Chomp Moulsecoomb - Recipes for our Community

Recipes for our community

Our Chomp Families & Friends asked for a recipe book that would help them to cook healthy meals on a budget so we partnered with local organisations and made this grass-roots recipe book.

We know that day-to-day, week-to-week and month-to-month can, at times, be hand-tomouth. We're here, in the struggle, with you, for you and alongside you.

This is for each of you.

This book was made possible thanks to generous sponsorship from

Contents

Everyone deserves a meal

3

Introduction

4

How to use this book

7

Where to get free and low-cost food

10

Easy-win Lunches

13

Hot family meals

31

Puddings

73

Index

88

Our community

90

Everyone deserves a meal

As part of the creation of this book we ran a design competition with the children that come to the family food sessions we host. We asked everyone to draw a picture to represent Chomp Moulsecoomb, with one picture being chosen to feature in the book.

This image on the left by Robert Weston was the design that we thought showed best what Chomp Moulsecoomb was all about. Thank you to Robert for creating this fantastic winning image and to everyone else who so enthusiastically took part.

Introduction

In our city of Brighton & Hove, 1 in 6 children are living in poverty, and when you zoom in and look at the east of Brighton (which includes Moulsecoomb) this shocking statistic becomes 1 in 3.

Chomp was established in 2013 when One Church Brighton's Minister, Dave Steell, and his wife Becky were troubled by a Panorama programme about Britain's Hungry Children. They knew this was happening in Brighton & Hove and decided to take action.

Chomp was set up and One Church partnered with St. Andrew's Church to bring Chomp Moulsecoomb into existence. Then in 2016, Good News Brighton, a local church that serves local needs, took on the partnership with One Church Brighton and now run the project.

Here at Chomp Moulsecoomb we aim to tackle food poverty, alleviate holiday hunger and provide a supportive environment for parents & children to grow together within their own communities.

In the wake of Covid-19, we have seen a distinct increase in food poverty and requests for help with food supplies, social connection and mental health.

Nationally, we know that schools have seen an increase in Free School Meals claims. According to the Food Foundation, 14% of families with children have experienced food insecurity in the last 6 months.

So... Why did we decide to make a recipe book?

Well, our 'Chomp Moulsecoomb Friends' (local families that attend our sessions) told us they needed help to keep their household budgets low and learn how to create tasty, family-oriented recipes.

We hope that this book addresses these points, as well as showcasing the variety of support available to families in Moulsecoomb facing challenges.

We asked our partners & other local projects to each contribute an easy-to-make recipe for our families to try at home.

The recipes are all tried-and-tested and easy for people of all ages to cook together. And at the back of this book you’ll find details of the organisations that contributed, including how they might be able to help you if you find your own family facing financial difficulties. Please know, there’s nothing to be ashamed of and there is plenty of help available.

We're really happy with this book and are aware that you might like to share it with other families you connect with - so we have made a free online version available at: www.eastbrightontrust.co.uk/chomp-recipe-book.html We'd like to take this opportunity to thank East Brighton Trust for funding the creation of this recipe book and to all of the contributors for their mouth-watering recipes (and the support they always provide so generously!).

Sean Older, Chomp Moulsecoomb

How to use this book Write down your own notes and thoughts next to the recipes and rate them by colouring in the stars or using sticky stars. That way you’ll always remember which ones are your favourites.

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All main meals are designed for a family of four. If you are a larger family you can bulk up with more vegetables or a big side salad.

Look out for recipes which are

Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten Free Cooking dictionary Tbsp = Tablespoon Tsp = teaspoon Glug of oil = 2 tbsp Knob of butter = 1-2 tbsp Sauté = fry quickly in hot fat Simmer = bubbling gently on the hob Dice = chop into small cubes Chop finely = chop into tiny pieces

Please take pictures of what you’ve cooked and your family activities — we’d love to see them.

Tag @ChompMoulsecomb on facebook and Instagram and use the tags #GoodFamilyFood & #ChompMoulsecoomb We’ll share our favourites on the Chomp Moulsecoomb facebook page and the East Brighton Trust website.

Where to get free and low-cost food in Moulsecoomb & Bevendean No one should ever go hungry, and our community always looks out for each other. There are many ways to access low-cost or free food if you live in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean.

Here are some of them (at the time of printing - Summer 2021). Please check their websites for opening times.

Chomp Moulsecoomb Chomp provides food and family activities during school holidays for families who are eligible for free school meals. During the pandemic they have been providing case-by-case support for families facing challenges. www.facebook.com/ChompMoulsecoomb or call 07399 582613

Bevendean Food Bank Wednesdays at Church Hall, Norwich Drive, Lower Bevendean, BN2 4LA. Referral needed.

Food bank for individuals and families experiencing food poverty in Lower and Higher Bevendean, Moulsecoomb, Bates Estate, Saunders Park, Meadow View and Lewes Road corridor. There are often advisors on hand to give free advice regarding debt, benefits and housing.. For details on how to get referred to the food bank contact Anke on 07449 464695 or ankethurm@trustdevcom.org.uk to find out more. www.facebook.com/FoodbankandAdviceinBevendean Moulsecoomb Community Market Wednesdays at St. George’s Hall, 140 Newick Rd, North Moulsecoomb, BN1 9JG. No referral needed.

Local people can become members and then pay a small fee each week.

Members are invited to come in at a particular time and collect a pre-packed basket of shopping which contains a range of colourful, healthy foods.

Contact ankethurm@trustdevcom.org.uk or ring 07449 464695 www.facebook.com/Moulsecoomb-Community-Market-102169498331131

Real Junk Food Project – Bevendean Food Hub. Pay as you feel food hub at 13 Leybourne Parade BN2 4LW. Open daily Monday to Friday provided there is sufficient food to distribute.

During the pandemic visitors will not be able to browse for food but will be presented with pre-packed containers or bags at the door. www.facebook.com/realjunkfoodbrighton The Bevy Bevy Meals on Wheels can provide families with healthy, nutritious, affordable meals delivered to your door. The pub often holds Sunday Fundays for local families and regularly puts on cookery activities for local children.

Get in touch on 01273 281009 or contact@thebevy.co.uk www.thebevy.co.uk Very Local Food Hub Affordable fruit & veg service for people in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean.

Lower subsidised rates available for those on low income such as people on benefits or under-employed. To order, email verylocalfoodhubs@gmail.com www.facebook.com/verylocalfoodhubs Other support · Food poverty advice from the Brighton & Hove Food partnership: www.bhfood.org.uk/how-to-hub/food-poverty-advice ·

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How to get emergency help with food, energy bills and other essentials from Brighton & Hove City Council: www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/benefits/ help-and-support/get-emergency-help-food-energy-bills-and-otheressentials The council also has a helpline number for emergency food and advice: 01273 293117. If you need free food support go via this helpline first as they can issue shopping vouchers.

The Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project can help those in need of emergency food: www.bucfp.org

Easy-win lunches Healthy lunches you can make or serve in under 30 minutes.

Easy-win lunches Jacket potato fillings Tuna and sweetcorn Cheese and beans Egg mayonnaise Leftover curry or chilli Cottage cheese Avocado

Sandwiches and wraps Tuna and cucumber Ham and cheese Cheese and tomato Egg mayonnaise Chicken roll with salad Wholemeal toast with…

Baked beans Scrambled eggs Peanut butter (+ sliced apple or banana) Hummus Omelettes Mushrooms Ham Onion Tomato Spinach Cheese (try feta or cheddar) Peppers Or simply...

Tinned soup with wholemeal bread

Wrap it up! (makes 1 wrap) Ingredients · · · · ·

1 wrap 1 banana 1 carrot 1 slice of cucumber 1 blueberry

Vegetarian | Vegan Method Use the ideas below or make up your own!

1. Making is very simple, just cut a couple of slices of banana for eyes, slice a blueberry in half and add on top of the banana, then cut a cucumber slice to make a smile and add the other chunks for eyebrows. Then the carrot needs to be cut to make a long nose and rosy cheeks and hey presto you’re done.

2. Then help those little hands to roll it all up and eat.

3. Couldn’t be quicker or easier, plus you can make this with almost anything in the fridge - give it a try.

The rainbow version of the wrap is good for using up small amounts of things that are left in the fridge and involves hunting to see if you can add everything to make a rainbow such as ‘red’ apple, ‘yellow’ cheese, ‘green’ cucumber or lettuce, ‘orange’ carrot and so on, then just add hummus or not to finish it off and yum it down.

Less than 10 mins

“My kids are fond of wraps and this is such an easy lunch you can throw almost anything into them.

Getting the kids involved in the making helps them to try new things.”

Rating :

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Spanish Omelette Vegetarian | Gluten Free · · · ·

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1 onion 1.

1 tbsp oil 500g Potatoes 6 eggs Salt and pepper to taste Parsley

Start with the onion: peel and halve it through the root. Then put the flat side on the chopping board and make another cut halfway across and towards the root without going through. Finally cut slices across, each the width of a pound coin so you end up with quarter moons.

Add a tablespoon of oil to a frying pan, a pinch of salt and cook the onions till they’re soft and lightly browned. Be patient. The time it takes depends on your pan, but you can’t rush it. You want the onions to be nicely caramelized and it could take 30 minutes.

Peel the potatoes and cut in half lengthways, then each of those halves lengthways too and finally slice across just like the onions.

Fry the potatoes in oil till they’re soft but not coloured. Don’t overcrowd the pan. You may have to do it in two batches.

Drain the onions and potatoes, allow to cool a little and keep the oil.

Break 6 eggs into a bowl, whisk with a fork and add in the onion and potato. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Leave to sit for 10 minutes to combine all the juices.

Put the oil back in a frying pan and bring to a moderate heat. Pour in the egg mix, reduce the heat a bit and cook for five minutes or so. Take a peek at the underside of the omelette and make sure it’s not burning. When the edge of the tortilla has started to set, it’s ready to turn. Place a plate which is slightly bigger than the pan on top and turn the pan over in a quick movement taking care not to get hot mixture on your hands. Add a little more oil to the pan and bring up the heat again. Slide the upturned omelette back into the pan and cook for another couple of minutes. It’s ready when you press the top and there isn’t much give.

Finally, turn the tortilla out on to a clean plate and sprinkle a little parsley on top.

1 hour

“Our favourite ‘easy-win’ lunch is a tortilla – known also as a Spanish omelette”

Rating :

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Hey Pesto Vegetarian | Gluten Free Ingredients ·

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Handful (per person) of defrosted (but uncooked) peas About half the amount of cheese to peas Crushed garlic – I like quite a lot, you might like less…

Salt and pepper Zest and juice of at least one lemon Good glug of olive oil which gets you the right texture, adds flavour and goodness Soaked seeds (pumpkin are great for immunity as they are full of zinc, sunflower and flax all good) about a quarter of the amount of peas

Method ·

Put all the ingredients into a processor or a bowl to use a ‘whizzer’ or masher to mix it all thoroughly together.

Pesto is quick, easy and healthy. It goes on bread, pasta or carrot sticks for a great lunch time snack that takes no cooking. Kids can make this with you, getting the flavours just right for themselves – taste testing along the way.

The green peas can be swapped for classic basil, finely chopped broccoli (raw or cooked) or really any green leaf that you like. Same for the cheese, just use what you like/have. Your meal, your choice!

All these ingredients can be stored for quite a while, so this is up and ready to go when you need to get a meal in minutes or fancy a bit of cooking with the kids, that gives them lunch too!

Less than 10 mins

Kitchen Therapy

“Use as a dip for carrot sticks, mix into pasta or pop on warm toast – yum!”

Rating :

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Salsa Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten Free Ingredients ·

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Method

2/3 medium Finely chop: tomatoes · tomatoes, 1 garlic clove · garlic clove, small red or white · onion, onion · pepper, red or green pepper · coriander.

Coriander 1 tbsp tomato purée Mix all together and add the tomato

Half a lime 1tbsp Olive Oil Salt and pepper

purée, half a lime (zest and juice), the olive oil, then salt and pepper to taste.

Less than 10 mins

Very Local Food Hubs

“This is a really tasty way to have tomatoes, as a dip, with your cheese on toast or side salad with jacket potatoes.”

Rating :

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Hummus Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten Free Ingredients · ·

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Method

1 tin of chickpeas 1.Blend as smooth as you like, you may 1 chopped garlic need to add a little more oil, lemon juice clove or water just to get it to blend well.

Juice of half a lemon 2.Eat with veg sticks like carrot, cucumber, or 2/3 tbsp pepper and celery or with pitas, use as a 1 tbsp of Tahini spread in sandwiches and a side to salt and pepper salads.

1/4tsp of cumin powder (optional) You can use tinned chickpeas, big drizzle of olive oil

butterbeans, cannelloni, you can mix these up or even experiment with other beans too.

Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of pepper when you dish it up to give it a fancy look.

Less than 10 mins

Very Local Food Hubs

“This is a wonderful way to use get kids to eat pulses, it’s a great sauce of magnesium especially with the tahini.”

Rating :

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Courgette and runner bean salad (Serves 4 as a side)

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Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten Free Method

Pack of runner beans 2 courgettes One or two onions or leeks Olive oil Your favourite chopped herbs Lime

25 mins

1. Pre heat the oven to 200°C 2. Cut two courgettes and a few onions or leeks into big chunks and roast in oil for 20 minutes.

3. Boil a bunch of runner beans chopped up in 1cm lengths, strain when ready.

4. In a bowl add all the cooked vegetables and some chopped herbs, such as dill or whatever is to hand 5. Add salt, pepper and squeeze over some lime.

6. Mix and serve as a side or for a buffet or picnic.

“This is a regular favourite, as we often have a large surplus of courgettes that need using up.”

Rating :

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Mixed bean salad (Serves 4 as a side) Ingredients ·

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2 cups (or 2 x 400g tins) mixed beans, drained and rinsed e.g. kidney beans, butter beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans, peas, green beans 6 – 8 medium mushrooms ½ a small tin of sweetcorn, drained Big handful of parsley, roughly chopped Salt & pepper to taste The salad dressing: 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 ½ tbsp oil ¼ tsp sugar and a pinch of salt

20 mins

Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten Free Method 1. Cut the garlic in half, remove the skin and the centre sprout (this takes out bitterness). Place in the lemon juice and leave for 10 mins (this reduces spiciness).

Add salt and sugar to dissolve in the lemon juice.

2. Cut the mushrooms into segments. Heat a frying pan on medium heat and just before adding mushrooms, add a splash of water to the pan. Water-fry the mushrooms for 2 mins, or until they start to release their juices, removing from the heat whilst they are still a little firm.

3. Combine beans, mushrooms (and juice), sweetcorn, parsley.

4. To make the dressing, remove garlic from lemon juice and whisk in the oil. Finely chop the garlic and whisk into the mixture, then pour on the salad and mix in.

Variations: parsley can be replaced with fresh coriander, basil or dill. ½ - 1 tsp grated lemon rind (skin, not pith) adds an extra zing and extra health benefits!

“Chopped olives work well with this salad, as do grilled sunflower seeds.”

Rating :

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Hot family Meals Balanced healthy meals for the whole family.

(Serves 4)

Vegetarian | Gluten Free

Ingredients

Method

1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed/ chopped 4cm ginger, chopped Spices: 1 tsp cayenne pepper 4 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp turmeric 1 tsp ground coriander 1 large carrot, peeled and grated 250g sweet potato, peeled and grated 250g dried red lentils 1 can of chopped tomatoes 1 litre vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube Optional: 1 tbsp vegetable oil 4 free range eggs 1 tbsp sesame seeds

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan, then lightly fry the onion, garlic & ginger on a medium heat for 4-5 mins, until the onion is soft.

2. Add the spices, then fry for another minute, until it smells gorgeous!

3. Stir in the grated carrot & sweet potato and the lentils. Cook for 1 more minute, then pour in the chopped tomatoes & stock.

4. Only got plum tomatoes? Just squeeze them gently to a mush with your hands before you put them into the pan.

5. Meanwhile, pop your brown rice on to cook now, as it takes a bit longer than white rice.

Check the instructions on the packet, it’s normally about 35 minutes.

6. Back to your dahl. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25-30 mins, until the lentils are cooked and the sweet potato is soft 7. Optional: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and fry the eggs (we recommend making them crispy!) season with salt, pepper or your favourite spices.

8. Spoon the rice & sweet potato dahl into serving bowls, then top each bowl with a fried egg and sesame seeds.

45 mins

“Sweet Potato is a brain-food, it feeds your brain! It’s also classed as one of your 5 vegetables a day!”

Rating :

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(Serves 4) Ingredients

1 large onion 1 inch of ginger 2 or 3 garlic cloves 1 tsp cumin ground 1 tsp coriander ground ½ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp chili powder ½ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp chili powder 2 potatoes 1 large carrot ½ cauli broken down 3 large tomatoes chopped or ½ tin of chopped toms 1 tsp salt 250ml water Juice of a lemon 1 tsp garam masala Coriander leaves

1hour

Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten Free Method

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Start by putting the oil into a heavy pan. Bring up the heat and toss in the bay leaf, cardamom and cumin and let them sizzle a bit until the seeds crackle. This seasons the oil by adding a little spicy flavour.

Chop the onion and add it to the oil and cook on a medium heat (not so hot that the onion colours) until the onion has softened and looks see-through.

This can take 15 minutes - be patient.

Mince the ginger and garlic – a grater is handy for this. Add to the onion and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.

Add the ground cumin and coriander and stir all the spices on the heat for a few minutes.

(If you prefer to use cumin and coriander seeds, roast them in a dry pan for a few minutes and then grind them.)

Chop the potatoes and carrots into small bite-size pieces and break the cauli into florets which may have to be halved if too big. Add these to the pan and coat with the spices Stir the chopped tomatoes into the vegetables. Add the salt and water to the pan.

Bubble gently until the vegetables are cooked.

(About 30 mins) Before serving, pour over the lemon juice, and sprinkle on the garam masala. Add a little more salt to taste.

Finally top off with coriander and serve with rice.

“This is our ‘go to’ vegetable curry which uses potato, carrot and cauliflower. But sweet potato or squash can easily be substituted as alternatives.

Rating :

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Easy Naan bread (Makes 6 naan) Ingredients · ·

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2 cups plain flour 1 cup natural yogurt 2 tsp baking powder

Vegetarian Method Once it’s cooked, this easy naan bread can be used for a pizza base or could be topped with beans and grated cheese, or of course you can serve with curry dishes.

1. Put all ingredients into a bowl mix Optional: ½ tsp together, add a little more flour if the cayenne pepper or mixture is too wet, then knead for a 1 tsp garam masala, couple of minutes until smooth, cumin or coriander 2. Divide into 6 balls, roll out each ball and cook in a dry hot pan until brown on each side, you can also add spices into the mixture, whatever flavour you fancy.

3. You can roll the dough into 3 large naan or 6 smaller ones, it’s entirely up to you how you do it.

Knead = put dough onto on a floured surface, then press, fold and stretch it.

15 mins

“Spice this recipe up by adding 1 tbsp of your favourite spice to the mixture”

Rating :

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How to cook boiled rice By the Real Junk Food Project

White basmati rice is a good variety to try.

A coffee cup of rice will make 2 or 3 portions.

First wash the rice by soaking with lukewarm water in a pan and stir gently with your hand for a minute or so.

Pour off the cloudy water and repeat this 4 or 5 times until the water ceases to be very cloudy.

Cover the rice with ample cold water, add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. No need to measure the water just cover the rice and bubble till very nearly cooked.

Strain the rice through a colander and pour over freshly boiled water from a kettle.

Return the rice to the pan, cover with a towel and put a lid on top and allow the rice to sit for 3 or 4 minutes.

When you take the top off, the rice should have absorbed all the excess water and will fluff up with a fork.

15 mins

Oven-baked rice

by Gladrags Baking rice cooks the grains evenly, producing fluffy, tender rice. It also means you can use up empty space in the oven if you’re baking other dishes.

INGREDIENTS ·

200g white rice or 250g brown rice

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Boiling water: 415ml for white rice or 540ml for brown rice

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2 heaped tsp vegetable stock or ½ tsp salt

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Small glug of oil / knob of butter

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Optional: 6 lemon half-slices

METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190˚C 2. Add a small glug of oil to a roasting tin or casserole dish (minimum size dish = 1.5 litres), enough oil to finely cover the base of the dish.

3. Add the rice and mix in with the oil.

4. Cover with the boiling water (you can measure your water and add it to an empty kettle) and mix in the stock or salt.

5. Cover with a lid or foil, making sure that the steam can’t escape.

6. Bake in the oven for 25 mins if white rice; 60 mins if brown rice.

Try not to check on the rice as letting out steam increases the cooking time.

7. Take out of the oven and let the rice rest, in the dish, still covered, for 5 mins.

35 mins for white / 1 hr 10 minutes for brown

(Serves 4) Ingredients · · · ·

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A bit of oil or butter for frying 1 onion 1-2 garlic cloves Herbs & spices (I like paprika, cumin and mixed dried herbs) Veg (chop into smallish chunks) 3 sticks of celery 3 carrots 1 courgette 2 beetroot 4 smallish potatoes (You can swap any of these veg for whatever veg you have at home) 1-2 tin of tomatoes 500ml stock of your choice (add miso paste or soy sauce for extra flavour) 1 pack of sausages salt and pepper

2 hours

Gluten Free Method 1. Pre-heat oven to 150°C 2. Lightly fry up the onion and garlic over medium heat. After a few minutes add spices and herbs so they can soak up the flavours.

3. Then add the celery bits to stir through for a few minutes. You can then add all the other chopped veg, tin of tomatoes and stock.

4. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Stir through.

5. Chop up the sausages into bitesized pieces and add to the mixture.

Transfer everything into a casserole dish and put in the oven on a low heat (150C) for 1-2 hours or however long you want to leave it for to slow cook.

“I love cooking easy dinners that involve a little bit of veg cutting and prep but aren’t overbearing. This recipe is approved by our toddler.

Rating :

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Ratatouille in the round (Serves 4)

Vegetarian | Vegan| Gluten Free

Ingredients

Method

The Sauce: 1 tbsp oil (olive or rapeseed are best) 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tin tomatoes (400g) + 1 tbsp water 1 tsp mixed herbs Salt and pepper to taste The vegetables: 1 aubergine 2 peppers, any colour 2 medium courgettes, any colour 4 medium tomatoes The Seasoning: 2 tbsp oil (olive or rapeseed) 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped 3 tbsp chopped parsley 1/2 tsp of mixed herbs (or herbes de provence) Salt and pepper to

STEP 1—The Sauce 1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and stir in the herbs then add the chopped tinned tomatoes. Use the water to swill out the remainders of the tin and add this to the pan. Mix well and cook for 5 mins.

Pour the sauce into a 25-30cm oven-safe dish.

STEP 2—The vegetables 4. Pre-heat the oven to 190˚C. Slice the aubergine, courgettes and tomatoes in rounds and the pepper in similar sized chunks.

Get your dish which you’ve poured the sauce into.

Arrange the veg slices in the dish in a repeating pattern (e.g. aubergine, tomato, courgette, pepper) and layer the vegetables at a slant on top of the sauce, in a spiral pattern. Start from the outer edge of the dish into the middle of it. Making circle patterns that go in opposite directions is even more fun.

STEP 3—Seasoning and baking 6. Add the seasoning: drizzle the oil over the vegetables, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, garlic and herbs and season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, with the tops golden to crispy (depending on how long you bake your ratatouille).

taste

1 hour

“Ratatouille is a French dish, so use ‘herbes de provence’ instead of mixed herbs if you want to go really authentic.”

Rating :

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(Serves 4) Ingredients · ·

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1 clove garlic 1 stock cube chicken or veg Pinch of mixed herbs 100g spaghetti A few handfuls of any vegetables – frozen or tinned Approx 500g chicken—use chicken breasts or legs/thighs Pinch of salt and pepper

20 mins

Method 1. Cook the spaghetti according to instructions on the packet.

2. Fry the chicken in a pan on the hob with the veg and garlic and herbs and everything else with a small amount of water.

3. Once the chicken is cooked, take it out and cut up into small pieces and put it back in the pan.

4. Once the spaghetti is cooked, add it to the pan with the veg and chicken and add more water to make the soup liquid and add the stock.

5. Cook for 5 minutes and serve.

Bevendean Food Bank

“In this recipe you cook the spaghetti separately first before adding to the soup. Cooking time is about 20 mins all in all.”

Rating :

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Chilli beef quesadillas (Serves 4) Ingredients · ·

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Splash of oil ¼ onion, finely chopped

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion until browned.

2. Add the garlic, chilli, paprika, ground cumin and ground coriander, and cook 1 garlic clove, crushed for 1 minute. ¼ red chilli, finely 3. Add the mince to the pan and cook chopped until lightly browned. Takes up to ¼ tsp smoked paprika about 10 mins. ¼ tsp ground cumin 4. Add the tomato purée, passata, ¼ tsp ground coriander Worcestershire sauce and sugar to the pan, mix to combine then leave to 150g minced simmer for 1 hour. Season to taste. beef 5. Mix the cheese with the chopped 1tbsp tomato purée coriander and set aside.

100g tomato passata 6. Place a quarter of the mince mixture 1 tsp Worcestershire on to one of the tortillas, spread close sauce to the edges, sprinkle over an even 1 tsp caster sugar layer of the cheese mixture then top with another tortilla.

50g Cheddar cheese, finely 7. Press down to compact it, then move grated to a hot griddle pan or barbecue and coriander, chopped cook for 1 or 2 minutes on each side.

1-2 flour tortillas 8. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

25 mins

“For a veggie version you could use beans and chopped veg such as peppers and sweetcorn instead of the minced beef.”

Rating :

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Chicken & white bean stew (Serves 4) Ingredients ·

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500g pack of chicken thighs 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, finely chopped Tin of chopped tomatoes Tomato purée or a dash of ketchup Water (added after the tomatoes, just enough to cover the chicken) Powdered stock or stock cube (chicken or veg is best) Tin of cannellini beans (or similar) Pinch of salt and pepper (to taste) 1 large carrot (Optional) Handful of thinly shredded firm cabbage or chopped dark greens 1hr 30 mins

Gluten Free Method Cooking the chicken with bones adds a nice flavour. Or you could cut up the chicken and cook without the bones to shorten cooking time.

1. Heat the oil in a large pot.

2. Cook the chicken meat in the oil, stirring, for 5 minutes.

3. Add the chopped onion and cook for another 3 minutes.

4. Add the remaining ingredients, except the beans and cabbage (if using).

5. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.

6. Add the beans and simmer for another 30 minutes or until the chicken is well cooked.

7. If using greens, add these about 10 minutes before the stew is ready.

8. Serving suggestion: Perfect with rice, pasta or mash. If there are any leftovers you could add some more stock and a handful of pasta, and cook for as long as the pasta instructions say – then you will have a tasty lunch.

“We gets LOADS of pulses at the community market and most people are not familiar with them. This is a tasty way to use them

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Fishcakes (using tinned fish) (Serves 4) Ingredients Method ·

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200g potatoes Small tin / 200g of salmon, mackerel or tuna Salt & Black pepper Lemon juice (optional) Chopped parsley (optional) 2 tbsp plain flour Salt & pepper 1 egg A few drops of water Salt & pepper A handful of breadcrumbs Vegetable oil – for frying

1. Boil the potatoes till they are tender, (10-15 mins depending how big they are) drain in a colander & let them cool down a bit. Mash with a fork.

2. Drain the tinned fish, remove any bones or skin and mash up with a fork. Mix the potatoes and fish together.

Season with a little salt and pepper.

3. Add a few drops of lemon juice and some chopped parsley at this stage, if you like, then, if you have time, let the mixture cool down. (It firms up after it has been kept in the fridge for a while).

4. Mix the flour, salt & pepper in a shallow bowl or plate.

5. Break the egg into a separate shallow bowl, add the water and seasoning and beat with a fork.

6. Put the breadcrumbs into a third shallow bowl.

7. With wet hands, form the fish mixture into 4 or 8 round cakes.

8. First coat each one with the seasoned flour. Then dip it in the egg mixture to coat all over. Finally place it in the breadcrumbs, turning it around so that the entire surface is covered. Repeat with the others.

9. Heat some oil in a frying pan. It needs to be hot – the fishcakes should sizzle when they land in the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and fry the fishcakes until golden brown on both sides. Take them out of the pan and drain them on kitchen paper.

40 mins

“These fishcakes go well with a fresh cucumber salad or the side salad on page 26.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Veggie Pasta Cheese Bake (Serves 4) Ingredients ·

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Vegetarian Method

250 g penne pasta 1. cooked 2.

2 onions diced 2 peppers diced 3.

100 g mushrooms, quartered 1 courgette or aubergine, diced 4.

1 tin of tomatoes 1 tsp Rosemary 5.

1 tsp thyme ½ tsp cinnamon 6.

Cheddar cheese, grated Glug of oil

1 hour

Heat oven to 200°C. In a frying pan, sauté onions in oil till soft.

Add the peppers, mushrooms, aubergines or courgettes, herbs, cinnamon and tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the pasta to the sauce and pour into an oven dish.

Sprinkle liberally with cheese and bake for 25 minutes.

Serve with salad and garlic bread.

“The secret ingredient here is cinnamon, adding a hint of sweetness to offset the sharp taste of the tomatoes.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Homity Pie (Serves 4)

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Method

Pastry · 250g flour · 125g butter · 1 egg

Pastry

Filling ·

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850g potatoes, diced Butter/oil to fry with 2 cloves garlic 3 onions 100g spinach 175g cheddar 250g double cream Nutmeg, salt, pepper Parsley (optional)

1 hour 15 mins

1. Mix together the flour, butter and egg.

2. Roll out and line a large pie dish or any oven dish.

Filling 1. Pre heat oven to 200°C. 2. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic.

3. Fry onion and garlic, boil potatoes for 10 mins.

4. Mix potato, onion, spinach and half of the cheese together and put into pastry case.

5. Pour over the cream, sprinkle the rest of cheese on. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

6. Put in oven for 45 mins on high heat (200°C).

7. Serve sprinkled with parsley on top

“This is a traditional English dish, believed to have been invented during the Second World War.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Sweetcorn and chicken risotto (Serves 4) Ingredients · · ·

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1 medium onion 2 cloves garlic 1 tbsp dried rosemary ½ roasted chicken OR 2 cooked chicken breasts 1 x 340g can sweetcorn 1 lemon 200g risotto rice (Arborio is easiest to find) 800ml boiling water 1 reduced-salt chicken stock cube 200ml semiskimmed milk 1 x 15ml spoon vegetable oil 1 x 5ml spoon ground black pepper 25g Parmesan style cheese OR 50g Cheddar cheese (optional)

1 hour

Gluten Free Method 1.

2.

Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel & crush the garlic.

On a separate chopping board, pick all the meat off your chicken bones and put the meat in the mixing bowl.

3. Open the can of sweetcorn and drain.

4. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl.

5. Measure 800ml boiling water into the measuring jug.

Crumble in the stock cube and stir to dissolve. Add 200ml milk and stir.

6. Heat the vegetable oil in the saucepan and add the onion. Cook on a low heat for 2 minutes.

7. Add the garlic, rosemary and black pepper and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Pour the rice into the saucepan and stir carefully for 1 more minute.

9. Keeping the hob on a low heat, start adding the stock and milk mixture. Add 100ml at a time and stir until all the liquid has been soaked in before adding the next 100ml.

10. After you have added the first 500ml, add in the chicken and the sweetcorn, then continue to add the rest of the liquid as before.

11. When you have added the last of the stock, add the lemon juice and give it one last stir. This time you don’t want all the liquid absorbed as the perfect risotto is a bit runny.

12. Grate the cheese and sprinkle over the risotto (optional).

“This recipe is very simple to make with not too many ingredients, not much mess as all in one pot and low in saturated fat, salt and sugar.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Perfect red sauce for pasta (Serves 4) Ingredients ·

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1 medium onion 5 cloves garlic Glug of Olive oil 2 tins of tomatoes 1 big squeeze of tomato purée(about 2 tbsp) 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp Italian herbs (such as basil, oregano and rosemary) Salt & pepper to taste 500g pasta

40 mins

Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten Free Method 1. Peel and chop the onion into thin slices.

Peel and crush the garlic and chop finely.

2. Fry in olive oil until the garlic and onions are starting to go see through.

3. Add the tins of tomatoes, swoosh a little bit of water around each can and pour in to make sure you’ve got all the lovely tomatoey flavour.

4. Add a big squeeze of tomato purée.

5. Add 1 tsp of sugar and your herbs plus salt and pepper to taste.

6. Stir well then simmer for 30 minutes.

7. Cook your pasta according to the instructions.

8. Dish up the pasta with a generous dollop of the sauce on top and serve.

“A classic, straightforward Italian recipe that’s easy to make and that tastes rich and delicious every time.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Butternut squash, sweet potato and red lentil soup (Serves 4) Ingredients · ·

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1 onion finely chopped ginger (if you like this!) – a small thumb’s worth 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 sticks of celery 1 medium butternut squash 2 sweet potatoes (and or carrots) 1 tin tomatoes (+ some tomato purée if you have it available) chicken or vegetable stock 4 handfuls red lentils (or one for each person you’re cooking for) squirt of lemon juice 1 tsp mustard Olive oil Bay leaf (optional) 1 tsp of Turmeric

1 hour

Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten Free Method 1. Prepare all of your vegetables – finely chop the onion and celery, crush the garlic, peel and cube (apx 1cm) the squash & sweet potato.

2. Sauté your foundation flavours: onion and celery in some oil. Add some garlic and a bay leaf or two to this mixture.

3. Now throw in your squash and sweet potato to heat through, add more oil if necessary.

4. Add a pint or so of stock (enough for your mix to be thoroughly covered) 5. Add your lentils to simmer away.

6. Pour in your tinned tomatoes along with some herby seasoning, more garlic and a teaspoon or so of mustard.

7. After about 30 minutes when the lentils and squash are cooked, the soup is almost ready – whizz it in a liquidizer.

8. Adjust seasoning with herbs, sugar, garlic, black pepper and lemon juice.

9. Serve with crusty bread. Some people also like to add smoked paprika or chillies… A very hearty though deliciously cheap crowd pleaser.

Kitchen Therapy

“Try a Thai alternative… just cook in coconut milk, adding lime, ginger, garlic & Thai red curry paste.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Glamorgan Sausages (Serves 4) Ingredients ·

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225g breadcrumbs 120 g Caerphilly Cheese (or other similar crumbly cheese) 1 small leek 1 tbsp chopped parsley or thyme (dried or fresh) 2 free range eggs 4 tbsp milk 1 tsp coarse grain mustard 2 tbsp oil

1 hour

Vegetarian Method 1. Put three quarters of the breadcrumbs into a bowl and mix in the crumbled up cheese.

2. Wash and finely chop the leek and add to the bowl with the chopped herbs 3. Separate one of the eggs.

4. Keep the white in a shallow dish.

5. Combine the yolk and the other egg with the milk and mustard.

6. Season this with salt and pepper.

7. Add this egg mixture to the bowl with the breadcrumbs and cheese, and use your hands to combine all the ingredients thoroughly.

8. Divide into eight equal portions and mould into sausage shapes.

9. Chill for half an hour, as they will be much easier to handle.

10. Dip the sausages in the egg white and then roll them in the remaining breadcrumbs.

11. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the sausages and fry. Turn them over every now and then until they are brown on all sides.

“These sausages go perfectly with green veg and potatoes. Or try them with some caramelised onion chutney or chilli jam.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Fish/Chicken Papilotte (Serves 4) Ingredients ·

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Gluten Free Method

3 Tbsp chopped parsley 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp minced lemon zest 4 spring onions (both white and green parts) 4 pieces of fish/ chicken. (feel free to thaw some frozen!)

Vegetables of your choice, thinly sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 Tbsp lemon juice / white wine vinegar 3 Tbsp softened butter / olive oil (optional)

Foods cooked “en papillote” - in a paper/foil bag -

30-40 mins

Lives to Admire

come out of the oven tender and full of flavor. As they bake, the steam causes the bag to inflate and

you are rewarded with a cloud of aromatic steam the perfect way to bring a little drama to the dinner table (it’ll be hot, so be careful!). Heat the oven to 200°C. 1. Chop and mix the parsley, garlic, and lemon zest together. Set aside.

2. Cut the spring onions into 2-in. lengths and slice them thinly lengthwise.

3. Season the fish with salt, pepper, and lemon juice/white wine vinegar, and spread the top with a little butter or olive oil.

4. Divide the spring onions among four sheets of tin foil, top each with a portion of fish, and top the fish with the garlic mix and thinly sliced vegetables. Seal into packages / envelopes, making sure no steam can escape, and bake on a tray for 15-20 minutes.

5. Serve with rice, cous-cous or your favourite potato dish.

“This delicious mixture of flavour will work with any fish or chicken.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Slazzer Chicken (Serves 4)

Gluten Free

Ingredients Method ·

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6-8 chicken thighs 750g small potatoes A few garlic cloves

If you have a metal meat dish (big enough to take 6-8 chicken thighs plus some small potatoes) that can go on the top of the hob as well as the oven use that. Otherwise start with a frying pan then move the meat to a lasagne type casserole dish.

1.

1-2 tsp mixed 2. dried herbs White wine or some chicken stock Salt and ground black pepper 50-75g Butter 3.

4.

5.

6.

1 hour

Heat the oven to 200°C. Cut the potatoes in half or thirds if bigger than the others.

Melt the butter in the metal dish or frying pan and put the thighs in skin side down. It might spit a bit but give them a few minutes to get some brown colour but not burnt. Then flip them over for a couple of minutes, then flip back so skin side is up. If cooking in the dish add the potatoes and garlic. Move them around a bit to get the butter on them.

Put more butter in if it seems a bit dry. Then sprinkle the herbs & generous bit of salt and pepper.

If you fried the chicken in a frying pan then move the chicken into the oven dish, add potatoes and garlic and add herbs and salt and pepper as above.

Put in the oven for between 25-35 mins depending on how big the thighs are.

Take the dish out the oven, take the chicken pieces out and keep warm. Then slosh a small to medium size glass of wine (or chicken stock) in with the potatoes and heat it up on the hob. Squish the garlic cloves and stir it all round to make a thin gravy.

Divide the potatoes and chicken up and pour on the gravy.

Nice with peas or broccoli or green beans.

“In our family we call the cookery writer Nigel Slater ‘Slazzer’. This dish roughly follows his recipe so it’s called Slazzer Chicken.

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Pasta and Salami (Serves 4) Ingredients ·

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4 portions pasta 1. Gently fry the onion over a low heat in (approx. 500g) the oil until the onion is soft and see Salt and Pepper through.

1 tbsp. oil 2. Add the mushrooms and fry for 3-4 3 tbsp. tomato minutes purée

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Method

small tub mushrooms, sliced tin chopped tomatoes 1 small onion, chopped 250g salami, chopped (I use peppered salami but any salami is good)

25 mins

3. Add the salami and fry for 5-6 minutes 4. Add in the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée

5. Salt and pepper to taste 6. Cook the sauce for 10 minutes while you boil the pasta in a separate pan.

7. Mix and eat Note: I was lucky enough to live close to an Italian deli who had fantastic salamis to choose from. But at the end of term I found supermarket salami worked just as well

Councillor Daniel Yates

“I used to eat this when I was living in a nurses’ home in London as a student. It’s easy to make, warming and even I can’t mess it up!”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Susie’s Stew (Serves 4) Ingredients

Method

900g lean stewing 1. Dry fry beef until brown. Put into beef, all visible fat casserole dish. Crumble an oxo cube removed, cut into onto meat bite size pieces 2. Boil up veg until tender, drain once · 2 oxo cubes cooked then add to meat. Sprinkle · 1 onion another oxo cube on top and add the · 2 carrots Bovril stock mix in. Add salt and pepper · 1 swede to taste. · Mushrooms 3. In the meantime, make up the · Sweet potato dumplings by mixing the flour, suet and · 1½ pint stock approx. 5 tbsp of water to make a made with beef pliable but firm dough. Make into balls Bovril (850ml) and put on a plate. Keep in fridge until · Salt and pepper needed. (if the dumplings become sticky when rolling use some loose flour to Dumplings roll in) · 100g self-raising 4. Cook casserole for an hour on 160 ° or flour until meat is tender. Place dumplings on · 50g atora suet top of the casserole for 20-25 mins. ·

And there you have it – a lovely hearty stew.

1½ hours

“You can find stewing beef in packets in all good supermarkets. You can also buy a bag of stew vegetables or just use your favourites.

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Puddings Tasty, comforting puddings to make, eat and enjoy together.

Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake (Makes 1 loaf cake) Ingredients ·

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275g self-raising flour 200g caster sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1 lemon 100ml vegetable oil 170 ml cold water Icing Sugar

1 hour

Vegetarian | Vegan Method 1. Mix flour, caster sugar, baking powder, zest of 1 lemon.

2. Add vegetable oil, juice of half a lemon, cold water. Mix well.

3. Spoon into 2lb (900g) Loaf Tin 4. Cook at 180°C fan for 40 to 45 mins 5. Mix juice of half lemon, add icing sugar to taste 6. Take cake from oven and whilst still hot, prick with cocktail stick and paint with lemon juice mixture.

7. Allow to cool

Friday Friends

“Once cooled, the lemon drizzle gives this cake a lovely crispy topping.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Sour cherry cheesecake with a ginger biscuit base (Makes 1 cake) Ingredients ·

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500g light Philadelphia cheese 300g natural yoghurt 100g demerara sugar 4 eggs or equivalent (vegan egg replacer works well for this recipe) 1 tsp baking powder 4 tbsp cornflour 200g pitted sour cherries

For the base: · 120g crushed ginger biscuits · 50g butter

2 hours

Vegetarian Method 1. For the biscuit base, crush the ginger biscuits either using a food processor or alternatively by putting the biscuits in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin. Place the crushed biscuits in a mixing bowl. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir into biscuit mix. Mix together, press into a round cake tin (around 20-25 cm), and leave to set.

2. Heat the oven to 160°C. 3. Mix together the Philadelphia cheese, natural yoghurt, demerara sugar, whisked eggs, baking powder and cornflour. Make sure you end up with a smooth non-lumpy consistency.

4. Lastly, drain the pitted sour cherries and add them to the mix, stirring them in.

5. Pour the mix into the biscuit lined cake tin and bake in the pre-heated oven for around an hour until it starts to set, but is still soft in the centre. Turn off the heat and leave to cool and set in the oven for another half an hour.

6. Remove from the oven and leave to chill. Once chilled, carefully remove the cake from the tin.

“If you can’t eat, or don’t like eggs, vegan egg replacer works really well in this recipe instead.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Carrot and almond cake/bread (Makes 1 loaf cake) Ingredients · · ·

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75g grated carrot 150g demerara sugar 1tsp ground cinnamon 1tsp almond extract 1tsp baking powder 2 eggs (or the equivalent in vegan egg mix) 150 ml vegetable oil 175g plain flour

1½ hours

Vegetarian Method 1. Grease a loaf tin and preheat the oven to 180°C. 2. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and blend thoroughly until you end with an even mix.

3. Pour into the greased loaf tin and bake for around 50-60 minutes, or until the cake/bread has risen, is firm to touch, and is shrinking from the edges of the tin.

4. Leave to rest for at least 10-15 minutes. Can be eaten warm.

“Delicious served either warm or cold. Warm is especially lovely with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Honey and Oat Biscuits (Makes 12) Ingredients ·

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250g Scottish porridge oats 125g unsalted butter 4 tbsp runny honey

30 minutes

Vegetarian | Gluten Free Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C if using a fan oven).

2. Melt the butter in a large pan and take off the heat.

3. Add the oats and honey and stir the mixture well.

4. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

5. Spoon 12 blobs of the mixture on to the tray. Space them out evenly and press each gently with the back of a spoon to flatten slightly.

6. Bake in the oven for 10–12 minutes.

7. Ask an adult to take them out of the oven. Allow them to cool a little before moving on to a wire rack.

8. Allow to cool completely. Enjoy!

“This is an Anglo Saxon recipe, which Vikings adopted when they invaded parts of Britain.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Gluten Free Easy Fudge Brownies (Makes 1 tray) Ingredients ·

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170g unsalted butter 200g caster sugar 90g brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 large eggs 40g cocoa powder 70g gluten free plain flour 75g milk or dark chocolate chips

Vegetarian | Gluten Free Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C for fan oven and grease a 8-10 inch square baking tin or line with parchment paper 2. In a large mixing bowl add sugars and melted butter and whisk together. Add the vanilla extract & stir in.

3. Add the eggs, one by one, stirring in-between each.

4. Sift in the flour and cocoa and stir until just combined. Now add the chocolate chips.

5. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared tin and place in the oven. Bake for approx 30-35 minutes or until they no longer wobble in the middle.

6. Leave in the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. These brownies are fragile so transfer to the fridge for an hour.

You can add fruit to the top such as blueberries or raspberries to try and pretend this is a little healthy, but it tastes just as good on it’s own!

Enjoy! You only need small slices for big satisfaction so don’t forget to freeze a few rows to enjoy next week or next month as they will taste just as good and last up to 3 months in the freezer.

1 hour + 1 hour chilling in the fridge)

“Whether you are gluten free or not, this recipe is delicious. The brownies can be sliced into pieces and frozen so make them once and enjoy for weeks afterwards!”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Sweet potato Brownies Vegetarian Ingredients

Method

One medium sweet potato · 200g+ plain chocolate · 150g butter · 2-3eggs · generous handful of dates · Flour (such as ground almonds, seeds, rye or wheat) · Tsp or so of baking powder · Dark brown sugar · squeeze lemon · Salt · Tbsp of raw chocolate powder

1. Chop up sweet potato into chunks and boil for 20 minutes until soft.

2. Place the chocolate in a bowl over the sweet potato pan. The boiling water will melt the chocolate in a few minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk your eggs.

4. Preheat your oven to 160°C 5. When the potato is cooked and chocolate melted, mash these together with butter.

6. Stir in the finely chopped dates.

7. Stir in enough almond/plain flour to make a thick batter, along with tsp of baking powder.

8. Now the mix has cooled a little, add in your well beaten eggs.

9. Flavour your mixture with lemon, salt, raw chocolate powder, sugar or syrup to taste.

10. Bake slowly enough to cook through, with a solid, crispy top and soft gooey centre. 20 minutes should do it, then check to see how it’s doing. Each oven has its own cooking time, so use your own taste senses as judge.

11. I like my halogen cooker for this job, it’s cheap and its strong top heat gets the finish just right.

·

1 hour

Kitchen Therapy

“This is one of my favourite recipes – a healthy way to enjoy chocolate, as you can see, either round a campfire or an indulgent English tea, this little number is always a winner.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

Frozen Berrilicious yogurt Vegetarian | Gluten Free Ingredients ·

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230g frozen berries 100ml Greek yoghurt 1 tsp honey

Method

Whizz together and eat or keep in freezer.

Less than 10 mins

“Yogurts are high in protein, calcium and vitamins. They can give you healthy bacteria that you need to digest your food.”

Rating :

☆☆☆☆☆

INDEX

Bean salad, mixed 28 Biscuits, honey and oat 80 Boiled Rice 38 Brownies, gluten free easy fudge 82 Brownies, sweet potato 84 Butternut squash, sweet potato and red lentil soup Carrot and almond cake/bread 78 Casserole with “whatever veg” and sausages 40 Cheesecake, sour cherry with a ginger biscuit base Chicken & white bean stew 48 Chicken noodle soup 44 Chicken, Slazzer 66 Chilli beef quesadillas 46 Courgette and runner bean salad 26 Easy Naan Bread 36 Fish/Chicken Papilotte 64 Fishcakes (using tinned fish) 50 Frozen Berrilicious yogurt 86 Glamorgan Sausages 62 Gluten Free Easy Fudge Brownies Hey Pesto 20 Homity Pie 54 Honey and Oat Biscuits Hummus 24

80

Lemon drizzle cake, vegan 74 Mixed bean salad 28 Oven-baked rice 39

82

60

76

Papilotte, fish/chicken 64 Pasta and Salami 68 Pasta sauce, perfect red sauce 58 Paste bake, veggie cheese 52 Perfect red sauce for pasta 58 Pesto 20 Pie, Homity 54 Quesadillas, chilli beef 46 Ratatouille in the round 42 Rice, boiled 38 Rice, oven-baked 39 Risotto, sweetcorn and chicken 56 Salsa 22 Sausages, glamorgan 62 Slazzer Chicken 66 Soup, butternut squash, sweet potato and red lentil 60 Soup, chicken noodle 44 Sour cherry cheesecake with a ginger biscuit base 76 Spanish omelette 18 Stew, chicken and white bean 48 Stew, Susie's 70 Susie’s Stew 70 Sweet potato Brownies 84 Sweet Potato Curried Dahl 32 Sweetcorn and chicken risotto 56 Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake 74 Vegetable Curry 34 Veggie Pasta Cheese Bake 52 Wrap it up! 16 Yoghurt, frozen berrilicious

86

Chomp Moulsecoomb is a school holiday lunch club for families feeling the financial pressure during the school holidays. Each session includes a FREE, hot, healthy meal for families to enjoy together plus fun crafts and activities. www.facebook.com/ChompMoulsecoomb East Brighton Trust is a Community Interest Company which works to make a positive difference to people across East Brighton through a range of grants schemes. They help fund events and activities across Moulsecoomb, Bevendean, Bates Estate, Saunders Park, Manor Farm, Whitehawk, Craven Vale and Bristol Estate. www.eastbrightontrust.co.uk Pelican Parcels is a charity in Brighton and Hove. They accept donations of preloved and new items for babies and children up to age 10, and redistribute them to families facing financial hardship via various existing family services in Brighton & Hove. www.pelicanparcels.org.uk Kitchen Therapy is a counselling practice combining cookery with psychotherapy. Charlotte works with individuals, couples and groups.

Through an appreciation of food, symbolism and people, Kitchen Therapy seeks to enhance our relationships with ourselves, each other and our world. Central to this approach is the relationship between food and love, using cooking and conversation, on their own or in combination. www.therapykitchen.co.uk FareShare Sussex redistributes surplus from the food industry out to community projects and charities across Brighton, Sussex and Surrey. Based in Moulsecoomb, they provide regular deliveries of food to local frontline organisations where it is then turned into nutritious meals or food parcels for people who need it most. Run by a small staff team and over 130 volunteers, they now have a kitchen on site where hot meals are cooked daily for the team using produce that would otherwise have gone to waste. www.faresharesussex.org.uk

The Real Junk Food Project Brighton intercepts surplus food that would be thrown away and turns it into healthy and nutritious meals which are served in a number of café locations across the city. Typically, this is food that supermarkets will no longer sell because it's reached its 'best before' date. www.realjunkfoodbrighton.co.uk Moulsecoomb Primary School is a central part of the local community. The school plays host to a range of clubs, and works with over 30 organisations giving pupils a wide range of learning opportunities which complement their work in the classroom. The vast school grounds provide plenty of opportunity for outdoor activities, with a range of replica historical buildings that provide a perfect venue for outdoor learning and a great way to bring history alive. www.moulsecoomb.brighton-hove.sch.uk TDC is a charity tackling inequality in Brighton and Hove through community-led solutions. Their team of community workers supports people across the city, including in Moulsecoomb, Bevendean and Bates Estate. www.trustdevcom.org.uk Gladrags is a charity providing costumes and educational resources to community groups and schools. During Covid they created a teaching resource to help children talk about their own experiences of the pandemic and those of others. www.gladragscostumes.org.uk Bevendean Food Bank, Coffee Morning and Advice Centre is for individuals and families experiencing food poverty in Lower and Upper Bevendean, Saunders Park, Meadow View and Lewes Road corridor. There are often advisors on hand to give free advice regarding debt, benefits and housing. www.facebook.com/FoodbankandAdviceinBevendean

Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) is a 11-18 inclusive secondary school and 6th Form College situated in Moulsecoomb. The school has a specialism in sport and works in close partnership with many local organisations and employers to widen students’ experience outside of the classroom and prepare them for bright futures ahead. www.baca-uk.org.uk Moulsecoomb Community Market takes place at St. George’s Hall. Local people can become members and then pay a small fee each week for a basket of shopping which contains a range of colourful, healthy foods. www.facebook.com/Moulsecoomb-Community-Market-102169498331131 The Brighton & Hove Food Partnership helps people learn to cook, grow food, eat a healthy diet and waste less. They believe food is more than just fuel, it brings people together and changes lives. Their work includes: community gardening; redistributing & reducing food waste; tackling food poverty and classes about cookery and nutrition. Recent projects include their ‘In the Bag’ recipe kits delivered to local families for them to cook together. Follow @btnhovefood for recipes, food events, tips & more. www.bhfood.org.uk The Bevy is the only community pub on a housing estate in the UK and much more than just a pub. The team works with dozens of local charities and community groups to host lunch clubs, cooking lessons, arts and crafts sessions, family fun days & more. During the pandemic The Bevy began delivering Meals on Wheels in collaboration with St John’s college and the two organisations are now developing a catering traineeship for students with complex learning disabilities. www.thebevy.co.uk Albion in the Community is the official charity of Brighton & Hove Albion.

Using the power of football and the brand of the football club, they help improve the health and wellbeing, education and aspirations of their community. www.albioninthecommunity.org.uk

Good News Shed is a community project for people to get involved with DIY, woodwork & handyman activities—a larger version of the typical shed you might find in the garden and so much more, too. Members work together on projects of their own, at their own pace and in a safe, friendly and inclusive environment. It is a place of leisure where people come together to connect and work. www.goodnewsbrighton.com/project/shed Moulsecoomb Forest Garden and Wildlife Project – offers horticultural, carpentry, woodland management, cooking, educational and social opportunities to everyone. They run a therapeutic garden project for people of all abilities and work with schools to provide an alternative for pupils who struggle in a typical classroom setting. www.moulsecoombforestgarden.org Lives To Admire provides transformational coaching, counselling and mentoring. They journey with people that feel stuck in the fog to walk towards a life that is authentic & admirable. livestoadmire@gmail.com or 07752 327564 Brighton Food factory is a non-profit organisation which helps community groups and emergency food projects to access locally grown produce. www.brightonfoodfactory.org Friday Friends is a lunch club for seniors at The Bevy pub. Entirely run by volunteers, older residents are picked up by The Bevy bus and enjoy a meal, games and some company once a week. www.facebook.com/fridayfriendsdbg

This book was made possible thanks to many members of our Moulsecoomb & Bevendean community.

Thank you especially to all of these individuals who contributed their recipes: ·

Anke Thurm at Trust for Developing Communities for the casserole with whatever veg

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Carly North at Moulsecoomb Forest Garden for the glamorgan sausages

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Caroline at FareShare for the courgette & runner bean salad

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Catherine Mulvey at The Bevy for the veggie pasta cheese bake

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Charlotte Fuller at Brighton & Hove Food Partnership for the fishcakes

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Charlotte Hastings at Kitchen Therapy for the butternut squash, sweet potato and red lentil soup, the Hey Pesto and the sweet potato brownies

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Councillor Daniel Yates for the pasta with salami

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Dave Gibbons at Friday Friends for the vegan lemon drizzle cake

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Elly at Bevendean Food Bank for the chicken noodle soup

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Elaine Cook at Good News Brighton & Chomp Moulsecoomb for the Homity Pie and frozen berrilicious yoghurt

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Fay Older at Lives to Admire for the fish/ chicken papilotte

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Iain Chambers at Brighton Food Factory for the slazzer chicken

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Judith Ledger at Moulsecoomb Primary School for the naan bread and the honey & oat biscuits

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Lyndsey Haskell at East Brighton Trust for the perfect red sauce for pasta

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Mari Clark at Albion in the Community for the sweetcorn and chicken risotto

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Moulsecoomb Community Market for the chicken and white bean stew

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Paul Loman at The Real Junk Food Project for the vegetable curry, how to boil rice and the Spanish omelette

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Ricky Hodgson at Brighton Aldridge Community Academy for the chilli beef quesadillas

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Ronald at FareShare for the sour cherry cheesecake and carrot & almond cake

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Sara Fernee at Very Local Food Hubs for the salsa and hummus (and Ash for the photos)

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Sean Older at Chomp Moulsecoomb for the sweet potato curried dahl

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Shelley Bennett at Pelican Parcels for the colourful wraps and the gluten free fudge brownies

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Sue Markwick at The Bevy for Susie's stew

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Vania Mills at Gladrags for the ratatouille, baked rice & bean salad

Thank you to Sean Older of Chomp Moulsecoomb for coming up with the idea for this book, for sourcing content and all his hard work in pulling the finished product together, and to Lyndsey Haskell of East Brighton Trust for designing, editing and building the book.

A huge thanks to East Brighton Trust for their huge generosity in sponsoring this project and collaborating with us right through to the end.

And finally, a massive thanks to all our Chomp Moulsecoomb families who bring so much to each and every one of our sessions.