Are these the best recipes ever? They are according to Pinterest (2024)

ONE PAN FULL MONTY BREAKFAST

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 rashers of unsmoked bacon

1 handful asparagus spears

2 large handfuls baby spinach

1 handful cherry tomatoes

2 handfuls mushrooms, small

2 eggs

1 sea salt and black pepper

1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to fan 200°C/Gas mark 7 and line your widest baking tray with baking parchment. Add half the ghee or coconut oil and let it melt in the oven for a few minutes.

2. Spread out all the ingredients in the lined and greased baking tray, excluding the eggs and spinach (don’t worry – you will make space for them later). If using asparagus or broccoli, add these now as well.

3. After 10 minutes in the oven, take out the tray, flip over the bacon and mushrooms and push them to one side, then add the rest of the ghee/coconut oil. Throw in the spinach, make two indentations in it and carefully crack in the eggs.

4. Put the tray back in the oven for a further 4–5 minutes until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Remove from the oven, and give a good grind of salt and black pepper to serve.

MADHUR'S CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

For the chicken tikka:

675g boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 2½ centimetre (1 inch) chunks

1¼ tsp salt

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp peeled, finely grated root ginger

2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

½–¾ tsp chilli powder

6 tbsp whipping cream

½ tsp garam masala

3 tbsp olive or sunflower oil

For the masala:

4 tbsp olive or sunflower oil

140 g (5oz) onions, halved and sliced

1 tbsp peeled, finely grated root ginger

5-6 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp ground coriander

½ tsp tumeric

¾ tsp chilli powder

2 tsp paprika

4 tbsp yoghurt

2 medium tomatoes, peeled and very finely chopped

350 ml chicken stock

¼ tsp salt, or to taste

¼ tsp garam masala

4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

1. Start by marinating the chicken tikka. Put the chicken in a non-reactive bowl and rub in the salt and lemon juice. Prod the chicken pieces lightly with the tip of a knife and rub the seasonings in again, then set aside for 20 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, paprika, chilli powder, cream and garam masala. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for six to eight hours (longer will not hurt).

2. When you’re ready to cook, make the masala: pour the 4 tablespoons of oil into a large, preferably non-stick, lidded pan and set it over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the onions. Stir and fry until they brown, six or seven minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and continue to fry, stirring, for a minute. Add the ground coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and paprika. Stir for 10 seconds, then add a tablespoon of the yoghurt. Stir and fry until it is absorbed. Add the remaining yoghurt in this way, a tablespoon at a time.

3. Now put in the tomatoes. Fry them for three or four minutes, or until they turn pulpy. Add the stock and salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes. The sauce should turn thick. Stir in the garam masala and coriander leaves, taste for balance of seasonings and add more salt if you need it.

4. Shortly before you eat, preheat the grill to its highest setting. Thread the chicken on to two to four skewers (the flat, sword-like ones are best). Brush with the 3 tablespoons of oil and balance the skewers on the rim of a shallow baking tray, so that the meat is suspended and does not touch the tray. Place about 13 centimetres (5 inches) from the source of heat and grill for six minutes on each side, or until lightly browned, cooked through and charred in places. (Cut a large piece of chicken to the centre to check there is no trace of pink.)

5. When the tikkas are cooked, reheat the sauce and fold in the chicken. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE AND GOJI BERRY BARS

Makes 8-10 bars

Ingredients:

160g raw unsalted almonds

3 tbsp coconut oil

20 dried dates, pitted

3 tbsp goji berries

3 tbsp raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra for coating

Method:

1. Line a 20 x 10cm baking tray or 1kg loaf tin with cling film.

2. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blitz for about 1 minute, until it forms a paste that sticks together when you press it between your fingers.

3. Tip the mixture into the lined tray, and press it down, compacting the mixture until it is smooth and level. Cover and chill until firm or ready to serve. Once firm cut into 8–10 bars. The bars will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or you can freeze them for up to 1 month.

HEALTHY NO BAKE CHOCOLATE FRUIT PIZZA

Serves 10

Base:

1 cup whole almonds

15 whole dates (with stones removed)

2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Fruit topping:Strawberries, kiwi, clementines, berries or any fruit or your choice, all chopped.

Filling:

4oz cream cheese

3oz greek yogurt

½ tsp orange juice

¼ tsp orange zest

¼ tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. First up make the base by blitzing the almonds in a food processor until they have broken down into a fine consistency, almost like almond flour. Add the dates, melted coconut oil, cocoa powder and vanilla extract and continue to blitz until the dates have been finely chopped and everything is well combined.

2. Press the mixture into a springform tin or tart dish and place in the fridge for an hour to set. If you don't have much time then you can put it in the freezer for 15 - 20 minutes.

3. Make the filling by mixing the cream cheese, greek yogurt, orange juice and zest and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Now spread this mixture onto the top of the pizza base and then decorate with the fruit topping of your choice.

4. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for a couple of hours until you are ready to eat it!

TRAVELLING NOODLES

Makes one pot

Ingredients:

1 handful of dried noodles (try zero cal noodles if you want to be really good!)

1 handful of mixed asian veg

1 handful of left-over cooked chicken / cooked prawns / tofu

Half handful of bean sprouts

1 spring onion

1tsp fresh or dried coriander

1tsp hot sauce (I like Sriracha)

1tsp miso paste

1tsp bouillon/stock powder (make sure it has no MSG)

1tsp tom yum paste (optional)

1tbsp soy sauce

Method:

1. Cook your noodles according to the package.When they’re done, pop them into the bottom of your pot.Flatten them in and make sure they’re nicely spread out.Leave to cool.

2.While the noodles cool, make your taste paste.In a small bowl mix together your miso, bouillon, soy, tom yum paste, as much hot sauce as you fancy. Even if you don’t like spicy stuff, just add a little. It gives the soup a great bite and boots your metabolism up a gear.When your pots are nice and chilled, add your sauce.

3. Pile in your chosen meat. Use whatever you fancy, but make sure it’s cooked.

4. Pack in a handful of sliced veg and bean sprouts. Top with sliced spring onion.Sprinkle in your coriander, I didn’t have any fresh so used dried.

5. Then they're done!They keep for a few days, so you could always make a batch of them for the week ahead.When you’re ready to chow, boil the kettle and pop open your pot.Pour boiling water in, until the top veggies are swimming.Seal the pot and leave it for a couple of minutes. Mix and eat!

SPICED BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 x 2kg leg of lamb, butterflied (see below)

1 x 170g tub authentic Greek yogurt, to serve

For the marinade:

50g butter, melted

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp smoked garlic powder or garlic salt

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

juice and zest of 1 lemon

2 tbsp sumac

a pinch of chilli flakes

½ x 28g pack flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped

1 x 28g pack mint, leaves only, chopped

Method:

1. Mix the butter and oil then stir in the rest of the marinade ingredients. Season with black pepper. Place the lamb in a shallow dish and spoon over the marinade. Rub it all over the meat. Cover; chill overnight. Remove from the fridge 1 hour before cooking.

2. Light the barbecue and, once hot, add the lamb, fat-side down. Cook on a high heat for 5 minutes until golden. Turn and cook for a further 5 minutes.

3. Move the coals to reduce the heat and cook for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally. Rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice thickly; serve with Greek yogurt.

How to butterfly a leg of lamb:

1. Find the place where the long bone running down the length of the leg appears close to the surface.

2. Cut the meat away from either side of this bone.

3. At the fat end of the leg, there is a smaller group of bones. Continue to cut the meat away until you can lift the bones out, leaving a piece of meat shaped like a butterfly's wings.

4. Trim off any excess fat and cut open any thicker areas of the meat so that it's an even thickness of about 4-5cm throughout.