapas is too small for my liking – unless someone else is cooking it, obviously.

All you need is potatoes and chopped tomatoes – couldn’t be simpler, right? I like to throw in some chopped onions and serve it up on a bed of greens as well, but that’s totally your call. Simply chop the potatoes into cubes and roast in the oven until crispy – in the meantime, simmer the chopped tomatoes for around 10 to 15 minutes with some garlic, paprika, chilli, salt and pepper. That’s all there is to it, and you’ve got a lightly spiced dish with very little effort.

5. Vegetable soup

I know tins of soup were at the top of everyone’s shopping list as soon as whisperings of lockdown started, because it’s a classic, right? If you’re cold, if you’re sick, if you’re feeling a little down… there isn’t much that a bowl of soup can’t solve. I firmly believe that being able to find comfort in the time it takes to microwave a tin of Heinz tomato soup is a blessing, but if your local store is sold out or you just fancy making your own, chopped tomatoes go a long way.

Fry off some onions and garlic, add a litre of stock and literally any vegetables you want – seriously, anything will do – along with a tin of chopped tomatoes, then season (I’m using cumin, coriander, mixed herbs, salt and pepper, with an optional dash of English mustard and tomato puree) and simmer for 20 minutes or so. Cool, blitz in a blender and then heat as and when you want! You can freeze it, keep it in the fridge, batch cook it, reheat it (safely, of course) – it’s the perfect lockdown recipe.

RECIPE: Homemade KFC Gravy | #ThisGirlEats

If, like me, KFC gravy is one of your favourite fast food pleasures, this recipe means you can now make this tasty treat in the comfort of your own kitchen!

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This KFC gravy recipe cost me less than 50p per person.
What are the benefits? This dish makes a great takeaway alternative, is lower in fat than the real deal, and can be made completely veggie!

I don’t really venture into KFC anymore because their vegetarian options are basically non-existent, which is a shame because sometimes I get a real craving for an alternative to their delicious fried chicken – to quote Gavin and Stacey’s Smithy, “What is that secret blend of eleven herbs and spices, d’you think?”

Well, sadly I don’t have the answer to that question – although I do make a pretty mean southern fried chicken myself! – but I’ve managed to rustle up my own version of one of the fast food chain’s most popular side dishes; the KFC gravy!

It’s nothing like the deep, earthy gravy we pour over our roast dinners every Sunday. We’re talking about a very different kind of gravy here, with a thick, almost creamy consistency, more like a southern American gravy, and it’s incredibly moreish. Pour over your chicken, use as a dip for crusty bread, whatever you fancy – but prepared to want more as soon as you’ve lick the last drop from your plate!

INGREDIENTS
1 Chicken or Vegetable Stock Pot (try to use the stock that’s more like a jelly rather than a solid dry cube, but if that’s all you have then that’s fine, but you might struggle with the consistency)
2 tbsp Butter or Margarine
3 tbsp Plain Flour
2 Mugs of Boiling Water

SEASONING
Most of the flavour comes from the stock cube, but you need a really decent crack of black pepper here to get that very subtle spice that you find in a KFC gravy.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE KFC GRAVY

1. Dissolve your stock pot or cube in 750ml (approx. 2 mugs) of boiling water.

2. Grab a large roasting tin or deep baking tray, place over a low heat on the hob, add your butter and gently melt it down to liquid.

3. Add 1 tbsp of your flour to the melted butter and stir well to combine – repeat with the second spoonful, then the third, until it forms a thick, grainy paste (it’s about to become much more appetising, I promise!).

4. Pour in a little of your stock and stir really, really well with the paste. Continue to slowly pour the stock, season with pepper and heat very gently as you combine it all together. It should become less grainy and much smoother, like the kind of thick gravy we’re looking for.

5. Turn up the heat just a touch until it’s more of a low-medium temperature, then allow the gravy to simmer for around five minutes. If you still feel like it needs to thicken up, add a little more flour and continue to stir until it dissolves into the mixture.

6. Remove from the heat when you’ve reached that silky consistency and it’s lovely and thick – but still pourable!

*Quorn southern fried bites with mashed potato and sliced onion, smothered with thick KFC-style gravy*

RECIPE: Roast Potatoes in a Chunky, Spicy Tomato Sauce | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This roast potatoes in a chunky, spicy tomato sauce recipe cost me less than 50p per person.
What are the benefits? This dish counts as one of your five a day, is high in fibre and bursting with antioxidants – perfect as flu season approaches!

If you’ve ever vacationed in Spain (or gone into the Tapas Revolution at your local shopping centre) you’ve probably heard of the classic tapas dish, patatas bravas. If not, I’ll give you a quick run down – the “patatas” are crispy fried potato cubes in a “bravas” sauce, usually made from tomatoes with a kick of spice.

This recipe is definitely inspired by the traditional Spanish tapas dish but, as usual, is my own twist on it. Like any self-respecting Brit, I bloody love a roastie – I mean, is there honestly anything better than the perfect roast potato?! Crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle and with just the right amount of seasoning; Y-U-M! I’ll never claim to make the best roast potatoes in the world, but I like to give it a bloomin’ good go.

My take on patatas bravas is pretty much just the humble roast potato, with tin of chopped tomatoes plonked on top – but, y’unno, make it fancy.

INGREDIENTS
2 Large Baking Potatoes, Cubed
1 Onion, Chopped (finely)
400g Tin of Chopped Tomatoes

SEASONING
When the onions first go into the pan, chuck some garlic in there (dried or fresh, whatever you’ve got to hand) to fry off for a couple of minutes. Then, with the tomatoes, add a very, very generous helping of paprika and dried chilli flakes to your taste – but remember, it is meant to be a spicy sauce! You’ll want to add a teaspoon of sugar as well to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes. And, of course, season both the potatoes and the sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper.

HOW TO MAKE ROAST POTATOES IN A CHUNKY, SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

1. Heat the oven to 200°C and cover the base of a large roasting tin with cooking spray or oil, whichever you prefer to use. Throw in the potato cubes, season with salt, pepper and make sure they’re coated in a very small amount of oil to help crisp them up. Cook for 30 – 40 minutes until they’re cooked through and crispy on the outside. Make sure you shuffle them around halfway so they don’t stick!

2. In a large, deep pan, heat up a touch of cooking spray or oil and add the chopped onions. Cook with some garlic for a couple of minutes, then reduce to a low-medium heat.

3. Pour in the tin of chopped tomatoes, throw in a generous dose of paprika, chilli flakes, salt and pepper to season, as well as a teaspoon of sugar, then leave to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.

4. Remove the potatoes from the oven and pile on the tomato sauce. These make a delicious lunch on their own, or serve on a bed of spring greens (as we did!) to make a fuller meal.

RECIPE: Lean ‘n’ Green Pasta | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 4
How much does it cost? This lean ‘n’ green pasta recipe cost me less than 25p per person.
What are the benefits? This dish is suuuper high in antioxidants, very low in fat and somewhere between two to three of your five a day.

When you’re trying to eat healthier, it’s very easy to get swept up in the diet culture of calorie counting and restrictive eating, and I’ve had to really train myself out of those habits (I still fall off the wagon, believe me).

Nowadays, when I want to eat a little healthier, I just try to think of obvious changes, like making sure you eat your five a day, cutting down on processed food and, of course, eating your greens.

Recently I made a very conscious effort to inject some more “green” into our diets. It’s not my favourite colour to serve up on the plate, but many green veggies are super good for you, full of health benefits and definitely worth making space for. For me, it’s about combining these sorts of ingredients with things I love and eat regularly, like pasta.

That’s how I came up with this lean ‘n’ green pasta recipe, which can be pretty much made up with any leftover greens you’ve got at home, a spoonful of pesto and whatever pasta shape you can find. I’ve used broccoli, peas and kale, but these are totally interchangeable!

INGREDIENTS
300g Dried Pasta
1 Large Onion, Chopped
8 Small Broccoli Florets
50g Curly Kale
300g Garden Peas
2 tbsp Green Pesto
1 Vegetable Stock Cube

SEASONING
I know not everyone is the biggest fan of green veggies and their often unique flavour, so a great way to disguise this is using plenty of garlic (dried or fresh), salt and pepper, as well as the pesto, to season this dish.

HOW TO MAKE LEAN ‘N’ GREEN PASTA

1. Put on a large pan of salted water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to simmering and cook the pasta according to packet instructions (mine takes around 15 minutes!).

2. In a decent-sized frying pan, throw in the onion and garlic, cook for a couple of minutes until soft and then reduce the heat.

3. Add the broccoli, crumble in the vegetable stock cube and scatter in some salt and pepper. Pour in 200ml (or around one quarter of a standard mug) of water and simmer for around 5 minutes.

4. Throw in the peas and kale and finish cooking for another 5 minutes, or until the liquid dries up.

5. Drain the pasta, combine with the veggies and stir in a couple of spoonfuls of pesto, and that’s that!

RECIPE: BBQ Slow Cooked Sweet Potato | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 4
How much does it cost? This BBQ slow cooked sweet potato recipe cost me less than 50p per person
What are the benefits? This dish is an amazing vegan alternative, easily provides two of your five a day, and is very low in fat.

When I ate meat, one of my absolute favourite things to order was a succulent serving of smokey BBQ pulled pork. Tender, falling apart and slathered in sauce, I’d pile that stuff into or on top of pretty much anything!

Obviously that’s a no-go these days, but I had to find a substitute to fill that piggy-shaped hole in my life 🐷 I’ve tried pulled aubergine, which is pretty tasty – you can check out the recipe here – but its unique texture didn’t quite fool my brain (or tummy) into thinking pulled pork was back on the menu.

I continued searching for more alternatives to try and, guys, I don’t want to be overdramatic here; but I think I’ve found the holy grail of pulled pork substitutes.

Who knew grated sweet potato would soak up that rich, sweet, tangy taste of BBQ sauce so well?! Slow cooked for hours until ludicrously soft, it just falls to pieces and is simply divine. It’s also made totally from vegetables so it’s full of crazy health benefits too!

Just a little tip before you go ahead and try this recipe: don’t be afraid to experiment with sauces! A classic BBQ sauce will do just fine, but I used a combination – from sweet whiskey to bourbon to steakhouse, there are so many variations to try – to create my perfect flavour.

INGREDIENTS
4 Sweet Potatoes, Peeled and Grated
2 Large Bell Peppers, Sliced
2 Onions, Sliced
1 tbsp American Mustard
4 tbsp BBQ Sauce
1 tsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 Vegetable Stock Cube
1 Mug of Water

SEASONING
With this recipe it couldn’t be easier to season – you just chuck it all in the pot and go! I used a good helping of garlic (dried or fresh, whatever you have), smoked paprika, cumin, dried chilli flakes, black pepper and salt. Remember, you’re relying on vegetables and store-bought sauces here, so you want to inject as much flavour as possible.

HOW TO MAKE BBQ SLOW COOKED SWEET POTATO

1. Grate the sweet potato into your slow cooker (watch out for your fingers!) and throw in the onions and peppers too. If you don’t have a slow cooker or aren’t using one for this recipe, you can pretty much follow the same steps using a large pan on the hob and cooking on a medium heat for around 30 minutes.

2. Add the mustard, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, stock cube, water and seasoning, and leave according to your slow cooker timings. I left mine on the high heat setting for 5 hours and it was absolutely fine, but your slow cooker manual will tell you how best to cook yours.

3. Serve, and enjoy!

IMG_6627-2 — *Slow cooked BBQ sweet potato*

RECIPE: Mixed Bean and Avocado Tostadas | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This mixed bean and avocado recipe cost me less than £1 per person.
What are the benefits? This recipe provides at least two of your five a day, is a great source of plant-based protein and is totally suitable for vegans.

When you have two leftover tortillas on their very last legs stuffed at the back of the bread bin and have already eaten all the wraps you can handle for one week, what do you do with them?

Make toastadas, of course! Well, a version of them, anyway.

Everyone knows that Mexican is one of my favourite cuisines, so anything inspired by this kind of food is right up my alley. A tostada is a crispy tortilla wrap, usually either flat or in a bowl shape, sometimes fried, sometimes toasted – always delicious!

This is my version of a tostada, easy to make in the average kitchen and with very little time or effort necessary. I’ve topped mine with heaps of spicy mixed beans for some protein, a few slices of fresh avocado (because I couldn’t be bothered to make guacamole) and a spoonful of sour cream – an optional extra, of course.

These mixed bean and avocado tosatadas are tasty, vibrant and full of flavour, and definitely worth a try.

*Tostasda topped with mixed beans, avocado, sprinkling of cheese and a spoonful of sour cream*

INGREDIENTS
1 Onion, Chopped
1 Bell Pepper, Chopped
400g Mixed Beans (preferably in a spicy or tomato sauce)
1 Large Avocado, Peeled, Pitted & Sliced
2 Wholemeal Tortilla Wraps

SEASONING
If you’ve managed to grab some beans that are already in some kind of sauce (mine were mixed taco beans in a spicy tomato sauce) then you don’t really need to do too much here. Just throw in a little garlic with the onion and then season the beans with a pinch of paprika, salt and pepper. Chuck in a sprinkle of dried chilli flakes too if you want a little more heat.

HOW TO MAKE MIXED BEAN AND AVOCADO TOSTADAS

1. In a pan, spray a little cooking spray or a drop of oil and cook the onions and peppers for a couple of minutes with some garlic, just to soften.

2. Turn down the heat and pour in the mixed beans. Season and simmer for around 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, it’s time to crisp up the tortillas. Pop the tortillas on a large, grease-proof baking tray and cook in the oven at 180℃ for around 10 minutes, or until they’re crispy and crunchy.

4. Remove the tortillas from the oven and allow to stand for 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and pile the beans up in the middle of the flat tortillas. Scatter your slices of avocado across the top and dig in!

RECIPE: Beans, Greens & Eggs | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than £1 per person.
What are the benefits? This beans, greens and eggs recipe makes a really great vegetarian meal (and you could substitute the eggs with scrambled tofu for a vegan alternative), is at least three of your five a day, and is a great source of plant-based protein.

It’s June, a time of year when we’re supposed to be seeing sunny days and warm evenings – not that you’d know it with the rain we’ve been having!

Anyway, when the summer months start to roll around, many of us feel like a light, fresh meal hits the spot more than those heavy, hearty dishes we love in the winter. I’m the same, I definitely prefer to keep things on the lighter side when it’s hot outside – but that doesn’t mean I just want to live off of salad and cous cous for the next three months!

I still want proper cooked meals (ya gal gets hungry!) but something nutritious rather than stodge, and something that tastes fresh – even if most of it comes from tins like this one!

This recipe – a bed of lightly spiced tomato beans mixed with spinach and topped with fried eggs – is surprisingly filling but, because of the flavours involved and the fact that most of this dish is made up of vegetables and beans, it’s not too heavy.

I’ve used chopped tomatoes, cannellini beans and spinach all from tins because it was the cheapest option for me. You can use fresh ingredients if you’d prefer, but I promise you won’t feel short-changed if you use the tinned versions – it still tastes great.

*Tomatoes, cannellini beans and spinach topped with fried eggs*

INGREDIENTS
1 Large Onion, Chopped
400g Chopped Tomatoes
400g Cannellini Beans, Drained
Tin of Spinach Leaves (approx. 400g), Drained
1 tsp Tomato Purée
4 Eggs

SEASONING
Without a good dose of seasoning this recipe could easily be quite bland; to make sure that doesn’t happen, add a whack of garlic in with the onions (dried or fresh, either is fine), a little paprika and chilli (I use dried chilli flakes), a generous helping of mixed herbs, a touch of salt and loads of pepper.

HOW TO MAKE BEANS, GREENS & EGGS

1. In a large pan with a drop of oil or cooking spray, fry the onions and garlic for a few minutes until they begin to soften.

2. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and cannellini beans, add the tomato puree, and season with mixed herbs, a pinch of paprika, a few dried chilli flakes, plenty of black pepper and salt. Simmer on a gentle heat for 20 minutes, adding in a splash of water if necessary.

3. Heat up a small amount of oil or cooking spray in a frying pan, crack in the eggs, reduce the heat and fry until cooked – should take around 5 – 7 minutes.

4. For the final 5 minutes of cooking, add the spinach in with the tomatoes and beans and stir through.

5. Serve up the tomato, beans and spinach and top with the fried eggs straight from the pan.

RECIPE: Roasted Vegetable, Mozzarella & Garlic Flatbreads | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2 (well, it makes two breads)
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than £1.25 per bread.
What are the benefits? This roasted vegetable, mozzarella and garlic flatbread recipe is perfect for vegetarians, contains at least two – if not three! – of your five a day, and it a much healthier takeaway alternative.

I’m not even going to pretend; I’m rubbish at baking. Bread, in particular, never quite goes right for me. I don’t know, perhaps it’s just a knack I haven’t picked up yet but, thankfully, flatbreads I can juuust about handle.

I need help when it comes to baking though, and can’t just throw things together like I can when I’m cooking (and yes, baking and cooking are very different things!). To get the hang of how to make the base for this roasted vegetable, mozzarella and garlic flatbread recipe, I looked to the internet and one of my favourite back-to-basics chefs Jack Monroe for inspiration.

I jiggled around the measurements and methods a little and came up with this version. But really, for me, the bread isn’t even the most important thing (thank god!). It’s all about what goes on top.

Smothering these breads in delectable, mouth-watering garlic butter is flippin’ gorgeous, and then covering them in delicious roasted vegetables and melting mozzarella is what really starts me salivating.

I love making this bread because it’s super simple, combines three of my favourite things – veggies, garlic and cheese – and works as a tasty homemade alternative to takeaway pizza. And remember kids – carbs are our friends. 💛

*Sliced roasted vegetable, mozzarella and garlic flatbread*

INGREDIENTS

BREAD
350g Plain Flour
250ml Milk (or milk alternative)
5g (or 1 tsp) Dried Active Yeast
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Sugar

GARLIC BUTTER
1 Garlic Bulb (or 1 tsp dried garlic)
5g (or 1 tsp) Grated Hard Cheese
15g (or 1 tbsp) of Butter or Spread
Pinch of dried parsley

TOPPINGS
1 Onion, Sliced
1 Red Onion, Sliced
1 Bell Pepper, Sliced
1 Aubergine, Chopped
6 Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
1 Ball of Mozzarella (light if possible), Drained

SEASONING
For the garlic butter, don’t be afraid to really pile on the garlic but also don’t forget to season with a teeny tiny touch of black pepper, salt and dried parsley – failing that, mixed herbs will do. With the roasted veggies, make sure to season really well with some dried garlic, chilli flakes, dried herbs, black pepper and salt.

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED VEGETABLE MOZZARELLA FLATBREADS

1. Mix the milk (it needs to be at least room temperature, don’t take it cold right from the fridge) with the yeast. Sieve the flour into a large bowl and, into the middle, pour the milk and yeast with a pinch of salt and pepper.

2. Combine the ingredients together until they form a dough, then split the dough into two halves, cover and leave for around 20 minutes.

3. Heat the oven to around 200°C. Throw all your chopped vegetables into a roasting tin together, cover with cooking spray or a little oil, season and cook for around 20 – 30 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, add your butter or spread and pop into the microwave for a few seconds until melted (this literally only takes about 10 seconds!) and stir in the hard cheese, garlic and herbs.

5. Uncover the dough, roll out into flatbreads, brush the melted garlic butter all over them and place them on a large baking tray. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and leave to one side; replace with the flatbreads. Leave to cook for around 6 – 8 minutes.

6. Take the breads out of the oven, scatter the vegetables and the torn mozzarella over the top and pop them back into the oven for 3 – 5 minutes, just enough time for the cheese to melt and everything to cook through.

7. Leave to cool if you want to eat later, or scoff a few slices straight from the oven if, like me, you just can’t wait!

*Roasted vegetable, mozzarella and garlic flatbread*

RECIPE: Sweet ‘n’ Sour Sesame Noodles | #ThisGirlEats

Serves: 2
How much does it cost? This recipe cost me less than £1 per person.
What are the benefits? This sweet ‘n’ sour sesame noodles recipe is a great vegetarian option, contains at least 2 of your 5 a day, and I bet you didn’t know that sesame seeds are a great source of plant-based calcium.

This may be a sweet ‘n’ sour recipe but I’m going to be the first one to hold my hands up and admit: I don’t know how to make sweet and sour sauce 🤷‍♀️ I know, I know, it’s called sweet ‘n’ sour sesame noodles – it’s literally in the name! – but, girl, have you seen how many ingredients go into making that stuff?!

I don’t have time, or the right things in my store cupboard. But, you know, I can’t make egg noodles from scratch either and I don’t hear anyone complaining about that…

Anyway, I use a sachet of sweet ‘n’ sour sauce for this recipe because it’s quick and simple (my kinda cooking 😉), but it’s still a fresh, home-cooked meal with plenty of nutritional tickboxes. And hey, even with shop-bought sauce I still think this makes a healthier alternative to picking up the phone and calling the local Chinese takeaway!

This recipe is full of fresh vegetables, packing it with lovely, light nourishment, and the sesame seeds are a brilliant way of sneakin’ in a little extra goodness – they help provide calcium, fibre, iron and a whole host of vitamins and minerals, and you barely even notice they’re there!

INGREDIENTS
2 Nests of Egg Noodles
1 Onion, Chopped
1 Bell Pepper, Sliced
8 Mushrooms, Sliced
1/2 Carrot, Shredded
1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Honey
1 Packet of Sweet and Sour Sauce

SEASONING
If you’ve got just a few staples of Chinese seasoning in your food cupboard, you’ll find it quite easy to create familiar flavours like the ones in this dish. When you mix together the soy sauce and honey together, add to the bowl some garlic, ginger, five spice, chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Also, don’t be afraid to throw in some more soy sauce when cooking if you like; all of these seasonings are quite punchy so it’s really a case of adding to taste!

HOW TO MAKE SWEET ‘N’ SOUR SESAME NOODLES

1. In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, honey and seasoning – garlic, ginger, five spice, chilli flakes, salt, pepper, all that good stuff.

2. Then, in a large frying pan or wok, throw in the onion along with a splash of oil or cooking spray. Fry 2-3 minutes until the onion has started to soften.

3. Add to the pan the sliced pepper, mushroom and carrot, and fry for another couple of minutes. Add the soy sauce and honey mix to the pan, stir until all the vegetables are coated and gently cook for roughly around 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the egg noodles according to packet instructions (usually only around 5 minutes).

5. Throw the sesame seeds into the pan with the veggies, just for the final minute or so.

6. Drain the egg noodles and combine in the pan with the vegetables. Pour in the sweet ‘n’ sour sauce, stir everything together and warm through for another minute until the sauce has heated up.