Asda Magazine April 2023

Hello

Welcome to spring!

I love the lighter mornings, fresh air and positivity this season brings. There’s lots to celebrate this month too with Easter, Eid and even more bank holidays just around the corner. If it’s foodie inspiration you’re looking for, this issue is full of brilliant seasonal ideas – like our showstopping raspberry meringue pie (p46), loaded hot cross buns (p15) or tasty green salads (p61). One thing on my to-do list this month is to get outside more – and our new Outdoor Living range is just the inspiration I need to get my garden ready for the sunshine. Bring on the picnics! It wouldn’t be spring without a bit of cleaning and organisation and I’m tackling my kitchen cupboards first, with the help of the tips on p82. We’ve also gathered some of our favourite ideas to help reduce waste and be budget savvy too. Have a budget hack of your own? We’d love to hear it!

Jessica Timms | Asda Magazine Editor asdamagazineeditor@asda.co.uk

Editor’s picks…

Eat your greens

Enjoy leafy, in-season veggies with five spring salad dishes page 61

The great outdoors

Dreamy garden settings for outside living – find inspiring ideas on page 77

Kids play

Stylish yet practical, treat little ones to a new outfit they’ll love on page 84

What’s inside

46 SEASON’S TREATINGS

Light-as-air meringue with raspberries, plus buns and biscuit treats

51 SMART LIVING

09 10 1/4 THINGS TO LOVE THIS MONTH

Don’t miss out! Exciting events, top picks and fun ideas to try in April

13 STACEY SOLOMON

Stacey juggles Easter eggs, decluttering duties and, oh yes, her beautiful newborn baby girl…

Love to eat

Get stuck in to our great-value selection of meal ideas

16 WHAT’S FOR DINNER?

Make light yet filling midweek eats with recipes that’ll keep you right on budget

23 EVERYDAY HEROES: LENTILS

Whip up some cheap and tasty dishes with these protein-packed pulses

26 THE TASTEMAKERS

From button to oyster, discover the lifelong passion and attention to flavour that goes into our mushrooms

32 STICK OR TWIST

Classic carbonara? Yum! But why not pep up your pasta with mint and peas?

38 MY KIND OF... EASTER

It’s not all about the eggs… Three families share special dishes they enjoy over this spring holiday

BUDGET SPECIAL

Supersaver Mimi Harrison, experts at Asda HQ and you, our lovely customers, reveal budget-savvy hacks

55 CHALLENGE GINO

Chef Gino D’Acampo introduces one reader to the wonders of seafood

56 A TASTE OF EID

Celebrate the end of Ramadan with a banquet of fragrant, flavoursome ideas

61 EAT YOUR GREENS

Enjoy fresh, vibrant salads with tang and zest to tingle your palate

68 PICNIC PARTY

Outdoor eating just got super fancy with our fabulous finger food

Get the look

Trends-a-plenty and great-value buys to spice up your home and wardrobe

74 THE EDIT

Check out these perfect pick-me-ups for April – you’re in store for a treat…

77 THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Longer evenings are coming, so prep your outdoor space with inspiration from our gorgeous garden range

82 CUPBOARD LOVE

Get co-ordinated and clutter-free in the kitchen with our top tidy-up tips

84 KIDS PLAY

In poppy pastel shades and patterns, kids will rock these outfits at playtime

The Asda Magazine team

Editor Jessica Timms

Content Planner

Stephanie Martin

Content Co-ordinator

Nancy Stockdale

Senior Content Manager

Jenni Bass

Feel good

It’s time to prioritise number one with our must-read wellness features you’ll love

90 LIVE YOUR BEST… APRIL

From keeping stress levels down to gardening, take care of yourself

92 WALK TO WELLNESS

Find out how an early morning stroll can boost your physical and mental health

94 BREAKFAST WITH CHAMPIONS

Asda Community Champion Liz Arbuckle grabs a cuppa with Jackie Bonner, founder of breakfast club Elevenses

98 WHAT’S ON MY PLATE

Broadcaster Eamonn Holmes talks about life after his fall

Editor Alex Drew Consultant Editor

Rebecca Denne

Art Directors Jo Clark, Hayley Ward

Editorial Director

Dan Linstead

Food Editors Rachel Beckwith, Gabriella English

Design Director Will Slater

Art Editors Laura Phillips, Kit Cheung

Chief Sub Editor

Katriel Costello

Client Director Clair Atkins

Account Manager Maria Rees

Account Director

Kayleigh Varnam

Workflow Manager

Lisa Houghton

With thanks to: Clare Watters, Lou Cassell

Asda Magazine is published by Our Media, an Immediate Group company, in partnership with Asda. Print sourced by HH Associates.

While every care is taken in compiling the contents of this magazine, the proprietors assume no responsibility in effects arising therefrom. No part of the contents may be reproduced without prior permission.

Our food & you

We love bringing you varied, balanced and great-value recipe ideas every issue. Here’s what you need to know

Our recipes

All our recipes are specially created with you in mind. We work with our chefs, nutrition team and leading recipe developers to create meal ideas that are easy, affordable and nutritious. Plus, we test every recipe carefully so you can trust they’ll work for you and your family. We promise to:

• Provide budget-friendly recipes to help you feed your family for less .

• Ensure meals are nutritionally balanced, and use everyday ingredients .

• Minimise food waste by using ingredients smartly and providing leftover ideas.

Eggs

The eggs in our recipes are always medium-sized, unless otherwise stated.

Price per serve

Look out for the price per serve on selected recipes. It’s the total cost of a recipe’s ingredients divided by the total amount used per serve. When you see the recipes at asda.com/ good-living this same price per serve will be shown. Prices are correct at the time of the magazine going to print.

Recipe key facts

All our recipes include key facts on servings, prep time and our unique ‘faff factor’, a guide to how much skill and effort is involved in a recipe.

Serves 4

Typical serve size based on adult portions

Ready in 35 mins

Includes prep and cooking time

Nutritional information

All our recipes are reviewed by a registered nutritionist and information is shown in a ‘traffic light’ label. Green is low, while red shows a high percentage of an adult’s recommended daily intake, and amber is somewhere in the middle. The recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men. All our recipes should be enjoyed as part of a varied diet and active lifestyle.

Budget recipes

Faff factor = easy

From easy peasy to ‘brace yourself ’ cooking

Look out for these symbols

We’ve included other handy hints throughout the magazine to highlight ingredients and recipes with special features.

For recipes to suit specific diets, look out for these, which refer to the dish as a whole:

LF

These icons exclude optional serving suggestions. Always check the individual packet labels if cooking for someone with dietary requirements or allergies.

Shows how many portions of fruit and veg are in a recipe. of your 5-a-day u

At Asda, we like to make sure the healthiest choice is the easiest choice for our customers, so we’ve introduced our Asda Live Better logo

It shows you what the healthiest choices in Asda Own Brand are.

Ways to shop IN STORE

We know that the pennies are being pinched right now, so we’re doing all we can to help. Look out for recipes with a low price per serve and low cook times. V

85pA SERVE

Find your nearest Asda at storelocator.asda.com .

SCAN & GO

Contactless payment and less checkout time – use a scanner or smartphone

HOME

DELIVERIES

Shop online and choose a home delivery slot.

CLICK & COLLECT

Shop online and pick up from one of over 450 UK locations

10 ¼ things TO LOVE THIS MONTH 1 Lunch on the hop

The ultimate quick-bite comfort food has a new look for Easter – keep an eye out for our rabbit-shaped crumpets, in stores until 10 April*. Fluffy, filling and fun, be a happy bunny and pop one in the toaster today. Slather on some red pesto and add sliced tomato and melted mozzarella for a savoury snackette – delish!

Asda Bunny Crumpets, £1.25

A royal celebration

Coronation Weekend takes place on 6–7 May to mark the crowning of The King and The Queen Consort. If you’re watching events on TV, snuggle up for the occasion with cushions and pillows specially decorated with a British Commonwealth theme. Regal memorabilia includes homeware gems such as a London busshaped pillow, Union Jack cushion

Shaped Bus Cushion, £10

Union Jack Cushion, £7

Asparagus

Shaped Teapot Cushion, £15

It’s spring going into early summer which means these little green spears are having their moment, in fact 23 April is their peakseason day. A simple dressing of olive oil, parmesan and lemon zest is all these delicate and elegant veggies need. Use the tips to scoop up dips at parties.

Asda Tender & Nutty Asparagus

VEG of the month

New dishes for kids

only £1

Celebrate

St George’s Day on 23 April –bake a Victoria sponge, tuck into a cream tea or make an extra-special Sunday roast.

7 MUNCHING THE NUMBERS : PRAWN ARRABIATA PASTA

Asda Conchiglie, 95p + +

Courgettes, 90p (2-pack)

Is there a nicer pairing than pasta and prawns?

Juicy seafood and rich arrabiata sauce are captured inside pasta shells, giving a comforting dish with a spicy kick to enjoy on a chilly spring evening. To bring out the subtle flavour of in-season courgettes, fry in a little olive oil, chuck in the seasoned prawns and add the Italian sauce for a tasty midweek pick-me-up

The sun is out, so make way for the main attraction at your first spring barbecue – the fully loaded American BBQ pork belly dog. Sideshows of South Carolina-style mustard sauce, pickled gherkins, sweetcorn and crispy onions make this a food fest in a sweet brioche hot dog roll. Asda Pork Belly Dogs, £5

RACE YA!

Keep the kids active during the Easter school holidays and hold a spring sports day in your back garden. The Sports Day Kit is filled with fun games to get the whole family competing for first place, whether it’s jumping to the finish in a sack race, doing the walk-run with egg and spoons or lobbing bean bags. Kid-friendly equipment comes in bright primary colours for team red, orange, yellow and green.

Hapello Sports Day Kit, £12

Saffron

Seen as the luxurious one in the spice family, stir leftover saffron from the biryani recipe in A Taste of Eid section on page 56 into a paella or risotto. Sunny vibrancy will liven these rice-based meals.

Images: Getty; Food Photography: Gareth Morgans, Food Styling: Jenny White

World Earth Day on 22 April* is the time environmental issues take centrestage. See it as a reminder to do a little bit more to protect the planet, or take the time to think about the positive change that’s taken place.

8. HOT DAWG!

it special Keeping

Stacey welcomes new baby, Belle, into the family and dreams up some Easter entertainment for the kids

I’m sooo excited for Easter. This month is going to be spent making pretty decorative eggs and planning a big hunt around the garden for the kids. I still need to take it easy after the baby (I’ve forgotten how tiring it is to have a newborn), but I’ll definitely do little bits here and there to make the holidays special. I’m writing a list of all the little goodies I need to buy, to stop me from getting carried away, otherwise we’ll still be finding eggs at Christmas.

It’s National Pet Month in April, and our dogs Teddy and Peanut are a huge part of our family. I couldn’t imagine not having them pottering about. They get absolutely loads of love and affection from us all every single day so I’m not sure this month will be much different for them… Although if our son Rex had anything to do with it, he’d spoil them rotten (and there’d be a zoo in our house as he’s obsessed with animals).

Usually, I’d be busy doing my spring cleaning at this time of year, but I had to start that back in January to prepare for when the

baby arrived. I have to say, that nesting instinct really is amazing and I got so much done…

I feel like everything in our home is finally fresh and ready for the spring months ahead, which is a real bonus, especially as my hands are pretty full right now. I must admit, it’s nice not to have to worry about hoovering behind the sofa for a bit. If you want to get stuck in with a declutter but don’t know where to start, I’d recommend tackling things one cupboard at a time – it makes everything feel so much more achievable, not overwhelming.

Now, I better start writing my shopping list for all those exciting Easter treats for the family…

Enjoy the bank holiday weekend and I’ll see you all next time… x

Follow Stacey @staceysolomon

‘This month I’m… …getting creative in the kitchen There are two Easter treats I want to make with the kids. First, bunny ice cream cones: a classic cone with a scoop of vanilla ice cream inside, then you make bunny ears from chocolate or fondant icing. I’ve also seen some little chick cupcakes – you decorate fairy cakes and layer blobs of yellow buttercream, adding eyes, a beak and feet with decorating icing – so adorable, and the kids will love them!’

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?

Make more for less

Enjoy flavourful, filling dishes for all the family that also keep you on budget – let’s make those precious pennies count, together

RECIPES SARAH COOK

PHOTOGRAPHS ALEX LUCK

Fish finger wraps with easier-than-you-think tartare sauce

Our creamy homemade dressing adds an extra-tasty touch to a midweek dish that kids and adults alike will love to pick up and munch on.

Serves 4 | Ready in 18 mins

Faff factor |

• 16 Asda Omega 3 Fish Fingers

• 85g Lighter than Light Mayonnaise

• 3 spring onions, 1 roughly chopped

• ½ lemon, zested and juiced

• 20g capers, rinsed well

• 1 cucumber

• ½ Asda Iceberg Lettuce

• 8 wholemeal wraps

1 Cook the fish fingers under the grill following pack instructions, or in an air fryer for 8 mins at 180°C.

2 For the tartare sauce, pulse together the mayonnaise, chopped spring onions, lemon zest and juice, capers and 1 tbsp water in a mini food processor or with a stick blender. Alternatively, finely chop the spring onions and capers and mix by hand.

3 Use a vegetable peeler to peel the cucumber into long ribbons, discarding the seeded, watery middle bit. Shred the lettuce and remaining two spring onions, and put everything in separate bowls for people to help themselves.

4 Warm the wraps following pack instructions (it makes them easier to roll up), then let everyone assemble their own wraps with salad and dollops of the homemade tartare sauce.

Serving suggestions: Crisp but soft-centred sweet potato fries are the ideal side dish if you’re feeding a hungry family of four.

Keep your cool

This pilaf is good with a dollop of natural yoghurt, or fresh cucumber raita, like the one on p56.

Cauliflower, chickpea and green bean pilaf

Favourite frozen choices, like peas, spinach or broccoli florets, are perfect in this versatile dish – but use up any fresh vegetables you have first.

Serves 4 | Ready in 30 mins

Faff factor

• 3 garlic cloves, sliced

• 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

• 5 tsp mild curry powder

• 300g easy cook long grain rice

• 75g mango chutney

• 900ml vegetable stock, made from 1 cube

• 2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 cut into wedges

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• 400g frozen cauliflower florets

• 300g frozen green beans

• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 20g fresh coriander

1 Use a large saucepan with a lid. Add the garlic and oil and fry for 1–2 mins until fragrant. Stir in the curry powder for 20 secs, followed by the rice and stir to coat all the grains in the spices. Set aside 2 tsp of the mango chutney in a small mixing bowl, then add the rest to the rice with the stock. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan and turn the heat down to low. Simmer the rice for 10 mins.

2 Mix lemon juice and zest into the

reserved mango chutney with salt and pepper. Add the finely chopped red onion, and stir occasionally to pickle.

3 After 8 mins simmering stir the frozen cauliflower, green beans and chickpeas into the rice. Re-cover and cook for another 8–10 mins until the rice and veg is tender. Turn off the heat and leave to stand for 5 mins.

4 Finely chop the coriander, including the stalks, then stir everything through the pickled red onion mixture.

5 Serve the pilaf scattered with the red onion pickle along with extra lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Add extra flavour

Use leftover herbs from our pilaf (p19) or orzotto (p21) recipes – finely chop and stir through the couscous.

Pork koftas with spiced apricot sauce

Use any mince you like in this fragrant, tagine-style stew.

Serves 4 | Ready in 40 mins

Faff factor | DF MF LF EF d |

• 500g Just Essentials by Asda Lean Pork Mince

• 4 tsp ground cumin (or coriander)

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 3 tsp vegetable oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 red pepper, deseeded and diced

• 1 x 400g tin peeled plum tomatoes

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 75g chopped dried apricots

• ½ vegetable or chicken stock cube, crumbled

• 250g couscous

• 100g spinach leaves, roughly chopped

1 Put the mince, 2 tsp of cumin, lemon zest, ½ tsp of salt and some pepper into a bowl. Use your hands to mix, then roll into 12 oval-shaped koftas.

2 Fry the koftas in 2 tsp of oil until browned. Lift onto a plate – don’t worry if they’re not cooked through.

3 Add the diced onion and red pepper with a splash of water plus the remaining oil to the same pan. Fry for 5 mins until softened. Meanwhile, using kitchen scissors, snip the tomatoes into smaller chunks inside the tin. Stir the remaining cumin and cinnamon into the veg for 1 min, then tip in the tomatoes. Fill the tin with water to rinse and tip this in too. Add the apricots, then bring everything to a simmer and bubble for 5 mins.

4 Put the koftas into the tomatoey sauce and simmer for about 8 mins more until the sauce is thick and the koftas are cooked through.

5 Make the stock with 375ml boiling water. Tip the couscous into a heatproof bowl, add stock and cover with a plate. Leave for 10 mins to soften, then use a fork to fluff up the grains and stir through the lemon juice.

6 Stir the spinach through the sauce to wilt, then serve with the couscous.

Creamy courgette orzotto

Using tiny orzo pasta instead of rice halves the time it takes to make a classic risotto-style dish, saving you both time and energy.

Serves 4 | Ready in 25 mins

Faff factor | V EF |

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 courgettes, cut into 1–2cm chunks

• 300g orzo

• 850ml vegetable stock

• 250g cherry tomatoes

• 100g Asda Light Garlic & Herb

Soft Cheese

• 100g spinach leaves

• ½ lemon, juiced

• 10g fresh chives

1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and oil and fry for about 5 mins over a medium heat until soft. Stir in the courgette, increase the heat and fry for 2 mins more.

2 Stir in the orzo, pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Scatter over the tomatoes, then simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins until the orzo is tender.

3 Turn off the heat under the pan. Stir in the cream cheese followed by the spinach, a handful at a time, to wilt. Stir in the lemon juice and season.

WHAT’S FOR DINNER? MAKE MORE FOR LESS

Meat lovers

Opt for chicken, pancetta or seafood if you’re cooking for carnivores – all go well with orzo.

4 Use scissors to snip the chives over the top of the orzotto and serve straight away.

Cook’s tip: Orzo is so versatile, and takes less time to cook than rice. Use as a replacement for couscous in salads, or add to soups.

Each 335g portion contains

Sticky sesame, ginger and hoisin chicken drumsticks

Create deep, rich flavours by marinating the drumsticks well ahead of cooking.

Serves 4 | Ready in 20–35 mins depending on chicken cooking

Faff factor |

• 1 x 170g sachet Hoisin Stir Fry Sauce

• 20g frozen crushed ginger

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 3 tbsp sesame oil

• 8 chicken drumsticks

• 250g dried noodles

• 4 garlic cloves, sliced

• 4 spring onions, 3 cut into short lengths, 1 finely sliced

• 500g stir-fry vegetables

• 2 tsp sesame seeds

1 For the ginger marinade, whisk together 2 tbsp of hoisin sauce with the ginger, soy sauce and 1 tbsp of the sesame oil. Toss with the chicken drumsticks, then cook straightaway or leave to marinate if you have time.

2 You can cook the drumsticks in three different ways. Roast for 25–30 mins in an oven preheated to 220°C/200°C/ gas 7, air-fry for 16–20 mins at 180°C or grill under a hot grill (275°C) for 15 mins, turning often. Check the chicken is cooked through.

3 Soften the noodles following the pack instructions then drain well.

4 In a wok or large, non-stick frying pan, combine the sliced garlic and remaining sesame oil. Put over a low-medium heat and gently cook, stirring, until the garlic is just beginning to sizzle. Tip in the spring onions and vegetables, turn up the heat and stir-fry for 3–4 mins until the veg still has a little bite. Tip in the cooked noodles and toss briefly to heat through and mix with the vegetables. Add a splash of water to stuck-together noodles to separate them. Season.

5 When the chicken is done, warm the rest of the hoisin sauce in a microwave. Pour over the drumsticks and use tongs to toss until well coated. Scatter with sesame seeds and finely sliced spring onions then serve with the noodles.

EVERYDAY HEROES

Shine a spotlight on these powerful little pulses, they make a greatvalue choice for teatime and a small packet goes a very long way. Protein-packed and budget-busting – it’s time to feel the lentil love

LENTILS

RECIPES LINZI PUCINO PHOTOGRAPHS GARETH MORGANS

Red lentil and pepper ragu pasta bake

Sneak in tonnes of veggies and bulk out a family favourite with legumes.

Serves 6 | Ready in 1 hr 15 mins

For the ragu

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 stick of celery, thinly sliced

• 1 courgette, coarsely grated

• 1 carrot, coarsely grated

• 2 peppers, deseeded and finely chopped (we used 1 red and 1 orange)

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 300g red lentils

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 x 400g tins Asda Chopped

Tomatoes with Herbs

• 1 low salt vegetable stock cube

• 300g Asda Rigatoni pasta

• 20g vegetarian hard cheese, grated

For the white sauce

• 360ml semi-skimmed milk

• 30g unsalted butter

• 30g plain flour

• 100g mature cheddar, grated

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, celery, courgette, carrot and pepper, then season well and cook for 10–12 mins until softened and the moisture has evaporated. Stir in the garlic and cook for another

minute until fragrant.

2 Add the lentils and tomato purée then stir well until coated in the mix. Pour in the tomatoes, then fill each can with water, swirl and add to the pan with the stock cube. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20–25 mins until thickened and the lentils are tender.

3 Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to pack instructions and preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas 4. Drain the pasta, reserving half a mugful of the cooking water.

4 To make the white sauce, add all the ingredients to a saucepan, season with salt and pepper and cook over a medium heat for 5 mins, stirring all the time until everything has combined, thickened and the cheese has melted.

5 To assemble, stir the pasta water into the ragu then toss with the cooked pasta. Spoon into a deep 30x20cm dish then pour over the white sauce. Sprinkle with hard cheese then bake for 20–25 mins until golden. Allow to stand for 5 mins before serving.

Khichdi

Tempt the kids with a subtly spiced one-pot – just go easy on the chilli.

Serves 2 | Ready in 30 mins

Faff factor

• 125g Asda Easy Cook Long

Grain Rice

• 125g red lentils

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• ½ tsp turmeric

• 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

• 1 large tomato, roughly diced

• 5cm piece fresh ginger, grated

• 75g Asda Mild & Tender Spinach

• 4 tbsp Asda Free From Plain

Soya Yoghurt

• fresh coriander, to serve

• 4 Asda Plain Folded Flatbreads, toasted, to serve (optional)

• lime wedges, to serve

1 Using a sieve, rinse the rice and lentils. Set aside

2 Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and add the bay, coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli, tomato and ginger. Cook over a low heat for 2 mins until fragrant

3 Stir in the rinsed rice and lentils then add 750ml cold water. Season well, bring to the boil then turn the heat down, cover and cook on a low heat for 15–20 mins until the rice and lentils are soft. Turn off heat, then stir in the spinach and cover with a lid to wilt.

4 To serve, add the yoghurt, sprinkle over the coriander then add the flatbreads, if using, and lime wedges.

Red lentil burgers

For meat-free meals try this weekend winner with a smoky kick.

Serves 4 | Ready in 45 mins Faff factor | V d

• 175g red lentils

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for spraying

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp Asda Chipotle Paste

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, leaves and stalks finely chopped

• 80g plain flour

• 50g Asda 50% Less Fat Mature

Cheddar Cheese, grated

To serve

• ½ x 90g pack Asda Mild Mixed Leaf Salad

• 4 Asda Extra Special Sliced

Brioche Burger Buns

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 2 tbsp Asda 50% Less Fat

Soured Cream

1 Cook the lentils according to pack instructions. Drain well and set aside.

Make it fiery

To use up chipotle paste stir into stews or chillies for a flavour boost

2 Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 4–5 mins until beginning to soften. Add half the chipotle paste, the cooked lentils, then cook for 4–5 mins, stirring, until most of the moisture has evaporated. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for a few mins. Add in remaining chipotle paste, egg, coriander and flour. Season well, stir to combine, then let the mixture rest for 15–20 mins

3 Using slightly wet hands, shape into 4 patties – the mixture will feel sticky. Heat remaining oil over a medium heat and cook each patty for 4–5 mins on each side until golden brown. When nearly ready, melt the cheese over the top before serving.

4 Add salad to the bun, then top with burgers, avocado and soured cream.

of your 5-a-day v

in the family

From cultivating oyster mushrooms in a small shed, to becoming the UK’s leading producer of woodland mushrooms, Tim Livesey’s business is booming. He tells us why his fungi are so fantastic…

Extra Special Mushrooms, £1.60/150g

WORDS CHARLIE LYON PHOTOGRAPHS ELIZABETH ROSE

The Livesey family has been in mushroom farming for generations; Tim runs Livesey Brothers with his two sons William and Daniel (right), and his daughter Harriet

Hands up if you’ve ever felt just a little daunted by the packs of weird and wonderful-looking exotic mushrooms you can find on our shelves? The likes of oyster mushrooms, fan-shaped caps; or clusters of brown maitake with frilly edges. They can have a bad rep, of being tricky to cook, or needing lavish ingredients to complement them.

But these preconceptions are nonsense, mushroom farmer Tim Livesey enthuses. ‘You can use exotic mushrooms in just the same way you’d use your regular closed-cup mushroom – pop them in a pie or eat them on toast. I like to fry them with just a little bit of olive oil and add a tiny sprinkling of salt, to bring out the flavour.

‘I’ve been assured by a chef that you cannot destroy a mushroom, no matter how bad a cook you are!’ says Tim. ‘A lot of people may be afraid of them because they don’t want to spoil them, but mushrooms are hardy and robust. You have to work hard to botch a mushroom.’

Tim has dedicated his career to cultivating the perfect crop. He’s a founder of the Livesey Brothers, who have been supplying Asda with exotic woodland mushrooms since 1987. The farm is in the very heart of the National Forest in rural Leicestershire – an appropriate growing place.

It was Tim’s father, Tom, who he has to thank for kickstarting his interest in mushrooms many years ago. ‘My father started growing mushrooms

in 1960. In those days, if you wanted to grow your own mushrooms you had to make your own compost because there was no central place doing it. All my childhood days were spent on the farm, moving compost around with a fork. It’s completely different to what we do now, but it gave me a good background: it’s all about control and the need to have the right environment.’

From tiny spores...

Tom was winding down when Tim wanted to get into business, and he wasn’t keen to employ his exuberant son. So, in 1985 Tim went about setting up his own venture, with a unique selling point.

‘Growing button mushrooms back then was competitive – you needed a lot of investment to become efficient and I didn’t have that sort of money. So, I thought about growing something unusual. The oyster mushroom was the first mushroom I tried – I managed to grow some in a coal shed. I was a little nervous about eating the first one! But I did, and it was delicious.’

Harmlessness confirmed, Tim took a basket of his produce to a chef at a fancy Loughborough hotel who, impressed, ordered as much as Tim could produce. Tim converted a tractor shed into a growing room and before long was producing too much for the hotel. He began picking up business in Covent Garden and regularly travelled to London to deliver his prized oyster mushrooms.

When he started supplying Asda in 1987, he needed more investment. The first bank he approached turned him away, dismissing his ideas as ‘pie in the sky’ and his produce as ‘yuppy food’ that ‘no one would want to eat’. Luckily, the second bank manager had more faith.

Tim made research trips to China and Japan for intel on technology and equipment and he started importing shiitake mushrooms from countries

such as Sri Lanka and Thailand, but that wasn’t ideal for his bank balance, or the planet. ‘We didn’t have the controls in place either,’ explains Tim. ‘We had a degree of control but not enough. So we built a big production facility to grow shiitake mushrooms. Now we don’t import any mushrooms at all. It’s much more sustainable. Every part of the process is done on site.

On the farm

All of the mushrooms grown on the farm are wood-destroying fungi, which would be found growing on fallen trees and stumps in the wild. Tim recreates these by making ‘logs’ from waste sawdust, straw and other nutrients all grown locally, blended on the farm and pressed together to form a block. Tim has a secret recipe for each blend of sawdust for each different species. The blocks are then sterilised using hot steam to kill any competitive moulds.

During incubation mushroom fibres, known as mycelium, grow through the blocks and colonise them. As the mycelium digests the sawdust it is actually breaking it down, degrading or recycling it in fact, just as in the wild.

Once the incubation phase is completed the blocks are moved to the fruiting rooms. They are rearranged onto racks to give the mushrooms space to grow. This is where the mystery and magic of mushrooms really happens. Tim modifies the climate in the room, fooling the mycelium into

thinking it is autumn, and it’s this climate shock that forces the mycelium to fuse together at the surface to form fruit bodies, or mushrooms. The caps burst out from the blocks creating otherworldly scenes – shelves full of logs covered in unusually shaped fungi, their unique scents wafting in the gentle currents of this woodland display.

‘We don’t use any chemicals, pesticides or fertilisers anywhere in the process,’ says Tim. ‘The only thing we use on-site is a detergent for washing a growing room or a works surface for hygiene purposes, and nothing comes into contact with the growing materials or the mushrooms themselves.’

Cultivating mushrooms isn’t a walk in the park. They’re sensitive little organisms that need very particular conditions and a watchful eye to flourish. Each species has different and precise nutritional requirements.

Tim recently bought out his brother, Simon, who’s retired, and is now joined by his two sons and one daughter. The benefit of working as a family has helped them through, Tim reckons.

‘Caps burst from the blocks creating otherworldly scenes of unusually shaped fungi…’

MUSHROOMS ON TOAST

Keep your mushrooms in tip-top condition by gently brushing them clean – don’t submerge in water, as the moisture will affect their texture and flavour. Heat a knob of butter or splash of oil in a frying pan set over a medium heat, then add your mushrooms along with a pinch of sea salt and some chopped fresh thyme, if you like. Sauté for 5 mins then tumble on top of toasted sourdough spread with a little cream cheese and dig in!

‘We’ve all got a common goal and common focus and we’ll work through any differences. I’m very blessed to have two sons and a daughter, all with different strengths. William is mechanically minded and looks after the maintenance of the property; Daniel is good at record keeping and data analysis; my daughter, Harriet, looks after supply to supermarkets, plus sales and marketing. Even though they’re all genetically the same, they’re very different from each other, and it’s good to call on that wide skill base.’

Plant-based power

Tim and the next generation of Liveseys are now concentrating on cultivating four species of exotic mushroom – shiitake, oyster, eryngi (king oyster) and maitake. You may have seen them on our shelves – fascinating shapes and sizes, all full of flavour and texture, perfect for pepping up your home-cooked meals.

With the rise in popularity of plant-based diets, it’s meant in 2019 Tim doubled the size of the growing facility. ‘Thirty years ago these mushrooms might have been seen as cheffy

ingredients,’ Tim admits, ‘But people are eating out more often now. They’re seeing these mushrooms on restaurant menus, then when they’re cooking at home, they want the ingredients to spice up their meals – our range of mushrooms can certainly help there.’

We wonder, as our conversation draws to a close, is there anything this dedicated grower doesn’t know or love about the industry? ‘Just don’t ask me if I’m a fun-gi,’ he laughs.

Mushrooms are arranged on racks in fruiting rooms, giving them space to grow, filling the air with their unique scent

Food photography: Melissa Reynolds-James, Stylist: Lizzie Harris

Spaghetti

Silky carbonara is a beautiful thing – mwah! And so is this vibrant

The classic one

Is this the ultimate comfort food? A bowl of creamy pasta, pancetta and parmesan is lip-smackingly good

carbonara

In 1944, an American soldier added his rations – powdered eggs, bacon and liquid cream to spaghetti – and made the first carbonara

The

Fresh mint and green peas add an element of surprise to a basic carbonara. Bellissimo!

RECIPES JUSTINE PATTISON PHOTOGRAPHS GARETH MORGANS

Classic carbonara

If you’ve ordered it in a restaurant but never made it yourself… Here’s your chance – it’s super-easy and super-tasty.

Serves 4 | Ready in 20 mins

Faff factor

• 300g dried spaghetti

• 160g Asda Diced Pancetta

• 75g Asda Extra Special Parmigiano

Reggiano (Parmesan), or other hard cheese, finely grated, plus extra to serve

• 3 egg yolks

• 1 whole egg

• freshly ground black pepper

1 Half fill a large saucepan with water, cover and bring to boil. Add the spaghetti and as it begins to soften, push down into the water with a spoon. Return to boil and cook, uncovered, for 10 mins, stirring occasionally.

2 Meanwhile, in a large, deep non-stick frying pan, fry the pancetta over a medium heat (without oil), until lightly browned, stirring regularly.

3 Mix the grated Parmesan, egg yolks, whole egg and lots of freshly ground

black pepper in a bowl until thoroughly combined, thick and creamy

4 Drain the cooked pasta into a colander over a large bowl, reserving the pasta cooking water. Carefully pour 200ml of the cooking water into a heatproof measuring jug. Tip the pasta into the frying pan with the pancetta and toss together using tongs or two wooden spoons until well combined. Remove from the heat

5 Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan, add half the reserved water and toss thoroughly with the pasta and pancetta. Return to a low heat, add the remaining water and toss together for about 60 secs, or until the pasta is creamy-looking and the sauce is hot. Do not allow to overheat or the eggs will look grainy and begin to scramble.

6 Divide between warmed bowls, adding an extra splash of hot water just before serving if needed. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan and ground black pepper.

Get whisking

Use the leftover egg whites to make meringues, they can be frozen and thawed out for future baking

Pea, mint and spinach ‘carbonara’

Be season savvy – fresh springtime vegetables and herbs, with lemon and garlic, will create bowlfuls of fresh flavours.

Serves 4 | Ready in 25 mins, Faff factor |

• 250g dried spaghetti

• 300g frozen peas

• 150g baby spinach

• 75g Asda Extra Special Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan), or other hard cheese, finely grated, plus extra to serve

• 3 egg yolks

• 1 whole egg

• 5g fresh mint leaves, plus extra to serve

• freshly ground black pepper

• 160g Asda Diced Pancetta

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

• finely grated zest ½ small lemon

1 Half fill a large saucepan with water, cover and bring to the boil over a high heat. Add the spaghetti and as it begins to soften, push down into the water with a wooden spoon. Return to the boil and cook, uncovered, for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the spinach leaves for the last 30 secs of cooking time

2 Meanwhile, put the peas in a large heatproof bowl and cover with some just-boiled water from a kettle. Leave for 1–2 mins and then drain

3 Put the grated Parmesan, egg yolks and whole egg, half the thawed peas, the mint and lots of freshly ground black pepper in a bowl and blitz with a stick blender until thick and creamy and as smooth as possible. You can also do this in a small food processor. Set aside.

4 In a large deep non-stick

frying pan, fry the pancetta over a medium heat (without oil), until lightly browned, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and remaining peas to the pan and cook with the pancetta for 1–2 mins or until the peas are hot, stirring regularly

5 Drain the pasta into a colander over a large bowl, reserving the pasta cooking water. Carefully pour 200ml of the cooking water into a heatproof measuring jug. Tip the pasta into the frying pan with the pancetta and toss together using tongs or two wooden spoons until well combined. Remove from the heat.

6 Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan, add half the reserved water and toss thoroughly with the pasta and pancetta. Return to a low heat, add the remaining water and toss together continuously for about 60 secs, or until the pasta is creamy-looking and the sauce is hot. Do not allow to overheat

7 Divide between warmed bowls and serve sprinkled with a little lemon zest, some extra Parmesan, a few mint leaves and ground black pepper.

Pan swap

No large deep frying pan? Tip the pancetta, peas and pasta into the saucepan used to cook the spaghetti then add the egg mixture

My

Weekend dish

Rhodora and her family like to cook a leg of lamb for large get-togethers at Eastertime.

Easter

kind

The Easter bank holiday is a wonderful opportunity for friends and family to get together for a feast and a catch-up. Three readers share the spring faves they like to dish up – these centrepieces always impress…

of

WORDS RACHEL BECKWITH

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS RIDLEY FOOD P HOTOGRAPH Y GARETH MORGANS

Meet Rhodora, her husband Jim and daughter Mathilda

Rhodora says: ‘We’re quite traditional at Easter – we love hot cross buns –but lamb is the centrepiece at a big feast where everyone gathers, it’s as if they’re coming out of winter hibernation! We usually have an Easter egg hunt on the Saturday, too.

‘Leg of lamb is great for when you have a lot of people – it can easily be shared around. Rosemary is the main flavouring, and we add lots of vegetables – broccoli, glazed carrots and piles of potatoes – and gravy of course. You can also roast off peppers and courgettes, and add garlic and olives for extra flavours. Cauliflower cheese is a firm favourite with Mathilda, so that usually makes an appearance as well.

‘Mathilda loves to cook, particularly stirring, and she likes handing us the vegetables. She stands next to Jim in the kitchen and gets stuck in.’

Full-on flavour

Stud the lamb with garlic so that it is infused throughout the whole leg as it cooks

Greek-style leg of lamb

An Easter showstopper that makes a great centrepiece to impress your guests.

Serves 8 | Ready in 1 hour 40 mins, plus resting Faff factor | GF EF

your 5-a-day v

• 1 Asda Tender Lamb Leg (approx. 2.15kg)

• 1.2kg Maris Piper potatoes, cut into wedges

• 1 tsp oregano

• 5 tbsp olive oil

• 1 garlic bulb

• 4 sprigs rosemary

• 1 x 310g jar Asda Pitted Queen Green

Olives, drained

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 lemons, halved

• 2 x 200g packs Asda Extra Special Baby Peppers, halved and deseeded

• 1 large courgette, sliced into half moons

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 x 440g pack Asda Extra Special

Aromatico Tomatoes

• 1 x 200g pack Asda 40% Less Fat

Salad Cheese

• 250ml lamb gravy to serve (optional)

‘Everyone gathers, as if coming out of hibernation’

of

Recipes: Gregor McMaster, Food styling: Lorna Brash, Props: Max Robinson

1 Remove the lamb from the fridge 1 hr before you are ready to start cooking. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas 6. Put the potatoes into a large roasting tray, sprinkle over the oregano and season with salt and black pepper.

2 Drizzle over 2 tbsp of the oil and mix well. Peel 2 of the garlic cloves and slice into slivers. Make small incisions into the lamb with a small knife, then push in the slices of garlic. Cut 1 rosemary sprig into 6 smaller pieces and push these into some of the incisions.

3 Put the lamb on top of the potatoes. Brush the lamb with 1 tbsp of the oil and season with salt and black pepper. Scatter the olives around the lamb along

with the remaining unpeeled garlic cloves, bay leaves, rosemary sprigs and lemon halves. Roast for 20 mins.

4 Put the peppers and courgette on a large roasting tray. Toss with the remaining oil and half the parsley.

5 Remove the lamb from the oven and carefully lift up the meat, then toss the potato wedges underneath to allow them to brown evenly. Put the lamb back on top and baste with the juices from the pan. Return to the oven and cook for a further 30 mins.

6 Repeat the step above, then return everything to the oven. Roast for a further 20 mins, adding the tomatoes to the vegetable tray after 10 mins.

7 Remove from the oven and transfer

the lamb to a board. Squeeze the lemon over the lamb, then cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 15 mins.

8 Crumble the cheese over the roasted veg, slice the lamb and serve with the roasted veg and gravy, if using, scattered with the remaining parsley and freshly cracked black pepper.

Leftovers tip: Use any leftover lamb to make a shepherd’s pie.

Meet Kristina and her husband Nick

Kristina says: ‘We are normally at home at Easter. We live near Richmond Park and it feels like spring is really starting. It’s a four-day Bank Holiday and we like to have a special dinner – something that isn’t your standard roast. We don’t eat meat, and we absolutely love salmon, and adding harissa and pomegranate really elevates it. I’ll do baby new potatoes with some mint, and lots of green vegetables.

‘We’ll have friends and family around, usually 4–6 people, maybe a dog running around. A couple of Easters ago we moved everything outside because the weather was so beautiful. I love laying the table for special dinners like this, with a smart tablecloth, cutlery, placemats, and a vase of daffodils. Then I’ll bring in the salmon on a platter, with its jewel-like colours, and everyone goes ‘Oooooh!’ All the food will be on the table and everyone can help themselves.

‘We have nibbles and bites first, with a little glass of fizz. But I think salmon goes very nicely with white wine. I buy all my wine from the big Asda in Roehampton, which is opposite where we live, so I’m sure I’ll find the perfect bottle.’

Kristina’s leftovers

Smash up potatoes, mix with some fried onion and garlic and make potato cakes, with a fried egg, for breakfast

‘I’ll bring in the salmon on a platter and everyone goes ‘Oooooh!’’

Side of salmon with harissa and pomegranate

Make oven-roasted, honey-glazed salmon the star of the show, bejewelled with pomegranate seeds and fresh mint leaves.

Serves 6 Ready in 40 mins

Faff factor | GF EF |

• 4 tsp Asda Harissa Paste

• 4 tsp runny honey

• 1 lime, juice and zest (use 2 tsp juice)

• 800g Asda Boneless Salmon Side

• 1kg Asda Extra Special Baby Potatoes, halved

• 175g frozen peas

• 50g unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large leek, sliced

• 2 Little Gem lettuce, sliced into quarters with the stalk still connecting the leaves

• 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

• 4 tbsp Asda 50% Less Fat Crème Fraîche

• 1 x 80g pack Asda Sweet & Crunchy Pomegranate Seeds

1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/ gas 6. Mix the harissa paste, honey and lime juice to make a glaze. Lay the salmon on a large roasting tray lined with baking paper. Brush with the glaze and roast for 20–22 mins, until just cooked and flaky.

2 While the salmon is in the oven, cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 15–17 mins until tender.

3 Put the frozen peas in a bowl and cover with boiling water; set aside. Melt half the butter in a frying pan with the oil. Fry the leeks over a medium heat for 3 mins until softened.

4 Increase the heat and add the lettuce wedges to the pan, flat side down. Cook for 2–3 mins until starting to brown, then turn. Repeat with the other side. Drain the peas and add to the pan. Reduce the heat and cook everything for a further 1 min.

5 Drain the potatoes well, return to the pan, season and add the remaining butter and half the mint leaves. Gently mix.

6 Put the salmon on a serving board. Drizzle with crème fraîche. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds, lime zest and mint.

Meet Nicky and her daughter Giorgia

Nicky says: ‘I lived in Italy for over 30 years and fell in love with Italian food, as well as the country. I’ve been back in the UK for a few years now, but still love keeping up traditions. Cooking a spread at Easter for a family get-together was always a big occasion, with mountains of food – and roast goat as the main dish – honestly! I would always bake a pastiera di grano for tea. The dish originates from the Naples area – and I lived near the Amalfi Coast, south of the Bay of Naples.

‘The pie is quite the ritual at Easter. Everyone has their own secret twist, but the ricotta cheese, orange blossom water and creamy rice are considered true flavours of the region, so the dessert is a real source of pride. Families discuss the preparations at length – everyone plays a part. One of the big decisions is how many stripes of pastry do you put across the top, and how thick should they be.

‘Now I live in Somerset in the UK with my daughter Giorgia and, if we manage to gather at Easter, the pastiera di grano is definitely on the menu. I do recommend that you bake the pie a few days before Easter though, as it definitely improves with a few days of ‘rest’ to let all the wonderful flavours mingle together – and it keeps well.’

Italian pastiera di grano

Keep it neat

Use a palette knife to help you dust the pastry strips – cover the bits you don’t want to sprinkle with the blade.

This traditional Neapolitan tart is usually made with Italian pre-cooked wheat grains, but we’ve made ours with risotto rice, which is easier to find in the UK and just as delicious.

Serves 16 Ready in 2 hrs, plus cooling | Faff factor | V d

• 1 x 500g Jus-Rol Shortcrust Pastry Block

• 300g Asda Risotto Arborio Rice

• 25g unsalted butter

• 1 lemon, zest only

• 500ml whole milk

• 1 x 250g tub Asda Ricotta Cheese

• 300g caster sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 75g Asda Home Baking Mixed Peel

• 1 tbsp orange blossom water

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• icing sugar, to dust

1 Line a 23cm round cake tin (with a depth of at least 4cm) with baking paper. Put the pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use the pastry to line the cake tin, then trim the edges, reserving any scraps for decoration. Chill the pastry for at least 30 mins or until needed.

2 To make the tart filling, put the rice in a large saucepan along with the butter, lemon zest and milk. Heat until it’s just about to boil and then simmer for 20 mins, stirring, until just cooked, adding a splash more milk if needed. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally to stop it from clumping.

3 To complete the filling, put the ricotta and sugar into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale. Beat the eggs in one at a time until blended. Use a wooden spoon to mix in the cooled rice along with the peel, blossom water and vanilla until combined. Chill for 2 hrs.

4 Preheat the oven to 160ºC/140ºC fan/gas 3. Roll out the pastry reserved from scraps and cut 8 strips, roughly 2–3cm wide and long enough to fit across the top of the tart. Prick the base of the pastry case with a fork.

5 Pour in the filling and use the pastry strips to decorate the top in a diamond pattern, pressing gently against the edge of the pie case to seal.

6 Bake for 1 hr. Cover with foil, then bake for a further 25 mins. Allow to cool in the tin. Remove and dust just the pastry strips with a little icing sugar before serving the tart.

Serving suggestions: Make this pud your Easter showstopper, served with a dollop of whipped cream. Leftovers tip: Leftover ricotta is great stirred through pasta or on crumpets.

No egg waste here!

The meringues use egg whites only, but we’ve used the yolks in the raspberry filling.

Season’s treatings

Meringue pie. Chelsea buns. Chocolate cookies... these classic British bakes all get a sensational seasonal twist to create three fabulous showstoppers for your spring spread

Recipe overleaf

RECIPES LIBERTY MENDEZ PHOTOGRAPHS MIKE ENGLISH

Raspberry meringue pie

Pair zingy pink berry curd with a glossy cloud of sweetness for a new favourite at family get-togethers.

Serves 12 | Ready in 55 mins, plus setting

Faff factor | V

• 500g shortcrust pastry

• plain flour, to dust

For the raspberry curd

• 4 tbsp cornflour

• 400g raspberries

• 2 limes, juice only

• 225g caster sugar

• 3 egg yolks

• 80g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

For the meringue

• 3 egg whites

• 150g caster sugar

1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas 6. Start by making the tart case. Lightly dust your worktop surface with flour and roll out the pastry so it’s around 1cm thick and wide enough to cover a 24cm fluted tart tin that’s 3.5cm high. Drape the pastry over a rolling pin, then place over and into the tart tin, pressing against the edges and cutting any excess, leaving around 2cm hanging over side. Press a fork into the base of the pastry all the way around.

2 Scrunch up a large rectangle of baking paper and place it on top of the pastry, then fill the baking paper with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins, then remove the baking beans and bake for a further 15 mins until golden brown. Once cooked, use a small sharp knife to slice off any excess pastry around edges. Leave to cool.

3 To make the raspberry curd, mix the cornflour with 3 tbsp water to make it into a loose paste, then set aside. Put the raspberries, 50ml water and lime juice into a saucepan over a low heat and crush the raspberries with the back of a fork until mashed. Continue

to cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it starts to simmer. Carry on whisking while pouring in the cornflour mixture and whisk for a few seconds until it’s thickened.

4 Take it off the heat and whisk in the egg yolks and then the butter. Pour into the cooked tart tin, smooth with the back of a spoon so it’s level and put in the fridge to set for 2 hrs (or overnight if you want a neat slice).

5 Once the curd is set, make the meringue. Place a large, clean heatproof bowl over a small pan of gently simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water). Add the egg whites and caster sugar to the bowl and whisk using a handheld electric whisk, until the sugar has dissolved and the eggs are frothy. Remove from the heat and continue to whisk for 5–6 mins until you have a thick, glossy meringue. Pile the meringue on top of the set raspberry curd and create decorative little crevices with the back of a spoon.

6 Finish with a chef’s mini blow torch so parts of the meringue are golden brown or put it in under a hot grill for 5 mins to caramelise.

Cook’s tip: Baking beans are used to ‘blind bake’ the pastry, but you can use dried rice or lentils instead. You can re-use the grains several times, but they won’t be suitable for eating.

Carrot cake cinnamon buns

Combine a spiced sponge with soft buns and a cream cheese drizzle and something magical happens...

Serves 9 | Ready in 50 mins, plus 2 hrs proving Faff factor | V d

For the dough

• 115g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated (grated weight of 100g)

• 110ml whole milk

• 40g unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra to grease

• 1 tsp vanilla paste

• 300g Asda Strong White Bread Flour, plus extra to dust

• 50g caster sugar

• 5g Asda Easy Bake Yeast

• 1 egg, beaten

For the filling

• 40g unsalted butter, softened

• 1 orange, zest only

• 100g Asda Light Brown Sugar

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the topping

• 50g cream cheese

• 75g icing sugar

• green food colouring (optional)

• small handful pistachios

1 Lay the grated carrot between two pieces of kitchen paper or a clean tea towel and press down to remove some of the moisture. Leave until needed.

2 Put the milk, butter and vanilla into a saucepan over a medium heat until the butter has melted. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool until tepid.

3 Put the flour, sugar, yeast and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the carrot and mix into the flour. Gradually mix in the egg along with the cooled milk mixture until you have a soft dough – you may not need to add all the milk.

4 Knead the dough in a stand mixer for 5–6 mins or by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10 mins until you have a dough that springs back and is smooth.

Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm area to rise for an hour or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by beating the butter with the orange zest. In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together.

5 Lightly dust your worktop surface with flour then, with a rolling pin, roll out the proved dough into a 30x40cm rectangle. Spread the orange butter mixture over the rectangle, right to the edges, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top so it covers the butter.

6 Starting from the longest side, roll the dough up into a tight spiral. On the final roll where the seam is, make sure the seam is placed underneath the dough. Use a sharp knife to slice the log into 12 even pieces.

7 Grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking paper. Evenly place the 9 rounds into the dish, then cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for 1 hour until they’ve increased in size and almost filled the dish.

8 Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas 6 and bake for 25 mins until golden brown. Leave in the tin to cool completely (or eat warm). To make the topping, beat the cream cheese and icing sugar together until you get a runny, pale drizzle. Colour with a drop of green food colouring, if using, then drizzle over the buns, using a piping bag or the back of a spoon. Top with chopped pistachios.

Leftovers tip: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can put one in the microwave for 20 secs.

Cook’s tip: To get a perfect slice, you can put the rolled-up dough into the freezer for 10–20 mins and then slice into rounds.

Freeze-ahead double chocolate cookies

If you have any leftover Easter eggs (we won’t!) use them to make a batch of buttery biscuits and watch ’em go…

Makes 14 Ready in 30 mins

Faff factor | V d

• 125g unsalted butter, softened

• 70g dark brown sugar

• 70g caster sugar

• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

• 180g plain flour

• 1½ tbsp milk

• 100g leftover chocolate, chopped

1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/gas 6. Line two large baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Put the butter, brown and caster sugars along with a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl, then beat with an electric whisk for 3–4 mins or by hand for 6–8 mins until the mixture is light and fluffy.

2 Tip in the cocoa powder, plain flour and milk and stir until a firm dough forms. Sprinkle in ¾ of the chopped chocolate and stir into the mix.

3 Divide the dough into 14 pieces (around 40g each) and roll into balls. If freezing ahead, place the balls into airtight containers and freeze for up

to 3 months. Place each ball around 3 fingers apart onto the baking trays, pressing each down slightly so they’re 1.5cm thick, and top with the remaining chocolate.

4 Bake for 10–12 mins until slightly set around the outside. Once you take them out of the oven, slam the tray down on the surface to flatten the cookies slightly and leave to cool. If baking from frozen, follow the step 3 instructions but bake for 14 mins.

Handy

hacks

@beatthebudget’s Mimi Harrison helps us to save the pennies and pounds with her waste-saving tips and hints

Beat the Budget’s one-pot chicken and tomato rice

Low-energy and at just 84p a serving, Mimi’s dish is a cost-saving idea you’ll love. It saves on the washing-up, too.

Makes 4 Ready in 35 mins

Faff factor

• 5 chicken thighs

• 1 onion, finely diced

• 2 tsp paprika

• 500g passata with garlic

• 500g frozen mixed vegetables

• 200g easy cook long grain white rice, rinsed until the water runs clear

• 700ml chicken stock (2 cubes)

• Fresh coriander

• Sprinkle of chilli flakes (optional)

• Black pepper

1 Put the chicken thighs skin-facing down in a large/deep non-stick frying pan on a medium/low heat. Gently fry for 10 minutes, until the fat renders from the chicken skin, and the skin is golden.

2 Flip chicken, cook for a further 5 mins.

3 Set the chicken aside. With a spatula, unstick any brown bits of meat from the bottom of the pan, leaving them in the pan to intensify the flavour. Add onion,

Did you know?

We bin a staggering 29 million slices of bread each year, yet there are so many uses for leftover loaves. Make breadcrumbs and fry in olive oil until golden for a crunchy pasta topping (delicious on mac ’n’ cheese), or freeze for future dinners like the fishcakes. Cut into cubes, fry in butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and serve with tinned fruit (Asda’s own starts at 90p) and ice cream.

Thrifty fixes

Leftover mash is so versatile. Mix with fish – tinned tuna or salmon, or smoked haddock, work beautifully. Shape into patties and coat with breadcrumbs before frying or you can stir through soup to thicken.

and cook in chicken fat until softened.

4 Add the paprika and fry for a minute before adding the passata, frozen vegetables, rinsed rice and chicken stock. Stir, then add the chicken to the pan, without submerging the crispy chicken skin. Cook for 18 mins.

5 Remove the chicken thighs and stir one last time. Top with the chicken thighs to serve, a sprinkle of fresh coriander and a pinch of chilli flakes.

23 simple ways

TO SAVE THIS YEAR

Fed up with feeling the pinch? Us too! Here, the experts at Asda HQ, and you – our lovely customers – swoop in to save the day and help us all reduce waste and stockpile the pennies

WORDS ALEX DREW

4

Pop a lid on it

1 USE IT ALL UP! BIGGER CAN BE BUDGET

Adam Smith, Asda Sustainability Coordinator – Zero Waste, ‘I do everything I can to avoid waste, whether it’s getting that last bit from the bottom of the jar by loosening it with oil, vinegar, or water, or using stalks and leaves from veggies like broccoli and cauliflower – which are absolutely delicious in soups and stir-fries. Nothing goes in the bin.’

2

Rachel Beckwith, Food Editor, ‘A tight-fitting lid for your pan can work wonders on saving energy. If bringing food to the boil, always put a lid on to speed up the time it takes – just keep an eye on the pan to make sure it doesn’t boil over.’

5. TASTY FREEZE

Ophelia Lieng, Old Kent Road

Asda superstore

3 Go solo ‘Opt for loose veggies so you only buy what you need. You’re more likely to eat everything and it won’t end up in the bin.’ Liam Hunt, Asda Content Planner

‘Freeze chopped herbs in ice cube trays with water and add straight to the recipe for a flavour kick. Or whizz up leftover herbs up to make a dressing.’

Alex Killeavy, Asda Workflow Manager

6. FRUITY REFRESH

‘Freeze leftover lemons, limes, berries and cucumber, and then add straight to your favourite drinks for a fruity punch.’

Sophie Rose, Asda Nutritionist

‘I buy big bags of rice – 5kg or 10kg – from the World & Local Food aisle. It’s much cheaper than buying the smaller packets.’

A QUICK COMPOTE 7

Rachel Langan, Asda Social Media

Co-ordinator says, ‘Make use of overripe fruit by reducing it down with a little honey, portioning it up and freezing it. It can be used as toppings on crumpets, porridge or ice cream, or stirred into yoghurt for a tangy-tasting pudding.’

8. SWAP TO SAVE

Stuart Appleby, Weymouth store

‘Instead of buying bagged leaves, try using a wholehead lettuce, such as romaine and butterhead – this will last longer, especially if you wrap half-used lettuce in tinfoil before popping it in the fridge.’

9. COOK UP A STORM

Ben Craig, Plymouth Asda superstore, ‘I batch cook fresh veg as I portion freeze stews and sauces. If I leave it for a while, I forget what’s in the fridge and it goes off.’

10 CRAM THE COOKER

Steph Martin, Asda Magazine Content

Planner, ‘When you turn the oven on at the weekend, fill the bottom rack with jacket potatoes to freeze for mid-week meals – they’ll cook alongside whatever else is in there and use up residual heat. Mark with a cross so they don’t explode in the microwave.’

12 GO EASY ON THE CHEESE...

‘It’s so tempting to add loads of cheese to dishes to make them even tastier but instead, I buy extra-mature cheese and use less of it. Or I reduce the amount by

BULK IT UP

BERRY GO ROUND

‘Squishy berries, strawberries and bananas make great smoothies. Just blend with fruit juice, milk or plant-based milk alternatives .’ Jessica Timms, Asda Magazine Editor

11

‘Add lentils to everything – once they’ve soaked up the flavours of your dish, no-one will ever know they’re in there.’

Hayley Ward, Asda Magazine Art Director

14 LEAF LOVE

‘Shred the outer leaves of lettuce into stir fries or soup, and add to a griddle pan or BBQ for a tasty charred salad.’

Hana Rathyal, Asda Social Media Manager

15 NUTTY LEFTOVERS

‘Don’t clean and throw away your old peanut butter jars when they’re empty – use them to make overnight oats to catch all the last scrapings from the jar.’

Leanne Shields, Asda Campaign Manager

16 Every last drop

‘If I’ve ever got any wine left over, I put it into ice cube trays and freeze it. It’s great for stocks, sauces and especially risottos, and it means you don’t have to open a new bottle just for a few millilitres.’ Maz Wakefield, Swindon store

21. CUT DOWN ON YOUR KETTLE USE

Natalie Graham, Asda Content Co-ordinator, ‘ I’ve got into the habit of filling a thermos flask with just-boiled water at the beginning of each day, which I then use for all my hot drinks. The water really keeps its heat and it means I’m only boiling the kettle once a day.’

22. OATS SO GOOD

Gabriella English, Food Editor 17 says… ‘Stackable steamers are great for energy efficiency – put water in the bottom and cook up your pasta, then on the higher layers add your various vegetables. It’s a healthier way to cook, too – win-win!’

18 CUT DOWN YOUR COOKING TIME

STACK ’EM HIGH

Wendy Chapman, Paignton store, says… ‘Before frying onion, microwave the chopped pieces first for 2–3 minutes to cut down on hob time. It also means you need less oil in the pan, so there’s a double saving.’

19 MAKE THE MOST...

Jenni Bass, Asda Senior Content Manager, ‘Watch a video to learn how to handle a whole chicken – you’ll find ways to get enough extra meat off a carcass to feed the family for a second time, as well as make a really flavoursome stock for soups or casseroles.’

20 CHEAPER CUT

Richard Spencer, Bournemouth Asda superstore, ‘When I buy chicken, I always go for thighs instead of breast, and I get them from the frozen section. It’s cheaper than fresh and just as tasty.’

Andy Wiggan, Cambridge store, ‘We have porridge for breakfast every day in our house and I always used to cook it on the stove, but now I do it in the microwave. The secret is going for a mix of half water and half milk – this creates a really creamy texture for less kcals.’

23. TAKE IT SLOW…

Katriel Costello, Chief Sub Editor, says… ‘I use my slow cooker for so much. It’s cheaper to run than the oven and it’s way more versatile than you might think. It’s not just stews and casseroles – I’ve made poached fruit, crumbles and even cakes.’

Gino

Your secret weapons…

Tony, you know I love fish. So, this is easy for me. Maybe you haven’t eaten a lot of seafood, but it’s never too late to give it a go and broaden your palate. I would love you to try a little sea bass, or cod – so delicious. But listen, let’s make it as easy as possible for you. Here is a recipe that is so simple you’ll just love it. You’ve got prawns. You’ve got garlic. You’ve got chilli. Then a little lemon juice and chopped flat leaf parsley – that’s it. For me, the bigger the prawns the better, but if you have smaller ones, that’s fine, just make sure to adjust your cooking time accordingly. It is so quick to make this dish, but it tastes so good. Slice two large cloves of garlic thinly – if someone is not so keen on having a piece in their mouth, they can easily take it out – and finely chop and deseed 2 red chillies. In a large pan – I have several in my range – heat around 4–5 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat. Drop both garlic and chillies in the oil until they sizzle – all the flavour will ooze out into the oil. Then you have your prawns. They should be peeled, deveined and the tails removed. Making sure your garlic doesn’t get too brown, as it can get bitter, add 800g prawns, around 3 tbsp of parsley, the zest and juice of a lemon to the flavoured oil and turn the heat up high. Now, the magic. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon, mixing the garlic in with the prawns, and watch them turn quickly from silver to pink. And in just 1 min, it is ready. The worst thing you can do is overcook the prawns as they will be chewy. So remember, a hot frying pan, and 1 min, maybe 1½ mins, and they will be lovely and juicy. Job done. Serve on a platter, with some pan juices, a sprinkle of parsley and some crusty bread. There you are, my sautéed prawns with garlic and chillies. That’s what I call sexy food, Tony – you can do it!

This month, we’re after tips for being the host with the most from our favourite Italian chef

Gino, I’ve never been much of a fan of fish, but I think I’m missing out. That’s what my friends and family say, anyway. But fish can have strong flavours, can’t it? And isn’t it difficult to cook? I don’t know where to begin! Please can you help me?

TONY, MANCHESTER

A taste of Eid

British halal food blogger Rabia Rashad celebrates the end of Ramadan with three easy aromatic recipes you’ll want to try again and again

Lamb biryani

• Tender chunks of meat in layers of fluffy rice, fragrant spices and fried onions make a mouthwatering meal. Recreate this popular dish for a teatime triumph.

Serves 6–8 | Ready in 1 hr 35 mins

Faff factor | GF EF d

For the fried onion

• 125ml sunflower oil

• 3 onions, finely sliced

For the biryani spice mix

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 nutmeg

• 8 cardamom pods

• 8 cloves

• 3 bay leaves

• 1½ tsp coriander seeds

• ¾ tsp turmeric powder

• ½ tsp medium chilli powder

For the lamb

• 900g Asda Tender Diced Lamb

• 2 tbsp TRS Minced Ginger & Garlic Paste

• 1–2 green chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped

• 245g natural yoghurt

• 30g fresh coriander leaves, chopped

• 30g mint leaves, chopped

• 150g tinned chopped tomatoes

• 250ml water

• 4 tbsp sunflower oil

For the rice

• 500g Tilda Pure Basmati Rice, washed and drained

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 3 cardamom pods

• 5 cloves

For the garnish

• a pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp hot water (or yellow food colouring)

• ½ a small pack coriander leaves, chopped

For the raita

• 1 ripe tomato, chopped into 1cm dice

• ¼ red onion, finely chopped

• 85g cucumber, finely chopped

• 1 tsp cumin seeds, whole

• 450g natural yoghurt

1 For the fried onion, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Once the oil is hot, fry the onions on a medium-low heat for about 20–25 mins. When the onions are crisp and brown, transfer to a plate lined with some paper towel to remove the excess oil. Set aside.

2 Add the biryani spice mix to a blender and whizz until you have a fine powder.

3 For the lamb, mix together in a large bowl the lamb, ginger and garlic paste,

green chillies, yoghurt, fresh herbs and chopped tomatoes with a pinch of salt, 2 tsp of the prepared biryani spice mix (store the rest for future use) and ¾ of the fried onion (reserve ¼ for garnish). Rub the lamb with all the seasonings and marinate for 10 mins.

4 Add the lamb to a large saucepan. Cook on high heat for 8–10 mins, stirring occasionally. Add 250ml water and give it a stir. Cover with the lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 40–45 mins or until the lamb is tender.

5 Meanwhile, in another large pot, bring 2 litres of water to the boil then add all the ingredients for the rice. Cook on a medium-high heat for 20–25 mins.

6 Remove the lid from the lamb and turn the heat to high. Add 4 tbsp oil and fry the meat for 8–10 mins or until the liquid reduces to a gravy.

7 Drain the rice and add to the lamb mixture. Sprinkle saffron-infused water over the rice. Garnish with fried onion and fresh coriander leaves. Cover the pot and let the rice steam for 5–10 mins over a low heat.

8 Meanwhile, stir together the ingredients for the raita, season with salt

RECIPES RABIA RASHAD PHOTOGRAPHS ALEX LUCK

Taste sensation

Caramelised onions provide a deep flavour base and an eye-catching garnish.

and black pepper and set aside. Gently mix the rice and the lamb, from bottom to top. Serve warm with the raita.

Serving suggestions: Tomato, onion and cucumber raita, or you could serve with a jar of Asda Raita if you prefer.

Aloo tikki papri chaat

Spiced potato patties and crispy chickpeas topped with yoghurt, tamarind sauce, mint chutney and pomegranate – delish!

Serves 6–8 | Ready in 1 hr 5 mins, plus cooling time

Faff factor

For the potato patties

• Asda Fluffy & Golden Large Baking Potatoes

• 2 tbsp cornflour

• ½ tsp medium chilli powder

• 30g fresh coriander leaves, chopped

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

For the crispy chickpeas

• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained

• 1 tsp sunflower oil

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

For the chaat

• 250g Asda Natural Yoghurt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 3–4 tbsp Kohinoor Savoury & Spicy Mint & Coriander Chutney

• 4 tbsp Maggi Authentic Indian Tamarind Sauce

• pinch of chilli powder

• pinch of cumin powder

• 1–2 tbsp Kohinoor Plain Bhujia

• 60g pomegranate seeds

1 Cook the potatoes in a pan of lightly salted water for 15–20 mins, then drain. When completely cool, coarsely grate.

2 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas

4. Tip the chickpeas into a bowl and toss with the oil, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper along with a big pinch of salt. Toss until the chickpeas are well coated, then tip onto a baking tray and bake for 35 mins, giving them a shake halfway through. Leave to cool and set aside.

3 In a bowl, make the patties by mixing the grated potato with the cornflour, chilli powder, coriander and some salt. Mix to a non-sticky dough.

4 Roll a tablespoonful of potato mixture between your palms and flatten to make a patty. Repeat with rest of potato

5 Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the potato in batches. Gently press the patties so they cook evenly. Don’t flip too much – let them crisp then flip to cook the other side until golden brown.

6 Whisk together sugar and yoghurt to a smooth dropping consistency.

7 Top the potato patties with the crispy chickpeas and sweetened yoghurt, along with some chutney, tamarind sauce, cumin and chilli powder, plain bhujia and pomegranate seeds.

Saffron milk cake

A melt-in-the-mouth, luxurious bake that feeds a crowd, this pudding-y milk-soaked sponge is topped with a sweet cream sauce, pistachios and a pinch of sunshine-yellow spice.

Serves 12 | Ready in 1 hr 5 mins, plus chilling time

Faff factor | V d

For the orange cake

• 3 eggs

• 125ml milk

• 125ml sunflower oil

• 125ml orange juice, freshly squeezed

• 300g plain flour, sifted

• 3 tsp baking powder

• 345g granulated sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tsp orange zest

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the saffron-flavoured sweet milk

• 300g evaporated milk

• 250g condensed milk

• 150ml double cream

• pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp water

For the whipped cream

• 300ml double cream

• 35g icing sugar

For the topping

• 3 tbsp pistachios

• pinch of saffron

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas 4. Line a 20x20cm square cake tin with baking paper.

2 In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, oil and orange juice. Whisk well. Add in the plain flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, orange zest and vanilla. Beat for 3 mins with a large whisk or until smooth. Pour into the cake tin.

3 Bake for 35–45 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin.

4 In a bowl, mix together the evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream and saffron-infused water.

5 Poke holes over the surface of the cake with a fork, then pour over ¾ of the saffron-flavoured sweet milk, reserving the rest for serving. After 5 mins, most of it should have

soaked into the cake. Leave to cool. Ideally, keep this cake in the fridge overnight before eating.

6 When ready to serve, prepare the whipped cream by using a hand-held electric whisk to combine the cream and sugar until it forms soft peaks. Spread or pipe the cream over the cake and sprinkle with ground pistachios and a pinch of saffron. Cut into squares and serve with the remaining sweet milk.

Cooling time

An hour of soaking will work but this dessert tastes best cool, so try 4 hours in the fridge.

Feast on something that’s succulently sweet and slightly nutty this Easter. Tenderstem.co.uk

slow roast lamb leg with Tenderstem® broccoli, lemon & caper dressing

View the recipe

Eatyour greens

Enjoy the new-season parade of leafy salad and veggies and serve up fresh, colourful dishes to supercharge your week

Mix it up

Japanese-style rice salad

Let sweet tenderstem broccoli take centrestage in a vegan plate everyone will love. Sticky miso aubergine and nutty brown rice are stars in this show too.

Serves 4 | Ready in 50 mins

Faff factor

• 2 tbsp peanut butter

• 1½ tbsp white miso paste

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce

• 2 tbsp agave syrup (or maple syrup)

• 4 pack Asda Tender and Sweet

Baby Aubergines

• 320g tenderstem broccoli

• 200g easy cook long grain brown rice

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 2 red chillies

• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger

• 320g frozen edamame

• ½ small bunch fresh coriander

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas 4. In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, white miso, rice vinegar, soy sauce and agave syrup together. Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and add to the bowl, coating in the mixture. Add to a baking tray, cover tightly with tinfoil and bake for 30 mins. After this time, remove the foil, add broccoli and continue roasting for another 15 mins.

2 Cook the rice according to packet instructions, then drain and set aside. Finely slice the garlic and add to a large frying pan over a medium heat with 1 tbsp sesame oil. Finely slice the chillies, set one aside for serving and add the other to the garlic. Peel and very finely chop the ginger and add that to the garlic and chilli. Fry for a couple of minutes, stirring often, until starting to

turn golden and fragrant. Add the cooked rice and frozen edamame and toss in the fragrant oil until completely coated and heated through.

3 Divide the edamame-rice mixture between shallow bowls, then top with the sticky miso aubergine and tenderstem broccoli. Top with the reserved chopped chilli, picked coriander leaves and a little extra soy sauce to taste.

Scandi-style new potato and mackerel salad

Fish and potatoes are the dream team. Factor in horseradish, soured cream, watercress and pickled red onion and you have a seriously good, colour-popping plate.

Serves 4 | Ready in 30 mins

Faff factor

• ½ red onion

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1kg baby potatoes

• 1½ tbsp English mustard

• 2 tbsp horseradish sauce

• 4 tbsp reduced fat soured cream

• 1 bunch spring onions

• 2 smoked mackerel fillets

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 bunch dill

• 85g watercress

1 Finely slice the red onion and add to a small bowl with a pinch of salt and

the white wine vinegar and scrunch it all together. Set aside to soften. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15–20 mins, or until they are cooked through.

2 Add the English mustard, horseradish sauce and soured cream to a large bowl with salt and pepper. Finely slice the spring onions and add to the bowl. Drain the potatoes and allow to cool just for a second, then add to the horseradish dressing while still warm so they absorb as much flavour as possible. Toss to coat. Flake the mackerel fillets into the bowl, then drizzle in the olive oil and the vinegar from the soaked red onion and mix.

Keep it fresh

Dress the potatoes, without the watercress or dill, up to two days in advance. Cover and place in the fridge.

3 Divide the salad between bowls, topping each with a little pickled red onion, dill leaves and watercress. Drizzle with olive oil to serve, if you like.

Cook’s tip: To make this recipe a little thriftier, swap out smoked mackerel fillets for a tin of anchovies instead.

Serving suggestions: Serve as part of a spring BBQ spread with grilled meats, salads, fresh bread and berries for pud.

Greek salad board with bulgur wheat

This enticing platter of pan-fried chicken, sunny spring veggies and a delicious side of houmous is the complete package, perfect for sharing.

Serves 4 | Ready in 1 hr 35 mins

Faff factor

• 3 lemons, plus extra to serve

• 20g fresh rosemary

• 2 garlic cloves

• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

• 650g Asda Boneless Chicken

Thigh Fillets

• 200g bulgur wheat

• 440g cherry tomatoes

• 25g fresh flat leaf parsley

• 30g fresh mint

• ½ cucumber

• 1 bunch spring onions

• 2 wholemeal pittas

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 100g houmous

• 75g mixed olives

• pickled chillies, to serve

1 Using a vegetable peeler, remove strips of peel from 2 of the lemons and add to a bowl along with their juice and the stripped leaves

from a bunch of rosemary. Peel and crush the garlic cloves and add to the mixture, along with a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, mix for a second and then add the chicken, stirring until everything is well mixed. Cover and set aside in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour, or ideally overnight.

2 Cook the bulgur wheat according to packet instructions. Halve the tomatoes and finely the chop parsley, mint leaves, cucumber and spring onions and add everything to a bowl. Add the cooked bulgur wheat and dress with the zest and juice of the third lemon, along with salt, pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil.

3 Place a frying pan over a high heat and, after draining a little, add the marinated chicken to the pan. Cook for 5–6 mins on either side, until the chicken is golden and cooked through.

4 To serve, get a big board and spread out the bulgur wheat salad to form a base. Top with slices of the chargrilled chicken and serve with toasted pitta, sliced avocado, houmous, olives, pickled chillies and lots of fresh lemon for squeezing over it all.

Cook’s tip: Marinate the chicken overnight for even more flavour.

Power lunch

Any leftovers can be put together for the ultimate packed lunchbox.

Spring panzanella

Experience a taste explosion, Italian style. Goat’s cheese croutons, in-season asparagus and wild rocket bring exciting flavours and textures to the table.

Serves 4 | Ready in 25 mins

Faff factor | V EF |

• 200g leftover bread, torn into 3cm chunks

• 1 garlic clove, halved lengthways

• 150ml extra virgin olive oil

• 100g goat’s cheese

• 2 lemons

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

• 300g asparagus

• 300g frozen petit pois

• 240g radishes

• 1½ tbsp baby capers, drained

• 1 round lettuce

• 60g wild rocket

• 25g flat-leaf parsley

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas 4. Rub the bread all over with the cut side of the garlic clove, then tear into 3cm chunks and place on a large baking tray. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over the bread and bake for 10 mins,

or until golden brown. As soon as it comes out of the oven, tear over the goat’s cheese to melt a little and set the tray aside to cool.

2 Zest and juice the lemons into a medium bowl, followed by a generous pinch of salt and pepper and the halved garlic clove you used to scrape the bread. Whisk together until the salt has mostly dissolved, then whisk in the mustard, followed by the rest of the olive oil in a steady stream – constantly whisking as you do so. Set aside.

3 Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and, when boiling, add the asparagus and petit pois. Cook for 2 mins, then toss directly into the bowl of lemon dressing, so that everything is nicely coated. Halve the radishes and add to the bowl, along with the capers and some ground black pepper.

4 Roughly break apart the lettuce leaves and lay out on a big serving dish, or divide between bowls. Evenly scatter over the dressed vegetables, followed by cheesy croutons, rocket and the picked leaves from the bunch of flat leaf parsley.

BUDGE T SAVVYSAVE ENERGY

Cook in 8 mins

Dress it up

Any leftover dressing can be drizzled over salads, dipped with prawn crackers or glazed over fish fillets

Vietnamese-style rice noodle salad

Impress your friends with fancily-prepared vegetables in a fresh and filling salad.

Serves 4 | Ready in 25 mins

Faff factor

• 650g boneless chicken thigh fillets

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 4 limes

• 2 tbsp light brown soft sugar

• 1½ tbsp fish sauce

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 red chilli

• a few sprigs each of mint and coriander

• 3 medium carrots

• 1 cucumber

• 1 bunch spring onions

• 1 x Little Gem lettuce

• 2 x 225g Asda Mild & Delicate Rice Noodles

1 Remove any excess fat or sinew from the chicken thigh fillets, then roughly

chop into 3cm chunks and set aside. Place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add the chicken and cook until golden all over and almost cooked through, about 8 mins.

2 Meanwhile, make the sauce. Boil the kettle. Squeeze the juice of 3 limes into a medium bowl, followed by the sugar, and fish sauce. Finely grate in the garlic cloves, then add 2 tbsp of just-boiled water, stirring gently to mix together and dissolve the sugar. Finely chop the chilli and coriander stalks, adding half to the sauce and reserving half for serving. Pick the coriander and mint leaves and set aside.

3 Peel the carrots into thin strips. Do the same with the cucumber and spring onions and divide evenly between four bowls. Pick away the leaves of the lettuce and finely slice the core, then

divide the leaves and shredded lettuce between your bowls.

4 Just as the chicken is almost cooked, add half of the sauce to the frying pan, take it off the heat and allow to cook for a moment, stirring so all the chicken is evenly coated in the sauce. Divide between the bowls, then put the frying pan back over a medium heat and, with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil, cook the noodles for a couple of minutes until heated through. Add to your bowls alongside the chicken, then top with chopped chilli and coriander stalks, whole mint and coriander leaves.

Raspberry and rosé punch

Sip a prettily pink drink of bubbly fizz with a dash of rum. Best enjoyed in warm sunshine – here’s hoping!

Serves 4 | Ready in 10 mins

Faff factor V

• 50g frozen raspberries

• 20g golden caster sugar

• 75ml coconut rum (use a little more or less depending on how sweet your rosé is )

• 300ml rosé wine

• 1 lemon, half juiced, half sliced

• 1 orange, half juiced, half sliced

• 5g fresh mint

• 150ml fizzy water

• ice

1 Put the raspberries in a blender with the sugar and coconut rum.

2 Blitz until pink and smooth, then

push through a sieve to remove pips.

3 Pour the strained mixture into a large jug and add all of the other ingredients.

4 Stir well and serve straight away.

Leftovers tip: This recipe doesn’t use a whole bottle of rosé so serve the remainder with sparkling water and lemon slices as a refreshing spritzer. Serving suggestion: Garnish with fresh raspberries, when in season, and mint.

Waldorf scones

Put a posh spin on the English classic with walnuts and a hint of blue cheese.

Makes 6–8 | Ready in 45 mins, plus cooling | Faff factor | V d

For the scones

• 50g butter, chilled and diced

• 300g self-raising flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 50g walnuts, sliced

• 50g blue cheese, diced

• 200ml milk

• 1 egg, beaten

For the fillings/toppings

• 1 tbsp butter, softened

• 120g Asda Red Leicester Cheese, sliced

• 1 apple, cored and sliced

• 1 stick celery, sliced

• 5–6 red grapes, sliced

• 1 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)

• 5g fresh chives, chopped (optional)

• ½ tbsp walnuts, crushed

1 Heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips to make breadcrumbs.

2 Stir in the baking powder, walnut slices and blue cheese. Season with black pepper and a little salt. Add two-thirds of the milk and lightly mix. Add more milk and bring the dough together with your hands, it’ll be soft but not too sticky. You may not need all the milk.

3 Shape the dough into a disc approx 1.5–2cm thick. Use a straight-sided 6.5–7cm round cutter to cut out 6 or 7 scones; shape the remaining dough into a similar sized round disc – even if it looks different, it’ll taste good!

4 Put the scones onto a baking tray lined with baking paper or a silicone mat. Brush with the beaten egg and bake for 15–18 mins or until risen and deep golden on top.

5 Allow the scones to cool on a wire rack before splitting open, spreading with butter and filling with the toppings – all inspired by Waldorf salad.

Get ready to crumble

Use leftover rhubarb to make a crumble – add a bit of stem ginger for extra flavour.

Rhubarb & ginger bakewell tarts

These little almond bakes get a seasonal makeover to delight the senses.

Makes 12 | Ready in 1 hr, plus cooling Faff factor | V d

• 150g rhubarb

• 100g golden caster sugar

• 1 ball of stem ginger, finely chopped and 1 tbsp of the syrup

• 375g sheet Asda Ready Rolled Shortcrust Pastry

• 1 egg

• 20g plain flour

• 30g ground almonds

• 50g melted butter, plus extra for greasing

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 150g icing sugar

• Red and yellow food colouring

• Optional other decorations include: Asda White Chocolate Stars, Asda Choco Beans, Asda Rainbow Sprinkles, orange zest

1 Use a vegetable peeler to cut some thin strips from a piece of rhubarb, you want about 50g. Put these in a bowl

of cold water and then chop the rest of the rhubarb into chunks. Put the chopped rhubarb in a pan with 50g golden caster sugar, 3 tbsp water and 1 tbsp of syrup from the jar of stem ginger. Heat for around 10 mins, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb has turned mushy and the mixture has started to thicken slightly. Leave to cool.

2 Heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Grease the holes of a 12–hole bun tin and cut out 12 circles of pastry with a 7.5–8cm fluted cookie cutter, then use them to line the bun tin.

3 Whisk the remaining sugar with the egg, flour, almonds, melted butter, ground ginger and baking powder until smooth and pale. You don’t need an electric whisk to do this, a balloon whisk or even a fork will be fine.

4 Divide the cooled compote between the cases then top with the almond sponge batter. Ensure the compote is fully covered by the sponge mixture.

5 Bake for 12–15 mins until risen and golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

They may settle flat, which will give you a nice flat surface to decorate.

6 While the tarts cool, mix the icing sugar with water to get a thick spoonable consistency and add pink or coral food colouring.

7 Once the tarts are cold, top with icing and decorate with a piece of curly rhubarb and some finely chopped stem ginger. You could also add another swirl of icing in a different colour or add some sprinkles too. Serve once the icing is set – if you can wait that long!

Cook’s tip: You can make the rhubarb compote ahead of time, the rhubarb curls will sit happily in water overnight.

BUDGE T ONLYSAVVY

29p A SERVE

Green veg ‘sausage’ rolls

A spinach and feta filling puts a tasty twist on these all-time party favourites.

Makes 24 | Ready in 1 hr 30 mins Faff factor | V d

• 300g spinach

• 25g butter

• 1 onion, finely diced

• 200g frozen peas

• 50g sunflower seeds, crushed

• 10g fresh dill, chopped

• 10g fresh mint, chopped

• 1 lemon, zest and juice

• 200g Asda Feta Cheese, diced

• 1 x 375g pack of Asda Ready-Rolled Puff Pastry

• 2 eggs

Toppings (optional)

• 1–2 tbsp of any of the following: flaked almonds, chilli flakes, fennel seeds, black onion seeds, dried oregano

1 Put the spinach into a large pan with 3–4 tbsp of water. Let the spinach cook down for 2–3 mins, stirring until wilted. Drain excess liquid and leave to cool in a bowl. Once cold, squeeze out any excess moisture and finely chop.

2 Return the pan to a medium heat and melt the butter. Soften the onion for 5 mins or until just starting to colour. Add the peas, sunflower seeds, fresh herbs and lemon zest.

3 Cook for 2–3 mins to defrost the peas. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, along with the cooled and chopped spinach and feta. Mix everything together well and season to taste. At this stage you can blend all or half of the mixture with a stick blender or in a food processor if you want a finer texture. Set aside while you preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.

4 Cut the pastry into 3 strips – approx 12x25cm. Mix 1 egg into the vegetable

Dunk it!

Serve with a creamy dip like crème fraîche and a little Dijon mustard, or some whipped-up soft cheese and chives.

mix then beat the other in a bowl. Split the filling across the length of each of the 3 strips, keeping it to one side only. Brush the exposed pastry with the beaten egg and roll over the pastry to form 3 large sausage rolls. Brush with more beaten egg and sprinkle with your chosen toppings, if using.

5 Make some small cuts in the pastry to let the steam escape and bake for 25–30 mins or until risen and deep golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes then transfer to a board. Slice each roll onto 8 mini rolls once they are cool enough to handle.

Get the look

The latest seasonal styling for your home and wardrobe

Dress the part

Looking for an outfit that will take you from boardroom to bar, garden party to gig? Then look no further. This light, cotton midlength dress combines delicately embroidered florals with this month’s must-have monochrome tones. Simply add box-fresh white trainers or a pair of knee-high boots for a seasonal all-rounder. Embroidered Midi Dress, £26

Under wraps

For snuggles on the sofa, try this super-soft throw made with a new yarn spun from recycled materials. Natural Wiggle Mono Throw, £15

Pot luck

Bring on-trend terracotta tones to your garden with this groovy plant pot – just add pretty trailing greenery.

Terracotta Planter Cream, £10

Little explorers

Set off on safari (or the school run) with lion, monkey and giraffe chums and fun feathery fringing. Sage Green Safari Animal Rucksack†, £12

edit THE

Who’s coming to dinner?

Show off your ‘green’ credentials with this outdoor tableware made from recycled materials. Green Eco Luxe Dinner Set, £35 (16-piece)*

Stop right here for an inspiring selection of great-value pick-me-ups to treat yourself or your loved ones – what will you find today?

WORDS LOU CASSELL

Top up your tan

A sunshine serum to bring colour to your face even on a cloudy day. Bondi Sands Self Tan Drops (Light/Medium, and Dark), £15.99/30ml (each)^

‘Blessed celebration’

Send greetings to loved ones as Ramadan’s fasting period ends and the feasting and celebrations of Eid begin.

Eid Greetings Card** , £1.50 (3 for £3)

Cosy camper

Kick back at the campsite and be the envy of all with this comfy, colourchanging LED-lit inflatable chair.

LED Moon Chair, £25

Behind closed doors…

Hotel housemaid Molly Gray’s meticulous life is turned upside down in this smart, award-winning whodunnit. The Maid by Nita Prose, £5

Snuggle up for a spring slumber party in these pjs – strictly no snoozing until it’s time for bed! Green Gingham Kids Pyjamas, £9/10/11 (1½ -10 years)

A fresh start

Hairdo dilemma? Never fear, this trusty dry shampoo will freshen up your troubled tresses in an instant. Monday Original Dry Shampoo, £3/200ml

Drink up!

Perk up a picnic in the park or garden with these colourful cups, complete with clip-on lid and straw. Pass the juice... Shell Bottle, £4^ (various colours)

£3.50

Water feature

Get the kids to help in the garden with these brightly coloured watering cans – it’s sprinkle time! Hapello Watering Can, £3.50 each (various colours)

Be a Jedi Knight

Protect the legacy of the Jedi Order as the galaxy descends into darkness in a single-player game. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor PS5, Xbox Series X, £62 each

What wrinkles?

A gentle cream with rose hip oil, cocoa butter and vitamin A† for softer skin And it’s vegan-friendly. Asda Hyaluronic Plus Retinol Night Cream, £4/50ml

Cool contours

It curves in, it curves out, it curves in again – a stylish and elegant smoky green vase to hold some vibrant spring blooms. Sculptural Glass Vase, £10

All boxed up

Follow the spring cleaning vibe this month with two woven containers to hide away your knick-knacks. Natural Water Hyacinth Basket, £40 (set of 2)

Get back on track

Of the 400,000 men living with prostate cancer, many will experience urinary incontinence* – but don’t worry, TENA Men has you covered

One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer** and will have to deal with the life-changing circumstances this brings, but it doesn’t mean you should compromise on life. Whether that’s spending time with loved ones or getting back to the hobbies and passions that make you feel like you again, you don’t have to do it alone.

TENA Men can take the stress out of one of the side effects of treatment – bladder weakness and incontinence. The innovative design allows you to get on with your day without fear of leakage. And with TENA, you’ll be helping other men to survive a diagnosis – 10p from every pack you buy is donated to Prostate Cancer UK†, which has funded some of the biggest breakthroughs in prostate cancer care over the last 20 years°.

Together with Prostate Cancer UK^, we also want to remove the stigma around male urinary incontinence. Talking about it isn’t easy, and you might not feel like telling your experience to the world – with TENA Men Active Fit

Absorbent Protector Level 2, you don’t have to worry. It’s 100% discreet because it’s engineered for men, to enable them to navigate the world with confidence in their changing bodies. The pads are thin, easy to use, and so comfortable you’ll forget you’re wearing one. They also come single-wrapped – ideal for throwing into a gym bag or briefcase. Meanwhile, the Secure Absorption Zone is delivering reliable protection.

So, if you want to feel secure, dry and in control – more like your old self – why not try it today?

Concerned about prostate cancer?

Anyone concerned about prostate cancer can contact Prostate Cancer UK’s specialist nurses in confidence on 0800 074 8383 (free to landlines and open 9am–6pm, Monday to Friday, 10am–5pm Wednesday) or via the Live Chat service at prostatecanceruk.org.

Carry cosy blankets from inside to outside in a basket

Welcome visitors to outdoor spaces this summer with a range of comfort zones where you can sit and eat, lounge and chat, or just chill. Make these moments memorable with inviting new seating set-ups. Laid-back loungers were once the go-to garden recliner, but thanks to modern weatherproof fabrics, sofas with padded upholstery are now the norm. Equally weather-resistant scatter cushions and rugs complete the feel-athome look, and soft cotton throws keep things snug if there’s a chill in the air. For al fresco dining, modern metallic furniture is both smart and stylish, but if ‘me time’ is what you want, why not curl up in a cosy wicker pod with a book and a nest of cushions?

Opposite page: Green Modern Metal Sofa Set, £139; Natural Stripe Cushion, £10; Multi Stripe Indoor and Outdoor Rug Natural, from £35; Stripe Natural Indoor and Outdoor Rug, from £35; Natural Diamond Crochet Throw, £12; Green Jumbo Cord Cushion, £8; Natural Woven Wood Basket, £15; Black Metal Lantern, £20

This page from left: Smokey Green Wine Glasses (4-pack), £14; White Blue Trim Dinner Set, £22

Below and left: Outdoor Scatter Cushion, Monstera Leaf print (2-pack), £20; Turquoise Ombré Bubble Planter, £16; Light Grey Large Angled Planter, £16; Hanging Egg Chair, £249; Blue Willow Leaf Cushion, £8

‘For al fresco dining, modern metallic furniture is both smart and stylish’

When planning your openair entertainment zones, keep close to nature – use greens, greys, warm beiges, and terracotta tones for your colour palette, with silvery wood for decking or fencing as a backdrop. Dot a selection of pots and planters around seating areas – choose matt natural, earthy shades with a surprise pop of coloured ceramic, but mix up shapes, sizes, and textures for added interest. Keep lighting low level with lanterns and candles, and festoon strings of lights along fences or across a dining area. All can be solar-powered, so great for energy efficiency and saving on electricity bills.

Keep guests comfy with throws and cushions

‘When planning your openair entertainment zones, keep close to nature’

Below right, and below: Green Lucia Goblet Wine Glasses (4-pack),

Keep plants in naturallooking containers

Left: Wooden Lounge Chairs, £99 each; Green Leaf-shaped Cushion, £8; Green Borg Cushion, £11; Small Plant Pots, from £8; Black Round Metal Planter with Stand, £20

Right: Green Textured Vase, £12

£12; Green Ceramic Solar Leaf Lantern, £12

WORDS ALEX DREW PHOTOGRAPHS DAVID CAUDERY

Cupboard love W

e’ve all done it – spending precious minutes rooting through your kitchen cupboards to find that long-lost jar of spice, or discovering you’ve already got a four pack of tinned tomatoes when you’ve just bought more. What we all need is a little more order behind those closed doors, not just to save time, but also that most precious commodity – space. Start small, with one cupboard at a time, emptying out the contents, checking the use-by dates and binning anything that’s past it. Uniformity is your friend, so measure the space and maximise it by using boxes, baskets and jars for sturdy stacking. Neat, tidy and stylish, these nifty storage solutions will have you and your kitchen sorted in a jiffy.

Label care

Spice it up

Wading through a sea of herbs and spices jars can cost you valuable time (and sanity) in the kitchen. To keep yours beautifully ordered, arrange on tiered shelf steps and pick out cumin from coriander in an instant. George Home 4-Pack Spice Jars, £2

Storing food in seethrough containers is one thing, but how to tell what’s basmati or long grain? Labels are your friend. From pre-printed stickers to jars with chalkable tags, give your storage a smart new look. Black Organisation Stickers, £8; Glass Chalkboard Canisters, £18 (6-pack)

If a peek inside your kitchen cabinets reveals crumbs and chaos, it’s time to bite the bullet and get organised for spring

Access all areas

Stash jars and packets in easy-toreach boxes and keep liquids in spill-free bottles.

George Home Glass

1L Water Bottle, £2

Sidelines

Store different sized frying pans on their sides to maximise cupboard space and save their nonstickness.

Space savers

Keep matching crockery looking its best with a handy shelf-saving divider. George Home White Division Rack with Wooden Handle, £8

Hideaway

Throw cloths into a kitchen basket.

Grey Striped Rope Woven Storage

Baskets (3 Pack), £20

Fade up, not out! Why wear one colour when you can rock four? This cool ombré-fade fabric is pure summer. Just add sunnies and trainers for a look that will last from breakfast to bedtime

LEFT: Ombré Short Set*, £7/£8/£9

RIGHT:

Sunset shades

Animal print gets a neon makeover with a sundress that pops with orange and pink in a comfy cut that won’t hold them back.

p l a y

The summer’s just a hop, skip, and a jump away so stock up on fashion staples in practical shapes and styles that won’t get in the way of play

Animal Dress, from £10/£12/£14

Shorts combo

Keep it cool with a towelling two-piece decorated with croc and dino shapes. The practical shorts and shirt set gives kids free reign.

Towelling Crocodile Set, from £10; Khaki Fisherman Sandals, £11

Beach ready

Ice cream colours and gingham prints with coordinating sliders will help kids look and stay cool when the temperatures rise this summer.

Pink Cycling Shorts, from £6/£7/£8 (3-pack); Fruit Tee, £6/£7/£8 (2-pack); Woven Dress, from £10; Pink Sliders, £5/£6; Pink Double Buckle Sandals, £6

*25p from every pack of Vanish Gold Range sold in Asda stores in UK (exc. NI) & on asda.com from 29.03.23 to 18.04.23 will be donated to Ambitious About Autism (registered charity no. 1063184). Visit vanish.co.uk for full terms.

Little flower

It’s the small things that brighten each day, like a bunch of daffodils. The cheery sunshine yellow means spring is around the corner and you can’t put a price on the beam of pleasure you get as you gift a bunch of great-value daffs to a loved one. Those tiny hands clutching showy blooms – Nan’s week made. Daffodils, £1

Live your best...

Consider…

TUNING INTO NATURE

Natural sounds such as rainfall and breeze can boost cognitive performance°, increase positive feelings and lower stress and annoyance^. Other studies† found calm soundscapes help with faster stress recovery and better self-reported health

PERSONAL GROWTH

Paul Garten, volunteer gardener

‘Three years ago, I started volunteering at a community garden called Newquay Orchard and I can’t believe how much gardening improved my wellbeing. I didn’t really notice the difference at first but, after a while, the benefits became more and more obvious. I took pride in my work – the weeding, planting, growing and landscaping. Seeing the garden grow and take shape over time was amazing. I became a part of the community and built up friendships. It is a period of my life I will never forget. Learning about nature

blood pressure, which is in turn a risk factor for developing heart disease. 30% of adults in England have high blood pressure3. Estimations show that meeting the salt recommendation could result in 1.4 million fewer people living with high blood pressure4 So, if you’re looking to reduce your salt intake:

• Look for the green traffic lights for salt on food packaging – green means low levels

• When cooking at home, try not to add salt through the cooking process. Cook pasta, vegetables and rice without adding salt to the water

• Aim for 5-a-day – fruit and vegetables are naturally low in salt

• Reduce foods that are high in salt eg, processed red meat such as ham, bacon and sausage

• Use spices and herbs to enhance flavour.

From enjoying soundscapes to getting your hands dirty, these wellbeing ideas will put a spring in your step

WORDS ABBY DRIVER

MYTH BUSTER

With Allergy Awareness Week5 (24–30 April) just around the corner, we’re taking a look at antihistamines and how they help to manage allergies6. When you experience an allergic reaction, your body produces histamine which causes symptoms like a runny nose, itching, watery eyes, hives and rashes.

Antihistamines work by blocking the substance and reducing the symptoms.

Antihistamines fall into two camps, drowsy and non-drowsy7. Drowsy antihistamines include chlorphenamine (Piriton), diphenhydramine (Nytol Original) and promethazine (Avomine, Phenergan or Sominex). Non-drowsy includes loratadine (Clarityn), acrivastine (Benadryl Allergy Relief) and cetirizine (Piriteze Allergy)8. But which is best? There isn’t much evidence to say one is better than the other 9 . So non-drowsy antihistamines are often used first, as they won’t make you nod off. But if your symptoms are interfering with your sleep, drowsy antihistamines can be useful. Speak with a health professional before taking new medication.

5 ways to wind down for Stress Awareness Month

1 Exercise: Dance, jog or do a HIIT workout. Studies have found people feel calmer after 20 minutes of aerobic exercise10.

2 Breathwork: Calm your nervous system by breathing in for 4, holding for 7 and out for 8. Research found it helped everyone from women in labour 11 to post-op patients12

3

Be grateful: Write down three things you’re grateful for, big or small. Research found gratitude boosts wellbeing13 and lowers stress14

4

Forest bathing: Originating in Japan, a mindful woodland walk can lower your heart rate, blood pressure15, fatigue, anxiety and depression16

5 Pet a pet: Stroking a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol and boosts feel-good hormone oxytocin

Walk to wellness

Boost the mental and physical benefits of a regular stroll by moving it to the morning. From better sleep to a more productive day, you’ll notice the difference fast

WORDS CHARLIE LYON

We all know that walking can help support our general heath and fitness*, but experts are now hailing the added benefits that doing it early doors can have on our brains as well as our bodies. It could be key to getting top-quality sleep**. Dr Katherine Irvine, senior researcher in environment, wellbeing and sustainable behaviour at the James Hutton Institute, is a firm believer in the power of a morning walk.

‘Taking a walk outside is a great way to clear your mind, put things in perspective and think about things you might not otherwise have the time (or want to!) think about,’ she says. Katherine has been studying the wellbeing impact of walking in nature on people†.

‘We are starting to see evidence that spending time in nature-rich environments, where there are many different types of birds, for

3 WAYS TO SEE THE LIGHT

Dr Michael Mosley explains in his podcast, Just One Thing°

1 ‘Early exposure to light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that encourages us to go to sleep, so you’ll feel wide awake with bright light in the morning1 ’

2 ‘Light brings your body clock forward so that in the evening when you want to go to sleep, your body is ready. If you’re struggling to sleep at night, it could be because you’re not getting enough bright light, particularly in the morning2.’

3 Daylight also boosts serotonin, the ‘happy neurotransmitter’, which helps regulate our mood. So the earlier in the day you get outside, the better the chance you’re giving yourself of starting the day with a smile. 3

‘The ‘nature’ you walk in does not need to be vast,’ she explains. Is there a small park near you? Or a local stream or canal to walk along? A farm field, perhaps?’

Pick up the pace

If you can up the pace on a walk, your body will reap the benefits. Marie Murphy is professor of exercise and health at Ulster University. She was behind a huge study that found that walking faster could help you live longer^.

‘If you want to get the best bang for your buck on your morning walk, moving a little faster will increase the benefits,’ she says. ‘I describe the pace as walking like you are a bit late for an appointment or a bus. You should still be able to talk but you’ll feel warmer and breathe a little heavier than when walking slower.’

‘My day is hugely improved with a morning walk.’

example, as well as different sounds and colours, can improve our wellbeing.’ She says that spring is the best time to give early morning strolls a go if you aren’t used to squeezing one in. And there’s good news for city dwellers too:

The study of over 50,000 walkers revealed that walking at a brisk or fast pace was found to be associated with a 24% risk reduction for mortality of any kind, compared with walking at a slow pace. Now, that’s definitely something worth jumping out of bed for.

*www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/running-and-aerobic-exercises/walking-for-health/; **thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/adults/sleep-hub/ circadian-rhythms; www.hutton.ac.uk/news/need-stress-buster-go-nature-walk; podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/just-one-thing-with-michael-mosley/ id1560369423; www.ulster.ac.uk/news/2018/june/study-finds-walking-faster-could-help-you-live-longer; 1www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/ blue-light-has-a-dark-side; 2www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/longhourstraining/light; 3www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3779905/

Rebecca Paddick adopted her beagle, Ray, two years ago. ‘I get up and out much earlier since I’ve had Ray: I have a strong sense of purpose when I wake up now. Our morning walks are the best. When Ray is off doing his own thing (sniffing or looking for mischief), it’s a great time for me to think about the day ahead. When I’m walking on my own, I tend to feel the need to listen to music, whereas with Ray I’m more aware of my surroundings and feel very focused and engaged in the moment. The energy boost makes me more productive, which in turn makes me feel happy and helps me sleep better.’

‘If you can pick up the pace on a walk, your body will reap the benefits’

BREAKFAST WITH CHAMPIONS

‘It’s for everyone in the community’

Asda Community Champion Liz Arbuckle has a croissant with Jackie Bonner, organiser and founder of breakfast club, Elevenses

WORDS RACHAEL STILES PHOTOGRAPHS EUAN MYLES

Our Asda Community Champions support their local communities in one of the most important ways: with their time. Many of our people go above and beyond to keep things running, like Asda’s Liz Arbuckle from Toryglen in Glasgow who in 2022 was nominated for a Scottish Woman’s Award. She chats to Jackie Bonner, founder of Elevenses, a breakfast club that brings people from all walks of life together. Elevenses is held at their local centre, Community Base.

Jackie: I’ve worked for Community Base for about 14 years. In 2003, the building we were using was going to get knocked down, so we found another one nearby, but it needed a lot of work. It was flooded, there was grass growing through the carpets… We were there at weekends, working hard to fix it up and get in.

Liz: That was how we first met, I started helping out with the painting and cleaning. We’ve known each other a while now.

Jackie: Back then, we ran food banks at Community Base, which you helped with. When that was coming to an end, we asked everyone what they would like to see instead. They wanted a place to connect with others, because of Covid and the sense of isolation people felt afterwards. So, Elevenses was born. It gave people

the chance to come back together and talk over a cuppa and a breakfast roll.

Liz: Two years later, Elevenses meets every single week on Wednesdays. You’ve made it grow from strength to strength, Jackie.

Jackie: Well, I think it’s important to make an effort. The Elevenses group has a huge impact because quite a few of the people who come are older and some live by themselves. One of the ladies who comes, her mood is sometimes quite low, but she always goes away with a smile on her face. People come for different reasons. Some people might have no meals in the fridge, or they come so they don’t need to put their heat or the lights on in their homes. We usually have around 20 to 25 people every week, and not just families, it’s open to everyone else in the community too.

Liz: I recently helped you to secure an Asda Foundation grant of £1,000 to support Elevenses with energy bill costs as a result of cost-of-living increases. We donate goods out of our monthly budget if there’s an event on. At the Burns Night event in February we supplied all the shortbread, but you had the tables all decorated, tartan ribbons around the chairs, and had arranged haggis and tatties for everyone. Every Wednesday I’ll take tea, coffee and biscuits – and just offer time. That’s worth its weight in gold because when you’re giving your time, you’re also meeting people.

Jackie: And having you on board

has made a big difference to the people who visit.

Liz: I am quite outgoing. I like to speak to everybody and really get to know them all, and we all get on so well together.

Jackie: You’ve definitely become part of the group. Everybody knows who Liz is!

Liz: I think you’re amazing for all you do. You do everything to such a high standard with a little funding. I like to support events in any way I can, and I always like to dress up. That’s part of my job. I think that’s why I’ve had the job for such a long time…

Jackie: There was that Halloween when you didn’t realise we were

having a party. You went out to your car and came back in full costume!

Liz: A wig and a full 1970s outfit – I’ve got everything in my car.

Jackie: You’ve really supported us. It’s not just about the financial support, you’ve given us so much in other ways. If there’s ever anything we need, you’re my first port of call, Liz.

Liz: I’m a jack-of-all-trades.

Get involved!

To find out about our Community Champions and how you can get involved, keep an eye on the community board in store. For more information on how the Asda Foundation works and is helping to support communities this year, visit asdafoundation.org

The breakfast Jackie and Liz tuck into croissants and two mugs of tea

The venue Elevenses Breakfast Club, Community Base, Prospecthill Circus, Glasgow

‘I’ll take in tea, coffee and biscuits – and just offer time.

That’s worth its weight in gold’

SUCCULENT DELIGHTS

What’s on my plate…

Broadcaster and journalist Eamonn Holmes on life after a fall, his dog Maggie and the perfect apple crumble

How’s 2023 been so far ?

To be honest, 2023 has been much more difficult than I ever thought it would be. [Following back surgery in 2022, Eamonn lost feeling in his leg and fell down some stairs, resulting in a broken shoulder.] But I do remain positive. I’m back to work now, which is great. It’s still difficult to move around but my brain seems to work okay and it’s nice to be involved in the cut and thrust of the news cycle again.

What does your morning routine look like?

It’s not so much a morning routine as a nighttime routine. My alarm goes off at 3am and Ruth [Langsford, Eamonn’s wife and fellow presenter] helps to get me in and out of the shower, gets me dressed and so on. Then I’m off to the studio.

That’s a very early start. Any tips for mornings?

Despite nearly 40 years of presenting breakfast and daytime TV, I’m still a bit of a night owl. I don’t smoke or drink much alcohol but I think it must help tremendously to avoid those things. And I’ve learned through experience not to eat after 7pm, particularly anything heavy or spicy.

You must be eating breakfast in the middle of the night…

Well, I lost a lot of weight when I was

recuperating and now my body seems to want me to eat all the wrong things. I might have something to eat before or during the programme, then brunch after the show, on to lunch, mid-afternoon snack… the thing is, getting up that early just gives you longer during the day to eat.

What do you do to look after your own wellbeing? My life changed when we adopted our dog Maggie from the Dogs Trust [Eamonn is a patron for the charity]. She follows me everywhere and seems to know if something is wrong. Sadly, I’m not able to walk her at the moment, but it will be a joy and a privilege when I’m able to do it again. I also like to feel the sunshine on my face. It really changes my mood. I don’t care whether it’s hot or cold outside as long as I see a blue sky.

What’s coming up?

A second series of Farm to Feast will be aired soon on BBC One and in Northern Ireland. The show celebrates award-winning produce from farms and fisheries across Northern Ireland. My first job in journalism was as a farming reporter and I’ve always felt a great connection to farms and agriculture. I think it’s important to support farmers.

Who do you most admire?

Des Lynam [broadcaster] is an absolute god. There really is no better person or inspiration. I remember the time I won a TRIC [The Television and Radio Industries Club] Award and saw Des backstage. He congratulated me and asked how many awards I’d won. I told him three and he looked at me and replied: ‘14’.

Tell us something surprising about you I never learned a foreign language but I do have an O level in Ancient Greek.

5 questions for a foodie

Every issue we ask…

If you were a pudding…

I’d be apple crumble – no cinnamon – served with vanilla ice cream and custard

Scrambled, fried or poached? Soft poached.

What’s always in your basket? Tomatoes, the bigger the better

Favourite cooking hack?

Bacon in the air fryer. It goes

a long day, I fancy… bowl of vanilla ice cream in front of the telly.

WORDS REBECCA EWING

Towelling Crocodile Set, from £10

Rainbow jersey/ woven dress, £10/£12/£14