Pan Fried Haloumi with Garlicky Tomatoes

This is quick, easy and oh so good! A perfect store cupboard/fridge staple to keep in for those days when you just can't think of anything else to cook...

For 2-3 people you need:
1 pack haloumi, cut into thick slices
1 tin chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
a little sugar
1/2 cup cous cous
1/2 tsp vegetable stock powder
1 cup boiling water

Place the tomatoes, 2 tbsp olive oil and the garlic in a pan. Bring to the boil then reduce and simmer for 5-10 mins till thickened.

Meanwhile put the cous cous and stock in to a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Leave to soak.

Fry the haloumi in the remaining oil till browned and crispy. Serve with a green salad if you can be bothered.

Hazlenut Tofu with Japanese Broth and Sticky Rice (v)

This was lush. Really lovely and stupidly healthy too. I am a culinary genius. Just, please, don't try making this whilst intoxicated like I did. Muchos ouchos.

For 2-3 people you need:
1 packet hazlenut tofu (available from the rather marvellous 8th day in Manchester) cut into thin 1" square slices
1 leek, finely sliced
2 carrots, sliced on the diagonal
1 packet pok choi, shredded
1/2 packet snow peas, cut in half
4 florets of cauliflower, cut into slices the same size as the tofu
1 cup sherry
1/2 cup soya sauce
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1" piece ginger, grated
about 1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup sushi rice

Begin by cooking the rice - place in a pan with 1.5 cups boiling water. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 mins. Turn off the heat and allow to steam cook.

Meanwhile place the sherry and soya sauce into a pan. Add the garlic, ginger, leeks, carrots and tofu and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the water to taste to make sure the broth isn't too overpowering with the soya sauce etc. Once the rice has finished cooking add the remaining veggies and heat through briefly. Serve with the rice and feel disgustingly healthy.

Carrot and Corriander Salad (v)

This is a zingy, fresh salad which is nice as a side to something spicy.

For 2-3 people you need:
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1/4 cucumber; diced
4 spring onions, sliced
small pack corriander, roughly chopped

Place everything in a bowl and mix. Scoff.

Minted Yogurt Dip

This goes well with the Butterbean, Cashew and Almond Patties along with lots of other things too.

For 4 people you need:
200g plain yogurt
1 tbsp mint sauce or 2 tsp dried mint or 2 tbsp fresh chopped mint

Mix together and dollop as necessary.

Spiced Butterbean, Cashew and Almond Patties

These are quick to make but taste delicious. You can vary the contents depending on what beans you have in the cupboard and what nuts you fancy.

For 4 people you need:
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 heaped tbsp curry paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tin butterbeans, drained
75g spicy cashew nuts, chopped
125g ground almonds
1 egg

Sautee the onion in the oil for 5 mins. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook out for a further 2-3 mins.

Blitz the beans till smooth then mix everything else in. Divide the mixture into 8 and form into patties. Lay on a baking sheet and bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 mins till lightly cooked.

Serve with roti and something like a minty yogurt dip.

Pasta with Rocket and Watercress Pesto

O. M. G. (as it were...). This is delicious. Am very impressed that something can taste so amazing with so few ingredients and take such a short time to make.

For two people you need:
1/2 cup pine nuts
handful each watercress and rocket
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/8 cup grape seed oil
200g pasta

Cook the pasta. Meanwhile toast the pine nuts (yes I know Jamie says don't bother but I like them toasted and think the heat helps to make the sauce too. So there.). Place the garlic, cheese, watercress, rocket and pine nuts into a mini blender and pulse, shaking it to ensure everything gets done. Add the oil and blend again. I used grapeseed oil as I wanted the individual flavours to come through rather than be drowned out by olive oil.

Drain the pasta and toss through the pesto. Serve with a little extra cheese on the top. Like I said, O. M. G.

Nigella's Brownies

I can't believe I haven't blogged these before now, given how many times I have made them. They were the original brownie recipe for me. Dark. Dense. Incredibly chocolatey. Horrifically calorific. But utterly gorgeous. Make with caution...

For about 36 pieces you need:
375g butter
375g good quality plain chocolate
6 eggs
500g vanilla caster sugar
225g plain flour
300g chopped walnuts (optional, I never use them)

Melt the butter and chocolate slowly. Meanwhile whisk the eggs and sugar till thick and fluffy. This will take about 5 mins with an electric whisk. Add the flour and mix well. Allow the chocolate and butter to cool slightly and then mix in well. Pour into a lined tin (I use a lakeland tray bake tin which is the perfect size) and bake for 45 mins or so at 180 degrees. This recipe is notorious for saying cook for 25 mins in the book but I find that this leaves the brownies far too soggy in the middle. Great for a fondant pudding but not good as a brownie. You want it cakey at the edges and squidgy for the middle pieces if that makes sense. Allow to cook and then cut into squares. This recipe freezes really well so is worth making the whole batch.