I had 3 little aubergines to use from my Oddbox this week and I just didn't fancy roasted aubergine (which was what came to mind when thinking of how I could use them).

Oddbox sent through a recipe for aubergine parmigiana, so I thought I'd give it a go, as I had all the ingredients in the house. I then ended up blending it all up and making a pasta sauce using some mince meat.

It was really quick and easy to do, you basically shove it all in the oven and then blend, check out the recipe below! 👇🏼

RECIPE - Parmigiana Serves 2 / Pasta Sauce Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 Large Aubergines / 3 Small
400g Chopped Toms
400g Tomato Sauce
1 Tbsp Olive Oil 
30g Mixed Cheddar and Mozzarella
Salt and Pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170c. 

2. Take the aubergines and make widthways cuts at 1cm intervals, three-quarters of the way through, so the slices are still attached at the bottom. You can use two wooden spoons on each side of the aubergine to get perfect Hasselback cuts and avoid cutting through.

3. Stuff the aubergine cuts with the cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Place the chopped toms and tomato sauce in a baking tray and place the aubergines on top. Bake for 35-45 mins.

For the pasta sauce:

5. Allow the aubergines to cool slightly, before removing their tops and slicing them into chunks. Pop the aubergine and sauce into a deep saucepan and blend with a hand blender until smooth. Season to taste. Serve with your choice of pasta.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

200g Linguine pasta

2 Courgettes, spiralized

1tbsp Olive oil

2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

300g Raw or cooked king prawns, peeled

20 Cherry tomatoes, halved

Handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

1tsp Chilli flakes

2 Small green chillies, finely chopped

METHOD

Cook the pasta in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, add the spiralized courgette, for the last 2mins of cooking time and drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the garlic along with the chilli and cook for 1-2mins, not allowing it to brown.

Add the raw prawns (if you have cooked ones, don’t add just yet). Then add in the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2-3mins. (Add the cooked prawns, if using). 

Allow it all to cook together for a few minutes before adding the pasta and courgette.

Mix well and serve with the chopped basil.

This is a brand new recipe for me and one I knew I'd have to share. This dish is so versatile, you can enjoy it hot or cold, as a main with salad or a side dish with extra veggies/meat or fish. It's just perfect for this time of year.

A really satisfying dish, with plenty of flavour, from both the feta and the roasted veggies.

This bake has a high protein content, due to the egg and Greek yoghurt content and I've found it a perfect solution to a quick lunch, that doesn't include bread (for a change).

Total cooking/prep time is 35mins max - ideal for a mid-week supper!

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RECIPE

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

1kg Courgettes, cut into 2cm slices

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

125g spring onions, trimmed

5 Eggs, lightly beaten

150g Greek yogurt

35g Polenta

135g Feta cheese, crumbled

2 Garlic cloves, finely grated

1 Sprig of rosemary

1 Sprig of thyme

Method

Preheat the oven to 190c fan. Place the courgettes into a large roasting tin, or two, ensuring they lie on a single layer. Drizzle with 1tbsp olive oil and some salt and the rosemary and thyme and mix. Roast for 10 mins.

Then drizzle 1/2 tbsp oil on the spring onions and add to the tin. Roast for another 10 mins. The courgettes should be tender and the spring onions browning.

Reduce the oven to 170c. In a bowl mix together all of the other ingredients and season. Spoon the roasted veg into a gratin/cast iron dish. Pour the batter over the veg and bake for 15-20 mins until just set and slightly golden. Serve hot or cold. 

RECIPE - SERVES 4

For the pea purée

100g fresh/frozen peas

10g unsalted butter

1 pinch sea salt

10g fresh mint leaves

For the risotto

½ white onion, diced

2 tbsp refined olive oil or 30g unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, finely grated

200g risotto rice

140g fresh/frozen peas

40g freshly grated Parmesan

600ml vegetable or chicken stock

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

To make the pea purée, have a bowl of iced water ready. Then bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Blanch 240g of peas for 2 minutes and strain straight into the iced water. Leave to cool for a few minutes, before placing 100g of the peas in a blender, along with 100ml of the stock, the mint and the butter. Blend until smooth and season with the salt and put to one side.

For the risotto, place the butter/oil into a saucepan pan and sweat the onions on a medium-low heat until tender and translucent. Do not allow to colour or brown. Add the garlic and stir.
Add the risotto rice to the onion and stir to coat the grains in oil/butter. Whilst doing so, place the remaining stock (500ml) into a small pan on the stove and bring to a light simmer.
Continue to stir the rice and onions, adding a ladle of hot stock at a time. Once the ladle of stock has been absorbed by the rice, add another. Continue to do this for 20 mins, or until the rice is cooked.
Then stir in the 140g of blanched peas along with the pea purée and grated parmesan. Season with salt and black pepper to serve.

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS 

3 Cups rolled oats

1/2 Cup of honey 

21g Chopped nuts of choice (I used peanuts)

100g Butter

48g WHEYD Vanilla Protein Powder

1/3 Cup of raisins

2 Apples, peeled and grated

2 Tbsp Chia seeds

10g Sunflower seeds

1tsp Cinnamon 

1/2tsp sea salt

METHOD

1️⃣ Line a tray with baking parchment, and preheat the oven to 175c.

2️⃣ Add the dry ingredients and apple to a large mixing bowl.

3️⃣ Melt the butter and honey in the microwave, then stir into the dry ingredients. 

4️⃣ Flatten out in the lined tray and bake for 10-12 mins, until golden. 

Allow to cool before serving.

Key Lime Energy Balls

100g Almonds

100g Cashew Nuts

150g Dates

50g Vanilla Protein

3 Limes, Juiced

50g Desiccated Coconut

Soak the dates and nuts in cold water in the fridge overnight. Empty the water and blend in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine. It should look like a dry mixture. Roll into 50g balls.

Apple Pie Energy Balls:

1tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2tsp ground nutmeg
50g Rolled Oats

10 Pitted dates
2 small apples, peeled and sliced
75g Almonds
2 tbsp Raw Peanut Butter
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
15g Flaxseed, to roll in

Soak the dates in cold water in the fridge overnight. Blitz the oats and dates in a food processor until combined. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend. Should look like a dry mixture. Roll into 50g balls.

INGREDIENTS 

140g butter/coconut oil 

140g caster sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

120g self raising flour 

1tsp baking powder

2 very ripe bananas, peeled + mashed

25g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

25g soft brown sugar

25g WHEYD vanilla protein powder (optional)

METHOD

1️⃣ Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan and line a loaf tin.

2️⃣ In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and banana and mix well.

3️⃣ Mix in the flour, baking powder and WHEYD protein powder.

4️⃣ Pour the mix into the tin and sprinkle peanuts and brown sugar on top. Pop in the oven and cook for about 45 mins. Check at 25 mins and every 5-10 mins after to make sure it is perfectly cooked. Poke with a knife, if it comes out clean, you’re good to go!

Lovely warming soup, perfect for a cozy lunchtime!

SERVES 2-3

INGREDIENTS

1 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and diced

1 Onion, peeled and chopped

2 Cloves Garlic, crushed

1.5L Stock (veg or chicken)

50g Chorizo, finely diced

1/2 Tbsp Paprika

1 tsp Ground Cumin

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 Spring Onions, thinly sliced

Salt

Pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180c. Put the butternut squash into a bowl, add the paprika, oil, cumin and some salt and pepper. Mix well before dividing into 2 trays. Place in the oven for 20 mins or until cooked through and starting to brown.

Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed pan heat up a little more olive oil and sweat the onions along with the garlic, until the onions are soft and see-through. Add the butternut squash once cooked, give it a good stir and add a little more salt. Pour in the stock and bring to a gentle boil, then turn down to simmer for 5-10 mins. Whilst hot blend with a hand blender until smooth. Season to taste. 

Heat up a frying pan and cook the chorizo for 5 mins until it releases it’s oils, then remove.

Serve the soup with warm bread, lashings of butter and a sprinkle of chorizo and spring onion on top.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Large cauliflower (800g)

1 medium white onion, sliced

25g parsley, fresh

10g mint, fresh

10g coriander, fresh

½ pomegranate

40g pistachio kernels, toasted and chopped

1tsp ground cumin

1 ½ tbsp lemon juice

Method

First, preheat the oven to 200°C fan and coarsely grate a third of the cauliflower and set aside in a bowl. Break the remaining cauliflower into florets, roughly 3cm wide, and add these to a separate bowl with the cauliflower leaves, if you have any, and the onion. Toss everything together with 2 tablespoons of oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Once cool, put the roasted vegetables into a large bowl with the 50ml oil, the grated cauliflower and the remaining ingredients, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Toss gently, just to combine, then transfer to a platter and serve.

Serves 2

Ingredients

Olive oil

3 Garlic cloves, crushed

1 Large red onion, chopped

1/2tbsp fresh/dried thyme

2 small aubergines, diced

200g cherry toms, halved

180g Puy lentils

500ml veg stock

80ml dry white wine

100g creme fraiche

1tsp chilli flakes

2tsp oregano leaves (fresh/dried)

Method

Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large, high-sided sauté pan and place on a medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, thyme and ¼ teaspoon of salt and fry for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden. Tip into a bowl, leaving the oil behind. Set aside.

Place the aubergines and tomatoes in a bowl and season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Add the remaining oil to the same pan (don’t worry about wiping it clean) and, once very hot, add the aubergines and tomatoes. Fry for 10 minutes, on medium high, turning them often until the aubergine is soft and golden-brown and the tomatoes are beginning to blacken. Return the garlic and onion to the pan, then add the lentils, stock, wine, 450ml of water and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still retain a bite.

Serve warm, or at room temperature, with a dollop of crème fraîche, a drizzle of oil and chilli flakes and oregano on top.